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 2008 Otaku Video Game Observations
Written by David Rasmussen
Part 1 : Nintendo DS 10 Recommendations
Animal Crossing : Wild World
If you haven't yet picked up the DS version of the 24/7/365 addiction then now is as good a time as any (now that you can link it to the Wii version for added gameplay options).
It was a long time in coming (and long promised), but Nintendo finally came through and brought out the companion to this game, the one we were long promised we could link this game to but had to wait a few years before it finally came to pass (though in the end even I have to admit from what I know of it that the whole thing could probably have been just a wee bit better though I have yet to do the connection thing yet to verify my suspicions). Basically if you want to get your feet wet with the whole concept of Animal Crossing and only own a DS and not a DS slash Wii this is a good chance to get your first real taste of the village life (if you didn't already play this game way back during the GameCube era).
Of course if you are not into long-term-investment games, then you probably won't be checking into your village anytime soon. Too bad. For an all-ages-friendly game of "life" that lives by a real time clock (I can't think of any other game that is played in real time like Animal Crossing), this is worth having.
Recommendations: If you don't mind the all-ages fare, and want to just find something to play that lets you kick back and relax with your "pals"? This is a good recommendation. Try it. (And yes, that recommendation works with both the DS & Wii versions of Animal Crossing).
Bleach: Blade of Fate
Simple matter of elimination, really. Amazon marks this one at 4 ½ stars, marks Dark Souls at 3 stars. Guess which version of Bleach on the DS got the better score and recommendation!
I guess I can put this on my future menu of reviews for the new year. Let's see what this version offers that makes it so recommended.
The game features "exciting multiplayer fighting action" as up to four players can rumble via the DS Wi-Fi connection. The game also supports the Download Play feature (which just doesn't seem to get used often enough at times) which means the four players in question don't need to own copies of the game in order to fight each other head to head to head to head.
A smattering of 2D fighting arenas are offered to brawl it out in; players can switch between the foreground and background battle lines (fighting areas) in order to either pursue an opponent or flee from one.
There're 28 selectable characters with the voice talents from the series providing dialog for all the characters (a treat for DS game players, to be certain)!
The game promises seven "thrilling" gameplay modes (though quite familiar modes, if you know your Anime/Manga fighting game set ups): Story mode, Arcade, Versus mode, Training and Challenge plus two unlockable modes should keep you brawling it out on this game for hours on end.
There's a "Customizable Spirit Card Deck" ...don't worry, I don't think this is going to suck if you are familiar with the use of cards in certain games. Customize and manage decks of Power-Up cards covering Health, Attack, Defense and more. Also, you can earn cards during gameplay to further customization of your deck (to make it as individual as yourself and your particular fighting style).
Sounds interesting. Hope it reviews well once I get ahold of it in the coming months.
Recommendations: Probably just for Bleach fans, but it's too early to tell. Any other recommendations will have to wait until I review this at a later date.
Chrono Trigger DS
It's on my to-review list, but all I can say for now is that it's another port of a classic RPG to the DS (and since the DS is doing quite well with RPG ports this should be another one of those you should be playing). Hopefully I'll have a full review soon.
Recommendations: Doesn't matter if you are a fan of the original or not, from all I've seen of this game it looks like another great RPG for your DS (but stay tuned for my full review in the coming days to find out more)!
Disgaea DS
Much like the above Chrono Trigger DS I don't know much about this game, but unlike Chrono Trigger DS, I have a bit more experience with Disgaea (I played the PS2 Disgaea [original] before, and I gave that game quite a good score as I remember it) so I am so looking forward to reviewing this (as well as the PSP Disgaea and Disgaea 2 for the PS2).
Recommendations: If you haven't played any of the Disgaea games yet, now is about as good a time as any to jump right into the franchise and enjoy its quirky, innovative, intensely original strategy gaming with a twist!
Dragon Quest IV
The first of a trio of Dragon Quest ports to the DS (the latter two promising to be new to you never before released in America ports in DQV & VI), classic Dragon Quest of old is revived with new content, new gameplay and new animation from the ongoing alliance between Dragon Quest and Dragonball creator Akira Koriyama (so if you've found yourself hooked on his character stylings since DQVII on the GameCube or Monsters: Joker on the DS, then you should love this).
Recommendations: Believe it or not this is first and foremost a recommendation to NEWBIES to the series. Why? Well I heard that fans of the original release will find quite a bit has been changed on the title, and I don't just mean names and wording. Apparently the DS version is supposed to be easier than the original classic version (apparently appealing to fresh fan base than the fan base of old) but that doesn't remove its fun (even X-Play has this on their recommendations list for the year), so if you can, go and get this game! I have a review coming up soon of it and I'll let you know what I thought of it when I sat down and plunked down some serious review time on the title!
Final Fantasy III & IV
Two, two, two recommendations for the price of one notation. Of course if you were an avid RPG player on the recently past gen'd Nintendo Game Boy Advance then you know that they put out the entire Final Fantasy series pre Final Fantasy VII on the system. Soon after they began to put out the games (with spiffier new looks) on the DS, IV being the latest to make the transition.
The game is still the same solid game, but now it looks better and plays pretty well too. So far I've only played (and reviewed) Final Fantasy III but if I can I'm going to be throwing down my thoughts on IV in the future.
Now all we need is for Nintendo to wrap up with FFV & VI in the coming months. I wonder how long it'll be before those release...
Recommendations: Fans of a good RPG, fans of Square Enix, or fans of Final Fantasy? Lots of good reason to get these (so go out and try them today).
Naruto : Path of the Ninja
Well, it's about time! I knew I wasn't going crazy or making it up! Yes, at last the long incoming Naruto RPG style of gaming makes it to America and we can play something that isn't a Naruto Fighting game (for once). Me? I'm just hyped that it's a game that isn't a fighting game... cool!
First off, as you probably guessed, this game has a low playable-character count... which sucks, since I thought this was an RPG (and at least you could have had a larger staple of characters to rotate and train for the game). Still, 6 playable characters is better than nothing I suppose.
Yes, this game does have "all your favorite ninjas from the TV show", but it seems 90% of them are delegated to NPC status... that blows. On the bright side you can pick up and learn 90 jutsu techniques, which has to be far more than what you can use in the fighting Naruto games... right?
The game features a "unique" time-based" combat system emphasizing "tactics and strategy" ...I personally have no idea what that means other than this game might be played out in real-time combat. Maybe.
Another selling point is that this game is a fresh original release specifically for North America (whether this means this game was put together by an American game publisher ala the recent releases of Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Homecoming from its new American publisher remains to be seen) so that has to be good, right? Doesn't mean I still wouldn't like to see some of those Naruto RPG(s) from Japan, but this is nice... Right?
Touch-screen action mini-games... what that implies I'm not sure, again, it's for the review in the future.
Recommendations: Naruto fans only need apply? I guess that's the recommendation I'm making until I review this in the near future (knock on wood).
Pokemon Diamond or Pearl
Yeah, it's a bit old in the tooth now after so much time, but this latest incarnation of the over 100+ hour gameplay RPG style Pokemon game (that you've known since Blue/Red/Pikachu Yellow from the old Game Boy days) is available, and you might as well stick to the classics.
Recommendations: Over 100+ hours of gameplay and steady reliable gameplay? You can't beat that, no. Of course, if you've played all the incarnations of Pokemon from Red/Blue to the GBA versions, then maybe you're tired of it... don't see how, but maybe you're tired of it... nah. Can't see that happening.
The World Ends With You
Check out my thoughts on the game in last week's MangaLife update!
Next list: Nintendo Wii recommendations and observations.
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