Articles by Nicola Swan || Square-Go.com

The Legend Of Zelda : Phantom Hourglass by Nicola Swan | 28-07-08

The Legend Of Zelda : Phantom Hourglass on DS

DS

Review

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was arguably the pinnacle of Zelda excellence. By offering the best of everything, Twilight Princess managed to nail an already near perfect formula. So it’s not surprising Phantom Hourglass chose to innovate. The game adopts a semi-2D-quasi-3D look, using a top-down view for most of the game, but switching into full 3D when entering some buildings and during sailing. It looks fantastic, and you’ll feel no shame in showing it off to your PSP brethren.

Xbox 360

Review

Naruto: Rise of A Ninja by Nicola Swan | 03-07-08

Ubisoft's first Naruto platformer follows the story of the first hundred episodes of the kids TV series. While the story can feel shoddy in places, you definitely feel as if you're in the universe of Ramen and Jutsu. It draws you in right from the start, and much of this comes from the free-roaming village at the centre of it all: the Hidden Leaf Village, Konoha.

Xbox 360 | PS3

Review

Dragonball Z: Burst Limit by Nicola Swan | 03-07-08

Dragonball Z is basically a Japanese anime, complete with crazy fighting scenes, spiky haired characters and weird super power. For those that know it this game will undoubtably be another hit. For everyone else, is it just another game on a shelf

All Consoles | PC | DS | PSP

Review

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures by Nicola Swan | 16-06-08

There's something loveable about Lego games. I wasn't even a Lego fan as a kid, but seeing characters and moments from films play out as if performed by a group of seven-year-olds is something special. Although many might claim that this is simply Lego Star Wars in new skin, everybody will find something enjoyable about it.

Xbox 360

Review

Lost Odyssey by Nicola Swan | 11-04-08

Much like Mistwalker's previous effort, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey doesn't push any role-playing game boundaries. However, it's worth a place in any RPG fan's collection due to the fresh twists it brings to the genre and its interesting protagonist. Kaim is immortal. He isn't entirely sure why however, as the past thousand years of his memories have been wiped clean. It's hard to get a handle on him at first; he's the strong, silent type - a typical moping hero with a wealth of secrets to reveal. Luckily for him, he doesn't struggle alone, thanks to an impressive supporting cast. It's a deep and serious tale, made enjoyable by the reams of comic relief. Most of it comes from inadvertent spy Jansen, a flamboyant ladies' man who manages to be both annoying and horrifically charming. Kaim unlocks memories during the course of the game and they are presented in dream-like sequences where the memory is recounted in storybook fashion, accompanied by pretty static images and musical cues. It makes for a good amount of reading, but you will miss many of the game's most touching moments if you skip past them. The main story fails to reach these heights and a many of the countless, drawn-out cutscenes feel like filler. This can partly be forgiven by how entertaining and well-executed they are. Yet it is the game's final hours which are most touching and cinematic, making the entire experience worth it. The game owes a lot to its soundtrack. Some of which is classic yet predictable Final Fantasy, penned by series composer Nobuo Uematsu. Still, many of the tracks are standouts. The English voice acting isn't bad either, with Jansen, Ming and Kaim being particularly well voiced. On the other hand players have the option to revert back to the Japanese acting if they wish. Combat is a standard turn-based affair with a few neat twists. Characters can equip 'Aim Rings' which provide the wearer with status effects such as inflicting poison on enemies. When attacking, holding RT makes a circle appear around your target as another circle swirls around the top of it. Line them both up and your chances of casting a status effect grows larger. It holds your attention better than other, more sleep-inducing turn-based systems. Spells and abilities are the guns n' ammo of Lost Odyssey's battles. With the boss battles being quite a challenging you'll need to have a tight grip on each character's unique skills. Your Immortals can learn skills from Mortals in the party through ability points gained in battle. Immortals can be tailored into any character type you desire, whereas mere-mortals will always stick with the same character type. Getting the most out of Lost Odyssey will require patience, even from those used to the slower pace of the genre. However, the gameplay and characters are rewarding enough to make it worth the occasional frustration. The game breaks no new ground, but if you stick with it, you'll find a compelling emotional drama and a unique and balanced skill-development system. Kaim's journey is a memorable one, and if you like turn-based RPGs, experiencing it for yourself is essential. 8/10

Xbox 360

Review

Blue Dragon by Nicola Swan | 27-09-07

Is this the RPG Xbox fans have been praying for?

Articles by Nicola Swan See all reviews / features