Re: Games Beaten 2013
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:25 am
So far xenogears, grandia, ff7 and panzer dragoon saga..xenogears and grandia got to the final boss years ago and gave up hope..but not this tlme!
I'm not totally done with this game, as there is a fair amount of content to go through. However, I finished one of the character story modes and got an end credit sequence so I think I can update the thread. There are other character stories to play through with the other playable characters though, and there's also an Academy story mode I haven't touched yet. Lots of stuff to buy and unlock in the game too
Shinovi Versus is a fun beat 'em up/hack n slash game that probably can be most closely compared to Dynasty Warriors. You'll face large groups of enemies and pummel them the way you wade through hordes in a Dynasty Warriors game. Like a typical Dynasty Warriors game, your attacks tend to hit multiple targets making it fairly easy to deal with large groups. This always ends in a boss fight against characters that I assume are all playable at some point. Some battles are simply one on one affairs while others will fight you with their minions, which are really just the same enemies you've been pummeling in the stage already. I was impressed by how different each boss felt with their attacks. One had quick attacks that I could just block. Another had a massive sword that seems to constantly hit me regardless of blocking, forcing me to dash around. I think one boss even inflicted a status effect on me, which is something I expect more from an rpg than a beat 'em up
Battles take place in a small arena, probably the biggest difference from a Dynasty Warriors game. Each level I played was quick and seemed perfectly suited for portable gaming. You drop in, you beat the crap out of a bunch of nobodies, fight a boss, and the stage ends, you level up, and you get a stage ranking. The controls are easy to pick up and play, though it felt a bit weird having to tap the touch screen to lock on to enemies.
A cool thing about leveling is that you have three different elements that level up based on how much you use them. One levels just based on you fighting normally. Another levels when you transform in combat to your powered up form. The last one is when you use Shadow Mode, which drops your defense and health, but massively increases your attack. Leveling these forms unlocks character upgrades for when you use them that actually feel pretty game breaking.
The in game graphics didn't blow me away, but the characters all look great. The various cut scenes for them as they unleash their transformations and special attacks are pretty eye popping, as is the game's opening, anime cut scene. I believe the game supports Vita's native resolution which a lot of other games apparently don't take advantage of.
The soundtrack is pretty good. Some rock elements that I like. Nothing that stays in my mind, but during actual gameplay it all seemed to nicely blend in with the action.
There are a few gripes. The camera can be an issue if you're close to a wall. The combat gets interrupted a lot by cut scenes as characters take damage, do transformations, or unleash special attacks. Fortunately, you can skip them with the start button, but it's still a bit jarring. Also, I leveled quickly. And once I started using my upgraded Shadow Form I was blowing through levels and bosses when I replayed them. This doesn't bother me personally as I'm not the kind of person who really cares about how hard a game is if I'm having fun, but it's worth mentioning. Granted, I haven't played Academy Story mode yet and don't know how challenging that is
And really, this is sort of like half a review, if you can even call it that. This is just based on me playing Character Story mode.
The one thing I'd be remiss in mentioning is the game's T and A. When girls takes damage, they lose various bits of clothing. This is all done with in your face cut scenes that feature closes ups on their bras and panties. This also happens when you transform into their powered state. So yeah, lots of boobs and butts. Take enough damage and the girls will get stripped down to just their undergarments and eventually full on nudity. However, the game humorously covers the naughty bits with these little chibi anime faces. I can see how this could be offensive to some, especially since these are high school teens. It's clearly the game's main selling point and there's no denying that this game epitomizes shameless fan service. However, it all feels oddly innocent. There is really nothing overtly sexual or suggestive in the game, just girls losing clothing like a medieval warrior would lose armor in combat. I've never played an Oneechambara game, but I would assume that if you like those games this title might not offend your sensibilities all that much. It's very Japanese. They seem more comfortable with stuff like this than us prudish, bible thumping Americans. Honestly, you'll see worse in a God of War game, as Kratos bangs two topless chicks in a sex mini-game.
This pics (not safe for work) should tell you whether this game is for you or not
There's a solid game underneath all this T and A, but it's gonna be a barrier of entry for some. Needless to say, this will probably NEVER get localized. By the way, there are resources on gamefaqs to help in navigating all the Japanese menus and whatnot for non Japanese speakers.
