Game Review: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime

Basic Information:

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System: Nintendo DS
Genre: blend of ARPG with Strategic tank battles
Difficulty: Easy
Developer: TOSE
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: September 2006
Rating: E for everyone
Retail Price: $ 19.99 US ($ 24.99 CAN)


What it's About:

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Your a young slime named Rocket from the kingdom of Slimenia, and the only slime left. An evil organization named "the Plob" has kidnapped all the other slimes in the kingdom and as the only one left, it's up to you to save your fellow slimes from being locked away in little boxes for the rest of their lives. With the help of the legendary Schleiman tank, you may have what it takes to save the kingdom and become a hero.


Gameplay:

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Rocket Slime is unique in the way it blends strategy with classic Action RPG gameplay. Most of the time you will play the game like any other ARPG; Rocket moves around each area with the control pad and attacks the enemies in real time with his electro stretch (the A button). What is unique to Rocket Slime, is that Rocket can also carry his enemies on his head (along with items and other slimes he rescues). However, he is limited to only three things, and will be unable to carry more. Once he is carrying something on his head, he can throw it onto a passing train cart and the item, enemy, or slime will be taken to Slimenia. Enemies that are picked up will also not attack, but train carts are located in a few specific locations, so sometimes, you will be forced to discard one thing in order to carry another. Of course, like any ARPG, Rocket can also defeat enemies, defeated enemies will leave behind money and sometimes a healing item or a mysterious loot bag. Loot bags must be thrown onto carts, and after Rocket heads back to Slimenia, the mysterious loot will be his.

Now, one doesn't have to grab and throw anything onto the train carts, but doing so is necessary for progression. For one, it is much easier to throw a slime Rocket finds on the cart to take it back to town, rather then backtrack to the beginning of the level to exit that way. Second, items are used in tank battles, and only items transported to town can be loaded onto Rocket's tank. So if you want to win Tank Battles and progress through the game, you are going to need to collect at least a few items. Third, if you collect enough of the same type of enemy (30 to be exact), they will offer their services as a member of your tank crew.

Now, about the Tank Battles. Throughout each area there will be enemies waiting to challenge you to tank battles. You can accept or decline these offers, however there will be a few story related tank battles that you will have to win. Once you are challenged to a Tank Battle, Rocket will summon the Schleiman Tank and the versus screen will appear; afterwards you will find Rocket inside the Schleiman tank. During a tank battle, Rocket will have to pick up the various ammo (namely the items you have loaded onto the tank) from the shoots located in your tank and carry them over to the cannons. Rocket will have to thrown the ammo into the cannon, either the top or bottom one, and then the cannon will fire the ammo. However, your opponent will be doing the same thing and your aim will be to reduce your opponent tank's HP to zero. Once the enemy tank's HP hits zero, the tank will become vulnerable and Rocket will have to traverse into the enemy tank to finish it once and for all; this is accomplished by attacking the tank's heart. Of course the enemy will be able to do the same, but what prevents this part from becoming difficult is the fact that even with zero HP, you can still win the fight as long as you keep the enemy units away from your tank's heart.

Strategy comes into play when choosing which units to take along with you on your tank battles; most units will have two commands you can issue them and once issued, they will continue doing those commands. Commands range from firing ammo to sabotaging the enemy tank. Likewise each peace of ammo is different, some ammo hits strong, some gives lots of protection and some have special abilities. Deciding which to load is very important, especially during multiplayer.

Story & Characters:

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Rocket Slime doesn't take itself seriously and you can tell by looking at the colorful graphics, absurd plot, or wacky characters. Characters don't have much of a story, but they have very distinct personalities. Some of the female slimes will hint at their romantic interest in Rocket the hero and some will outright say it. What I mean to say by this is that the characters are a varied bunch, both in appearance and responses.

The story of Rocket Slime is nothing complex or intricate, but what it lacks in intricacy, it makes up in charm. The developers knew Rocket Slime was a light-hearted adventure, so they gave the story as many absurd but funny situations as possible. The villains are never menacing, but goofy, the slimes often have puns in their names and the princess you rescue at the end is a self centered glutton who happily tells you she is yours.

The story and characters fit very well, as does the overall feel of the game. You will know that Rocket Slime is a light charming adventure the moment you begin to play. The story and characters are there to make the package complete, but they don't go beyond that, because Rocket Slime knew what sort of game it was. Story and characters although charming, take a back seat to gameplay, which is the real hook of Rocket Slime, and the game makes no effort to hide that. This is a good thing because the funny atmosphere actually makes the game much more enjoyable, and the focus is always on the gameplay which is the strongest point of Rocket Slime.

Art & Graphics:

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The art and graphics are very simple and lend well to the charming and upbeat mood of the game. They won't wow you with their realism or detail, but they don't need to because Rocket Slime is about pure absurd fun, and the graphics and character designs reflect that. If you play games for graphics, you won't like Rocket Slime, but if you play games for gameplay, Rocket Slime is what you have been waiting for!

Again art is simple, but bright and clear. You will have no problem recognizing enemies and friends. Each slime has a very distinct look (ranging from angelic slimes to the three ninja brothers). Enemies are also taken from the prolific Dragon Quest (from Platypunks to Drakees) . And the bright graphics add to the wacky mood of Rocket Slime. Simple graphics and art done right is the best way to sum up what I think of Rocket Slime in this area.

I don't usually like busy box art, but Rocket Slime is the exception. While the cover is busy, it still has a vocal point, Rocket blasting off, so I don't find it too distracting.

Sound & Music:

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Most of the music is light and simple. There are no majestic orchestral, or ominous tunes, but that doesn't really matter in this game because the whole premise is about brightly packaged fun. And the music fits that description very well. It sets the mood exceptionally, even if it isn't the best music out there. I managed to find one song from Rocket Slime on youtube that had decent sound quality. It's the theme from the town, Boingburg, one of the most happy and light tones. Just listen to it to get an idea of the rest of the music in Rocket Slime.

Multiplayer:

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This is where Rocket Slime really shines! As far as I can tell only local wireless is supported with up to four players (two per side). Multiplayer mode pits you against your friend in a Tank Battle, but before the battle starts, you and your opponent get to choose your tank (from the ones you have unlocked), the HP of each tank, and the backdrop. The ammo remains the same as the ones you have fitted onto the Schleiman Tank. Once the battle begins, hilarity insures as you and your opponent will be frantically picking up ammo and throwing it into the cannons. Once you get your opponent's HP to zero, you must run into their Tank and deal the finishing blow. What makes multiplayer so satisfying is that playing against a human opponent is tougher and battles can last hours before one side manages to overpower the other. I frankly do not put more then 500 HP per tank, otherwise battles get too long.

Another major problem with multiplayer is that both parties need the game. It can get very challenging to find even a single friend who is nearby and owns the game. In fact none of my friends have this game, only my brother has it and I was the one who bought it for him. Multiplayer is thus fun if you can find someone who has the game as well. Furthermore, multiplayer becomes open very early into the game, and while this may be a good thing, it opens the door to some very uneven match-ups. Ammo that one can only have access to near the end of the game can easily decimate a Tank equipped with ammo from earlier in the game. Thankfully because the multiplayer mode is only local wireless, you can easily tell your friend that he or she had or has an unfair advantage and they better make it up to you (via HP decreasing/increasing).

My Thoughts & Recommendations:

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Rocket Slime is a very fun game. The story is plain but humorous, the characters are wacky, and the graphics are bright and vibrant. Although the game isn't too challenging, it is still a good deal of fun and can be enjoyed by players of all levels. If you know someone with a DS, make them buy this game with you, multiplayer is more then worth the 24.99 CAN. You may even find yourself having quite a bit of fun as you proceed through the main single player mode in order to unlock more ammo and tanks. Likewise, those who finish the main story will find lots to do after the credits roll. First there is a little bit more of the story still left to finish, a few quests from the town slimes, monster & ammo collecting, Tank Masters, and multiplayer of course. All-in-all, for such a low price, Rocket Slime packs a lot of value.

I was a little disappointed that there was no gender choice involved. However, since I was playing as a little blue blob, I often fancied that Rocket was a she. The pronouns used to address Rocket brought me back to reality, but it was still fun pretending Rocket was a little girl slime out her save her town. It was especially funny when the female slimes would proclaim their love to Rocket, whom I christened a girl. So Rocket slime does have a bit of role playing if you want to imagine yourself as a little blue slime.

Conclusion:

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Cons:	Pros:
*lacks gender choice *some of the music is uninspiring *Needs multiple carts to use the multiplayer function	*charming story & characters *music fits the mood of the story *bright & colorful graphics *Tank Battles are fun *multiplayer is lots of fun!! *Art is cute

-Overall a very fun game. Highly recommended-

~Joanna

ShutterBox Volume One Review

ShutterBox Volume One: Basic Information

Author: Rikki Simmons & Tavisha
Edition: English
Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: October 2003
Retail Price: $9.99 US

Basic Story

(taken from the back cover of volume one)

On the surface, Megan Amano seems like a typical Los Angeles girl, attending college and spending a good time of her afternoons in therapy. However, when Megan dreams, she travels to a place unlike any other-- a supernatural and surreal college, one any recent high school graduate would die to attend. And usually they must...for Merridiah University is the afterlife's premier educational institute. But for Megan a great exception has been made.
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Megan has been accepted as a Shutterbox exchange student, where she will spend a year studying to become a living muse. However, all is not as it seems as secrets are unlocked and a great mystery is exposed-- revealed, of all places, through the lens of a camera...

Story

First, let me say that this is not a Japanese manga, but an america comic that is highly influenced by manga, these are often referred to as American manga, and unless you look at the author's name (which isn't japanese), you probably would not be able to tell it wasn't from Japan.

I bought Shutterbox on a whim a long time ago, and I was not expecting too much from it, but this first volume shows a very promising beginning. The back cover explains the basic premise well; Megan, the protagonist, goes to Merridiah when she dreams, and that's when the story get interesting. Volume one puts forth a lot of questions, such as why does Megan goes to Merridiah and what is the purpose of a shutterbox exchange student. These mysteries really pull you in, and set the story up quite nicely. The only complaint I have is the story doesn't really hook you in until the third or fourth chapter. But I suspect that the first two chapters will have future significance. Actually chapter one introduces the mysterious AJ, but you won't understand who he is until later in the volume. Chapter two is rather interesting; Megan talks with her psychologist, this seems to have no plot relevance at the moment, but I have a suspicious feeling that it will become more important at a later time in the story.

Overall, Shutterbox's story holds a lot of promise; volume one is quite interesting and I'm certain it will leave you wanting more, in particular, fans of fantasy will really enjoy it, as it promises to deliver an interesting tale filled with lore.

Translation

Since this is an original English manga, there was no translation. Everything is as the authors intended, and I'm happy to report, there is no slang (well at least nothing noticeable)! =D

Art

To begin, I will once again report that even through this is an English manga, it reproduces the art well. However, those who read a lot of manga will be able to notice a difference between American manga style and the original manga style (that is to say the mainstream style in Japan). The difference isn't drastic, but it is there. For one, the art is a lot cleaner (less screentone and lines) and second, the eyes aren't as large. But these changes take nothing away, if anything they make this manga a lot more distinct, and I actually quite adore its art.

The first volume's cover is alright. I don't really like it all that much, but it isn't horrible either. I like that it is a dust cover, and Tokyopop's title fits nicely. All in all, it isn't the best cover out there, and it might turn some people away, which is a shame, but it's still a very interesting cover.

I am also happy to report that Shutterbox features some nice chapter covers. The first one is a little plain, but most of them are nice. My favourites include chapters 3 and 4. I also like the unusual chapter titles :)

Extras

For a US manga, Shutterbox has quite a few extras, which is always nice.Extras included in this volume are as follows: an introduction by the author Tavisha, chapter covers, two pages of extras (another note from the author and a really interactive preview of the next volume), an afterword by one of the tyokopop editors, and finally an author bio on the back cover. The introduction is rather humorous, read it with a grain of salt and you'll thoroughly enjoy it. The preview was very fun, as it was written as if it was a diary entry by Megan. The afterword and bios were an interesting read, but not quite as good as the other things. Basically, you'll probably pass over these two unless you like to read everything. :)

Content:

Language: nothing really; it's very clean.

Fan Service: again there is nothing, this is one clean manga.

Nudity: none

Other: well, the main character's sanity is questioned; and there is a suicide.

Overall: 13+
There is nothing really objectionable, but I can tell just from this first volume that the manga will be dark and is aimed at teens and not children.

Ratings

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Story: 8/10
Translation: N/A
Characters: 7/10
Art: 7/10
Cover: 6/10
Extras: 7/10

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Overall: 7/10

~Joanna

Game Review: Luminous Arc

Basic Information:

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Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: SRPG
Difficulty: Easy-to-Fair
Developer: Image Epoch
Publisher: Atlus U.S.A
Release Date: August 2007
Rating: T for teen
Retail Price: $ 29.99 US ($ 34.99 CAN)

What it's About:

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Something sinister has began to stir; monstrous fiends plague the countryside and witches, the harbingers of destruction, have began to appear. The Luminous Church has called on a special group of youths called the Garden Children to help aid in the fight against the fiends. But the group runs into a strange girl by the name of Lucia, who appears to be a witch herself, but unlike the tales, she isn't interested in harming humans. Meanwhile another witch has been spotted terrorizing a village. Something isn't quite right, and the Garden Children are determined to go after the witches to figure out just what is mere tale and what is truth.


Gameplay:

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If you have ever played a SRPG (Strategy RPG), then you will know how the gameplay in Luminous Arc works. There is nothing in Luminous that has not been seen in another SRPG; this may be either something you welcome or something you disdain. For me, it was a much welcomed return to the solid foundations of all SRPGs. That's not to say I don't like experimental SRPGs, but only that I welcome returns to the basic formula as well as diversions from it. For those of you unfamiliar with SRPGs, Luminous Arc gives you a handful a characters that become your units. The overworld map is broken down into locations that contain either random battles or story battles. Random battles happen randomly when you passover the location, but story battles only happen when you are at the location of the next story battle and you click on the menu option to progress the story. You will then read a bit of dialogue between the characters (much like in a interactive novel) which sets up the next story related fight. Luminous arc is notorious all over the internet for it's lengthy dialogue, but I for one, quite enjoy the dialogued scenes, some of which have partial voice overs. After the back story for the battle is set up, you will be allowed to choose the units (characters) you wish to bring with you for the battle; sometimes due to story circumstances, you will be forced to bring certain units along. I believe the maximum amount of units you can bring with you is 6. After you have chosen, you will move each units on a grid-like battlefield. To attack, most units will have to be next to an enemy unit; however long range weapons and magic spells or skills will allows you to attack from a distance. Each character's statistics (both your units and the enemy's) will determine how much damage a certain enemy receives, and your unit will receive experience for attacking and using support spells. The amount of experience is determined by your level compared to the enemy's, and whether or not it is a finishing blow. When your unit gains enough experience, it will level up like in an RPG, becoming stronger and sometimes learning a new skill or spell.

Once you complete a battle (either story or random) you will get the option to speak with one of the characters you used in battle. You cannot talk to Alph, the main character, as he will be the one who interacts with the other characters. Basically you play as Alph, and the story takes place in his perspective. Also note that the option to speak with the other characters only becomes available after a few story battles; thus you won't be able to talk with your units right away. When Alph speaks with the other characters, they will provide some interesting information about themselves and often ask Alph a question. You will be given three responses, and depending upon the response, you may increase that character's affection for you. You can usually tell if you replied right or not by the characters response to Alph. Increasing affection improves Alph's and the other character's stats when the two are next to each other on the battlefield. Also most female characters will give Alph hints that they are attracted to him when their affection for him grows in later dialogues. As far as I know, these dialogues do not change the ending of the game, making Alph and a certain female character the cannon pairing. Also, unlike Fire Emblem, only Alph and the chosen character can interact, other characters cannot.


Story & Characters

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Luminous has a colorful cast of characters and Atlus has done a beautiful job localizing all the text. However, don't expect deep and evolving characters, most characters don't evolve beyond the stereotypical role they are placed in, but that's not to say it's a bad thing. Image Epoch and Atlus both knew these characters were highly stereotypical, so rather then going the serious route, Atlus reinforced the stereotypes in silly and overall enjoyable ways. The worst thing a gaming company can do is try to make stereotypical characters serious. That's not to say it cannot be done, just that video games tend to be the least successful medium when it comes to making stereotypes provocative and deeper then at first they seem. Taking the silly and funny route with characters makes them much more enjoyable than they normally would be.

The story also is very typical and I knew what was coming even before the game started. But again, do not misunderstand, just because a story is obvious and a little overdone, does not mean it is bad. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, even through I knew what was going to happen. The characters really made the story more endearing because they were so off-the-wall. And some of the hidden bonus missions were treats as well; they give you a deeper look into some of the characters without the game taking itself too seriously. In particular the Vivi bonus mission was interesting, even if it left most of what it introduced into the story undeveloped.


Art & Graphics

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This is where Luminous Arc really shines. The backdrops used during dialogue periods are lovely and quite varied. The character models and mini portraits are just as lovely, and quite detailed as well. If your a fan of the art style found in most manga and anime, then you will throughly appreciate the character portraits in Luminous. There was clearly a lot of effort put forward in the art department and the game shows it. Character models are not only detailed, but come in a number a variations depicting different emotions, which only add to the overall quality of the dialogue parts. The number of emotions each character displays is astonishing, so much so that these character models seem made for a interactive novel game, not a SRPG. If you like adventure games and dialogued sequences, then you will throughly be pampered by Luminous; it has voice overs, beautiful character models depicting a varying range of emotions, and lovely backdrops to accent it all.

The graphics aren't as pampered as the character portraits and models, but they are quite lovely as well. Each of the character units is beautifully detailed, you will know who is who without a second glance. Battlefields as well are quite detailed and varied; some are better looking then others, but all are well done. Skill and spell effects are not as beautiful, but they get the work done. Luminous is one of the graphically better SRPGs available on the DS at the moment, and although it's not as refined as say FFTA2, it is still among the better graphically faring SRPGs.

As for the box art, it's too busy. There are too many elements, and the end effect isn't as nice. It's decent, but it could have been better if Atlus redesigned it and decreased the amount of characters on the front.


Music & Sound

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Luminous Arc also features really nice music; some tracks are better then others, but overall, it has some really nice music. In-battle music is energizing and makes you want to kick some monster butt.^^ Likewise, the dialogued scenes have music which fits the mood, and special "boss" fights have some of the best tracks around. Composer Yoko Shimomura really showed she has the talent to provide beautiful music for video games. Some of the really nice tracks include: the prelude, the wandering forest, traces of the journey, ancient myth, brace for battle, prayer, the spring breeze is blowing, and grief.

The voice overs are decent as well, although I had a few issue with some of the casting choices. My biggest problem was with Mel, who sounded a little too much like a crabby old lady. The luminous site did say that Mel speaks like an adult, and I assumed it to mean she speaks formally, rather then sounding like a crabby old women. But her voice actress got a lot better later on, and she sounded less crabby and more cute (or maybe I just got used to the voice). I also had a slight problem with Alph, he doesn't sound bad, but I would have liked a better voice actor for the main lead. A lot of other people had a problem with Nikolai's actor, but I actually found his annoying voice to fit Nikolai's character to a tee. =)

Below is a sample of the music found in Luminous Arc, it's the "prayer" track, my favourite theme in the whole game, I think. =)


Multiplayer

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Luminous Arc does feature Wi-fi multiplayer, but I haven't tried it out, so I can't really say how good it is. If I do eventually try it out, I'll add my thoughts here and give it a score.


My Thoughts & Recommendations

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Being an SRPG fan, this may be a little biased, so keep that in mind, but I will try to be as objective as possible. =) Luminous Arc is, in my opinion, a very enjoyable romp through the SRPG genre. It lacks the same depth that most SRPGs are now offering in gameplay, but it makes that up with wacky characters, and an interesting, albeit typical, story. I genuinely enjoyed playing the game, and even chuckled a couple of times. If your looking for a fun game of good length look no further. =)

If your a beginner to SRPGs, then this game is for you. Most of the game isn't too difficult and it serves nicely as an introductory SRPG. But be warned, there are two fights in this game that can be difficult, thankfully if you are having trouble, you can level grind. Veterans won't find much challenge, but they may find an amusing game, as I did. If your itching for another SRPG, then I recommend Luminous Arc; it's surprisingly pleasant. If your curious about the genre and are willing to give it a try, then I also recommend Luminous Arc.

Parents, be aware of the T rating on this game. It's not a difficult game, so it would be good for newcomers, but I can't recommend it to young children as some of the witches are rather skimpily clad (Vanessa in particular) and there are quite a number of sexual references in the game. As can be seen by looking at some of the witches, this game is aimed at the male demographic. However, it can be enjoyed by us ladies as well if we are able to put aside the distasteful amount of cleavage service. Quite ironically actually, Vanessa became one of my favourite characters in the game, she's got an interesting personality if you can get over the role she is given. Also, I found some of the sexual jokes funny; it was mostly Nikolai and his witch sensor that amused me because of its utter ridiculousness. When playing Luminous Arc, it's best to just enjoy the rather immature humour, I find it makes the game twice as good.lol. If you get offended by the objectification of females, then you will be offended by luminous arc. Vanessa is a sexual fantasy, that is her role. However, if you can set aside your feelings about the game's portrayal of females, you will find yourself pleasantly surprised and you may even crack a smile.
 
Conclusion

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Cons:	Pros:
*Rather predictable story *Uneven difficulty *Intermission talks do not alter ending *Lack of customization *Busy boxart	*Gorgeous music *Pretty art *Nice presentation & graphics *Generally good voice acting *Funny scenarios *Likable Characters *Intermission Talks *Fun to play *Post-game content *Wi-Fi multiplayer

Verdict: fun game worth picking up if you like the genre or want to give it a chance

~Joanna

Game Review: Mario Kart DS

Basic Information:

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Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Racing
Difficulty: Fair
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Nov. 2005
Rating: E for Everyone
Retail Price: $34.99 US ($44.99 CAN)


What It's About:

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You race as one of the many characters from the mario and donkey kong franchises. There are four different difficultly setting, each with the same tracks, but different opponents. Successfully completing a difficulty level unlocks the next level and either an additional character or additional carts. There is also a puzzle mode and a battle mode.

Gameplay:

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Mario Kart is in essence, a racer, but it adds a lot to the basic racing formula that attracts a lot of other gamers. The powerups and the drifting add a unpredictable and strategic edge to an otherwise standard racing game. The basic gist of gameplay is the usual: you choose a character from the mario universe (plus donkey kong, who was originally a part of the mario universe, but began his own franchise early in nintendo's history) and race against other mario characters in a variety of courses that are modeled after levels or worlds from a variety of mario games. In essence, it's a love letter from nintendo to mario fans in racing form.Each character and cart have different strengths and weaknesses, so it is ultimately the player's style and preference that determines who they will race as. But cart capacities are not the only things that will effect your chances for victory. Drifting and powerups play just as crucial a role, if not more, and make Mario Kart DS (and the franchise in general), more about luck and strategy then other racing games, which, in my opinion is a welcome refreshment.

Powerups come in the form of boxes found on the racing tracks that the player and his opponents must drive through. Once a player drives through a box, a random powerup will appear in the player's top left corner of the top screen, and these powerups range from slightly useful to broken (see screenshot). However, the game is well balanced, and your more likely to get the infinitely more useful "bullet" powerup the further behind your opponents you are, and likewise, the person in first place, is more likely to get a banana and the occasional green shell, rather then other more powerful powerups. So although it is random, the powerups have probability rates that correspond to your place in the race. This also brings in an aspect of strategy, as your forced to ponder when it will be the most beneficial to use your powerup. Likewise, the drifting although it slows you down a bit, gives you a noticeable boost in speed once completed. But unlike powerups, drifting is more about learning to press the buttons at the right time, and less about strategy and luck.

The races turn into real slug fights as you and your opponents throw different powerups at each other. And this makes Mario Kart DS (and the franchise) a lot more fun then your standard racer. Gameplay is easy to grasp, but a little more difficult to master.

Story & Characters:

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Mario Kart DS does not have a story, because, it really doesn't need one. It's about racing and the game does that well. As for characters, the game relies solely on the player being familiar with the characters through their other franchises. Even if you are not familiar with the other mario games, not to worry, this in no way effects your ability to play Mario Kart DS. As I've said, this game is more like a love letter from Nintendo to Mario fans, but the game can be easily picked up and played by anyone.

Art & Graphics:

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Being a first party game, Mario Kart DS looks fantastic, even 3 years after its initial release. It is one of the better 3-D games on the DS. The environments look crisp and distinct, as do the characters and their carts. No two carts look the same, and Mario Kart DS gives you quite a bit of variety with kart designs. As stated before, all levels are inspired from different mario games, and all characters have at one point or another been found within a mario game. There is nothing new to be found for the Mario bluffs, but the level designs are very clever and pretty. Rainbow Road, in particular, was aesthetically pleasing, but also kept racers on the edge of their seats with its increased difficulty level (compared to other tracks); because, if you fell off, it cost you a few positions.

The boxart is also nice, its simple and it expresses exactly what the game is about: Mario and karts. Mario's pose is also quite amusing, and it shows that the game doesn't take itself too seriously. Of course it isn't the most creative and eye-popping boxart out there, but sometimes simpler is better.

Music & Sound

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Being a racing game, Mario Kart DS doesn't feature any elaborate musical compositions, most tracks are very simple, but fit very well with the theme of the level (most likely because they originate from the level the tracks are based on). Not being a Mario bluff, I can recognize only a few of the tunes, and most of them do correspond roughly to the same level/game the tracks are based on. For example the "N64 Banshee Boardwalk" racing track plays the Boo tune from Super Mario World (please correct me if I'm mistaken, I haven't played the old mario games since I was a little girl ^^;;). But regardless if the music tracks are remixes of old tunes or entirely new, the music captures the "mario" feel very well. Every time I hear a tune, I remember the old mario games, and that is what is important in a game that was made for fans of the mario franchise. Below is a favourite tune of mine from the game: Airship Fortress (which is also a favourite racing track of mine ^^)

Multiplayer:

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Ah, multiplayer, this is the heart of Mario Kart DS; it is playing with your friends that makes the game so much fun. With up to 7 friends racing against you in local wireless, the amount of surprises and turnarounds will be plentiful. You may even be shocked to find a friend of yours winning a few races by pure luck, or some friends ganging up on you will their powerups. The possiblities are endless, and you only need one copy of the game for all to enjoy. However, all those who do not have a copy will be racing as Shy Guys, while the game owner will get to choose his character and kart like normal. This does give an advantage to the owner, but with Mario Kart DS being so unpredictable and fun, you'll quickly realize that this doesn't really matter in the end. Wi-Fi matches work much the same, except everyone racing has the game, which levels the play field, assuming all players have unlocked all carts and characters, and are not using a cheating device.

My Thoughts & Recommendations:

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If there is one racing game that you should buy for your DS, it is Mario Kart DS. The game is so much more then a racer, it has fun tracks, unpredictable races, funky mario characters, but most of all, an exciting and robust multiplayer option. As someone who doesn't enjoy racing games, I can recommend this to anyone, as long as they are able to use the multiplayer feature. If you don't have someone to play with, Mario Kart DS may still be worth your money, but you will be missing out on half of the fun. Mario Kart DS is also a good game to play on the go, because you can finish a single cup in under 3o minutes.

As for us ladies, Mario Kart DS is also a worthwhile game, even through there are only two playable female characters (one is unlockable, the other is available form the beginning). Any ladies out there that are fans of the mario franchise will quickly fall in love with this game too, as will non-fans who are looking for a light and fun racer. But most of all, anyone who likes to play against their friends will find Mario Kart DS inseparable. It has one of the best and most robust multiplayer options out there. Ladies, call all your girlfriends and start the slug (or cat, if you prefer) fight!

Scoring

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Gameplay -	10/10
Story -	N/A
Characters -	N/A
Graphics -	10/10
Art -	8/10
Box Art -	7/10
Music -	7/10
Sound -	8/10
Multiplayer -	10/10
Female Factor -	5/10
Fun Factor -	10/10
Replay Value -	10/10

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OVERALL - 9/10

~Joanna

Game Review: Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Basic Information:

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Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Difficulty: Fair
Developer: Cing
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Jan. 2007
Rating: T for Teen
Retail Price: $ 29.99 US ($ 34.99 CAN)


What it's About:

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You play as Kyle Hyde, an ex-officer turned salesman, who still seeks closure to the events that happened prior to the beginning of the game involving his old partner Bradley. When Hyde arrives at Hotel Dusk, he meets a young mute girl, who wears the same bracelet as his partner, and it seems that she isn't the only unusual thing or person within the hotel with some strange connection to Bradley. Now it's up to you to guide Hyde as he unravels the mysteries in one long night at the hotel and finally reveals the truth behind Bradley's betrayal.

Gameplay:

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A mixture of unique and traditional sums up the basic feel of Hotel Dusk's gameplay. Being an adventure game, Hotel Dusk keeps the traditional aspects of the genre in tact, yet it places them in a unique perspective through the use of the DS and it's two screens. You hold your DS like a book, and both screens show you, your current environment, but each screens shows a different perspective. The touch screen gives you a very visually basic view of the layout of the room you are currently inside, while the other screen shows you a nice 3D rendition of the room as Hyde would see it, if he were looking at it. These two perspectives work very well, because the player is able to experience Hotel Dusk as if they were really looking at it, while the second screen allows the player to view the layout of the whole room without having to move around too much (and solves the often problematic issue of camera zoom and rotation on the DS).

Another interesting facet of Hotel Dusk is the story book approach to the gameplay, not only is this appropriate for this genre, but it also distinguishes Hotel Dusk from the other adventure games on the DS. And unlike Cing's other adventure game (also on the DS), Hotel Dusk packs enough play time to satisfy most of us; with more puzzles and characters, the game could take any where from 15 to 30 hours to complete, depending on how fast you are and if you decide to partake in the additional side quest. Sure, it doesn't hit the typical 40ish hour mark for DS games, but for an adventure game, it's pretty long.

Hotel Dusk also doesn't try to be cryptic about your next step, or make a puzzle impossible in order to prolong its length. Everything is crystal clear and the majority of the time, you will have a clear idea of what to do next or who to talk to. Even if you are not too sure, you will have enough information to know where to go more or less, and in the rare occasion that you have no idea; the hotel isn't too large and the game marks interactable object very well ( if you can interact with an object, the magnifying glass button will flash), so you won't be tapping aimlessly, hoping to trigger something. The puzzles range from very simple to thoughtful, but are never so difficult that you have to consult a walkthrough. Overall, the game has a very fair difficulty rating, and its gameplay is very intuitive and won't leave you frustrated.

Story & Characters:

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Being an adventure game, the story, and to a certain extent even the characters, are its lifeline. If an adventure game has a boring or uninspired story, and/or annoying and horrible characters, the game won't be enjoyable. Thankfully, Hotel Dusk has a very well written story, and interesting and varied characters. The plot of the game will keep you guessing, and until the final moments of the game, you won't be sure of all the connections between the characters (well at least I wasn't ^^) The characters are also varied and have interesting stories that all connect somehow (even if indirectly) to Bradley and what happened to him. Hotel Dusk did what every good adventure game does, it kept me addicted to the story, so much so, that I wanted to solve all the mysteries that tied the characters together, learn what happened in the past, and discover what lies in store for the main characters. And I wasn't disappointed, the ending was very nice, and even brought a tear to my eye.

As a side note, Hyde is an interesting character, and I liked his hard-boiled cop attitude, cliche through it was. Mila, starts out rather cliche too, but I found myself more sympathetic towards her as the game progressed. And Louie always put a smile on my face. The unique setting, California- 1979, also distinguishes Hotel Dusk from other adventure games.

Art & Graphics

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Both the art and the graphics fit very well with the story and approach of the game. The character portraits, in particular, fit the story book feel of the game. The character portraits, seen to the left, are monochromatic sketches that come to life within the game; as a character talks, they move and show emotion based on the topic of discussion. It fits very well, and makes Hotel Dusk seem more like a novel then a game.

The 3D rendition of what Hyde sees on the left screen is not the best 3D to date on the DS and it does have a slight fuzziness to it, but it is still done rather nicely and only adds to the game's experience. This is mainly due to the fact that the left screen sole purpose is a cosmetic one, it is rarely involved in the actual gameplay, and hence there are no camera issue, or clarity issues. You don't even have to look at the left screen if you so choose, but I wouldn't recommend it, since the left screen brings the hotel to life, and enriches your game experience.

The right screen is very bare when compared to the left screen during the exploration sessions. It shows the layout of the room Hyde is currently in, and does it at the bare minimum. It basically looks like a rough drawing of the floor plan, and although it pales in comparison to the 3D depictions on the left screen, it is charming in its own way. Although graphically, it isn't spectacular, the right screen is very practical; it makes the gameplay less frustrating and more intuitive, and for these reasons, it's lack of graphical 'umph', are easily forgivable.

There is one thing that I don't like through, the box art, it's pretty ugly, especially when you compare it to the Japanese box art. Mila looks like a ghost and Hyde like the typical emo hero found in a few RPGs. Thankfully the box art is deceptive, and the game is a lot better then the front cover makes it out to be. As the popular expression goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover". But, seriously, why oh why, could they not have used the simpler and better Japanese cover. A mystery that I will never understand!

Music & Sound

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Hotel Dusk has a varied array of musical tracks, some are mediocre, but most are very nice and memorable. You might even find yourself listening to them on the game's jukebox, or maybe even online. Some that I enjoyed included: Midnight, The Long Night, Violet Sky, Rainy Night, Silent Moon, On the Rocks, and Amber Sunset. The game's music fits the setting very well; the majority of the tunes sound like they are from a 5 cent jukebox, and I mean this as a compliment. Sure the tunes aren't orchestral and majestic, but they fit the setting of the game very well, and that is what most musical scores in games attempt to do (and should do). The sound is also good, although the game doesn't have too many sound effects, but the ones that it does have, are well done. Below is a sample of "Rainy Night", one of my favourite tracks from the game =)

Multiplayer:

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Hotel Dusk does not support any multiplayer modes, which is not surprising, since it is an adventure game.

My Thoughts & Recommendations

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If your curious about the adventure genre, and want to give it a try, Hotel Dusk would be one of the best games to start out with. It has the incredible story-telling that this genre is known for, without some of its less appealing aspects (most notably the clicking-or touching in this case- of everything in sight in an attempt to trigger the story along). Just remember, Hotel Dusk has a lot of dialogue, in fact, the majority of the game involves talking to different guests at the hotel, in order to squeeze some information out of them. If you happen to be someone who abhors lengthy dialogue, then adventure gaming is probably not the genre for you. If you are just not fond of it, then Hotel Dusk might still be worth your time, as long as you can enjoy a good detective story. As for myself, I quite enjoy lengthy dialogue, so Hotel Dusk was one pleasant ride.

Other then the genre's quirks, there is nothing in Hotel Dusk that can ruin the experience for you. Both the music and presentation are done well, and the gameplay is simple and easy to grasp. Just a small warning, this game might be a little challenging for young children, so I don't recommend buying it for the little ones (not that you should in the first place, since the game has a T rating ;] ) Not only does the game ask for a higher level of concentration and information retention, it also has a few challenging (but not impossible) puzzles that children will not be able to appreciate. If you happen to have a younger child or sibling, I recommend waiting a while before introducing them to the adventure genre, unless you are willing to hold their hand and help them with the more difficult puzzles and reminding them of all the story details (chapter endings have quizzes that ask questions about the plot and characters, so you need to pay attention). But even then, Hotel Dusk really isn't a story for the younger ones, and I would recommend Cing's other adventure game, Trace Memory, which is a bit easier and a lot shorter, for younger children, if you really wish to introduce them to this genre. It's the better option, because it does not ask for as much from the player as Hotel Dusk does, but that does not mean Trace Memory is easy, it has its fill of challenging puzzles. It is just shorter and doesn't have a large cast, so it does not require the same degree of retention as Hotel Dusk.

With all that said, I wholeheartedly recommend Hotel Dusk: Room 215 to any DS owner, especially since the resurrection of adventure gaming has only been made possible by the DS. As for us females, Dusk isn't particularly aimed at us, but as long as your a girl or woman who doesn't mind lengthy dialogue, and can enjoy a traditional and well written detective story, then I also recommend Hotel Dusk to you. The exclusion of a playable female character is acceptable here, since adventure games are like stories and each story can only have a single protagonist, in this case, it happens to be a man named Kyle Hyde. What is rather irritating through, are the games where a playable female character could have been added, but wasn't.

Scoring

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Gameplay -	9/10
Story -	10/10
Characters -	9/10
Graphics -	8/10
Art -	9/10
Box Art -	3/10
Music -	8/10
Sound -	7/10
Multiplayer -	N/A
Female Factor -	N/A
Fun Factor -	8/10
Replay Value -	6/10

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OVERALL - 8/10

~Joanna

Game Review: Magical Starsign

Basic Information:

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Platform: Nintendo DS

Genre: RPG
Difficulty: Easy
Developer: Brownie Brown
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Oct. 2006
Rating: E for everyone
Retail Price: $ 29.99 US ($ 34.99 CAN)


What it's About:

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You play as a student from a magical academy, whose teacher has recently gone missing. One of your classmates gets it into her head that you need to go searching for your teacher, so you follow after her on your own one-person space ships and crash land on another planet. As you go from planet to planet, you happen upon your other classmates who also followed after you and the other student.

Gameplay:

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Descent, is the best word for the gameplay in Magical Starsign. It mixes up the typical RPG gameplay a bit, but its nothing revolutionary. The extra magic boost based on the movement of the planets is a nice touch and adds an extra layer of strategy. While tapping on a character at the right time to perform a critical hit, keeps me focused on the game during parts I would normally not pay too much attention towards. The magic centered combat is also an unexpected twist that gives the gameplay a more unique feel, setting it apart from other RPGs. Other then these few twists, Magical Starsign stays true to the classic RPG formula for better or for worse, with turn based battles and random encounters. I for one, do not think this is a bad thing, since it was one of the first RPGs available on the DS and I really do enjoy classic RPG gameplay, especially if it spices things up a bit like Magical Starsign did.

Another unique aspect of the gameplay was traveling between different planets, and often times coming back later to a previous planet to explore a newly unlocked area. Many people complained about the back tracking, but I for one enjoyed revisiting the older areas, mainly because the planets themselves were relatively tiny when compared to console RPGs and their areas, so back tracking was not as painful as it could have been. The warp points on the planets also alleviate much of the pain involved with backtracking, and are generally a nice helping hand to players new to RPGs.

The game is almost exclusively played using the touch screen, and sadly, this isn't a good thing. At first its new and exciting, but it gets old soon, and I was eventually frustrated that I couldn't use the buttons for NPC interactions and battles. The only interactive part in battles is tapping characters to pull off critical hits, the rest could have easily been done with the control pad. The touch screen controls feel rigid and pushed onto the player, it would have been better if the option to use either the touch screen or the buttons were given to the player.

Story & Characters

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Unlike gameplay, I don't like old reused stories, mainly because older stories were all about saving princesses (think NES and early SNES era). For an RPG, the story is one of its most important aspects, especially if the gameplay isn't something incredibility addicting or revolutionary. The story can literary make or break a solid RPG, and in the case of Magical Starsign, it ruins the experience. That is not to say the story is bad, rather it is shallow; the whole story is about saving your teacher and the solar system from an evil wizard, and nothing more. It's bland and even the character interactions that try to develop the character's personalities are terrible. I remember very well that the Water user, Sorbet I believe her name was, had an especially melodramatic take on her problems, and instead of feeling sympathy for her, I just wanted her to grow up. Also, the game's attempt at off the wall craziness is also a hit and miss situation and with which I have mixed feelings. I admit, some things are just plain weird, like the gummy eating robots, but certain things like the funky and corrupt space police are pretty entertaining. The story and characters of Magical Starsign are definitely the game's weakest area, and its bizarre settings, enemies and NPCs cannot undo the lack of a more engaging story and set of characters.

Art & Graphics

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The graphics are nice, but not superb; bright and vibrant, they will easily catch your attention. The top screen's world map is especially lovely and detailed. The lower screen's overworld isn't as detailed, but it is still vibrant and pretty. Some worlds fair better graphically then others, the Wood world in particular was very vibrant and lush. The overworld sprites have a squished look to them, but are charming nonetheless, and fit the feel of the game well. Furthermore, each world is very unique and has its own set of inhabitants. For example, the Water Planet features not only humans but also humanoid beavers. While the Fire Planet features talking pots, yes you heard me, talking pots! There are also a varied set of character sprites and portraits for each species, a very nice touch.

The battles are just as good visually as the overworld; with bright and vibrant enemies and spell effects. The perspective of the battles is also somewhat unique, having a somewhat slanted perspective; not fully behind the characters, but also not in front of them either; a 3/4 perspective, if I may so call it. The enemy designs are also very varied and wacky, which earns them much love from me. As I stated before, the spells are very bright and vibrant, often featuring neon colors. They are fairly complex, and nice to look at, just don't expect Final Fantasy standards, they are nothing that complicated. The battles also utilize both screens with magical spells often taking up both screens when cast. Some bosses also extend to both screens, which is fairly cool (see the first screen shot to see what I mean). The only issue I have with the battle graphics is the zoom that usually takes place when an action is performed. Whenever someone takes an action involving a spell, the camera zooms in on them and it doesn't look pretty. You can basically see the pixels, and the sprites and spells look a lot less sharper and less pretty then they do without the zoom.

Now the worst part of the graphics and art is most definitely the character portraits which look horrendous. Lassi in particular, has a really horrible portrait, which makes her look like a red eyed rabbit with rabies; yes it is that bad. The female heroine also fares pretty badly; in fact she looks down right strange, like a mutated human with glowing purple eyes. It's not too much of a problem, but I wish the character designs were different, with a far more cuter approach that results in less deranged character portraits.

The game also features a 3D rocket sequence when you fly from one planet to another. It's a nice addition, except that the 3D graphics look a bit grainy. Since this is one of the earliest attempts with 3D on the DS, I'm a little more understanding. But most importantly, it is not really that much of a problem since the 3D sequences are brief and only occur when you travel between planets.

Finally, the box art is also very nice, and it fits the feel of the game well. This cover is also one of the few that doesn't pale in comparison with the original Japanese cover, both covers are nice.


Music & Sound

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There is nothing exceptional about the music or the sound in the game. There are a few nice tunes, but the majority are mediocre. The Wood Planet's tune in particular is relatively nice, while the main menu's tune is very plain and irritating. The sound fares a little better, with a few battle yells and grunts from the characters to liven up battles. Each planet has its own tune, which refreshes things, and fighting against certain enemies (which are not bosses) also changes the battle music and mixes things up some more. Likewise, certain bosses get their own special boss music! Bottom line: The music helps with the mood of the game, but you won't be wanting to download any of its tracks and will most likely forget them right after you hear them. Here is a sample of the music from Magical Starsign: the Wood Planet's theme. As you can tell by this song (which is one of the better ones), the music is rather plain.

Multiplayer

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Magical Starsign supports Wi-Fi multiplayer, with two modes: Tag and Dungeon. The latter allows you to host or join a party and explore a dungeon from one of the planets in the game. You get a choice of three and you can set a time limit if you so wish. I am not sure what the former is about, since I haven't tried the multiplayer. But based on the premise, it seems decent enough. However, I am not too thrilled that it only supports Wi-Fi and not wireless multiplayer, since finding online companions can prove to be difficult, especially with games that have been on the shelf for quite some time already (which is the case with Starsign). It would have been nice if the game supported single cart wireless play, since I don't know anyone with this game, but this is asking a bit much from the genre, since RPGs are not the best genre for single cart wireless multiplayer options. The bottom line is, the multiplayer seems like a nice addition, but it should not be listed as a reason to purchase this game, rather it's more like a nice bonus (that is if you can find someone to play with....)

My Thoughts & Recommendations

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It's not a horrible game, but its not the best RPG on the system either. It does earns some brownie points (no pun intended) from me for giving the player the choice of both gender and magical alignment. Basically, at the beginning of the game, you choose your magical alignment, either Light or Dark; Light having more supportive spells and Dark more offensive ones. You also choose the gender of your character, and their name. And as far as I know, there is no difference between playing as a girl or a boy (hurray for no sexism!). Wikipedia does point out that each gender does however get a different bonus dialogue; the male hero has a bonus scene with Lassi where she expresses her affection for him, while the female heroine gets a bonus scene with Mokka and Principle Biscotti, where the former also expresses his (or is its?) affection for her, while the latter supposedly clearly states that he wants a romantic relationship, but I swear I don't remember any such dialogue with Biscotti (-____-). As for different bonus dialogues, I am perfectly fine with them, since both involve a confession of love, which does not change the story, nor the gameplay, in any drastic way. Now if the game was made easier by playing as a female, then I would be offended. For a female gamer, it's a nice addition, since the majority of the time I'm stuck playing as a boy. I'm pretty used to it now, but I do love when games spoil me with the choice; I'm a girl, so I enjoy playing as one =P.

Also, the outer space take on an RPG is really pure fun; the last time I played an RPG with an outer space or sci-fi theme was with Phantasy Star II and that was quite a while ago. The majority of RPGs place you in a single world with fantasy settings, so it is a refreshing change. It is also really delightful to explore new planets, each with its own element and inhabitants. It keeps me looking forward to exploring the next planet, because they are never the same. The spiced up battle system is a nice touch to this outer space traveling RPG and really establishes it as something that keeps with its RPG roots, yet gives the player a brand new experience.

With that said, the game is not without its flaws, namely the poor story, which is all about stopping an evil wizard from destroying the solar system and your teacher along with it. This aspect of the game is by far the biggest problem I have with it, I find the story boring and mediocre. Thankfully, exploring the Baklava solar system is entertaining enough to keep me playing. The music and sound are also on the lower side of the quality spectrum; often a simple tune will just loop continuously and get very annoying very quickly (main menu I'm looking at you)

The graphics, I find, are very nice, but I have to admit, that at first, I was very disappointed by them. This is entirely due to the fact that Magical Starsign was my first DS game, and I had big expectations, especially since I had seen a few screen shots of the then up coming Final Fantasy III DS. Once I got over my initial shock that the game was in 2-D and not 3-D, I grew to love the graphics. Sure, they don't exactly push the DS's capabilities, and it almost seems as if Magical Starsign is a GBA game with added 3-D rocket sequences, but nonetheless, the graphics are charming, and I am certain that anyone will enjoy them as long as they don't get their expectations as high as I did when I purchased the title.

Although, Magical Starsign is definitely not the best RPG on the system, it is also not the worst. Players new to the RPG genre should definitely give it a try, as it is a relatively easy RPG with intuitive controls, and an in-game battle tutorial. But more experienced players and especially those who enjoy RGPs should also give Magical Starsign a go, and although it is on the easier side of the difficulty spectrum, the game won't hold your hand for long and it gets progressively more difficult. The final planet in particular has regular enemies that are pretty strong and can pick off your party members if you don't watch their HP.


Conclusion:

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Pros:	Cons:
*Gender Choice *Unique battle system *Wacky enemy & race designs *Charming graphics and world *Space exploration	*Mostly dull music *Cliche plot *Weak character development *Some of the art/ designs for characters are ugly.

-overall a fun and cute game-

~Joanna