Jakarta - Jangan terlalu lengkap memasang profil diri dan foto di Facebook! Jangan terlalu gampang berteman di Facebook! Waduh, seruan tersebut tentunya tidak terlalu populer, atau cenderung diabaikan, bagi para Facebooker sejati. Ya memang, karena dengan bergesernya konsep dan ide sebuah pertemanan, maka tak apalah pada kenyataannya kita hanya punya segelintir teman di dunia nyata sepanjang punya berjibun (ratusan, ribuan) teman di situs jejaring sosial.
Seolah-olah dengan demikian keeksisan Anda adalah seberapa banyak teman yang dimiliki. Padahal dengan semakin banyak teman, yang kadang hanya teman sekedar kenal atau bahkan tak ingat lagi siapa dia atau bertemu dimana, maka semakin rentan terekspos data diri kita ke pihak-pihak di luar kontrol kita.
Walhasil, dengan demikian Anda akan semakin mudah menjadi korban 'impersonation'.
Kasus
Tulisan ini sengaja saya buat dan saya titipkan ke detikINET, karena ada satu kasus yang langsung menimpa salah satu mahasiswi saya di sebuah perguruan tinggi swasta tempat saya mengajar. Si mahasiswi tersebut belum lama berselang mengadukan kisahnya kepada saya bahwa hampir tiap saat dirinya melalui ponsel dihubungi orang yang tidak dikenal, bahkan di tengah malam sekalipun.
Setelah saya gali informasi lebih lanjut, ternyata saya temukan bahwa data dirinya di Facebook, entah oleh siapa, di-copy dan dijadikan sebuah blog di Blogspot.com. Blog tersebut seolah-olah dikelola langsung oleh si mahasiswi tersebut. Inilah yang disebut dengan kasus 'impersonation'
Bahkan si pelaku (impersonator), memindahkan sebagian foto-foto si mahasiswi tadi dari Facebook ke sebuah situs penyimpanan foto gratisan, imageshack.us. Isi blog tersebut, cenderung berupa pencemaran nama baik dan melecehkan martabatnyat sebagai wanita.
Celakanya lagi, di blog tersebut dicantumkan pula nomor ponsel yang sehari-hari digunakan oleh mahasiswi tersebut. Maka, hampir tiap saat dia harus menjelaskan bahwa dirinya bukanlah seperti apa yang tertulis di blog pada setiap penelpon yang masuk.
Penyelesaian
Kasus ini agak rumit, karena tempat si impersonator meletakkan data-data dan foto-fotonya berada di luar ranah Indonesia. Tetapi upaya tetap harus dilakukan. Di blogspot.com atau blogger.com, ada fasilitas untuk melakukan 'flag blog', dengan pilihan 'impersonation'. Kita harus meng-attached hasil scan KTP atau SIM yang dapat membuktikan bahwa kita adalah korban dari pelaku impersonation.
Setelah kita men-submit, maka kita tinggal menunggu keputusan dari pengelola layanan blog tersebut untuk mencabut atau menghapus alamat blog yang menjadi keberatan kita.
Pun setali tiga uang dengan foto-foto yang terlanjur tersimpan di imageshack. Ada fitur untuk melaporkan dan meminta penghapusan foto-foto yang kita anggap materi berhak cipta, mengandung unsur pornografi ataupun kekerasan. Asumsinya, foto yang diambil dari akun Facebook kita tanpa seijin kita, adalah foto yang melanggar hak cipta.
Pencegahan
Agar kasus tersebut tidak terulang kepada siapapun, maka ada baiknya langkah-langkah pencegahan berikut ini bisa dijalankan ketika di dunia Facebook:
1). Jangan terlalu lengkap memasang profil atau data diri di Facebook. Tentunya semakin lengkap profil/data diri terpasang, semakin mudah mendapatkan teman. Tetapi di sisi lain, semakin beresiko pula data diri kita disalah-gunakan (abused)
2). Jangan memasang foto-foto diri Anda yang sekiranya Anda sendiri tidak akan merasa nyaman apabila foto tersebut tersebarluaskan secara bebas. Ingatlah, walau foto tersebut "hanya" diposting di akun Facebook Anda, sebenarnya itu sama saja dengan menyebarlukaskan foto tersebut ke publik. Sekali terposting dan tersebar, maka sangat sulit (dan nyaris mustahil) Anda bisa mencabut foto Anda dari Internet. Maka, selektiflah dalam berpose dan memposting foto Anda.
3). Jangan sembarangan 'add friend' atau melakukan approval atas permintaan seseorang untuk menjadi teman Anda. Cara memilah dan memilihnya mudah, yaitu lihat saja berapa jumlah "mutual friends" antara Anda dengan seseorang tersebut. Semakin sedikit "mutual friends"-nya, berarti semakin sedikit teman-teman Anda yang kenal dengan dirinya, yang berarti semakin beresiko tinggi. Pastikan Anda hanya menerima "pertemanan" yang "mutual friends"-nya cukup banyak.
4). Jangan sembarangan menerima tag photo. Bolehlah kita "banci tagging", tetapi berupayalah lebih selektif. Artinya, sekali Anda terjun ke Facebook, rajin-rajinlah memeriksa "keadaan sekeliling". Karena kita kadang menemukan foto diri kita yang di-upload dan di-tag oleh orang lain, padahal kita tidak suka foto tersebut disebarluaskan. Segera saja kita "untag" diri kita dari foto tersebut dan kalau perlu minta teman kita yang melakukan upload foto tersebut untuk mencabutnya.
5). Jangan tunda-tunda, ketika Anda menemukan data atau profil Anda digunakan oleh pihak lain untuk hal-hal di luar kontrol Anda, segeralah bertindak. Membiarkannya, justru akan membuatnya makin berlarut dan berdampak destruktif, setidaknya untuk kenyamanan diri sendiri. Laporkan langsung ke pengelola layanan tempat kejadian 'impersonation', untuk segera mencabut informasi aspal (asli tapi palsu) tersebut. Atau, mintalah bantuan pada orang atau pihak yang sekiranya bisa atau paham bagaimana mengatasi hal di atas.
26 Februari 2009
24 Februari 2009
U.S. to Give $900 Million in Gaza Aid, Officials Say
The Obama administration intends to provide some $900 million to help rebuild Gaza after the Israeli incursion that ended last month, administration officials said Monday.
In an early sign of how the administration plans to deal with Hamas, the militant Islamist group that controls Gaza, an official said that the aid would not go to Hamas but that it would be funneled through nongovernmental organizations.
By seeking to aid Gazans but not Hamas, the administration is following the lead of the Bush administration, which sent money to Gaza through nongovernmental organizations. In December, it said it would give $85 million to the United Nations agency that provides aid to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
The United States considers Hamas a terrorist organization, and the Bush administration refused to have any formal dealings with the group.
The aid will include new spending as well as money already set aside for the Palsetinian Authority, and it will be formally announced next week when Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinto.travels to a Palestinian donors’ conference in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, the officials said.
The aid, first reported by Reuters, would have to be approved by Congress, where many lawmakers are skittish about even appearing to help Hamas until it renounces violence and recognizes Israel’s right to exist.
“None of the money will go to Hamas, it will be funneled through NGOs and U.N. groups,” said an administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the aid before Mrs. Clinton announced it.
The donors’ conference in Egypt is seeking to raise close to $2 billion to rebuild Gaza, which was devastated by the three-week war with Israel. Some of the $900 million from the United States will go to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, officials said.
But even if the bulk of the money goes to Gaza, it will do little good unless Israel first opens the border crossing into the territory, said Daniel Levy, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, a research organization in Washington.
“It’s a good effort, but the money can’t be spent unless materials can get into Gaza,” Mr. Levy said. “The next step is opening the border crossings, and that requires more than just signing a check.”
Hamas has demanded the opening of the crossings as part of truce negotiations being conducted through Egypt. Israel, which imposed an embargo after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, demands an end to rocket fire from Gaza, a halt to weapons smuggling and the release of a captive Israeli soldier.
After the donors’ conference in Egypt, Mrs. Clinton will make her first trip to Israel as secretary of state, Israeli officials said. She is expected to meet with Benjamin Nathayu, the prime minister-designate.
Mrs. Clinton is also expected to travel to Ramallah in the West Bank for meetings with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and Salam Fayyad, the prime minister, whose Fatah organization is the principal rival to Hamas. Administration officials said it was unlikely that Mrs. Clinton would go to Hamas-controlled Gaza.11 Februari 2009
Synopsis Darren Shan : Cirque du Freak
Darren Shan is a regular teenage kid. He and his friend Steve find out about a Freak Show coming to town an work hard at trying to find tickets. They do, and together they go to "Cirque du Freak" where they see many strange acts including a werewolf and a bearded lady. Steve and Darren think that it is all a joke until a vampire, Larten Crepsley comes on with a very poisonous spider that he makes do tricks. When Steve sees this man he freaks out a bit but won't tell Darren why. After the show, Steve tells Darren to go home, and that he will follow later. Darren says yes but instead sneaks upstairs to see what Steve is up to. He sees Steve talking to Mr. Crepsley and overhears their conversation. Steve tells Mr. Crepsley that he knows that his real name is Vur Horston an is a Vampire and he tells Larten that he would like to join him and become an apprentice. Mr. Crepsley agrees but the minute he starts the transformation process he tells Steve that he has "Evil Blood." Steve becomes angry but Darren leaves the theatre and doesn't see what happen next. Darren goes home and thinks about what Steve did but also cannot stop thinking about Mr. Crepsley's Spider. The next day he steals the spider with the hopes that he will be able to make it perform tricks too. Meanwhile, Steve is acting as if nothing happened. Darren manages to train the spider by using a flute to hypnotize it (what Larten did). Darren invites Steve over to show him the spider, but when Darren is making it perform tricks on Steve, Darren's sister comes in and breaks the noise, and thus causes the spider to bite Steve. Steve becomes very ill, and is rushed to the hospital where the doctors say that there is nothing they can do. Darren decides to see Mr. Crepsley about the possibility of an antidote. The vampire agrees to give him the only cure if Darren agrees to become his assistant, and half vampire. He does. Steve gets better but starts to realize that Darren is now part vampire and becomes angry, jealous and betrayed. Larten stages Darren's death and Darren is burried. Mr. Crepsley comes to dig up Darren and leave. He does and gives Darren a moment to say goodbye to his hometown. Then Steve shows up and tells Darren about all he knows. He says that Darren and Mr. Crepsley were planning the betrayal all along and that Steve doesn't really have bad blood, which Darren knows is not true. He tries to explain about the spider, but Steve cuts a small cross into the flesh of his left palm and swears on his blood that he will kill Darren and his mentor Mr. Crepsley. Darren shakes off the warning and leaves with Mr. Crepsley. It is rumored that the film will be based on the first three books, if this is true then we will see Darren's reluctance to accept his life as a vampire and meet the character Sam, on top on this he will have his first run in with the vampenezee a race of creatures who kill to eat unlike the vampires.
Kemungkinan Cirque du Freak keluar
Indonesia Kapan ya????
Darren Shan Movie : Cirque du Freak = KAPAAN KELUAR????
KEMUNGKINAN AKTOR-AKTORNYA :
Chris Kelly-Darren
Josh Hutcherson-Steve
Chris Kelly-DarrenJosh Hutcherson-Steve10 Februari 2009
Lagu Hari ini(Lyrics from Hairsapray) : Welcome to the '60
EDNA
Tracy, I haven't left this house
in , in years
TRACY
Then isn't it time you did?
EDNA
Oh no Tracy
You have your father meet with him
I don't wanna be seen like this
The neighboors haven't seen me
Since I was a size 10
Don't make me do it Tracy
TRACY
Ma, it's changing out there
You'll like it!
People who are different
Their time is coming.
TRACY
Hey mama hey mama,
Look around
Everybody's groovin' to a brand new sound
Hey mama hey mama,
Follow me
i know something's in you
That you wanna set free
So let go, go, go of the past now
Say hello to the love in your heart
Yes, I know that the world's spinning fast now
You gotta get yourself a brand new start
TRACY, DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Hey mama
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Yeah, yeah, yeah
TRACY
Hey mama, hey mama,
Have Some Fun
EDNA
I Haven't Left This House since 1951
TRACY
Hey mama, hey mama,
Take a chance
EDNA
Oh Tracy, it's been years
Since someone asked me to dance
TRACY
So let go, go, go of the past now
Say hello to the light in your eyes
Yes, i know that the world's
Spinning fast now
But you gotta run the race
To win the prize
TRACY, DYNAMITES &, ENSEMBLE
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
TRACY, DYNAMITES &, ENSEMBLE
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Hey mama, hey mama
Yeah, yeah, yeah
(Tracy & Edna arrive at Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway)
DYNAMITES
Welcome to the rhythm of a brand new day
TRACY
Take your old-fashioned fears
TRACY & DYNAMITES
And just throw them away
MR. PINKY'S STAFF
You should add some color and a fresh new "do"
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
'Cause it's time for a star
Who looks just like you!
MR PINKY
There's My Shining Star, Fantastic to meet you!I'm Mr Pinky
TRACY
It's so nice to meet you
MR PINKY
Tracy, Is this your older sister?
EDNA
Flattery will not distract Ms Turnblacks agent.
MR PINKY
54 Double D?
EDNA
Triple E
MR PINKY
I Hit the Motherload!
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
JUDINE
Dontcha let nobody
Try to steal your fun
'Cause a little touch of lipstick
Never hurt no one
KAMILAH
The future's got a million roads
For you to choose
But you'll walk a little taller
In some high-heeled shoes
SHAYNA
And once you find the style
That makes you feel like you
Something fresh
Something new
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Step on out
Hear us shout
TRACY, DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Mama, that's your cue!!!
EDNA
Hey Tracy, hey baby,
Look at me!
I'm the cutest chickie
That ya ever did see
Hey Tracy, hey baby,
Look at us
Where is there a team
That's half as fabulous?!
EDNA (& ENSEMBLE)
I let go, go, go of the past now
Said hello to this red carpet ride
Yes I know that the world's spinning fast now
Tell lollabrigida to step aside!
EDNA & ENSEMBLE
Your mama's welcoming the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh
Oh your mama's welcoming the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go, mama, go, go, go!
ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Open the door
For the girl who has more,
She's a star...
Tracy, go, go, go!
EDNA(TRACY)(over the top of song below)
Your mama's hip, (hip) your mamas in (in mama) , your mamas lookin at herself and wondering where you been? (where you been?)
your mamas lit (lit) she's all glow (glow mama) , your mama what shes holding back your mama's gotta let go (GO GO GO!)
ALL
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh
Go mama. Go, go, go!
Hey mama welcome to the 60's
KAMILAH
Welcome to the "6", to the "0"
To the apostrophe "s"!
HEY YEAH YEAH....
OH yeahhhhh
DYNAMITES
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!!
Tracy, I haven't left this house
in , in years
TRACY
Then isn't it time you did?
EDNA
Oh no Tracy
You have your father meet with him
I don't wanna be seen like this
The neighboors haven't seen me
Since I was a size 10
Don't make me do it Tracy
TRACY
Ma, it's changing out there
You'll like it!
People who are different
Their time is coming.
TRACY
Hey mama hey mama,
Look around
Everybody's groovin' to a brand new sound
Hey mama hey mama,
Follow me
i know something's in you
That you wanna set free
So let go, go, go of the past now
Say hello to the love in your heart
Yes, I know that the world's spinning fast now
You gotta get yourself a brand new start
TRACY, DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Hey mama
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Yeah, yeah, yeah
TRACY
Hey mama, hey mama,
Have Some Fun
EDNA
I Haven't Left This House since 1951
TRACY
Hey mama, hey mama,
Take a chance
EDNA
Oh Tracy, it's been years
Since someone asked me to dance
TRACY
So let go, go, go of the past now
Say hello to the light in your eyes
Yes, i know that the world's
Spinning fast now
But you gotta run the race
To win the prize
TRACY, DYNAMITES &, ENSEMBLE
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
TRACY, DYNAMITES &, ENSEMBLE
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Hey mama, hey mama
Yeah, yeah, yeah
(Tracy & Edna arrive at Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway)
DYNAMITES
Welcome to the rhythm of a brand new day
TRACY
Take your old-fashioned fears
TRACY & DYNAMITES
And just throw them away
MR. PINKY'S STAFF
You should add some color and a fresh new "do"
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
'Cause it's time for a star
Who looks just like you!
MR PINKY
There's My Shining Star, Fantastic to meet you!I'm Mr Pinky
TRACY
It's so nice to meet you
MR PINKY
Tracy, Is this your older sister?
EDNA
Flattery will not distract Ms Turnblacks agent.
MR PINKY
54 Double D?
EDNA
Triple E
MR PINKY
I Hit the Motherload!
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!
JUDINE
Dontcha let nobody
Try to steal your fun
'Cause a little touch of lipstick
Never hurt no one
KAMILAH
The future's got a million roads
For you to choose
But you'll walk a little taller
In some high-heeled shoes
SHAYNA
And once you find the style
That makes you feel like you
Something fresh
Something new
DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Step on out
Hear us shout
TRACY, DYNAMITES & ENSEMBLE
Mama, that's your cue!!!
EDNA
Hey Tracy, hey baby,
Look at me!
I'm the cutest chickie
That ya ever did see
Hey Tracy, hey baby,
Look at us
Where is there a team
That's half as fabulous?!
EDNA (& ENSEMBLE)
I let go, go, go of the past now
Said hello to this red carpet ride
Yes I know that the world's spinning fast now
Tell lollabrigida to step aside!
EDNA & ENSEMBLE
Your mama's welcoming the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh
Oh your mama's welcoming the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go, mama, go, go, go!
ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the 60's
Open the door
For the girl who has more,
She's a star...
Tracy, go, go, go!
EDNA(TRACY)(over the top of song below)
Your mama's hip, (hip) your mamas in (in mama) , your mamas lookin at herself and wondering where you been? (where you been?)
your mamas lit (lit) she's all glow (glow mama) , your mama what shes holding back your mama's gotta let go (GO GO GO!)
ALL
Hey mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh
Oh mama, welcome to the 60's
Oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh
Go mama. Go, go, go!
Hey mama welcome to the 60's
KAMILAH
Welcome to the "6", to the "0"
To the apostrophe "s"!
HEY YEAH YEAH....
OH yeahhhhh
DYNAMITES
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Go mama, go, go, go!!
05 Februari 2009
Music Video Anime untuk hari ini
ini video untuk versi PS2-nya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Ending Theme :
Lukisan yang gw buat Sepenuh Hati
beberapa hari ini gw mendapat kerjaan dan tugas yang bejibun : tugas pak Armat, tugas Mrs. Shelma, tugas KJ, Ujian olah raga, dan yang paling gua sukai Seni Rupa....
gambar ini gua buat sepenuh hati dengan sungguh-sungguh, walaupun tadinya gw ngga percaya bisa jadi seperti ini...
gambar ini gua buat sepenuh hati dengan sungguh-sungguh, walaupun tadinya gw ngga percaya bisa jadi seperti ini...
04 Februari 2009
The Alchemist
ini buku hebat buatan Micahel Scott(ahli di bidang mythologi dan cerita rakyat) yang menggabungkan mythologi dengan cerita fantasy dan petualangan. walaupun tidak sebagus novel avatar yang sering di bawa iput tapi ini novel yang cukup bagus untuk dibaca
Kingdom Hearts Re : Chain of Memories
"An enjoyable but frustrating remake"
-Intro-
This game is the remake of the GBA game that came out a few years ago but I'm sure you knew that already. I'm a big fan of the series but I have never played the original version despite owning a Game Boy Advance. When I heard Square was bringing this game to the PS2, I decided to give it a shot after missing it the first time. Now that I have beaten the game, here's my take of Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories.
-Story- (8/10)
This is the main reason why I bought the game. I missed out on this part of the story and when I played KH 2 for the first time, I was like "what the hell is going on?". "Who is this Roxas and who are all these kids?". You know, "where is Sora and why is he sleeping in this weird thing" and stuff like that. I was confused initially but then I quickly realized that stuff happened in CoM and I missed it. People who kept up with KH2 and Chain of Memories probably knew all these details and such but I didn't, so I knew nothing about the story. Well, the story that I missed is here and although it's corny at times, it is unique and different from the other games. It start off a little slow but it gets a lot more interesting near the end of the game with the plot twists.
The game starts off immediately after KH1 with Sora/friends searching for Riku and The King. Sora meets a mysterious figure dressed in black that tells him "Along the road ahead lies something you need but in order to obtain it, you must lose something dearly" thus leading him to a mysterious place known as Castle Oblivion. This is where the game's theme comes in, "In this place, to find is to lose, to lose is to find". What that means is that Sora will forget his "current" memories the farther he goes into the castle while remembering things that he has long forgotten. The figure also told Sora that he will meet those he knows now and ones that he miss in order convince him to go deep into the castle. Little do they know, they'll soon find out that it's all part of a plan.
-Graphics- (7/10)
The game is now in 3D and it's comparable to the other games. Most of the character models and locations are recycled from the first game. Some of the facial expressions and movements are still very well done while some needs more work. I was surprised that there weren't any new FMVs in this game and that is a minor disappointment. You'll see a recap of the first game at the beginning with bits of the same FMV in it and that's it. The battle animations is pretty much the same as the other games except for a few new ones.
Overall, it's a solid looking PS2 game.
-Gameplay- (6/10)
The new battle system is a love or hate it kind of thing. Some like it for it's complex and originality while others like me, find it too complicated and annoying (card breaks and switching screens). Unlike the other two KH games where it's just simply a hack-n-slash, the battle system here consist of using cards with values (numbers 0-9) to attack and use magic. It's still hack-n-slash but requires careful planning and strategies. Sure, it sounds great on paper but it only made the game more difficult and frustrating. For this very reason, this game is not recommended for new KH players. Those that played the GBA version before won't have any problem obviously but for me, it took a very, very long time to fully understand the concept of the system. What is frustrating about the game is that once you're beating heartless and the Disney bosses like it's nobody's business, you'll think you got the hang of it until you get your @$$ kicked by one of the organization in an instant. Just when you think you have a solid deck to work with, the game gets very difficult quickly. So in order to stand any chance, you'll have to spend a large amount of time grinding levels and moogle points to get the best cards.
There are a lot of sleights (a combination of cards to use abilities) that you'll have to remember and will need to build your deck around for hard boss battles. If you are expecting to just use the keyblade cards individually, you're not going to get very far. I found that out the hard way. The problem with sleights is that I often forget it's value requirement and mixing it with wrong cards only to screw it up in boss battles. I don't know about other people but it happens a lot especially when I'm in desperate situations.
Not only are cards used for battles, they are also used to synthesize different types of rooms for each world. These are called map cards. For example, you can use a card to create a room with treasure in it or another room with a lot of heartless depending on the type of card. The whole point of this is that you'll have to go through one room to the next to advance the story and to get to the next floor in the castle. There are thirteen floors and the worlds are the same from the first game. Same Disney boss fights but a slightly different scenario to fit this game (ex: memory potion/Halloween town). I like the non-linear aspect of the room synthesizing but I really missed the free-flowing exploration from the first two games.
-Sound/Music- (8/10)
The same as before unfortunately. It's good to hear the classic tunes again as well as "Simple/Clean" but there's not much new music to be found here which is a little disappointing. On the bright side, we get new voiceovers from Haley Joel Osment and David Gallagher to name a few. The voice acting is solid as always despite Sora having his deeper, KH 2 voice. I didn't mind it at all. Voice acting occurs only in the hallway scenes only which is understandable.
-Replayabilty- (7/10)
Once you beaten the game, you get reverse/rebirth aka Riku mode in which you get to play his side of the story. I thought it was a nice addtion and it boost your playing time even more. Riku's battle system is different than Sora's and probably a little easier. When I said easier, I meant that for Riku, you won't have to worry about deck building because you can't customize it like with Sora's. Some may or may not like that. Another difference is that Riku gets to use his awesome dark powers. It's a very enjoyable mode.
You also get a theather mode for watching the game cutscenes which is nice too. Other than that, there's not much else to do but you can try to collect all the cards and complete Jiminy's journal entries. If you want more challenge, you can always try the proud mode if you haven't already from the beginning.
-Conclusion-
Well, I can say that it is worth the $30 despite some of it flaws. It was an enjoyable game while frustrating at the same time. I will recommend this game to any KH fan but for new KH players, start with first one (it's cheap), and then give this a try. The story is worth playing for and like I said earlier, it's why I bought the game. Right now, I'm anticipating the release of the next two KH game, 358/2 days and Birth by Sleep. One is side story and another is a prequel. Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read this review.
Story: 8/10
Graphics: 7/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Sound/Music: 8/10
Replayability: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
-Intro-
This game is the remake of the GBA game that came out a few years ago but I'm sure you knew that already. I'm a big fan of the series but I have never played the original version despite owning a Game Boy Advance. When I heard Square was bringing this game to the PS2, I decided to give it a shot after missing it the first time. Now that I have beaten the game, here's my take of Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories.
-Story- (8/10)
This is the main reason why I bought the game. I missed out on this part of the story and when I played KH 2 for the first time, I was like "what the hell is going on?". "Who is this Roxas and who are all these kids?". You know, "where is Sora and why is he sleeping in this weird thing" and stuff like that. I was confused initially but then I quickly realized that stuff happened in CoM and I missed it. People who kept up with KH2 and Chain of Memories probably knew all these details and such but I didn't, so I knew nothing about the story. Well, the story that I missed is here and although it's corny at times, it is unique and different from the other games. It start off a little slow but it gets a lot more interesting near the end of the game with the plot twists.
The game starts off immediately after KH1 with Sora/friends searching for Riku and The King. Sora meets a mysterious figure dressed in black that tells him "Along the road ahead lies something you need but in order to obtain it, you must lose something dearly" thus leading him to a mysterious place known as Castle Oblivion. This is where the game's theme comes in, "In this place, to find is to lose, to lose is to find". What that means is that Sora will forget his "current" memories the farther he goes into the castle while remembering things that he has long forgotten. The figure also told Sora that he will meet those he knows now and ones that he miss in order convince him to go deep into the castle. Little do they know, they'll soon find out that it's all part of a plan.
-Graphics- (7/10)
The game is now in 3D and it's comparable to the other games. Most of the character models and locations are recycled from the first game. Some of the facial expressions and movements are still very well done while some needs more work. I was surprised that there weren't any new FMVs in this game and that is a minor disappointment. You'll see a recap of the first game at the beginning with bits of the same FMV in it and that's it. The battle animations is pretty much the same as the other games except for a few new ones.
Overall, it's a solid looking PS2 game.
-Gameplay- (6/10)
The new battle system is a love or hate it kind of thing. Some like it for it's complex and originality while others like me, find it too complicated and annoying (card breaks and switching screens). Unlike the other two KH games where it's just simply a hack-n-slash, the battle system here consist of using cards with values (numbers 0-9) to attack and use magic. It's still hack-n-slash but requires careful planning and strategies. Sure, it sounds great on paper but it only made the game more difficult and frustrating. For this very reason, this game is not recommended for new KH players. Those that played the GBA version before won't have any problem obviously but for me, it took a very, very long time to fully understand the concept of the system. What is frustrating about the game is that once you're beating heartless and the Disney bosses like it's nobody's business, you'll think you got the hang of it until you get your @$$ kicked by one of the organization in an instant. Just when you think you have a solid deck to work with, the game gets very difficult quickly. So in order to stand any chance, you'll have to spend a large amount of time grinding levels and moogle points to get the best cards.
There are a lot of sleights (a combination of cards to use abilities) that you'll have to remember and will need to build your deck around for hard boss battles. If you are expecting to just use the keyblade cards individually, you're not going to get very far. I found that out the hard way. The problem with sleights is that I often forget it's value requirement and mixing it with wrong cards only to screw it up in boss battles. I don't know about other people but it happens a lot especially when I'm in desperate situations.
Not only are cards used for battles, they are also used to synthesize different types of rooms for each world. These are called map cards. For example, you can use a card to create a room with treasure in it or another room with a lot of heartless depending on the type of card. The whole point of this is that you'll have to go through one room to the next to advance the story and to get to the next floor in the castle. There are thirteen floors and the worlds are the same from the first game. Same Disney boss fights but a slightly different scenario to fit this game (ex: memory potion/Halloween town). I like the non-linear aspect of the room synthesizing but I really missed the free-flowing exploration from the first two games.
-Sound/Music- (8/10)
The same as before unfortunately. It's good to hear the classic tunes again as well as "Simple/Clean" but there's not much new music to be found here which is a little disappointing. On the bright side, we get new voiceovers from Haley Joel Osment and David Gallagher to name a few. The voice acting is solid as always despite Sora having his deeper, KH 2 voice. I didn't mind it at all. Voice acting occurs only in the hallway scenes only which is understandable.
-Replayabilty- (7/10)
Once you beaten the game, you get reverse/rebirth aka Riku mode in which you get to play his side of the story. I thought it was a nice addtion and it boost your playing time even more. Riku's battle system is different than Sora's and probably a little easier. When I said easier, I meant that for Riku, you won't have to worry about deck building because you can't customize it like with Sora's. Some may or may not like that. Another difference is that Riku gets to use his awesome dark powers. It's a very enjoyable mode.
You also get a theather mode for watching the game cutscenes which is nice too. Other than that, there's not much else to do but you can try to collect all the cards and complete Jiminy's journal entries. If you want more challenge, you can always try the proud mode if you haven't already from the beginning.
-Conclusion-
Well, I can say that it is worth the $30 despite some of it flaws. It was an enjoyable game while frustrating at the same time. I will recommend this game to any KH fan but for new KH players, start with first one (it's cheap), and then give this a try. The story is worth playing for and like I said earlier, it's why I bought the game. Right now, I'm anticipating the release of the next two KH game, 358/2 days and Birth by Sleep. One is side story and another is a prequel. Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read this review.
Story: 8/10
Graphics: 7/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Sound/Music: 8/10
Replayability: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Dissidia Final Fantasy
"Basically an interactive FF7: Advent Children game."
Well, well... Final Fantasy is 20 years old now. A video game series that is known for its stories, graphics, memorable characters, CGI and what not. Final Fantasy has been through so much over the course of its history, including the bad. Square Enix decided to make a video game starring all the characters the past 20 years all into one game which consisted Final Fantasy I through X. In the end, they came up with a fighting game call: Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Finally, a real Final Fantasy game with all Final Fantasy characters, unlike Ehrgeiz. What better way to celebrate this long running series?
A mediocre fighting game.
Story:
The game uses the classic story of the forces of good and evil in an eternal conflict. The Goddess, Cosmos, summons the help of the heros to combat the God of evil, Chaos. Who also summons the help of the villains in order to take over. You learn that in order to achieve your goal, you'll be going around collecting crystals in order to put a stop to Chaos once and for all.
The story wasn't really thought out at all. It may have moments where characters learn about themselves and form friendships but it's all we've seen before. It's not good but it's not bad either.
Graphics/Sound:
The first thing you'll notice immediately is the graphics. This is one the best looking PSP games, which is nothing short of a surprise since this is Square Enix here. Characters stay true to the art style they've been drawn in, while some of them have a been a bit modified but retain the same look. Each stage is taken from each Final Fantasy game where memorable battles have taken place. The fighting is colorful and nice to look at, especially some of the EX attacks, however though, some of the animations could have been better.
The soundtrack consists a few pieces from each Final Fantasy game. Some which have been remixed for this game. Which are either are a hit or miss. For example, the remixes for the Final Fantasy V songs are great while remixes for Final Fantasy 8 could have been better. This game also have its own music though. The theme song for this game is a nice upbeat musical while the vocal song for this game is just awkward and isn't even suited for this type of game. Which I don't know why Square Enix would have a random band perform mediocre music for them when they can compose much better vocal songs.
Overall, this game looks and sounds good.
Well, well... Final Fantasy is 20 years old now. A video game series that is known for its stories, graphics, memorable characters, CGI and what not. Final Fantasy has been through so much over the course of its history, including the bad. Square Enix decided to make a video game starring all the characters the past 20 years all into one game which consisted Final Fantasy I through X. In the end, they came up with a fighting game call: Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Finally, a real Final Fantasy game with all Final Fantasy characters, unlike Ehrgeiz. What better way to celebrate this long running series?
A mediocre fighting game.
Story:
The game uses the classic story of the forces of good and evil in an eternal conflict. The Goddess, Cosmos, summons the help of the heros to combat the God of evil, Chaos. Who also summons the help of the villains in order to take over. You learn that in order to achieve your goal, you'll be going around collecting crystals in order to put a stop to Chaos once and for all.
The story wasn't really thought out at all. It may have moments where characters learn about themselves and form friendships but it's all we've seen before. It's not good but it's not bad either.
Graphics/Sound:
The first thing you'll notice immediately is the graphics. This is one the best looking PSP games, which is nothing short of a surprise since this is Square Enix here. Characters stay true to the art style they've been drawn in, while some of them have a been a bit modified but retain the same look. Each stage is taken from each Final Fantasy game where memorable battles have taken place. The fighting is colorful and nice to look at, especially some of the EX attacks, however though, some of the animations could have been better.
The soundtrack consists a few pieces from each Final Fantasy game. Some which have been remixed for this game. Which are either are a hit or miss. For example, the remixes for the Final Fantasy V songs are great while remixes for Final Fantasy 8 could have been better. This game also have its own music though. The theme song for this game is a nice upbeat musical while the vocal song for this game is just awkward and isn't even suited for this type of game. Which I don't know why Square Enix would have a random band perform mediocre music for them when they can compose much better vocal songs.
Overall, this game looks and sounds good.
Shin Megami Tensei Online: Imagine (Preview)
kapan ya game online Shin Megami Tensei bakal masuk ke Indonesia....
Berdoa lebih banyak semoga semakin cepat semakin baik...
Berdoa lebih banyak semoga semakin cepat semakin baik...
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
"I'm the voice inside your head that you refuse to hear..."
What do you hate about yourself? Come on, be honest. Or are you too ashamed to admit anything? Perhaps you're not even aware of it. It's those perceived flaws, those nagging insecurities that can drive a person mad. Maybe you're afraid of failure, that everything you do in life will ultimately amount to nothing. How about the resentment or jealously you might feel towards someone more successful than you are? A close friend you keep around to satisfy your sense of self-worth and need for acceptance? How about your gender or sexuality? What's really hiding beneath that humble exterior, or that facade of an outgoing attitude? All your justifications and excuses might be the only things letting you sleep at night. Denial is the cornerstone of your behavior; you alter your personality, your actions, and everything else by measuring them against what is believed to be ‘normal.' When it comes down to it, no one sees you in your true, flawed splendor. So, what are you really like?
…Not going to answer, huh? That's understandable. Those are hard, unfair questions. Besides, you're probably not ready to face whatever truth might be lurking deep in your psyche. But keep in mind that self-acceptance, regardless of the revelations that come it, is far more beneficial than that systematic denial that's ruling your existence. In fact, it just might be what saves your life.
That's the core theme of Persona 4; the necessity of self-acceptance. It's a lesson that several of characters will have to learn the hard way. It doesn't seem like it at first; the setting and the folks you'll meet along the way seem boring at first glance. The Silent Protagonist is some high-schooler that has been sent to live with his uncle and cousin while his parents are off working. He's left to transition from the fast-paced life of the city to the dull, bland pace of the town of Inaba. His initial friends are a blend of all the pals you might hang out with; Yosuke is the slightly goofy best buddy that'll always back you up, Chie is the female athletic with an obsession over kung fu flicks, and Yuikiko is the responsible introvert. They're ordinary, seemingly normal characters with whom gamers can easily identify. That's the beauty of it; these people are just as flawed as the anyone else. The progression of the story doesn't spare any of them from the awful truths that they try to hide; you'll get to see them deal with fears of isolation, arrogance, sexual orientation, self-image, perceived immaturity, frustration over social norms, and several other problems.
This game isn't some kind of touchy-feely group therapy session, though. Something evil has come to Inaba, and everyone's inner demons have something to do with it. Every few days, another mangled corpse is discovered; police have no leads, no witnesses, or anything else that might help catch the murderer. The Silent Protagonist and his friends, however, have stumbled across the key to it all: a parallel dimension that can be accessed by entering a television screen. Inside, reality is warped based upon the murder victim's perception of their life; depending on who you're trying to save, you might have to peek into a steamy bathhouse, explore a massive castle, or a handful of other fantasy locales. Each of these mini-dungeons is riddled with “Shadows”, otherworldly beings that represent the darker, hidden sides of other peoples' personalities. Since these creatures have no qualms about slaughtering you - the body count in Inaba is steadily rising, after all - you'll have to come armed with whatever weapons and armor you can gather. Though you'll start off with a golf club and some medicinal pills, a few trips to the local weapon maker will make things a bit easier. The point of the game is to get into a randomly generated dungeon, save the latest victim, smite anything that gets in your way via turn-based battles, and unravel more of the murder mystery at hand.
More importantly, you'll get to develop your Personae. As the name suggests, a Persona is the extension of your personality. Without getting too much into Jungian psychology, this basically means that all of your beliefs, emotions, and unique traits are all cobbled together into something that represents you to the rest of the world. This game, however, gives the Personae a far more direct purpose: kicking ass. Each of the characters is capable of summoning his or her own inner beast and using it to lay siege to the battlefield. These things come in all shapes and sizes; you'll get to see everything from angels, demons, pixies, mutated monstrosities, disco dancers, and several others. Each of these creatures can be leveled up and learn new powers to be used in battle. Even if you managed to find some ridiculously overpowered sword, nothing beats the slew of offensive and defensive spells your Personae can dish out. Since the Silent Protagonist can acquire, combine and use different Personae (the other characters are stuck with their defaults), there's plenty to do in terms of development, stat growth, and all that other standard RPG stuff.
The strength of your Personae isn't determined by just your battles in the TV dimension, though. When you're not busy saving lives and hacking and slashing through psyches, you'll have to maintain the boring, everyday life of the real world. That means going to class, taking tests, joining the clubs at school, and building relationships with the people around you. Every choice and action you perform will reflect on your character's overall growth; get a high enough courage stat, and you might get enough confidence to ask certain friends some direct questions. Even if being a bookworm and answering in class nets you some intelligence points, standing up to some authority figures might boost other things as well. It's always good to get to know the other students and whoever else might wander into your life. If you focus on building Social Links - the emotional bonds between the characters - your efforts will be reflected in your Personae's development. Eventually, your Social Links will be so fully developed that you'll be nigh unstoppable. Given the intricate systems at work, building the perfect Persona is half the fun.
Needless to say, this is a very different kind of RPG. If you've played Persona 3 (and shame on you if you haven't!), this should all be eerily familiar. This game borrows several elements from its predecessor. But despite all its similarities, Persona 4 manages to trump the previous game by improving on the established formula. The game is so much more streamlined and efficient; rather than plodding back and forth over Inaba during the day, you can go to a necessary location with the push of a button. Being able to fully control everyone in your party is a huge step forward in terms of strategy; rather than simply keeping supporting cast alive, you'll have much more say in how the battles are waged. Another is the format of the dungeons; in the last game, you have to scale a massive tower that had warp points every so often. This time, you'll have to buy items that'll let you escape and return to the dungeon when necessary. This demonstrates the necessity for preparation; if you don't come with everything you need, you'll likely find yourself in a tough spot in later areas. There's nothing more annoying than leveling up a few times and acquiring some new Personae, only to lose them after you try tackling one floor too many and end up getting killed.
One of the most interesting improvements in Persona 4 is its overall pacing. The game utilizes the same system of progression from its predecessor; you wake up, go to school in the morning, do activities or fight in the afternoon, come home for dinner, and go to bed. What makes this different, however, is the emphasis on the weather. The murder victims are unveiled as the local fog bank recedes, which means you've got to keep a close track of the weather forecasts. Since you have only a limited number of days before the weather changes, you'll have to rush to get prepared, jump into the next dungeon, and hopefully save the victim. If you waste too many of your afternoons, you might not have enough time to stop the next murder, which means a Game Over. That means that each day will be like a desperate scramble to get your teams ready or Social Links built up and hopefully save the next person before time runs out. Since that you have to balance everything in the afternoons, you might have some trouble figuring out what best to do with the given time It's not exactly fast-paced, but progression seems so much more prevalent than that of the last game.
The same goes with the coherency of the story. Persona 3 had a considerable amount of shocking imagery (the suicidal summoning poses come to mind), but its characters lacked a certain appeal. Persona 4 strives to make its characters and story more approachable within its context; even if there are all kinds of inter-dimensional craziness going on, it's still a murder mystery. It's all about those subtle things that wouldn‘t normally matter in another game. It captures the loneliness of the Protagonist's little cousin, who has grown up isolated and burdened with household responsibilities because the father is never around. Or the social issues that come with big businesses edging out the locals. The presentation is pulled off with a superb localization and great voice acting; there's plenty of emotion backing every line. The cutscenes and dialogue are plentiful, but they're easy to bear. It's the Personae and Shadows, however, that truly steal the show; the monsters come packing detailed designs at every turn. One of the most impressive foes you'll ever face is a demonic dominatrix being propped up by her otherworldly slaves, all with flowing tentacle whips and monstrous limbs. Despite the somewhat bland outdoor settings, it's clear that a serious amount of effort went into designing the characters.
Look, folks. If you have any interest in RPGs, you need to play this game. Period. It's one of the best titles available on the PS2. In fact, it just might be the console's swan song. It's a worthy sequel to Persona 3; it takes all of the things that made that game kick ass, and improves upon it. The revamped battle system offers more options and strategy than ever before. The intricate systems involved in creating and developing your Personae are deep and interesting to utilize; you'll have to balance the reality of daily life with developing your psychological juggernauts. The choices you make reflect on your character's unique personality. The dungeons might not be as easy to traverse, but they demonstrate the great need for preparation for the tasks at hand. The brisk pacing offers you a more structured and satisfying playthrough. The story itself is a great, dark exploration of the human psyche; it makes us consider our own fears and by witnessing the struggles and revelations of its very human characters. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something about yourself along the way.
What do you hate about yourself? Come on, be honest. Or are you too ashamed to admit anything? Perhaps you're not even aware of it. It's those perceived flaws, those nagging insecurities that can drive a person mad. Maybe you're afraid of failure, that everything you do in life will ultimately amount to nothing. How about the resentment or jealously you might feel towards someone more successful than you are? A close friend you keep around to satisfy your sense of self-worth and need for acceptance? How about your gender or sexuality? What's really hiding beneath that humble exterior, or that facade of an outgoing attitude? All your justifications and excuses might be the only things letting you sleep at night. Denial is the cornerstone of your behavior; you alter your personality, your actions, and everything else by measuring them against what is believed to be ‘normal.' When it comes down to it, no one sees you in your true, flawed splendor. So, what are you really like?
…Not going to answer, huh? That's understandable. Those are hard, unfair questions. Besides, you're probably not ready to face whatever truth might be lurking deep in your psyche. But keep in mind that self-acceptance, regardless of the revelations that come it, is far more beneficial than that systematic denial that's ruling your existence. In fact, it just might be what saves your life.
That's the core theme of Persona 4; the necessity of self-acceptance. It's a lesson that several of characters will have to learn the hard way. It doesn't seem like it at first; the setting and the folks you'll meet along the way seem boring at first glance. The Silent Protagonist is some high-schooler that has been sent to live with his uncle and cousin while his parents are off working. He's left to transition from the fast-paced life of the city to the dull, bland pace of the town of Inaba. His initial friends are a blend of all the pals you might hang out with; Yosuke is the slightly goofy best buddy that'll always back you up, Chie is the female athletic with an obsession over kung fu flicks, and Yuikiko is the responsible introvert. They're ordinary, seemingly normal characters with whom gamers can easily identify. That's the beauty of it; these people are just as flawed as the anyone else. The progression of the story doesn't spare any of them from the awful truths that they try to hide; you'll get to see them deal with fears of isolation, arrogance, sexual orientation, self-image, perceived immaturity, frustration over social norms, and several other problems.
This game isn't some kind of touchy-feely group therapy session, though. Something evil has come to Inaba, and everyone's inner demons have something to do with it. Every few days, another mangled corpse is discovered; police have no leads, no witnesses, or anything else that might help catch the murderer. The Silent Protagonist and his friends, however, have stumbled across the key to it all: a parallel dimension that can be accessed by entering a television screen. Inside, reality is warped based upon the murder victim's perception of their life; depending on who you're trying to save, you might have to peek into a steamy bathhouse, explore a massive castle, or a handful of other fantasy locales. Each of these mini-dungeons is riddled with “Shadows”, otherworldly beings that represent the darker, hidden sides of other peoples' personalities. Since these creatures have no qualms about slaughtering you - the body count in Inaba is steadily rising, after all - you'll have to come armed with whatever weapons and armor you can gather. Though you'll start off with a golf club and some medicinal pills, a few trips to the local weapon maker will make things a bit easier. The point of the game is to get into a randomly generated dungeon, save the latest victim, smite anything that gets in your way via turn-based battles, and unravel more of the murder mystery at hand.
More importantly, you'll get to develop your Personae. As the name suggests, a Persona is the extension of your personality. Without getting too much into Jungian psychology, this basically means that all of your beliefs, emotions, and unique traits are all cobbled together into something that represents you to the rest of the world. This game, however, gives the Personae a far more direct purpose: kicking ass. Each of the characters is capable of summoning his or her own inner beast and using it to lay siege to the battlefield. These things come in all shapes and sizes; you'll get to see everything from angels, demons, pixies, mutated monstrosities, disco dancers, and several others. Each of these creatures can be leveled up and learn new powers to be used in battle. Even if you managed to find some ridiculously overpowered sword, nothing beats the slew of offensive and defensive spells your Personae can dish out. Since the Silent Protagonist can acquire, combine and use different Personae (the other characters are stuck with their defaults), there's plenty to do in terms of development, stat growth, and all that other standard RPG stuff.
The strength of your Personae isn't determined by just your battles in the TV dimension, though. When you're not busy saving lives and hacking and slashing through psyches, you'll have to maintain the boring, everyday life of the real world. That means going to class, taking tests, joining the clubs at school, and building relationships with the people around you. Every choice and action you perform will reflect on your character's overall growth; get a high enough courage stat, and you might get enough confidence to ask certain friends some direct questions. Even if being a bookworm and answering in class nets you some intelligence points, standing up to some authority figures might boost other things as well. It's always good to get to know the other students and whoever else might wander into your life. If you focus on building Social Links - the emotional bonds between the characters - your efforts will be reflected in your Personae's development. Eventually, your Social Links will be so fully developed that you'll be nigh unstoppable. Given the intricate systems at work, building the perfect Persona is half the fun.
Needless to say, this is a very different kind of RPG. If you've played Persona 3 (and shame on you if you haven't!), this should all be eerily familiar. This game borrows several elements from its predecessor. But despite all its similarities, Persona 4 manages to trump the previous game by improving on the established formula. The game is so much more streamlined and efficient; rather than plodding back and forth over Inaba during the day, you can go to a necessary location with the push of a button. Being able to fully control everyone in your party is a huge step forward in terms of strategy; rather than simply keeping supporting cast alive, you'll have much more say in how the battles are waged. Another is the format of the dungeons; in the last game, you have to scale a massive tower that had warp points every so often. This time, you'll have to buy items that'll let you escape and return to the dungeon when necessary. This demonstrates the necessity for preparation; if you don't come with everything you need, you'll likely find yourself in a tough spot in later areas. There's nothing more annoying than leveling up a few times and acquiring some new Personae, only to lose them after you try tackling one floor too many and end up getting killed.
One of the most interesting improvements in Persona 4 is its overall pacing. The game utilizes the same system of progression from its predecessor; you wake up, go to school in the morning, do activities or fight in the afternoon, come home for dinner, and go to bed. What makes this different, however, is the emphasis on the weather. The murder victims are unveiled as the local fog bank recedes, which means you've got to keep a close track of the weather forecasts. Since you have only a limited number of days before the weather changes, you'll have to rush to get prepared, jump into the next dungeon, and hopefully save the victim. If you waste too many of your afternoons, you might not have enough time to stop the next murder, which means a Game Over. That means that each day will be like a desperate scramble to get your teams ready or Social Links built up and hopefully save the next person before time runs out. Since that you have to balance everything in the afternoons, you might have some trouble figuring out what best to do with the given time It's not exactly fast-paced, but progression seems so much more prevalent than that of the last game.
The same goes with the coherency of the story. Persona 3 had a considerable amount of shocking imagery (the suicidal summoning poses come to mind), but its characters lacked a certain appeal. Persona 4 strives to make its characters and story more approachable within its context; even if there are all kinds of inter-dimensional craziness going on, it's still a murder mystery. It's all about those subtle things that wouldn‘t normally matter in another game. It captures the loneliness of the Protagonist's little cousin, who has grown up isolated and burdened with household responsibilities because the father is never around. Or the social issues that come with big businesses edging out the locals. The presentation is pulled off with a superb localization and great voice acting; there's plenty of emotion backing every line. The cutscenes and dialogue are plentiful, but they're easy to bear. It's the Personae and Shadows, however, that truly steal the show; the monsters come packing detailed designs at every turn. One of the most impressive foes you'll ever face is a demonic dominatrix being propped up by her otherworldly slaves, all with flowing tentacle whips and monstrous limbs. Despite the somewhat bland outdoor settings, it's clear that a serious amount of effort went into designing the characters.
Look, folks. If you have any interest in RPGs, you need to play this game. Period. It's one of the best titles available on the PS2. In fact, it just might be the console's swan song. It's a worthy sequel to Persona 3; it takes all of the things that made that game kick ass, and improves upon it. The revamped battle system offers more options and strategy than ever before. The intricate systems involved in creating and developing your Personae are deep and interesting to utilize; you'll have to balance the reality of daily life with developing your psychological juggernauts. The choices you make reflect on your character's unique personality. The dungeons might not be as easy to traverse, but they demonstrate the great need for preparation for the tasks at hand. The brisk pacing offers you a more structured and satisfying playthrough. The story itself is a great, dark exploration of the human psyche; it makes us consider our own fears and by witnessing the struggles and revelations of its very human characters. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something about yourself along the way.
Angin yang Baru
Pertama kali saat kulihat dirimu
Ada angin besar yang berhembus ke hatiku
Angin yang dipenuhi rasa kasihku
Semua itu datang dari dalam hatiku
Waktu-waktu kita habiskan bersama
Dengan cinta kita berdua
Berdua tanpa gangguan siapapun mereka
Kita berdua, tanpa orang ketiga
Oh angin yang berhembus
Jagalah hubungan kami ini
Kami yang terbius
Oleh cinta yang indah ini
Tapi sekarang hatimu seperti buaya
Meninggalkan ku begitu saja
Ku tak akan pernah tertawa
Ku tak akan sempurna
Tanpa perasaan kau meninggalkanku
hanya sendiri tanpa berkata sepatah katapun untukku
Oh angin yang selalu berada di dekatku
Bukalah album baru untukku
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