Dragging on my “complete” Avatar playthrough series project thing, we pick up with the PSP version of the first game. You’ll recall that the first released game (except for the PC version), despite its generic title and boxart, features a unique story set in between Books 1 and 2, wherein the Gaang picks up Haru and scoots all over the four corners of the world to confront a new mechanical menace.
The PSP game was made by TOSE, as was the DS one. The two share much in common, most notably having identical maps for all areas; the PSP version has the edge though in that the clumsy screen-rotating shoulder buttons are cut, and it’s therefore much easier to navigate. It lacks the charming 2D sprites, but makes up for it with nice dialogue portraits, and the simple 3D models are sweet in their own way as long as the camera doesn’t zoom in too much.
There’s more though, much more. On the PSP the game is souped up mightily compared to the DS outing, with equipment, upgrades, and sidequests fleshing out the experience much more. A seamless game world, and most importantly regular save points that restore your health (or “honor points”) for free are essential features bafflingly missing from DS. In terms of features and presentation it falls in between the main console version and the DS edition, although the GBA’s purity and polish still give it superior appeal and playability.
The DS game can boast one or two things for itself: a fun variety of food items, a full party of four, and brief voiced cutscenes; I felt the absence of these on PSP, especially when certain characters are required, forcing the player to backtrack for swaps. But on balance it’s no contest. On PSP you get gameplay that’s at times challenging but fair, also a useful minimap! It’s a mediocre action RPG but as a fan of the series I loved experiencing this story once again, and the different elemental machines make for great villains with cool designs whose attributes also inform the gameplay.
Speaking of which, as is customary, let’s look at unique elements this game contributes to Avatar lore. Full portraits of all NPCs is a good way to show off the dress of the different cultures you encounter, as well as a good look at Lian’s design. The plot and script are nothing new over the other versions (making the same gaffes as the other versions of this game, such as mistaking Omashu for Ba Sing Se), but as before I appreciated seeing the occupied port town, the earthbender training camp, the village in the shadow of the Southern Air Temple, etc.
As always I also noted animals not seen elsewhere. These include the new mouse/squirrel-cat hybrid, and a blue-ish kind of chicken; as well as the blue armadillo(?) wolves and odd deer seen in other versions. There’s ordinary cats in the village adjacent to the Air Temple, but the show already had one of those. There’s a few spirits too, with the familiar horned bear in chapter 3, but also a new six-legged tortoise in chapter 5 and a blue tiger/wolf in chapter 6. These little tidbits are so exciting to me! Anyway thanks for indulging me.
PS. One final bafflingly stupid piece of trivia: a formatting error on the printing of the game’s UMD disc displays the spaces that should be there in the title as question marks, as you can see in this picture I took.
Chrono Trigger really holds up. I played it on emulator in university, never being able to previously as it wasn’t released in my region at all until the Virtual Console and this DS port. It was a dumb move on Square’s part because the game is so good, they were throwing money away to not let PAL gamers play it. I was glad to be able to buy it legitimately, and so happy with the improvements they’ve made for the DS; it really is the definitive version.
To start with, it looks and sounds identical to the SNES original, but with the few extras from the PS1 port added (mainly a few animated cutscenes), minus the load times of that version and plus a few bonus dungeons and extra links to the sequel Chrono Cross. Although the new dungeons are fairly tedious, they’ve got great equipment as rewards and add to the story of the world somewhat. The DS port uses the extra screen to have maps for both overworld and sub-areas, which I appreciated, and also moves a lot of UI clutter down there too.
But what about the game itself? It has a few strengths that make it stand out among its contemporaries and even modern RPGs. For one, the unfolding time-travelling story tells a story of the entire history of this world, and the persistent threat across the ages. These different eras give a nice variety of environments and characters, from the simple and savage prehistoric times to the desperate Middle Ages, to the bleak future. There’s a sense of fun though as you travel around trying to right wrongs and solve the mystery of Lavos. It also doesn’t drag on like some RPGs; it tells the story it’s trying to tell succinctly, even with five different time periods to track and backtrack.
The companionship you feel within the playable cast is another strength. I felt so attached to the characters, and loved making different teams for different tasks based not just on their skills but their personalities. The updated translation has, I think, improved the characterisation by letting them say more than they did in the days of the SNES’s limitations (although even if it’s only item names that were significantly updated, that’s reason enough to cite the DS port as the clear superior). Banding together this team of misfits is so satisfying, and Toriyama’s designs help them feel even more familiar to this Dragonball fan.
The gameplay innovations are so clever, it makes you wonder why they weren’t more widely adopted. Despite having a traditional turn-based style (although with the 16-bit Final Fantasy’s ATB system) the battles all take place on the same map that you run around on, and mostly with discrete enemies that you can see before battling them. It’s a very immersive system. Battling leans on the Tech system, whereby each character has their own ability set, but can band together with whoever else you’ve chosen for specific team attacks. Enemies are also fairly strategic, with counters and weaknesses to learn, and bosses often being a bit puzzle-y. It was also one of the first games to feature a New Game Plus system, where you start again with your stats carrying over.
Of course, New Game Plus wouldn’t be much fun if they hadn’t implemented the multiple endings. You see, you can fight the final boss at pretty much any point of the game so depending on what part of the story you’ve done up to the point where you choose to take it on, you’ll get a different credits scene. The DS port keeps track of which ones you’ve seen, and I’m happy to say I got them all.
It can sometimes be hard to say why a game is so good. Chrono Trigger is just so polished and thoughtfully designed. The development “dream team”, a collaboration between Square and Enix employees along with some of the best musicians in the business, managed to get so many great ideas into the game and present it so well, that it’s clear why its reputation persists. The game is a masterpiece and I’d recommend the DS port to fans and noobs alike. I know it’s out on iOS too but apparently that version, like a lot of Square’s mobile ports, is a bit rubbish. This review was mostly just gushing but hey, I love the game. Now go listen to Robo’s theme and tell me it doesn’t sound like Rick Astley.
Hi everyone! You may remember my Super Princess Peach review (check the #tose tag on my blog); I found out it was a Mario-branded spin-off in a way from the Starfy series. Well, if not spin-off, then very similar. It’s the same type of exploratory 2D platforming, finding collectibles, fairly gentle difficulty, and just general look and feel.
It’s no secret that a character’s presence in Smash Bros will also increase my interest in them slightly. Anyway as the only translated Starfy title, official or otherwise, I thought I’d give this a shot. Immediately I was reminded of Ikachan, the brief indie game from the creator of Cave Story. Although Starfy is more level-based, it has a similar feel. Ok maybe it’s just because it starts underwater.
Starfy has an interesting level design dynamic, as there’s essentially two control schemes that are used equally in the game: on land and swimming underwater. Even in places like forests there’s giant droplets falling down, or later the whimsical ability to swim in rainbows that keep the balance between the two. It helps to change up the way you’re playing, and keep it fresh.
The characters in the game are all very likeable and amusing. In this game (the fifth in the overall series), there’s lots of returning ones but an unfamiliarity with the franchise didn’t hurt my appreciation. The art style includes a puppet or stuffed toy aesthetic that is very charming, as well as manga-style cutscenes. The game itself does the interesting blend of precise spritework for the environments, while decking out the backgrounds (and the occasional boss) in 3D polygons. It all adds up to an appealing mix of styles that still gel together in a colourful way.
As I alluded to, it’s pretty simple to play, and not too punishing. You get lots of health, and it’s cleverly tied to the primary minor collectible. I found it relaxing more than anything to play through, and with a configurable bottom screen, you can also be alerted to the presence of treasure if you’re looking to get everything. You will also have to replay past levels to find the secrets after unlocking more abilities, which got a little tedious at times.
The cuteness may get overbearing to you if you’re particularly macho, especially the costumes you get to dress up your perpetually-beaming star. You also get to dress up Starfy’s sister Starly, although disappointingly she’s only playable in specific sections of levels by co-op download play (a bit of a half-assed feature), and in an epilogue chapter.
There’s lots of levels, and lots of extra content to find and unlock, and it’s not too hard to do it. I think if you like the Kirby games (I haven’t played too many, but they’re definitely the most similar), this should keep you occupied. It’s got lots of fun dialogue too, so it’s got its own niche. I guess I could make a thing out of playing a game for every series represented in Smash… What do you think?
Please refer to my previous Avatar game review, because this one is by the same developer and in the same genre. It has some improvements, though: now you can sleep to regain health in towns, and item managament and menus are much better. The camera is now fixed to one position, eliminating the frustrating rotation necessary before. Your party is now two characters, with contrivances to split up the party where necessary and later the ability to freely switch (this makes battles less hectic and feels balanced, as most battles are now easier). The chi system has been overhauled, and now refills outside battle, and attacks can also be used in the field to reveal items and secrets, as well as jumping to traverse areas. So a lot of my complaints have been addressed, and the result is a much more polished and enjoyable game. Plus, you can travel back to previously visited areas outside the chapter structure. And best of all, this game has Toph! Woo!
All of these things make the game better. Unfortunately, this one simply follows the story of Book 2 Earth, rather than forging a new path with an original story. In my mind, this largely eliminates the need for it to exist at all. RPGs especially live and die by their story, and while it’s a better game it’s less necessary to play as an Avatar fan as it’s just Book 2, which we could just watch. True, it does change things around, adding some details and completely reworking the ending so that it finishes on the drill with a happy ending (at least in the DS version…?). But that’s not enough, not really. I guess there’s always the appeal of exploring these areas we’ve seen yourself, and interacting with the characters in this new direct way.
It really is a lot better than the first one, but the fundamentals are the same. I haven’t played any other version either so I can’t compare, but the greater interactivity and detail in the previous console iteration would suggest that this game’s big-screen version is probably worthwhile looking into. I have heard that the 360 version is notorious for easy achievemnets, with the full 1000 points being obtainable in the first half hour of game play. I really should play the GBA versions some day. So busy with games… Well, I’ve outlined the basic tradeoff: no new story but better gameplay than the first one. Much more forgiving too, it’s not a trial to struggle through it this time. So, eh? Eh.
I bought this one for the wife, because she wanted to try a platformer that was maybe a little easier/more lenient, with a female protagonist. Turns out she still didn’t really like it, she’s just not suited to the genre. Actually getting it was an ordeal, the first copy we picked up was a cheap fake that didn’t work. The manual was a poorly-produced piece of work that seemed to reproduce a review of the game, and the card was misshapen. We had to drive back down just to return it.
I was very interested in the game, for one of the reasons I find Paper Mario fascinating—it’s a collecting point for some of the obscure Mario series elements that the bland main series ignores, especially enemies from Yoshi’s Island (my favourite Mario game by far). Its existence adds a lot to the Mario universe, not least of which is Peach’s capabilities. Exhibited here are mainly her umbrella combat skills (shown in SMRPG and Smash) and emotional control (she can turn them on and off at will). Plus Toad (yes, The Toad…probably) is playable in minigames and that guy needs some spotlight.
Anyways it’s done by TOSE, who are a little hit and miss but this one seems to follow in some ways their Starfy series I think, which is supposed to be good (from what I’ve heard). There’s a big bunch of unlockables and collectibles which I love. Although I still had lots of game to go by the time I bought everything in the shop, and accumulated way too many coins.
So this is like an action platformer, with levels that tend to branch occasionally. I found this frustrating as I wasn’t sure which way was the right way, got a little lost and often missed sections. You have a generous health bar, and an MP gauge that drains (quickly) with your emotion powers. These can be extended, and refilled easily enough. Said powers are used to pass obstacles and find hidden areas and stuff.
It is a fairly easy game (for me) but the controls do have some complexity, and as I said the levels can be confounding. Some of those “change the mechanics up with a vehicle” sections are tedious, too. All up though I had a great time here, running around, hitting Goombas with an umbrella, upgrading my powers, clearing out levels. The boss fights are good and the mishmash of different Mario games (mostly World and Yoshi’s Island, I think) was gratifying.
I’m currently playing the Superstar Saga RPG by AlphaDream and it has a similar feel, and even a graphical resemblance which makes me wonder about the development. I love the style by the way, and I’ve seen a few fangames that transplant a similar look into platformers that manage to utterly shame Miyamoto and co. Similarly, I’ll always dislike Peach being damseled when she kicks so much ass in this game.
It’s perhaps not for everyone but the Yoshi’s Island comparison I brought up earlier extends to the gameplay too, with the exploration, variety of mechanics, and environmental interaction that are fundamental to that game’s play. I’d feel ok to place this spiritually in the Yoshi lineage, in fact. As such I have high esteem for it, and being associated with such a great lifts it up, while being different enough to not suffer overly in comparison. Sure it’s a little simpler and the execution more flawed, but I had fun here and so will any fan of the flipside of the Mario universe. Oh and Perry=Mallow, think about it. I posted about this earlier. Look it up.
Here’s a game I was very interested in as a fan of the show Avatar: The Last Airbender (apparently in some regions at some times, the show was marketed as Legend of Aang instead. I know my Book 1 DVD has that title, but I don’t think the others do). The reason it was appealing was that it presented an all-new story within that universe, set between Books 1 and 2.
Now, you won’t actually know this from the box, the manual, even the game itself. I started the game thinking it would be a retelling of Book 1 with extra plot elements and levels added in to make it more game-friendly. It starts with a choppy rendition of the show’s opening (if you’ve played any DS game with an FMV, you know the quality we’re talking here). You start, and see Aang standing next to Appa. He wants to go penguin sledding with Katara. Ok, I say, I know what’s going on here. This is the same as like Episode 2, but we’ve been given no introduction or background aside from the stock show opening.
I start exploring and find a Water Tribe village. So far so good, some stuff happens and Zuko attacks. But a few details start to bother me. There are adult males here, when all warriors should be away fighting. There’s waterbenders! Then someone mentions they’re in the North. A typo? I start formulating a theory that this is some kind of wacky alternate universe retelling of Book 1. Then everything changed when a robot attacked! This was getting simply bizarre.
I realise of course at some point, that this is set after the end of Book 1. That waterbending master (that they call Master Wei in the DS version) is supposed to be Pakku. But if this world is anything like Earth, there shouldn’t be otter-penguins in the North. Oh well, there’s polar bear-dogs in the South so that’s fine. Apparently the small village I’m in is a special waterbender training town, not the North Tribe capital. Ok, I can see that. It all comes together. Of course, the game really should have explained itself better.
Let’s skip ahead. I had the chance to play the PS2 version later, and while they’re both produced by THQ Studio Australia (although this was actually developed by TOSE), the difference is night and day. The DS one is really skimped, gimped, and rushed compared to the console one. There’s also a GBA one I hope to play soon, and a PSP one, and a PC one, which are all different but cover the same plot. The console one at least has more mechanics, voice acting, equippable items, explanations, and isn’t as brutally hard.
It’s basically an action RPG with instanced battles. But it’s missing basic mechanics like a place to rest and recover health. There’s a few items that give you a stat boost, but there’s loads of herbs everywhere that fill your inventory and can be crafted to make useless potions and expensive, slightly useful ones. And apart from food for health and smoke bombs for escaping battle, that’s all. And items don’t stack. Money is also hard won and each battle will sap your health so for a long time I was on a tightrope between my health, EXP, money, and progression. That tension didn’t make for a fun experience.
Other dodgy mechanics include the lame minigames, locking you out from each area when the chapter finishes, and the awful camera control. The shoulder buttons rotate your view, but more than half of the available angles are grossly unhelpful, so you’re constantly shifting around just to see where you’re going. There are others, but the basic fundamentals of RPG balance not being well developed results in a game that is just tough to get through. Grinding is not viable at the start and once you get over the hump (and Katara gets the revive ability) it’s too easy.
So as a game it’s not great, but the other versions have potential. Let’s get to the whole reason I played it, which is the story and characters. I’ll say the writing is pretty great, at least for our main characters. Between chapters is a fully-voiced cutscene, with the original show’s actors reprising their roles (this was produced concurrent with the series, although obviously after Book 1 aired). I found myself laughing at Sokka’s usual antics and so on, so they captured that stuff well. NPCs are very dull though, with small text boxes and not much to say.
Your party climbs to 4 when you reunite with Haru, you know that earthbender kid form Book 1? He turns up later with a mustache? Yeah, him. I guess they wanted that element represented so they brought him back. It’s cool, and of course I put this game in my own canon as Book 1.5 Robots or something so any element that fits is fun. Of course, there are problems with the continuity of this game. They regard Omashu as the capital and “heart” of the Earth Kingdom, with Bumi as its king. This is just wrong, and Omashu looks all wrong. It’s all yellow sandstone. I’m playing the second one right now and they did Omashu much better there.
Anyway they also claim at one point that destroying the Avatar statues at the Southern Air Temple (which they call “the Air Temple”) will sever Aang’s connection with the Avatar spirit. Now that’s also wrong, although this could just be construed as Lian’s misguided theories. It’s also a little strange in general with the Gaang jetsetting around on Appa through the Earth Kingdom and elsewhere, instead of doing Book 2 stuff which seemed fairly pressing. Aang needs an earthbending teacher: they meet Bumi face-to-face here, and travel with Haru. He also displays no waterbending skill. You gotta forgive it some things though, for trying to do something new here.
The reason for basically ignoring any other matters is due to the appearance of mechanical monstrosities that are terrorising towns and I guess killing benders or something? Not sure but Lian, the mastermind of these machines, has a vendetta against benders and their warmongering and so is replacing them with her artificial creations. There are shades of Amon and the Equalists from Korra here with her plans and the idealists who follow her, which is cool as this came first. It’s also interesting that you rescue her from Fire Nation prison, but it’s revealed that they were keeping her for her ingenuity and machine designs (I think?), kinda like the Machinist in the Northern Air Temple. You think you’re saving her but by freeing her she goes rogue with her robots, which is a bit of a twist.
This whole plot isn’t given a whole lot of justification though, and there’s a few tenuous connections. I feel like the console version probably fleshes it out a bit more. You get to visit some cool locations though, like the aforementioned North Pole, Southern Air Temple, and Omashu, as well as an Earth Kingdom village with forest and scared cave with a bear Spirit, a Fire Nation prison, a hidden island with a lost civilisation, and finally a blasted wasteland with Lian’s doom fortress. Don’t know how she built that so quickly but fine.
I really like that they made a whole new plot here. It allows them to explore a few new ideas and characters, revisit old ones, and add a bit to the “continuity” while avoiding simply rehashing the show. Unfortunately the next two games do exactly that, and just retell Books 2 and 3 (as far as I know so far). This one is also considered non-canon generally which is a shame but yeah I can see the point that just adding things willy-nilly can dilute the importance of the show’s events. But hey the comics are canon, and they’re not slowing down. It’s most likely because Brike were not directly involved (“Flint Dille, Union Entertainment” is credited with Original Storyline).
Anyways the game isn’t really that good so if you’re interested in the story, try and get the console one. It was ported to Wii from the Gamecube/PS2 version with some motion controls and some minigames I think, that’s probably the one to get. The GBA one (developed by our own Halfbrick studios) is also supposed to be quite good, I’ll try that one some time. Like I said, highlights are the writing of the leads, maybe the robot designs, although the sprite work is a little shonky. The music is also really horrible. No no positives! Um, er, the bending? No that’s underwhelming and hard to control. The fan service? You do meet the cabbage merchant, and there’s a few animals that appear which is always fun, and a new spirit bear/man. Really the plot is the main reason for this game, but this isn’t the best way to deliver it. I’m glad I had the chance though. I do savour every game experience, yes even Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and Metroid Other M. You’ll hear about those later ;)
So until next time, yip yip! Or even Avatar State, yip yip! (obligatory Ember Island Players reference)
