Calvin and Hobbes! I went out and bought the complete collection (4 volumes in a nice slip case), and I'm about halfway through Volume 2. I'm kinda savoring it, in part cause I only get to really read it on weekends before I go to bed (because then if I get sucked in, like what usually happens, I'm not up super late when I need to be up in the morning)

SR3 is great. I had a blast with it. Definitely didn't take any of it seriously during the 50 hours I put into it. I'm looking forward to SR4!

I've only ever played GTA3 so maybe the newer games are different, but because the missions never really felt fun it took forever for me to finish that game. I like that Saints Row: The Third doesn't try to be serious at all, that actually makes me want to play the game rather than just dick around and run people over.

I think I'd rather win the lottery.

I wish all RPGs could have a solid story, but I'd include even games like Eye of the Beholder, Dungeon Master, and Double Dungeons (no matter how mind-numbing it is) in this genre. To help me determine what I should and shouldn't play through this quest I wrote up a list of what I consider essential to an all inclusive RPG; then anything 10 or above is included while games rated at 9 or below are rejected.

Zelda actually gets pretty close, and Zelda II was even included thanks to Link having levels and gaining experience. Shenmue is another game I've heard described as an RPG that I don't think fits; checking against the my list shows it's close as well, just on the edge really, but doesn't quite have the key mechanics found in games popularly known as RPGs.

I hope more people get involved to help me determine if I'm skipping over something that I should include. It happened recently with Cadash, which I added back into my list. Of course, looking at the game I don't expect it to last very long.

I personally feel that Gabe N. is actually a suit. Press a button on the back of his neck, his torso opens up robotically to reveal

edit: re: you and RPGConquest.
People who call Zelda games RPGs drive me insane. Games can have RPG elements without actually being RPGs themselves. For the most part Zelda is basically just a solid action/adventure series with a linear plot and sidequests and not many RPG elements. It REALLY bugs me when people just claim the entire series of games are RPGs. Nope.

Yeah, I do wonder why some people feel the need to lump Zelda games into the RPG genre. The second one is the closest of the bunch and usually the least licked from what I understand (at least at the time of its release).

Thanks for clarifying GUN. That's the impression I got as well. It probably has some way to upgrade skills or something, but if that's all it took to be an RPG, then I'd be playing a lot more games.

Yeah it has a lot of quirks to be sure. At this point I just keep brute forcing through questions and I hope I get them right ahaha. I also tend to rely more on fusion than recruiting too, though that can get a bit expensive resummoning from your compendium.

Like Wude said, a lot of answers depend on a Demon's personality. If one gets mad at you for an answer, try and remember, because if that question comes up again later when you try and recruit that same demon again. The same answers that were wrong for that specific demon before will almost always still be wrong on later attempts.

Re: dying. If you don't wanna pay Macca, just hit "I'll wait." It'll end up kicking you back to the start screen. Though to be fair like WorldDude said, while they penalize you with macca, previous games pretty much never had pay to revive systems before. If you got hit by a really cheap death, it was instant game over, and in the previous games if you human MC died? Instant game over, straight to start screen. Also after you die twice you unlock an easier difficulty setting assuming you haven't already and aren't averse to using them.

Also, hi! I'm Riss (Wude's gf.) Also willing to help with Megaten questions too if you ever need it!

Unfortunately, there's never a guarantee you'll be able to recruit a demon because it is pretty random (and also based on your Luck stat, at least a little). I honestly think the randomization element is fun as it makes each encounter unique, but I can understand why some mind find it annoying. There are some things you'll pick up on based on the different types of demons. This doesn't guarantee success, but it eliminates some of the randomness and gives you a bit of an advantage. It mostly comes down to playing enough to get accustomed to that stuff. The only tip I can think of is get the demon to the point where they are asking for things, give them two things they ask for (assuming they aren't too unreasonable), and then end talks. That worked for me more often than not. Again, it's not always a guarantee, but a lot of times if you continue to give them stuff there is a chance they will just run off with your stuff. I hope that helps at least a little.

It does get easier the more you play, both in terms of the difficulty and in terms of demon recruiting, because you'll eventually begin to form a team that's easier to manage and take on the various challenges the game has to offer (plus the demon negotiation stuff I mentioned above). I never really noticed the game "mocking" you for dying, but maybe I was just too used to skimming through that dialogue. Not to belittle the issue you have, but earlier SMT games never had a system that revived you (or the ability to save anywhere), so these things definitely save you a lot of hassle. Again, it all gets easier the more you play.

I hope that was able to help, even a little! Trust me when I say you haven't even scratched the surface of the game, so I hope you continue to play. And don't feel ashamed to drop it to easy if you need to; the game is still tough, it just makes things more manageable, especially in the beginning.

Cheers!

YAY! Plushie has arrived!

First time playing AC2? Yep, it's a vast improvement in every way imaginable over its predecessor.

Yeah, it's a ton of fun. Definitely takes nothing seriously at all.

I suggest a Zelda/Metal Gear Solid combo. How could you possibly go wrong?

1. Zelda
2. Assassin's Creed

I'm seeing way too many and for those.

I'd go for Zelda, Bioshock, or Assassin's Creed.

Sonic or Mario. Or Sonic and Mario. Hopefully not at the 2012 Winter Olympics, though.

Trying to decide on a game franchise in my collection to focus on this summer. Any suggestions?

I've thought about it, but maybe once I beat the campaign and can hold my own online. There's an insane amount of content here already, haha. The normal version did get updated w/ HotS though, so there's that too.