Dios de la guerra: Cadenas de Olympus

Tengo que admitir, mi PSP recolectaba muchos de polvo en mi escritorio. Principalmente porque lo juego generalmente solamente cuando estoy viajando. Tan cuando subió la oportunidad para que viaje en negocio, pensé que era un buen rato de poner al día mi biblioteca, y él apenas así que sucedido eso Dios de la guerra: Cadenas de Olympus fue lanzado alrededor del mismo tiempo. Lea más

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Final Fantasy VII: Base de la crisis

Estimado Square Enix, el amor de mi vida del juego.

Ha sido una cierta hora puesto que he profesado mi amor para usted en la escritura, y espero sinceramente que usted no se haya olvidado de las noches steamy que pasamos juntas en el verano del `94. I’ll never forget how you taught me to love by the dim illumination of the Sony flat-screen.

The last few weeks we’ve spent together have been bitter-sweet. Until you showed me the ways you’ve changed, I assumed our relationship was still bound by decade-old routine. I dreaded the turn-based dance, swaying between partners in order as the evening waned. But you expect more of me now, and your expectation compelled me to shed my old ways and strive to master the art of single-man combat. Gone are the days of turns, as you’ve gifted me the ability to play in real-time as I battle those who live to kill me. I revel in this new freedom.

Even in your change, you still remind me of where we have been. With magic and materia you comfort me, and I am warmed. With your words you guide me, and your lengthy cut-scenes send chills down my spine. Your camera blesses me, and I am thankful. I know that I’ve strayed in the past, flirting with other code when twilight fades. But you have shown me the light, and I swear to be faithful forever more.

I eagerly await your return.

Patapon

When unexpected genres cross in the videogame world, it’s often a recipe for disaster.  However, in combining the real-time tactical genre with that of the rhythm game, Patapon has not only set out to be all things for all people, but has for the most part succeeded.

The player takes the role of an omnipresent deity worshipped by the Patapons, a tribe of hunter/gatherers that marches to the beat of sacred drums that you control.  By beating these drums in the correct sequence, the player can order the Patapons to attack, defend, or retreat.  Players can further customize the Patapon army by introducing new units such as cavalry or ‘bards’ and collecting upgraded weaponry.  Over the series of missions, players lead the Patapons through forests, jungles, and deserts, fighting the enemy Zigaton tribe and defeating legendary beasts to find Earthend and the mysterious “IT.”

The game’s art is best described as simplified cartoonish 2D.  It will remind gamers of Loco Roco, another game produced by Japan Studios.  This means that instead of awkward-looking 3D, players can expect smooth animation and an eye-pleasing environment in which to lead the Patapons.  The soundtrack is quite catchy, although after extended playing sessions one may never want to hear “pata-pata-pata-pon” ever again.  Most importantly, it’s fun to watch your ragtag army of Patapons tear through the opposition and dance their way across the victory line.

The game’s two apparent flaws are both genre-specific.  On the rhythm side, hardcore music game junkies may find the simple beats to be too simple, nevermind that they’re always at the same tempo.  When in “Fever” mode (which gives units stat boosts as a reward for keeping with the beat), the only way to adjust to an enemy’s changing attack is to drop out of “Fever”, throwing off your army’s rhythm and giving the enemy opportunity to strike.  Allowing players to adjust the tempo (possibly with the D-pad, as the only buttons used during play are on the right side of the PSP), would allow for adjusting fluently to the situation, and possibly provide new challenges where they were forced to stay at a certain tempo in special areas.

On the tactical side, the option to create new units using materials collected both during missions and through minigames is hamstrung by what amounts to grinding for loot through various “hunting” missions.  During combat, one cannot command the individual squads of units separately - when one attacks, all attack.  Additionally, money and items dropped by fallen enemies disappear after a period of time, which means that when the archers cut down the lancers halfway across the screen, by the time the foot soldiers break through that Flaming Sword of Badassness will have already popped out of existence.

Though frustrating at times (and painful for the right hand when played for long periods), Patapon is a fun experience that proves the PSP to be a capable platform for new gaming concepts.