The caveat being that "whatever.." is not a phone pheripheral.
Speaking for myself, I just want my phone to: a) Be reliable b) Be reliable (yes, I put it twice) c) Be small d) To converge/sync seamesly with my e-mail/calendar/contacts/tasks (vendor independent) without being stuck with some proprietary OS.
I want my handeld to have the option to be everything you mentioned BUT a phone.
Hmmm... so you infere that because of my handle I'm making a biased analysis.
AFAIK, I'm actually suggesting that if such device is released at the target price point it will be beneficial for **US** THE consumers. It will change the rules of the game (as the PS and PS2 did).
However, I happen to be skeptical about products that "want to play too many bases", because traditionally they don't perform well in any area.
I even suggested a potential strategy to invite constructive opinions. that is to your core competency (in the case of Sony, that is, make a killer machine get as much 3rd party support as possible and get the marketing machine going)
HOWEVER, if you want to know, I happen to be an old skoool gamer that prefers Nintendo games, mostly because I don't have the leisure of time (I work and I have a kid) therefore I just want to pick up a game have fun and blow off some steam.
In marketing that classifies me as a laggard (the opposite of an early adopter), especially because I wait until systems reach the $99 price point to buy them along with 10 to 15 greatest hits (usually priced at $20).
Oh well.. but if you had actually READ the post before making your post, you might have actually made a constructive opinon like... "Maybe your suggestion doesn't work because peripherals traditionally don't sell well"
But that certainly would have been overestimating your brain cell capabilities.
According to: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=tech nologyNews&storyID=4438857
"Analysts have seen the PSP as a potential rival to Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s dominant Game Boy handheld player, Nokia's N-Gage wireless gaming device and Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod and iTunes music download service."
Let me seee... the PSP is supposed to compete in: 1. The portable videogame market (mass price point $99, that requires a solid library of games, and a device that can potentially be used by people from all ages without breaking). 2. The not-so-popular market of cell phone + videogame device. ( 3. The Portable Music player (that currently is led by a company that not only has improved the online music business (through a store that supposedly can barely break even), but considers these devices as an entry level computer to entice potential costumers into their other product lines.
PEOPLE.... Just looking at how segmented each market is, I think that If Sony can launch this utopic product at a reasonable price point (which seems to be $199) consumers WILL benefit.
HOWEVER, a more realistic approach will be to release a videogame device (as a core), with the potential to have phone modules (don't ask me) or mass storage for MP3's, movies, etc (Memory sticks??, PSP-Disks???).
Otherwise I rather keep my GBA (or GBA2) rather than buy an overpriced device, that is neither a good phone, neither nor a good MP3 player and that because of this, doesn't have a decent games library.
d00d, remember... Software development, game develpment whatever you want to call it is an instance of a business.
Business is about making money. Money brings security. The guys at Bungie probably at heart might want to give out their code and make games for the OS minorities.
However, just wait until you have several offspring and a wife, your priorities completely change.
Gee... They stand to get more reach and money from associating with Microsoft.
Many years ago when the only thing I used to do was to play videogames and go to school, I would have agreed with that comment.
However, now after having a job and having "actual things to do" I realized that the point of a game is just fun. The best game for me now is the one that you can pick up quickly and maximize the fun.
I've played challenging games recently, an interesting example is Ikaruga, the game is challenging, but it "gets easy on you" as you play (opening more lives, continues, etc.). However an extreme is F-Zero GX; the game is beautiful, but unless the only thing you do is play F-Zero GX for many days, you won't be able to beat it.
But anyway.. that's just MY opinion. Remember.. for every taste, you have colors.
Is it just me that perceives that MS Xbox operations is constantly bleeding executives?
It reminds me of Sega of America during the 90's
Does anyone of you know how many former Xbox team members are out there? The program is not that old to be yielding so many 'Veterans'.
I wouldn't be surprised if Ken Lobb turned out working on another 'Phantom' company soon.
Even though your comment sounds a little bit arrongant, I think you make a good point.
Japanese companies no longer steer the industry in terms of software content.
With the increased production values of videogames lately, I believe that westen companies have what it takes to offer the best games to this side of the hemisphere.
However, there's a big caveat... hopefully we learn from the mistakes of the past (remember the games that we used to put out towards the mid 80's?); we don't need a second Hollywood.
I'm optimistic that we'll do a good job steering the industry, because if not.. I rather keep the japanese -even with their current creativity slump-
This console cycle is going to be larger than usual (new consoles are going to start arriving almost two years from now), and I believe that Sony has had a great run on the stretch (with inferior console - that proves that software lineup is the most important asset).
I think that since Sega is not a player anymore it helps to extend the life of consoles too (no players making rush moves into the market, e.g 32x, Saturn). It's also good to remember that there's a spike once a console reaches the $99 price point (I'm waiting on the PS2 and Xbox myself), because adoption by lagards (or 2nd/3rd console option).
"Microsoft, meanwhile, must reflect on a very disappointing Christmas, with a summer price cut and numerous fantastic value bundles failing to increase demand over the same point last year. Sales for the four-week Christmas period were around five per cent down despite an impressive surge during the last two weeks - and the Redmond giant would have been hoping for much better things in the console's second Christmas."
Gee... although it's undeniable that the Xbox has been somewhat a success (considering it's a 1st attempt), but I really wonder about the next round of consoles. If things don't progress (market share, profit margins) beyond XB1, I don't know how long will MS keep their videogame incursion up. (Not that they don't have TONS of money, but how long can you drag a venture without making business sense).
Unlike automotive companies that make supercars to attract people to dealerships (so they buy the middle end vehicles after realizing that they can't afford the supercar), microsoft won't be selling more Office or Windows copies for each Xbox that they sell at a loss.
Perhaps the the reason why American's prefer FF can be traced to the beginning of the introduction of RPGs in consoles. The Dragon Warrior's UI was less refined than Final Fantasy's. Also FF's graphics where significantly better.
When FF2 was released on the SNES it showcased the power of the console (awesome graphics and music), also they refreshed the series with a new entry almost every year.
Even though the Scenarios of DW2 & 3 where much better than FF2 and FF3 (respectively), their presentation couldn't compare - because they where in different consoles-
By the time Enix published a SFX version, Square had mastered the 16 bit console.
Maybe American players have preferred FF's better graphics and presentation?
I can't give a straight comparison on the 32/64 bit comparisons.
Nintendo has repeatedly said that the company is in the Video Game business. Not the entertainment or technology industries, like Microsoft or Sony, but the Video Game business. Sure, the difference is small on paper, but it represents a huge gap in what Nintendo is willing to do in comparison to what their competitors will do.
What the author of the article doesn't seem to get is that Nintendo is in the business of MAKING MONEY, and they are kicking everyone's butt in that aspect.
Since we're consumers, we'd love Nintendo to put the gloves on and play Microsoft and Sony in their own turf, we'll benefit, but when that happens, that's when Nintendo will succumb. [The other two guys have too much money].
Remember... survival of the firm is first.
Nintendo will choose to fight at a leveled field (or at the level that they're best -making games-), worse comes to worse, Nintendo will become a 3rd party, but on their own terms.
Destiny of an Emperor was great. I still have my copy laying around somewhere and the battery STILL works.
I'm surprised to see some of the familiar names (Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, etc.) in other games (Nobunaga series from Koei).
It was supposed to be based on real chinese story. Any way to validate this?
Capcom originally published the game, but it wasn't developed in house. Interestingly, you can tell that the guy that did the music for this game also did Rolling Thunder for Capcom too.
Dude, when those games came out Excitebike(1986), Goonies II (87/88) they broke a lot of ground.
Excitebike had its own track editor and the animation was off the hook. I remember people crashing on purpose just to laugh at the animation
The Goonies was MASSIVE (It was one of the first games that made you keep track of your location with your own map -I made my own goonies map-).
Of course, if you think about newer games (16 bit Super Metroid, PSX Simphony of the Night and the GBA Castlevanias), this game is not long at all.
I don't know your age, but usually situating yourself in that year, and comparing it with what you had seen before does the job to make a good assessment of the impact of the game in its time.
I'm pretty sure that in 2018 people will make comments like this about the innovative games of today, but hey... C'est la vie.
This is particularly interesting in the realm of RPGs, in my opinion. I find games like Dragon Warrior I and Wizardry to be the most interesting, despite or because of their primitive graphics.
In my personal opinion, what happens with early RPGs is that the void in graphics is filled by your imagination. You might be more comfortable with the way you imagine things than what a director/scenario designer may do.
A typical example is a movie based in a book, If the director's vision is very different from your imagination (when you where reading the book), your perception of the movie might be negative
For example, I have a problem with Final Fantasy VII (PSX), I hate the way some of the spells are represented.
Going to the SMB example, earlier games tested your reflexes and ability to memorize, since the scenario designer has more power, they can create this whole environment and expand posibilities, but maybe that exceeds what you want from the game.
Nostalgia is also plays a big part, back in 1989, my attention was much more focused on videogames than it is now. Life was much more simple.
**Action** SMB I (Spent countless hours exploring secrets), II (At the time it was very weird and III (Pinnacle), MegaMan 1 (challenging),2 (most popular) & 3 (pinnacle) (The rest are just fillers) Castlevania 1 (Challenging), 2 (What's up with those weird clues?) 3 (Pinnacle), Ninja Gaiden I (Cinema Displays!!!!), II(Great Music, action, etc), III (Hmmm.. Paralax scrolling and a Strider-type sword.. kool) Shadow of the Ninja and S.C.A.T (Great games from Natsume) Journey To Silius (Sunsoft's masterpiece, after Blaster Master, Fester and Batman - Not counting Return of the Joker Contra (WOOWWWWW...), Super C (Double Wooow...)
**Adventure** Zelda I (Dodongo.. what kind of name is that) II (Very challenging, great graphics.. masterpiece) Metroid & Kid Icarus (VERY Unique games!!) Crystalis (Much better and Refined than Zelda) The Inmortal (Wow, american companies can make games!!) Bionic Commando (Hitler?!?!?!?) Goonies - Really cool...
**Beat'em up**
Double Dragon I (challenging), II (Fun!! 2 Player action), II (What happened here??) River City Ramsom (Who can't forget fighting the final stage while listening to the Double Dragon BGM) Battletoads - Hard and Weird!!!
**Shooters (Not the like of Doom/Quake we're talking THE original shooters)** Zanac (Wow that's intense!!!)/Guardian Legend (Intensity with great graphics and RPG/Adventure) Gradius (Hard) / Lifeforce (Cool.. 30 lives, I guess they're making up for the first one) Gyruss (Really cool)
**Sports** Baseball Stars (Greatest baseball game on 8 bit.. first to create your own players) Tecmo Bowl (Just plain fun - Hide your controller from your oponent) Baseball - Just fun. Track n'Field - 1st to do In game adverstisement???, Game within a game (gradius). Excitebike... (track editor??) Mike Tyson's Punch Out (Remember, dodge Mike for 1:30)
**RPG** Dragon Warrior I (What's this weird game...), II (Hmmm.. I'm kinda liking this type of games).. III (Masterpiece) Final Fantasy - (Wow.. cool RPG..with Graphics!) ShadowGate / DejaVu/Uninvited - Really cool games. Ultima Quest of The Avatar - Really LOONG. Startropics.. Fun in the islands.
If Sony drops the PS2 to 129.99?
I'd love to see the effects in M$'s balance sheet.
Don't get me wrong, I'd like the Xbox to stay (the more competition, the better for consumers), but obviously they want to demerit the Nintendo.
I was describing the first stage of the fight (when you destroy the Albatross), Master D (Hitler) is supposed to be piloting it. Once defeated, then you had to drop down and place a shot on the cockpit of the escape helicopter.
I did a quick google and found this link:
http://www.elitecoder.com/bionic/area12.html
I remember my battle with Warmech. I was playing FFI with the Nintendo Power Guide and the paragraph read that there was a very slight chance to meet warmech in that dungeon. As soon as I stepped into that floor, first enemy - Warmech - only ONE turn and my whole party was dead. I believe that it was harder than the final boss, especially because you couldn't find it again.
Slashdot Mirror
That's what I was going for too..
The caveat being that "whatever.." is not a phone pheripheral.
Speaking for myself, I just want my phone to:
a) Be reliable
b) Be reliable (yes, I put it twice)
c) Be small
d) To converge/sync seamesly with my e-mail/calendar/contacts/tasks (vendor independent) without being stuck with some proprietary OS.
I want my handeld to have the option to be everything you mentioned BUT a phone.
Hmmm... so you infere that because of my handle I'm making a biased analysis.
AFAIK, I'm actually suggesting that if such device is released at the target price point it will be beneficial for **US** THE consumers. It will change the rules of the game (as the PS and PS2 did).
However, I happen to be skeptical about products that "want to play too many bases", because traditionally they don't perform well in any area.
I even suggested a potential strategy to invite constructive opinions. that is to your core competency (in the case of Sony, that is, make a killer machine get as much 3rd party support as possible and get the marketing machine going)
HOWEVER, if you want to know, I happen to be an old skoool gamer that prefers Nintendo games, mostly because I don't have the leisure of time (I work and I have a kid) therefore I just want to pick up a game have fun and blow off some steam.
In marketing that classifies me as a laggard (the opposite of an early adopter), especially because I wait until systems reach the $99 price point to buy them along with 10 to 15 greatest hits (usually priced at $20).
Oh well.. but if you had actually READ the post before making your post, you might have actually made a constructive opinon like... "Maybe your suggestion doesn't work because peripherals traditionally don't sell well"
But that certainly would have been overestimating your brain cell capabilities.
According to: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=tech nologyNews&storyID=4438857
"Analysts have seen the PSP as a potential rival to Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s dominant Game Boy handheld player, Nokia's N-Gage wireless gaming device and Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod and iTunes music download service."
Let me seee... the PSP is supposed to compete in:
1. The portable videogame market (mass price point $99, that requires a solid library of games, and a device that can potentially be used by people from all ages without breaking).
2. The not-so-popular market of cell phone + videogame device. (
3. The Portable Music player (that currently is led by a company that not only has improved the online music business (through a store that supposedly can barely break even), but considers these devices as an entry level computer to entice potential costumers into their other product lines.
PEOPLE.... Just looking at how segmented each market is, I think that If Sony can launch this utopic product at a reasonable price point (which seems to be $199) consumers WILL benefit.
HOWEVER, a more realistic approach will be to release a videogame device (as a core), with the potential to have phone modules (don't ask me) or mass storage for MP3's, movies, etc (Memory sticks??, PSP-Disks???).
Otherwise I rather keep my GBA (or GBA2) rather than buy an overpriced device, that is neither a good phone, neither nor a good MP3 player and that because of this, doesn't have a decent games library.
Any ideas?
I guess the reviewers are spending too much time watching VH1 and E!
I guess MS confirmed: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4253584/ From the MSnbc website.
"From my cold dead hands!" - Hiroshi Yamauchi
d00d, remember...
Software development, game develpment whatever you want to call it is an instance of a business.
Business is about making money. Money brings security. The guys at Bungie probably at heart might want to give out their code and make games for the OS minorities.
However, just wait until you have several offspring and a wife, your priorities completely change.
Gee... They stand to get more reach and money from associating with Microsoft.
The point of a game is the challenge
Many years ago when the only thing I used to do was to play videogames and go to school, I would have agreed with that comment.
However, now after having a job and having "actual things to do" I realized that the point of a game is just fun. The best game for me now is the one that you can pick up quickly and maximize the fun.
I've played challenging games recently, an interesting example is Ikaruga, the game is challenging, but it "gets easy on you" as you play (opening more lives, continues, etc.). However an extreme is F-Zero GX; the game is beautiful, but unless the only thing you do is play F-Zero GX for many days, you won't be able to beat it.
But anyway.. that's just MY opinion. Remember.. for every taste, you have colors.
Is it just me that perceives that MS Xbox operations is constantly bleeding executives? It reminds me of Sega of America during the 90's Does anyone of you know how many former Xbox team members are out there? The program is not that old to be yielding so many 'Veterans'. I wouldn't be surprised if Ken Lobb turned out working on another 'Phantom' company soon.
Even though your comment sounds a little bit arrongant, I think you make a good point.
Japanese companies no longer steer the industry in terms of software content.
With the increased production values of videogames lately, I believe that westen companies have what it takes to offer the best games to this side of the hemisphere.
However, there's a big caveat... hopefully we learn from the mistakes of the past (remember the games that we used to put out towards the mid 80's?); we don't need a second Hollywood.
I'm optimistic that we'll do a good job steering the industry, because if not.. I rather keep the japanese -even with their current creativity slump-
This console cycle is going to be larger than usual (new consoles are going to start arriving almost two years from now), and I believe that Sony has had a great run on the stretch (with inferior console - that proves that software lineup is the most important asset).
I think that since Sega is not a player anymore it helps to extend the life of consoles too (no players making rush moves into the market, e.g 32x, Saturn). It's also good to remember that there's a spike once a console reaches the $99 price point (I'm waiting on the PS2 and Xbox myself), because adoption by lagards (or 2nd/3rd console option).
"Microsoft, meanwhile, must reflect on a very disappointing Christmas, with a summer price cut and numerous fantastic value bundles failing to increase demand over the same point last year. Sales for the four-week Christmas period were around five per cent down despite an impressive surge during the last two weeks - and the Redmond giant would have been hoping for much better things in the console's second Christmas."
Gee... although it's undeniable that the Xbox has been somewhat a success (considering it's a 1st attempt), but I really wonder about the next round of consoles. If things don't progress (market share, profit margins) beyond XB1, I don't know how long will MS keep their videogame incursion up. (Not that they don't have TONS of money, but how long can you drag a venture without making business sense).
Unlike automotive companies that make supercars to attract people to dealerships (so they buy the middle end vehicles after realizing that they can't afford the supercar), microsoft won't be selling more Office or Windows copies for each Xbox that they sell at a loss.
The future sure looks interesting....
I also personally prefer Dragon Warrior over FF.
Perhaps the the reason why American's prefer FF can be traced to the beginning of the introduction of RPGs in consoles. The Dragon Warrior's UI was less refined than Final Fantasy's. Also FF's graphics where significantly better.
When FF2 was released on the SNES it showcased the power of the console (awesome graphics and music), also they refreshed the series with a new entry almost every year.
Even though the Scenarios of DW2 & 3 where much better than FF2 and FF3 (respectively), their presentation couldn't compare - because they where in different consoles-
By the time Enix published a SFX version, Square had mastered the 16 bit console.
Maybe American players have preferred FF's better graphics and presentation?
I can't give a straight comparison on the 32/64 bit comparisons.
Nintendo has repeatedly said that the company is in the Video Game business. Not the entertainment or technology industries, like Microsoft or Sony, but the Video Game business. Sure, the difference is small on paper, but it represents a huge gap in what Nintendo is willing to do in comparison to what their competitors will do.
What the author of the article doesn't seem to get is that Nintendo is in the business of MAKING MONEY, and they are kicking everyone's butt in that aspect.
Since we're consumers, we'd love Nintendo to put the gloves on and play Microsoft and Sony in their own turf, we'll benefit, but when that happens, that's when Nintendo will succumb. [The other two guys have too much money].
Remember... survival of the firm is first.
Nintendo will choose to fight at a leveled field (or at the level that they're best -making games-), worse comes to worse, Nintendo will become a 3rd party, but on their own terms.
Destiny of an Emperor was great. I still have my copy laying around somewhere and the battery STILL works.
I'm surprised to see some of the familiar names (Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, etc.) in other games (Nobunaga series from Koei).
It was supposed to be based on real chinese story. Any way to validate this?
Capcom originally published the game, but it wasn't developed in house. Interestingly, you can tell that the guy that did the music for this game also did Rolling Thunder for Capcom too.
Dude, when those games came out Excitebike(1986), Goonies II (87/88) they broke a lot of ground.
Excitebike had its own track editor and the animation was off the hook. I remember people crashing on purpose just to laugh at the animation
The Goonies was MASSIVE (It was one of the first games that made you keep track of your location with your own map -I made my own goonies map-). Of course, if you think about newer games (16 bit Super Metroid, PSX Simphony of the Night and the GBA Castlevanias), this game is not long at all.
I don't know your age, but usually situating yourself in that year, and comparing it with what you had seen before does the job to make a good assessment of the impact of the game in its time.
I'm pretty sure that in 2018 people will make comments like this about the innovative games of today, but hey... C'est la vie.
This is particularly interesting in the realm of RPGs, in my opinion. I find games like Dragon Warrior I and Wizardry to be the most interesting, despite or because of their primitive graphics.
In my personal opinion, what happens with early RPGs is that the void in graphics is filled by your imagination. You might be more comfortable with the way you imagine things than what a director/scenario designer may do.
A typical example is a movie based in a book, If the director's vision is very different from your imagination (when you where reading the book), your perception of the movie might be negative
For example, I have a problem with Final Fantasy VII (PSX), I hate the way some of the spells are represented.
Going to the SMB example, earlier games tested your reflexes and ability to memorize, since the scenario designer has more power, they can create this whole environment and expand posibilities, but maybe that exceeds what you want from the game.
Nostalgia is also plays a big part, back in 1989, my attention was much more focused on videogames than it is now. Life was much more simple.
**Action**
/Uninvited - Really cool games.
SMB I (Spent countless hours exploring secrets), II (At the time it was very weird and III (Pinnacle),
MegaMan 1 (challenging),2 (most popular) & 3 (pinnacle) (The rest are just fillers)
Castlevania 1 (Challenging), 2 (What's up with those weird clues?) 3 (Pinnacle),
Ninja Gaiden I (Cinema Displays!!!!), II(Great Music, action, etc), III (Hmmm.. Paralax scrolling and a Strider-type sword.. kool)
Shadow of the Ninja and S.C.A.T (Great games from Natsume)
Journey To Silius (Sunsoft's masterpiece, after Blaster Master, Fester and Batman - Not counting Return of the Joker
Contra (WOOWWWWW...), Super C (Double Wooow...)
**Adventure**
Zelda I (Dodongo.. what kind of name is that) II (Very challenging, great graphics.. masterpiece)
Metroid & Kid Icarus (VERY Unique games!!)
Crystalis (Much better and Refined than Zelda)
The Inmortal (Wow, american companies can make games!!)
Bionic Commando (Hitler?!?!?!?)
Goonies - Really cool...
**Beat'em up**
Double Dragon I (challenging), II (Fun!! 2 Player action), II (What happened here??)
River City Ramsom (Who can't forget fighting the final stage while listening to the Double Dragon BGM)
Battletoads - Hard and Weird!!!
**Shooters (Not the like of Doom/Quake we're talking THE original shooters)**
Zanac (Wow that's intense!!!)/Guardian Legend (Intensity with great graphics and RPG/Adventure)
Gradius (Hard) / Lifeforce (Cool.. 30 lives, I guess they're making up for the first one)
Gyruss (Really cool)
**Sports**
Baseball Stars (Greatest baseball game on 8 bit.. first to create your own players)
Tecmo Bowl (Just plain fun - Hide your controller from your oponent)
Baseball - Just fun.
Track n'Field - 1st to do In game adverstisement???, Game within a game (gradius).
Excitebike... (track editor??)
Mike Tyson's Punch Out (Remember, dodge Mike for 1:30)
**RPG**
Dragon Warrior I (What's this weird game...), II (Hmmm.. I'm kinda liking this type of games).. III (Masterpiece)
Final Fantasy - (Wow.. cool RPG..with Graphics!)
ShadowGate / DejaVu
Ultima Quest of The Avatar - Really LOONG.
Startropics.. Fun in the islands.
Another dumb comment modded as Insightful.
What's going on today people!!!
Why is the parent modded as Insightful?
Are we on crack now?
I haven't.
Not untill it hits $99 and I can get a hold on 8 greatest hits for $200.
Meanwhile, it's cubeland baby.
If Sony drops the PS2 to 129.99?
I'd love to see the effects in M$'s balance sheet.
Don't get me wrong, I'd like the Xbox to stay (the more competition, the better for consumers), but obviously they want to demerit the Nintendo.
Hmmmm... haven't they done that before???... I think the system was called Nintendo 64... or my memory is not serving me well.
I was describing the first stage of the fight (when you destroy the Albatross), Master D (Hitler) is supposed to be piloting it. Once defeated, then you had to drop down and place a shot on the cockpit of the escape helicopter.
I did a quick google and found this link: http://www.elitecoder.com/bionic/area12.html
It should be useful!
I remember my battle with Warmech. I was playing FFI with the Nintendo Power Guide and the paragraph read that there was a very slight chance to meet warmech in that dungeon. As soon as I stepped into that floor, first enemy - Warmech - only ONE turn and my whole party was dead. I believe that it was harder than the final boss, especially because you couldn't find it again.
Yep, you're right. Loki and Zeromus are correct. Bad memory though ;)