2008-02-18 16:20:00

Well it's true DDS has no 2D art, but it uses cel shading and really pale nuances of colours with occasional contrasting vivid colours to great effect. I think the characters in particular in DDS look great.



Backgrounds take a beating though, and they can be SUPER bland, but they're functional and from what I could gather in the hour or so I tried it, the story feeds you enough crazy looney stuff to wanna continue playing. It really grabs hold of you right away with the crazy twist in the very beginning.

2008-02-18 16:33:12

Yea the backgrounds are very bland, have to be honest the story didn't hold my attention for long, and I found the battle to be quite repetitive, random encounters are quite high also which can be annoying when you are trying to get somewhere.

It's quite a challenging game, boss battles can be very difficult, has a nice level up system and the combo skill system is interesting.

Its one of those games that I heard was good and so many were hyping it up but I couldn't get into.

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Marumaro for the WIN !!

2008-02-18 16:46:14

i must admit the art, and style of the game. For example: i couldnt touch blue dragon...to "kiddy." Likewise for FFIX, goofy art...so, it was kind of a taste aversion thing. So, that can ruin an rpg for me.

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.::Chill::.

2008-02-18 17:06:38

I can totally dig goofy art personally, but I can still completely relate to the importance of "superficial" things like that clicking. Especially with RPGs it's incredibly important just considering it in proportion to how much time you'll be investing in it. Lost Odyssey to me borders on too bland, design wise, but a few good character designs (most notably the core cast) manage to steer it clear of disaster. Gongora still looks like a pot plant though.

I'm usually not keen on gray/brownish games in general, but there are moments like these (DDS) when the design somehow turns it into something appealing anyway. Panzer Dragoon Saga is another example where a pale, limited colour palette is used to awesome effect, and I still reckon Azel is one of the best characters I've seen in a game.



But yeah, it's strange. I can totally enjoy Crystal Chronicles, FFIX and Blue Dragon, but it's totally a style thing that prevents me from being all over Suikoden. I saw some screens of Star Ocean and the characters in that sort of stare blankly back at me going "we are anime characteeers" with a spooky zombie voice. Some designs just work for you and some don't. Beyond that the game can still be good - as with all games - but with this particular genre I think it's extra hard to penetrate that first impression.

Ninja Gaiden is a good example where I think the design is so dull I wanna rip my own head off, but because it's a very action packed and immediate affair, it's not so dependant on that sort of thing. Devil May Cry on the other hand has always had a Devil Bringer to pull me in from across the games store, and that's sort of what Atlus art is like for me with RPGs right now.

2008-02-18 21:08:19 In reply to Jollipop (2008-02-18 15:09:16)

2008-02-18 21:16:13 In reply to Xeviant (2008-02-18 12:27:45)

2008-02-18 22:31:51 In reply to UrukHaiPT (2008-02-18 21:08:19)

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Marumaro for the WIN !!

2008-02-18 22:41:22

on PAL ps3 MANY games don't work as far as i know, on US PS3s the compatibility is higher.

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By Crom!

2008-02-18 23:05:29

Wow, there is really some JRPG love in the Air lately. You have no idea how glad this makes me .... The genre is still very much alive and kicking wooot!

/muffins for all!

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NARUTO/AVATAR are the best anime EVER!!!
Bring on LOST ODYSSEY & CRY ON!

2008-02-19 02:43:32 In reply to Megido (2008-02-18 22:41:22)

2008-02-19 09:56:13 In reply to GriftGFX (2008-02-18 21:16:13)

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.::Chill::.

2008-02-19 13:05:14

urukhai: there's a compatibility list on sonys website, do a google search to find it.

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By Crom!

2008-02-19 13:20:46

Compatibility, when there, is generally better than the 360's. However, unlike the 360 there are tons of games that WORK when they really shouldn't. They'll lure you away to a certain level then just FREEEZE with such conviction you'll fall out of your chair.

So ultimately, it's a damn gamble. I have a 60gb PAL unit and I've basically just said "sod it" at this point. I have an old (modded for imports) fatty PS2 that a friend of mine is buying off me, and I'm gonna grab the new model, scph-90004 that'll be coming out in Europe one of these days. Built in AC adapter but otherwise looks just like the slim model, just weighs (even) less.

Gonna chuck a chip into that one so my US and japanese games work which means all my RPGs and Beatmania respectively.

2008-02-19 13:32:29

a thousand pages?

howabout we just lock it now? ;)
(kill the dream)

2008-02-19 13:56:32 In reply to PlumbDrumb (2008-02-19 13:32:29)

2008-02-19 14:15:25

I can hold them down, and that's all I need to do.

(now this is becoming a good RPG...)

2008-02-19 18:48:11 In reply to SimonM7 (2008-02-19 13:20:46)

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Marumaro for the WIN !!

2008-02-19 19:41:46

They do. They'll be the same as the japanese scph-90000 which there are already chips for. (Apparently the same chips as the normal slim)

I could just get a japanese version of it but then I'd need a step down converter and I'd end up with an extra box anyway. :D

Anyway, after having recieved moderate amounts of excitement in the Wii/DS thread (none) I'll repost the link to the Soma Bringer trailer in here.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/30571.html

It's an RPG by former Xenosaga and Baten Kaitos developers Monolith Soft, now a team under Nintendo.

2008-02-19 20:43:34

Don't like the look of that one much... :S

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Marumaro for the WIN !!

2008-02-19 23:38:57

I like the art, and the backgrounds are very nice I reckon, but the combat is hard to tell. If it plays as well as Phantom Hourglass it could be great tbut realtime stylus only never bodes well by default.

2008-02-25 11:20:59

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 review (Eurogamer 9/10!)
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=93...

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NARUTO/AVATAR are the best anime EVER!!!
Bring on LOST ODYSSEY & CRY ON!

2008-02-25 11:36:31 In reply to alimokrane (2008-02-25 11:20:59)

2008-02-25 12:24:10

Mine's coming today from the states! :|

And yeah, this does not make me any less ecstatic to play it. Sooo stylish!

There's been a countdown on Atlus USA's site that ended today. I dunno if the FES news has come through other channels yet, but this seems to be incoming confirmation of its stateside release.

FES is an insanely huge expansion - easily "a brand new game" sized, and if it's coming then that's awesome! Your P3 save file will work with FES aswell by the way.

2008-02-25 12:37:18

Yeah, countdown was for FES announcement i think...

April 22nd ship date.
$29.99

(April 2009 on Europe :D j/k but true probably)

Got no link though, just readed on some fourms...

Anyway you are so lucky :D

USA version of P3, is soo good. Cool looking box, soundtrack, artbook.
While on Europe nothing! Only if you preorder from game.uk, you get an artbook :/. Why they just dont release same version :(

2008-02-26 01:41:51

Pssshhttt I just can't get excited about it, Atlus bring me P4 on the PS3 already, ya know I haven't turned a console on in over 2 weeks :( (although getting back into World of Warcraft may have something to do with that)

I need JRPG's ..... next gen ones ... :(

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Marumaro for the WIN !!