Jeanne d'Arc Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)With so many great looking RPG titles coming to my favorite handheld (the PSP) these past few months I have certainly had my hands full trying to play and complete them all (Hope I don't get fired from my day job).Catching my attention this time is a "Level 5" PSP exclusive title by the name of "Jeanne D'Arc."This game is everything a Strategy RPG (SRPG) should be and more.Outstanding graphics, an intriguing story and an unbelievably easy pick up and play control scheme.So let get in to the particulars of this wonderful title...

Story: 8.0
The story, which is based very loosely on the story of Joan of Arc, because it is so loosely based on the real story, it is very entertaining.Jeanne D'Arcs' story blends history and fantasy beautifully, it starts with a Young King Henry getting possessed by some demonic power.His father who possesses one of the five armlets that were created to defeat these demons centuries ago, tries to save him but is too late as the demon consumes King Henry.Then enter Jeanne a girl who witnesses her village being attacked by demons, comes across one of these armlets and also believes she hears a call from God instructing her to kill the demons that rampage her village.This ancient armlet is said to be able to transform it's wearer into a great armored warrior.The story progresses mainly with three characters, Jeanne and her two friends Lianne and Roger.Many other characters throughout their journey are introduced and play apart in the main plot, but the majority of the time they are expendable at best.It is the three main characters and their interesting personalities; however that keep the story very interesting.

Graphics: 8.5
Jeanne D' Arcs' graphics are in a word, amazing.The 2D cel-shaded graphics used to bring the colorful and vibrant characters to life are absolutely gorgeous.The developers really impress by creating a product that can really show what the PSP is capable of.To start the adventure and throughout players are treated to some very beautiful anime cut-scenes, which are worthy of praise by any anime fanboy alive.This coupled with gorgeous backgrounds, magic spells, and Jeanne's' armlet transformations are enough to satisfy anyone craving some PSP eye candy. You honestly have to see this game in action to truly appreciate it; online screenshots do not do it any justice.

Sound:7.5
Every thing as far as background music and battle sounds like arrows whipping and other attack sounds were great. If I was a little disappointed about anything though, it would have to be the voice acting or the lack there of.It would have been nice to here them shout out some of their battle cries as opposed to having to read them in a little bubble. This is a VERY minor complaint though; it just would have been nice to hear seeing as how the voice acting in the anime cut-scenes were so great.It is also a little unfortunate that the anime cut-scenes don't include subtitles, because you'll miss a lot of the story if you play with the sound off.

Gameplay: 10
This area is where Jeanne D'Arc shows that it belongs amongst the handheld Strategy RPG greats.I could not find any flaws in the gameplay, I repeat no flaws in the gameplay what so ever.This game competes with other Strategy RPGs, by using what has always worked.You'll have at your disposable by mid game a small army, but in most cases you will only be able to take 6 in to battle.In some cases you may have less to choose because some characters are default depending on the battle.This of course adds to the tactical experience as to what members you want on the field and where to place them so you are victorious.Thankfully though the game allows you to re-visit some of the places you fought battles to make sure you can get to level up everyone in your party.

Like in any good SRPG these battles take place on a grid, and players are limited to a number of spaces they can move with an attack or use of an item/spell ends that characters turn. As players begin to find different characters with different weapons and abilities, the tactics will continue to change. Lancers, for example, can hit two spaces ahead of them, instead of one and Archers can attack from long distances causing more damage from above.

During battles, players can attack, use skills or cast magic spells. These skills can be added by collecting skill stones which players get when they defeat an enemy.Your characters can only carry six of these stones at any one time once again adding to your decision process before going in to battle, because there are more than a hundred of these stones in the game.With these stones you can choose different skills and put the on each of the characters before each battle.These skills can range from making stronger regular attacks, alter stats, or attack a number of enemies at once.Some stones can only be used by specific character types, so choose carefully.

Later in the game you will come across a character that will allow you to combine these stones. By combining two skill stones, a new one is created which will give you even more powerful abilities.This is the main reason I loved this game the customization is so deep, but yet so simple to use.Some of the new abilities created will allow players to counter enemies before they attack you, run longer distances, instill massive damage, and more.

There are also two neat and innovative features in this game that have not been seen in others.These effects are called the "Burning Aura Hotspot" and "Joint Defense".

With the "Burning Aura Hotspot" a hotspot will appear behind any enemy that is attacked and any party member who stands in that will get an attacking boost. If the "Burning Aura" falls on a character already occupying the space, the Aura will move with the character, giving them the ability to use the damage bonus elsewhere.

The other feature is "Joint Defense", which when characters are no more than one space apart, they will combine their defensive abilities reducing the damage caused by enemies significantly.This feature is especially useful when fighting a tough boss.

Bottom Line:

With Jeanne D'Arc's simple, and easy to understand battle system it is amazing how much depth there is here.Anyone with half a brain cell can pick this game up and start playing with out any frustrating with menus, customization, gameplay.I am betting most SRPG fans are probably awaiting the two other great SRPG's on the horizon for the PSP in the way of Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea for PSP.Both are due out this year and are sure to be better than excellent. But, Jeanne D' Arc is a new and original title no one has seen before on any system and should not be missed by any PSP owner.Lastly let me say that after having tried almost all the SRPG's available for the PSP I was left disappointed after every one.So what do I have to say about "Level 5"s latest addition to the PSP Library?Just two words to them...Thank YOU!!

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Product Description:
Jeanne D'Arc PSP

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Monster Hunter Freedom 2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Monster Hunter Freedom 2 is by far the best version of one of the best video games ever made (I've played all US and Japan versions). Lots of little improvments over the Japanese PS2 release makes this worth the wait. The best dragon/creature fighting experience you can have in a game - but it takes work and patience to get there.

Huge hit in Japan, but so-so in USA outside its core fans. Reviewers calling for auto-target miss the whole point of this game: it's all about developing the skill to target specific areas of each monster (and then not getting killed!). Camera is definitely weird at first, but once you get the hang of it you'll be wishing other games used the same system. Basically YOU have to point the camera, it doesn't move for you! Final aspect of game is it takes patience to do a little farming, mining, bug catching activities - something I enjoy but not for everyone, however, with new version you can minimize those activities if you just want to bust some monsters up. Some people may never get over those hurdles, which is fine - there are plenty of games that I don't like that are still great games. I can guarantee that if you spend enough time with the game so the camera and weapons system are second nature, you are in for some of the most heart-thumping monster battles you could ever imagine, and the beasts keep coming and coming! If I made a list of my top 10 gaming moments, probably 8 or 9 would be things that happened in MH - and I've played plenty of other games.

Need to get WIFI max and KAI for online play - not directly supported at this time, but it works OK. Ad-hoc face to face is great fun for up to 4 people. MHF2 has more weapons & armor than you'll ever be able to use, faster load times, stabilized camera, and loads of other improvements that make this the best time to give Monster Hunter a decent go.

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Product Description:
Experience the most breathtaking, immersive and epic game alone or with up to four friends over wireless play to hunt down ferocious, bloodthirsty beasts

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Star Ocean: Second Evolution Review

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(More customer reviews)Star Ocean strikes again, this time accompanying the very first Star Ocean, which was never released to North America. Those returning to this game will find the game they remembered. Newcomers will find an enormous RPG, full of continents to explore, hundreds of enemies to vanquish, and an engaging storyline to digest.

In the previous adventure (First Departure, also for PSP), four heroes banished evil from their continuum and restored peace to their separate worlds. Now, Ronyx's son, Claude, is unintentionally sent to a primitive planet, Expel, upon investagation of a barren plane. There, he meets a young girl, Rena, an odd looking villager with mysterious healing powers. He soon learns that her world is in danger.

Before his arrival on Expel, a shimmering meteorite slammed into Expel. With its coming came forth hordes of monsters that rampaged the surface. Claude, after using a light gun, is proclaimed by Rena's village to be the "Hero of Light," the one who is destined to deliver them from this evil invasion. Soon, Rena and Claude depart on their great adventure to put a stop to, not only sinister creatures overtaking Expel, but to a divine conspiracy that has silently raged for centuries and centuries.

In your journey, you will meet up to ten different characters, whom you can choose to accompany you on your mission, including three secret ones and many who can be added at the price of another. Another feature unique to the Star Ocean series is Item Creation. Here, you can do almost anything you can think of: create your own custom weapons, cook delicious food, conduct alchemy to make precious stones out of iron, and forge jewelry.

The battles themselves are also rather exclusive to the series. It's in real time: there's no polite attacking in this game. You and your battle party are free to roam the battle area as you see fit, whether if it's to close in on an enemy or to gain distance between you and your attacker so you can summon a spell. Leveling up is a huge part of this game, so be prepared to do a lot of it. When you leave one area and go to another on the World Map, you may suddenly find yourself 10 levels behind your enemies --- not a good place to find yourself. With every level up you get, you also get money (FOL, as it's called here), experience points, and something else special: Skill Points.

See, with the whole Item Creation idea, you need to do several things before you can gain skills. First, you need to buy the sets in various towns in the Skill Guild. Then, you need to gain enough skill points to level up your chosen character in the skill you want he/she to have. When you accumulate enough skills, you learn a Specialty. It sounds quite complicated, but it's really quite simple when you get into the menu.

Another good thing I found about this version of the game. The voice actors are incredible: it really brought something new to the game, a charm it didn't have before. Most were improved greatly from the PSOne actors. It's not a buy-or-not feature, but it was a new delight to a returning lover of this game.

Bottom line? If you're at all like me, and you played this game so much, so religiously, that you actually wore out the PSOne discs, buy this game. If you have never heard of Star Ocean, and if you love RPGs, and if you don't want to miss out on one of the most epic games out there, I would give serious thought to picking this up.

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Product Description:
Continuing the franchise for Star Ocean fans, Star Ocean: Second Evolution for the PSP is an enhanced remake of Star Ocean: The Second Story, and delivers the same epic storytelling and dazzling art style updated for today. Set 20 years after the events of its predecessor, Second Evolution receives special treatment in its PSP incarnation. Gamers can relive the adventure, with fully animated movies, all-new character designs, extra playable characters, fully voiced dialogues and more.


Second Evolution is an enhanced remake of Star Ocean: The Second Story, with special features for the PSP.

Fans of the series will recognize the cast of characters. View larger.

The real-time battle system keeps players immersed and engaged. View larger. The Story Unfolds
It is Space Date 366 and a young man finds himself transported by accident to an uncharted world during a survey of an underdeveloped planet. The son of a hero, with much to prove, he finds himself on the path to greatness. Meanwhile, a young girl watches disaster befalling her world and the arrival of a mysterious meteorite. She awaits the arrival of a legendary hero. A child with a good heart and the ability to use powerful magic, she awaits the savior of her world.
20 years after the events on planet Roak in the original Star Ocean, the son of the hero of the Terran Alliance is thrust back into the fray. He is known as the Hero of Light, and although the importance of his epic quest isn't to be denied, he ends up encountering a number of other characters critical to the plot, including his first partner in crime, Rena Lanford.
All New Look and Sound
Old-school fans will indeed recognize the cast of characters, although Claude, Rena, Dias, Precis, Opera, Ashton, and others are getting the benefit of revamped character designs. Animation studio Production I.G. created an all-new look for the characters in this new version of the game. Additionally, during in-game conversations, characters will now change their facial expressions depending upon their mood.
Just as in Star Ocean: First Departure, new high-quality animated cut scenes, now displayed in 16:9 wide-screen, are once again provided by animation studio Production I.G., helping bring the story to life. There are also new voice actors and extensive amounts of new, fully-voiced dialogue, as well as the opening song Start, performed by Scandal.
Exciting New Gameplay
Star Ocean: Second Evolution has been completely rebuilt for the PSP system, with a revised game engine, and an improved real-time battle system that will keep players immersed in the action. As always the private action system adds depth to the story, introducing riveting subplots between characters. In Second Evolution, more private actions have been added allowing characters to interact in new and exciting ways. Other characters degree of feelings for you will affect how they act towards you, how they assist you in battle, and could even alter the end of the game.


Second Story features extensive amounts of fully-voiced dialogue.

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Monster Hunter Freedom Unite Review

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(More customer reviews)Well first of all I want to state I' am an avid monster hunter fan, from the ps2 game to the psp ones. So my review might be a little subjective but I will try to be as objective as possible and put myself in the position of a newcomer to the franchise. And also I apologize for the length of the review. It really is a vast game there is soo much to do and so little space to explain it all in.

A few things for players from MHF2 thinking this is a brand new experience, think again. Think about it as an expansion with new missions, monsters armors, weapons, and hunter ranks. You still reside in the quaint little home up in the mountains, and all the lovable characters are still there from the cooking Felynes to the old lady who gave you the elder quests.

Now on to the review. For the newcomers this game has an amazing ray of things to do, put yourself in the position of a hunter, you are constantly hunting monsters who reside around your village. From giant dragons to giant crabs (and not the STD type) you have 5 different land types where you hunt them from the jungle, desert, snowy mountains, forest, and volcano. Also each land type has time cycles so you can hunt them at night or in the day. Now each hunt is received in the form of a quest, there are 2 places you can get these, from an elder how will give you village quest (which you may only complete by yourself) or by going to the hall.

The hall can be played offline meaning you can do the quest there by yourself (although most can be complete alone there are some that you should look for help) or online via ad hoc. Online is fun as hell, if you have 3 others friends who have the game they can join you in the hunt and you all get the benefits of the kill (as a side note if you don't have any friends to play with you can play online for more info go to www.teamxlink.co.uk/). Every time you kill a monster like a true hunter you crave their bodies. You get special items from the carve and also a prizes for completing the hunt. These items in turn can be sold for money or saved up to make special armor, items, or weapons. Aside from hunting you can, farm (meaning you can literally plant seeds and reap the rewards) you can hire Felyne to cook for you so you go nice and full into battle. And even more amazing as a new addition you can hire a Felyne to join you in battle! He will provide back such as setting traps and attacking the beast you are hunting. You will easily spend 100+ hours in this game.

Now for the veterans, a few additions have been added. As mentioned above you can hire a Felyne to help you out, there are tons of new armor and weapons to make. Your item box size has increased and items now max out at 99! Meaning no more having multiple 10 items in your box. Like 10 flash now they all combine until you get to 99 so precious space in the box has been saved. There are now G rank missions imagine hr 6 missions but 10x harder, and there are 3 new ranks to move up to.

Pros:

-Newmissions, new items, new Felyne battle companions.
-Also now you have the options to data install, this drastically lowers the loading time.
-Great graphics as always, each armor and weapon have a unique look. No 2 armors look like.

Cons:

-Like previously stated the learning curve sucks but there are alot of tutorials and training quests.
-Some armor attributes have really been lost, example is I had the akantor armor and lost my high grade earplugs in the transition.
-For a new comer you might tend to feel overwhelm with the amount of farming you have to do to get ONE item you need to make a weapon/armor, it's all based on luck.
-The ability to play online worldwide should be included in the game, it takes outside programs and items to make it possible.
-And also it does get a little repetitive from time to time.Over all this is an awesome game. You either fall into the obsessions or hate it. See you in the hall.

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Product Description:
Japan's most successful PSP title, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G has finally made its way to the west. Renamed Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, this latest installment in the epic Monster Hunter series delivers over 500 hours of gameplay, spanning some 400 missions. In addition, using the Ad-Hoc connection players can adventure with up to three friends for a savaging multiplayer hunting party.

Battle monsters with up to 3 friends.
Viewlarger.
AI 'Felyne' companion.
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Wield special weapons and items.
Viewlarger. Social Play
One of the most important features contributing to the Monster Hunter series' rampant popularity in Japan is the social aspect of the games. Thisfeature continues via the PSP's Ad-Hoc connection in Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. From devising strategies to executing attacks, players will need to work together in order to hunt down the ferocious beasts and progress through the wide range of quests on offer. And this effort and cooperation is never in vain. Succeed in this and players will be rewarded for their use of the deep fighting combat systems, encouraging them to seek out even more experienced hunters and team up in order to learn from their experience.

New Game Features
New to Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is the fully customizable AI"felyne" companion who accompanies players on quests and gathers extraresources. He can even can be shared and traded with other players. Alsonew to Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is the improved "Media InstallOption." This new way to play gives players the ability to save portionsof the game from UMD to Memory Sticks. This results in much faster loadtimes, as well as improved PSP system battery life since your UMD willnot have to be engaged every time your game requires a new file. Finally,Monster Hunter Freedom Unite features a certain level of compatibilitywith the rest of the Monster Hunter franchise. Fans of the serieswill be pleased to hear that they can transfer their character and datafrom Monster Hunter Freedom 2 over to the new game.

All-New Monsters to Battle
There are five new monsters to the game waiting to challenge gamers inbattle. These include the Nargacuga, who inhabits the old forest and attacksat lightning speed; the Lavasioth, a lava-breathing reptile who hidesin volcanic areas; and the Hypnocatrice, a birdlike monster that wardsoff hunters with its unique ability to produce sleeping gas.

Key Features:

The biggest Monster Hunter title to date, with over 500 hours of gameplay.
Huge variety of character customizations, including 1,500 weaponsand 2,000 armor sets.
Building on the social gaming aspect of the overall Monster Hunter series, players can form a team of up to 4 players through wireless Ad-Hoc play and experience the multiplayer social gaming phenomenon.
"Media Install" option where players can save the game to a memory stick, allowing the game to load from the memory stick and UMD simultaneously for faster loading times.
AI "Felyne" companion who will accompany players on quests and gather extra resources. With the 'felyne casting' feature players can share their companions with other players, transferring data using the PSP's sleep mode.
Fans of the series can transfer their character data from Monster Hunter Freedom 2 to continue their adventures.
Five all-new monsters to battle.

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Sid Meier's Pirates Review

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(More customer reviews)A beautiful update to a classic, highly playable game. This game is based on one of the first "sandbox" games in which you determine the pace, direction, and goals of the game. You start out motivated by revenge: what did the robber baron do with your family? Soon, you get a ship of your own and can sail the Caribbean at your leisure. The only things that constrain you are the rules of the sea: don't run out of food, don't run aground, don't mistreat your crew or they will mutiny, and don't pick on other vessels that are bigger than you.

You can outfit your ship with different cannons/sails/powder/bunks/armor, any of which affect your ability to do battle. Your character can ally himself (sorry ladies, no "Monkey Island"-style gender equality in a Sid Meier game) with different factions (English/Spanish/Dutch/French, all loosely based in history), and go dancing with governor's daughters in order to win their favor ... and if you're lucky, they'll also give you land, gold, influence, or useful gifts like the +10 Fencing Ability Puffy Shirt (I am not making this up)!

Did I mention the swordfights? They're straight out of Hollywood, full of chivalry and derring-do. You don't need to be a fighting game expert to win a battle; the action sequences are only a small part of the overall experience.

As you move through the game, you'll meet different characters along the way who will give you tips on how to avenge your family, get rich and famous, or dig up buried treasure. Each encounter suggests something else to do, and the whole game is nicely randomized and dynamic enough that it feels like a living, breathing world rather than the collection of code and mini-games that it really is.

Kids will learn some history and Caribbean geography from the experience. Codgers who played the original will enjoy the lush graphical and sound updates. Everyone else should have a good time. Everything is done with a light touch, without gore or brutal violence. There's not too much reliance on heavy-duty strategy, role-playing, or twitch skills, so it's the kind of game that almost anyone can get into. The only problem I've seen thus far is putting down this habit-forming game, because there's always something new to find and do.

Highly recommended. (The game is also available on Windows and XBOX. Personally, I prefer the optimized controls of the little portable version.)

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Product Description:
Sid Meier debuts on the PSP with his award-winning adventure/strategy game, Sid Meier's Pirates! Take on the role of a Pirate Captain to amass fortune and fame and seize your rightful place as one of the most revered and feared pirates in history. There is a whole cast of interesting and dangerous characters to meet, mysteries to solve, exotic island destinations to discover, and powerful alliances to forge. Duel, battle (on land and sea), dance, sneak, and hunt your way to unimaginable riches! Each time you play you create a new and exciting adventure, so the replayability is limitless!
Players test their skills as a sea captain exploring the high seas and dueling in land and sea battles in a richly detailed 3D world. Additional features for the PSP system include wireless Ad-Hoc multiplayer for up to four players, widescreen graphics, new treasure hunts and more. Engage in fierce naval battles, against both single vessels and multi-ship convoys. Harrowing action sequences on ship decks include swinging from yard arms, slashing down sails, and clobbering enemy crew as players make their way to the enemy captain

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Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a typical Diablo inspired RPG. Your hero will hack, slash and loot his/her way through yet another fantasy setting. What makes this game atypical is how well its made and lack of good rpg's for PSP.The interface in this game is pretty good. You use the knob to move, shoulder buttons to drink potions, directional buttons to switch weapons/magic/ map modes,and others to use weapons. As you learn different skillsup to six are assignable via button combinations. The interface falls short a bit when it comes to managing inventory. Pressing select bring up a whole new screen. the is no "paper doll" but rather lists for armor/ weapons/ gear etc..assigning points and viewing stats takes a bit of taking use to. Good thing you don't take damage as you do so. Other handy feature is compare button which allows quick check to see if your equipped sword is better or worse that that mace you just found.
Another shortcoming that only first line of dialogues is voiced.
However, it is still a greatlooking, fun, engrossing game.

It is a must have for all RPG fans.
4.5/5

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Product Description:
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony for the PSP system is an all-new adventure, created from the ground up specifically for the handheld system. It features all-new playable characters and a freshly designed, non-linear, single player campaign as well as support for Ad Hoc co-operative and competitive multiplayer games. 15 hours of gameplay with 2 different modes Mercenary and Elite Multiplayer Battle Arenas allow a concise, fun party experience for players who don't have time for a full campaign

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