Each of those ideas presents problems to me as a gamer. Rage quitting is usually beneath me as a lady. Walkthroughs are only for use when I need to get through a game quickly for work purposes. And asking the Internet for help – particularly on puzzle games where there's no way to give hints without just telling you the solution – just feels wrong.

Obviously, my circumstances are different from the average gamer's because I have publicists for many games on speed dial. However, I don't like to abuse these connections when I'm playing a game for fun and not for review purposes. So instead, I usually stick to a ritual of behavior.

First, I pause the game during the part where I'm stuck. It could be a bum boss battle, a room where I can't figure out how to progress or at a point where I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing or where I'm supposed to go. I'm the level-headed type, so I assume that this must be a case of user-error. Maybe I need to review my stats or my gameplay objectives and make sure I'm not under-leveled or something. This solved my stuck problem during that level with the train in Valkyria Chronicles.

If that doesn't work, I usually double back in the game to look for a special item or grind my level up in the case of bum boss fights. I usually don't have to do this because I'm a completion-obsessed gamer who searches every area, breaks every crate and fights every random encounter just for the experience points. But, hey, sometimes I missed a crate – sometime I forget to check the shops for all the armor upgrades. So maybe being stuck really is my fault. This tactic resolved an ugly boss fight in Tales of Vesperia – you know, the one with the demo boss only he's way harder in the retail game? And you can't go back and grind very much because the road is cut off?

Above: Sometimes, it's not your fault...

The third time, though, I stop blaming myself and indignation sets in. Why would they make a game this hard? How could I possibly have missed whatever it is I need to get past this point? What is wrong with the developers that they make something I can't figure out? This is a dangerous line of thinking because it's a small step away from a rage quit unbecoming of a lady. It also has way of contaminating the rest of my opinion of the game. Which is why I never finished the first Modern Warfare on Xbox 360 (stupid barn mission with the tanks – why don't you shoot them, Price, while I try not to die for the millionth time!).

The final part of my ritual is to quit the game – not rage quit, mind you; just a normal save and quit – and sleep on it preferably ‘til a Saturday morning. Then I come back to it while in my jammies with some cereal, the same way I played many a video game on Saturday morning as a child. It calms me down, gives me a fresh perspective and reminds me that games are supposed to be fun. This totally saved my experience with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (I hate you, Vamp – die in a fire).

There are exceptions and games that totally defeated my ritual, of course. I broke down and used a walkthrough on The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time after two and half years of wasted Saturday mornings ($%#&ing Water Temple!); I also looked up a puzzle solution in Puzzle Quest because I really wanted to capture a Wight or something and just couldn't figure it out.

But for gamers out there like myself who sometimes hit a wall with games we love (or would love to try and love), I ask you: How do you deal with being stuck?

Further reading:
Stuck!! – 21 game levels that stopped you dead in your tracks
Getting Stuck Sucks: OXCGN's Games That Frustrate

Image Cred

Last week we reported that Koyama wrote on his official blog: "Tales of Vesperia is coming out on one thing after another: Xbox 360, then PS3, and now upcoming, goes on sale even on the Wii. More shortly, the feature film anime version is also opening in theaters (But, I, I'm not in it...), and after that, there's also a CD."

Koyama voices the character of Duke in Tales of Vesperia, which was originally released as a timed Xbox 360 exclusive in 2008. The PS3 version was released in September 2009.

The voice actor has since updated his blog, writing, "About the game's sale on the Wii, I mistook Takes of Graces with Tales of Vesperia! To everyone connected to this, I am truly sorry!!!!"

力也の気持ち。 [−小山力也公式ブログ−声優グランプリweb]

On his official blog, the actor writes, "Tales of Vesperia is coming out on one thing after another: Xbox 360, then PS3, and now upcoming, goes on sale even on the Wii. More shortly, the feature film anime version is also opening in theaters (But, I, I'm not in it...), and after that, there's also a CD."

It's possible the voice actor confused Tales of Vesperia with Tales of Graces — there are a lot of Tales to keep straight!

Koyama voices the character of Duke in Tales of Vesperia, which was originally released as a timed Xbox 360 exclusive in 2008. The PS3 version was released in September 2009.

力也の気持ち [−小山力也公式ブログ−声優グランプリweb via オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃]

Those wanting to purchase new outfits for all, open your wallets. Each costume is ¥300, and there are 9 characters for a grand total of ¥2,700 or US$29.75.

Granted, this isn't as outrageous as the DLC in Namco Bandai's iDOLM@STER, but $30 isn't exactly cheap!

PS3『テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリア』の制服コスが配信開始、しかし300円 × 9人分 ＝ 2700円と神搾取 [はちま起稿]

In this blurry YouTube vid, you can clearly see Graces' lead character Asbel sporting a Yuri Lowell outfit. Far cuter is the Rita Mordio getup that goes to Sheria, but sadly you can hardly see it. Oh, and Patty the pirate gets a little DLC love too.

While we're on the subject of Graces, check out some new screen shots Game Watch picked up today.

First Tales of Graces DLC Is For Vesperia Costumes [Siliconera]

Taking pre-screened questions, Makoto Yoshizumi, the Namco Bandai general manager, said staff would pester him during meetings "Will you be making Vesperia 2?" His reply: 'Don't talk like a fan!" However, "It appears that [within the company] there's a desire to make part 2. We're thinking about it."

Sequel thoughts aren't limited to just games. Yoshizumi said the company is also contemplating things they'd like to see if another Vesperia movie were made. "I don't know when it will happen, but we'd like to show [these things] in video form," he said.

Namco Bandai "Thinking About" Making Tales of Vesperia 2 [VG247]

Far from being concerned by the fact that not all PlayStation 3 owners make use of Home, Buser was excited that so many people have even tried it at all. "We came so close to setting a concurrency record," he gushed. "The media is not groking how amazing the usage level is [on Home.]"

For those of you who don't know much about computer science or Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, what Buser is going on about has to do with the potential that Home has to interact with other software — the PlayStation Network, Twitter, you name it. For example, the Home team recently rolled out an update that enables game launching of all PS3 titles from directly within Home. Also, they've developed connections between the PSN, the PSP Go and Home that have the ability to talk to each other.

So while Buser declined to announce any plans to somehow integrate the PSP Go directly into Home, he very enthusiastically said that the potential is there.

Potential, he said, is what drives Home's expansion. The potential is there for developers to build spaces that connect with the fans. The potential is there for fans to demand things from developers. To that end, says Buser, if you want to see something in Home… ask for it.

Right now there are over 50 spaces in Home, public and private. There are 1000 virtual items to be bought or earned and the service has hosted over 200 community events where you can win real things like collectors editions of video games. All it takes to enjoy any of that is a PSN account and maybe a little tolerance for updates and evolving content distribution systems. Home is still technically in open beta, after all.

I for one would like to see a Valkyria Chronicles space and a Tales of Vesperia space. I also want some soft of transmogrifier that will turn my realistic-looking avatar into something more appropriately anime for those spaces. That was the one thing I didn't like about the Ratchet & Clank space — it didn't look like you belonged there because you weren't cartoon-y enough.

Also, I really wish they'd open up the building editor to users instead of just developers. If I could build a palace that was just mine, I might form a stronger attachment to my virtual identity in Home than I do from walking around a cookie-cutter-made living space that every other user could easily have. But that's just me.

What do you want to see in Home?

"Inside the drawer, there's a pirate outfit for girls. A name is written, but it's hard to make out because of heavy wear. 'Pa.....'?" Pa? Hrm, "Patty" starts with "Pa." Patty is also a girl - a girl who wears pirate outfits.

The screen capture from the Xbox 360 version is below.

In the memory address of the Xbox 360 version, there appears to be traces of Patty Fruel. As we previously pointed out: in the coding, "YUR" could be understood as being main protagonist "Yuri Lowell", "EST" could be princess "Estelle", "KAR" could be "Karol Capel", "RIT" could be "Rita Mordio", "RAV" could be "Raven", "JUD" could be "Judith", "RAP" could be "Repede" (aka "Rapido" in the Japanese version), "FRE" could be "Flynn Scifo" ("Furen Shifo" in Japanese) and "PAT" could be short for "Patty Fleur."

When asked about the "pirate outfit for girls" scene in the Xbox 360 version, Namco Bandai replied, "Certainly there is that scene, but it does not refer to Patty." When asked whether Patty Fruel was cut from the Xbox 360 version and shifted over to the PS3 one, Namco Bandai replied, "There was nothing of the sort." And finally when asked if Patty Fruel would made available for the Xbox 360, Namco Bandai replied, "There is nothing announced at the moment."

Now that Tales of Vesperia on the PS3 is out, and gamers have noticed that the room shown in the Xbox 360 original version is in the PS3 version actually Patty's room. Does this mean that she was cut from the Xbox 360 game?

『テイルズオブヴェスペリア』海賊帽があった部屋はやはりパティの部屋だった - livedoor Blog（ブログ） [チラシの裏でゲーム鈍報]

According to website Sinobi, ToV for the PS3 sold 147,000 copies in its first day on sale. To put things in perspective, the Xbox 360 version of the game sold 70,000 copies in its first day and 100,000 copies in its first week.

The spike in sales for the PS3 port bucks the recent sales trend in Japan: That the PS3 versions sell less than the Xbox 360 originals. For example, both Lost Planet and Eternal Sonata sale lower sales in Japan when their PS3 versions were released.

While the sales data for PS3 Tales of Vesperia are early and by no means official, here's how some previous titles did on their first day:

Tales of Vesperia (PS3): 147,000
Radiant Mythology 2: 135,000
Tales of Hearts: 121,000
Tales of Symphonia Dawn of The New World: 120,00
Tales of VS: 89,000
Tales of Innocence: 76,000
Tales of Vesperia (Xbox 360): 71,000

PS3「テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリア」初日で14.7万本を販売、他｜忍之閻魔帳 [Shinobi via オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃]

A blogger who was apparently a developer on the title explains why the game was originally developed for the Xbox 360. "For developers, it's way easier to develop for the 360," the blogger writes. Developers sign a one year contract, the blogger continues, with Microsoft that states the game will not come out on other platforms for one year. "Microsoft provides sufficient development funs," the dev writes. "Support is fast and all encompassing."

According to the apparent dev, "Sony Computer Entertainment doesn't really provide money (maybe no money). Support is a mess and unreliable. (At the time I was involved)"

"Developing for the 360 is easy. The cost is lower to an extent." So what developers like Namco do, the dev explains, is develop for the Xbox 360 first at a low cost. However, it's not possible to sell a lot of copies of the game, and thus difficult to recoup the development costs and turn a profit. So, the game was then ported to the PS3. "Then Sony says," the developer blogs, "'We won't approve the game if it's exactly the same as the Xbox 360 version. You must put in lots of extra content.'" Namco added new content such as a new pirate girl character.

While its easy to go from the Xbox 360 to the PS3, it's difficult and time consuming to go from the PS3 to the Xbox 360 — thus, don't expect to see that extra PS3 content turn up as DLC for the Xbox 360 version.

Namco was intending to make a complete game, the developer writes, that Xbox 360 owners would enjoy. The PS3 owners, it seems, will enjoy the game slightly more, though.

Update: As a reader points out, the blogger is a former game developer, but did not work on ToV. He did work on Vampire Rain. Vampire Rain, however, was originally released on the Xbox 360 and then ported to the PS3 a year later...

PS3テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリアのアレについて [月光はBLOOD EYE]

Comparing screens of the various platforms offers insight into hardware power, sure, but comparing ad campaigns shows how game companies spin their sales.

So above, the PS3 ad for the game literally states that its the highest peak in the series for quality and volume. Thank new content for that.

When Microsoft had the game as a timed exclusive, the spin was a little different: The game is on Xbox 360 as evident by the ads below.

The "quality and volume" argument is a valid one for consoles getting timed exclusives later, and one we expect to see more of.

PS3版『テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリア』のTVCMいわく、「シリーズ最高峰のクオリティ＆ボリューム」 [はちま起稿]

Upcoming DLC for ToV offers players a Sgt. Frog costume, which apparently even makes their character sound like Sgt. Frog!

The film is set before Tales of Vesperia. Voice actors include Mamoru Miyano (who voiced Light in Death Note and Riku in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II) as Flynn Scifo, Mai Nakahara (who voiced Rena in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Nagisa in Clannad) as Estellise Sidos Heurassein, and Kosuke Toriumi (who voiced Junpei Iori in Persona 3) as Yuri Lowell.

The anime is being produced by Production I.G., the studio being Ghost in the Shell and the animated segment in Kill Bill Vol. I. Kenta Kamei will tackle directing duties, and veteran scribe Reiko Yoshida will pen the script.

Production I.G. is also involved with the Halo Legends anime project.

劇場版『テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリア 〜The First Strike〜』角川プレミア試写会に100組200名をご招待 [ファミ通.com]

In the demo's embedded code, English and Japanese descriptions of unused skills were found:

Gun Support / ガンサポート
- サブ組の際、戦闘フィールド外から、一定の確率で拳銃で攻撃する。
- An inactive ally will occasionally attack with gun from outside the battlefield.
Magic Guard S / マジックガードＳ
- マジックガード中、物理ダメージも防御できる。
- Reduce physical damage during Magic Guard.
Flash / フラッシュ
- 物理攻撃を防御すると、3秒分の無敵時間を得る。
- Nullified all enemy's attack after doing a physical guard. Lasts for 3 sec only.
Flash 2 / フラッシュ２
- 魔術攻撃を防御すると、5秒分の無敵時間を得る。
- Nullified all enemy's attack after doing a magic guard. Lasts for 5 sec only.
Guardian 2 / 明鏡止水
- 烈砕衝破を薔薇輪に変化させ る。
- Changes Crushing Eagle To SouBiRin.

English descriptions in a Japanese demo, that is. We'd be more surprised if Namco Bandai didn't release an English language version.

Western PS3 Tales of Vesperia Hinted At [Tales Union Thanks Kyle!]

Today, Namco Bandai released a ToV PS3 demo. Pirate girl Patty Fruel is a playable character in the demo. Swing by the Japanese PSN store to check it and her out.

Know what else is in the 282 MB Tales of Vesperia demo besides Patty Fruel? Patty Fruel's underpants. So embarrassing.

PS3版「テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリア」の体験版が配信開始、パティのパンツは黒でした [はちま起稿]

Costumes include a black bikini, an aloha shirt and shorts and an orange two piece with sunglasses. Don't think of this as an exploitative way to get players to shell out for this game. These outfits make perfect sense. There is a pirate girl in the game. See?

The demo for the PS3 version of Tales of Vesperia has been dated for Japan: July 13. The demo will be available on the PlayStation Store. No word whether new character, pirate girl Patty Fruel, will be in the upcoming demo.

Tales of Vesperia hits PS3s this fall.

PlayStation StoreÇ…ÅwÉeÉCÉãÉY ÉIÉu ÉîÉFÉXÉyÉäÉAÅxëÃå±î≈Ç™ÅI [Dengeki Online]

The following month in October, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike, an animated prequel to the PS3 version, hits Japanese movie theaters. Check out other differences between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of ToV.

Voice actors include Mamoru Miyano (who voiced Light in Death Note and Riku in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II) as Flynn Scifo, Mai Nakahara (who voiced Rena in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Nagisa in Clannad) as Estellise Sidos Heurassein, and Kosuke Toriumi (who voiced Junpei Iori in Persona 3) as Yuri Lowell.

The First Strike is set before Namco Bandai's Tales of Vesperia game and opens in Japanese theaters on October 3.

On September 17, the game will be released in Japan. Priced at ¥7,800 (US$79), the game features new character, pirate girl Patty. She'll even be appearing in the game's opening cinematic!