Hatsune Miku Project Diva F

The following question is for those who are unfamiliar with the following image.

Can I get a show of hands please? How many of you recognize this girl? Now do you know what her name is or where she came from?

She will be the subject of today as her game on the PS3 was released recently aptly named Project Diva F.

Her name is Miku Hatsune or Hatsune Miku on the last name first basis. She is one of many characters from a series of Japanese Synthesizers known as Vocaloids. Miku herself is extremely popular although there are many more whom each have their own favorites. Miku became so popular that she starred in her own concert strangely sponsored by Toyota. She's known for her bubbly personality, but she has been prone to some tiffs if her face gets messed with. Now she has a game that came out to the US finally. That game is Hatsune Miku Project Diva F.



I was well aware of Vocaloids, but never found an interest to try out the software mostly because I'm creatively bankrupt. The videos made with the software are vast and creative. When I saw the demo for the game I was morbidly curious so I thought I give it a shot. For some reason or another I quite liked it. At first it took some getting used to since it was different from the usual rhythm game, and I wasn't familiar with Miku's songs. Once I got in the groove, it gave me flashbacks to when DDRMax2/Extreme were out and all sorts of gooey memories came flooding back. So I waited for a release and here we are. Best thing though, I got it for 21 bucks.

What is Project Diva F about anyway and why should I, meaning you, buy it? Initially I'd say if you have a soft spot for Vocaloids you should try it out, but if you are looking for a robust and complex rhythm game this might be right up your alley. This probably is the most moeaty (moe and meaty) rhythm game I've ever seen. Not only do you have the standard fare of songs you can unlock, but also different vanity items and costumes known as modules to play with. That's scrapping the iceberg however.

There's a plethora of game modes to fool around with that will give you your money's worth. They may seem intimidating at first, but it gets fun the more you try it.

* Play mode lets you play the main course of the game. You have 4 difficulties and the more you play the unlockable songs, you play them on harder difficulties. As you play more songs and clear them you gain what's known as Diva Points. Diva points are the currency you can earn to unlock the aforementioned modules or costumes to dress up Miku and the others in the game. You have your tutorial which will show you the ropes on how to play the game as well as Edit Play where you can edit your own videos using a robust video editor. I would do it, but I suck at making videos.

* Diva Room is like a virtual dollhouse where you hang out with each of the Vocaloids. Let's for example hang out with Miku. She has an affinity meter that goes up every time you do something with her or to her. If you rub her head until a certain point, she'll ask to play a game of rock, paper, scissors. and look the other way. If you win her affinity to you will go up. Give her a gift as well that you use your Diva Points to buy. She likes stuff like sweets and music, maybe the occasional fatty tuna, but who doesn't like fatty tuna? Miku's room can also be customized with themes, furniture and various doodads that will unlock mini scenes that involve said doohickeys.

* Shop lets you use Diva Points to buy various modules which are fashionably doable as well as gifts for your Vocaloid of choice and many other things. The more you play the main game the more items you can purchase. They are a bit expensive though so save up enough as you can.

Gonna give Miku some fatty tuna. Girls love fatty tuna.

* Edit lets you create your own video. You can practically do anything in this mode if you have a better artistic mind to it unlike myself.

* Studio lets you watch live performances in front is a virtual leek wielding audience of nothing as you can change the camera angle of the "live" performance. Photo Studio allows you to take a look at your Vocaloid and put them in poses, but to a certain extent. If you for some desperate reason want to aim for a panty shot you get a rather amusing warning translating to simply, "Don't do that pervert!"



* Network logs you in to look at other users edited videos. You need a password for some and initially there isn't that much. You can upload yours though.

* Records show how your progress is doing. You can see how your grades are by each of the tracks you play. It includes trophies that you unlock accidentally mind you sometimes like Easily Flustered where you clear a song with 10 or more cools with the wrong button. I had a good chuckle when I unlocked that trophy. Also in Records you can see how much content you have unlocked over all and can create a nifty profile for yourself.

* Other is options where you can adjust the volume and calibrate your controller in case there's some lag in play. Project Diva F also supports 3D, but only if you have one. It's a nice feature, but again only if you have a 3D TV.

The songs are instantly catchy and easy to pick out which one you like. Here's a top 5 songs I like and dislike.

5. Weekender Girl - aka the Demo song. It's pretty flashy and nice looking. It's what got me into the game.



4. Hachi-hachi Flowery Battle of Kagamines - I know it's obvious that Rin and Len are twins, but the way they sync up together just sounds right. On top of the fact that their modules look adorable. Lastly, Len's solo on the Shamisen is really cool meshing with Rin's modern guitar brings this song to an equal harmony only brought by the twins.



3. World's End Dance Hall - This dance battle between Miku and Luka in some sexy qipaos in Chinatown. Then they dance on buses until it crashes into a dance hall and start dancing with an entourage until confetti falls down. Then you see them riding dragons. Tell me that's not awesome.



2. Acute - At first I thought to myself, "This song has an Netorare feel." Turns out I was right. Why do I like it more than World's End Fance Hall? I got my first perfect mostly, but it flows better despite the theme that I cringe at the most.



1. Senbonzakura - This is just beautiful. The way Miku's movement just ebbs and the song that flows with it just feels right. I just like this song.



Now what exactly could be wrong with this you may ask? Some people may not like the long loading delays, but they have cute fanart to look at so it evens out. Eventually some of the visuals may be too distracting when your going for Chance Time and I did end up getting distracted by part of the song and pressed the right button on the wrong button (Pressing X instead of O). I did get a trophy out of it. Each of the modules are a bit too expensive. If you were to convert Diva Points to something like Zenny, it comes out to unlocking 2 or 3 after 5 songs (30,000 Diva Points = 5000 Zenny). Also, it would be cool to get an English translation of the songs. Romaji is nice and all, but understanding what the lyrics mean is one hurdle people need to overcome and that's just not happening here. Maybe add some background info of the songs and the artist like in early installments of Dance Dance Revolution, but that would be pushing it.

Each of the songs are great, but there are some duds there. It varies if you like them or not. here are mine.

5. Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya! - File this under WTF and unexpected. The song is exactly as what you get. It's nyan nyan nyan for 3 minutes. Of course it's Miku, of course it's a staple that we all know and somehow love about her. Yes, it gave us a flying pop tart cat in space, but seriously?



4. Tokyo Teddy Bear - Don't get me wrong this is a good song, but... excuse me. There. Sorry, my Yandere alarm was going off. It's pretty brutal on harder difficulties. Sure you can argue that the hardcore rock is Rin's Raison D'etre, but it's off-putting to me.



3. Rin-chan Now! - Ironically enough I got a perfect on this even though it made no sense. It's all about what Miku and Luka want to do to poor Rin. Plus, if you say it fast it sounds like Pizza Hut. Now I'm hungry.



2. Summer Idol - Beach themed, not my thing. But you get to see Miku and Rin in striped and polka dot bikinis so that's always good.



1. Ashes to Ashes - Nothing against Kaito, he's really cool. However, this just doesn't gel right with me. It wouldn't be the gothic setting that shows hollow out Vocaloid dolls, it just goes everywhere.



Again, this is all based on your tastes.

Project Diva F offers a robust, fun and enjoyable experience that even newcomers to Vocaloid, partially like myself can find something to like. You grow to like each of the Vocaloids even though they aren't real. It's kind of funny how that works. Hatsune Miku Project Diva F is out now and available everywhere. Thanks for actually listening to your consumers Sega. Pick up a copy from here. You can thank me later.

Yes, yes, I have to add a leekspin whenever Miku is involved. It's practically second nature. Here.

Rare's Soapbox: Spoiler Alert: Get over it!

I just wanted to address something that I've briefly had to counter argue with: Spoilers. Every time I try to casually talk about something very vaguely I got hit with the spoilers warning. I'd like to offer my two cents on this whole spoilers thing. Also Vader's your dad Luke!

I am aware and understand that I should avoid spoilers for the sake of someone who hasn't seen it. It can be anything from a game (Aeris is dead) to a book (Snape killed Dumbledore) to a movie (Bella gets pregnant!)* to even an event, (Free slurpees on July 11th). Point is people will get pissed over a minor thing that's revealed and I have to say that maybe it's about time someone should say that mostly everyone might know that little secret of yours. (Teddie ate 5 Topsicles!)

If there's something that has yet to be utilized it's something that most people use just for laws, but it should be utilized for texts, fictional or not. I'm talking about Statue of Limitations. (Cirno is an idiot!)*1

Let's say after a certain amount of time passes before spoiler warning can be lifted to avoid a reveal. Let's say...6 months. It can be longer if necessary to give someone more time who just discovered it. So after 6 months to a year we can say the reveal of something. Let's take Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare. At the end of the game, John Marston becomes a zombie. Now that example there doesn't seem like a spoiler to me if this is on the freaking COVER! Again, that's just one example where spoilers have run it's course and therefore should be used in moderation. Also whatever fictional piece that may come into existence, what exactly constitutes what being a spoiler? Is it really of utmost deference that Bruce Wayne is Batman, or Kanji is not gay?

However, I still stick to Standards & Practices when it comes to revealing secrets (The main cast of K-on go to college!) and I promise not to spoil things for some (Cirno is the strongest!). But next time you slap me with the spoilers warning at least remember this: The cake will always be a lie. (No I haven't played Portal.)

*1 It's true. Straight from ZUN himself. 9 = Baka (idiot)

Rare's Quickie Reviews: Pacific Rim

Today's review: Pacific Rim

Huh. This movie looks cool, and everyone seems to be hyped. I guess I better go see it.

Wonder if my date will get here. Oh there's this social link I gotta do. Better get to it.

$25 if I get it online? Fuck that. Better wait in line... well that was short.

Wonder if she'll get here (7:10p.m) Oh good you're here.

Date: What's this movie about?
Me: Giant robots vs. giant monsters

Holy shit! Nice! OH COME ON! DQ ON THE KAIJU WITH THAT MOVE!! Oh damn! Seismic Toss into the city! Charlie Hunnam?! Nicholas Nickleby? What a career move this guy did. Ooh, Rinko has some nice blue streaks in her hair. Chain sword slice! Nice. They do look almost all the same. It's almost as if... -knifed-

2.11 hours later

Damn. That was a great movie. Wonder what my date thought?
Date: OMG THAT WAS AWESOME!! Guillermo del Toro?! What a twist! I owe you for this great time.

Me: (How do I respond to this?)
  Glad you had a good time
  That can be arranged
>How about Wolverine?

Date: I do love to oggle at Hugh Jackman, so you better bring a bucket.~

Me: Jokes on her I'll actually do just that.

Overall, this was a slobberknocker of a film. Transformers ain't got shit on this. Action was incredible, the human drama was great, and it felt absolutely satisfying watching it. It's as simple as giant mechs vs giant monsters (Kaiju). However, since it was a full house when I went to see it, I wonder how many pants people brought after shitting themselves watching this?

And since I am now obligated to see Wolverine, I better bring 2 buckets in case of emergency.

Rarefindit's Top 25 Rare Games (Part 2)

Welcome back. By now you know how this list goes: I got rare games, I got a list of them. If it isn't even of interest of you have a better collection to gloat, please refrain from any wielding. Everyone has their own collection and it's my list. With that here are the rest.


15. Tales of Symphonia
This beloved prequel to the Tales series was met with much praise and highly regarded as the best Tales game out there, next to Vesperia. Pfft, it doesn't beat Phantasia on the Super Famicom in my opinion. In any case, this will be a bit of a challenge to find if you want to experience the game itself. I liked it, kinda pissed off about a heel turn, but that's the whole emotional investment in the game. That's how it hooks you. Currently Tales of Symphonia is available in the second hand market complete for about 36.00. I would pick it up as well as a Gamecube to experience such a great game. Bamco announced that there will be a release known as Tales of Symphonia Chronicles on the PS3 in September which will include Symphonia and Dawn of the New World. Europe goers will get the Japanese audio track...lucky.

14. Vagrant Story
One has to wonder why Jrpgs are a bigger investment than their Western counterparts? Vagrant Story was a complex RPG that had a complex story with a steep gameplay learning curve and some mythos behind it. Plus the music composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto was an intense treat as you as Ashley went up against Wyverns and Ifirit. Like most Square RPGs back then, they went up in demand and price. Unfortuntely thanks to PSN and emulation, the value of Vagrant Story went down.

13. Super Mario RPG
I have a personal love for this game as it was the first in a legacy of Mario based RPGs that went on to bigger things. Back then this was a joint effort by Square and Nintendo and back then it was a huge success. Fun, funny, and self impose challenges galore, this brought a plethora of love to the table. The one part of the game which is hard is the optional boss Culex. He is not easy. 12396 HP to be exact in total with the 4 crystals. Of course with the VC and emulation practices all too common these days, the value of the original cart has reduced. It's still a collector's gold mine for a sealed copy worth $715 on average. It's that good! Super Mario RPG can be obtained for 800 points on the Virtual Console. Definitely worth every virtual cent. On a special note: Yoko Shimomura, Koji Kondo, and Nobuo Uematsu composed the music. And it's awesome. There's also a Let's Play of this done by both Chuggaconroy and NintendoCapriSun. Both are well recommended.

12. Final Fantasy Anthology (Black Label)
This compilation game marked the debut of Final Fantasy V in the States as well as VI with an added fmv and extras such as a jukebox to listen to all the tracks, a bestiary, and concept art. (VI was originally 3 to us). The major difference between this and the Greatest Hits version released years later is the soundtrack included. I thought the soundtrack was nice, but ultimately half assed. As I said, small trinkets like that raise the rarity of the item. Since then, you can pick up both games separately for pennies on the dollar with the VC and PSN. Both are available for 800 wii points/9.99. If you are searching for the Anthology itself, the Greatest Hits version can still be found for about $15, but the Black Label will set you back $40 for a complete version. Note: FF All the Bravest is out on IOS and not worth your money. Do not get it!

11. Final Fantasy Chronicles
Basically the same as Anthology above, but with a retranslated Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger. This version of IV however was tweaked from it's SNES counterpart in that it's a bit tougher, the way it was supposed to be. And Chrono Trigger because why not? Also included were new fmvs for both games. However, both Anthology and Chronicles suffered from long loading times which came with the territory of the Playstation, but if you have the patience like I do, it's worth it. Unfortunately, both FFIV and Chrono Trigger are easily found everywhere, including IOS. I wouldn't support the IOS because nothing beats a physical copy of the game in your own console.

10. Gitaroo Man
You might be wondering, what the hell is this doing here? This, fellow reader is the reason why I got into rare games. What started as a curiosity found on Xplay back in the humble year of 2004 became a lifelong journey into a cult classic. This was a rhythm game that has an ass kicking soundtrack with the quirkiness of Japan mixed in. By rotating the analog stick and pressing the Circle button to the lines shown on screen, you basically created gitaroo bliss as you fought against aliens with the power of gitaroos. Once you, and in U1 (Yuichi) collected all the legendary gitaroos, he became the legendary gitaroo man. Everybody got that? What makes this a personal favorite was that it was the first time that a game like this was even brought to US shores. Eventually falling into obscurity or absurdity, it reached it's peak in price at $150. I found it twice for $17 each. Since then there was a remake on the PSP called Gitaroo Man Lives, but it doesn't beat the original.

9. Conker's Bad Fur Day
This is the dichotomy of all the N64 titles. When you compare the past titles and how they are rather kid friendly to some extent, this basically takes all that, and takes a crap on them and the N64's reputation. Of course it got controversial because of the content and the sales weren't that great. However, because of the raunchy black humor  Conker's Fur Day reached cult status, in fact the #1 cult classic. There was a remake released on the original Xbox and is readily available on the XBL marketplace, but it's inferior to the original that censors the infamous Great Mighty Poo song. Since Rareware, not me was bought out by Microsoft their quality has never reached it's former shine ever since. The latest they ever did and will ever amount to now is Kinect games. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

8. Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition
Final Fantasy 12 is a great game and also the second best recent FF game next to X. The collector's edition is a semi sought out piece because not only does it include a DVD which tells the history of Final Fantasy as well as shows a small preview of the future and polarizing 13, but it comes in a steelbound PS2 case. That alone will be worth $45 alone while the regular version is part of the Greatest Hits lineup. I'd pick this game up anyway.

7. Legend of Mana
 Many claim that Secret of Mana as the Magnum Opus of the Mana series, but I'm going to point to the right and say Legend of Mana. The beautiful storybook like graphics, the incredibly somber music, and the branching storylines equal to an amazing experience. Sure the AI wasn't the sharpest and the weapon/armor crafting was limited, but that doesn't deter from what would be a personal gem. Currently Legend of Mana is available on the PSN for $5.99, and for you enthusiasts can find a complete copy for $65. Completionists out there take note that this will be a bit of a challenge.

6. The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (Gold bundle)
I'm giving this a bit of leeway since this is commonly available anywhere, but the version that I'm talking about comes with a golden controller. What is considered the prequel that started the series chronologically, Skyward Sword proves it still has the chops despite the mixed reactions to it. At first I was skeptic to the position of Link's sword as he was originally a southpaw, but I've gotten used to it. Plus the dungeons and the puzzles are very well created. Might I even say I got a kick out of one of the bosses in the game. Depending on your opinion of Skyward Sword, it's still worth picking up. The gold bundle is worth on average $100, so prepare to pony up the mad ruppee for this great game.

5. The Last Story Collector's Edition
This one is a recent find and a rather special one in it's lineage. What started as a fan project turned global demand named Operation Rainfall The Last Story was part of a trio of games that at first were not being planned to come to the states. A couple of years later, the fan's demand was met with great celebration as this game along with Xenoblade Chronicles and now Pandora's Tower all have reach us shores. I decided to not open my copy because something like this deserves to be preserved. Besides, I got a used copy anyway. Although The Last Story was released to general praise, sealed copies are going up in price at about $67 on average and will soon rise up. Pick up the game regardless of edition. It's still a great game from Mistwalker.

4. Brave Fencer Musashi
This action/RPG is rather an oddball in the Square lineup. It's an action/RPG with full voice acting in a weird food named setting Allyoucaneet with Miyamoto Musashi looking for 5 wall scrolls so he can return home. However it's the silly setting that makes it stand out among the other action/rpgs released at the time by Square. Not only does Musashi have two swords (Lumina and Fusion, but he can assimilate his enemies attacks via Megaman. If the enemy has a shot attack, he can take that shot attack. Musashi also has a few other gameplay mechanics. Not only does he have to sleep to gain BP, but his performance will hinder if he doesn't have that, by eating food he can gain back that BP. There's also a day/night mechanic that affects the environment by what day it is and if it's night or not. Also based on the numbers of factors including wakling, fighting and overall performance, Musashi can gain levels. All this with a soon-to-be all star cast of Mona Marshall, Sandy Fox, David Lucas (Steven Blum), Barbra Goodson, Crispin Freeman etc, Brave Fencer Musashi is worth seeking out.

3. Bust a Groove
Released in the 90s as a quirky Music/Fighter by Enix at the time and 989 Studios (where did they go?), Bust a Groove was a groovy game with a killer soundtrack and a unique fighting system. Here's how it goes: While the music is playing, the beats of the song guide you. You input what appears on the screen in 4 beats. The first 3 prep you for the 4th one as you press the right combo of buttons. The better you get, the closer the camera gets to you. You can also use special attacks to catch the opponent off guard which will mess up their groove. It sounds complicated, but it's really simple. There were changes to the US version that were left behind of the Japanese version. For example in Hamm's theme, the female singer said Nigga in the middle of the song. By today's standards there's a certain double standard that some people can say it, but are still offended by it. Regardless, this is a fun game that should be sought out.

2. Lunar 2 Eternal Blue Complete
The Lunar series is the most underated jrpg series of all time. Compared to Final Fantasy, World of Mana, Tales of, not many remember it. But back when Working Designs (R.I.P) came around they localized and published it for the US market. They went all balls out with the Playstation version. Both Eternal Blue and Silver Star Story was one of those holy grails that many people thought was hard to find. Not only did they include the game, but other premium extras such as a hardbound leather instruction booklet, a soundtrack, and an omake box that included paper standees and a replica of Lucia's Pendant. Back then I found it for 50 bucks, but as time goes on that price has skyrocketed that collectors sought it out online and sellers were selling it for at max 300 bucks for a sealed copy. Years later, XSeed re-released Silver Star Story as Silver Star Harmony on the PSP which also had a special edition that is worth checking out. Oh and you can pick it up for 20 bucks on PSN.

Before I go onto number 1, a few honorable mentions. The rare games that could have made it, but weren't worth it's value as much as many hardcore collectors would believe.

* FireFighter F.D.18
This is a strange game in that it's a full blown action game that plays kind of like that movie Backdraft. You play as a fireman who has to trench through drenching fires and save people. You even get to fight against boss monster fires. Silly sounding but are worth the challenge with names like Inferno, or Blaze. I know, it sounds crazy, but it actually works. The controls take getting used to as they are kind of tank-ish, but this game is still fun. It's only worth $24.00 on average, but I'd pick it up just because it's quirky.

* Incredible Crisis
I can't really explain the premise of this. So here's a video. It's worth at least $27.00 on average.



* Muramasa the Demon Blade
This game features 2 story campaigns, beautiful 2d visuals by our friends at Vanillaware and it's stunning. Unfortunately it was slightly Bowlderised due to either the text limitations of the Wii, or some lines that were too risque for the T rated crowd. Such as after the fight with Raijin and Fuujin in Momohime's campaign, Fuujin says, "I'm rather fond of you." However in the original version he says to her along the lines of, "but I love your fat ass." Yeah, that won't fly well with Nintendo. Also, it's worth $31 and MarvelousAQL formally Ignition Entertainment announced a Vita version of Muramasa. The Limited Edition will set you back 50 or 60 bucks and will go up just like all LEs do. I'd pick either the Wii version or the Vita version, both should keep you going until Vanillaware releases another game (Dragon's Crown)

* Mana Khemia Alchemists of Al-Revis (Cool intro music by the way)
This series is a spin off of the Atelier series where you create items and fight with them. Only this time around you play the role of an amnesiac named Vayne Aurelius and his mana cat Sulhper. Vayne is found by one of Al-Revis' professors and is invited to join the academy of Al-Revis. The game follows his attempts to fit in (complicated by the fact that his timidness and desire to help others make him a doormat) and the slow discovery of his personal past. What makes this special among the other JRPGs within the Atelier series is that it's taken place in a school where you do tasks to gain grades to advance the plot. Plus if you do well you can have more free time to do whatever. There is a PSP version of Mana Khemia, however it suffers from long loading times which you can fix by downloading or installing. Still trying to figure the latter.

1. Persona 4 Golden Solid Gold Edition



This one is a personal one because I actually did the insane thing and preordered the game for the Vita even though I haven't gotten the handheld. Unfortunately, due to some "issues" with the preordering process and Gamestop being Gamestop, they cancelled my preorder and took my money on top of it. Now why is this important? Well, because I love Persona 4 and it's a fantastic game that I did a whole month on how awesome Persona 4 is. Since then, the aptly named Going 4 Gold edition has long gone up in price. I paid 14 more than the regular price which at the time was $69. Now it's going up as high as $500. Five Hundred Dollars! Holy hell! The standard version of the game is still regularly available for around $30 and if you have a Vita it's worth having and telling those naysayers that the Vita actually has games.

Rarefindit's Top 25 Rare Games (Part 1)

The art of collecting is a rather strange craft. Whether it be movies, games, music, comics, or media etc, people put a lot of effort and time in something to either preserve it for future generations, or shill it for a quick steady buck. Most may do it for the latter, but some may do it for the sentimental value that it had in their early years. Then there's myself included.

Lately I've been watching seldom videos of people showing off their Game collection on Youtube, and while I do appreciate the effort they put in to continue their dedication to what they love to do, many others don't share that same love. It's through the thought that if something is completed it's sacrificed for half or less value of what it was supposedly worth. Basically junk.

Over the past 9 years or so I've been working on gaining a reputation of being a Rare Game Hunter. The difference between that and collectors is I seek out these rare games for others more than myself. I've expanded to comics and TV as well in the past, but games are my forte. It's also taught me a bit about the business in which these are priced the way they are (Read: Gouged prices) and how much they are sought out. That's why I would like to present a top 10 rare games that I currently own. It maybe a list done over and over and compared to other games that are chump change compared to what I have, I don't care! You don't like it, look at some other generic top 10 list.

Here's Rarefindit's Top 25 Rare Games I Currently Own!

First, some guidelines. I will list the details on the rare games based on how much they are worth price wise, sentimental wise, history, and rating of rarity. You can probably find it on Rarityguide.com, but do note that some games aren't listed there yet. Also, the farthest I will go back to is at least the 3rd generation. I am from that era, you know. Also, no sports games. Those are a dime a dozen, and I don't play them. Lastly the prices are listed based on inflation of the market. So one thing may go up in terms of limited print run, or go down with the announcement of a remake on the IOS. Let's hope it's not for the latter because that's a cheap gimmick to entice smartphone users. If there is something I missed with these games, please let me know. Also, emulation devalues any potential for future rare games. Whether it be on the PSN/XBLA/VC/EShop/Hackers.

25. Silhouette Mirage

This obscure 2D run and gun action game has been lost to the annals of time and not many people remember this one. But what I do remember is that this one was published by Working Designs before their untimely death in the 90s. They are known for releasing Lunar on the Playstation and Sega CD. It's quite a shame that this fun game has not gotten enough love among collectors or there's not much of a demand for it. Currently it's worth 27.00. I'd still pick it up, as long as you can endure yourself from hearing "reflector" alot.

24. The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Golden Cartridge

Ocarina of Time is a timeless classic that has withstood the test of time and is always a blast to play. When it was released in 1998, Nintendo released 2 versions. The standard grey cart version and the gold one. The one major difference between the two is that Ganondorf's blood was changed from red to green. There was also a golden console version to go with the gold cart of the game. Unfortunately with the advent of the virtual console and emulation as well as a remake on the 3DS, the demand for this has gone slightly down for a loose copy at $29.00. That shouldn't stop you from picking up this game no matter what version it might be.

23. Persona 3 Limited Edition

I'm quite ashamed at myself that I didn't pick this up upon launch nor Fes. This is what brought in new fans to the Persona series and partially to Shin Megami Tensei. P3 refines the RPG and turns it into a turn based instead of strategy. Instead of recruiting demons and using cards of the arcana to make your own personas, the demons are the cards and you fuse them to make more. Also introduced from then on is the Social Link aspect where you interact with the NPCs to gain levels to level up your personas. Sure in the original P3 you had no control over your character and that one of the characters acted like a bitch in fes (Yukari), but with the release of P3Portable, you now can enjoy the same game, but with a different female aspect and controllable AI partners. If you still want the original with an artbook, it's still obtainable at $30.

22. Persona 2 Innocent Sin Collector's Edition.

Persona is a cherished and highly praised series. P4 is one of my favorite games of all time and 3 is up there to. However, not many know about it's turn based strategic origins on the Playstation. Atlus however released a remake on the PSP with a mini soundtrack. Innocent Sin is the forgotten half to Eternal Punishment and I'm glad it was released stateside. If you were to try and find Revelations Persona on the Playstation, you'd be paying a heft sum for it since it was remade on the PSP a couple of years ago and the localization of the original was not very good. I'd pick up Innocent Sin because the story is pretty good and if you have the patience, it's worth your time. Just try to not pay attention to the H.E.R (High Encounter Rate) as it's too damn high. Oh, and you fight space nazis. You can pick up the Innocent Sin remake for $30.

21. Koudelka

A precursor to the Shadow Hearts series, this origin game was conceived by ex Square developers and is a combination of survival horror and turn based RPG (wait what?). Koudelka the titular bratty gypsy is sent to a monastery in 19th Century Wales to find out about the psychic disturbance that she keeps hearing about. There he meets an adventurer named Edward and a priest named James. Oh and they meet Roger Bacon. Yes, that Roger Bacon. If you are an RPG enthusiast like myself, then you might enjoy this. A complete copy will nab you 60, but a loose copy is worth 32 on average.


20. Star Ocean the Second Story

I hated this game. Not because of the story or being the first Star Ocean game to reach US shores before the 3rd one. No I hated it because of it's difficulty. Star Ocean marks for the first time that real time combat is used in an RPG. As well as the aspect of gaining romantic relationships with NPCs and who you can recruit based on your choices. Too bad my choices sucked and I ended up not finishing the game. Later on Square remade Star Ocean the Second Story as Second Evolution for the PSP in 2009. But the original sequel is still worthy of being sought out at $32. Bonus: Incarnation of Devil is awesome.

19. Dark Cloud 2

Dark Cloud 2 is the sequel known outside the US as Dark Chronicle developed by Level 5, which is a spiritual successor to Act Raiser. Basically you are rebuilding the world after an evil being seals up all humans into spheres. It also has a rogue dungeon-like aspect in that most of the dungeons are randomly generated as you gain more and more objects to restore the world and rid of the evil Dark Genie. Oh, and Scott Menville plays a Time Hybrid (Man of the past has a child with a woman of the future). The first one is alright, but the sequel is a little harder to find. Currently Dark Chronicle is priced at $34.00.

18. Elemental Gearbolt

Now I know what you are thinking: What the hell is this? First, it's a rail shooter, but it's also an obscure rail shooter with RPG elements. Oh, did I mention that it had anime cutscenes done by Madhouse? It was also quite difficult for non guncon owners and LCD TV users. But that didn't stop it from being very hard to find 10 years after it's release. I found it for 20 bucks, and the price for it jumped to double. If you can find it, I'd give it a try.

17. Threads of Fate

This action/rpg known as Dew Prism elsewhere was pretty forgettable, but fun. The game offered 2 storylines with 2 different characters. One involved Rue, a boy that could turn into his enemies, the other was a girl named Mint who used magic and fought with a giant chakram. I picked this up a long time ago for $6 and was surprised that it's rarity jumped significantly online. Threads of Fate will set you back $36 for a complete and much more for a sealed copy.

16. Fate/Extra Special Edition

For those who moved onto the Vita at the time of this game's release, Fate/Extra is a turn based RPG/Visual Novel released for the PSP by Aksys. Why is this on the list? Well, the collector's edition has the extra incentive of including a hardback artbook and soundtrack to the game. Now every potential rare game hunter should take note that these small trinkets sometimes increase the value of the item. Don't know why, it just does. About the game itself, Visual Novel meets turn based rpg meets rock paper scissors. I'll give it a shot one day. You can pick up the game new for about $50 at Fry's, but a complete copy will run you at least 36.00. I got mine for $6.66... uh oh.

Part 2 will come soon. Also if you are interested in checking out Rarefindit, I'm also part of The Geek Spectrum. So everything here will be featured there as well. Check out both when you get the chance.

Rare's Soapbox Losing the Game

Normally I don't let politics get to me and the here-say that leads to nowhere. No matter which side says someone suffers in the grasp of their own follies. However, due to recent events, I couldn't help but feel that this is something that is not only pointless, but rather close to hitting the beehive.

Lately I've glanced on the tragic events of the Sandy Hook Massacre back in December. That is not what I'm aiming for right now, but rather the blame put on video games that were somehow related to this. If you allow me the soapbox that I'm not standing on, please hear me out.

Video games are not the cause of or was there any connection to them to the massacre. If you were to tell me the assailant was a gamer, you are just barking up the wrong tree. No one knows if there was any connection to him and games at all other than the fact that he played them. Thus assuming he used games to plan out his horrendous acts on the elementary school is just uninformative (read: stupid) to assume.
To everyone who reads this, please understand: This whole spending millions on a case study to see if video games are the cause of violent behavior is none other than what utter bu-silliness.

And to the congressmen who say in laymen terms, "shut up the grown ups are talking!" you are treading on thin ice with no evidence to your claim about games and the connection to violence. Choose wisely your words Congressmen, for they will change the fate of a future reelection.

As a former gamer and upright law abiding college student, I can give you unmitigated evidence that games are not what makes people violent.

All kinds of media including music or comics or games do not make someone violent initially. Sports do. It is nothing more than entertainment we use to give us pleasure. The visual that we see on games does not influence one to start shooting. We are still humans, and humans are naturally violent. Do you condemn an animal from biting someone because of their master? No, it's because they too are violent because it's nature. We consume what we see including sports to which many of us are dedicated to a sports team that represents our territory. In other words we are territorial creatures.

As for "violent video games", as I said they are not the cause, because it is only a medium in which we as a consumer pay for to have fun. To those who can not differentiate real and fiction suffer from what is known as "Diminished Sense of Reality". Do you know where I learned that? a "violent video game". Also, not all games are "violent". It is through the mass appeal that you see something so popular that you should use it as a scapegoat to cover up the real truth.

If you wish to fully understand the meaning behind something, you must look at the source. The assailant was not mentally stable nor did we understand their motives. Look into the mental health of someone before you pass judgement. You don't need a case study for that.

The truth being is that the recent tragic events have no connection to games and is nothing more than just nasal grazing and over picking something that many do not understand. Does the music we listen to influence us to beat up our girlfriends, divorce them and make a song about how he misses beating up his girlfriend? No, it's because we take none of what we see and half of what we hear out of context. My dad once told me we should take half of what we see and none of what we hear to heart.

Where is your evidence stating that games are the cause for violent behavior? Where is your evidence that proves that the man who caused the Dark Knight premiere shooting that he was right in the head? Not all of us are violent creatures. We donate money to charities like Child's Play and help those in need. If there is one thing that games have taught me is be more civilized and that I don't need a stinking reason to help others. If there is one thing connected to these along with other past massacres and tragic events is the guns or weapons the assailants used. That is your real culprit: Gun owners and the mental well being. TAKE THAT!

There is a positive side to games as they teach us things that we normally don't see in textbooks or what teachers don't teach. Reader Rabbit teaches more than reading, Math Blasters teaches math (what a shocker huh?) Elmo's Number Journey shows an epic fight against a monster where putting 2+3=5 destroys it. And other games have a more beautiful setting that gives us better perspectives, like Eternal Sonata, a JRPG about Frederick Chopin in his fever dreams. Or just by personal preference Persona 4 which taught me about relationships with people and a little about social psychology with the Personas and Shadows being both one and the same. Heck even the weird games gives us a better perspective on other cultures. We all do not consume the same thing, we are different from the sports guy to the role playing lady (if that exists).

I implore you who read this, take what I say to heart and not place the blame on a medium that shouldn't be banned. Blame the parents that let them do this. I saw an 8 year old buying an M rated game with their mother's consent. If you really want to try to stop the sale of these "violent video games", then you would have made a powerful enemy with not just me, but with every single citizen who invests in the medium. So to all the soccer moms or hockey moms or positive health lifestyle teaching First Ladies, put those fingers down, out of noses and lay off the games. It's your fault you let them. Show some backbone and say no.

You are the biggest influence to children and you only have one chance to make a lasting impression. Don't screw it up.

If you have any questions, suggestions, possible hatemail for me, fell free to email me at rarefindit@gmail.com.

Rare's Movie Thoughts of 2012

Welcome back. Since Christmas has past and all the holiday festive jollies are out of every one's system, I thought I give my year end review on what movies to check out and which ones to avoid. They are most likely already on DVD, available for streaming or hasn't been released yet. Check your local movie info sites such as IMDB or Wikipedia, Movies.com or Coming Soon.net to see more.

First up, The Secret World of Arrietty. I admit this was the first Studio Ghibli film I have seen in a long time. The last couple I saw were My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service as a kid. Then again I was not in the right mindset to watch them when I was a kid. I saw this with a friend for my birthday before things went sour. It wasn't any fault at all, just something that happened. Wish I can say I forgive them, but better to let them come back when their ready. Anyway, Arrietty was a pleasant film that hit all the right buttons. The animation was nice, the voice acting was good, and the story, albeit inspired by the Borrowers felt original. Plus Arrietty was voiced by Amy Pohler who I have some respect for being an ex SNL writer. Sure it might have ended on a bit of a downer, but at least it was good enough that the boy would go on to a full recover. At least I hope. The Secret World of Arrietty is available on bluray and DVD..

Marvel's Avengers Assemble - The much beloved film of 2012 and the one that made the most. I went in with not much to expect. I know people are going to hate me for saying this, but I just thought it was OK. Not bad mind you and not Peerless, but OK. I think it's probably because the story spent too much time on Robert Downey Jr. and his smart ass role as Tony Stark. In fact with the 3/4 of it being an all-out action fest that's what most of the interaction with the characters felt like: Nick Fury explains the dilemma, the rest speak, Tony has a quip here and there and then ass kicking time. Maybe it's just me, but Tony Stark reminds me a bit too much like myself. I did laugh at the Hulk's retort to Loki. But honestly the fan crossovers are the aftermath in which I don't want any part of. I guess that makes up for the quickie review I did for this movie. The Avengers are out now on all platforms.

Battleship - OK, I admit it. I did not see Battleship, but do I really need a reason to? My review should tell you all there is to know about it. Dare I even make a comparison to what I thought of Infinite Stratos? Like that show, this movie is shit. There I said it, now go watch the asylum film!

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter - Well what did you expect the Spanish Inquisition? It's Lincoln versus vampires and it kinda works despite the stupid premise. I would think such a parody of this and Pride and Prejudice with Zombies are within a subgenre of novels where they take an existing literature classic and put their spin on it. In that case, I eagerly await for Great Expectations with robot monkies in it. Wait, that happened? Oh yeah. It's out on DVD.

Brave - Again, I didn't see it until a couple of weeks ago, but it doesn't matter. Merida is a rebellious princess bride-to-be and in the far off wondrous land of... wherever the hell this Scottish land is, as her father and mother sets up a tournament to see which man would be the chosen one to take Merida's hand in marriage. Too bad Merida won the damn thing and pissed her mom off. Soon she comes across a witch's hut and is given a potion to turn her mom into a different creature. Her mom then turns into a bear. Ok? Soon, it's a race against the daylight as Merida tries to find a cure for her unbearable curse as a bear. Man, Merida is kind of a bitch. You seriously think a princess like that would sell well among the Disney Princess lineup that is there just for show? I think not. The movie was ok. It did have some nice backgrounds and the mother getting along with her daughter is a nice touch. but Pixar try a little harder next time huh? This isn't Mother Bear you know! Brave is out on DVD.

The Dark Knight Rises - It was alright. It didn't have the same punch as the Dark Knight did, but it was OK. Yes I may be a sucker for violence and I did feel that this needed more spice in it's violence, but that's just me. Bane wasn't as menacing as say the Joker was. Joker was in it for the chaos while Bane was in it for new order and anarchy (irony alert). I didn't feel the same for the citizens who at that point should have rose up against Bane's tyranny, and that mask makes you sound like Sean Connery! It was unfortunate that this movie premiered at the same time some a-hole went in and caused chaos in a theater the exact same time the movie was playing. Whoever that guy is, wherever that guy is, someone needs to wipe that smug smile off his face and cut his ginger hair off! (with apology to all gingers who read this) The Dark Knight Rises is available on all platforms (bluray, DVD, ultraviolet, digital and 3D.)

Paranorman - One of the most surprising and great movies I've seen in a while. Not only was it a breath of fresh air to see a stop motion film outside of Coraline, but a rather dark one too. Norman is a boy who has the ability to see ghosts. When he learns of a curse on the town he lives in it's up to him to stop it. However, he brings along his shallow cheerleader sister Courtney, his surprisingly (perverted) fat schoolmate Neil, his Jockey and ambiguously something brother Mitch who Courtney tries to hit on, some idiot savant Casanova wannabe bully Alvin, and the book that his uncle the crazy late Prenderghast had. Turns out the book was just a storybook and Norman had to read the "incantation" (read: fairytale) to the witch's curse. It wasn't until the 3rd act where things got intense with the witch who turns out to be a little girl. It was probably her ghost form or as I will call her Shadow Aggie that made it pretty dark. I know she isn't a Shadow nor does she have a Persona, but damn it it should count! Sure it may have had a strange message about bullying, but I didn't mind. Plus the reveal at the end will have you laugh at least once. (Mitch is gay) At least I did. Oh and could someone tell John Goodman and Alex Borstein to not eat all of the curtains next time they act. I swear you actors have to eat everything when you make a scene. Paranorman is available on all platforms (bluray, DVD, 3D, Ultraviolet) Oh and if you are wondering what ultraviolet is, it's the digital format. Pretty much I buy a copy of it and play it on my old ipod.

Looper - Set in the future where sliders become criminals and Joseph Gordon Levitt is a slider killer, he finds out that something bad will happen in the future that will change if he influences someone in the past not to turn bad. Too bad Bruce Willis is willing to kill the bad person who he won't exist in the future. I wasn't a fan of time traveling movies and InFamous left a bad taste in my mouth for them. However, Looper was a surprise for me. Yes it was difficult to keep track of everything until Bruce Willis came out with a shotgun and went to town. I need not say anymore. Looper is available on all platforms.

Hotel Transylvania - Genndy Tartakovsky is a prolific animator and sort of an Ensemble Darkhorse when it comes to animation. Samurai Jack was a great piece that needn't any dialogue to tell a story, Dexter's Lab,  Star Wars the Clone Wars which if you still love Star Wars you'll like this; and Symbiotic Titan which had a fantastic first season but was cut short due to no to poor toy sales has seen a rise in recent cult classic status. Now in his first debut as a director is Hotel Transylvania. Dracula has a hotel for monsters, and his daughter just turned 118 (She's legal guys). Mavis wants to explore the world now that she is of age, but Dracula says no because humans might be evil. Cue the only idiot human traveler to stumble upon the titular hotel Jonathan who becomes bat crazy over Mavis. So Dracula tries to make him into a Frankenstein's Monster which should have fooled Franky. This movie has a lot of bite in it's comedy. And no, it's not because it has Adam Sandler in it, but you really can't notice him. It does have Fran Drescher which you can notice right away (am I right fellas?) Also, the animation is smooth, slick, and downright gorgeous. I was glad to see this movie with a friend because going alone to see an Adam Sandler movie would have been awkward. Either that or go see the Oogieloves. Hotel Translvania will be available on bluray and DVD on January 29th. I know you want to see it in 3D, but 2D is much better, honest. Oh, and buy the artbook. It's pretty damn good.

Ted - Now this is your curve ball here since I didn't see it last year, but rather a few days ago. It was sweet, but has inconsistent mood swings. John receives an adorable teddie bear as a kid and makes a wish for it to talk. It freaks out his parents, but it talks. Decades later at 35 John and Ted are washed up pot smoking lewd immature slackers who like doing the same stuff over and over. John's girlfriend Lori might think that Ted is a bad influence on John and Ted thinks she will come between their relationship. He's right, you know. This movie has a lot of heart and plenty of spice in the comedy. The only problem I see is not the fact that Ted is played by Seth MacFarlane who sounds like Peter Griffin, but the fact that Ted is played by Seth MacFarlane who sounds like Peter Griffin. But then again it's his film and if you like 1980 references fly over your head and the fact that they got Flash Gordon to make a story relevant cameo is nothing short of hilarious, oh and Ted and John get shitfaced with him. And Tom Skerrit. Look him up I don't know. Ted is available on DVD and other platforms. I'd pick it up.

Frankenweenie - If there is a word that best describes this movie's production history it would be Irony. Why? Because this movie was what got Burton fired from Disney back in the 80s for being too dark and too macabre. Cue to decades later where he tries again and they said OK. Rounding out the animation tri-fecta is Frankenweenie which was a nice noir stop motion homage to horror movies in the 1950s. From Sparky the lovable dog who is brought back to life after getting hit by a car, to the Mummy, to even Gamera for some reason. It kinda ends without any resolution, but then again Burton wasn't that great with endings (Corpse Bride). I still had a great time and it's nice to see something good out of Burton unlike those other, movies, he, did. Frankenweenie is available on DVD.

Lincoln - ZZZ... Huh what? Oh yeah 13th amendment passing. Well that was boring. I thought it was OK, but truth be told history is not my best subject. I only saw this with my dad and brother and I appropriately crashed due to eating too many orange tic tacs (my "drug" if you will) and not because the movie was funny in small parts and with it's "liberal" tone. Lincoln is up for an Oscar and will probably see a DVD release soon.

Wreck-It-Ralph - "I'm gonna wreck it!" Set in the video game world, Ralph is a villain of the Donkey Kong expy game Fix it Felix who can't catch a break. He's getting sick of being treated like shit by the Nicelanders. So Ralph sets out to find a medal so that he can prove to them that he can be a hero. However, Ralph's face turn and "going turbo" leaves the arcade in havoc as Ralph ends up in Sugar Rush, a new racing game where he meets Vanellope von Schweetz. Like Ralph, she suffers from being the odd racer out as the other racers and King Candy leave her out because of her ability to glitch. Soon Ralph and Vanellope find themselves in a convoluted mess involving the Cybugs from Sergeant Calhoun's game and Fixit Felix jr. returning Wreck it Ralph from Sugar Rush to prevent a horrible thing that happened in the past and "Going Turbo". First off, Sugar Rush, Strawberry Shortcake called. She wants her world back! Second, this was pretty good. It supposedly uses video game characters to lure in unsuspected parents and kids thinking that Disney made a movie with video game characters that they know and love. Naive perhaps, but sadly they are there as a marketing ploy. Sonic is there yeah, but he's not there for the story. Neff from Altered Beast? Nope, he's there on the movie poster because... I have no idea. Mario? Not even in it! Yuni from Dance Dance Revolution? how much did Konami shill for her cameo again? This is supposedly Ralph's story, but it turns into Sugar Rush which it was originally supposed to be. In fact in Japan the movie was called Sugar Rush. Why else did they use AKB48 for the theme song? All nitpicking aside this was a fun movie to see with a group who grew up with you during that childish time of video games. Some may hate Sarah Silverman for her nasally voice, but if you spend 1 1/2 of listening to Fran Drescher and her voice, maybe you'd reconsider. Wreck-It-Ralph is still highly recommended and there's plenty to fun for everyone...if you are of the gamer type. Wreck-It-Ralph will be released on March 5th on all available formats. Definitely pick this one up.

Breaking Dawn Part II - Let's not mince words here, this is a piece of shit and is popular for all the wrong reasons. Now that that's out of the way: Hey guys, how was that epic fight with the werewolves and vampires and...oh wait! It didn't happen! Honestly, I don't give a crap about Twilight. I don't care for the fans it's garnered. I care not for thy loyalty towards thine foul curse bearing beast. Twilight is a terrible terrible story and those are horrendous movies. No matter how much you say to me that the fight in Breaking Dawn Part II is worth it, or the Rifftrax enhances the movie, you are just in denial. And to my brother who bought Breaking Dawn Part I for his girlfriend out of spite of what I said: If you ever do that shit again, I swear I will punch you, and break your DVD. You can obviously tell I didn't see it and the fact that I just spoiled the movie. It shouldn't matter really. Twilight is a blight on cinema and standards are so below the bar that I worry about the fall of man. If my girlfriend tells me she wants me to take her to see it, it's the equivalent to a Dear John letter. Breaking Dawn Part II will be out on DVD eventually, but don't get it. It's not worth it. If you have a bonfire on a beach and you want to burn something, take any Twilight merchandise you find and set it asunder! The world needs less literature pollution such as this and add 50 Shades of Grey while you're at it. Nothing worse than a horrible book than fanfiction of a horrible book. That and it's pretty much porn. Get 50,000 Shades of Grey by Mr. Stuart Ashens instead. It's better.

And those are my thoughts on the movies of 2012. There was more mediocre than good and the good were outlandishly overshadowed by the bad. Here's to 2013. Let's hope it doesn't turn into Line Simulator the year. (FFXIII joke, people hate it)