Fixing FF7 Remake: A Nice Long Breakdown (SPOILERS, OBVIOUSLY)

Having just finished the game last night, I've been thinking quite a bit about this game. Being somebody totally down with all the pre release stuff, I’m not one of the people overly happy with it in the end. But giving it some thought. I really want to love this game. It does so much right. That if it weren’t trying to position itself as something different from the original it could have easily been one of the greatest remakes ever. And in all the love it/hate it arguments, I think what disappoints me most about this game is that it was right there. Some narrative fumbles that make me not at all interested in continuing the story. It gets so close in fact, that it is heartbreaking that this game makes another remake pointless. This was it. And instead this game was used as an excuse to make a sequel about alternate universes, but doesn’t really do that well either. It’s not different ENOUGH to do that. So it kinda does neither things it set out to very well at all.
So, I thought to myself, assuming the rest of the games after this go completely off the rails, is there another possibility for the fans who were disappointed in this game, and are not interested in more? And as I thought about it, this might be an example of WANTING to see a double dip. This game is almost there, and with some alterations, Square Enix can potentially sell another version close to what some of us wanted. Like the various “International” versions that have come before. But closer to something like Dead Rising: Off the Record. Taking 90% of the original game and changing it to be this alternate universe tale, something they dearly want to play with. Only in a way that can make OG fans happier. (Not everyone of course, because there’s no pleasing some people. But give it a fighting chance.) The OG Square crew can let their creativity go wild in whatever new direction they wish to go, while also giving us a remake worthy of what we imagined the original game to be.
With that in mind, I’m going to go through the changes I think it needs to make a double dip I’d totally be willing to purchase. I would honestly buy another Deluxe Edition with these changes because I do adamantly believe this one came so close to perfection, But I have no intention of buying the next game with the current direction. However I do believe the people who loved it should still get their AU sequel this game sets up. Just… give me what I’m after too Square. Make all the money with half the work. Fans who want it can still have it, while ALSO reusing the assets to give people what this was advertised as. The FF7 remake so many of us have been waiting for.
Let's take this from the top. (The changes get bigger as things go on, obviously.)


CHAPTER 1

• This first chapter gets things off with a bang. For the most part, this chapter is perfect. There IS a reason this was the set-piece used to sell us on this remake.
• There’s only one change I would like to see here. Subtract the Shinra weapons destroying the reactor scene. You can still include the scene of President Shinra and Heidegger on his phone, right down to the button press, but remove the Shinra weapons blasting the reactor. This restores the question of Avalanche being the good guys. Makes the devastation of Chapter 2 that much worse with the possibility of them being responsible preserved. Did we do this? We the player who joyfully set the lower timer because video game! Did we do a bad…? Now, you can still maintain the stuff that hints at Shinra doing it, just don’t SHOW them doing it. Maintain that uncertainty.
• Well… and maybe changing the One Winged Angel theme from the opening fly over. It really recontextualizes this game as the Sephiroth show, but I don’t think it would be as bad without him everywhere all over the game. It just rubbed me the wrong way from the get go. But nothing that needs changed when other stuff is fixed. (Oh, you know who I'm talking about.)

CHAPTER 2

• Out of the Intro and into the game proper! This Second chapter really goes out of its way to sell itself. Getting to see the fallout from the Reactor is utterly genius. And now that a bit of subtlety is restored, it adds to the feeling of maybe… just maybe this isn’t going to be a “Woo! Good Guys versus Bad Guys!” tale. (I mean, it is. But let’s enjoy the subtext of our heroes being… not quite heroic in their actions at this point.) We did this. And it is a nice parallel with the other big tragedy to come… Neither Avalanche, nor Shinra are in the right.
• But. But… This is the first chapter where we get the two problems of this remake. The two elements that just utterly suck the joy out of this with every scene they appear in. The Whispers and Sephiroth. Two elements intended to add intrigue, but only serve to add roadblocks to the game’s story.
• Sephiroth is supposed to be Jaws at this point. Outside the story right now, on the fringes as a mythical figure that people know of, but his influence dipping into things before he appears proper at the end of Midgar. The catalyst to drive our characters forward to confront this threat bigger than a vast company that owns a city and leeches off the planet. The Threat to everyone and everything. And instead, he’s just this dude who’s lusting after Cloud. He’s frickin’ obsessed with Cloud more than Jessie is. His scenes add nothing more than “Oh, hey, look, its Sephiroth! You know sephiroth! Everyone loves Sephiroth! Here’s some Sephiroth! DON’T WORRY! Sephiroth is in this game! And did we mention Sephiroth is the villain of this game? Because he is! Get it? Get it? Do ya get it? Sephiroth.” Just… No. I loved Sephiroth as a villain because of how he’s mentioned sparingly, built upon over the course of an entire game. I get needing to get to him earlier due to the nature of this first part. But good LORD is this just bad. I like Cloud’s fuzzy moments. But not when they lead to Sephiroth sneering at the camera and groping Cloud every time. He shouldn’t care about Cloud at this point. As a character, Cloud should be the last thing on his mind with his plans. Only after encountering him again does it bring out some of Sephiroth’s “Humanity”, the obsession with this nobody who “killed” him. The Idea to use him for his own goals and screw him over in the process showing this nobody how superior he is. Again, this game KINDA gets there, but the context of it is now all wrong. And what makes this game falter for so many people.
• The other is the Whispers. Their entire point is to make you, as a person who played the previous game, question just what’s going on. Which is fine in theory. But in practice? They just appear to ruin whatever scenes they are in. This very first intro to them is one of the worst. What is the first time you’re meeting this MAJOR character, before even knowing her significance, instead you’re distracted by these whisper things gutting the emotion of the scene. A quirky, but touching scene of meeting this simple flower girl while on the run from the police is such a potentially emotional scene for someone who has played the previous game, or someone replaying what this game could have been. Just her talking with Cloud gave me the biggest smile on my face, right up until the Whispers reminded me I’m not supposed to be enjoying the scene. I’m supposed to be surprised, questioning if things are going to play out differently. Sorry, but that’s not what they ultimately do. They just make me not care what happens next, and just draining the joy from what is halfway a perfect scene. I’m not suppose to be “OMG WTF?!” the ghost things. I’m supposed to be drawn into the simple scene of a sweet yet fiery girl selling you a flower amid the chaos. The scene should be about Cloud and Aerith, not the whispers. That's where they go so wrong as EVERY scene they appear in is ABOUT them. When Poochie's not on screen, all the characters should be asking "Where's Poochie?"

CHAPTER 3

• The first real taste of Expanded content happens here. Side quests! Lots of people hate them. I’m fine with them. Helping the people with their lives helps you connect with them more. Makes it all the worse when you know what’s coming for them…
• But of course, once again, Sephiroth needs to go. Just have Marco attack Cloud, give Cloud a flash. (Maybe even keep the reunion part of it as the calling Cloud is hearing) But there’s no need for Sephiroth to keep coming onto Cloud. (At this point. Honestly? I would LOVE all these scenes of Sephiroth in Cloud’s head if they had saved them for the next game. An example of Cloud’s mind deteriorating as they get closer to Sephiroth. Played EXACTLY the same as in this part, they’d be PERFECT along the way from Kalm to the Northern Crater. But here? Nah. You've pulled down your pants within the first ten minutes of meeting me, man.)
• Oh, is that a Whisper? Upset over Cloud not joining the crew? Nah, don’t need that. I love this change of Cloud being left out of the group. He’s an outsider AND a jackass. Keeping him out of their celebration is a wonderful way to sell Cloud’s disconnect from people at this point. We don’t need no wiggle ghost to point a big old sign at this being different. We get it. It’s a remake, things CAN be different. But in context to serve the story as a remake.

CHAPTER 4

• This is a chapter that has all the benefits AND draw backs of this Remake. The entire scene is new stuff to expand the Story. It gives the Trio much needed character moments, Jessie particularly. Roche is a SMIDGE too much, especially for a one off character, but fine on his own, (Hey, Roche wasn’t there in the original! Why aren’t the Whispers whisking him away? Hmm… Like they don’t really serve to reframe the old tale…?)

• But that Ending… Woof. The first big Whispers scene is just… good gravy. Just have Jessie injured from the jump. Done. She screwed up again. Adds to her character later at the pillar, determined to not mess up again. No need for future fate fan ghosts to shove themselves into the scene. They’re not even a fun fight. Everything about them is just annoying. They really drag this game down before we even get to the big problem stuff later. There’s this principal that in a movie, every ten minutes something needs to grab the viewer’s attention to keep them invested. The Whispers are the antithesis of this. Every time I’m loving a scene, here they are to take me out of it. Somebody running into the scene and waving a sign screaming “LOOK HOW META THIS STORY IS! AREN’T YOU INVESTED?!” Yeah, I was up until you took me out of it. Thanks.

CHAPTER 5 - 7


• While a little Drawn out, there’s nothing inherently wrong in any of these chapters that ruin the experience.

CHAPTER 8

• Hoo Boy… Here we go. This is the point where the Whispers go from kinda annoying to utterly ruining every scene they appear in. Just get them out of here. Without the Whispers, the Church scene would be PERFECT. The fight with Reno, bonding with Aerith, all of it. You’ve written these wonderful characters with brilliant dialogue and genuine heart. I want to be wrapped up in their interactions, their struggles, playing off one another. I don’t need to see the writer sitting at the keyboard every ten minutes reminding me that these are nothing more than action figures being smacked together and tossed around by the whims of a child. That’s what's so frustrating here. Without the Whispers this is a GENUINELY great game and FAR superior to the original. Stop telling me it’s not with this garbage thrown in.
• The other big alteration is, again, Sephiroth. Cloud can still have his moments, but he doesn’t need Sephiroth yakking at him every time. (MAYBE some lines of dialogue, but stop with the visuals.) The Robed Man is plenty of mystery. Aerith’s concern for Cloud, the notion that MAYBE she understands him better than he knows. It’s all good stuff.

CHAPTER 9

• Wall Market is awesome. The definitive moment of this Remake that expands on everything, AND manages to keep the utter weirdness not only intact, but cranked to 11!
• The only minor alterations I can think of are simple ones. Hell House remains in the loser room. (I want to shove my victory in his stupid metal face!) And maybe a tweaking on the Dance scene UI as what is really a gloriously silly scene is kinda made annoying as I want the characters out of the way so I can actually see what I’m doing. I couldn’t enjoy the scene because the actual gameplay was at odds with enjoying what was happening. And its not a problem with the scene, just with how the prompts interact with it that’s making it distracting.

• I’m okay with Cloud ALWAYS being the one chosen by Corneo. But in a perfect version of this, there would be the three possible outcomes of the choice. Just because it’s not quite as funny when it’s ALWAYS Cloud he picks, rather than it being a third of the time based on how good Cloud’s disguise is. (And can we tone Corneo’s gut down a smidge? There’s no weight to it. It just flops all over like a water balloon. That thing is some Ryse: Son of Rome breast physics level stuff.)
• But otherwise, the dress segment is utterly glorious! Having to walk to the Corneo Mansion and getting cat called the whole way is everything I never knew I wanted! Cloud’s reactions, Tifa’s shock. This. This game is something special. You were SO close, Square!

CHAPTER 10

• Another Chapter that is okay. The only thing that needs tweaked is Aerith seemingly knowing her fate. Just stick with her feelings SOMETHING, not KNOWING the future. There is a difference. This Aerith knows too much. Not just stuff the planet gives her insight into, this girl is one of us, she played the PS1 game. (Well, watched it, cause AC Sephiroth totally snatched the controller from her.)
• The only other thing that needs to be fixed is the disjointed ending to the chapter. “OMG! Tons of Sahagins! Get the hell out of here! Oh god! They’re right behind me! Get up the ladder Cloud!” Next Scene: Cloud lazily climbing the ladder, Tifa and Aerith just kinda standing there, not even shutting the door. No sound from below, no spears or water flying out of the hole. The ladder must be the safe spot that Sahagins just wont touch. The urgency utterly dissolves between the two scenes. It’s really astonishing. One side or the other of this transition needs help.

CHAPTER 11

• Perfectly fine with this Chapter. Without Whispers, the ghosts don’t inherently annoy me. (But they are REALLY out of place with the Whispers also flying about, making tornadoes. FAR too similar. If you wanted to sell the whispers, why not tie them together? You’re making your own plot change device feel tacked on here.)
• The big change that needs to happen is the Radio on the train needs to be the LAST train, not the first. The stage goes on FAR too long with the hanging threat of the Pillar assault. Eligor is a fine roadblock to heighten tension by delaying our characters. Eligor and a quarter of the level is too much. It’s just a quick swap in scene placement is all it takes.

CHAPTER 12

• No Whispers! Get outta here with that! Other than that, the chapter can play out fine mostly.
• Wedge can survive and get his nice scene of standing up to the Shinra Guards. Biggs and Jessie should not. (I… would like a bit of blood to sell the scene as they really don’t look too bad. But, it can work without it.) Nothing. NOTHING deflates these drawn out scenes more than knowing they survive. They become a waste of time rather than a heartfelt scene with these people. The extra stuff with these guys in the remake makes their deaths even MORE vital. For Cloud. For Tifa. For Barret. For US.
• Aerith’s scene with Marlene was touching! …Right up until the weird mind meld thing. Aerith’s PERSONALITY should be the factor that gets a child to trust her, not script magic. Clearly, Aerith is the true big bad of this sequel. Going around, brainwashing people who don’t just fall in line with her desire to survive. I’m onto you Flower Girl…
• The rest of the chapter is good to go, save MAYBE a little more subtle and less random ass Cait Sith scene. Cameo is good, random moment of this toy thing appearing out of nowhere is not. It's another point directed squarely at OG fans without care put into it being here. It's a "Hey, memba this thing?!" moment.
• And of course, Wedge is not attacked by whispers, but can still be in the collapse after trying to save his cats. (Just have the ground give way under him to help with his random surviving. I can buy him falling into the lab and surviving. I have trouble believing his one cat dragged him in there after being crushed by the plate.)

CHAPTER 13

• While heading back into sector 7 is a neat idea, getting to see the destruction first hand, it… Well, it doesn’t feel like it sells the devastation of the plate collapse. The perfect paths everywhere, Most of the town destroyed but generally all the bits still there. the utter mass of debris that would be sitting on top of it at this point. It looks more spacious in fact without the plate above! Shinra really did them a favor here. It just needs help, but the idea of the chapter is fine. The lab, Wedge, all of it is fine.
• BUT. The NPCs from Chapter 3 need to be dead. Doing the chores for them in Chapter 3 is fine if it helps us connect with the lives lost from the plate falling. But not a one of them dies from this tragic event. They all live. Every. Single. One. That just utterly deflates the magnitude of this that it needs to sell. A TON of people died. But not anyone we know, so it’s not so bad. Instead of connecting with the loss from all these characters we knew, eh, it’s not so bad. Marle, Wymer, the weapon shop dude, Betty. Most, if not all of them need to die to help sell the scene. (And bonus, the people who HATED the side quests can rest easy knowing they all died! Huzzah!) Their second side quests later can be given to other characters dealing with this event. Even just a single one of these people dying would help things. Just one!

CHAPTER 14

• I was really annoyed at going through the sewers a second time. Fighting Abzu a second time. This is really some of the worst filler in the game. And if not for the other more pressing issues, it would easily be the worst part of the game. But, generally I’d be fine with it here without ALL the other problems. It’s not really fun, but it’s not something I’d insist on cutting, plus it has some decent character stuff with Leslie and Don Corneo. Leave it, or tweak it to be less of a slog at most.

CHAPTER 15

• I’m fine with this chapter. It’s a nice expansion of the original climb. Much more epic. (Doubly so now that we look out on Sector 7 and know what was lost… Dear departed Marle, you should have stayed in Chrono Trigger… RIP…) At worst, the camera needs to be pulled out a bit in some of the high up scenes, showing us how tiny and insignificant our three heroes are as they climb upwards. This kind of thing that would make some of the slow walking and such a GOOD thing in this context. Where control doesn’t require us to see big characters in the middle of the screen, rather we can see how far above them all this destruction seems as we struggle upwards.

CHAPTER 16

• Most of this Chapter is fine. The big change would be to have patrols of Shinra soldiers to avoid. (OR to fight if you don’t want to “Stealth it” and just want more action) You just toss in some dialogue about being baffled that they can’t radio for help. Come on, make Domino work for it. He IS the Best. Prove it, man!
• The Ancients hologram is really neat! …Up until Sephiroth. Cut him out, and just have Barret outraged at the PR bullshit. (There’s possibly a shocking variant to put in here, I just can’t think of it at the moment. Jenova? Maybe even Meteor glitched in with the City as it is in the game. I'm not sure. It CAN be good foreshadowing, but not like this.) But ABSOLUTELY leave in the scene with Palmer seeing Sephiroth, THAT’S how he needed to be handled in this game. Just a peek. Get OG fans salivating, Get Newbies questioning. Good stuff.
• Everything plays out the same pretty much. Up until Aerith uses the mind meld on Red. Cut it, and just have her connect normally. These two should be able to sense one another to an extent, coaxing Red out as the scene plays out normally. (Stop neuralizing people Aerith! STOP IT!) Again, Cloud wigging out, drawn to Jenova is fine, even a glimpse of Sephiroth is fine. But no mugging for the camera Sephy. We’re getting to you, calm down.
• …OH! And no Whispers whisking away Hojo. I honestly forgot that happened! I’m clearly trying to blot them from my mind at this point. He doesn’t need to be stopped from spilling the beans. He just needs to, ya know, not say anything.
• Actually, one last little quibble, the Armored Shock troopers would probably play better earlier in the level as minibosses, leaving just crazy monster thing as the Boss of the Chapter. And giving a bit more of a flow into Hojo land.

CHAPTER 17

• Red is now playable. You’ve expanded the Hojo lab segment to an extreme. There’s HOURS left to play with this character, just let us play as him. So what if he has a single weapon and limit break. It’s fine. And in turn, with our full party, let us SELECT our party members from here on out. (For the most part…) You’ve even included the neat PHS reference, let me use it for more than the lab segment!
• Remove the whispers, obviously, but we can keep in Aerith’s uncertainty about her role in all this. Mentions of the Ancients, Jenova, all of it. There's some good potential here.
• I am… conflicted about the confrontation with Sephiroth. I’m kinda okay with it being here that Cloud first sees him in the “Flesh”. Attacking and getting knocked down into the Drum. It feels like there’s a different way to do this, but I’m not sure. Actually, it could be cut. Just have the elevator being stopped by Hojo, and simply have them come across the trail later, as if Jeonva broke out, or this “Man in Black” did it. Either way works. But less Sephiroth is always better at this point.
• I’m mostly fine with Hojo’s long ass lab with the scene of Sephiroth raising the stakes gone. Now it’s just trying to escape rather than “WTF Sephiroth!?” It no longer kills the momentum that scene creates. This is a big problem in this game as it builds tension, heightens the sense of “GO GO GO!” …only to stop and take a break right after introducing this stuff. All of it works well, it just needs to be moved around to fit better. To flow better. This would also help with complaints of filler. As I truly believe most of the content is not the problem, just how the game presents it to you. Continuously undercutting these moments with walking segments and extended puzzle segments. Walking home with Aerith is a great moment to take everything in. Having an entire dungeon after seeing Sephiroth for real the first time is not.
• Now, out of the lab, I’m fine with the glowing trail of blood. BUT, once we get to the main office section, the red blood and dead Shinra soldiers NEED to be there to heighten the tension. Something BAD got out. Something bodying Shinra hard. There is something worse going on. Every step forward is something to dread rather that follow the glowing trail. Shinra may not be the worst thing our characters are going to face… That's one of the things that really got me hooked on the original. I had played FFIV back on the SNES so I knew all about final fantasy story telling and such. This FF7 though was a bit weird with it's modern city and diesel punk aesthetic. But at the point where the game turns into this mashup of Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil. That hallway of carnage in the original. God, I was in love! It's what really got me into things after being only okay with the game so far. That was the turning point.
• Now… While I admit I love the classic scene of finding President Shinra dead at his desk, I understand the point of the scene here. It’s a resolution for Barret, face to face with the President at last. The President calling him out again for his bull. And surprise Sephiroth works well enough here as a first full appearance. However, instead of stabbing Barret… He kills Wedge. Wedge saves Barret directly, taking the sword to the chest instead. Wedge is now dead, AND it goes to show our main villain isn’t screwing around by flat out killing lovable comedic Wedge. PLUS adds to Barret’s feelings of guilt when someone loses their life to save his, Wedge took that load on his own shoulders. This boosts Barret’s character arc going forward. This is the price of his need for revenge. The beginnings of questioning if it’s REALLY all about the planet as he staunchly proclaims, or if he’s only lying to himself about his motive. Again, this is all stuff right there for the taking if you just remove the Whispers. Character development over Deus Ex Machina.
• Sephiroth leaves our shocked characters and Flies off with Jenova as in the normal game. There is no fight with Jenova here. (Wait for it…) Now the Trio is dead, and it’s time to go. Cloud goes after Sephiroth. Avalanch chopper shot down. Yadda yadda.
• The rest of the chapter plays out the same. (MAYBE remove the hanging belts from Rufus at the very least, just as a style thing. The rest of his outfit can work without the odd belts. Too much Nomura, WAY too much.) I dig the boss fight with Rufus launching himself around the arena. So again, this is another point in the remake's favor. And the setup for the motorcycle chase is gold. MY BODY IS READY! …Or uh... let's just stop again.

CHAPTER 18

• This is where most people feel let down by the game. As I've gone through these chapters, it's more a culmination of disappointing choices, but it still bears the weight of all the nonsense that came before. Right off the bat, remove “Destiny’s” from the title, now simply titled “Crossroads.”

• Remove the stopping in the middle of the street scene, since the Whispers are no more, there’s no tornado around the Shinra building to get everything bogged down. Instead keep the damn momentum from the previous scene, just have them speeding away from Shinra HQ with the army in pursuit. Motorcycle chase can play out nearly the same. But having the cutscene between the two chapters drains SO much hype from the segments, whether the Whispers are involved or not. Absolutely broken pacing.
• Bring back Roche. Have him be a miniboss prior to Motorball’s arrival. We now can deal with him more easily, so there’s no reason to draw it out like his earlier battle. Motorball injuring him and takes him out of the chase to give it some sense of threat rather than just “Oh, here’s this thing now.” Fight generally plays out the same.
• Sephiroth can appear the same, wigging Cloud out, forcing them to stop prior to the road ending. We are past the point where Sephiroth can now be mugging for the camera, though toned down a little. He’s seen Cloud. Cloud has seen him. It’s all fair game now. Lust on Sephy!
• Bring back a crippled Motorball just to give them a further roadblock and another boss. With it having taken out Roche it becomes a matter of payback for the fellow soldier. (Hinting at Cloud’s feeling from losing Zack. Can even give a flash of static to add to it.) It’s not really needed, I just like the idea of making it a two part battle, making it big and epic to fool us into thinking THIS is going to be the final boss, as it was of Midgar in the original. THAT’S how you play with Fan expectations. Here’s this epic fight beyond what the original was! Like the Hell House! Like the Swordipede! This is a fitting final boss for the game!
• Once Motorball is destroyed, the way is clear. Game over! Or, not quite…
• Now, HERE is where you put the Jenova Fight. But have the normal fight from the game only be stage one. We can go crazier. The description distinctly says that Jenova Dreamweaver can cause Hallucinations. There’s your context for an epic final boss. A Story fitting final boss. Jenova. Right down to the glowing purple portal that matches the glowy blood trail. You can reuse a good bit of the Arbiter fight mechanics positioned as a grander fictional fight with the Jenova entity, setting her up as the “Calamity” that’s going to destroy the planet. (“Oh no, what has Shinra unleashed!” “We have to save the planet from this thing!” “Fight fate, what? Naw, Eldritch Horror from space, man!”) Remove the “Bad Ending” flashes and whatnot. Even our characters going all Advent Children would work in this hallucination, they’re not restricted by reality anymore. Now you can have Cloud flying around, chopping trains in half and going nuts. And it would work because you’ve given me a reason to believe it. You came halfway to me, and now I’m telling you to go nuts. You’ve fucking EARNED it!
• I even feel like there’s an element to play with here of retaining the belief early on that Jenova is an Ancient. Lets say she still had a head. Let's say that Jenova looked familiar… Let’s say she looked like… oh… I don’t know. Ifalna. Suddenly you are thinking “What if this thing in the tank is Aerith’s mother. Hojo was implied to do horrible things to her. What if THIS is what's left of her? What if this is what ancients truly are?” (Or at least from what our characters have seen at this point.) Now you can play with Aerith’s feelings going forward, questioning her place in this all the more. Is this truly her mother? It looks like her. Is Sephiroth her brother? He keeps calling this thing “Mother”. Is this why the flowers are not talking back? Not a being that's one with the planet, but a monstrous parasite. Is THIS what an ancient is? It’s really not any of that, but is another nice way to play with expectations within the context of things. Make the revelations of Jenova’s origins later all the more interesting while adding dramatic and character conflict in the meanwhile. Ya know, over manufactured conflicts with fate and destiny.
• I really, REALLY don’t want to fight Sephiroth at this point, but I can understand it framed as a final boss battle as something worse than Jenova out there for further parts, and a conclusion for this “Complete Game”. Just have the fight conclude with the revelation that this Sephiroth was Marco all along, just as the Jenova fight in the President’s Office did. This will maintain the feeling that while it was a hard won fight, you didn’t just beat your main villain in part one, this wasn’t the REAL Sephiroth. The fear of facing the shark still looming on the horizon. Such as it is though, this fight was everything I wanted with a final Sephiroth battle, it just doesn’t mean the same thing to have it this early. So the tunnel of light, the one on one showdown and all that stuff has to go from this fight. But it COULD work if you go even FURTHER when facing the real Sephiroth at the end of the Journey. But don’t step or your own toes to do it.
• The Ending in turn needs altered to remove the Zack stuff, maybe a hint or so from him. (With the Jenova hallucination stuff, glimpses of Zack in the final battle now bring into question what exactly they are seeing, rather than oh, here’s Zack now when we’re REALLY not supposed to even know of him at this point) The Fate stuff, Biggs surviving, the Unknown Journey stuff. Axed, bring back the emotional character dialogue you had before they all started reading this weird non sequitur script about defying destiny. (Which, uh… isn’t it positioned as the will of the planet? The planet they are all obsessed with saving? But sure, screw the planet! Imma do what I want!) Just have our characters affirm they went through an ordeal they don’t totally comprehend, and that Sephiroth is a major threat, because that was ONLY Marco, a clone they defeated. And that they intend to come back to deal with Shinra later, as there’s a bigger world out there.
• BOOM. There ya go. Generally plays out the same, mechanically and story wise. But brings it back to something less… problematic. Something I would have no problem calling a 10 out of 10 game. It’s all right there.

QOL

• With ALL that out of the way, there’s a few more quality of life fixes I’d like to see implemented as well, stuff from across the game that would just bring it that much closer to being perfect.
• Fix the Button Prompts. When holding triangle, have Cloud’s movement match the press, as if pulling a switch, moving whatever. Struggling, a little grunt. Using them to hide loading is fine, but it cannot be a disjointed press a button, character then takes action, such as it is breaks immersion rather than enhancing it with this minor tweak. And speaking of prompts, finagling characters just right in front of a button to be able to press it gets old fast. Just up the radius and let them magnetize to it. It's FINE.
• Textures bugged. Big one and quite blatant. It’s likely Square will patch it at some point, but since it has not happened yet, we’ll still include it on this wish list. And if it takes till the PS5 to get this version of the story, well, it wont be a problem anyway.
• And finally, the one element that I think will fix a LOT of complaints over all the walking, the padding, the filler, the pacing. And its a simple one. More monsters. Just add more enemy encounters. Such as it is, you are spending long segments walking from place to place with only a handful of monsters here and there. It makes it feel like you’re not really doing much in this video game. You’ve crafted a combat system people love and want to play with. Give them that. Double the monster encounters. Suddenly it no longer feels like I’m walking from set piece to set piece, but fighting my way forward. Overcoming challenges. Winning victories. Having fun. I’m not left sight seeing, I’m playing the game. I’m not left to consider the pacing, the filler, I’m smacking some fiends around, too distracted with playing to think about all this other stuff.

CONCLUSION

Yeah, that’s about it. Even if it takes till this new series is over to get something like this, I do hope it comes to pass at some point. Because, as I said, this really is a quality game. And it came SO close to being better than the original in every way. It would be a shame to just… leave it with Chapter 18 and beyond. Leave it with one of the most divisive games I’ve seen in decades. When you can relatively easily just give most people what they want. A Majora’s Mask/Ocarina of Time deal where the fundamentals of design and mechanics are used for two VASTLY different experiences. An off the rails alternate reality sequel AND a vastly superior remake to one of the most beloved Final Fantasy games.

Sure, let’s have Aerith survive after a knockdown drag out fight, flinging bits of the forgotten city at Sephiroth! Let’s see Shinra and Wutai go to War using summons on jet powered motorcycles! Let's have Barret die two more times before being reborn, chosen as Captain Planet! Let’s have Sephiroth and Cloud team up against the Time Eater at the end of the universe, pilot the new Highwind Mecha and save all reality and end up together on a farm! Go wild! Just give me the remake you showed was so clearly within your grasp of giving me at the same time. Trying to do both together is… it’s just going to make things worse from here.

Writing in Geek, now on Youtube!

http://ravensknightindustries.blogspot.com/2016/04/surprise-new-series.html

Head on over to the RKI Blog to check out the first episode of the new Writing in Geek series on Youtube! (Plus, my other nifty RKI content!) Likely, new content will appear there. Just so you don't think I've abandoned things entirely!

Raven's Knight Industries on Youtube

Just in case any of my readers here aren't aware, I've been spending the bulk of my time working on my new Youtube Channel

Raven's Knight Industries on Youtube

So, if for some reason you've been jonesing for more of my snarkiness, head on over there to see me in the video flesh! Got some more stuff cooking for the channel to bring it a bit closer to the kind of stuff I've been doing here, so stay tuned.

Beware Majesco SNES Games

Little fun fact for fellow retro game collectors, late in the SNES lifetime, Majesco secured a license with Nintendo to re-release several games for the system. These versions differ from the originals in numerous ways. If you are just looking to play these games, these carts are fine and dandy. They work just like the originals, though were cheaper to produce. You can pop them in the SNES and they work just fine. However, as a collector, these will be of less value as they are not the original releases. There are several differences to look out for between the packaging and the cart itself.

Recently, I bought a boxed copy of Mega Man X for a decent price. It came with those odd Black and White Manuals you come across so often, but that didn't matter as I have my Manual AND an original Cart. I just need a box for the thing. (I was also unaware of the Majesco deal, so this post goes out to all you fellow clueless collectors.) So, I finally received my game in the mail and checked it out. Everything seemed okay, but it oddly came with a Majesco warranty card. I figured it was just slipped in there to make it look more "complete", like you'll find multiple copies of Sonic the Hedgehog with their games and cases mixed between the original and "Not for Resale" version. I was also curious about the embossed lettering on the back of the Cart. Was this some sort of fake or some such? Well, I began researching it and found out about the Majesco deal. Mega Man X was indeed one of these releases. (Of which no one has a complete list of the SNES ones that I could find.)

So! Now that I've been through all this, I bet you've become quite curious, if not a little worried about your own collection. The question you are asking yourself is; Do I have a Majesco re-release?

Lets start with the box itself.
Check the back. Do you see "Distributed by: Majesco Sales, Inc. 244 Fernwood Avenue Edison, NJ 08837 800-926-0015" in the bottom left, next to the barcode? There you go. If it's there, you've got a Majesco copy. It's also possible that the box is of slightly lower quality, but as I do not have the original to compare it with, I cannot state this for sure.

Next, the manual.
Is your Manual in Black and White? If so, it's most likely the Majesco version. I knew about these Black and white manuals for some time, but was not aware of their history. I remember my copy of Super Godzilla coming with one brand new, so I knew to watch out for them. But if you were curious, there you have the origin of these drab little bits. (Note: This is NOT 100% the case. My copy of Super Return of the Jedi HAS a color manual, but is of the later re-release. It simply excludes the THQ logo from the bottom corner.)

Now, the big one, the Cart itself.
Most likely, the embossed writing on the back will be your first clue, with the ugly mold nubbin right there in the middle. Original SNES carts always had a sticker on the back. My Super Godzilla again for example, has this odd looking embossed lettering. HOWEVER, my Super Return of the Jedi does NOT have the embossed back. Problem? Not at all, there is another, possibly easier way to spot a re-release. (Especially on ebay where many sellers do not think to show the BACK of the cartridge.) Check out the writing at the very bottom of the front Label. Does it say "Made in Japan"? You're good, that's an original cart. (Or reprint label, but we're not gonna get into that here) Now... does it say "Made in Mexico" or the much odder "Assembled in Mexico"...? Then my friend, you've got a re-release. The originals will always be "Made in Japan" while the re-release will be of Mexican origin. My Mega Man X has it, my Super Godzilla has it, my old Super Return of the Jedi has it. All of them referencing Mexico. Supposedly there is also a lesser quality too, but again, I'm not going to get into that here as the likelyhood of you being able to compare and contrast that in ebay photos is not likely.

So, my dear fellow collectors out there, there you have it. Several quick and easy ways to spot if you have the original SNES carts or the lesser Majesco versions. Hopefully, as you rush to your collections you'll find few or none. But, for the future, you are now armed a bit better as you browse countless auctions for classic games.

Happy Hunting.

Just Canceled My SFV Pre-Order

So, I finally went through with it. I decided to cancel my Pre-Order for Street Fighter V. And it is, indeed, for the silly reason you might expect. An ass slap.

Recently, with the upcoming Street Fighter sequel info rolling in, a bit of a change was noticed and took over the fanbase by storm. R. Mika, the SFIII veteran and wrestling champ had a bit where she would slap her ass to taunt the opponent. It was amusing. However, Capcom has since gone back and re-edited the scene, removing the slap from view. Their later explanation was that they decided to remove it to avoid possibly offending anyone, and ostracizing players.

I'm an M. Bison guy. He's my main in every version of Street Fighter so far. The chances of me bothering to pick up R. Mika were slim. But I loved her over the top ridiculousness in her debut trailer. The whole thing made me laugh out loud. But this idea of censoring your work to avoid offending people is not funny in the least. It's a damn ridiculous move made by a ridiculous character in a cast of ridiculous stereotypes. That's part of the fun of Street Fighter. If you're offended by ANY of the nonsense in the games, you need a severe reality check. For Capcom to go out of their way to make this change is... worrying. This is not something they should be focusing on and in turn have made a stupid little taunt into something that pushes people to decide to spend their money elsewhere.

People don't have the right to not be offended. In fact, people should do their best to BE offensive. Offending people is not some sort of crime, it is an aid. When something offends you, it is a moment for you to look inside and analyze an element of yourself. Figure out why this particular thing offends you and grow as a person. One of the greatest comedians ever was George Carlin. The man TRIED to be offensive because some of the things people wig out over are ridiculous. You use the offensive material to push the boundaries because there are so many little things in this world that people balloon out of proportion. A chain of letters forms a particular word that somehow becomes a "Curse Word". It's letters, a sound, the words themselves have no value beyond the intent behind them. You can express affection with a string of "Fuck!"s as easily as you can wound with words of love. The words themselves are meaningless. And we NEED people out there pushing the boundaries. An ass slap is meaningless. And the intent behind the ass slap was not some greater statement about women as objects or some such. It's a joke. However, by removing it, you made it into something else.

I will always support creators in whatever mad idea they wish to follow. I'll criticize choices sure, but if you 100% feel something is creatively needed for whatever you are doing, go for it. However, I will NOT support someone shying away from POSSIBLY offending anyone. This tells me you are no longer trying to have fun, make something cool, letting something live unto itself, you're making a product. A bit of plastic and data with all the edges shaved off to please the most amount of people possible. I have zero respect for that mindset. It is a product, but as creators you have a responsibility to that product to make it as it needs to be made. If it is a good product, people will flock to it. But to do something like this shows you are not trying to make the product itself the best possible, it says you are trying to make it the most consumable. And that should be far more disrespectful to everyone that the idea of a single character who decided to smack her own ass.

I have no doubt SFV will be a blast to play. But I am absolutely fine coming back and adding the game to my collection in the distant future. Until then, I just picked up a copies of SFII and Super SFII for the Sega Genesis. I can play those and not worry about paying $60 for a game that offends me.

This Is Good, VGA.

Normally, I loath the Spike VGAs with every fiber of my being, but they actually surprised me with a bit last night. But then, Konami also continues to surprise me as well for VERY different reasons...

Anyway, for those not aware, spreading out over the past couple months, there has been some very shady stuff going on with Konami in regards to Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima. I wont get into it all here, but basically it seems as if they are doing their best to box him in and force him out of the company. We don't know all of the details, but definitely go look into the various stories as it's staggering at how insane this whole drama has been playing out. And, just when it didn't seem it could get any more bizarre, the VGAs last night proved to add yet more madness to the mix.

Kojima has been a regular at the VGAs for years. In fact, the original Phantom Pain trailer premiered there well before we even knew it was a Metal Gear game. Metal Gear usually wins an award, and Kojima is there to accept it and show off a little more wackiness to come. That changed last night. Metal Gear won an award last night as usual, however, the award was accepted not by Kojima, but by new Snake voice actor Keifer Sutherland. Odd, especially considering Kojima was supposed to be at the show as he always is. And we quickly found out why when host Geoff Keighley explained right afterwards. It seems just before the show, Kojima was informed by Konami lawyers that he was being barred from appearing.

I'm gonna write that again. Konami sent lawyers to prevent Kojima from attending the awards show. That's just... Holy shit. Now, I don't always agree with some of Kojima's choices as a creator, he's not an infallible god among men. But this? What kind of children are running Konami at this point as to keep sinking lower and lower into this asinine behavior? I have many MANY issues with MGSV, but preventing the creator and face of such a long running and beloved video game series from celebrating his last entry in said series? That's just slimy, no matter how you cut it.

But, even with that, I gotta give some props to Geoff and the VGAs. First of all for actually telling us about this travesty. Second of all, for going out of their way to send Kojima some love in spite of Konami. After the announcement, Geoff introduced Stefanie Joosten herself as she took the stage and preformed Quiet's Theme in honor of Kojima. It was... something else. Have a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4VAzkK_Wmc

I watched the video originally to see the outrage at this nonsense. The crowd actually Boos the announcement as Geoff is making it. But what nobody said anything about, was the song directly following it. Quiet's Theme is such a wonderful moment in MGSV, that final mission with her being a high point in an issue laden game. For all the problems the game has, Quiet's send off is not one of them. Now, take all this bullshit Konami has been pulling, punctuated by this last bit with Kojima and the VGAs, only to have them in turn do this? Kudos VGAs. That was a beautiful moment that brought a tear to my eye. Taking Konami's latest fuck you and turning it into a moment for showing love and respect for Kojima is just utterly astonishing. For a show filled with so much ridiculousness from years past, an almost condensation of so many of modern gaming's problems year after year after year, they managed to do something powerful in that single moment.

So while we talk about how massively dickish Konami is being, I thought it only right to point out that little bit there on the VGAs part. It's good that they pulled it around from a moment of insult and outrage, and instead turned it into a heartfelt send off to not only Kojima, but an entire ERA in gaming. There will never be another Kojima Metal Gear game. From 1987 to 2015, that small moment was far better a conclusion to the whole series than even that final game itself managed to pull off. And a lovely moment when instead of saying something hollow about a creator or a bash at Konami, they produced a genuine bit of love.

So again VGAs, bravo, you did good.

Godzilla Season 1

I am an unabashed huge fan of the Godzilla series. Mostly the Heisei series, but they all have some amusements about them. So, being that I like to toy with notions of working in my favorite series, the thought occurred to me that Godzilla would make a FANTASTIC TV series. But what if you didn't stop at making the ultimate Godzilla series but rather wrapped together the ENTIRE span of Toho monster and science fiction movies into a single coherent universe? So, with that thought in mind, I bring you a quick overview of what Season 1 would be of such a series.

“The Return of Godzilla” - GodzillaAfter being destroyed in 1954, Godzilla returns. When the JSDF proves incapable of destroying Godzilla again, Colonel Goro Gondo forms a team of scientists and soldiers to combat the King of the Monsters. Joining the Team are Gondo’s top men from the JSDF, Sho Kuroki and Kazuma Aoki. With them is the disgraced soldier Akane Yashiro. Seeking out Japan’s Top Biologists, he recruits Akira Ichinose and Erika Shirigami. The last member of the team is the country’s top Nuclear Physicist, Fujisaki Ogata, a man whose family has a history with the legendary monster… Ogata Makes fast friends with Erika and Kazuma, however Akira and Sho prove to be more foe than friend. When Gondo is injured trying to gather data on Godzilla, the team is forced to work together and with the aid of the prototype aircraft, the Super X, battle Godzilla.

“Counterattack” - AnguirusSuccessfully turning back Godzilla, the team begins investigating other monster reports from across the islands of Japan. One such report comes of a massive Ankylosaurus that is attacking villagers of a small island community. When the beast attacks the soldiers, yet leaves the unarmed members alone, the team begins to suspect the monster despises war but not humanity itself. Dubbing the beast Anguirus, the team is thrust into a desperate bid to protect the creature when a team of hunters seeks to bag themselves a trophy of massive proportions.

“Godzilla vs. Anguirus” - Godzilla, AnguirusWhen Anguirus comes too close to human civilization, the JSDF attacks the monster. Taking the full fury of the monster as a sign, they hatch a new plan. Luring Anguirus into conflict with Godzilla. As the two monsters rampage across the country, G-Force tries to find some way to stop the conflict.

“Mine” - MeganuraWhen miners begin vanishing deep within the mines, G-Force is sent to investigate the rumors of a monster within. Meeting a man named Nick Tatopolus and his HEAT team who are investigating as well, the two groups find a species of massive insects are preying upon the miners, and being forced towards the surface in search of more food…

“Godzilla vs. Megaguirus” - Godzilla, Meganulon, MegaguirusWhen the Meganura attack godzilla, his energy mutates them into adult Meganulon dragonflies. As G-Force and the JSDF battle the invasion of giant insects, they find the creatures share a hive mind, and with every Hive comes a massive Queen…

“The Flying Monster” - Rodan, RadonWhen Megaguirus is destroyed, it unleashes something buried deep in the ground. At first the poor reports suggest a UFO appearing across the country. But when people and livestock begin dissapearing, the JSDF finds the truth, a pair of massive Pteranodons. Dubbed Rodan and Radon respectively, G-Force tries to find a way to subdue the beasts while the JSDF tries to kill them.

“Godzilla vs. Rodan” - Godzilla, Rodan, Fire BirdHaving dropped the female Radon into a volcano, the JSDF theorizes they can subdue Godzilla the same way. Luring godzilla in, G-Force is shocked when a massive fire bird is unleashed from the flames of the volcano. Battling Godzilla, the monster is nearly subdued. However, Rodan interveins to save the Fire Bird, which is revealed to be Radon reborn a monster of Fire. Fighting to protect his mate, Rodan goes head to head with the king of the monsters.

“Great Monster” - VaranAs the HEAT team investigates reports of a japanese native butterfly in siberia, the team finds a village said to be protected by a guardian monster. When a terrorist cell invades the village, they inadvertently awaken the Great Monster Varan. Bested by the monster, and their leader injured, the Red Bamboo terrorists call in reinforcements to raze the village to the ground, turning the area into a war zone. When the Red Bamboo tries to flee, Varan pursues, drawing the attention of the JSDF and G-Force.

“Devil’s Island” - Godzilla, EbirahWhen Ogata pursues the leader of the Red Bamboo cell to a small island, his ship is attacked by a massive lobster called Ebirah. Washing ashore, he finds a massive Red Bamboo base hidden on the island. When he calls back to G-Force, Ogata of the tale is revealed to be his twin brother Yoshimura, a thief who intends to steal from the terrorists. Aided by the native girl Daiyo, Yoshimura tries to find a way to free the slaves, as Ogata tries to find a way onto the island to save his brother, and stop the Red Bamboo’s invasion force. He finds that his greatest ally may be the slumbering Godzilla…

“Frankenstein Conquers the World” - FrankensteinThought to be a legend, the Nazi’s have found the still beating heart of Frankenstein’s monster. Transporting it to their allies in Japan, they have made the unfortunate choice of relocating it to Hiroshima. Now, decades later after the city was lost, G-Force finds the heart has re-grown into a young boy. A boy who is still himself growing…

“Prometheus” - Godzilla, Frankenstein IIWith Frankenstein having been killed by the JSDF, the last remaining sample of Frankenstein cells in his living severed hand are stolen. The Dr. James Bowen exposes the cells to radiation, attempting to cultivate them for the biotech firm, Bio-Major. However, he miscalculates, resulting in a reformed Frankenstein. This new monster grows to a massive height, and becomes a walking time bomb that could potentially spread Frankenstein cells around the world.

“Oil Eater” - Baragon, BarugaronWhen the HEAT team aids an oil platform with environmental impact surveys, the platform is attacked by a massive monster dubbed Baragon. When the beast consumes all the oil and sinks the platform, HEAT pursues the monster as its thirst for oil is a potential ecological disaster. However, the situation is complicated when a Blood Eating monster from space arrives on earth.

“Gabara, Gabara” - Godzilla, Gabara, Minilla, Shukura, MamagonAided by an eccentric inventor, a young boy uses a machine to summon up his favorite character, Minilla. When two other monsters, Shukura and Mamagon are summoned up at the same time, G-Force investigates. However, when they try to force the boy to give up the machine, it malfunctions and summons up a powerful monster called Gabara, after the boy’s bully. With the monster on a rampage, Minilla seeks out Godzilla for aide.

“The Luminous Faries and the Egg” - Mothra LarvaWhen a massive egg washes ashore, Mr. Tako of Pacific Pharmaceuticals attempts to purchase the egg as a promotional gimmick. However, two tiny women appear and beg him to release the egg. Never one to pass up an opportunity, Tako’s boss Kumuyama imprisons the twins, forcing them to sing for audiences. Unfortunately, he does not realize that the singing has awakened the egg…

“War of the Gargantuas” - Sanda, GairaWhen a green sea weed covered Gargantua attacks a cruise ship, devouring the passengers G-Force is dispatched to find out the truth. Discovering a second peaceful Gargantua in the mountains, the team quickly discovers the beasts were born from Frankenstein cells. Meanwhile the JSDF tests their newest weapon, a prototype Maser weapon, the Markalite Cannon which they hope can break down the Frankenstein Cells once and for all.

“Godzilla vs. Mothra” - Godzilla, MothraWhen Godzilla resurfaces, someone travels to infant island to petition Mothra to save humanity from the monster. When the Shobijin reject their pleas, they kidnap the Shobijin to lure mothra out. Running across Godzilla, the larva proves incapable of beating godzilla and so retreats and forms a coccon around herself…

“Beast of Pharaoh Island” - King Kong, GawWhen Tako sends two of his salary men Osamu Sakurai and Kinsaburo Furue to Pharaoh Island to try and broker a deal with the natives for their Soma Berries, the men find that the islanders have a guardian deity, Kong. When Kong saves the actress Ann Darrow from a pack of Deathrunners, he becomes infatuated by the woman. Subdued by Soma Berries, Tako deals with American promoter Carl Denham to transport Kong back to the states as a promotional tool for the company. When Kong escapes and goes on a rampage through New York, Ann, Jack, Osamu and Kinsaburo try to calm the great ape.

“Space Amoeba” - Godzilla, Gezora, Ganimes, KamoebasWhen the Helios 7 space probe crashes to earth, a strange Space Amoeba called Yog begins mutating the indiginous animal life. Transforming a giant squid into the massive Gezora, a coconut crab into Ganimes and a mata mata turtle into Kamoebas. Using sonic signals based on the bats local to the area, G-Force manages to hold the Yog mutants at bay. The three beasts draw the attention of Godzilla who slays Kamoebas and Ganimes while Driving Gezora back into the sea, purged of the Yog. The threat of the Space Amoeba averted for now…

“Telegian”A series of murders strikes Japan in places seemingly no man could get in and out of. As Detective Koboyashi Shindo investigates, he finds clues pointing to a dead soldier named Nakamoto Sudo as the culprit. When Sudo is revealed to be alive and using teleportation technology, Shindo seeks aid from G-Force. However, Sudo’s victims too may hold a secret of their own…

“Reproduction” - Godzilla, Redmoon, Erabus, HafunThe JSDF is put on full alert when two different monsters arrive from space. Using their old trick of having the monsters battle it out, the JSDF lures them together. Unfortunately, the JSDF are shocked to find that the pair are a male and female of the same species which begin to mate rather than fight. When the pair go into hiding and produce an offspring, Godzilla finds his way into conflict with the protective parents.

“Gorosaurus” - Gorosaurus, Oowashi, OodakoWhen HEAT travels to Mondo island, they find themselves confronted by a strange monster. The Gorosaurus there has developed a fascination with people, continuously causing havok as the clueless beast tries to make friends with the locals. Protecting them from the giant condor Oowashi and the giant octopus Oodako. When an infestation of Shokirus infest the island and threatens to kill off the people, the Gorosaurus springs into action but finds itself to be very outnumbered…

“Godzilla vs. King Kong” - Godzilla, King KongKing Kong is revealed to still be alive and undergoing rehabilitation after being given an artificial heart to replace his damaged one. Tako successfully petitions to have Kong classified as his property. When Godzilla surfaces, Tako makes a deal with the JSDF to have Kong battle Godzilla. With his Artificial heart granting Kong electrical powers, he may just be able to take down the King of the Monsters.

“In the Fog” - GodzillaOn a fishing trip, three friends recount their tales of having witnessed the monster Godzilla. The first remembers him being very active, using lunges and wrestling moves to take down his foe. (Showa Godzilla) The second remembers a size shifting, eye laser shooting titan. (Hanna-Barbera Godzilla) The third remembers a nightmarinsh horror with white eyes consuming people. (GMK Godzilla) However, when the three friends come to realize that they are trapped in a dream by a starfish monster called Hitodah who is controlling their bodies, the three of them must use their minds to free themselves from the monster and its false Godzillas. One dons a basketball jersey and grows massive. (Godzilla vs. Barklay) One becomes a Kyodai hero, his powers shifting as he needs them (Godman, Greenman, Megaloman) The last pilots a massive suit of mecha samurai armor. (Red Ronin) Each battles his own godzilla before teaming up to battle Hitodah itself to free themselves. However, does the starfish horror portend something worse…?

“Matango”When Ogata and Sho are stranded on a deserted island, they fight to survive the scarcity of food and their dislike of one another. Finding the island populated with fungal growth, the pair of rivals discover a wrecked ship and a diary recounting struggles against the environment and soon, fungus monsters coming from the jungle…

“Godzilla and Mothra vs. Bagan” - Godzilla, Mothra, Doragon Reijuu, Enjin Reijuu, Mizu Reijuu, Bagan ReijuuWhen the Earth is attacked by three mysterious monsters, the Shobijin arrive to tell G-Force the tale of the Bagan. A powerful multi form beast that is foretold to destroy the world. When the sea beast attacks Godzilla, he is drawn into the conflict, hunting the monster down. When the monster prove un-killable, two old foes, Godzilla and Mothra team up to battle the monsters.

“Capture All Monsters” - Godzilla, Rodan, Anguirus, Varan, Baragon, Gorosaurus, Ebirah, Gezora, DogolasUnder the new Earth Defense Force coalition, G-Force and HEAT propose an insane plan. Rather than the destruction of the monsters they’ve encountered over the year, most of which just want to be left alone, they propose rounding them up on a Monster Island of sorts. A nature preserve when the giant beasts can be free and still restricted from harming any more people. Before they can put their plan into action, the world is thrust into crises as all of the monsters attack various cities all at once. Showing a level of unnatual cooperation G-Force suspects there may be another party controlling the monsters. A theory proved fact when they discover the giant parasite Dogolas is controlling them all. But for what reason…?

TO BE CONTINUED...