Dragon Quest is a series that has almost remained fundamentally the same throughout its long history; it’s kept the same battle screens, the same mechanics, the same monsters and the same art style and has kept a tight grip of the same turn-based RPG core gameplay. The saying don’t fix what isn’t broken comes to mind and for good reason. Dragon Quest is a consistent performer for the most part in terms of sales (in Japan at least) and quality so why change the winning formula?

A testament to just how much of a winning formula Dragon Quest contains is the sheer popularity of the series in Japan, it’s no longer just a game but a national treasure and can even be called a pop culture symbol. As well as selling millions of games Dragon Quest also holds the honour of the first game to inspire a ballet, so why hasn’t the Dragon Quest series captured the West in quite the same manner?

Dragon Quest IX offers a vibrant and varied 3D world to explore.

Dragon Quest IX continues with religious themes set by past titles in the series, players take up the role of a celestial (who is created by the player via a number of customization options offered at the beginning of the game) who is put in charge of a small village and tasked with protecting the people the village, aiding the villagers rewards a celestial with benevolessence which is then offered up to the Great World Tree which situates within the sky. The player finds them self offering up the last few required benevolessence for the Great Tree to bloom however when the try blooms everything goes to hell and the players celestial finds them self awakening in the village he/she once protected and discovers he/she has lost their wings and halo. This is where the game becomes instantly familiar to veterans of the Dragon Quest series. The world in which Dragon Quest takes place is filled with the traditional elements you would expect to see in a Dragon Quest game, from the eccentric NPC who inhabit the villages and towns to the creative and kooky creatures who roam the lands. The core gameplay is completing side quests and burning through the main story line, both of which involve interacting with NPCs and performing quest which consist of fetch quest, killing quest and the like. The quests may sound quite repetitive on the surface however they are far from it, the Dragon Quest charm has a strong presence which instantly pains a smile to a players face. The quests mange to stay fresh by also delivering comedic elements into some of the NPCs. It’s at this point it becomes clear that the localisation is top notch as no part of the script feels awkward or unnatural  .The main story its self doesn’t stand out as anything particularly epic but it does however offer the Dragon Quest charm and traditional themes you would come to expect from such a fruitful game series.

With questing comes exploration and Dragon Quest IX offers a vibrant and varied world to explore. The locations range from small villages to large forests and of course the odd dungeon, all of which are well designed and well detailed   a broad pallet of colours mixed with the 3D visuals and detailed character models create a world that is a treat on the eye. While exploring the land and carrying out quests it’s only a matter of time before you meet the enemies that inhabit the world and this is where players will encounter a change to the Dragon Quest series, gone are the days of random monster encounters which provoked a sense of grinding in past titles. Instead of random encounters Dragon Quest 9 opts to place the enemies on the world map which allows players to sometimes avoid conflict all together or engage enemies by walking into them, this removes any frustration that may stem from being attacked within quick concession that occurred at times with the random encounter system as well as this the new encounter system also frees up the game allowing it to feel more fluid and more welcoming to explore.

Dragon Quest IX is a fantastic traditional JRPG that bucks the trend of over bearing cut scenes and instead offers a charming experience that is both extremely enjoyable both in single player and multiplayer.

Combat its self remains as traditional as ever with the enemies lining up and facing the camera as they have done through Dragon Quests long lifespan, also sticking to tradition is the combat system, there isn’t any attempt to upgrade the system with new mechanics in the same way other JRPGs have tried e.g. Resonance of Fate, Final Fantasy 13 and instead sticks with turn based system that allows players to take their time thinking out their next move and overall strategy in each battle. This combat system may seem dated to some but for most part quite refreshing change from the current trend of JRPG’s trying to reinvent turned based combat.

The player takes up the control of all four parties’ members (assuming they are not playing with a friend via Wi-Fi) and chose the skills and abilities to use in combat; there is no set time limit in between turns allowing for a player to think out their next move or weigh up the options open to them.  There is also the option to set the mentality of the bots during single player, so for example you can set one bot to focus on healing and another to focus on attacking which this however does mean the bots will select their own skills and attacks during combat but does offer a easier gaming experience . The combat system won’t do anything to draw in gamers who have already gained a dislike to JRPG’s combat but for most part Dragon Quest 9 delivers on the combat front with its traditional take that offers a number of skills and abilities that all are carried off with fluid animation and great visuals. Unlike past Dragon Quest titles which normally required some degree of grinding to overcome certain enemies Dragon Quest 9 is more lenient and is overall easier than past instalments. This easier difficulty may be off putting to some veterans of the genre but it does however allow new comers to the Dragoon Quest series and indeed genre to ease into the gameplay.

Defeating enemies rewards the party with experience points which of course are needed to level up, levelling up in Dragon Quest opens up the ability to put points into certain weapon specialisations which in turn make a character more effect with a weapon and also opens up the ability to learn new skills.  A class system opens up a bit further into the game which allows you to pick from a range of classes which will affect your characters performance in certain roles such as healing or damage dealing.

Experience points are not the only thing a player will require during their time in Dragon Quest 9 as equipping your character and indeed your party with items is a key part to the game. Items such as armour and weapons can be found in chests dotted around the world as well as being dropped items from defeated enemies. The range of items with Dragon Quest IX is quite impressive; weapons and armour all look wonderfully detailed and look great on the in game character models, this allows for each character to look unique.  The sheer amount of items within Dragon Quest IX will offer collecting hounds plenty of replay value as they search for the best items within the game.

This biggest addition to Dragon Quest 9 is the multiplayer aspect. Using local Wi-Fi players can group together to tackle Dragon Quest in a group of four, the option to team up with bots is still open while online but is not as satisfying as playing with friends. A handy option included in the multiplayer section of the  game is the ‘Call to Arms’ feature which allows the host to instantly summon all players within the world to your location making travel and exploration a more than welcoming option while playing with friends.  Combat is fluid even in multiplayer and any delays normally come when a friend is taking their time to select their combat action. The rewards on offer by playing with friends in multiplayer come in the shape of more fun while playing, more experience points for your character and in the even your party up with friends who are further on in the game you’ll be able to bag yourself some   powerful items to take back to your game save and story point. However Dragon Quest 9’s multiplayer isn’t flawless; the only way you can play with your friends is via local Wi-Fi as there is no online option which then leads to the issue of gathering your friends in one place in order to play with them which isn’t awfully practical. However gathering with friends to play Dragon Quest 9   is a wonderful experience as tactics are discussed and items are shared out as too is the wonderful Dragon Age charm. A other issue with Dragon Quest is that seems to be designed with multiplayer in mind, the bots that fill the spots in your party in the single player have zero personality which can somewhat take away from the single player experience, this may not be a major issue but it is a niggling issue throughout the game.

Dragon Quest IX is a fantastic traditional JRPG that bucks the trend of over bearing cut scenes and instead offers a charming experience that is both extremely enjoyable both in single player and multiplayer. The world of Dragon Quest IX is both welcoming and full of witty banter that is sure to bring a smile to the face of any gamer, combat is traditional is every sense but never the less is a joy to play. Although Dragon Quest 9 doesn’t do anything ground braking it does everything else with a classic touch and finesse creating a fantastic gaming experience that is a must buy for  any Dragon Quest fan or JRPG fan, new comers to the series will find it highly accessible and enjoyable. Multiplayer adds a whole new dimension to the game and offers many a fantastic social playing experience.

Thanks to Nintendo for providing us with a reviewer copy.

“Bans are license specific unless it’s from bad accesses to a Battle.net account. We can lock down a Battle.net account when it happens but if you do something goofy in a game (like Backstabbing, poor Mugaro), we can apply temporary or permanent bans on just the game itself depending on severity. Details aren’t fully available at this time.”

Here is the official Battle.net English Forums so you can take a look for yourself.

I wouldn’t take this to heart too much, as it seems he is just demonstrating the potiential authority they will be overlooking the games with. As he says it with a touch of humor, i’ll take this with a touch of salt.

Though he could totally be serious – but I won’t be the scapegoat testing it out.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a water-based racer, created by Vector Unit. The game is due to hit the marketplace on Wednesday, July 28, where players will get the opportunity to race against 15 AI-controlled opponents as well as battle up to seven others across Xbox Live.

The original Hyrdro Thunder debuted in arcades and was later brought to Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation One.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane will be available on XBLA on July 28th for  1,200 MS points and $15 respectively.

But before you eagerly jump into one of the biggest computer game nexus, there are some things you might want to know before you jump in head first. Firstly, what is it about, what is BattleNet, how do I find my friends?  Below is an introductory video easing you into the world of Starcraft II.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is going to be a lot of fun when released, I simply can’t wait to see what the creative public can create with this addition to the Halo series.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Unfortunately, upon recieving our reviewer copy from Blizzard this morning, we found a disheartening message stating that it “cannot install Starcraft II” as “Starcraft II has not been released” then advised us to “come back on 27/07/2010 [release day].”

Damn! *sigh*

After experiencing this unfortunate knock-back, we emailed Blizzard to see if reviewers could bypass this, as we needed to review it after all. The response read:

Hey Andy,

Applies to everyone, sorry to say, even me <sigh>.

Cheers,

Even though disappointment runs through my veins, I can’t totally fault Blizzard for doing this. For such a big release, surely they would do everything in their power to keep unauthorized personnel from weaving their way in illegally. Though, I kind of presumed we’d be “authorized personnel.”

The countdown till 27th July starts once again.

]]> http://gamereuphoria.com/2010/07/23/nobody-will-be-able-to-play-starcraft-2-till-release-not-pirates-not-reviewers/feed/ 2 http://gamereuphoria.com/2010/07/23/kane-lynch-2-xbox360-achievements-announced/ http://gamereuphoria.com/2010/07/23/kane-lynch-2-xbox360-achievements-announced/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:19:15 +0000 AndyW http://gamereuphoria.com/?p=4204 According to the latest official Square Enix press release, below are what gamers will be happily aiming for during their time spend on Kane & Lynch 2. Take a look.

‘

• Xbox360 Achievements

• PSN TROPHIES

What do you readers think of this achievement/trophy set? Is it what you expected, will you aim to attain them? Or are some just that little bit too far out of reach?

The biggest game of 2010, “Halo: Reach,” is getting the ultimate hardware treatment. The Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle launches day and date with the game on September 14 and provides both an incredible value and a stunning way to celebrate the iconic franchise. The commemorative bundle will be available with matching custom “Halo: Reach” Limited Edition Wireless Controllers. Additionally, Microsoft and Bungie revealed an onslaught of other “Halo: Reach” news today at Comic-Con International, including a first look at Forge World, Versus Firefight mode and more.

The Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle is Available for Pre-Order Today

The Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle features an exclusive silver design and comes with two custom Xbox 360 Wireless Controllers with artwork inspired by the game, a Standard Edition copy of “Halo: Reach,” a token for the Limited Edition Elite armor set, an episode of “Halo Legends” and a “Halo: Reach”-themed Xbox 360 wired headset. As an added touch, the specially designed console in the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle not only captures the look and feel of the game, but also features custom sound effects from the “Halo” universe.

Designed by Bungie, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle includes all the features of the newly designed Xbox 360 console, such as a 250 GB Hard Drive and the fastest built-in Wi-Fi for the easiest connection to Xbox LIVE. The bundle is available in limited quantities and only while supplies last, so fans who want to own a piece of the “Halo” mythology are encouraged to pre-order quickly. The Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle has a suggested retail price of $399 USD, and will be available on Sept. 14. To offer a closer look at the contents of the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo: Reach” Bundle, Microsoft and Bungie unveiled an unboxing video of the bundle, which is available for download today on Halo Waypoint and Halo.Xbox.com.

Also check out Bungie’s Limited Edition unvailing video – where you will get to see both the aditional accessories and the console hands on.

Limbo, as a game, is pretty much impossible to describe with words, yet I’ll have to do my best. – You play as what appears to be a young boy, – or rather, a silhouette of what appears to young boy, as you never actually get to see his face, just his eyes which glow in the dark. This is one thing I was torn against in the game, whereas on one hand you have this mysterious boy, of which we know absolutely nothing about, which adds a sense of interest and desire to the story – but on the other hand we have a bland character whom is uninteresting as we know nothing of him, and who we cant relate to in any way shape or form.

The only shimmer of a storyline was actually given on the games description on Xbox live & xbox.com, – there’s no sign of it on the game itself, which personally I found rather odd, that the only description as to what the storyline is about – isn’t even in the game. The only glimpse of a storyline throughout the game is the ending – and don’t worry – I wont spoil it for you. However, that’s the beauty of this game – it’s a gem in its own right, no storyline is needed as it’s simply a great ride the whole way through.

We don’t know what he’s doing, what his purpose is, his mission or any slightest detail about him, apart from the fact that he may be a young boy. – Personally however, I actually appreciated this aspect of the game, it’s quick and easy to get into without a dreary storyline or characters being introduced here and there, so in that respect, I thought it succeeded, though I do understand how players may want more from the main character – They may want to see a personality, instead a lacklustre, uninspiring boy.

In terms of game play however, this is where the game gets interesting – at first this game may seem like an innocent little platformer, but if these were your first impressions – you’d be in for a big surprise. – Though it may seem that nothing could happen to a small boy in this day and age when it comes to video games, you’d be severely mistaken – in this video game, your character faces peril from spikes, giant fuck-off spiders, being crushed, torn apart, stabbed, shot or simply from falling to ones death. How to survive? – Simple, get through the puzzles ahead, and continue on to the next area while keeping a good eye out for anything that can kill you. – Which unfortunately for you, is most things.

In fact, the “area’s” in this game are actually of particular interest, as the game doesn’t actually contain separate levels, in reality, the whole game is one whole giant single level which doesn’t end, which I thought was really cleverly done, as it never seems to end, giving you a sense of hopelessness and helping you indulge yourself all that little more in the game. – That’s not to say you can’t return to certain points of course, the game has a nifty little ‘chapter’ system, which if you’re a fan of achievements, its not that hard to go back and get the ones you missed.

One thing this game really seems to pride itself on is its art style. – And to be perfectly honest, they’ve earnt the right to pride themselves on it, as the art style is simply fantastic. – It looks like something out of a Film Noir detective film, its all in black and white, the screen is gritty, dank and looks overly miserable, which works really effectively, giving the audience a sense of despair and desolation, making you feel all the more hopeless as you come across dead bodies, dead ends, and of course, a killer tree which has no problem with draining you of life.

Overall, Limbo is a great little awesome looking game with challenging (and occasionally frustrating) puzzles, but at the end of the day, that’s all it is – a little game. It’s a very simplistic side scroller with puzzles, with only around 5 hours per playthrough. having said that, I do believe they are asking too much for this game with the asking price of 1200 Microsoft Points. A game of this demeanour has so much potential, and though it is without a doubt a gem, – they are simply asking a little too much for it, which is a shame really, as I believe more people should play this cracking game. And for those reasons, I give this game a worthy 4 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to PlayDead for supplying us with review copy of Limbo

Tactics Orge is much loved in Japan and often appeared in Famitsu’s “Top 20 games voted by readers” for 14 years running, however Tactics Orge never received a European release until now.

Tactics Orge: Let Us Cling Together will be a reborn version of the game from the ground up and will be developed by the original Tactics Orge team allow them to recreate the strategy RPG experience that made the franchise so loved in the beginning.

Tactics Orge: Let Us Cling Together will feature a re-arranged soundtrack by the original composers, reworked visuals, new character growth mechanics and a new wheel of fortune system which adds replay value to the game.

Larry Sparks, Vice President Brands PAL Region of Square Enix Limited comments, “It gives us great delight to revisit this legendary title, I hope that TACTICS OGRE: Let Us Cling Together pleases the original fans with a host of improvements and attracts a new audience eager to find out why TACTICS OGRE remains such a beloved title.”

No release date has been set as of yet.