RPGCast - Episode 167: "In the Quad"

[sabin1001]

RPGCast - Episode 167: "In the Quad"

Torchlight conquers your console gaming time. RPGamers pimp their sexiest character nominations. Finally, Magicka napalms its way to our hearts with its new expansion.

You can find the links to all our stories on delicious: http://delicious.com/rpgamer/167

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Garrett Lindquist's Lunar Battle Theme Remix:
http://www.rpgamer.com/rpgcast/usermusic/GDawgTUK - Lunar Battle Theme Remix [RPGamer.com].mp3

[MasterChief]

I wouldn't say God of War influenced Bayonetta at all, really. Character-action games have largely split between two hugely distinct design philosophies. God of War is mostly the western way of these games, whereas Japanese games in that genre are derived from Devil May Cry - Bayonetta even more so because its director was the original Devil May Cry director.

And yeah, Kratos is a jerkass who's basically pissed off for its own sake. I found Dante in Dante's Inferno to be a much better representation of the whole "tormented soul" thing, and he's actually trying to right himself, whereas Kratos seemed to become more generically angry with each successive game.

[Ocelot]

I smoulder with generic rage.

[noodle]

i found it extremely hilarious hearing manny try to pronounce my hot man character list. i would've been on to read them, but i stayed up too late the previous night doing aht urghan missions in FFXI

[omegabyte]

I wouldn't say God of War influenced Bayonetta at all, really. Character-action games have largely split between two hugely distinct design philosophies. God of War is mostly the western way of these games, whereas Japanese games in that genre are derived from Devil May Cry - Bayonetta even more so because its director was the original Devil May Cry director.

And yeah, Kratos is a jerkass who's basically pissed off for its own sake. I found Dante in Dante's Inferno to be a much better representation of the whole "tormented soul" thing, and he's actually trying to right himself, whereas Kratos seemed to become more generically angry with each successive game.

It made a ton of sense in the first game, but yea, it's started to get ridiculous. I can't even play GoW3, though it's mostly because the game design hasn't changed since GoW1 and other people have significantly improved their formula for them. God of War is now inferior to God of War clones

[Just Doug]

Since it slowed you guys down trying to figure out where my feedback came from (I didn't realize my full name goes out when I send an email...), I registered for the forums! I got a kick out of you guys reading my feedback, and I'm glad I made you laugh. This time I won't go on so long.

I really like the uniforms in Valkyria Chronicles games: Gallia, Empire, the Xanatos impersonator with the random cow skull on his shoulder. I like all the character designs, any of the art really, in Valkyria games. I really can't say that enough.

Who else? Well, I think the kids in Persona games (3, 4) are well-dressed. In some franchises, characters (especially those who are supposed to be an average Joe at the start) have such overwrought costumes compared to the NPCs. Persona I think finds a good balance, what with not having a dozen needless belts or zippers on every main character, but still looking spiffy.

-Doug

[Quin]

I am also a fan of uniform-type costumes, be they military or otherwise.

Favourite RPG costumes;
Jade Curtiss (Tales of the Abyss)
Haken Browning (Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier)
The Gallian Military & Militia (Valkyria Chronicles)
Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)
The SeeD Uniform (Final Fantasy VIII) - I always felt this one was better than the jacket Squall spends most of the rest of the game in.
Several of the armour sets from Final Fantasy XI, especially some of the more recent ones.

Non-RPG;
Battler Ushiromiya (Umineko) - Really, the entire Ushiromyia family (And their staff) are rather snappy dressers. Battler's suit stands out to me as the best example. Also, I want that suit >.>;
Jeanne (Bayonetta)

[gdawgtuk]

Most crazy full RPG costumes in my book goes to Magna Carta 1 & 2.

[MasterChief]

OK, it's time for best dressed then. Let's see....

RPGs:

5. The Illusive Man from Mass Effect 2. As ZZ Top said, there's something about a sharp-dressed man, and The Illusive Man over here is pretty damned sharp-dressed. Looks like the kind of guy who'd throw some CRAZY *** parties tucked away from the general public.

4. Yuna from FFX. Her intricate robes reflect the demure personality she had in FF10, and serve to make her look beautiful without being needlessly revealing. Unlike most womens' costumes, this actually looks like it would fit on someone doing something other than modeling.

3. On the other end of that spectrum, we have Selphie from FF8. Honestly, I didn't even know it was possible to show off that much leg and not show off anything that would get you arrested. Still, that simple yellow sundress is plenty sexy without really trying that hard. Combined with how off the wall energetic she is, the temptation to just pull it off and get started is quite strong.

2. Rudy from Wild Arms. Here's something very few JRPGs have done before or since. The main hero of the game, while still having a heart for exploration, isn't annoyingly fresh-faced. Indeed, his look carries a ruggedness that few characters in Japanese games can pull off convincingly - looking worn without looking hilariously dirty. Makes a change, it does.

1. Mario. The classics still work after all these years.

Non-RPG.

5. Scolar Visari from the Killzone series. Let's face it, most evil emperors look like clowns in videogames. Not Visari over here. His outfit is a subtle mixing of classical English royalty and a Nazi officer's uniform, making him look at once classy and unimaginably imposing. He actually sounds like the type of guy who'd make his awesome speeches.

4. Chun-Li from Street Fighter. An interesting variation on traditional Chinese garb, Chun-li's outfit manages to emphasize the beauty and strength of her body without taking the cheap shortcut of being form-fitting. She hides neither her strength nor her femininity, something of a rarity in female character design which goes too far in one direction or the other far too often.

3. Sheva Alomar from Resident Evil 5. Another in the critically small list of video game women who don't look grossly over-sexualized, Sheva manages to actually look like a respectable spec ops soldier instead of a street tart. Much like Chun-Li, she isn't going out of her way to hide anything, but she isn't going out of her way to show it off either. The purple with vertical white stripes of her top complement her beige pants, and damn if I don't love that necklace.

2. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Bayonetta, a woman who is so overtly sexualized that any complaints about her appearing in H-doujin by the devs is hilarious. Skin-tight catsuit, fetish librarian-glasses, guns on her high-heels, and a jewel on her chest to make sure no one looks at her eyes, she's one step away from a porn star, and damn if I wouldn't have it any other way in this case.

1. Mario. ~30 years since Donkey Kong, and this unlikely, can-do hero still has it. Simple shirt and overalls and mustache, he's there to get down and dirty and do the job.

Here's a suggestion for next week. Since we've done best dressed here, how about worst dressed? I can think of a few fashion victims. What about you guys?

[slayde112]

Hearing the opening theme song to LIVING SINGLE on RPGCast sung by Manny was by far one of the funniest things I've heard on the show thus far. Amazing! It's funny b/c I used to watch that show growing up too and this is like the last place I would ever think of hearing that.

[Macstorm]

Stupid caller ID.

[EmeraldSuzaku]

I'm too sexy for (some of) my shirt?

[Macstorm]

Also Chris, Jikandia is developed by Opus Studio and published by Idea Factory. Half-Minute Hero is developed by Opus and was published by Marvelous in Japan and XSEED here. The tie is Opus, the same dev for both.

[Strawberry Eggs]

I'm sorry, but I would give Ignition a "D" for effort in voice-acting Arc Rise Fantasia. The decision to have the voice-actiong done in Japan wasn't anything as noble as keeping it similar to the Japanese version. While I can't be certain, I believe it's cheaper to dub games in English in Japan because studios charge by the day rather than the hour. And really, the actors and the voice director should both be able to speak the language they are dubbing in fluently so that the end result doesn't sound so God-awful and awkward. Granted, some of the blame for that also lies with whoever translated the script, but it's still painfully obvious that Ignition took no care into localizing this game. Which is a crying shame because otherwise, ARF is an excellent game.


As for best dressed RPG characters (I should warn you that I have strange tasts in clothes):


Rastan Oigen (Arc Rise Fantasia) - It's all in that Bad-*** Longcoat
Serge (Arc Rise Fantasia) - I don't know, I think his outfit is cool.

Dia (Luminous Arc 2) - She's an awesome teacher/principal! I don't know what else to say. . .
Xelha (Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean) - People will probably think I'm nuts for this, but I rather like Xelha's outfit. I think it's rather cute in its oddness and complexity.

[Just Doug]

I am also a fan of uniform-type costumes, be they military or otherwise.

Favourite RPG costumes;
...
Several of the armour sets from Final Fantasy XI, especially some of the more recent ones.

Remember years ago when they fell back on their standard "PS2 limitations" excuse for not introducing new armor models? (or whatever the term is for the shape that gets skinned with different patterns to make armors)

But I agree, recent (that is, Empyrean) armor is very shiny and pretty and makes most of the jobs look a lot cooler; beyond what I thought FFXI could do, really. PLD's is probably my favorite, though I think RDM and BLM also look really good (some don't like RDM but I'm a huge RDM nut anyway).

Which makes me remember how Red Mages have always looked slick. Half the reason I started FFXI as one was because I saw what the AF looked like (the other half being that they were the starting class that could both swing a sword and cure themselves). I totally forgot about Red Mage when making my list!

[sabin1001]

Also Chris, Jikandia is developed by Opus Studio and published by Idea Factory. Half-Minute Hero is developed by Opus and was published by Marvelous in Japan and XSEED here. The tie is Opus, the same dev for both.

Well someone should go update wikipedia.

[risingsun]

Stupid caller ID.

I finally figured out who your "character" was. You were that hyper guy from Parks and Recreation right? Tom?

[Paws]

Stupid caller ID.

OMG how did I not spot this before?! I just ROFLed so hard.

[Macstorm]

That makes three "characters" I've called as now. I don't think anyone ever figured out the second one.

[risingsun]

That makes three "characters" I've called as now. I don't think anyone ever figured out the second one.

Don't let Sabin's detective work deter you from doing more crank calls. We will make sure never to dig too deep into it again.