|
Friday 8 February, 2008
Entry #2--
Gameplay:
This game is too easy. Even on Hard mode, it's... pretty pathetic. I think that's partially why it is so boring, because I feel like I could play this with my eyes closed.
The guarding and counterattack system is slightly more engaging, but that was never something I've ever been that into. This is perhaps the only slightly original component to the game, as you and the bosses have a certain amount of... I don't know what they are supposed to be but they kind of look like flower petals.. and anyway, you try and hit the boss enough to get rid of these little white things that are shown around its health, and when they are all gone, the boss is unable to block your attacks for a time.
There is a lot of unlockables in this game, such as being able to unlock a second costume for Lau which is really just Gackt in a white snakeskin jacket and black pants. It's pretty amusing to choose this costume and have a Japanese pop star running around with those swords. He doesn't have pink hair in this costume, though :(
I'm actually quite disappointed, because I don't remember the game being THIS boring when I first played it... I'm not certain if I'll ever even play it again after this.
I wish I could say something really awesome about this game, but it really just doesn't add much to the table. It's not TERRIBLE. It's just pretty bland.
Design:
The way the levels look reminds me of Shinobi or Nightshade, and the game really *is* pretty to look at, but... it's just so... boring... I will say that it is nice that each stage is completely different from the others, but the stages feel never-ending and that really messes with the mood of the game.
It's way too easy, too; it would, perhaps, be a better game if it was a bit more difficult. It's even ridiculously easy to max out your stats because the game throws little blue orbs at you constantly, and you get them so frequently that eventually they're completely useless because you've already maxed everything out, and it's pointless.
The music in this game is also pretty bland, which is kind of shocking to me, considering they had Gackt and Maaya Sakamoto voice acting on it. You'd think they could have just asked them to compose something.
It also seems that there is no way in the US release to play the Japanese voices, which is upsetting because the English voices aren't really that great and the voice cast for the Japanese version is incredible. (They do keep Gackt's voice, but he doesn't ever really say anything). I would really rather hear Maaya Sakamoto and Koichi Yamadera, who have very extensive voice acting careers (Yamadera voices a lot of Japanese Disney characters), but I was let down.
I'm inclined to think that the only reason this sold any copies was because of Gackt, as I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have done all that well without him.
|
