Sunday, September 5, 2004

Killer 7 DAKU
Killer7 is the action adventure game of a hard-boiled taste. A player makes full use of small arms or special capability, making the character of seven "the professional killers with seven character" whom become hero HAMAN Smith and he has change, and confronts "man with hand of God" Kun Laon which aims at a national overthrow. They are the man who plans the world into fear of indiscriminate terrorism, the man who is going to stop the wave, and the revenge tragedy with which the life of two persons becomes entangled intricately. A view of the world thrilling at DAKU which the visual and individual character of art by cell shading performs, and the game style which was not until now are the new games of charm.

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Rockman X: Command Mission
Rockman X: Command Mission a couple of days following the game's Japanese release. Now that Capcom has started sharing screens and details from the game's American version, we've decided to bring you more details and media from about ten hours into the Japanese version.

Capcom may label this game as an RPG, but we'd be more comfortable labeling it with an all-new genre, the LRPG (Light Role Playing Game). Don't expect the giant maps or epic quests of the big boys of the genre. Command Mission features a small hub area, from which X and other party members warp to various stages of play. Stages take the form of multi-level dungeons, and although there are a few twists here and there involving traps and tricks that need to be cleared, these dungeons are pretty much straight forward marches from one area to the next.

There's still a lot to the game, though, including a unique battle system that feels different from other RPGs. We're actually having lots of fun with this area of the game. We detailed the basics in our initial write up. Since then we've managed to build up a large party that includes seven members. Only three characters are lined up for battle at any given time, but you can swap out characters at will during battle with no turn loss. Some characters are better suited to fighting certain enemies, meaning you can expect to use this feature quite a bit.

Once you get three members in your party, a new element called "Final Attack" is added to the battle system. Each time you strike an enemy, a meter shows how much of the enemy's remaining energy you've managed to drain with the attack. Take out more than seventy-five percent of the enemy's remaining energy in any one move (without killing the enemy), and your three characters team up for a destructive team attack. We've found ourselves aiming to take off just enough energy to get the Final Attack, even if this means limiting our attacks.

Outside of this team attack, each character has her own special attack that can be used once the character has charged up at least fifty percent weapon energy. The attack begins by tapping the right shoulder button. This leads to an input screen that's personalized by the character. X's special cannon attack involves holding down the A button and charging up the weapon; the more you charge it, the more weapon energy the attack takes up. Axl's attack has a you input a lengthy string of button presses as displayed on a chart. Get to the end of the input string and Axl transforms into one of the bosses that you've defeated. Spider's attack has you play a quick hand of poker, with the strength of the attack determined by the hand that you get. The overall strength of the attack increases as weapon energy rises.

And if team attacks and special attacks aren't enough for you, the game lets you transform your party members into "hyper mode" for a brief period, which makes them into a weapon all their own. While in hyper mode, your character's standard attacks become more powerful. However, each character can only stay in hyper mode for a few turns before switching back to normal form. It's possible to replenish the character's stock of hyper mode turns with the use of items.

You can modify your characters, both on the offensive and defensive side of things, with the use of Force Metals. A Force Metal is a stone that can be equipped to characters to modify parameters, adding attack power or HP, for instance, or making a character invulnerable to water-based attacks. Each character has a fixed set of slots for Force Metals, with X, Axl and Spider having the greatest number at four a piece. That doesn't mean that these three can necessarily equip four Force Metals. Force Metals have an energy value associated with them, with stronger Force Metals having greater values. Each character has a set value that the sum of all equipped Force Metals cannot cross. If this value is crossed, the character has a greater chance of incurring a penalty in battle, which could possibly end up handicapping life or weapon energy. Actually taking the risk of a penalty and equipping a powerful Force Metal is itself a strategy for winning some of the tougher battles.

There are other things to do in Command Mission when you're not fighting battles and playing around with Force Metals. Once you progress a few stages into the game, you gain access to a side game where you can dispatch droids to completed stages in search of items. Droids can be found in the main levels of play, where they appear as malfunctioned robots laying about. Different droids have different abilities, with some more adept at searching while others are better in battle. Once you've sent a droid out on mission, you come back a bit later to see the results of the dispatch. If successful, a droid will grow in level and carry back items, including videos and images to view in a gallery section of the hub area.

Using droids to seek out items is a cool addition to Command Mission's main RPG mode. But GameCube owners have another option for seeking out items. At a certain point in the game, players gain an item that lets them hook up their Game Boy Advance to the GameCube and use it as a radar device for seeking out items. This helps while searching through dungeons, although you'll still want to make use of droids to do the dirty work of searching dungeons that you've already cleared. The PS2 version, of course, lacks this feature (it was replaced, apparently, by a demo of Mega Man X8).

The PS2 and GameCube versions of Command Mission have a few differences beyond the connectivity support. From a presentation standpoint, we'd side quite favorably with the GameCube version, while the PS2 version could use some work. The GameCube version looks better -- very nice, actually -- compared to the PS2 version, which is middle to low ground as far as other games for Sony's system are concerned. The PS2 version runs at a lower frame rate and has lower image quality, which takes away some from the clean look of the GameCube version. Gameplay is also takes a hit on the PS2, with irritating pauses during battle due to load times.

We're not sure if Capcom will improve some of the deficiencies with the PS2 version for stateside release, but regardless of that, owners of both platforms will want to keep an eye on this game. It's by no means a full-fledged RPG, but as fans of both RPGs and Mega Man, we're enjoying Mega Man X: Command Mission.


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Anime game VOL>2
The first console RPG based on the Mega Man universe, Mega Man X: Command Mission follows X as he infiltrates Giga City Island to thwart the evil plans of the rioting Liberion Army. By choosing from of seven different playable characters, gamers can construct a three-member attack party using X, Zero, Axl, and s others. The game includes a revolutionary "Cross Order System" that allows flawless execution of special and finishing attack moves on enemies, such as the Party Hookup, Action Trigger, Hyper Mode, and the linked main and sub-weapon Final Strike finishing move. Additionally, by using a super energy alloy called Force Metal, players can upgrade weapons, abilities, and attack moves; greatly improving their character's capabilities.

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Fullmetal Alchemist Game
The anime Fullmetal Alchemist follows the trials and tribulations of Edward and Alphonse. They're brothers who had an unfortunate accident while trying to resurrect their mother. Instead of mom coming back, Edward lost two limbs and Alphonse lost his entire body, only to inhabit a metal body. Ever since the accident, both have been on a quest for the Philosopher's Stone and Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel lets gamers help with this goal.

Players control Edward who has both his sword and his alchemy to deal with all of the enemies. Alphonse is no slacker here and in battles he goes off to fight anyone in the area. At any time, Edward can call Alphonse over for help to tackle an enemy or just put up his dukes. For the most part, though, Edward can handle himself when it comes to throwing down against the thugs in the levels.

In the demo that we played, the enemies came in two basic forms: the fighters and the alchemists. Like Edward, the alchemists have the power of changing objects into something more useful or even altering the environment to hurt others. The alchemy that any alchemist can use at any time can take a defensive or offensive direction. Edward always has the ability to put up a stone wall in front of him for protection or cause stone spikes to come out of the ground. The more interesting usage by far, though, is the changing of objects.

By holding down the alchemy button, different objects in the level will have glowing green circles around them. Above these objects, there are also a few different icons. By entering the circle, Edward can choose from the different icons and decide what new object he wants to turn it into. In trying out different alchemical combinations, we were able to make a mine, a different sword, and, our favorite, a gun turret. We never would have imagined that a common park bench would yearn to provide some serious cover fire, but we suppose it could be possible.

Getting a hang of this system is easy and we were running around and getting some alchemy done all over the place. Even when we didn't need items for battle, we kept running up to find out all the different things that we could create and use in the future. It's a unique system and it works remarkably well.

To keep some of the original anime-style in the game, the cutscenes are done in and old-school method with 2D images from the show overlaying the action. When getting into a conversation, the images of each characters show up and have text on the bottom of the screen. Thankfully, the conversations were far from a typical game dialogue with characters running into each other and talking about revenge and duty and then getting down to business.

In the level that we played, Edward is mistaken for being a part of the military and so a renegade group constantly gives the two opposition and refuses to deal with them. After trying to deal with the situation calmly, Edward flies off the handle after an enemy insults him and runs off. The rest of the battle is more to calm Edward's nerves than really deal with any problem. With the whole situation and Alphonse's weary response to Edward's actions, it's clear that this game is going to have a good sense of humor about the storyline.

With a TV show that spanned 52 episodes to draw from and already functional battle system that adds a new twist with the alchemy, Fullmetal Alchemistis already looking like a title that will have a lot to offer. Check back later for more information.

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About Fullmetal Alchemist
Fulmetal Alchemist is the adventure tale of two brothers: Edward Elric, a fellow with spikey hair and a metal arm and leg; and Alphonse, a little fellow whose only body is a gigantic suit of armor. Both brothers were hideously disformed due to Ed's attempt to revive their dead mother with the science of alchemy -- the ability to transmute objects into other forms, a mystical technology practiced often in this series' world by those gifted with the power. Now, their only hope of returning to normal is to venture to the chaotic Central City and become a National Alchemist master. Based on the manga and anime of the same name, this game is a weapon-centric acton/RPG with more than 30 minutes of original animation created specifically from the creators of the show
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anime game
Square Enix's Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel is a new action RPG based on a manga and anime series of the same name. The storyline focuses on two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who attempt to revive their dead mother with forbidden, arcane rites. Something goes awry, though (something always does), and the boys pay a terrible price. Alphonse loses his entire body, and Edward loses his left leg and right arm in an attempt to save his brother's soul. Thankfully, Edward gets replacement limbs and Alphonse binds his soul to a hulking suit of armor. The pair then sets out to find the Philosopher's Stone, the one magical item that can restore their bodies. The game's storyline is built on this setup, but it is totally original and will be set between episodes nine and 10 of the third manga.

The gameplay fundamentals of Fullmetal Alchemist are pretty familiar for any action RPG fan. You'll play as Edward, and you've got a basic sword attack that you can string into combos; you can also jump and so on. Sound typical? Perhaps, until you factor in the game's totally weird alchemy system. Edward can use his alchemical powers to transmute just about any freestanding object in the environment into a completely different--and more-functional--item. You never know if a tree will turn into a big sword or if a bench will turn into a machine gun turret. We even turned a mailbox into a pogo stick and hopped high over our enemies' heads. This alchemy system really turns the game into a wacky playground, since you run around transmuting everything you can find to see what comes of it. We were told that the game will have about 50 objects that can be transmuted, so there ought to be a lot to play with.

Alphonse will be fighting alongside you as well, and you can give him basic commands to guard you, attack enemies, and so on. Some of the transmuted items you find will actually be usable by Alphonse instead of Edward. Additionally, you can call Al over to pick up whatever new toy you've made for him. Edward and Alphonse have separate life meters, and both will gain experience and level up independently. Furthermore, you'll have to keep an eye on Al's life meter, and you must heal him with items, when necessary, to keep him alive.

The game has a whimsical graphical style that, from what we saw, evokes the anime series pretty well. In addition to the existing character base, Fullmetal Alchemist artist Hiromu Arakawa has designed several new characters specifically for the game. Bones, the animation studio that creates the anime series, has also done about 30 minutes of original animation just for the game (which you'll see as cutscenes interspersed throughout it).

So far, it looks like Fullmetal Alchemist is shaping up quite nicely. The game is a big hit in Japan, and the team is hoping that American fans (especially those of anime and manga) will respond similarly. The game is undergoing some slight balancing changes to make it more challenging, but it should otherwise arrive intact when it hits stores later this year. Look for more on Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel soon
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Full Metal Alchemist
Following up a bit on last nights news, there are a couple of tidbits worth mentioning. The release, while dropping from 16 to 13 discs, will still retain the three box set plan originally set for it. I believe it's now set to follow a 5/4/4 plan for that and each of the boxes is supposedly going to have an interesting selection of pack-in material. In addition, though we won't be adding it to the list until it's formally solicited, the first volume is now set for release on 01/18/2005.
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Saturday, September 4, 2004

review numbers
ok this is how i revivw games.

10.flawless. a game/anime with this ranking is the best game out there, buy it and love it.

9.super uber. a game/anime with this ranking is a fun game, but little flaws thing hold it back.

8. fairly good.a game/anime with this ranking is a good game, fun and worth a spin.

7. so-so. a game/anime with this ranking has some flaws that some gamers will not care/know about but some gamers will rent it.

6.nothing new.a game/anime with this ranking we have seen this already, is old, rent, dont buy.

5. crap.a game/anime with this ranking is not worth waisting $5.00 bucks too rent.

4.meag crap.a game/anime with this ranking means dont buy this game even if its free.

3.junk.a game/anime with this ranking means if you see any game with this ranking spit on it.

2.needed money.a game/anime with this ranking means the peole that made the game with this ranking should be bankrupted

1.mistake. a game/anime with this ranking is a mistake, in gaming.

0.THE GAME WITH THIS RANKING IS THE SH*TEST GAME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS WORLD!!!!! IF YOU BUY A COPY, THEN YOU ARE SO FU*KIN DUMB.

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DOOMed?(DOOM3 revive)
i got my hands on a copy on DOOM 3 (dont ask how) and i have to say it was cool, but it was over-hyped.I have to say the Graphics were the best i have ever seen. the sound was pretty good but the Gameplay was nothing new. run and gun, thats it. yes you will jump out of you're chair at times, but thats it. Its just "go in to door, monster pops out, gun it down." so don't expect the actual gameplay to be as cutting edge as the visuals; Doom 3 plays like shooters from the good, old days. If you are a old shcool gamer, then you will enjoy this shooter, but if you are looking for a great shooter like DEUS EX, this is not for you.The story: you are some guy in mars city, they tell you to find this docor, then they open the gates of hell.This game was not wroth the long ass wait. i give it a 6.5 out of 10.
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going deeper into the gaming world
with all the gamers & anime fans here, i try to sut both hobbies, and to do that, i am going deeper in the gaming world. But dont worry anime fans, i will be doing the same for the anime fans.
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