DS video game to hold players over
Shelby Reiches
Issue date: 8/8/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
The rules, however, are often extremely constricting or confusing, sometimes based on pure chance. One, for example, is "don't miss." Every basic attack in about 50 will miss. Others are phrased so poorly, possibly through a translation issue, but more likely just through ambiguous wording, that you might break them without realizing it. The privileges you get are more or less transparent, even after you power them up by winning new "clan titles." The ability to revive teammates isn't so important when most battles can just be powered through-if you use a little forethought. The only thing that really compelled me to follow the rules was my video game OCD and the promise of extra loot.
Loot is of increased importance in "GotR." Characters have "jobs," which allow them to use various abilities. Jobs range from the well-known fighter or black mage to the more esoteric fusilier and gladiator. This game has ninjas, which is awesome, but unlocking the ninja, requires one to first master a certain number of skills in another job. One masters abilities by equipping weapons or items that have that ability and then completing quests, such as battles, that give the clan AP. Get enough AP and your characters will master their skills and you can equip a new item with a new skill for them to master. Taking what loot you get from quests, you must go and throw these items out onto the bazaar in specific combinations. This will unlock new weapons and items for purchase in the shop.
I think loot is more or less random. I was stuck with first level black magic and three out of my four thief skills (for unlocking that badass ninja) for what seemed like forever. Combine that with the snail's pace, boring story and one can start to see what's wrong with the game.
On top of all of that, this is a DS game and it doesn't use the touch screen. You can use the touch screen, but it wasn't designed with that in mind and it shows. If you want to move more than one space in combat, you have to tap the space you want to move to repeatedly-once for each space it is away from you. On the world map, there is a cursor, but it only moves to where you tap it. And if you hold the stylus down, it crawls.
Somehow, despite all of its problems, "GotR" is still an intriguing game. The combat, if somewhat simplistic, is fun and there are some tense moments involving gigantic bird things, as well as a smattering of characters that are complex enough to matter, though you rarely see them. If you're starved for a strategy RPG and can't wait for the DS version of "Disgaea," pick it up. "GotR" will hold you over.
Rating: 3/5
Loot is of increased importance in "GotR." Characters have "jobs," which allow them to use various abilities. Jobs range from the well-known fighter or black mage to the more esoteric fusilier and gladiator. This game has ninjas, which is awesome, but unlocking the ninja, requires one to first master a certain number of skills in another job. One masters abilities by equipping weapons or items that have that ability and then completing quests, such as battles, that give the clan AP. Get enough AP and your characters will master their skills and you can equip a new item with a new skill for them to master. Taking what loot you get from quests, you must go and throw these items out onto the bazaar in specific combinations. This will unlock new weapons and items for purchase in the shop.
I think loot is more or less random. I was stuck with first level black magic and three out of my four thief skills (for unlocking that badass ninja) for what seemed like forever. Combine that with the snail's pace, boring story and one can start to see what's wrong with the game.
On top of all of that, this is a DS game and it doesn't use the touch screen. You can use the touch screen, but it wasn't designed with that in mind and it shows. If you want to move more than one space in combat, you have to tap the space you want to move to repeatedly-once for each space it is away from you. On the world map, there is a cursor, but it only moves to where you tap it. And if you hold the stylus down, it crawls.
Somehow, despite all of its problems, "GotR" is still an intriguing game. The combat, if somewhat simplistic, is fun and there are some tense moments involving gigantic bird things, as well as a smattering of characters that are complex enough to matter, though you rarely see them. If you're starved for a strategy RPG and can't wait for the DS version of "Disgaea," pick it up. "GotR" will hold you over.
Rating: 3/5
Be the first to comment on this story