Since my hand first touched PSP, I stopped playing console games altogether. And now since my brother got a PS3 as a gift and acquired himself a Star Ocean: The Last Hope, I'm trying to find time during Saturdays (when nobody's at home, but me) to play. I've never missed a single game from Star Ocean series, so I swore on my honor as an RPG lover to play this game.

Though there are a lot of online games appearing here and there for the past decade, I've never seriously involved myself with online games. I mean, I've played tons of online games and eventually quitting after a span of about 3 months to a year. This does not limit to playing MMORPG and other client-requiring casual games. It goes the same with playing Facebook games, other addicting browser games too like dress-up things, and perhaps, somewhere, online bingo games too? It may be due to my mentality of everything that begins must end somehow, lead me to a subconscious conclusion that playing online games eventually will lead me in a never ending adventure, thus, in the end, will lead me nowhere, as opposed to playing console RPG that has a definite storyline and eventually ends.

Onto Star Ocean: The Last Hope, I haven't gone very far yet. I think I haven't even reached beyond the first chapter yet. But so far, I'm liking it. Though I think the graphic is a bit cutesy (I prefer graphics to be more realistic like Devil May Cry) but since this is Star Ocean, and it's been that way and is already a part of the overall appeal of the game, I'll shut up about it.

The game play is like the old Star Ocean game plays which is unlike the common battle system of turn-based used in other RPGs. During battle scenes, you get to choose to control any character on manual. This meaning, hitting monsters, guarding and strategically aiming for combos and such. While you're busy with manipulating your current character, other 3 characters on play are run by AI. You can also switch between the 4 characters you have on play while in battle. This way, you can use the healer to heal characters with low HP when you need it.

For first timers like me, this is a bit hard. Though it's not my first time time on this kind of battle system, it is, however, my first time grabbing a PS3 remote control with my hands for more than 5 minutes. (The first time was when my friend Jepoy actually had the nerve to challenge me to a Tekken 5 match at ToyCon 2011 and eventually lost from my random attacks.) Though this particular game play is what attracted me to Tales of Phantasia at first and eventually lead me to the Star Ocean series, but playing it in a whole new environment, in my opinion, takes a lot of getting used to. I probably would take a few more days of playing straight to finally get used to it.

Oh and lastly, I'm very confused with the use of the the right joystick of the analog to rotate views! D:

Before this borrowed light from the sun
Completely fades away
Let me put my pain into writing
And my sadness to tears

Before the cold empty darkness
Completely consumes me
Let my heart sing songs
As silence turns them to screams

When tomorrow breaks another day
And the scars of yesterday heals
This faded notebook will keep the memories
As its pages would prove the tears

Here I stand at top of a 7 floor building.
I stare at the wide street below.
It was lifeless and dirty.
It was bare and empty.

Here I stand in front of a 7 floor building.
I stare and look up to the top.
I  was blinded by the light,
Yet the shadow protects me from the sun.

We saw each other.
Eye to eye,
Our stare met each other.
Our time stopped.
And our world turned black and white.
Together, we reached out.

From what it seems like heaven,
Suddenly, you sang a sad song.
It reached my heart,
As my eyes starts to get blurry.

I saw you innocently stare from below,
Looking up as if I was God.
You try hard to stand though you're shaking.
Suddenly, you fell in the pool of your own blood.

We saw each other.
Heart to heart.
We stared at each other.
Our shadows collided.
Our world faded from black and white.
Together, our thoughts reached out.

Hello friends of Manila Gay Guy,

For some time now our friend and fellow Fabcaster, AJ Matela (of “Bakla Ako, May Reklamo” at http://baklaako.com/) has been quite sick. Upon the advise of doctors, he has resigned from work and is now focused on getting his body back in shape. But he’s finding out the hard way just how tough this battle is going to be.

Some time ago AJ contracted mycobacterium avium complex. Nodules have been discovered in his lungs, and he has been coughing a lot. Immediate treatment is necessary to halt the spread of the disease. It means he needs to submit himself to several lab tests plus new multiple medicines on top of the daily ones he’s currently taking.

On Aug. 18, 2011, just after lunch, AJ was rushed to the emergency room. He has difficulty breathing on his own; on top of that, he has diarrhea. His weight has gone significantly down. AJ is currently confined in Medical Center Manila along UN Avenue.

All this time he has relied only on his family and relatives for help. All this time he’s kept details of his medical condition to just them. But it has now reached a point when help from relatives, generous as they have been, is not enough. Because he has resigned from work, he doesn’t have any health card to bank on.

All his life AJ has always prided himself on being self-reliant and self-sufficient. But now he realizes that he cannot do this alone. So now, as close friends of AJ, we turn to you for help.

Friends, at this point we appreciate any and every assistance we can receive. And with God’s help, plus your generosity and prayers, we hope for AJ to bounce back soon. You may deposit your financial support through the following accounts:

(AJ’s bank account)
Account Name: Ariel James Matela
BPI Savings Account Number 373 903 4581

or

(AJ’s mom’s account)
Account Name: Anne Matela
BDO Cash Card 526 727 000 747 4501

Thank you for your help.

Migs and the Fabcasters

(Copy and pasted from The Manila Gay Guy)

Attention, all Japanese pop music-inspired artists in Metro Manila! OngakuSociety is now accepting band auditions to perform at the next major OS event slated for October 2011!!

Submit the following information to admin@ongaku-society.org:

• Group/Band Name
• Member Line-Up*
• Musical Influences
• Contact Information (mobile phone number and e-mail address)
• Official Website / Mailing List / Forums
• Video Link to Band’s Previous Performance/s*

*The video submission will serve as your audition piece.

Only the given and last names of the individual members plus known aliases or online handles will be accepted. Bands who fail to declare all the members of their line-ups or use only aliases in their application form will be disqualified from the auditions.

If accepted, bands must prepare at most three (3) songs: one X-Japan song and two songs of their choice (original compositions are allowed).

For musicians with multiple bands, you are allowed to audition as members of two different bands, under several conditions:

• The musician is a member of a maximum of two bands auditioning/performing for OngakuSociety.
• These two bands should not feature identical member line-ups.
• These two bands should not feature identical song lists.

Lastly, we’d like to congratulate several bands who have been pre-selected for performance slots at the October gig! Look out for e-mail notifications direct from the OS mods. If your band has been pre-selected, kindly send a return e-mail to us to confirm your performance.

For further inquiries, you may also e-mail us at admin@ongaku-society.org. Deadline for submission of applications is on September 12, 2011.

Think you got what it takes?! Prove it! We are OngakuSociety—rocking the scene since 2003!

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Info, leeched from here, word for word. Haha! xD