Breath of Fire 4 Review

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(More customer reviews)Ah, the Fourth installment of the Breath of Fire series. It's finally here, BUT...! Was it worth the wait?

I had been waiting for this game for a long time. So when I was waltzing through my local Blockbuster Video, I saw it, and the next thing I knew it was in my hands. After paying the rent fee, I sped home and threw it in my Playstation without glancing at the instructions. Here's what I thought of it.

First, this game is about Ryu, who once again, can transform into dragons. He's trying to figure out who he is, yet again. The story first involves a search for Nina's sister, but then it soon evolves into something much greater, involving Nina, Ryu, Ershin (A strange woman who wears armor), Scias (A mercenary who was hired to watch over the party), Cray (The leader of the Woren Tribe (AKA Cat People) and Nina's companion), Ursula (A woman toting a magic gun), and Fou-Lu (An emperor that has risen from the dead).

When I saw the anime intro, I was expecting it to be in english, but Capcom needed to put more work in it. They shouldn've translated it! The title screen was almost completely japanese as well and I was afraid I had somehow gotten an import copy. After that, much to my relief, the language was completely english. The 3D enviornments were horrible, as I noticed when watching the opening. The sprite cahracters, however, were perfectly drawn. The battle effects were nice, except for a bit of pixelation in some spell effects. The camera angles were frustrating as well. Overall, the graphics needed a small tune-up.

The music was GREAT! I was expecting repetitive songs and other things like that, but I got a surprise when I heard the musical score. The battle theme was good (Both Ryu and Fou-Lu battle themes), the victory theme was good, same with the boss theme. The world map theme, however, needed a boost. The minigame theme was one of the only musics that got repetitive. But we need a translation! caughanimecenimacaugh. Other than that, the music overall was perfect for the game.

The controls were a tad frustrating. The akward camera angles left me searching for the place to find Sandflier parts for at least half an hour. We need a free-following camera! The other controls are fine, just positioning yourself can be frustrating. It can be hard to get yourself jst right so you can get that item or read that sign. Battle controls are simple, yet effecive. It's easy to choose what spell to cast or who to attack. It's alse simple to switch party members from the front to back rows. The world map controls are simple because there are only a few things to do on it. Overall, the controls could be a lot better in this game.

Ah, the gameplay review. The storylne is greatfrom beginning to end. The combat system is ingenious, leaving the option to learn advanced abilities from enemies. Only isntead of a completely different command to learn abilities, the game usus the "Defend" command to both reduce damage AND learn abilities. The out-of-battle abilities are simple, yet effective. For example, Nina can fly up and look around so you can see everything that's around. Overall, this game was worth the wait and should land itself in any RPG player's collection. While not quite as good as BoF2 in storyline, it surpasses BoF3 in almost any way.




RATINGS (Out of 5)
Graphics- 4.0
Sound- 4.5
Control- 4.0

Overall Gameplay- 5.0

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Product Description:
Breath of Fire IV is a single-player game that continues the story with these "dragon people," who gave their lives to eradicate the evil goddess and restore peace in their world. This time around, battle has broken out between two powerful continents, and the fair Princess Elena has disappeared during a tour of the war-torn region. The princess's sister, Nina, who reigns o'er the Windia Kingdom, vows to retrieve her missing sibling. She meets Ryu along the way, who joins the epic quest

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LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Review

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(More customer reviews)That's right, this game is absolutely solid! I'll readily admit that I belong to the old school RPG players who strongly believe that the garbage that many companies try to give us is just that, garbage. It must be understood that the PSX version is actually a rehash of the SEGA CD (which I'm proud to own) with a more animations and extra video this game does shine . . . if reviewed on it's own.
Needless to say, I was very surprised that Working Designs decided to go ahead and release an aging game on a near dead system (never mind the recent release of the Playstation 2). And yes, despite popular opinion, this game is NOT NEW. Because of it's age and the ultra "cool" eye candy that more recent RPG games have to offer, this game will most assuredly, once again, become a cult classic.
Unlike many games, this game actually has a history. Every one knows that the SEGA CD was a major failure in terms of sales. But what most people don't realize is that the original Lunar was a raging success. Several hundred thousand SEGA CD's have been sold in Japan, while the same number plus 50,000 Lunar games have been sold. The same holds true in the US as well. What that means is that every single person who bought a SEGA CD also has one or more copies of the game. Lunar 2 wasn't quite as successful but still managed to hit the 1:1 ratio of owners. And I'm sure that many people, including myself, bought the SEGA CD ... based solely on owning the Lunar games.
So why buy the PSX version of the games? Easy, despite the fact that the game is based on traditional sprite based characters, the game actually has a STORY. One of the things that game companies today are suffering from is the attempt to create a game with so much eye candy with 3D polygon graphics, Pre-rendered backgrounds, and special effects that the story literally disappears. Worse still, is that some games attempt to make up for this by adding so much dialog that even an "auto fire" feature on controllers wouldn't get through it all before you return from a trip to the store with a new game. However, Lunar is perfect. The story unfolds at a perfect pace, not too slow and not too fast. Video is a reward and not used as "filler" to help the story along. the only thing that could cripple this game is the lack of 3D polygons or full use of SGI pre-rendered backgrounds. But with a story like Lunar's, who needs the eye candy?
So I guess we get to the story. One thousand years after Lunar: Silver Star takes place. Evil has crept across the land again (Or has it? Is there a plot twist there?), now it is up to Hiro and Ruby to help a young girl to contact Athena (Who actually appears in the first game as well under a different name. Now really! I can't spoil that plot twist for you, can I?) to help rid the land of the evil Zophar. In their many adventures (or would that be misadventures?) your band of character meets and joins up with a myriad of characters including Lucia, who is innocent to the things around her. Lemina, who is pretty much a selfish, greedy brat who wields powerful magic. Jean, who is a beautiful dancer who has a deadly battle tactic. Ronfar, who is pretty much a .... (Pay attention to his innuendoes) and Nall, who . . . um . . whoops, Ha ha. Another branching plot line.
With twice as many plot twists as the original the game certainly feels very long. And with good reason. Play through the first time. And the game let's you think you "beat" it. Reload the saved file and you have to play through again, backwards (more or less)! This game is lovable and a classic. The entire series harbors many secrets both in game and real world. Do the research and you'll be surprised. I was.
I would not be very surprised if this game fails. I've shown this game to people who never played the original and all I got was a "ho hum" response. When I showed the same person the garbage that other companies put out with zero story and tons of eye candy they instantly want to borrow the game. Trust me, buy or at least rent the game. The sprite based characters won't be fantastic but you'll like the story as it unfolds. You'll be surprised.
Tigerpomme

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Product Description:
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is old-school role-playing goodness at its very best. From the story to the simple battle system, it doesn't bore players with the details that can make newer role-playing games unbearable. No, Lunar 2 won't impress anyone with its likewise old-school graphics, but that's not the point. This game is fun.
The story in Lunar 2 doesn't take itself as seriously as other role-playing games, which contributes to the fun. The game's hero, Hiro, and his sidekick Ruby must help a young girl locate the goddess Althena. The quest turns out to be long, spanning three disks, most of which hold full-motion video cutscenes.
The video sequences in Lunar 2 are probably the best part. They mix Japanese anime with computer graphics and are completely stunning. The in-game graphics, on the other hand, are ported straight from the 16-bit Sega CD, with a few enhancements, so those who like eye candy should consider themselves warned. --Robb Guido
Pros:

Light and fun
Super movie sequences that mix anime and computer graphics

Cons:

Outdated graphics

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Suikoden V Review

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(More customer reviews)Suikoden in all its glory is back! I have just finished the game and am now writing this review.

First of all, when I picked up this game, I wasnt expecting much, after the failure that was suikoden IV (I liked it, but it wasnt suikoden calibur) However, I was sadly mistaken. The graphics on this game arent that great but WHO CARES?! Where RPG's matter, this game gets it all right (Great story, awesome fortress, army battles are the best in this game.) One thing I did like about the graphics though was the birds eye point of view, like youre playing a 2-d RPG but its 3-d. Very awesome. I only have very minor complaints about this game (cant skip dialog, cant pause cutscenes, etc)But overall, I was very impressed

Maybe I'm just crazy, but yknow that feeling you got from PS1 RPGs that you just couldnt stop playing because the story was so good, or you beat a 50 hour long game in a week? Well, that feeling has been rare on PS2 due to companies having the philosophy of "If it looks better, it IS better" But yes, this game will definately have you hooked, and its sales arent stellar right now so please, do the world a favor and BUY THIS GAME! So we can get another awesome suikoden out there.

P.S. I am a suikoden Fan, but if a game is bad, i would tell you, so. If any of you are suikoden fans, this is on the level of Suikoden II (most claim to be the best game in the series)

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Product Description:
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Suikoden with an all-new role-playing adventure filled with mystery and suspense. In the land of Farlena, a prosperous and beautiful country governed by the matriarchy and the benevolent power of the Sun Rune, civil unrest arises and the queen is forced to use the Sun Rune to quell the uprising, but at what cost? Journey as the prince in an expansive quest uncovering the mysteries surrounding the Sun Rune, the civil unrest and the dark intent of an unknown power in the greatest Suikoden saga yet!

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Demon's Souls Review

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(More customer reviews)Note: There are additions to the review below my original review.
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I wanted to provide a review, but I see that most of the others have already addressed most of what this game is all about. This review is based off of the "Deluxe Edition," which differs from the regular edition in that it includes an official strategy guide and a slip cover case that houses the game and strategy guide. The game is exactly the same in both versions.

Demon's Souls is a worthwhile experience in itself, and I highly urge any who are on the fence about it to at least give it a rental. It's a game that one will need to play through more than once in order to feel as though the game has been completed. Read other reviews for details into all of the aspects of the game.

I am going to focus my attention on the "extras" provided with the deluxe version. Is the strategy guide worth the extra $10? As somebody who did not play the import versions of Demon's Souls (many people here have), I can safely endorse the purchase of the deluxe version in order to get the strategy guide. For one, it's beautiful. There was much effort in organizing the art and text in a concise and useful way. It's very easy on the eyes. Each walkthrough section has pictures to go along with the walkthrough instructions, which is helpful. It runs 159 pages and is as big as the game case - not bulky at all. Even though it is small, it does not look or feel cheaply made. Here are the topics considered in the table of contents:

Introduction, Class & Gender, Character Building Guide, Survival Guide, Non-Player Characters, Merchants, Living Body and Soul Form, World Tendency and Character Tendency, Demon's Souls Usage, Magic Guide, Weapons Guide, Weapons Upgrades, Armor, Rings, Items, Enemies, Crystal Lizards, Quirks & Tricks, Trophy Guide, Online Mode Guide, Leveling Guide, Walkthrough (Worlds 1-5), End Game, Perfect Run Walkthrough

There are a couple drawbacks to the strategy guide. Demon's Souls has been out for awhile in Japan, Korea and China. This means that there are already plenty of online resources that discuss just about everything provided in the paperback guide. The guide does not provide illustrated maps of each level, which would have been icing on the cake. This is especially true since the game does not have any sort of mapping system. It would have been nice if the guide were a bit fatter - more detailed descriptions - but sufficed to say, this is a small gripe considering that all items, weapons, rings, monsters, and NPCs got descriptions and pictures to go along with them. It's a blessing and a curse because there is always a want for more content, but an efficient guide is also desirable. This strategy guide is efficient to say the least.

Again, I recommend the "Deluxe Version" even though the only real difference is the strategy guide. If you have no need for a tangible guide then there are online resources that definitely match the content. However, the guide is organized, in full color, and there are pictures that go along with the walkthroughs, items, monsters and other aspects of the game. Most online walkthroughs/guides I have looked at do not provide these things, and the ones that do are not in the same league as the guide provided with the deluxe version.

In summary, the guide is NOT necessary, but it is useful and convenient. Hope this helps!
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*Edit:A few additions to the review.It was brought to my attention that the cover of the guide, most noticeably the spine, fades easily.I found that both the spine and front cover have begun that process.

The information in the guide is still very good.However, after much use of the walkthrough I can honestly say that it's not as extensive as I initially thought it was.It covers the essentials for getting main items and tackling bosses, but it does not cover most items that can be found in each level - it does note which levels all items are located, but the walkthrough section skips over where to find them.The walkthrough also minimizes boss battles in some cases and I found myself deviating heavily from the boss guide.Again, it's still a very good guide overall, but do not expect it to have an answer for everything in the game.If you want to get the main, most powerful items, this guide is definitely for you.

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Product Description:
Beautiful, compelling, and at times unforgiving, Demon's Souls is the hardcore RPG experience PS3 owners have been waiting for since the platform's launch. Revolutionary online features define your adventure like never before, presenting seamless interconnectivity that serves in every instance to enhance the single-player game. Unprecedented in its depth and subtlety, peerless in its relentlessly challenging gameplay, Demon's Souls is the ultimate action RPG. The game features:

- A hardcore RPG challenge

- In this brutal land, death is inevitable, but not final. Combining the best features of an action game and RPG, you'll slice, smash, shoot, and cast magic against some of the most horrible, vicious enemies ever encountered. Are you strong enough to face up to the impossible and win?

- Ground-breaking online capabilities

- Network features go far beyond any previous RPG, allowing players to leave hints for each other, replay death scenes, cooperatively revive dead players, or invade and wreak havoc in another's game. Not merely an add-on feature, multiplayer options are vast, and uniquely focused on changing and intensifying the single player experience.

- Freeform and flexible

- The open-ended structure of the game means that there is no single path, but rather a wealth of options. Set your own pace and progress as you like. Build exactly the character you want by creating a detailed avatar, nurturing the right stats, and customizing your skills and equipment.

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Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga Review

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(More customer reviews)Having played most of the RPGs out on all three console systems, I had been looking into another time waster RPG that I could play that would not only keep me entertained gameplay-wise but also story-wise.There was a series I kept hearing about, Shin Megami Tensei.Two games have been released not even 8 months apart from each other, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and now Digital Devil Saga.I quickly bought both.One I loved, the other not so much.

As it turns out, I tried playing Nocturne first and was completely and utterly frustrated at some design choices in the game.Not only that, but the story didn't seem to be going anywhere, so I quit playing it.I decided to give the Shin Megami series a second chance and tried Digital Devil Saga.All of my complaints of the first game were completely addressed in this game.

Let's start with the story.Digital Devil Saga incorporates a very dark story involving demons and human nature and computers into a wonderful package.The strengths of its story not only lie in the huge events that propel it along but also in some subtle areas.Character reactions that seem a bit over the top in the beginning make perfect sense the more you think about it.SPOILER: it's like the characters are experiencing feelings for the first time and therefore all of their actions and reactions may seem over the top because they are experiencing this heightened feeling for the first time.The story continues up to a climax that leaves the game hanging.Good thing the sequel comes out in August.

Another positive is that you are playing with static characters, humans who can transform into demons.These characters allow more a story format to follow since you have a full party that talks and acts on their own.It's also nice not to have to worry about screwing the characters up (like you could in the fusion system of Nocturne).

And this is a good thing because the combat system in DDS is exactly like in Nocturne.It's based on strength and weaknesses.Every character in the game (save for some bosses) have strengths and weaknesses and it is through manipulating these weaknesses that you can win battles.For instance, if a monster is weak against fire, you want to use fire on him not only to do more damage but to also give you an extra turn to attack.Each character gets one action but by using a weakness, the character only uses 1/2 of their action points.Conversely, enemies can use your weaknesses against you.It's here that you want to combat that.If they use an ability a character is strong against, it takes away their turns.By manipulating strengths and weaknesses, you can control the tide of battle.

I also like what they did with the abilities.Whereas in Nocturne, if you took a new ability you had to effectively forget another ability and it was lost forever, DDS fixes this by allowing you to learn abilities then giving you slots to choose which ones to equip.That way you never fret over having to "forget" an ability which might be the only key to your success later on.It seems like such a small thing, but the ability to customize your characters to battles really helps the game move along.

Speaking of abilities, DDS uses a system much like the sphere grid in FFX.Each character starts with certain abilities already learned from Mantras, and by learning beginning Mantras, you open up paths to bigger and better Mantras.You download Mantras from Terminals for Macha (the monetary system) and by winning battles you gain AP used to learn each Mantra.Afterwards, you can equip learned abilities how you see fit.This gives you a much more rewarding customization option than seen in Nocturne.

The graphic style is also like Nocturne and is real interesting to me.And the art style is also intriguing, the demon designs are inspired, especially the demon you and your friends can turn into.The music is pretty decent (you get the soundtrack album with the purchase) and the voice acting is decent.Once I realized why the characters were over-emphasizing every little emotion they have I appreciated it much more.In the beginning, it is a little jarring because they are talking about emotions in such a heightened, over the top, roll your eyes way.But it's all for a point.

I know that in my review I kept referencing Nocturne.I can't help it.The two games are so intertwined on so many levels that comparisons are impossible to miss.I also bring it up because there might be other players out there like me who couldn't really get into Nocturne and are on the fence with this game because of it.I think if you are new to the Shin Megami Tensei series and want to get your feet wet, try this game before you try (if you even want to try) Nocturne.It is more in line with a traditional RPG format.I will say that DDS is a truly exceptional RPG game with a dark and mature story that brings to life questions about humanity.And it solves all of the problems I had with Nocturne (you can see my review on Nocturne to see what I mean).Not only does it fix problems in Nocturne, but it stands in line with what are considered the pillars of the console RPG community.An excellent adventure with fun gameplay.If you like RPGs you should definitely give this one a try.

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Product Description:
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga collects the Digital Devil games that redefined role-playing in Japan, and updates them for an all-new experience and a new audience. You are seeking the path to Nirvana when you develop the power to change into a demon. Use this power to defeat your enemies and build up enough to storm Nirvana and earn a place in paradise.Discover special link attacks to unleash the power of your party

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Star Ocean: The Second Story Review

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(More customer reviews)After the linear-style of Final Fantasy and other similar RPGs (Which I love BTW), I found Star Ocean 2 a wonderfully refreshing experience. There are just so many options - starting from the beginning, you can choose yourmain character, which other characters you want and take it from there,eventually leading to one out of 86 different endings. It's true that theendings stem mainly from the different combinations of characters that gettogether in the end...but 86! What other game can boast so much replayvalue?
The item creation system is very unique - cooking, art, machinery,authoring, customising...it's all within your power. You choose the skillsand specialities the characters learn. They write books for the othercharacters to read, make better weapons, compose music and create delicious(or not so delicious) dishes. They can even combine their skills to makesuper specialities, which allow you to get better at cooking, publishing,etc, and my favourite - where all the characters sincerely call Barney, agiant white rabbit to cart you around the countryside. Hilarious.
Thegraphics IMO are pretty good. The 3D backgrounds are lovingly rendered,even including really cool minor details like your reflection on a pond orin a mirror. Nice. The characters themselves are 2D sprites, which looksbetter than it sounds - no hassles with fuzzy polygons or anything likethat. And Links has done a fine job (as usual) on the FMV - great eyecandy.
The battle system allows you to take a much more active role incombat situations. In active mode, you basically dash around and try tokonk the enemy without them hitting you. Fighting characters have Killermoves, which are special attacks that are assigned to the L1 and R1buttons. They look cool and wreak havoc on the battle field. For magicusers, the spell animation is nice too, and there is the interestingpossibility of combining spells by casting them at the same time, which canlead to greater damage if done properly.
If I do have any complaints,they are generally not the fault of the game, rather the people who weresupposed to be checking for bugs. Firstly it crashes - no game has evercrashed on me like this one. So save a lot. And there are little things,like the character voices getting mixed up - it is so funny to hear Precisyelling 'Parabola Beam! ' while Claude is doing Mirror Slice, and thewrong word appearing for spells. I guess I'm nitpicking.
As for the gameitself, I find some of the character's voices rather irritating. But that'sa personal thing. The music _is_ rather repetitive...they play the sametracks over and over, but even so, they still sound nice.
[I do have onelarge complaint, and this is that I had to import the game to play it,since it hasn't been released in Australia and doesn't look likely in thenear future. There _are_ serious RPG players here and it would be great ifthe distribution companies recognised that.]
Star Ocean 2 is a reallygood game, offering so much - a great battle system, memorable characters,beautiful graphics and a pretty darn good story. A must for any RPG fan.

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Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha versus King Abaddon Review

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(More customer reviews)Many of you may ask me in my opinion what justifies giving a game 5 stars. As a reviewer I care about a few key factors. Originality, good game play, decent atmosphere/plot, and a seamless non broken experience rate the highest on my list. Things such as "glitches or bugs" can knock down a grade on my end.

Let me state right off the bat any title with "Shin Megami Tensei" stamped on it somewhere will be a Japanese rpg but not a "stereotypical" J-rpg. Devil Summoner 2 continues this proud tradition in style.

As someone living through a new recession the story line hit home. Devil Summoner 2 has a mystery novel vibe to it. You are Raidou, a young man who can negotiate with demons so they will join you but you are a detective during the 1920's in Japan as well that is struggling to hold onto traditions as it enters the modern era.

The Capital's people are hauntingly enough a reflection of us. For some unknown reason "luck" has become imbalanced in the universe. Those that are poor and unlucky are EXTREMLY destitute while the wealthy with good life circumstances go about charmed oblivious existences often not caring or even knowing about the suffering around them. The back drop of this "past Japan" is much akin to "Modern America". There are unemployed workers that are completely without hope. Those fortunate enough to have jobsare forced to labor in harsh conditions thus resort to alcohol and other vices to dull the pain. There are nice girls who turn tricks at the red-light district because they cannot make ends meet any other way. The only glimmer of optimism is as Raidou you can accept cases and help many of these people thus turning back the tides of misfortune.

SMT games are good for addressing issues that effect normal people. The Persona series is most renowned for that and Devil Summoner 2 is no exception to that rule. Sure, things may eventually lead up to an epic confrontation with a mad-man trying to plunge the world into Armageddon but the bigger focus is always "monsters" created by our own society more so than denizens rising from the depths of hell.

The game-play in Devil Summoner 2 is "improved" over the first game in many ways. Raidou can roll and cartwheel with the dodge button to avoid attacks and he no longer has limited ammunition. However after 6 shots he still must reload. In close quarters the hero brandishes a sword to dish out the justice. Normal attacks focus powerful slashes on one foe whereas "special attacks" can hit multiple foes but normally do less overall damage to each adversary.

Now comes the real treat for you traditional SMT fans. Demon negotiation is back. Any person who loved Persona 1-2 or Nocturne knows what demon negotiation is. At any time during combat you can talk to most demons. They all have quirky traits. Like real people demons will judge you based on a first impression and they all have likes and dislikes. Have a stimulating enough conversation and various cute, scary, and sexy beasties will ally with you, allowing you to have them as friends in combat and even during investigations. Negotiating has many layers. For example your friends can better your chances of impressing another demon and may add their voices to the peace-talk. If you have a certain demon type already in your party other demons from that species will almost always be friendly to you if you choose to interact with them kindly instead of slaying them outright. Demons have as much "personality" and "heart" as your back up class-mates in the Persona games so you will get attached even to the weakest ones. (As you raise in level you get more "tubes" which store more demons.)

Speaking of Persona you can fuse demons in much the same way. Instead of dropping by the velvet room you talk to Victor, a mad scientist who loves making new creations from meshing demons together. As with the velvet room you can make more powerful buddies and even call back demons in their separate forms by paying a fee. The more powerful a demon was, the more it costs to recruit them anew. A good thing to also remember is registering your demons often. As they increase in level and rank you'll want to be sure Victor records their improving stats.

By itself the system of "negotiating" and "fusing" is fun enough as it is. However what is really innovative is you can summon one demon from your list to help you in non-combat situations. Inugami can read minds when you question someone showing you their true thoughts. Petra is good at diving down wells to retrieve items for you. A skill caste demon such as Pixie can even let you take on the appearance of your suspects and enemies in order to get past guards or other obstacles. All this accumulates into an engrossing and entertaining romp whether you are fighting creatures or merely gathering clues.

However there are a few minor gripes. First and foremost if this is your first SMT game you may not know the weaknesses of every demon type. I suggest using the analyze skill whenever you can and attempting different things in battle. You can switch out demons in combat so never be hesitant to trade someone out if they don't seem to be doing well in the present situation. If a creature can do insane melee damage try distancing yourself and using your gun. Sometimes bullets can temporarily stun foes. Lastly remember you can "hide" your demons by pressing one of the left shoulder buttons. This reduces the punishmentyour party has to take.

Beyond battles occasionally spiking in difficulty level my only other qualm is a mild one. There is no voice acting. The main characters are so deep, artistically rendered, and expressive the lack of speech did not phase me much but if you got spoiled by the great localizations and voice talent from the digital devil and persona games this maybe a red mark on your scoring sheet.

Overall Devil Summoner 2 is a great rpg. I liked its' strategic yet live action battles as well as the various ways demons can offer their aid both on and off the combat field. I'd go so far to say I haven't seen as much charm and creativity woven into many next gen titles. Give Atlus a stone wheel and a crank and they'll make you a reliable yet flashy all terrain automobile! Atlus does so much with last gen hardware and software I cannot wait to see what heights they will soar to once they catch up with the pack!

Pros

+Great story

+I could relate to the desperate gritty semi industrial setting of 1920's Japan.

+Interesting and lovable antagonists and protagonists

+Combat physics improved upon since the first game

+Don't have to play DS 1 to appreciate DS 2.

+ Demons are valuable friends both during investigation and in the thick of battle.

+Touches on issues experienced by real people. Sure there is epic cheese too, but not too much of it.

+Talking black cat familiars are awesome.

+If you love pokemon (Aka collecting creatures, fusing them to make more powerful variants, and interacting with your adorable entourage of misfits) you will love Devil Summoner 2!

+No longer run out of ammo though you still must "reload" after 6 shots.

Cons

-Those new to SMT are not going to know the weaknesses of all the demons

-Battles can easily go from "reasonable" to "OMFG....it shanked me with one hit!"

- Status ailments which "mind-frag" your allies really suck. Stock up on appropriate items to keep your demons mentally and physically sound.

-The very term "demon". It encompasses all creatures you interact with even those whom are not truly classified as demons by mythology. For example "pixies" are fey. However modern religion does "demonize" all things of the old faiths so it makes sense if you look at it from a certain perspective. Aka "demon" is the term humans give to any creatures they fear and don't understand.

-If you enjoyed the turn based battles in Digital Devil saga, Nocturne, and Persona 3-4 the new "live action elements" may take awhile to get used to.

-No voice acting

-It's a shame certain gamers may get the wrong idea by the title "Devil Summoner". While there are adult themes it also is about doing the right thing, using negotiation instead of violence to make new friends, and impacting the lives of other people in a positive way. Kind of a chuckle-fest to consider how many yokels are going to assume this game encourages satanic worship and deflowering virgins to bring ol Horny back into the world.

Pro or con? +/-: Raidou is yet another silent protagonist. He's cool, chill, and fashionably verb but doesn't express much emotion. Compared to say Yuri from Shadow-Hearts he is a stick in the mud. However Raidou is supposed to represent the player and if he was given an opinionated and wacky personality would we be able to relate to him any better? That is debatable. Gouto, Raidou's familiar luckily has plenty of pazaaz as does the lovable cast which offer support. Perhaps even a quiet hero is a bit more impressionable with a black cat side kick pouncing around at his side. Either you like "silent protagonists" or you don't which is why I bring this up as a big neutral point.

Overall: Despite its' flaws DS 2 gets 5 stars from me. There are no game halting glitches, lag, or other nuisances which actually seem to pop up more in next gen titles. The 1920's era is portrayed perfectly, I love the artistic direction, and as with Persona it touches on the struggle and triumph of the human spirit. For the price you cannot beat this bargain. Also though it shames me to admit it I love my Raidou plushie. Apparently I'm not as macho as I thought. Oh well, back to playing!

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Product Description:
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha versus King Abaddon is the newest game in a popular Shin Megami Tensei subseries that delivers significant gameplay advancements over the original while maintaining its stylish design and unique setting. New features, like demon negotiation, combine with fully enhanced and retooled components of the previous game, like the battle system, weapon alchemy, and more. Possibly the PS2's RPG swansong, and sure to be one of the more popular games in the famed SMT series, Devil Summoner 2 is poised to make a big splash among genre fans upon its release.


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A new threat to Japan's Capital calls for the return of Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th, the case-solving, tube-slinging protector of the city. When a woman walks into the Narumi Detective Agency and asks to find a man, Raidou's boss is reluctant to accept, but soon it's clear there's more to the case than it seems on the surface. It isn't long before Raidou is on the trail of crooked gamblers, masked ninja, and strange insects... a trail leading him inexorably to the mysterious King Abaddon.

Key Game Features:

Massively upgraded battle system--Advancements to the battle system include a MAG balancing system, dodge and hide abilities, and the ability to command two demons in combat. Use the retooled Weapon Alchemy system to create new swords with unique special attacks.80 hours of classic dungeon crawling.
Deeper demon integration--Demon negotiation returns with more than twice the number of demons to attempt to recruit to your side. Create more powerful demons through fusion and skill transfer. Control two demons in battle and choose from more tactical options.
Phenomenal creative team--The rich environment of this Taisho-era Japan comes to life with the character designs of Kazuma Kaneko and the musical score of Shoji Meguro.

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Thousand Arms Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Thousand Arms is in my opinion the best RPG to date on the Playstation console.It has a light spirit but a deep plot.This game is filled with subtle jokes.It will keep you and your friends playing for the entireweekend. (Forget about that homework!) Thousand Arms is not that difficultbut it will certainly challenge in some areas.
The only complaint that Ihave about this game is the random battle system.Although almost everyRPG has this I wish they would do something new.For example when in acertain dungeon while trying to explore one will keep on continuallyrunning into random monsters.This gets very repetetive.
The graphicsare excelent with some of the best anime every seen on the playstation. This game actually has voice acting although Metal Gear Solid still beatsit in this area. This is the only game I have seen on the Playstation wherethe graphics do not continually shimmer and a another small thing I noticedis that this is the first time a game has actaully done trees right!
Allin all Thousand Arms is a great game for anyone!

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Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My experience with developer tri-ace's games dates back to the original Playstation era with Star Ocean:The 2nd Story. Like most gamers on this side of the world, this was probably the one of the first tri-ace titles that had and created enough of a buzz to form a niche of fans. The other game, which is credited with a simular yet even bigger buzz, was the original Valkyrie Profile.

Unfortunately, the yield from the initial pressing run of that game was so low (so tri-ace wouldn't lose to much if the game didn't sell or catch on) by the time I had heard the hype surrounding VP and wanted to give the game a try it was much too late... copies of the game were selling at astronomical prices on e-bay much like how sealed copies of Final Fantasy VII are selling now. Because of this I was ecstatic when a sequel - which in this case is actually a prequel - was announced so I could finally experience what I had missed out on the first time in one form or another. Granted, VP2 is not a complete carbon copy of the original, but the majority of the gameplay elements cross the game/generation gap, so in essence this game should probably give you an idea of what the original itself was like.

So, would I say that I was blown away or impressed by what I missed out with missing the original VP? Not really.

To start with, the game is simply beautiful. There are some dazzling effects, from leaves and grass waving in the breeze to various types of weather pounding some of the locals. This is what one should expect from a last generation PS2 title. Sure, every once in a while the battle camera might clip some polygons so it looks like your characters are standing on air, but that is so minor it doesn't matter. The only gripe I have is I wish the characters weapons changed depending on what they currently have equipped. However, since the character designs are so dependant on the default look of the weaponry, the above simply wouldn't work very well.

Combat is Valkyrie's claim to fame, much like it is in other tri-ace games like Star Ocean. This is a good thing, considering the amount of time you'll spend in battle mode leveling up the game's massive number of characters (of which only a handful are actually involved in the story, the others just seem to be there). At a quick glance, the battle system seems to be a button mashers dream, but like a good 3D fighting series (Soul Caliber or Tekken) those who know what their doing will always get further or have less difficulty as things can be difficult enough. Other combat related issues also sprout up: reviving an ally requires you to be near the ally's body and status effects are so not your friend - especially when the whole party is inflicted at once (especially with poison) *shutter* .

As fun as combat is, there are quite a few hitches to be aware of, such as wasting AP on a dash and getting nowhere because your party is caught on the edge of "something" in the environment or when party members become separated for the same reason, limiting your attack options until you take the time and go back and get them. This becomes especially aggravating when you're trying to finish battles as quickly and efficiently as possible to receive experience and crystal bonuses. The change from a 2D fighting environment in VP to a 3D one in VP2 works, but the above issues make you yearn for 2D battles of the original which would probably be devoid of these problems.

The game's skill system is another area that initially seems interesting and clever but quickly becomes quite cumbersome. You'll form rune words with your equipment and accessories to unlock new "potential" skills. Note the word "potential" in the previous sentence. Unlocking a new skill doesn't grant the character the skill automatically - only though battle can the skill be used and permanently learned. At first glance this is a good thing since it prevents abuse (think FFIX skill system here), but the player then quickly finds out it "may" (well, usually) take a long to learn said skill. Instead of being awarded a set amount of points towards your skills after an enemy defeat like in most normal RPGs, a percentage earned towards potential skills based on the average level of your current party and that of the enemy(s). Because of this you'll constantly be seeking out stronger and stronger enemies and you'll hardly ever find an "undeniable great place" to level up. You'll also be contending with the never ending equipping and unequipping of equipment while doing this and often means your party is usually far from wearing the strongest available equipment at all times - something that is usually a given in most RPGs.

Traversing dungeons is probably the most noteworthy aspect of VP2 after the battle system. The first few are a complete cakewalk and teach you the ropes, the later ones can really test you sanity and your brainpower. Correct sealstone usage and photon know-how go a long way towards completely clearing them of all their contents. Kudos to tri-ace for the awesome auto map feature - features like this need to become an industry/genre standard!

In the sound department, Motoi Sakuraba makes a rather subdued yet solid entrance, seeming to ditch his rather unique yet unorthodox style of composing. It's not until much later until you hear a piece and you know "yeah, that's Sakuraba, no doubt". The voice-overs are good, but at the same time just a few tiers above decent.

Valkyrie Profile 2 also falls victim to problems that are prevalent in other tri-ace games. Some moments of unbalanced gameplay creep up on the player as the difficulty goes up a few notches without much warning. The story is once again slow to start (is this even a surprise anymore with tri-ace games?), and some of the story twists you can see coming a mile away (the one revelation at the end of Chapter 3 was so freaking obvious!).

All this said is Valkyrie Profile 2 worth playing if you've never experienced VP? Yes. However, now having experienced it, I honestly think I could have had waited for a price drop instead of buying it on day it came out. Despite this, I still look forward to playing the re-release of the original on the PSP.

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Product Description:
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria tells the story of another valkyrie sister that takes place hundreds of years before Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth. In this latest installment of the legendary RPG series, divine insurrection besieges the heavens. Invoking his power as king of the gods, Odin hastily reincarnates the spirit of rebel valkyrie Silmeria into Alicia, Princess of Dipan. However, unbeknownst to Odin, the spirit of the battle maiden awakens within Alicia, still seeking vengeance. Believing his daughter to be possessed, King Barbarossa of Dipan declares Alicia dead and exiles her to a faraway castle. Odin learns of Silmeria's awakening and dispatches the imperious Hrist Valkyrie to summon her spirit to Valhalla. Alicia runs in fear -- and Silmeria in defiance -- as they embark on a journey where nothing is what it seems and all hide behind a mask.

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Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)To avoid becoming stale, Devil Summoner, the fourth game with the Shin Megami Tensei name to be released on the PS2 in three years, had to change its focus. The other MegaTen games for the PS2, as well as the PS1 spin-off series Persona and the gameboy's Demi-Kids series, were all challenging turn-based, dungeon crawling RPGs. Devil Summoner, while retaining some of the characteristics of previous MegaTen games, has largely scrapped tradition by throwing out the strategy-heavy turn-based system for a more frantic action-oriented battle system. As the story uses a heavy 1920's detective motiff, it also incorporates elements of PC adventure games. Change is not always for the better, as Devil Summoner makes a mess of most of its attempts are innovation because the game has the absolute worst flaws of the console RPG and PC adventure game genres.

The battle system, while likely to please fans of action games, will most likely turn off MegaTen veterans as being too simplistic. Raidou, the main character's, set of skills is very limited. He can block, fire his pistol, and used 3 different sword techniques. As the screen is quite small and the game enjoys filling the screen with enemies until it overwhelms the PS2's processor,causing annoying slow-down and obstructing the player's view of what is happening on the field, most battles quickly devolve into into a mindless hackfest. The system of exploiting enemy weakpoints from previous MegaTen games is still there but the frantic nature of the battles and the fact that Raidou and its demonic allies are heavily outnumbered means that the player won't be exploiting the system so much as the enemies will be hammering away at your ally demons, who are controlled by a rather dim AI.

The best thing related to the battle system is, of course, the demon recruitment and fusion aspect. Raidou can stun and trap almost any demon he encounters in battle and make it fight along side him. Some enemies are too power to capture though, and to get the best allies, he must fuse two demons together to make a new more powerful ally. The new ally may pick up skills it normally wouldn't have from its "parents".

The story is highly entertaining. Raidou, a young devil summoner, is charged with protecting the capital of Japan by the gods of Yatagarasu. He moonlights as the detective solving all kinds of supernatural cases. One night, he encounters a school girl who claims to be possessed by a demon and begs him to kill her. Before he can react, she is kidnapped by the military. It's a very interesting tale, told in twelve chapters, that involves killer cyborgs, mutiny, and inter-dimensional travel. Easily the game's best aspect, because if the battle system doesn't put you off, the exploration system will.

This game plays out like a PC adventure game. As a detective you'll be traveling all over the city, talking to witnesses and gathering evidence. Unfortunately, most people want you do something for them before they tell you anything, so you will be going back and forth, back and forth between the various neighborhoods of Tokyo alot. These fetch quests can be utterly ridiculous at times, as the game will tell you go somewhere to talk to someone, then that person will tell you to go find something, but before you go looking for it you have to report in to Raidou's boss. It just fills like busy work. However, as Devil Summoner features very few actual dungeons, enemy encounters happen in town. And the encounter rate is high, sometimes with only a few steps between fights. That's right. Enemy attacks happen just about anywhere. Luckily, Devil Summoner is a short game. Even with all the nonsense it has to pad the play time, it should only take about 25 hours to complete.

There really isn't that much else to say about Devil Summoner. It's technical aspects are average or even a little below average. Sound and visuals aren't terrible or outstanding. It's interesting enough to play to completetion, but this is a game most people can safely live without.

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Product Description:
Raidou Kuzunoha is a private detective in Japan's Taishou Period of the 1910s and 1920s, but he's much more than just a well-dressed crime scene investigator; he also has the power to capture and conjure demons to do his bidding. Take control of Raidou and his otherworldly companions, guide them through thrilling episodes of action and intrigue, and learn the incredible secrets of the Soulless Army!

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Breath of Fire III Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Being someone who loves RPG games, but sucked terribly at dexterity, I was always frustrated with never being able to find a game I could complete -- lack of coordination. This game is more of a thinking game, and while thereare some dexterity/coordination parts, it's not constant keypad movementsand doesn't frustrate you so much to want to quit. Needless to say, thehumor, the clever puzzles and the story line itself is great and I highlyrecommend this game. There are so many places to explore ... once throughis not enough!

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Shadow Hearts: Covenant Review

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(More customer reviews)Until the release of Shadow Hearts II - Covenant, 2004 has been a very dry year for fantasy gamers.Not that there have ever been a really good year for the genre, Fantasy RPG games.Good fantasy of the class of the Final Fantasy series is difficult and costly to produce, and somply doesn't have the market share that other types of games command.Which is why Covenant is such a surprise.

The original Shadow Hearts was a strong, gothic game featuring Yuri and Alice as their adventures sprawled across Asia and Europe.A solid plot, interesting battle system and good art and animation made the game into a closet success.It wasn't as great as the FFX 10's and lacked the addictive play of the .hack series.But it was a game well worth playing.

Covenant, which picks up the story of Yuri after the death of Alice is an order of magnitude better.The plot, which fills two disks is full of intricate twists and turns as Yuri and a pretty German lieutenant (Karin) start a journey to find a new evil that is leading early 20th century Europe into war.These to gradually accumulate a glittering cast that includes Geppetto, his doll Cornelia, Joachim the vampire wrestler, a Russian princess, a white wolf and even more. The go from France to England and Russia and then back to Japan as well.In this huge geography the cast unearths layer after layer of evil.Each time the apparent cause is defeated another is found to be pulling the strings.

All of the characters come to life thanks to an excellent script and use of cut scene.Each gets to star, but Joachim steals the show with a genuinely funny performance. Pompous, perpetually showing of his muscles and still genuinely likeable, he has a knack for using things like frozen tuna and skyscrapers as weapons.And each time he discovers one we get a new comical cut scenes.But all of the characters have surprising wit and warmth, and each has their own panoply of accessories, special skills, and weapons.Most of the subplots of the game involve character improvement.

Art and animation are in keeping with the level of the plot.Hours of cut scenes, many remarkable settings, and a huge cast of villains and monsters keep your eyes on the scene, often desperately looking for the next magical item needed to advance the plot and clues to the next puzzle.

The fighting system uses a wheel with sensitive areas.You have to strike the areas to initiate an attack.It quickly becomes intuitive, and the player can tune the wheel to enable various feats and displays of skill.Expect your right thumb to get a serious workout.

This game comes in a very close second to the best of Final Fantasy.Certainly, if you like the one, you will like the other as well.I managed to get completely distracted by Covenant for something like 90 hours.You can finish in less, but the subplots are an important part of the game - winning is less important to me than taking the grand tour.If you've been waiting for something worth spending money on, this is it.Be warned, the dialog is a bit bawdy - definitely teen and up.

On replay -

I was surprised how well the game held up the second time through.this time I played through Shadow Hearts 1 and the through Covenant.Be warned, while the Japanese version does know that a completed first game was on the card, the US version doesn't seem to.In neither case does Covenant recognise that a player actually managed to get to the 'good' ending of SH1.Neither of these are biggies, though.On this time through I was in better control of the complex play system and managed to run a fairly logical game without a lot of backtracking.

Again I was struck by the high level of story telling, and by the amount of innuendo (and worse).This is a game that really is appealing to someone looking for a richer experience than other RPG's offer.

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Product Description:
Shadow Hearts 2: Covenant is a deep, engaging strategy role-player that continues the story of the original Shadow hearts. In this sequel, World War I has started, and a cult has used the chaos to further their own ambitions. Yuri, the hero of the first game, will explore his new powers as he fights this new evil. An engaging strategy epic where you try to survive battles against secret cults and powerful, mysterious wizards.

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Ys Seven Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a huge fan of the Ys series who has played all the games chronologically, I can safely tell you that Ys Seven continues the amazing epic awesomeness of the series! The limited edition comes with a CD featuring music from Ys 7, an art book with amazing art from the three psp Ys games coming out, the game itself, and a cloth map! If you're not a Ys fan, you may find it odd that there is no "Ys" marked on the map... but this is only because you don't know the history x3 Ys is on there.
The game is a masterpiece thus far and although I haven't gotten to the end yet, I am close enough to say this game is well worth your money, even if you're not an Ys fan! I will be getting Ys (3): The Oath in Felghana as well as Ys I&II Chronicles, believe you me <3

[...]

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Product Description:

Get 10% OFF

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Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Review

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(More customer reviews)Nocturne is one of the most interesting (both plot and gameplay-wise) RPGs I have ever played.Having borrowed a successful monster collecting formula from Pokemon, and a plot line out of a horror movie, this game definitely monopolized my attention over some other recent RPGs.

Nocturne introduces the players into a strange post-apocalypse world where the hero becomes a demon after the rest of the world is destroyed.There are no princesses to save here, nor are you some do-gooder so typical of other RPGs.Basically you are trying to survive in a world full of demons, and you get to choose your own destiny.Most of the choices are pretty dark though.

Gameplay-wise Nocturne is a lot like Pokemon, but taken to the next level.The hero starts off alone and must recruit other demons as allies.The hero's party can either talk/bribe/kidnap demons to join, or to use a system called "fusion" which allows the player to fuse two or three demons together so to create a brand new demon.There are around 180 demons total in this game, seperated into multiple classes and levels.There are also around 100 (very rough guess) different attacks/skills here shared by these demons.When you fuse demons, you can randomly combine different skills of the parent demons.Of course, the gimmick here is that you can only keep up to 8 demons, and for each demon you can keep only 8 different attacks/spells.

Understanding of different attacks and spells make up bulk of the strategy here.Attacks are divided into phyical, fire/ice/lighting/wind elemental, curse/mind, and light/dark magical types.In addition you have stat buffing/debuffing spells.Since most of the enemies you fight against will have certain weaknesses, finding a weakness will not only allow the player to do more damage, but it will also allows the player to attack an extra turn.This mechanism means that even if the player's demons are leveled up high, the player can still easily lose to low level demons if the demon lineups are wrong.Having said this, it's very difficult to beat this game without dying many times, since you wouldn't know what to expect from most demons/bosses the first time.

Graphic-wise this game is Cell-shaded (reminds me of the game Breath of Fire V dragon quarters), and very stylish in terms of character designs.The overhead world is a bit blend though.Unlikely Final Fantasy you wont see 2 mintue summons or outlandish spells when you fight enemies and the attacks are mostly unspectular.Nothing too good or bad in this department.

The music for this game is very good if you can stand heavy metal/industrial.I actually like most of the pieces alot.The sound is fairly crisp.When you destroy some enemies they will moan, while others just simply disappear.Nothing too impressive here either.

My biggest complaint about this game is the naming convention used in this game.The monsters' names are mostly confusing and there are no numbers IDs assigned to each monster.This makes fusing a bit confusing/difficult for beginners.It's not too bad though if you get used to it.

Last but not the least, this game is definitely not for kids.The demons in this game do not only swear and use the F-word on a regular basis, this game also has many occult references which will certainly offend most religious fanatics.The Demons include Christian Biblical figures, far east deities, and various mythological creatures.This game's story line features alot of philosophical mumbo jumbo which will be difficult to understand to some, and possibly to be considered satanic to those who do understand.

This game will take a while to finish.Probably 50-60 hours the first time through, and alot more if you are planning to collect all of the demons in the game.Overall I recommend this to any RPG fan who are not too religious or easily offended.

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Product Description:
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is a continuation of the popular role-playing series, set in our modern world. It's an average day, as a typical Japanese high school student goes to the hospital, for a visit with his sick teacher. While on the train, he gets a mysterious vision that the Apocalypse is coming. Arriving at the hospital, the boy is sucked into a Vortex Field, into a dark mirror-image of his world. When he learns our world is ending to make room for this new one, he'll do what he can to get back home and (hopefully) stop the Apocalypse.

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Odin Sphere Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been an avid gamer since the Atari 2600 days. One thing I've noticed over those 2 and a half decades of console gaming is that almost always the best games for all of the systems come out at the end of the systems' life cycle. Look at the games the SNES had in its last year of life. Chrono Trigger anyone? And other games like Donkey Kong Country were displaying graphics that seemed inpossible for the SNES. I also remember playing a Batman game on the NES (forget the title)that came out as the NES was dying, it too had graphics that seemed impossible for the NES. One big reason this is is that by the time a system is about to be taken off the market, developers have had a lot of time to get to know the system's hardware and know all the ins and outs when developing games for it. Games have gotten more involved as years have passed, especially RPG's, so now the games that come out at the end of the newer system's life not only have the best graphics seen yet on the system, the developes have also had years to flesh out the story, combat and item systems. You'll understand this when you play the awesome Odin Sphere.

At its core, the game is an action/adventure RPG. You wander through areas going left to right and attack enemies in real time. It's a bit like the first Valkyrie Profile that came out for the PS1, but way more fine tuned. When enemies are defeated, they release spirits called Phozons that you can magically absorb into your weapon making it more powerful. All areas are set up in "Stages". When you get tot he end of a stage, Odin will drop a treasure chest from the heavens you can open to collect rewards. The cool thing here is, the faster you complete a stage, the better items the treasure chest will have. Also, the less damage you take within that stage will also grant you better items.

Speaking of items, you can get them in a variety of ways. There are vendors scattered throughout castles and battlefields, and you can also grow them. You find seeds all over the place, as well as sheep seeds and more. What you do is plant the seeds near some enemies, and defeat the enemies. Instead of absorbing into your weapong, the phozons will absorb into the seeds making a plant grow that will have various items hanging off of them depending on what seed you planted. It's a very unique concept. You can also cook in the game, and there's a fairly easy alchemy system you can use.

The story is all about Norse mythology, and the graphics that are hand painted reflect that. You have the option to play the game with English voiceovers or in the original Japanese with English subtitles. I selected the English option, and the voice acting is actually pretty good.

If you're a fan of RPG's at all, especially if you're looking for something that's different from anything else out there right now, Odin Sphere should be a game you should pick up as soon as you can. The game seems very involved, and it is, but the game also lets you select from three different difficulty levels at any time.

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Product Description:
In Odin Sphere, players enact the story of their world's end. A great kingdom named Valentine was brought apart by natural disaster and internal strife. As war broke out, the once-great nation became a wasteland. As a demon lord named Odin schemes to conquer it, a far-off sorceror plans to use ancient magic that will bring an apocalypse. As the nations struggle for control, the world steadily slips unknowingly toward its demise, ancient prophecies are ready to be fulfilled -- unless a young princess named Gwendolyn can stop the bloody feud between nations and fight for unity.

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.hack, Part 1: Infection Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I normally don't do many reviews, but those posted here about this game so far don't really do it justice.
Dot Hack is the newest installment of the next generation of RPGs: live-action combat sequences, intricate plots, and complicated gameplay. You take the role of Kite, an eigth grade boy trying to discover why the online game "The World" caused his friend, Orca, to go into a coma. Split between the gaming world and "the real world" (which is represented by Kite's desktop), Dot Hack allows you to email in-game players, keep up with the news, and follow threads in an expansive message board that probably is the most creative way I've ever seen a game present its own instructions. After working your way through Kite's desktop, you then play Kite's character in "The World" (think a very big game-within-a-game).
"The World" is not unlike the Everquest style MMORPGs of today. You form groups, you trade with other players, you visit dungeons, you fight monsters, you find special items, and so on. Your parties rotate given who is willing to play and who is not; if you are friendly to your favorite partners, for instance, they will more than likely team up with you when you catch them online. Given that the game is entirely computer-based, this well-done simulation bettered my original expectations.
The game has its weak points, as well. Kite's character's class is not chosen, which is frustrating to those (like me) who find some of the other classes far more interesting. Also, the name-generated playing fields have the feel of those old-style random dungeon crawls for the PC. This gets old quick, but the well-done cut scenes and fields that actually advance the story are just enough to keep the game spinning in my Playstation.
Gone are the basic turned-based games with simple storylines; as a longtime veteran of RPGs, I appreciate and welcome this change. The innovative gameplay and absolutely fantastic storyline of Dot Hack (and its anime counterpart) has me looking forward to the rest of the series. Four stars.

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Product Description:
A 14-year-old boy named Kite is invited by his schoolmate Orca to play the online game The World. While playing the game, both Kite and his friend are attacked by an unknown monster. As a result, Orca becomes comatose in the real world. Despite his friend's condition, Kite continues to play, believing he'll find a way to revive Orca. While playing The World, Kite accepts the Twilight from Aura, a mysterious girl in white. Kite is transformed into an Outlaw player within the game, wielding the very same power responsible for Orca's condition.

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Shadow Hearts Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Midway is publishing an RPG? Surprisingly enough, yes, and it happens to be a well-translated adaptation of a fine Japanese RPG. Featuring a dark, macabre story and premise, memorable characters, as well as some of the finest music compositions yet heard on the PS2, it is not an RPG to be missed by any fan of the genre.
This game was created by ex-Squaresoft members who left Squaare and created a development company called Sacnoth. Much like Monolithsoft, developers of the upcoming prequel to Xenogears, Xenosaga, Sacnoth members were sick of creating yet more Final Fantasy related games and wanted to do something different. And something different Shadow Hearts certainly is.
The game features a Square-esque polish, so it is solid in its presentation and has excellent character and plot development. Unlike Square's recent Final Fantasy games, however, you end up playing more than watching.
Pros:
Dark, unique story and good character development
Excellent dialog breathes life into the characters
Beautiful and haunting musical score.
Cons:
Graphics are dated (true gamers realize the unimportance of pretty graphics)
Battle system a little too simple.
So please, put down Final Fantasy X and pick this game up. FFX will be there tomorrow, however, this game may not. This is because it will most likely be overlooked due to FFX's early release date. Don't let that happen, you'll be missing out on one of the best RPG's to come our way in quite a while.

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Product Description:
A hero with a mysterious past. A young girl holding the key to world domination. A villain who will stop at nothing to unlock the path to unlimited power. Prepare to experience an RPG unlike any other. Welcome to the world of Shadow Hearts.

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