Retroactive Reviews: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Finished my finals yesterday, so now I’m in a “decompressing” period. In addition to registering for summer courses, I also have to sell my previous books on Ebay, update my contacts, and continue working on my other “project”. I want to make time to create another “non-review” post in this blog, but that’ll have to wait another week or two.

Capcom has been truly amazing this year. 2009 just started and we’ve already been graced with Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil 5. But now we’ve got Bionic Commando, Dead Rising 2, and Lost Planet 2 to look forward to, along with the recent announcement of a fully online, HD-upgraded Marvel vs Capcom 2. And if that weren’t enough, they’ve promised two more major announcements at E3. Unbelievable.

As for E3, I still have great interest in attending this year, were if financially possible, but that’s going to require further research, and perhaps some begging and pleading from my freelance contacts.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Score: 8.5/10

The Fire Emblem series has always maintained a respectable presence in Nintendo’s family, dating back as far as the NES days. It was only recently that North Americans were able to experience the games for themselves, no doubt due to the attention that its heroes received from the Super Smash Bros games. Even though the Mother/Earthbound series remains entirely ignored by Nintendo of America, they’ve treated the newly immigrated Fire Emblem games respectively, and the newest DS release serves as the perfect entry point for newcomers.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is, in fact, a remake of the first Fire Emblem game, chronicling the adventure of runaway prince Marth (yes, the same Marth from Super Smash Bros. Melee) in his quest to reclaim his kingdom and his sister from the evil Dohlr empire (don’t even try to pronounce that), by uniting with several kingdoms and building up an army of knights, thieves, mages, archers, and Pegasus riders.

It sounds like a standard RPG tale, but unlike the Final Fantasy series, there aren’t any magical feathers or resurrection spells to bring your fallen brethren back from the dead; once a soldier falls in battle, they’re gone for good, and the story goes on no matter how important the character may have seen; It’s only a Game Over if Marth himself is killed in battle.

As a result, the positioning of your units becomes critical in winning skirmishes without any heavy casualties on your end. Fire Emblem follows a rock-scissors-paper approach to fighting, where three types of weapons work as a major weakness or advantage for one another; Sword wielders, for instance, do extra damage against axe wielders, while using an axe against a lance user will do extra damage to the enemy. Reversely, using a lance against an axe will do less damage than using a sword, and classes have their own strengths and weaknesses as well. Archers can pick off Pegasus riders with a single arrow, but do little to no damage against heavy armored soldiers; Putting a soldier up against an enemy with a weapon or class advantage can and will lead to a quick death, or leaving them open for an ambush could have equally dire consequences.

Fortunately, there’s always an opportunity to recruit additional soldiers in the battlefield. Rescuing trapped prisoners can usually lead to a grateful ally, while people fighting on the opposing side may change their allegiance depending on being persuaded by the right person. Even though most of these characters don’t develop much past their introductions, players may feel attached enough to mash on the reset button should one of these allies take a permanent dirt nap. Cruelly enough, however, there may be situations where you’ll have to make the tough choice of sacrificing some of your soldiers, all for the greater good.

Gameplay is simplistic, but also quick to jump into, which should be the standard for most portable games. Setting up your army and placing them across the battlefield like chess pawns is great fun, but that simplicity has a downside to it. The inventory system, as a whole, is antiquated to a hindering degree; Characters must give up a turn in order to trade weapons and items to other characters, or to use the convoy system to store or retrieve items. This becomes especially cumbersome when it comes to healing, as one character holding a healing potion can’t use it on a fellow ally, therefore resulting in both characters having to waste turns during the trading of the item as well as using it. Only mages can heal other allies, but having too many healers on the field will result in an uneven party. The flawed healing system makes boss battles especially dangerous, where units sent to do battle against these overpowered enemies must basically rely on luck in order to survive both the boss’s counterattack as well as his extra turn.

The only other quibble with Shadow Dragon is its online play. While connecting with another player online is as smooth as can be expected from a portable machine, there are no additional restrictions when it comes to challenging random people online, usually resulting in one-sided battles; Try searching for an opponent online before finishing the game, and you’ll likely end up completely obliterated by armies of high levels and fully upgraded weapons.

Despite those flaws, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is still a highly entertaining portable adventure that is a must have for DS owners everywhere. War has never been so compact and accessible.

Retroactive Reviews: Sonic and the Black Knight

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me, hence the posting lull. I’ve got two more reviews on the horizon after this one, but it’s been a bit of a pain to find the time playing them. I’ll have to cut down on my freelancing a bit to better focus.

I’ve also placed an order for Demon’s Souls, which has gotten a large amount of praise online, and Killzone 2, which I can only assume is being played by nearly every PS3 owner out there.

And, I’ve also got another project on the horizon. One that, personally speaking, has me extremely excited. I’m not ready to talk about it though, but trust me…it’s good.

Concerning this latest review, I found that the best thing about this game was the inclusion of videos featuring Sonic fan-art from around the world. It was a rather touching trip through Sonic’s finest adventures. Sega may have included these drawings as a reward for fans, but what we really want is for them to get their act together again.

Sonic and the Black Knight

Score: 6.0/10

I still believe in Sonic the Hedgehog.

Right now, that statement sounds laughable, considering the last few years of releases ranging from mediocre to terrible, but I still hold onto the hope that one day Sonic Team and Sega will reproduce the magic felt during Sonic’s golden years on the Sega Genesis.

Until then, the fans (and Sonic himself) will have to continue enduring Sega’s crazy experiments to replicate that magic, with the hopes that one day the right combination will lead to gold instead of…well, crap.

This time, Sonic has been thrown into a medieval setting, where he must do battle with evil knights and dragons at breakneck speed while wielding a mystical sword. Ironically, watching Sonic using a sword does bring back childhood memories of pondering such a combination. After all, everything’s cooler with swords, right? Compared to riding a hoverboard, transforming into a Werehog, and making furry love to a realistic human princess, watching Sonic swinging a blade against demons and dark knights isn’t so bad a fit.

In Sonic and the Black Knight, the titular hedgehog finds himself spirited away to the storybook world of Camelot. The legendary King Arthur (legendary for earthlings, and apparently residents of Mobius as well) of legend is an evil knight in this world, wise wizard Merlin is a Zelda ripoff named Merlina, and the knights of the round table are alternate fantasy versions of Sonic’s friends and rivals. Stating that he’s “used to this sort of thing” by now (a comedic, or perhaps depressing nod), Sonic agrees to defend the realm with the help of Caliburn, a sarcastic but integral talking sword. The overall story is no deeper than a Saturday morning cartoon, but at least Sega realizes we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Sega has also slowly begun to remember that Sonic games are all about the blistering speed. Mirroring the play style of Sonic and the Secret Rings, Black Knight features levels with a set path, where Sonic must hoof it from start to finish, jumping and grinding any obstacles in his way. As for the more adversarial obstacles, a simple homing attack won’t do the trick this time around, thus forcing…er, encouraging players to swing their wiimotes wildly to defeat enemies the old fashioned way. The motion controls are sufficient enough, although don’t expect the same fluidity found in previous blade wailing titles like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess or No More Heroes. It’s quite difficult to get Sonic to perform a specific sword maneuver, but fortunately this game isn’t tailored around the combat; at the speed Sonic is running, a few sword swipes are all that’s needed to clear the endless horde of monsters to advance forward. The key to high ranks and rewards is to never stop moving, and it’s this fast-paced style that almost replicates the fond moments of Sonic’s classic games.

I say “almost”, because while there’s a lot to like about Sonic and the Black Knight, it all comes to a screeching halt just before it reaches its second wind. Levels are sporadic in their length, with early missions taking less than a couple of minutes to complete, and not much more to completely master. The levels are also infrequent in their creativity; some areas are too straightforward and basic, while other areas deliver multiple paths and sudden shifts in structure to deliver a more exciting experience. The same can be said for the boss battles, which range from basic, ho-hum standoffs to more exciting chase sequences featuring quick time Wiimote movements. Even worse is the length of the game; it will take no more than a few hours to face off against King Arthur and roll the credits. While veteran Sonic players should immediately ascertain that the game doesn’t truly end from there, they may wish that it did.

After the plot takes a turn for the melodramatic, players will have to traverse a few more areas to face the final threat. These areas are much longer in length from the earlier fast tracks, but they are also twice as frustrating. The goal of many of these advanced stages is to reach the end before time runs out, and with twice as much terrain to speed through, the rampant increase of enemies and quick-death pitfalls lead to a mountain of frustration. Additional characters are unlocked along with a Blacksmith feature where new accessories can be forged from retrieved items, but these additions come far too late in the game to encourage further playthroughs.

Sonic and the Black Knight is a fun diversion for kids, and a glimmering star of hope for longtime fans, but it’s going to take a lot more experimentation to restore the greatness of the mascot who once stood toe to toe with Mario. Or, they could just go the Coca Cola route and just revert back to classic Sonic gameplay. Not everything needs to be in 3D, after all.

Retroactive Reviews: Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

I wonder…when I made the post last week about cancelling the FFVII project, did no one react because they knew I was doing an April Fool’s joke…or because no one really cared?

Yesterday I (predictably) caved in and purchased a DSi. I told myself I didn’t need one, as my DS Lite was still performing wonderfully, and that I had little use for a new model with two cameras and a lack of a GBA slot. But something about Nintendo’s portable releases always manage to hook me in. I was offered $70 for trading in my DSL, and I had $100 of spare change I’ve been meaning to cash, so I figured what the hell.

So far, I don’t regret the purchase. The DSi has a real slick interface, the camera works very well, and Nintendo has a way of turning mundane things like listening to music or editing photos into a game in itself; the music visualizer is a lot of fun, and the sound recording is a pointless but novel distraction. The photo editing is also pretty neat, as anyone can a bunch of silly effects without requring a master’s degree in photoshop.

If I have one complaint, other than the GBA slot removal, it’s that the actual handheld doesn’t feel as “nice” to hold as the DSL. Maybe it’s because the system is fresh and requires a few days of sweaty palms to mold itself, but the texture doesn’t feel as durable, making me a bit more careful in how I’m handling it. I also can’t stand the little edge bumps they added, since I can’t stand edge bumps in general.

Anyway, I’ve got a new review for you. As was the case with Skate 2, I was quite cautious of how to approach this game, as it was my first experience with a long running series. I told myself that I wouldn’t let other reviews influence me, but seeing people praise it so much, whereas I found numerous flaws, left me a bit concerned. Was I not “getting” it?

Regardless, that’s why we have multiple reviewers out there in the world. Don’t just listen to one or two guys, unless their opinions tend to mirror yours at all times. I wish I had someone like that…

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

In the opening of Rune Factory, main protagonist Raguna is on his last legs, ready to collapse from exhaustion and starvation, when at his most critical moment he stops in front of young Mist’s house. In his final breaths, he pleads with the sweet young girl to give him some food and water. Mist responds by giving Raguna a hoe and water bucket; either Mist is a firm believer of the old Chinese proverb, or she’s some sort of sadist.

In any event, Mist quickly realizes that Raguna needs food, badly, and nourishes him back to the world of the living. After a brief introduction, we learn that Raguna suffers from amnesia (an unprecedented plot device for RPGs), and that he needs a place to stay and do some remembering. Taking some lessons from Tom Nook in opportunism, Mist eagerly offers to let Raguna stay at her spare house…provided he does some chores around the farm.

So begins the main premise of Rune Factory, an RPG-enhanced spin-off of the long running Harvest Moon series by developer Natsume. Adding a dungeon-crawling, monster battling mechanic to a slower-paced, farming and harvesting mechanic should make for a great combination, but this shaky marriage might end up dividing gamers who either prefer fast paced battles, or relaxing, stress-free agriculture.

Indeed, it’s the RPG veterans who might feel the most cheated; While most games begin with the protagonist carrying little more than a wooden sword (if even that), Rune Factory starts Raguna off with a hoe, a water bucket, and a barren, unattended field. Mist may seem attuned with nature, but that hasn’t stopped her from neglecting her garden, and it’s up to you to dust the crops, pull the weeds, and water the plants until you can manage some profitable produce.

Want to take a break from the farming and go explore some caves? Too bad, because you won’t get access unless permitted by the Mayor of the town, and he’d rather have you sweating it in the field rather than take care of his growing monster problem. Once you’ve fulfilled a certain quota, you’ll be allowed to explore the caves, but don’t expect to get real far without a proper weapon, armor, and supplies. And guess what: that stuff isn’t free.

Water and seeds may make your garden grow, but without a steady supply of gold, Raguna won’t survive the enemy-filled dungeons. Pulling weeds and watering seeds is an easy enough task, but as you continue working, and you’ll quickly drain your RP (rune points), the equivalent of stamina. Once the RP bar is empty, your HP drains next, and once it reaches zero you’ll pass out on the spot. This isn’t a problem as long as you’re outside (the money-grubbing villagers are at least nice enough to drop off your weary body at your house, where you’ll always regain consciousness), but lose your HP in a cave and it’s an instant game over.

After several hours of hoe-grinding, you should acquire enough money for weapons and armor so you can explore the cave for some actual grinding. Littered around each area are machines that continuously spawn creatures for players to dispatch; standing near a machine and defeating each monster that pops out is a good way to raise those levels, but in order to advance to the boss, all the machines must be destroyed. Since leaving the cave will reset all the destroyed machines, it becomes necessary to have enough supplies to traverse the whole area in one go. Fortunately, farming can be done inside the cave as well, so as long as you’re planting crops in-between the monster mashing, you can grow the crops needed to replenish your RP.

The rest of the game involves getting to know the quaint villagers in town, who are nice enough to start Raguna off with the basic tools to grow a decent garden. Weapons and items, however, don’t fall under the new neighbor promotion, not even the curing of status ailments in the local hospital (although if you’re flat broke, the doctor will cure you “just this once”, indefinitely).

The visuals are solid enough, with everything rendered in 3D, although it may prove difficult to discern one townsperson from another without bringing up their portrait during conversations. The controls are also adequate, allowing for a quick swap between farming and combat items, but the touch-screen features are pretty rubbish; you can use the stylus to lay down a path for your character to follow, but if there’s an object obscuring the way, he’ll get stuck, but he won’t stop. You’ll have to touch the part of the road that’s cutting him off. It’s a poor use of the DS touch-screen, ultimately making the standard controls the only one that works.

Make no mistake, Rune Factory requires a big commitment, but with enough patience and playtime, players will be able to raise several crops leading to profitable produce, as well as raising monsters of various shapes and uses to aid Raguna in battle (all enemies are, in fact, creatures taken out of their habitat and thus fighting out of fear, and every monster defeated battle is instantly sent back to their own home. Mist even congratulates Raguna for every boss he defeats, as he is in fact “saving” said creature…how very Nintendo friendly). And speaking of commitment, courting the womenfolk enough times can lead to an eventual marriage, although considering how young some of these Japanimated girls appear, you can’t help but wonder just how liberal this farming community is.

Ultimately, this farming/RPG hybrid is an acquired taste, but players choosing to roll up their sleeves and put enough hard work on the farm will enjoy the taste of their juicy vegetables and milk fresh off the cow’s teat.

Final Score: 73%

Final Fantasy VII: Re-imagined: Cancelled

I’m quitting the project.

I’m sure some of you saw this coming. It was crazy of me to think I could re-localize an entire game of my own. Think of all the people they needed just to translate the original game to a somewhat acceptable translation.

Meanwhile, I spent three days trying to think up dialog for just one NPC. Just one!

It was foolish of me to think I could pull something like this off. I’ll just wait for the remake.