 |
This game is seriously one of my favorite ds games. The graphics are smooth and well-designed, the story is compelling and deep, and the balance in the tone is impressive. The writing is stellar too; even though this game is nearing 10 years old, the jokes are still relevant and even the seemingly-outdated lingo they use is pleasantly refreshing and trendy. The gameplay is unique and addictive, and the replay value is practically endless--which is why I picked up another copy after losing mine. It's a completionist's dream.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This is one of those games that when you first here about it you don't pay much attention to. My first exposure to it was a Square Enix press conference and it was unimportant in the way it was thrown on the list of games to be released. The only thing that caught my initial attention was the art style and it reminded me of Kingdom Hearts' aesthetic only more exaggerated in some respects and using sprites. After getting it for a Square Enix-loving friend's birthday and hearing her rave about it I was swayed and decided to get it, my first hand-held game purchase in over a year. It wasn't an easy find due to limited production but I found it (at an anime convention) and dusted off my DS. The main character Neku, a hate-filled, self-centered teen boy, wakes up on the streets of Shibuya being attacked by mysterious creatures called "noise." He is then given a task to complete or face death and he must team up with a partner to do so. Being a mostly typical RPG he then finds more team members and learns a life lesson that is meant to evoke tears by the end. The story does have an unforeseen twist or two and if you're willing enough you can get hooked. However the story is given through text weighted cut scenes that resemble a comic book in some ways and they drag on forever and can't be skipped if one so desires. Also some scenes are completely needless because they give answers to riddles and clues gathered that could be solved by a chimp with half its brain removed. Now to critique the actual game-play. Most of your time is spent running from area to area helping the characters get from one cut scene to another while unlocking gates and battling more "noise". Combat is the most unique thing about the game due to two facts. One is the fact that YOU almost always choose when to fight and the other is the way the combat is executed. It is split between the two screens with a character on each and each has its own control scheme. The bottom screen is controlled by selecting pins that represent attacks and then drawing on the touch screen in a designated fashion. The upper screen is controlled by bottom mashing but there is the option to let the computer take over which leads to similar results which in retrospect is sort of a needless feature. At the start switching between both screens and controls is difficult and by the end I still barely had the hang of it. Also the drawings for attacks are constantly mixed up with one another. Now there are singular points that are worth pointing out. As an RPG you do repeat the same quests over and over and there are points where leveling up is almost mandatory. Also there are pieces of equipment and clothing that supposedly make a difference to combat depending on the area of Shibuya but to me it made no difference. At the end of the game you can replay any part of the story and try to get EVERYTHING in the game, a feature I found pointless. A feature I appreciated is that pins can level up while you leave the DS turned off. To wind things up if you like or don't like RPGs this game won't change your opinion.Read full review
This game came quickly! It was as described. Kind of a cult classic game, and generally expensive no matter why you try to buy it because it's amazing!!!! Had to replace mine after accidentally leaving it inside of a purse I sold. Was happy and pleased to find it for such a great deal!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Nice game. A little challenging for the beginner, but it gets better as you play. Nice way how you use stylus and the controls for the characters. The story is pretty good, now an adapted anime based on the game is coming out. Worth being in the game library.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This game is great! It's a whole new style of action/rpg. Controlling both screens at once is a treat and a challenge all together. The different difficulty levels and fighting style/pin combinations makes sure that this game never gets old. It's also hip and entertaining with its use of lingo from the youth generation. The one thing that outshines all others for me is that this game has a kind of New Game + (on steroids). The replayability is off the charts because you can not only replay the game from the beginning again but you can jump in at any part of the story that you want, after you beat the game of course. All of this is trumped by the feel-good message of the game.
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Video Games
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Video Games
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
