Final Fantasy III

I started playing Final Fantasy III on the DS a long time ago - I think I bought it not long after it was released on my birthday in 2006 - but only started it up again while on our trip to California. I just beat the game and let me tell you something: the end is hard! That's kind of what one would expect from a Final Fantasy game, but here is what was sort of ridiculous about it. I got to the final boss of the main story after trudging though a dungeon with no saves points for something like two hours. During the dungeon leading to the final boss ("Cloud of Darkness"), I fought five other bosses, without an opportunity to save. Apparently there used to be a save point somewhere in there in the original game, but the developers took it out when they were making the new DS version. Gee, thanks. The bosses and dungeon before the final boss weren't actually too hard. Unfortunately, that resulted in me thinking I was leveled appropriately for the final boss...not so. I eked out a victory by the skin of my teeth thanks to ridiculous usage of elixirs. Cloud of Stupidness had up to four actions per turn, including two spells that hit my whole party (hard). You know, if you're going to make the last boss significantly more challenging that the surrounding dungeon, put a freaking save point in front of it!

That said, I found the DS remake of Final Fantasy III a great game. It looked pretty awesome on the DS and they obviously spent a lot of time and energy completely retooling the graphics. My final playtime was 31:35, and if you add in times from my "Game Over's", I probably spent at least 35 hours playing. Not bad for a DS game!

Aside from my issues with the end of the game, I only had a couple other problems with the game. First, you can't access the ultimate weapons, secret job "Onion Knight," or secret boss unless you have a friend code for someone else with a DS and the game, because you have to use the completely unnecessary Moogle Mail system with another real person on the receiving end to start the quest lines. Lame. Second problem: the job system. Honestly, I like options, but there were just too many in my opinion. You had the choice of 23 jobs for each character (including the secret Onion Knight, which I couldn't access) by the end of the game...Freelancer, Warrior, Monk, White Mage, Black Mage, Red Mage, Thief, Ranger, Knight, Scholar, Geomancer, Viking, Dragoon, Dark Knight, Evoker, Bard, Black Belt, Magus, Devout, Summoner, Sage, Ninja, Onion Knight...and you could have multiple characters using the same job. Four dragoons, anyone? There were quite honestly some jobs that I never ever used, not even once. It was hard to try out new ones because new jobs usually stink for the first few hours until the character has some gotten some job levels (like XP but, you know, for your job). Add in a penalty for switching between disparate jobs (e.g. chaotic to lawful or physical to magical) that temporarily lowers your stats and performance, and then you really don't want to test drive a job that looks questionable.

But for all that, it was a Final Fantasy game and an RPG and that means it would take a lot for me to dislike it! Now I'm excited to start in on the new DS version of Final Fantasy IV!

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I had an eye appointment today. My prescription is still chugging along at -1.00, the same it has been for years. I found out that I was misinformed about the shape of my eyeballs. I'd been told they were "pointy" but it turns out it's the opposite - they are flat! And Acuvue just came out with a new contact lens that fits me and my flat-eyed brethren better than the old Oasys contacts (different base curve). The optometrist said it should be more comfortable. I'm all for that!

I'd mentioned the demise of our digital camera during our vacation. We got a new one on Monday, a Canon SD790IS. I hadn't realized how tiny the screen on our old camera was until I compared the old and new side-by-side. Wow! Now I need a reason to take pictures. :)

Matt and I are going to the ranch this weekend to check on things and do some watering while Mom and Dad are in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta). I'm sure Pene will enjoy it, because her life was much more exciting when she was there with Mom and Dad, or with Mike Shannon, than it is back at home with us. Also, I'm excited to try out the new karaoke discs I got Mom and Dad for their birthdays (Queen, the Beatles, Mary Poppins, Lion King, a modern one, and Americana). We'll sing Wild Blue Yonder for y'all.