Picked up Kingdom Hearts DDD!

The title says all lol! Finally the game I've waited 6 years for has been released, and I was there at GameStop first thing in the morning to pick it up! Really right now I can't say too much about the game since I'm only a few hours in, but I can say that I am ALREADY impressed! I love the new flow motion system, I love playing as both Sora and Riku, I love how Sora has the party member attacks found in KH2, I love how Riku has a command style like system from BBS, I love the new worlds, the graphics look really nice, I love the whole dream eater virtual pet like system, and I am REALLY liking the story! Overall this game is everything I wanted plus more! Can't wait to see what happens next!

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Picked up Harvest Moon: Animal Parade!

Today the game I ordered a few days back finally arrived! Harvest Moon: Animal Parade! Now I'm sure some if you know this already, but I'm a huge Harvest Moon and Rune Factory fan, but normally I end up buying the games spread out. Although I like the games and all, a lot of the games, especially the DS ones, seem like the same old thing with only a few minor improvements which really aren't worth getting. I mean yeah they're still fun games, but I never really saw a reason to buy each game that came out each year when I'm still having fun playing the old one. Well with that being said, I finally decided to pick up the newest Wii title Animal Parade.

Back when I first heard about Animal Parade I really thought that it was just one of them spin off games that wouldn't be worth my time, but then I found out what it really was. Unlike what the title may lead you to believe, AP is actually a sort of improved version of the Tree of Tranquility game released on the Wii a few years back. The game features the same two main Male and Female characters, it features a lot of the same gameplay, and it even features all of the same towns people; however there are some MAJOR differences and overall improvements that made me want this game! (Well the improvements on top of what was in ToT that is!)

- At the start of the game there are actually four different characters you can pick from which is something I've never seen in a HM game before. Most of the time you're stuck with either a male or female main character (based on which version of the game you bought), but this time there's actually two of each for you to chose from!

- You can customize your house and move furni around! I'm a huge Animal Crossing fan, and this is one feature I always wished Harvest Moon would use more often.

- The world is HUGE! Most Harvest Moon games, and heck even Rune Factory, feature a small town with a few buildings, a few outside areas, and a few "dungeon" like areas (or caves/forests) for you to explore. Animal Parade has all of that plus MUCH MUCH more! It actually takes awhile for you to walk to where you want to go, and there's a LOT of places to explore.

- Clothes and accessories! You can customize how your character looks (as well as their kids once they have them)!

- The family/kid system has also been improved. You can now have up to two kids, and both kids can grow up into teens and actually HELP do chores. They also have to attend school apparently. (Really it's nice to see that the kids are no longer zombies who just sit in the house all day and never do a single thing!)
- Lots and LOTS of animals! From wild dogs, cats, and pigs, to more exotic animals, this game has them all and you can have ANY of them as your pet. The standard animal system is there (cows, horses, chickens, etc), but it's really nice to see that you can actually take in stray animals of ANY KIND, and make them your pet (instead of being stuck with a dog that never changes). You can also teach them tricks lol

- There are a LOT of events, more so than I have ever seen in a HM game. Basically the town has gone to heck and everything has gone wrong, so it is now up to you to make the best farm you possibly can so you can return the town to normal! Yep there's a lot of problems to be solved, and a lot of farm work to be done.

- An actual story! Although the Rune Factory games have pretty good stories, most standard HM games really don't have too much of one. Well, it seems that Animal Parade has changed that as well. The story is a huge long story which actually effects the world that you live in, and it is actually pretty well told.

- You can go into mines, and well, mine. Different materials can be used to create different things, and the overall set up actually uses a pretty advance system. Once again, it reminds me a LOT of Rune Factory.
- You can take on part time jobs outside of farming, and you can play mini games as well!

- All of the other standard Harvest Moon features are still in this game as well. The farming system is VERY deep (there are many different types of crops to grow, and there's many different ways for you to treat the land as well), there's a pretty deep cooking system, fishing is still there, you can craft/upgrade different/better tools, you can expand your house and farm, and the livestock system is pretty deep as well.

- And one of my favorite improvements is the fact that there is now a NIGHT theme for every season in the game. Instead of hearing owls hoot, the music slows down to a nice peaceful tune that makes you want to stay outdoors just to listen to it.

In other words, this game is everything I liked about Harvest Moon, it has a lot of the features I liked about Rune Factory, it's got the exploration I like in most RPGs, and it's also got a touch of Animal Crossing thrown in as well. Despite the misleading title that makes it seem like a spin off focused on animals, this game is actually the biggest Harvest Moon game out there. Although I've only played a few in game days, I've already seen a great deal of content, and I'm not even 1% into this monster of a game.
If I ever get around to finishing it... Maybe I'll do a full review lol

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Pikmin - GCN Classic Review

Back when the Nintendo GameCube first hit the shelves, everyone was excited about a few different games. Sure there were popular game series such as Mario and Zelda on the way, but in the middle of the sea of fan favorites came along a brand new IP called Pikmin. Although Nintendo themselves didn't know it at the time, this one single game would create an entire new fan base, and Pikmin would soon become known as one of the greatest Nintendo series of all time.

Crash Landing on an Alien World:

Captain Olimar is a space captain who is simply taking a vacation from work and enjoying the galaxy. He doesn't have a care in the world as he drifts through space in his S. S. Dolphin, but all of that was soon about to change... Out of no where a commit shoots through the sky, crashes into Olimar's ship, and forces him to crash land on a strange alien planet, which is hinted at to be Earth. After crash landing, Olimar begins to survey the area only to find that the parts of his ship have been scattered across the world, and he has no way to get back home. To make matters worse, his life support has been damaged, and he only has about 30 days to find a way to repair his ship and make it back to his home world of Hocotate. Although most people may give up and accept their fate, Olimar isn't most people, and he decides to do anything he can to find a way to save himself and return to his family.

As Olimar explores the area around his ship, a strange little ship just happens to catch his eye. After approaching the ship, it stood up on its own, and then spit out a single little seed. Not sure what he should do at first, Olimar then decided to pull it out, but only to find out it wasn't a plant at all. It was some type of alien creature! This alien creature was red, with a long point sticking out of its head, and a leaf on top. The creature seemed to have formed a bond with Olimar, following his every command, and soon after finding what appeared to be an onion shaped space ship, Olimar found that this creature could bring food to it to produce more seeds which would grow more creatures.

Deciding to take advantage of the strange creatures, which he decided to call Pikmin, Olimar decides to travel the planet, grow Pikmin, use them to battle the wildlife on the strange planet, and find the pieces of his space ship. Pikmin are in fact loyal to the end, and they will do anything to help their new "master."

Nintendo's First Try at a Real Time Strategy:

Pikmin is Nintendo's first try at a full fledged RTS, and it is a very unique one unlike anything else on the market. In Pikmin you take control Captain Olimar from a top view perspective as you explore the world and command Pikmin. While Olimar himself only has a basic melee attack, he does have a wide verity of commands which he can issue the Pikmin to make them do whatever he needs them to do. Olimar can break Pikmin into groups, he can throw them, he can control their movements as they march along behind him, and he can also call them or tell them to stay put. These very few simple commands actually go a long way, and allow you to use the Pikmin in many, MANY, different ways.

If a Pikmin goes near a plant with a coin on it, which is a type of food which can produce more Pikmin, the Pikmin will start attacking it as soon as they touch it. Once the plant is destroyed and the coin drops, any Pikmin which touches the coin will then begin to carry it back to their onion to produce more Pikmin to help. Every single object, including coins, does have a weight limit, and since Pikmin can only carry so much weight, most of the time it takes multiple Pikmin for them to lift it.

When it comes to enemies, you also have to really play it smart. While smaller enemies can be killed simply having Pikmin gain up on them, that is not always the case for the larger enemies. Some enemies WILL try to eat your Pikmin, and they will pay no mind to the Pikmin as they slowly start to attack the enemy's feet. When it comes to enemies like this, it is completely up to you to figure out the best strategy to take them down. From throwing your Pikmin on their head where the enemy can't reach them, to throwing them at a weak spot, there are many different ways to take down each enemy, and that enemy is sure to put up a fight no matter what. Enemies WILL fight for their life, and they will fight to protect their young, so you always have to keep in mind what the best course of action really is. Sure you might need more Pikmin, and that enemy might grow you a lot of them if you can bring it back, but it also might not be worth the risk.

Although killing enemies and growing more Pikmin is a key feature in the game, another major feature is the whole puzzle solving aspect. Most of the time as you explore each area you'll come across objects that are just out of reach, and you have to figure out how to get them. Sometimes this involves using Pikmin to build a bridge to cross an area, other times you have to break down a wall using special types of Pikmin, and sometimes you just have to explore the area, fight mini bosses, and flat out find a way around whatever obstacle is in your way. The thing is you only have so long before nightfall, so you really have to plan out your actions for the day, and you cannot simply just take your time solving the puzzles.

Each area has many different ship parts scattered around, there's 30 pieces to find, only 30 days to find them in, and each level does have a time limit. Not only do you have to kill enemies, build up your Pikmin, search the area for parts, and solve puzzles, you have to do all of this as fast as possible before time runs up and you fail to make it home safely. It isn't an easy task, and it may take a few play throughes (especially since it takes awhile to actually find the ship parts), but with practice you can master the game and finally bring our hero home.

The Different Types of Pikmin:

In the original Pikmin there are actually three different types of Pikmin (four if you count the "evil" poisoned Pikmin which they can transform into), and each type has its very own role to fill. Although you can only have 100 Pikmin out on the field at a time, each Pikmin is stronger in a different area, and you have to decide just which types of Pikmin you will be needing for that day.

Red Pikmin are your standard Pikmin which you will be mostly using near the start of the game, but they also become very important later on. Red Pikmin are completely immune to heat and fire, which allows them to access hot areas which would normally burn up other Pikmin, and they are also the strongest type of Pikmin in the game. Although their heat resistance is useful, and key for some areas, Red Pikmin will become your main source of attacking enemies, and that role will take priority over everything else.

Yellow Pikmin are the second type of Pikmin that appear in the game, and like the Red Pikmin, they have two uses as well. Although they can in fact attack like all of the others, Yellow Pikmin are more useful when it comes to reaching new areas. Yellow Pikmin are the lightest of the three types, which allows them to be thrown higher, and they can also use a special item called a "Bomb Rock." Bomb Rocks are "normal" rocks which can be found in some stages of the game, but whenever a Yellow Pikmin picks one up it turns into a bomb. By using these Bomb Rocks, Yellow Pikmin can basically wire strong gates (which normally cannot be damaged) to explode, and take them down in no time. This is a very important feature, and is key to finding all of the space ship parts.

Blue Pikmin are the third and final type of Pikmin that you'll come across, and are a MUST have for the flooded areas of the game. Unlike the other two type of Pikmin, Blue Pikmin can both swim AND walk through areas covered in water which normal Pikmin normally have to stay away from. These Pikmin are very important when it comes to building bridges across water ways, or just making it through water areas in general. There are in fact a few parts of the game which are completely covered in water, so the Blue Pikmin will be the only type you'll be able to use. Blue Pikmin can also act as life guards and rescue any Red or Yellow Pikmin which has fallen into the water by mistake.

Besides the three types of Pikmin, each Pikmin its self can evolve and become stronger. By drinking nectar, found from killing special enemies and breaking special objects, Pikmin can advance their evolution cycle and grow a bulb on their head. Pikmin with a bulb on their head work much faster/harder than standard leaf Pikmin, but it's when the bulb turns into a flower that they become fully powered up.

The Day and Night of Pikmin:

Pikmin is truly a unique game, and a must have if you own a GameCube. The graphics look really nice, the story is pretty nice, the gameplay is VERY addicting, the puzzles are fun, the areas are nice and big, and you can't help but love the little creatures in this world. The "monsters" are funny looking, it's fun to watch how they react to the world around them, and the Pikmin themselves are very lovable. Watching them carry back a dead body as they sing and march is just priceless! Even so there are a few things holding this game back from being great.

Although the challenge of the time limit is really nice, and it also gives you a reason to plan out your days, but it also means you really don't have time to just take the game slow and enjoy it. The game has a huge focus on exploration, yet at the same time it really doesn't give you the time to fully explore the world. Sure it's understandable since the game is set up so that it takes more than one playthrough to beat it, but some people may not like going through a 10-15 hour long game, only to fail and have to start all over again. It would just have been nice if there was some type of free play mode.

Anyway... Despite the fact that there's no free play mode, there is a nice fun challenge mode which allows you to replay the levels, and the game is in fact VERY replayable. This is a game you will WANT to replay over and over again as you shoot for that new high score, and finally save Olimar. Pikmin gets a 10/10!

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Super Mario Sunshine - GCN Classic Review

Super Mario Sunshine is the next in line 3D Mario game following Mario 64, and it is also the first ACTUAL Mario game for the Nintendo GameCube. Although Luigi's Mansion had been released before it, it featured a completely different style of gameplay, and stared Mario's brother Luigi instead. Unlike Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Sunshine once again stars our hero Mario, but this time with quite a bit twist which has caused a split in the fan base. So what is this major change? Why is the fan base split? Well...

Lets go to the Tropical Island of Isle Delfino:

Although most Mario games are pretty light on the story, Super Mario Sunshine actually has a much more detailed story, and it actually gives Mario more of a reason to do what he is doing. At the start of the game Mario, Peach, Toadsworth, and a few toads decide to fly out to a tropical island called Isle Delfino. The place is said to be an amazing tropical resort with a lot of food, beautiful beaches, and amazing attractions (such as a theme park); however when they finally arrive at the island, they find that not everything is as it should be.

On the landing strip appears to be a massive blob of slug and grime, and the island is in a panic. After wondering around the air port, Mario soon comes across a device called Fludd which was created by Professor E Gadd. Fludd is a type of massive water gun which straps onto the users back, and well, can shoot water (as well as provide advice as it seems). After Mario straps Fludd to his back and starts to clean up the graffiti, a huge Piranha Plant rises out of the mess, and begins to attack. Finally after taking down the Piranha Plant, two police officers slowly walk up to Mario to thank him for all his hard work... And throw him in jail.

It turns out the person running around the island with a magic paint brush, that spreads graffiti, was none other than Mario! Despite the fact that Mario and company just arrived at the island, the judge rules in the town's favor, and Mario is given community service. Using Fludd Mario must clean up the island, return the Shine Sprites which made the place such an amazing island paradise, and return everything to normal.
Not too long after Mario starts his clean up, he runs into "Shadow Mario" who is the actual cause of the problem, and he soon finds himself going on an adventure to save Princess Peach once again.

Cleaning up Isle Delfino:

Like in Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine features a type of "over world" and many different levels to travel to as well; however this time everything has been improved on. While in Mario 64 all you could really do was explore the castle, in Sunshine you can actually explore the entire island! The island is filled with places to explore, levels can be found allover the city, and even yoshi can be used later on. Although most of the levels are unlocked by gaining Shine Sprites (which work as the Stars did in 64), Mario can also unlock other Fludd power ups which allow him to access different areas.

Whenever Mario comes across a strange rainbow graffiti, you can use Fludd to spray it and open an entry way into another level. Just like with jumping into paintings in Mario 64, jumping into these strange graffiti patches will send Mario across the island into a completely new location with a brand new goal to complete.
Before each area starts, you are actually given the option to select a set mission to take on. Each area has quite a few missions, and each mission gives you a Shine Sprite, but some missions will remain locked until you have completed others in the very same area. While normally the first mission of each area revolves around Mario cleaning up messes and fighting a boss, other missions come in a wide verity of different forms. From racing, to collecting hidden items, to solving the mystery at the haunted hotel, there's plenty of different types of missions for you to complete, and it never gets old.

Now I know a lot of what I said sounds just like Mario 64, the over world, the levels, the missions, the Shine Sprites (Stars), etc, but there is one thing that makes Super Mario Sunshine very unique, and that's Fludd.

As I said before Fludd is a water gun which sprays water to clean up messes; however that is not his only abilities. Since Mario cannot kick or punch in this game, Fludd is his main source of combat, and he can be used in many different ways. While holding down the R button will spray a stream of water at whatever your target is, lightly pressing it will simply spray water as you run around to clean up the graffiti. There are also spin and jump moves which you can preform while holding down the spray button, but these moves have a very limited amount of uses, and are something you will mostly forget about for most of the game; however the next few abilities are the complete opposite.

Throughout the game Fludd can receive upgrade parts which change what his secondary "spray" is, and they are all important. At the very start of the game, Fludd starts out with a type of Jet Pack spray which shoots two streams of water toward the ground which allows Mario to hover/fly for a short amount of time. This allows Mario to access areas that would normally be off limits, or even save him from a fall. As for the other power ups, they serve completely different purposes. While one is a rocket which allows you to reach higher areas, the other is a type of jet which allows Mario to run at super fast speeds, and fly across the water! They really are fun power ups to play with, but they really end up being more for puzzle solving in a few key areas.

Although Fludd does in fact take water to recharge, don't worry there's water around every turn, he can preform a wide verity of actions, and makes what might have been a limiting game, not so limiting. Fludd allows for a much wider verity of missions than we saw in Mario 64, he gives Mario a completely new move set, and he is a very likeable character who actually really adds to the story.

The Realistic Island:

One of the major differences about Sunshine's game world and 64's game world is the fact that it is realistic. Although you are still warping through magical paint to get to different areas, everything is also connected. As you walk around the main town you can actually see the rest of the areas of the game. The theme park is in the difference, you can see the volcano, you can see the other beaches, and you can also see the docks. Everything is right there, but with something blocking you from actually walking to it. It really adds a sense of realism to the game, which is something you normally don't see in a Mario game.

Unlike other Mario games, Sunshine also features full voice acting! Sure Mario is his quiet self like always, but Toadsworth, Peach, the toads, the villagers, and even Fludd are completely voiced during all cutscenes. It was actually a little bit shocking to see voice acting in a Mario game, at least to this extent, but at the same time it was a much welcomed addition!

The Gameplay:

Although I already touched on this earlier in the review, the gameplay of Super Mario Sunshine is what really makes it stand out. Like in past games, Super Mario Sunshine is a completely 3D action platformer which gives you different goals to complete as you collect the Shine Sprites. Each area is completely filled with graffiti which Mario must clean up using water, or else it will hurt him, but there really is much more to the gameplay than that.

Every single area in the game is flat out HUGE! They are wide open areas, with many hidden areas to find and explore, and a lot of different type of enemies. Although most enemies simply require you to clean them off or use water to push something into them, there are still some classic enemies which are defeated by jumping on their heads. Sometimes enemies can feel quite a bit like a puzzle, but it never feels like a chore to clean them up or defeat them!

While most areas are completely open "adventure field" like areas, there are also other areas that take on a completely different style of play. Since Sunshine is in fact a Mario platformer, don't be too shocked when you come across levels that focus completely on the platforming aspect. Floating platforms in mid air that move and turn on you, tight jumps that you wouldn't have made without Fludd's help, and enemies that you have to avoid to keep from falling off the stage. The classic Mario platforming is still there; however for the most part it does take a back seat to the rest of the game.

Really, unlike most Mario games, Sunshine is a challenging game despite being rated E for everyone. While the platforming can be a bit tricky at times, there are also some missions that may have kids that play this confused; the Hotel for example. Although the Hotel is one of the more creative levels in the game, it is filled with mysteries that can be quite hard to solve. From finding hidden passages that lead you into another room which apparently has a trap door that leads you into another room, to flat out just figuring out where to go, the game can become quite confusing (especially for younger players). Still if one area were to be too hard, it's always good to know that there are other missions out there which you can earn Shine Sprites from. Since the game doesn't require you to collect all of them to complete it, some missions CAN be skipped! (The only down side is that the island wont be as bright and sunny in the end.)

The Sunshine, and the Shadows:

Super Mario Sunshine is a fun game, there's no doubt about it. The world and levels are amazingly huge and fun to explore, Fludd's mechanics are a really nice and fun addition to the game, the story is amazing for a Mario game, it's nice that the game has voice acting, the entire game is bright and sunny and really makes you feel like you're on an island paradise, and it's really nice to see that they brought yoshi back. The wide verity of levels and missions are also really nice, the game is challenging for the ones who want a challenge, and it has easy missions for the casual gamer, and all of the bosses are unique as well. In other words the game really is an amazing game, and a must have if you own a GameCube, but it still might not be for everyone.
Since the game focuses on Fludd, most of the Mario 64 gameplay you may be a fan of is gone. No more punching and kicking, no finding power ups like the wing cap, and since the game doesn't take place in the mushroom kingdom, don't expect to see many familiar enemies either. Super Mario Sunshine is FILLED with new content, and that right there is what caused a split in the fan base. The game is an either "love the changes" or "hate it because it's not Mario 64" type of game, and that's all there is to it.

The game has no real down sides, besides being different, and that really isn't something I'd call a "down side." Super Mario Sunshine is great, and because of that I'm giving it a 10/10! Just keep in mind that this game is NOT Mario 64.

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Star Fox Adventures - GCN Classic Review

Star Fox Adventures was the first Star Fox game to be released on the Nintendo GameCube, and also the first Star Fox game to be released in over five years. So was the long wait worth it? Or is Star Fox Adventures just one big let down? Well...

The Background of Dinosaur Planet:

Before Star Fox Adventures was announced for the GameCube, Rare had been developing a brand new adventure game for the Nintendo 64 called "Dinosaur Planet." In Dinosaur Planet players would play as two young human-like foxes named Sabre and Krystal as they explored Dinosaur planet and tried to save it from the evil General Scales. With the help of their partner dinos, both characters would make their way through this world, solve puzzles, and finally save it.

After the game was sent to Nintendo for Review, Shigeru Miyamoto noticed something strikingly familiar about the game. Both the world and characters reminded him a lot of something you would see in the Nintendo series Star Fox, and that is when it happened. Nintendo and Rare decided to take what used to be Dinosaur Planet, and rework the game into a completely brand new Star Fox game which they could then release as a launch title for the upcoming Nintendo GameCube. During this transition quite a few things were changed, but in the end the game finally did hit the shelves just like Nintendo and Rare originally planned.

Welcome to the Lylat System:

As Star Fox Adventures begins, a young blue fox named Krystal is flying on the back of a dinosaur as she responds to a distress signal which was apparently coming from somewhere close to the world "Dinosaur Planet." As she gets closer to the world she soon finds herself being attacked by a flying air ship, and is forced to return fire. Once the cannons on the back of the ship are destroyed, Krystal finally lands on board, and begins her search to see just who put out the distress signal; however she soon discovers the source is not there, and that the ship actually belongs to the evil General Scales, ruler of Dinosaur Planet.

After being tossed overboard by General Scales, Krystal and her dino pal fly towards an old building known as the Krazoa Palace, where she finally discovers who set out the distress signal. It turns out the Krazoa spirits, the source of life on Dinosaur Planet, have gone missing from the palace, and the dinosaurs need Krystal's help to find them. Sadly soon after finding the first Krazoa in the palace, Krystal is attacked by an unseen being who knocks her into a strange beam which then seals her inside a crystal. (Very fitting...)
Meanwhile elsewhere in the Lylat System, Fox McCloud, Slippy Toad, and Peppy Hare, are just flat out doing nothing as their Great Fox just floats through the galaxy. Slippy does some minor repairs on ROB 64, Peppy complains to fix about the new age music which is turned up too loud, and Fox is playing on his computer. Since the events of Star Fox 64, not much has really happened, and the Star Fox team is completely broke. The Great Fox is falling apart, Falco left the team (according to a comic which was released by Nintendo he joined up with Katt and her crew), and things just aren't looking good for the team; however all of that is just about to change.

After receiving a call from General Pepper, Fox finds himself heading out to Dinosaur Planet which has broken into many different pieces which now float around the planet. Fox's job is to land on Dinosaur Planet, find out what is going on, and put the planet back together again.

Once Fox finally arrives on Dinosaur Planet, he soon finds Krystal's staff, which she dropped when General Scales threw her off the ship, and he also meets up with the Queen Earthwalker (a triceratops) who asks Fox to save her son Tricky. With not much else to go on Fox then sets out to rescue Tricky from General Scale's men, not knowing that he is about to get caught in the center of all of the world's problems. Soon Fox learns all about how the Krazoa Spirits have gone missing, and how the planet has broken into many different pieces due to their powers vanishing from the Krazoa Palace.

With the young Prince Tricky by his side, Fox sets out on an adventure to save all of the Krazoa Spirits, and put Dinosaur Planet back together again.

The Legend of Star Fox:

Unlike what most might expect from a Star Fox game, Star Fox Adventures is NOT an on rail shooter, but an action adventure game instead. When you first start playing as Fox you will in fact find yourself flying through space as you head toward Dinosaur Planet, but this on rail shooter aspect of the game is very short lived. Whenever Fox goes to a new section of the planet, you are required to fly there, but it is not quite the same as the on rail shooter levels from Star Fox and Star Fox 64. All on rail levels take place in space, the level designs are very basic with asteroids, rock landmasses, and bombs to fly around, and there are enemies that will shoot at you, but these sections rarely last more than 30 to 40 seconds, and your only real goal is to fly through the gold rings. Each area requires a set amount of gold rings to enter, and if you fail to gain the set amount, you will be forced to replay the short level from the start.

After flying through the gold rings (or ring), Fox will land on Dinosaur Planet and the game will truly start. Star Fox Adventures is basically what you might call a Legend of Zelda clone. Fox has a type of "heart" health system which appears at the top of the screen, each "heart" has four pieces to it, and as you go through the game and beat bosses you can pick up more pieces which expand your health. This is the very system The Legend of Zelda has been using since the very first game, and it is a system not many would expect to see in a Star Fox game; however that is NOT the only similarities this game shares.

At the very start of Star Fox Adventures you will find yourself on the surface of Dinosaur Planet with almost NO guidance. There are dinosaurs walking around, and there is a general store, but other than that you are completely on your own. The very start of the game makes it very clear that this game is in fact going to be an adventure, and it will require a LOT of exploration.

As you explore the first area of the game you will soon find Krystal's staff which will open up a wide verity of options for you. You'll find switches which can be pressed, you'll be able to lift up rocks to find hidden scarabs which are used as this game's currency, and you'll also be able to combat enemies. Still many of the areas you'll be able to access by using this staff will only lead to more dead ends, and more puzzles you will have to come back later to solve. Just like with a Metroid game, you are COMPLETELY on your own, and you will constantly find yourself at dead ends.

Throughout the game Fox will be able to find many different items and power ups to help him on his adventure. While at times you'll find bigger wallets which will allow you to hold more scarabs (which will allow you to buy other key items which will allow you to advance), other times you'll actually find completely new powers that will allow you to access new areas. Early on Fox will come across a secret cave which will upgrade the staff to allow it to shoot, which will allow you to hit out of reach switches, but other power ups will also include upgrades such as the rocket which allows you to reach higher areas. All of these power ups are KEY to solving puzzles found throughout the game, but they are also useful in combat as well.

Combat in Star Fox Adventures is completely real time, and works more like a dueling system. Whenever you attack an enemy the camera will lock onto them allowing you to do back flips, side steps, and standard staff swings to hopefully take them down. The combat system is extremely simple and only requires some simple dodging and blocking, but this can be seen as a down side as well. Since battles are one on one, other enemies will NOT attack you while you're fighting, so you really only have to worry about whats in front of you, and most enemies can be killed just by mashing the attack button. Still the combat does look nice, and bosses normally do have to be fought in a puzzle solving manner.

Tricky Wants to Play:

Early on into the game you save Prince Tricky and he joins Fox on his adventure. While at first Tricky may seem to be that annoying side character who doesn't really add too much to the game, but that couldn't be any farther from the truth. Tricky is Fox's partner in this game and he is EXTREMELY important to progressing through the story. Tricky can breath fire to light things on fire, he can dig for hidden items, and he has a few other useful abilities as well. All of these abilities are very important, and are often used to solve puzzles. Still Tricky does require a bit of work to actually take care of, and you cannot just freely abuse him.
Like most "pets," Tricky does need to eat and using his special abilities does require energy. While Fox's staff's energy can be refilled by knocking off the glowing energy gems on some special plants, finding Tricky's food is a bit more tricky. Still just like with every other item in the game, if you cannot dig it up somewhere, you can always stop by the general store.

Since Tricky is still a young dino, he does like to have fun, and it is up to Fox to play with him from time to time. By buying a ball from the store you can actually play catch with Tricky to help build up his stats. The more you play with Tricky the better his abilities become, and he also slowly starts to change colors. If you want to save on your food supply this becomes a very important feature of the game, and you might want to take some time to "level grind."

The Dungeons of Star Fox Adventures:

While the main area of the game is filled with puzzles and exploration, Star Fox Adventures also has quite a few standard "dungeons" as well. Whenever you fly to a new area you can expect to find many, MANY different puzzles for you to solve, and they are not easy ones either. Unlike most adventure games, this game does not hold your hand and it leaves everything up to you to solve. Most puzzles are not marked, which results in you sometimes shooting random objects hoping they will fall to make a path, and most of the time you will have to search for hidden areas to find that one item that will allow you to progress. These puzzles can be quite challenging, and they only get harder as you go on.

Once you solve the dungeon like area, the dungeons actually do not end there. At the end of every area Fox will find himself entering a Krazoa shrine which is another dungeon in its self. These areas can also be quite challenging, and they normally focus on a gimmick, but once you get to the end the game finally changes thing up. Each Krazoa will require you to go through some type of trial which normally features some type of mini game. From finding the hidden Krazoa in a earn as it shuffles around, to keeping your sanity bar in the middle of the screen as your worst fears come true, these mini games range from both easy and challenging, and they can take quite a few tries to complete.

After you have finished the mini game Fox will receive a Krazoa, and then be sent to the Krazoa Palace where he will once again go through a "dungeon" before finally returning the Krazoa to its resting spot in the head of a statue.

The Mini Games:

Although it isn't a major focus, Adventures does in fact feature a few mini games which can be played throughout the game. Besides the Krazoa mini games which take place at the end of each of their trials, there are quite a few mazes hidden throughout the game which you can play through to earn extras as well. While most of the time these extras are just extra cash, there are quite a few "cheats" which can be unlocked just for the heck of it. They really don't add too much to the game, but they can be fun to play around with.
The game also features a few on rails hover bike segments as well, which are actually really fun, but these on rail parts pretty limited, and they only can be played at a few different key parts in the game...

The Detail of Adventures:

Although Star Fox Adventures originally started on the N64, it is easily one of the best looking Nintendo games you will play on the GameCube. The game not only has 480p HD support, but it also has a wide screen mode for anyone with an HD TV, and to go along with all of this, the game pays great attention to detail! Fox's fur looks very realistic, there's a wide verity of detail in areas around you (grass patches are not simply the same texture repeated over and over again), there's a day and night cycle, dinosaurs look pretty realistic and walk around the world going about their daily lives, the Arwing looks dirty and beat up, and rivers flow down stream.

The entire game is packed full of "realistic" detail, and because of this, Star Fox Adventures is filled with eye candy that you will WANT to look at. While normally you might just want to rush through an area and solve a puzzle as fast as possible, Adventures gives you a reason to actually slow down and enjoy the scenery.

The Good and the Bad:

Star Fox Adventures is a good game, and it does a lot of things right. This is the first game where we as players really get to step into the life of Fox McCloud and see what makes him tick. Sure in past games there was dialog throughout the levels, but the story was actually quite limited. In Star Fox Adventures we actually get to see a full story filled with cutscenes, and character development, and it is quite nice.
The game's characters are great, the huge open-like world is amazing, the great amount of detail makes the game one of the best looking GameCube games, and the puzzles are fun and challenging. The game also features a really nice mini map at the bottom of the screen which you can actually take full control of by using the D-Pad WITHOUT ever stopping the game. Sign and other important information is also displayed on the mini map, which really helps keep the game's faster pace.

Star Fox Adventures is in fact a solid game that is sure to please most action adventure game fans out there; however it really isn't much of a Star Fox game. The on rail shooting parts of the game aren't that great, the voice acting for the supporting characters is NOTHING compared to the original cast in Star Fox 64, there really aren't any outstanding quotes that you'll be repeating for the next ten or so years, and the story is basically unrelated to the rest of the Star Fox world. Sure there are some tie ins at times, but it's pretty easy to tell that they were just thrown in to help turn Dinosaur Planet into a Star Fox game.

Other than not being too much of a Star Fox game, this game really doesn't have any down sides. If you are a Legend of Zelda fan and Star Fox fan, you SHOULD play this game for sure. If you're just a Star Fox fan, or fan of on rail shooters, you might want to stay away from this one.

In the end, I give Star Fox Adventures a solid 7/10. It is a great game that you will want to replay over and over again, but there really just isn't much there when it comes to extras. Once you beat the game you are actually stuck at the final boss fight, and it is very easy to 100% this game on your first run through.

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JC Penney selling some awesome Video Game shirts!

So, as you may know, the other day was my Birthday. Well although I really didn't have anything planned for it, I did end up going out to eat, and then I decided to head over to the mall across the street to check out GameStop. Well after getting to the mall and walking in through the doors to JC Penny (which is the store right across from GameStop), I just happened to notice some T Shirts that they had out for display. Some Video Game T Shirts!

Now I know that JC Penney has always had some Video Game shirts, but their selection has always been quite low. In the past I've gotten a few Mario shirts and a few Sonic shirts, but that's really about it. Well it turned out this time they actually had quite a lot!

Street Fighter, Portal 2, Call of Duty, Halo, Mario, Yoshi, Gears of War, Assassin's Creed Revelations, and so on. There was at least 30 or so different shirts, and almost all of them were of great well known games! (I actually ended up buying an Uncharted 3 shirt, Mass Effect 3, and Kingdom Hearts II shirt!)
So anyway if you're looking for some video game related shirts, I recommend checking out JC Penny! Each shirt was only around 10 bucks, and they were all pretty good quality as well!

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Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation - Review

Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation was a Megaman Battle Network (or Rockman.EXE) game that was released in between Battle Network 4 and 5 to serve as a kind of spin off. Following in the footsteps of the Chip Challenge game released in between Battle Network 3 and 4, Real Operation shifted the focus from the main story and battle set up, to the focus of what it might be like to have a real Navi. In this game YOU are the Operator of your Navi, you download battle chips to them, and you decide what you do and when you do it. The game is completely open for you, the player, to play however you want and it runs completely on real time.

Starting the game and getting your Navi:

When you first start up the game you will be asked to fill out a few simple questions. First the game will ask for the date and time, followed by your name, if you are male or female, your age, and then finally what you are. The game has a wide verity of options to pick from when you first start, and this will effect how your Navi views you and how they will treat you. You can be anything from a grade school student, to a college student, to a house wife, to even a bum who has no job and stays home all day (yeah, I'm not kidding, that's an option). Once all of that is said and done, the game will then ask you to verify your information, and you will then be sent to the Navi Select screen.

Now when you first start the game your Navi select screen will only allow you to select from Rockman (Megaman), Roll, Gutsman, and Numberman, but as you play the game, win tournaments, and buy real life Navi Chips, more become unlocked. If you play the game enough/get everything done, in the end you will be able to play as, Rockman (Megaman), Roll, Gutsman, Numberman, Fireman, Woodman, Windman, Searchman, Aquaman, Thunderman, Metalman, Junkman, Blues (Protoman), Starman, Napalmman, Iceman, Electman, Plantman, Knightman, Shadowman, and Forte (Bass). Each and every Navi has their own personality and abilities, and they all also have some different mini games to play as well. Once you select your character you will then be sent to the home screen and be ready to start the game.

All about Navis:

Although Rockman.EXE 4.5 is in fact a game that was created for fans of the series, fans aren't always the ones who get into these games and that can lead to a lot of unanswered questions. So, just what are Navis? Well in the Rockman.EXE/Megaman Battle Network world EVERYONE carries a hand held computer called a Personal Terminal (or PET for short) which has a built in AI known as a Net Navi. Net Navis are living virtual creatures that have become a very important aspect of everyone's life, and they can be used for many different things. While Personal Navis are normally customized with a set personality and features that go along well with the owner, there are also standard Navis which are simply created to get a job done. From managing TV show programs, to working street lights, to just keeping general networks running, these Navis are made specially for work, and they are normally generic.

In the Megaman world, Custom/Personal Navis are in fact expensive Navis, and because of this fact not everyone has one. Most Navis in the world, like the "Work Navis" are in fact generic, normally green, Navis which have very limited combat abilities, and once again, are normally only used for general use, while Custom Navis fill a wide verity of roles. Besides having their own unique looks/personalities, Custom Navis are also normally skilled in combat, and they excel more so in whatever area they were created for. So in short, Custom Navis are in fact the most interesting/strongest types of Navis out there, and THAT is what 4.5 Real Operation focuses on.

The Cyber World:

In the Battle Network world everything electronic is connected to what is known as the Cyber World. The Cyber World, in short, is a virtual world that is made from the internet. Just like in real life, everything is connected to this world, and Net Navis are just one of the many ways to navigate it. While web browsers and computers can be used to access websites, Navis actually allow you to see the true form of the internet, and this has become the main way of accessing it. Home computers and servers are connected to the network by warps, data roads allow you to travel from network to network, and virtual AI programs can be seen going about their daily "lives" as they do the job they were programed for.
Data is physical items you can pick up, other Net Navis can be seen traveling the very same roads, and message boards are in fact message BOARDS. Everything about the Cyber World is just like the internet in real life, but in a virtual form. It is, a world.

Although not every electroic device in the world is connected to the internet, everything DOES have a Cyber World. Car's computers have a Cyber World that help control the car, radios have a Cyber World that make the radio work, and so on. Basically the Cyber World is in everything electroic, and if anything were to go wrong in it, it could cause chaos for the real world.

The Home Screen:

When you first arrive at the home screen there are a few things you're going to notice. First of all if you are a long time Megaman/Rockman fan you should notice the background music right away. Each character actually has a remixed version of their classic character's theme song, and they all sound great! It is really nice fan service for the long time fans of the series, but even if you've not a longtime fan, you're sure to notice how great these songs sound.

The second thing you will notice about the home screen is the fact that there are a lot of options to pick from, and they are all important. By pressing right on the home screen you can actually access a real planner which will allow you to remind yourself of important events. You can set when birthdays are, holidays, or even in game events, it is completely up to you how you want to use this feature, but it also might be something you won't be using a lot. Since most cell phones now days have built in "planners," not many people will actually be digging out their copy of Rockman.EXE 4.5 to see what they have planned for the week (especially since it's a GBA title).

As for the other options, they are important to the game.

Tournament -

The first option is the "Tournament" option which allows you to enter Tournaments. If a tournament is scheduled for the day you are playing, you will be sent right to the battle stadium to fight.

Plug-In -

The "Plug-In" option is simply what you use to "Plug-In" (or Jack-In for the Western releases). Once you Plug-In your navi will be sent to your @HP (or @ Home Page) where you can access the rest of the net.

Equipment -

Under Equipment a lot of important settings can be customized, and it may end up becoming one of the most used options in the game. Once you select Equipment you can then either customize your Navi's Abilities or your Chip Folder. Like in past Battle Network games, there are 100s of battle chips to collect in game, and each and every single chip is a different special attack. These attacks range from cannons, swords, lightning strikes, bombs, chips that steal area on the battle field, recover chips, barriers, and even chips that summon other characters to appear on the field to attack for you. Battle Chips are your main source of attacking, but you are only limited to having 30 battle chips per chip folder (or deck), you can only have so many of the same type, and you can only have so many mega and giga chips in the folder as well (which are simply stronger rare chips). For the most part, you'll end up creating a main folder which you will then constantly edit as you gain more battle chips along the way.

As for the abilities, each navi has a few custom attacks which can be set to the L and R buttons, and here is where you can freely switch them out. Basically, in the end you'll find two special attacks you'll like, and you'll stick with them for the rest of the game.

Data Library -

Just like the Library in all of the other Battle Network games, the Data Library allows you to see a list of all of your collected battle chips, and nothing more. It's just a fast and easy way to see which chips you own/have owned, and which chips you still need to find.

E-Mail -

It's not real E-Mail but it works a lot like it. Every once in awhile you'll get E-Mail from characters you met in game which simply tell you what's going on in the world, and other times you'll get news updates about special events such as tournaments. Basically if something happens in the game, you will receive an E-Mail to let you know. The only down side is that E-Mails DO in fact have a limit, so you will have to delete them to make room, so you may actually want to use that day planner feature so you don't forget some important information learned here.

Communication -

Another feature that has been around since Battle Network 1. The "COM" feature allows you to connect two GBAs together so you can battle your friends and trade battle chips. You can also compare how your navis feel about you and your friend, but this feature is mostly just to show off and brag to your friends.

Save -

The save feature allows you to back up your Navi just encase something were to ever happen to him or her. In other words, this option allows you to save your game so you can load it up later and pick up where you left off... Nothing more.

PLUG IN ROCKMAN! TRANSMISSION!:

After you log into the Network the game truly begins. The net is a large place filled with other net Navis and viruses, and you just never know what to expect. When you first log in you will actually find yourself at your Home Page which will then allow you to access the main internet. At the home page you can customize settings you set when you first started the game, and it also acts as a safe haven.

While on the net, the game plays just like you would expect from a Battle Network game. The camera is at a top isometric view, you can control your character with the D-Pad, holding B allows you to run faster, and you can talk to other characters/interact with the world around you by pressing A. It's a very simple game to control, and almost anyone can pick it up.

Depending on who you decide to have as your Navi, and depending on when you play, a few different things can actually happen while you're on the net. Each Navi has their own unique way of gaining HP power ups, and each of these ways are actually built into the net. For example, if you decided to use Roll as your Navi you will be able to find pink hearts scattered across different maps. Each heart will give Roll an extra 20 HP to her max HP count, and finding them is the only way to increase it; however if you decide to play as Forte (Bass), things are a little bit different. In Forte's case special normal Navis will show up in different locations and it's up to Forte to delete/kill them due to his violent nature. Other Navis do in fact actually play out with mini games, or math in Numberman's case, but these mini games can be quite challenging and can get pretty old fast. Either way the mini games CANNOT be avoided, since you will be required to play other character's mini games to move on.

Besides the mini games that can be played, the true main part of the net is based around exploration and net battling. As you explore the world you will be pulled into random encounters, like in the other games, where you will be forced to fight against viruses. By fighting and defeating these viruses you will either gain Zenny to spend at the shop, or if you defeat them fast enough you can earn their battle chip. Some viruses are stronger than others, but they all have their own rewards to give you, so you may just find yourself fighting them over and over again just so you can master fighting them and get their rare chips.

Like past Battle Network games, 4.5 still does play in real time, but unlike most of the other games, you CANNOT actually control your Navi while in battle. Just like a real net Navi would, your net Navi will control themselves in battle, and dodge attacks, however your Navi will still be completely lost unless you are there to guide it. At any time you can command your Navi how far/close you them to stay from enemies, and you can also freely command them to use their buster/other special attacks which have been set to the L and R buttons; however the real combat comes from using battle chips.

At the top of the screen you will see a bar which will slowly fill up over time, the very same bar that was used to download chips to your Navi in the past; however this time it is actually USED to attack. At the bottom of the screen three battle chips will randomly appear and by clicking on them you can command your Navi to use them; however each chip uses so much of the custom bar to use, so you simply can't use them at will. Standard chips take up less of the bar and can be used quite often, while mega and giga chips take up almost the entire bar so they take awhile to use. It is completely up to you to decide which chips you should use, what chips you should save, and which ones you should simply swap out for others. Although you really don't have direct control over your Navi, the whole chip set up really does have quite a bit of depth, and it truly does make it feel like you're operating a real Navi; however this isn't the key combat feature that really makes this game shine.

Many of you may remember seeing the Megaman NT Warrior toys in the west and the Rockman.EXE toys in Japan, and you may also remember seeing other Megaman anime related toys as well. Most of these toys actually came with "real" battle chips which could then be used for the "real" Advance PET; however that wasn't their only use. Although it was never released in the US, a chip reader add on was developed for the Gameboy Advance which actually allowed you to download these real chips into your games, and Rockman.EXE 4.5 was the main game that used them. Yep that's right! Besides using the in game battle chips to command your Navi, you could actually take out your REAL chips and download the data into your game JUST like a real operator would! If you are willing to spend the extra money on the battle chip gate, and battle chip packs, this is a really great way to play the game, and it really helps you live out your dream of having a real Navi.

As I said before, the Battle Chip Gate was sadly never released in the US, despite the fact that most of the NT Warrior toys had an advertisement for it, and despite the fact that the Megaman Battle Network 4 US versions were set up to use it as well. Still, like the E-Reader cards which added special effects, add ons like this never really caught on outside of Japan and they remain locked features in many of the well known games, that most people will never even know about.

Tournaments also play a major role in 4.5, and they are actually one of the only ways you can progress through the game's "story." Each area has a locked gate which can only be opened by winning tournaments, and unless you unlock these gates you cannot move onto the next area of the game. In short if you want to advance to the next area where even more events, stronger enemies, and power ups await you, you MUST enter these tournaments and win. The only down side is that as soon as you jack out (or log out), these gates will be relocked and you will be required to enter the tournaments once again. These tournaments become a part of your daily routine, and you will find yourself beating them many, MANY, times.

Your Navi wants to get to know you:

("Who do you like?")

Just like any other "virtual pet" out there, your net Navi will actually try to get to know you. Even after your initial settings, your net Navi will always ask you questions about your personal life and how you feel to help get a better understanding of just who you are. Do you have any brothers or sisters? What's their name? What's your best friends name? What is/was your favorite subject in school? What do you struggle in? What are you good at? Your Navi will ask you just about every question under the sun as he/she gets to know you better. Sure you can just give your Navi a fake answer, but it really is better to answer truthfully. The good news is, if you did give a fake/random answer these questions can be changed at your home page, so you really don't have to worry about messing up.

The Real Operation:

Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation is a great game if you're a Megaman Battle Network/Rockman.EXE fan, but it might not mean much to anyone else. The game allows you to live out your dream of having a real Net Navi, and it also allows you to play as some of your favorite characters from the Battle Network series as well! It is a type of "life sim" that lets you live the world you may have always wished you were a part of, and it is a LOT of fun! It is a must have game if you're a Battle Network fan, and I strongly recommend playing it if possible.

Since the GBA is in fact region free, it is an easy game to import, and it is also an easy game to play even if you don't know Japanese. Sure you would be missing out on what your Net Navi is asking you, but the gameplay is very simple, and it takes very little trial and error to figure out what to do. It is a very import friendly game, but it will at least require some effort to understand what is going on (mainly with the battle chips which names are fully in Japanese).

So in the end, Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation is a great game, and a must have for series fans. If you know Japanese or not, the game is worth at least trying out, especially if you can get your hands on the Battle Chip Gate and some Battle Chips as well! Overall due to the character selection, the music, and the gameplay, I give it a 10/10. Still, keep in mind that not everyone will enjoy this style of gameplay, so make sure you know what you're getting into before playing.

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Tales of Xillia Coming to the West!

Remember the blog post from a few months ago where I reported that Tales of Xillia was trademarked in the US and EU? Well today Namco Bandai finally followed up on that and announced that Tales of Xillia WILL in fact be coming to the west sometime in 2013! According to them, both Tales of the Abyss 3D (which was only released after the "secret" reprint of the PS2 version sold well), and Tales of Graces f did very well, and it is clear to them that there is once again interest in the series here in the west!

So there you have it people, Tales of Xillia will be coming out here in the west while Tales of Xillia 2 will be hitting shelves in Japan as well!

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Dynasty Warriors: Next - Review

Dynasty Warriors: Next is the newest entry in the Warriors series, and is also the first Warriors game to be released on Sony's new Playstation Vita. Although other Warriors titles, including Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, and Warrriors Orochi, are up for download on the PSN store; this is the first Warriors game to actually be built to take full advantage of the system. Still either way, this is in fact a Dynasty Warriors, and most of you should already know what you're getting into. To make a long story short, if you're a Dynasty Warriors fan, chances are that you will love this game, and you most likely do not need to read this review; however there are in fact some core changes, so you might still want to stick around just to find out more. So anyway, how about we get started!

Entering the world of Dynasty Warriors:

When you first turn on Dynasty Warriors: Next you will find yourself watching a pretty flashy CGI opening, which simply shows off some of the main characters from the series, and you will then find yourself at the home menu. Here at the home menu a verity of game modes and extra options are already unlocked from the very start. If you're the type of person who wants to jump right in with the story, you can, but if you want to jump into the extra modes, they are already open as well. Although the choice is yours to make, I strongly recommend simply starting the story mode so you can begin unlocking new items and content.

If you're a series fan who would rather play with your custom character from the start, then by all means do so, but if you are a new comer, the story mode truly is the best place to start. It really is nice that the game gives you the option to choose, and that just isn't something you see in many games now days.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

Dynasty Warriors: Next, as with all other Dynasty Warriors games, tells the tale of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. For anyone who doesn't know what that is, let me explain it in the simplest terms possible. Dynasty Warriors' story is based on a novel called "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" which is based on actual historical events during the Three Kingdoms era in Chinese history (which took place from 169 to 280). Although the game is in fact based on history, or rather a novel which was based on history, the characters in game are based on real people, and most of the events in game are actual events that took place. However as all stories based on history are, Dynasty Warriors does in fact take things over the top.
No back then people didn't use magic to control the wind, they didn't fuse their weapons with the element of fire to burn whoever they attacked, and I'm pretty sure these guys didn't mow down millions of soldiers without gaining so much of a scratch. Yes there is a historical factor here, but this is a fictional version of the story with a few alternate story lines thrown in.

Basically the story tells a tale of the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu as they battle to take control of the land and unite it as one nation. Although all three kingdoms in fact share the goal of bringing piece to the land, each ruler has their own ambitions and views, which in the end leads to conflict. While earlier chapters of the game set up the story showing how these three kingdoms were formed, the later stories become "what if" type stories where each kingdom can win... Although if you want to go by history, the canon ending is in fact where the Jin Dynasty wins...

While earlier story chapters are set in stone, and basically take you from battle to battle, the Three Kingdom story arcs actually give you much more freedom (as they focus on slowly taking over the land as you play as your favorite kingdom). In these stories the game allows you to decide which pieces of land to conquer, and even what units you want to take control of, as you slowly lead your kingdom to victory. Sure at times the game will force you to play as different characters in key battles, just as it did in earlier chapters, but for the most part the final few stories actually do give you a lot of control over the game.

In the end, the game does have a "true" ending story to bring the game to a close, but in the end it really is up to you to decide who wins. If you're really into the whole history canon, then yeah, there truly is only one winner, but it still is nice to have an ending for your favorite kingdom as well.

Dynasty Warriors Gameplay with a new touch:

As I said before, if you've played a Dynasty Warriors game before, you know what to expect; however there are still some major changes which have been made to make this version a bit more unique. Still if you are in fact new to the series, this will be a completely different type of gameplay experience, and I can safely say that it is NOT for everyone.

One of the major drawbacks for all Dynasty Warriors games is the fact that you will find yourself doing the same thing over and over again for 100s of hours. If you love the gameplay this isn't a problem at all, but if you hate it, then the game will never get any better for you. It truly is a love or hate type of game, but it can take quite awhile before you can actually decide how you feel about it.

Dynasty Warriors is a real time hack and slash mixed with a real time strategy game. While you only play as one unit, you can actually give orders to your fellow teammates as you battle for control over the map. Before you actually start a battle you will be given the option to spend some cash, which you gain at the start of each turn based on how many areas you control, on officer cards which will give you different bonuses in the battle. For example one officer card may give you an attack and speed boost, while another may set fire to a random enemy base. Each officer has their own unique ability, but you are also only limited to buying four of these abilities per battle. So anyway, once you pick which officer cards you want to use, you can then pick your character, your allies, and then you can enter the battle.

Once you are in a battle you will find yourself in a huge open area with a few different key areas on the map. Each team will start out with a home base, and there will be a few other areas on the field that you will need to take control of if you want to win. Some areas will weaken the enemies base if controlled, other areas will make you stronger, and some areas will even allow you to command special troops such as the animal troops. Either way these areas are your primary goal and you MUST do everything you can to take control of them.

As you control your character on the map, you will also be leading allied forces. There will be 1000s of standard units fighting 1000s of standard enemy units, there will be allied officers fighting with enemy officers, and captains will be fighting to protect their land. The whole battle field is flat out crazy, and you will quickly find yourself in all out war. Although the standard troops really don't cause much of a problem, you can easily kill them by the dozens without taking a hit, the named units/officers will in fact cause problems, and they are key units that must be defeated if you want to win.

Each area has a life bar which slowly depletes as enemy soldiers are killed, but the only way to do any real damage to these areas is by taking out the named units in said area. Once the "health" of the area has reached 0, you will then take control of the area, the area will produce more allied troops, and you are then free to move onto the next. Still areas can be recaptured by enemy officers, so you really have to watch what's going on, on the battle field, and you really have to learn how to plan your attacks.
In the end, basically all battles will be the same. You have to plan your attacks and capture enemy bases, you have to manage and protect the areas you control, you have to take on enemy officers, and then, once you have built up your army enough, you can take on the enemy's HQ and win the battle. All of this is your standard Dynasty Warriors gameplay, but this time around there are a few new random events which can happen during battles, and there is a completely new "duel" system as well.

While for the most part combat in Dynasty Warriors: Next remains uncharged, some things have been altered to make use of the Vita's touch screen and motion censor. While X jumps, square is your normal attack, triangle is your strong attack, (square and triangle can also be pressed in different orders to preform different moves and combos) and O is one of your special attacks; all of the other moves are actually preformed by using the touch screen.

By tapping the touch screen with one finger you can pull off a special attack which normally is an area attack, such as one that brings down lightning that destroys everything around you, but by tapping the touch screen with both thumbs you can pull off a unique special which makes use of the Vita's new features. Some of these special attacks will require you to rapidly touch the back touch panel which causes explosions wherever you touch, others require you to flick the front touch screen to cut through mobs of enemies, and some even require you to shake the touch screen to a beat to do extra damage. Most of these specials are unique to the weapon the character is using, but sometimes there are characters that use different versions of the very same attacks.

Although some may actually be put off by these "attack mini games" as you might call it, these special moves can be a lot of fun to use, and it actually is a lot better than simply watching the screen as your characters preform a crazy strong attack like in other games of the series. Still these attacks aren't the only "touch mini games" you'll come across in Next, and THAT might be the real turn off for some series fans.

Touch based Mini Games make it to Dynasty Warriors:

Once in awhile as you run across the map the game will actually pause and require you to play some sort of mini game. Although these mini games normally only last about 5 to 10 seconds, they can slow the game down, and some people might find them to be flat out annoying. For example say you're walking down a narrow path with some archer units just ahead. Normally you would think you could just cut them down and move on right? Well you might soon find our you're wrong as the game switches to a first person view where you must swipe the touch screen to cut the flying arrows in half before they hit you. These type of mini games do appear quite often, and quickly become a love or hate type system.

When I first saw these mini games, I really didn't know how I felt about them. Some mini games required me to tap enemies as fat as I could before they reached me, others required me to flick the system to jump off of a falling bridge, and some I really had no idea what to do in so I failed. At first these mini games were actually pretty annoying, and I would sometimes find myself doing anything to avoid small groups since I figured they would trigger one of these events, but as time went on my opinion of them soon began to change. Really none of these mini games are really that bad, in fact some can be quite fun, and they only last a few seconds.

What it all comes down to is one simple fact. Would you rather hit square and one hit kill these guys like you have been for the past 10 or so minutes, or would you rather take a small little break and do something different for a change? Most people would prefer the latter, especially since all of these mini games actually give you a reward. Unlike with standard enemy officers, or even boxes, where you have no idea if you'll be rewarded or not for taking them down, with these mini games you know for a fact you'll be getting something, and that item is normally well worth it. Still these aren't the mini games I was talking about before. Sure some MAY be put off by them, but they are nothing compared to the pre and post battle mini games which seem to randomly pop up...

Once in awhile before a battle, or during a key story event, you will be forced to play TRUE mini games to continue on. These mini games normally last for a few minutes, and they can be quite a pain to complete; however these very same mini games can be played in the game's "Gala Mode" if you do end up liking them, and they do unlock special item rewards for playing them.

Steeplechase is one of the first, and most common, mini games that you will come across in the story mode. In Steeplechase you must guide their horse through a long stretch of winding land as you dodge objects, jump over fences, plow through enemies, and hopefully make it to the goal within the time limit. Along the way you can pick up items that give you more time, but for the most part (unless you run into EVERYTHING) the game does give you enough time where you really don't have to worry about it. Basically this mini game ends up becoming a waiting game where you simply try to beat the level as fast as possible. Sure this mini game CAN be controlled with the tilt censor to move, and you can flick the system to jump, but it ends up being much easier to just use the analog stick and R button to jump.

Bastion is another mini game which shows up pretty early on, but it also requires a lot more skill than most of the others. In this mini game waves of enemies will run at you, and you have to slash across the screen as fast as you can to kill them before they hit you. Sometimes you have to deflect arrows, and other times you have to tap enemies to break their shield before you can take them out. Either way this becomes the most crazy mini game in the game, and it can actually be quite fun.

Marksman is a little bit more unique than the other mini games since it comes in two different versions. One version has you moving left and right in a 180 degrees area as you shoot enemies that are running towards you, while the other version has you controlling an arrow gattling gun as you defend a castle. Either way both versions are played the same, where you simply aim with either the analog stick or the motion controls, and you press the back touch pad to fire.

Calligrapher is the fourth and final mini game which you'll come across, and it actually ends up being the WORST one. In Calligrapher you must SLOWLY touch the back touch panel to burn a piece of paper to find the Chinese character that is hidden in it. Basically what this mini game becomes is you slowly sliding your finger around just HOPING to find the first "line" in the character, so you can hopefully uncover the entire thing before time runs out. Sure this really wouldn't be that big of an issue if you actually know Chinese, but if you're reading this review, that most likely isn't going to be the case. Once you find all hidden lines on the piece of paper, you can then "draw" the character with the front touch screen, and then move onto the next one. It really can be a pain, and it's one of them mini games not many people will enjoy.

The Dueling System:

The dueling system is the 3rd and final type of "mini" game you will come across in Dynasty Warriors: Next, and it really isn't that much of a mini game. Whenever you reach key bosses in a battle, or even sometimes during story events, a "duel" will be triggered. These duels are one on one melee based battles which make full use of the Vita's touch screen. By sliding your finger across the touch screen you can control where your character will slash/attack, and by touching/holding on the touch screen you can block and charge up a strong attack used to break your enemy's block. These duels actually take a bit more time and skill than your standard "hit square, block while enemy attacks, then hit square again" boss battles, and it adds quite a bit to the game.

At times you can also counter attack, which will allow you to score some extra hits, as well, and at times both characters swords will sometimes be locked which will bring up button prompts which you must hit as fast as you can to win. These extra little features help give duels a bit more depth, and it really tests your skills and reflexes (especially if you are facing another real player).

Once again, this new dueling system may not be for everyone out there, and it might also take a bit of getting used to if you are a series fan. Duels really do take time to master, and sometimes it just comes down to knowing when you should strike, and when you should just sit back and wait for the enemy to make their move. It can be a bit of a waiting game at times, but it's also a test of skill. The good news is if you fail you can actually restart the duel without losing any progress!

Custom Characters, Character Development and the Ranking System:
Dynasty Warriors: Next, like past entries in the series, is not only a game based on skill, but on powering up your characters as well. As you play through the game, beat officers, break boxes, and play mini games, items and weapons are unlocked. Some items increase your stats, others provide you with elemental attacks and other buffs. Either way, these items become key if you want to have any hopes of surviving later story chapters and harder modes.

When you first start a brand new story mode the game actually allows you to pick from quite a few different difficulty settings; however these difficulty settings actually aren't what you might think. In a normal game if you decide to start it on the hardest mode, you actually have a chance at beating it. The harder modes are just there to give you a challenge, and with some practice you can complete them. Well that is not the case with Dynasty Warriors.

Harder modes in Dynasty Warriors are actually the same levels but with stronger units and better item/weapon drops. In other words, if you think you can rush in at rank 1 with the base weapons, you'll soon find out the hard way that you just don't stand a chance. Now sure, it may be possible for you to manage to complete some earlier levels, but overall the harder modes really aren't meant to be played first. Like in most of the past games, the game is set up to where you should actually start on either beginner or easy, and then work your way up to the harder modes. As you kill officers and complete levels you will gain more EXP which will increase your overall rank, and in the end make you stronger. So although there are difficulty settings, they are simply there to help progress your characters, and get you ready for the highest setting, as well as help get you ready for the conquest "free play" mode.

Custom Characters also play a major role in Dynasty Warriors: Next and they become your main officer for use in the conquest mode. When you first go to create an officer you can pick any of the 100 free spaces to save them in, and you are then able to set some basic features for your officer. You can name your officer, you can select your officers gender, you can change your officers hair style, hair color, skin color, shape of face, eyes, nose, mouth, and head accessories, and you can also change your officers body type/how tall and how heavy your officer is. Although customization is a little bit limited, with only a few dozen options by default, the rest of the settings are a bit more detailed.

Armor allows you to mix and match the different types of clothing your officer wears. You can change your head armor, your torso armor, your gloves, your hips (or pants), and your leg armor, and you can also select different colors for each piece of armor as well. As you play more items do become unlocked over time, but when you first start the game your selection is in fact limited.

As you play the main story mode, more officers for you to play as become unlocked; however that isn't their only purpose. The "motion" option in "Create Officer" allows you to change the fighting style of your custom character to that of one of the officers you have already unlocked. For example if you're a fan of Wang Yi's duel blades, you can use them without actually playing as her. Like Xiahou Yuan's bow? Well why not use it? Every single officers fighting style can be used, and you can easily open up the edit mode to change these fighting styles at any time. Your custom characters are NOT set in stone, so it really gives you a lot of room to play around in.

The final two custom options actually determine what type of character your officer is. By setting your officers voice you are not only just picking what sounds he or she makes, but you are also picking your officers personality as well. Just like normal officers, custom officers will make comments about how the battle is going, and they will also talk to other officers from time to time as well. Really it can be a bit hard to tell just what type of character you'll be getting since there's really no way to tell what the voices personality is without actually hearing it in battle, but if you find that you don't like it, you can always just come back and change it. It might take a bit of playing around, but it's not really too big of an issue.

The final option is actually an option which effects a lot, and that's the abilities option. In the abilities option you can customize your characters strong points, for example if they're better at defending or attacking, and you can also customize the officer type. Different types of officers have different strong points on the battle field, and it is completely up to you what type of unit your character will be. If your officer is a military type, they'll be better at fighting other enemy officers, if they're an Intellectual type they'll be well balanced, and if they are a leader type, they'll be better at fighting mobs of enemies. Although there are only three types to select from, it is a key feature for you to set, and it really does help out in the battle field. You can also set which type of standard units will follow you in battle (swordsmen, spearmen, pikemen, shield troop, archers, cavalry, elephant troop, sorcerers, bombardiers, juggernauts, tigers, pandas, or bears), and you can also set what type of ability you want for your officer card as well.

After all of that is said and done, you will then be ready to take your character into the conquest mode.

Conquest Mode and the Network:

As I said before, Conquest Mode is a type of free play mode which allows you to play as your custom character and take over the land; however there is much more to it than that. When you first start up custom mode the game will ask you which faction you would like to be a member of, and who will be your factions leader. Although you can in fact pick any of the characters to be your faction's leader, this is the main use for your custom character so you really don't have much of a reason not to pick them.

In Conquest Mode kingdoms take turns starting battles to take control of the map, and as they do so their land levels up. At the start of each turn the game will shuffle through your land and ask you to stop it. Once you stop the shuffle, the piece of land it lands on will then be leveled up, and you will then be able to control units from that section of land. Whenever you attack a piece of land the game will play out like it does in the story mode, but there is a few key differences. First of all, land has a set level. Instead of being on even grounds with every piece of land from the very start, some pieces will have stronger troops that others, and they will require much more skill for you to take down; however once you do so that piece of land will then become your piece of land and it will be leveled up to the level the land you were originally on was. Does that sound confusing? Well... I'm not going to lie, it can be, but at the same time it is pretty simple. Basically, you attack land, you take control of the land, the land is then changed to your last piece of land's level.

Another big change in the Conquest Mode is the fact that it almost COMPLETELY runs off of the network. Although in the story mode you will randomly be pulled into a duel, or get some free items from towns people just by being connected to the network, Conquest Mode takes this to the next level. Other characters that have been created WILL begin showing up in your game, and because of this you never know what to expect. While you're in a battle you may come across a rank 1 with beginner items that you can kill in one hit, but then the next officer may be a rank 78 with strong equipment who can just completely destroy you. There are millions of custom characters out there in the world, and you just never know who is going to show up in your game, and when they are going to do it. The game will also tell you how many other peoples games your current custom character is in as well, but you have no control over what your character does, and it really doesn't effect you at all. Still it's kind of nice knowing your guy is out there killing other people and making their life harder!

Although the network feature doesn't actually allow you to play with others out there, all characters are in fact AI controlled, the game does actually allow you to register whoever you meet to a built in friends list, which will also then allow you to contact the people you've met via PSN. It is still too bad that they weren't able to pull off a true multiplayer mode, but at least you can make some new friends if you really want to.

The Encyclopedia, and the Gallery:

For anyone who is a fan of history, Dynasty Warriors: Next has you covered. In the main menu there are two extra options which simply allow you to check up on information about both the game, and the history of the three kingdoms. These two options are called the Encyclopedia, and the Gallery. While the Gallery allows you to check the officer cards you've gained, the weapons you've picked up, the items you've picked up, the friends you've met online, and even rewatch the cutscenes from the story, the Encyclopedia is a full encyclopedia. Here you can read up on the history of the three kingdoms, you can find out just about everything about each officer, including nonplayable officers who really have no part in the main story, you can read up on the key battles that took place, and there is even a complete glossary that allows you to read up on terms/phrases you may not be familiar with (such as the phrase "A dead Zhuge..."). Finally to top all of that off there is a timeline which allows you to follow all of the events, from the birth of the main characters, up till their death.

What's really nice about the encyclopedia is that by hitting the triangle button you can bring up a "see also" which lists all other related pages depending on what subject you are reading about. For example if you are reading up on Cao Cao, you can hit see also which will then direct you to the Dong Zhuo page. It really helps make finding out what you need to know easy, and you can easily spend hours upon hours reading up on the full history of the game... If you are into that kind of thing that is.

Gala Mode:

Gala Mode is the final option on the main menu and it also offers a few different options to play around with. In Gala Mode all of the mini games, which I listed above, can be replayed, but this time with the option to upload your records to the leader boards. If you are a fan of playing these mini games, you could easily spend a lot of time trying to get your rank up on the leader boards, but if you're one of the people out there who actually hates these mini games, you're only going to play them here once to get the extra items and trophies, and never come back here again. Still it is a nice little extra mode, and its also a pretty good way to help practice the mini games so you'll be ready for them in the story.

The only new option here in Gala Mode is actually the "Musou Snapshots" section which is simply a camera app that's built into the game. Here you can take pictures with the camera, draw on said pictures, and post stickers of officers which you can then play around with. In a lot of ways this mode is a lot like the last page on them Pico games which were made for kids. Once you've finished your picture you can then actually save it to your Vita's memory card, but for the most part, this mode is pointless. Now sure, if you're an artist you could actually have a LOT of fun with this mode, but if you have no artistic talent what so ever, this is one of them modes you'll avoid and never even bother loading up.

Dynasty Warriors Next may be the game you've been waiting for:

The Warriors series has shown up on quite a few handhelds over the past few years, but not many of them were truly able to pull off the full Warriors experience. Handhelds have always been limited, and that has always been a problem for Dynasty Warriors in the past. Only so many enemies can show up on screen at a time, the games have always been filled with frame rate problems, and most of the games just couldn't include everything a standard Warriors game would include. Well, it's safe to say, that isn't the case with Dynasty Warriors: Next.

Dynasty Warriors: Next is in fact a full fledged Dynasty Warriors game and it truly does bring the console experience to a handheld. Sure once in awhile enemies will just appear and disappear, and you may also notice a slight lag during some of the more hectic battles, but really that's about it. The game is easily one of the best looking Vita games out there, it is packed full of content, and it really is a game that will last you a long time. Give or take 20 hours for the story the first time through, add on a few more playthroughs on harder difficulties, and then add in the conquest mode which is made to play over and over again. If you were to go for every single trophy in this game, you are looking at over 100 hours worth of playtime. It's not going to be an easy task collecting all of them items, and getting married/forming a friendship with every single officer in the game in Conquest Mode, but at least you know the game will last you for quite awhile.
Next truly is a great Dynasty Warriors game, and it is a perfect game for both series fans and newcomers alike. Sure some may find the mini games to be a bit annoying, but others will actually enjoy them and feel that they were a much needed change to the standard formula. The game's story is nice and worth at least one more play through even if you've seen it before, and the network based Conquest Mode is just outstanding. It is too bad that the game lacks any real multiplayer mode, an online mode would have been very nice for a handheld title, but overall it really isn't a necessary so it really doesn't hurt the game in a long run.

This game is a great single player based game, and it is a must have game for your Vita collection. Even so hack and slash style games may not be your thing, so before picking this one up, make sure you fully understand what you're getting into. Hours and hours of hacking and slashing. It can be mindless at times, but it sure can be fun!

I give Dynasty Warriors: Next for the Playstation Vita, a 9/10. A great game with only a few minor flaws holding it back.

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