Betenoire
12-25-2009, 07:41 AM
Got this game last week as I saw it for $20 and figured my chance of getting it as a gift was very low. Of course I first noticed the character design on the front and the NIS logo so I figured I couldn't go wrong.
I am not so sure on that anymore.
The first kvetch I have is that someone decided to be cute and looked at the DS and it's 10 buttons (including D pad and Power) and decided that only one button will work (power) and everything else will be the touch screen. That would be fine if they had some really good reason for it, but other than tracing a rune for Ancient Magic it really just is a distraction. Let me navigate with the D pad and call up the various screens for select please. Really adds nothing and makes one handed game play a chore.
Kvetch two-I buy NIS games for the writing and this is so far pretty sparce. You get a basic set up, little intro into your main character and some very brief moments with another who hasn't appeared since before meeting a third...who hasn't added a whole lot so far either.
Kvetch 3-all MP is shared MP. Seriously? The main character almost needs to live on that as her phy attack stats suck. Not that you can't get by do to the power of other characters, but clearly the game wants you using magic for her more...then don't be so stingy with it. :sd:
Kvetch 4-communication. Basically if a NPC mentions something, figure you will have to go fetch that item as the game will let you wander almost aimlessly otherwise and give you no idea what you are supposed to do if you miss a line or forget what someone said (though if really imp the NPC will repeat that dialogue.
Minor Kvetchs-you start out seriously under powered and the first party member you get gains so many stat bonuses with level up they quickly become a tank. Once powered up the game becomes rather simple and not outstanding in any real way. You don't get money in the game so you have to gain items and exchange them so you are limited in what you can pick up when. Also there are no armor or weapon changes to add to the strategy.
Positives-the main character starts out with different kinds of level one offensive skills and one level two rather than having to start with one and spending the game acquiring more-though you only get the more powerful level 2 ones as you beat each stage it seems.
The character designs are nice and there are some really nice and appealing (well to me anyway) drawings used as cut scenes.
The fact that HP and MP(main character only for MP) restore at the characters level up is nice given the punishing of MP the game seems to do.
The one saved princess was a bit cute and had one line I thought was leading, but other than that there isn't much here so far that I could say would make me recommend this title to either serious RPG fans or NIS fans. It is an average game overall to this point and I expect more than average from NIS. Perhaps I will see more character stuff going forward that will change that but right now I am kind of just going through the motions with this title.
So far at 8 1/2 or so hours in
I am not so sure on that anymore.
The first kvetch I have is that someone decided to be cute and looked at the DS and it's 10 buttons (including D pad and Power) and decided that only one button will work (power) and everything else will be the touch screen. That would be fine if they had some really good reason for it, but other than tracing a rune for Ancient Magic it really just is a distraction. Let me navigate with the D pad and call up the various screens for select please. Really adds nothing and makes one handed game play a chore.
Kvetch two-I buy NIS games for the writing and this is so far pretty sparce. You get a basic set up, little intro into your main character and some very brief moments with another who hasn't appeared since before meeting a third...who hasn't added a whole lot so far either.
Kvetch 3-all MP is shared MP. Seriously? The main character almost needs to live on that as her phy attack stats suck. Not that you can't get by do to the power of other characters, but clearly the game wants you using magic for her more...then don't be so stingy with it. :sd:
Kvetch 4-communication. Basically if a NPC mentions something, figure you will have to go fetch that item as the game will let you wander almost aimlessly otherwise and give you no idea what you are supposed to do if you miss a line or forget what someone said (though if really imp the NPC will repeat that dialogue.
Minor Kvetchs-you start out seriously under powered and the first party member you get gains so many stat bonuses with level up they quickly become a tank. Once powered up the game becomes rather simple and not outstanding in any real way. You don't get money in the game so you have to gain items and exchange them so you are limited in what you can pick up when. Also there are no armor or weapon changes to add to the strategy.
Positives-the main character starts out with different kinds of level one offensive skills and one level two rather than having to start with one and spending the game acquiring more-though you only get the more powerful level 2 ones as you beat each stage it seems.
The character designs are nice and there are some really nice and appealing (well to me anyway) drawings used as cut scenes.
The fact that HP and MP(main character only for MP) restore at the characters level up is nice given the punishing of MP the game seems to do.
The one saved princess was a bit cute and had one line I thought was leading, but other than that there isn't much here so far that I could say would make me recommend this title to either serious RPG fans or NIS fans. It is an average game overall to this point and I expect more than average from NIS. Perhaps I will see more character stuff going forward that will change that but right now I am kind of just going through the motions with this title.
So far at 8 1/2 or so hours in