Waiting For My Destiny

I was really excited for Destiny. It had the opportunity to be the next big thing for me; a game perfectly marketed as a crossover between Halo’s multiplayer and fantasy MMO world building. There weren’t any launch titles for Xbox One or PS4 that I had to have, so I planned on finally jumping into current gen when Destiny released on September 9, 2014.

My calendar was marked and my bank account was ready. I couldn’t wait. But then I started hearing middling rumors about the state of the game. Weeks leading up to launch, cryptic apprehension in the tenor of my favorite games journalists kept echoing through articles and podcasts alike. I was getting nervous.

Destiny launched and I didn’t buy it. I didn’t buy a PS4 or an Xbox One. I had other great games to play at the time and if this experience wasn’t all that was promised, then I could skip it and be happy. So I did and I was.

It’s now been a month since the release of The Taken King; Destiny’s first major expansion. I’ve been playing Destiny for about three months now on Xbox One. I’ve logged 215 hours. I’m having fun.

I could see the flaws when I initially booted up Destiny 1.0 for the first time with @Skye2117 and @DJMornin. The progression system was confusing, the story was not in the game, and the writing was just bad. An MMO foundation was visible, but it lacked the polish you’d expect when spending 5 years and $300 million dollars. I will say the moment to moment gunplay was deceptively brilliant, but eventually shooting aliens gets old and you’re left with an incomplete shell. Simply put, Destiny just wasn’t what Bungie had sold me over the years. I now fully understood how many gamers felt.

I was sad when I didn’t get to dive into Destiny on day one. There’s a lot of energy around the first month or so of a release and it’s fun to be a part of that, but in retrospect, waiting for Destiny worked for me.

(The Loot Cave. R.I.P. September 9-24, 2014)

Destiny has received many updates since launch to fix general issues and address player feedback. I remember reading about how the loot didn’t feel rewarding early on in Destiny’s life cycle. I’m glad to say that I’ve never felt that way. Bungie heard the complaints and patched the game as online game studios generally do with time. This is just one example of an issue I imagine I would have experienced had I been there during the first couple of months. Waiting to purchase Destiny allowed me to enter a smoothed out experienced thanks to day one players who tested the waters for players like me.

(not waiting vs. waiting lol)

I paid $80 for a digital collector’s edition of Destiny that included everything I’ll need to have for the foreseeable future. In comparison, if you bought everything as it was released, you’ve spent at least $140. The latter is still a good deal if you’re talking about Destiny post Taken King, but many customers felt burned with the value they received early on in Destiny 1.0. Like I said before, I understand this sentiment, but it’s not one I share. In a very measurable way, I have received immense value in waiting to play Destiny.

I wasn’t the only person who waited. @DJMornin did too, and since we both decided not to play at launch, we made sure to coordinate when we were finally ready. I’d like to think that I would have made friends with other players in Destiny even if I had no real life friends playing, but nothing beats exploring a multiplayer game for the first time with your brother.

(One day we'll recount the tale of Skolas, bringer of copious cursing and stationary sweating.)

In summary, there’s no right or wrong way to play a game. Sure, I wanted to be one of the first Guardians landing finishing blows on bullet sponges, but looking back I think the longevity of the game in my rotation was increased because I waited. I waited for the version of Destiny I wanted to play. The version that included my friends taking those first steps with me. The version that had 10 months worth of bug fixing and quality of life patches. The version that had a very promising expansion on the near horizon. I waited and it worked. It might work for you too.

Sincerely,

@drockalexander

Pros of Waiting:

• cheaper ($140 vs. $80)
• general updates (bug fixes, balancing, dlc/expansions)
• community content on youtube, podcast, twitch, etc. (tutorials, strategies, reviews)
• no pressure to “finish” a game in x amount of time

Cons of Waiting:

• probably missing out on collector’s editions and/or exclusive dlc
• you end up getting led through group content, such as The Vault of Glass, rather than solving the puzzles with a group of people for the first time
• the internet spoils everything

How I Got Back to Pokémon This Summer

I am THE Pokémon generation. Born in 88, my imagination was ripe when Red and Blue launched in North America. I’ve played every main entry since and I don’t ever plan on stopping. I still remember Pokémon league at Toy Works (R.I.P.) and trading with a link cable. I’ve even won money playing Pokémon competitively. There was a time when I knew the exact stats of 150+ Pokémon. Yes, that’s a lot of Pokémon... and yes, I am bragging.

Then a game called Hearthstone came along. It’s also easy to learn, hard to master, and good for short bursts or long gaming sessions. Unfortunately for my Pokémon street cred, Hearthstone was just a little more shiny than Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

I also recently got an Xbox One with Destiny and Halo. In the words of the Legendary Saba, “Grind don’t stop…”

I’m aware that I can play multiple games, but I’m the type of person that gets quite focused on one thing when I have a goal in mind. I knew I would be back into Pokémon at some point. I just didn’t know when and I wasn’t going to force it. These relationships have to be more natural. So what did it take me to get back into Pokémon?

1. I went on a road trip! I traveled and got away from the PC and console space. Hearthstone plays well on my Macbook and iPhone, but it’s just not the same for me. While we were driving down bland roads or during the night when everything was dark, I’d pull out my 3DS and play Pokémon.
2. I was with my best friend, @DJMornin, who also loves Pokémon. He was about as far as I was so it created great conversations in the car. We laughed about the story and talked new strategies made possible with Pokémon ORAS. It was great!
3. We were in New York City for 3 days. It only makes sense that we visited the Nintendo World Store. There was Pokémon swag galore and I even got approached by a stranger for a battle. Just like the game, I walked in front of him and he challenged me to a duel. Unlike the game, I lost. He kept apologizing for the spanking he was giving me and my Pokémon. I wasn’t mad that he was beating me. I love a good challenge and there’s much to learn from someone who can dismantle your team. I did get pissed that he wouldn’t shut up. What did I do in response after the battle? Play more Pokémon.
4. The Pokémon National Championship took place over my vacation. I’ve been twice before and it’s an amazing experience. Watching the streams and seeing my friends in pictures from the event definitely rekindled fond memories. If I wasn’t on a road trip, I would have been in Indianapolis, Indiana cheering for the underdogs. If you consider yourself a Pokémon fan of any kind, I highly suggest going to Nationals next year!
5. I used Pokémon I’ve never used before. The hardest Pokémon I trained this time around was Grimer. Grimer’s base stats are poor and it doesn’t evolve until level 38, but I’m glad I now know what it’s like to have one on my team. My final team consisted of Sceptile, Latias, Kyogre, Gardevoir, Absol, and Luxray. I know it’s Uber heavy, but Kyogre was the only water Pokémon I caught that I haven’t trained yet besides Lombre and I wasn’t about to have two grass Pokémon. That’s just insane.

There you have it. I beat the game and I’m back on my grind. If you’re struggling to beat Pokémon ORAS or any Pokémon game for that matter, just go on a road trip with your best friend (or friends) during Nationals.

The original Dear Backlog crew at Nationals 2010.

Sincerely,

@drockalexander

Dear Backlog Update

Dear Backlog used to focus on demo reviews because we believe that even demos should be worth your time. We were proud to be the first and only site to offer content like that.

But the industry has evolved and we have to move with it. Sites like Twitch and YouTube have pushed developers to move away from demos. They just aren’t necessary anymore.

Feel free to browse our archives for demo reviews, but don’t expect any new ones. We will now be focusing on content specific to our tastes in hopes that they align with yours. This will include the podcasts and articles that you’ve come to expect, but also new forms on Twitch and YouTube. We look forward to your feedback.

Thanks for taking this journey with us. If you’ve been with us from the beginning, we’re just growing up a bit. We are still just a tweet away. If you’re new to Dear Backlog, you’re catching us at our greatest stride.

Sincerely,

@DearBacklog

Rare Game Experiences 2015

We are well into the digital age of video games. Physical copies displayed at your local game store are just as easily located in downloadable form on Steam, Xbox Live, or Playstation Network.

Overall, this is good for gamers. Gone are the days of driving to Gamestop and sifting through the game spines in alphabetical order just to walk away empty handed. We can now do the shopping from the comfort of our couch. We save money and time.

Ten years ago, it wasn’t like this. It used to be that the only way to play a game was by having a physical copy. Games would retain value because there was no other way to have that experience. If a game sold through its manufacture run, you would have to buy a used copy. If no one wanted to sell that game, you would have to offer more money. A game could achieve a rare status.

It’s no secret that I adore the .hack series. I’ve written articles about them in the past. The sad part is that I only own the first two games. There are seven total. I figured that I would eventually purchase them all as I visit used game stores over time. But time has widened the gap between those games and my dream. It would now cost me over $400 to complete my collection.

Added from left to right: $35 + $65 + $65 + $140 + $100 + $85 + $90 = $580

This left me intrigued. It makes sense for games that never saw a digital release or HD remaster to still hold value, but are the days of rare games behind us now that everything is digital? Are there physical discs being released now that will later be the sole way to experience that game?

Let me be clear… physical copies of games will always hold some type of value for collectors, but this article is focusing on the value of the game experience. That’s what has driven the price of the .hack series and other games like it to skyrocket. If all seven games were released tomorrow on PSN, I guarantee that prices of the physical copies would drop significantly.

First, I’m going to point out a few games from last generation that are now considered rare and explain why their physical forms still hold value. Then I’m going to predict games that are coming out now that will be rare in the future.

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Last Gen:

Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition/Platinum Hits - Xbox 360 ~ $60

I’m sure this game was quite unique when it came out, but in 2015 it’s certainly not the only way to have a Marvel-inspired dungeon crawl with friends. What makes this specific version of the multiplatform title rare? In April 2007, Activision released downloadable content exclusive to Xbox Live that enabled you to play as 8 new heroes. Then, in May 2007, Activision released the Gold Edition on Xbox 360 that included all the DLC packaged in. Lastly, on December 31, 2009, Activision decided not to renew their Marvel license and, without warning, yanked the DLC from Xbox Live. Overnight, the Gold Edition became the only way to play as Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Hawkeye, Magneto, Sabretooth, Venom, Doctor Doom, or The Hulk. There’s now a $50 difference between a regular copy and a gold edition.

If you enjoyed this game and one of your favorite heroes was locked behind a $50 difference, would you pay up?

Aquanauts Holiday - PS3 ~ $100

In Aquanauts Holiday, you play as a journalist in search of a missing oceanographer. It’s an adventure game where you use a submarine to search for clues and explore marine wildlife in the sea. The game was originally released in Japan and Southeast Asia in September 2008. Two months later, a Chinese and English translation of the Japanese version was released in China.

The only way to play this game outside of Asia in 2008 was to import it. That, coupled with the fact that it didn’t sell very well, created a recipe for scarcity. I may have seen this game in the bargain bin back in the day when no one knew what it was, but now it sells for about $100.

Do you remember seeing this game preowned at your local game store?

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn - Wii ~ $80

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is the tenth title in the series and the first on Wii. It’s a tactical role-playing game where you control a small team of characters around a square-based battlefield. It’s known for being hard and having permadeath. If you’ve played a Fire Emblem game before, then you know what you’re getting into. Radiant Dawn does have one feature that sets it apart from the other 9 titles; it’s a direct sequel to the gamecube game, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. You don’t need to play the previous entry to enjoy Radiant Dawn, but it improves the experience in the same way that Mass Effect has for gamers.

Being a sequel to a rare game on Gamecube has definitely driven prices up for this title and with Nintendo’s history, we will likely never see a digital release.

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As you can see, most games from last gen were rare because of special conditions like localization or some type of digital misstep. If it wasn’t a Nintendo title, chances are the experience can still be found in some digital form.

So to answer my original question… will rare games still exist in the future? Will a game that’s released in 2015 reach the $100 heights that a game like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 once commanded?

Well, yes and no. Yes, I think there will still be rare physical discs, but no I don’t think there will be very many rare game experiences. Let me explain with some examples.

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Current Gen:

Retro City Rampage - PS4 ~ $150

Retro City Rampage DX is an open world action game that parodies games and pop culture from the 80’s and 90’s. It’s most akin to the early top down games in the Grand Theft Auto series.

This game released on December 11, 2014 on every digital platform available. It’s not a rare experience to have, but the physical disc is very rare. About a month after the digital-only release, the developer, Vblank Entertainment, shipped out 2,000 copies for PS4. The game is now worth $150 or more. Keep in mind that you can purchase the digital version on any platform for about $7…

Shenmue 3 - PS4 ~ $???

Shenmue 3 promises to continue the traditional open world action-adventure gameplay which includes fight scenes broken up by life simulation minigames and quick time events.

This game wasn’t even supposed to happen. The first two titles were critical hits but commercial failures. Sega canceled development of Shenmue III and 15 years years later, Sony parades the Kickstarter relaunch during their E3 2015 press conference.

It’s hard to say for sure, but chances are the only physical copies of this game will initially be in the hands of people who backed the Kickstarter. If you’re willing to purchase a game that doesn’t even exist yet, I doubt you’d be willing to turn it over for less than you originally paid for it. You can buy a digital version of Shenmue 3 once the game releases, but I’m confident that the “exclusive backer-only” version will be a very rare game from this generation.

Shader - One Lil Netbook - $Priceless

Shader is the rarest game that I know of. I can’t explain it because a) I’ve never played it and b) there’s no video of this game on YouTube. Here’s an article on Kotaku that explains the story of how it came to be.

The important thing to know about this game is that it only exists on one little netbook. The game can’t be copied, therefore the only way to experience it is to have the netbook in your hands.

Shader is perhaps the rarest game in the world, but I think that we may see this approach from another developer in the near future.

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In closing, rare games still exist and will continue to exist in the digital era. They’ve changed from what we’ve always known and they will continue to change. If you’re a collector, you may have the hardest job of this generation as you can no longer just collect niche JRPGs. We’ll be on the lookout for more rare games, but if you have any predictions, we’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

@drockalexander

Top 5 Video Game Podcasts

In 2008 I purchased a much hyped $250 device that promised to keep me company on long track and field trips. It was a black iPod with 160gb of space. This was the moment I really started listening to music. I was now free from carrying scratched up burnt cds with no identifier. I could now go from Kanye West to All-American Rejects with a couple circular motions of my thumb. I could now create playlists on the go! But little did I know, this device was also going to introduce me to podcasts.

Seven years later and I love podcasts just as much as video games. In fact, podcasts have enhanced my video game experience and vice versa.

I started Dear Backlog so that I could have a space to share both of these loves with you! I hope you’ve enjoyed our shenanigans thus far, but I’d also like to point you in the direction of some of the podcasts that inspired us. Here are my top 5 favorite podcasts: the ones I listen to the most and the ones we aspire to be like.

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1. Rebel FM
   
   

I’m at the point where Arthur Gies, Matt Chandronait, and Anthony Gallegos feel like family. I will shed tears if this podcast ever ends. The cast is consistent about playing a new game during their busy week so that they have something new to talk about. Since they’re all ex-1up and EGM staff, their opinions are critical and fair. Their rapport is great and while this is the best gaming podcast out there, they never take it too seriously. Occasionally they’ll share relationship advice and introduce you to your next favorite musical artist during their breaks. My favorite moments are when they poke fun at each other; you can hear the love.

Best for: Friday nights when you’re feeling lonely

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2. CAGcast
   
   

CheapAssGamer’s podcast is formulaic and that’s one of the reasons it’s awesome! It starts out with the cast talking about what they’re currently playing, then goes on to new releases, and closes out with letters from the community with life events sprinkled throughout. These guys make content for the industry, but their success is owed to having the closest perspective to how consumers feel. They’re critical, but they have no reason to pull their punches like other podcasters may need to.

Best for: video game collectors, gamers with families

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3. Podcast Beyond
   
   

“Beyond!” This iconic battle cry is all you’ll need to feel right at home whether you’ve been listening from the beginning or are just tuning in. IGN’s own Playstation Podcast has been running for over 300 episodes. Beyond has succeeded by having meaningful dialogue with their community rather than just taking a few email questions here and there. They’re famous for having meet and greets and live podcasts at various video game events. Even though the podcast focuses on everything Playstation, I find that Beyond is entertaining and insightful regardless of where your allegiances lie.

best for: playstation gamers, people who want to interact with the podcast crew and community

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4. 8-4 Play
   
   

This podcast is born and bred in Japan so if a new Final Fantasy or Monster Hunter comes out, you can guarantee they’ll have in depth conversations about it! The crew consists of industry veterans that now work on localization of Japanese games. Their opinions are sometimes biased and that’s what makes this a great podcast. They’re not afraid to praise your favorite JRPG even when it’s flawed.

best for: people who love Japanese games

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5. Giant Bombcast
   
   

This podcast lives off of random tangents and comedy. While all the podcasts I mentioned already are funny at times, this one will definitely have you smiling every five minutes or so. Most podcasts aim for concise one-hour episodes, but the Bombcast has no rules! For example, at the end of each year, they do a Game of the Year podcast series that lasts a week. After it’s all said and done, they end up sharing ten or more hours of free content about the best video games of the year with us!

best for: people who want three hour podcasts

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This is my top 5, but our hope at Dear Backlog is that you find your perfect fit and go on to make your own personal ranking based on what you value. With that being said, we’d love for our community to share suggestions in the comments. We'd especially appreciate podcasts where other gender's voices are represented. Thank you!

Derrick B @drockalexander

Dear Backlog @dearbacklog

The Ebony Blade

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

Part Two

The Ebony Blade

(The first part of this series can be found here)

    I spent the next few days after my desperate escape from the Imperial dungeons getting some much needed rest in a small village in Skyrim called Oakwood. I had been doing odd jobs around town to earn some coin, from delivering items and letters to escorting villagers to and from the local shops. It seemed even in a quiet town like this, danger lurked around every darkened corner. But after a few days of errand running, I knew that in order to stop the foul Battlemage Jagar Tharn, I would need more than a few coins and the earned respect of the locals. I decided to head out into the wilds to hone my skills.

    After a bit of exploration I came across a small farm. I looked around for the owner of the farm to see if I could assist with any trouble with raiders or goblins or the like; anything I could do to help. But instead of giving me more chores, he ended up sharing the exact information I needed. He spoke of a man he met at the Lucky Dragon Inn in Oakwood who boasted that he knew how to find the fabled Ebony Blade. I thanked him for the tip and headed straight there. This was just the sort of weapon I would need against Tharn and his twisted followers.

The Lucky Dragon was a raucous and smoky tavern, but I found the man without difficulty. Above the din of the pub he loudly bragged, “Oh I don’t know where the Ebony Blade itself is, but I know where to find the map to it! But it’ll cost ya!” The man wanted 750 gold pieces for this information, but seeing how drunk he was I “convinced” him to tell me for 500. He reached for my map and scribbled down an X and a name: The Hole of Tragondon. The dungeon's name itself made me uneasy, but it was where he put it down on the map that worried me most. I was headed to Morrowind.

Join me next time in my travels to Morrowind and beyond where I will search ancient dungeons and crypts, and fight deadly foes. All part of my quest to complete all of the Elder Scrolls games. Follow me @SKYE2117 for more of my time in Arena. Or play it for yourself for free by downloading it at http://www.elderscrolls.com/arena.

Good luck adventurers,

- Skye

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3 Demo Review 7.5/10 (PS3)

    Final Fantasy holds a special place in my heart. Over this past generation, I’ve been trying to decide whether it still affects me in the same way or if it’s just nostalgia… whether Final Fantasy XIII was actually bad or if I was the one doing something wrong… whether I want the series to evolve and give me something entirely new or if I just want them to go back to what worked before. I’m not alone in these questions. There are fans around the world, new and old, asking similar things. If it’s to be believed that Square-Enix has heard us and is indeed listening, then the next question we as fans should ask is… “Is Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3 the answer we’ve been looking for?”

    The demo starts off with a cutscene that attempts to introduce players to the conflict that’s already spanned two titles. While I didn’t quite follow everything that was going on, and didn’t expect to, I did get the gist of the story and thoroughly enjoy the visuals that the Final Fantasy series has been known to deliver. The graphics are crisp and showcase what the developers are capable of doing now that they know the hardware inside and out. It’s enough to make you forget that there are better looking games on the horizon. I was particularly impressed with the amount of colors they’ve fit into this game. It may sound like a trite point to make, but it’s an achievement to create a world that can believably house a palette like the one the developers have drawn from. That, paired with the character design, by series mainstay Tetsuya Nomura, will have you commenting about the functionality of the world while at the same time questioning if it really matters when it’s this beautiful. All in all, the Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3 Demo is simply stunning whether in cutscene or real-time gameplay.

    I was annoyed that the demo launches from the Playstation XrossMediaBar, or alternatively the Xbox Dashboard, straight into the same cutscene mentioned above minus the dialogue. It’s a small thing that’s probably unique to the demo, but experiencing it once in all its glory would have been a much more poignant intro and a better use of my time.

    One of the things in the demo that can at one minute go unnoticed but at the next take the narrative by the reigns is the music. It’s not only epic when it needs to be, but it’s also magical at all times. It goes on to reassure the player that this is a cohesive thought out world. Just like previous entries in the series, the music could stand alone. It’s no wonder the series has given birth to orchestral tours featuring tracks from the games.

    A new feature that I encountered during the LR:FFXIII-3 Demo is the Outerworld system. This system allows you to take pictures at any time and share them over the internet via Facebook and Twitter. It also allows you to make comments, cheer on other people’s snapshots, and purchase items people are selling. All you have to do to access this Outerworld feature is pause the game when you’d like to take a screenshot and upload. After that, your screenshot and profile is displayed by a random avatar in other people’s games who are playing online. Sadly, the Outerworld system never revealed itself to be more than a free publicity gimmick during the demo. I couldn’t figure out what I would gain by sharing pictures with everyone who follows me on my social networking sites. I couldn’t figure out how these spectral avatars bearing screenshots somehow fit into the narrative LR:FFXIII-3 is trying to tell.

    You can argue whether the last decade has produced Final Fantasy games worthy of the series’ pedigree, but one thing you can’t argue is that they’ve all been divisive. Ever since Final Fantasy X, Square-Enix has been making changes to the formula. In the LR:FFXIII-3 Demo, we finally get to see what they’ve come up with next, and this time the battle system has received the most notable iteration.

    In LR:FFXIII-3, Lightning, the title bearing main character, has the ability to change costumes at any time during battle. Changing costumes instantly grants Lightning new stats and four new attacks that each have their own strategic value. These attacks also cost ATB points to use. ATB, short for Active Time Battle, is the battle system anyone who’s played XIII or XIII-2 should be familiar with. Basically, in the ATB system, the battles play out in real time, without pause for action, forcing the player to think quickly. One thing that stands out between the previous games and the LR:FFXIII-3 Demo is that you only play as one character that switches roles instead of playing three characters that each have different roles.

    The battles also play out more like an action game now. Players used to have to select attacks until they filled up their action bar before the avatar would attack, but now as soon as you press the button, you attack. This encourages fast gameplay and is rewarded after the battle in the form of battle score, which can be uploaded using the Outerworld system. LR:FFXIII-3 has also done away with the battle menu system altogether, in favor of assigning those same options to face buttons.

    The Lighting Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3 PS3 Demo receives an 7.5/10. It was long enough to fit in all the new and exciting additions to the game, but too short to tell if they’re going to be improvements.

    So… “Is Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3 the answer we’ve been looking for?” I can’t tell you. This is just a review of the demo. What I can tell you is that Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy series is trying to find that answer. It’s not sitting idle. It’s not just trying to cash in. It’s experimenting. And though this may not be the answer we’ve been looking for, this is a step in the right direction and proves that they still have plenty of magic that’s worth your time.

    I would love to pre-order this game so that I could get the exclusive Final Fantasy VII Cloud Strife DLC, but alas I haven’t even played through FFXIII-2. And since I’ve already pre-ordered the Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, which comes out a month after LR:FFXIII-3, I can’t realistically see myself purchasing this until June. I will say that there is a big part of me that just wants to go ahead and dive into LR:FFXIII-3.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3 releases in the US on February 11, 2014 for Xbox 360 and PS3 at 59.99 for the Standard Edition and 89.99 for the Collector’s Edition.

+ Evolved battle system

+/- Pre-order exclusive costumes (Cloud Strife, Yuna, etc.)

+/- PS3 exclusive costumes (Utsusemi Samurai Garb just for downloading)

+/- Demo exclusive costumes (Siegfried Garb if you post your battle score after defeating Zaltys)

- Free Xbox Live Silver members can’t download until Jan. 28th (Did not take this into account when assigning a review score since it’s probably more of an Xbox thing than a LR:FFXIII-3 thing)

- Timed demo