PSP

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony

April 18, 2010

PSP / Reviews / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Lunar; Silver Star Harmony is an updated version of the original Sega CD RPG developed by Game Arts. The first version of the game originally on the Sega CD, but it was later released for the Saturn, PlayStation, and even had a version for the Game Boy Advance.  However, I can confidently say that this is the best version of this classic RPG. 

For one, the game has improved dramatically in terms of its look. The art style has been completely redone, and it fits the PSP perfectly while making the game look a lot more fresh and original among the various other PSP RPGs out on the market. Everything looks clean, and the character art is just as good as it ever was. 

The music is excellent as well, with some very memorable tunes that rival some of the best RPG soundtracks out there. The downside to the presentation is the voice acting, which has also been redone, but still is not very good. Actually, it’s pretty terrible, but it’s still an improvement over the voice acting found in the PS1 release. 

In terms of gameplay, Silver Star Harmony is as traditional as you can get. The thing that makes this a worthwhile adventure and how it stands out among the rest of the portable RPGs is both the world itself and the cast of characters. While the voice acting may get on your nerves quickly, the characters themselves all stand on their own, and it does not take long before you find yourself invested in their story and in this world. 

While the gameplay is very traditional in nature, it does not stop it from being a blast to play. Monsters appear on screen, and you can choose to run past them or fight them. You have your basic attack, special attacks and magic attack, and as you fight them, you gain experience, so on and so forth. Nothing new or groundbreaking, but it is still a very engaging game to play despite how dated it may seem in this day and age.  

What doesn’t work about the gameplay? Nothing in particular, but certain dungeons are incredibly lengthy and very tedious to navigate through. It’s also standard to have a handful of these tedious dungeons in JRPGs, but they feel a bit out of place with most of the dungeons and the world itself, which is generally a blast to go through and explore. Also hindering the experience are very long loading times, something that never became too apparent to me until these specific dungeons.

Aside from those little problems, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is a great RPG that fits the PSP perfectly, so much so that it may be hard to return to any console version of the game. It is still a very memorable RPG, and even those who have never played it will get a kick out of the story, characters, and the world, and may just find an RPG that puts itself above and beyond most found in a handheld.  

Pros: Turn based gameplay holds up well and is a blast to play; memorable cast of characters and world to explore; incredible music; updated art style fits the PSP perfectly

Cons: Some dungeons are unnecessarily long and tedious; incredibly long loading times; awful voice acting

 

Tekken 6

December 13, 2009

PSP / Reviews / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

To the delight of many fighting game fans, Tekken 6 was released this year on consoles. And like Tekken 5 before it, we now have a portable version of the newest fighter, with many of the same features found in the console version. And with several new key additions to the franchise, it’s easy to tell that the game will give Tekken fans plenty to do while on the go.

On a technical level, Tekken 6 is the best fighting game to hit the PSP yet. The sound design is fantastic, and the game looks absolutely stunning. Also, the loading times are reduced from the ones found in the console version, which is nice to have in a portable game. Namco Bandai clearly has set the bar high for how a fighting game should look on a handheld, and it might be a while before we see another 3D fighter as technically amazing as this one. 

The game features the largest cast of characters in the series history, including plenty of old favorites such as Heihachi and Law, and a few new additions such as Alisa and Bob. The roster is well balanced, with a character that is there for every kind of fighting game player. None of the characters feel broken, and with the right amount of time and patience, they can all be mastered.

A problem many people might have with playing a fighting game on a portable is the controls. But Tekken 6 controls wonderfully, with the PSP d-pad allowing you to perform several precise combos just as easily as you would on the console version. Those who have played the console version will be happy to know that the same exact move sets from the other versions are still present in this one. 

The modes you would expect to have in a Tekken game are here, including the arcade and story modes. Although the arcade mode is the same as it is on the console, the main “story mode” is incredibly short and feels like an incredibly downgraded version of the one found in the console game. Also, there are quite a few modes, including the Campaign Scenario mode, which are completely absent from the game. Considering Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, which was a downloadable game, had all of the features of its console brother, it’s a disappointment to know that Tekken 6 is not the same. 

But despite all of that, there is still plenty of content here to keep you busy. The arcade mode itself is still a lot of fun, and it will take a while for even the most dedicated player to go through it with all characters and try to unlock all the game has to offer. The multiplayer is also a blast, although it is a disappointment that it’s only local and there are no options to hop online and face opponents. But if you’re on the go and have a few friends to play with, you won’t have much of a problem. 

Tekken 6 is the perfect game for those itching to have their favorite 3D fighter on the go. While it does pale in comparison to the console version in a few ways, it also manages to exceed it as well. Overall, it’s a solid entry in the series and a great game to have on the go. 

Pros: Solid controls; plenty of characters to choose from; amazing presentation; fast loading times

Cons: Loses a lot of features and content from the console versions 

 

Armored Core 3 Portable

December 9, 2009

PSP / Reviews / by Justin Last Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Have you played Armored Core 3 on PS2? Would you like the same experience with fewer buttons on the PSP? Then Armored Core 3 Portable is exactly what you need. Cumbersome controls, dated graphics, and ad-hoc only multiplayer are all Armored Core 3 Portable has to offer.

Controls are fully customizable, but even that can’t overcome two fewer shoulder buttons and one lost analog input between the Dual Shock 2 and the PSP. I like the PSP a lot. There are lots of fun games available on it. None of those games are straight PS2 ports of third-person shooters or platformers, though, because the PSP hardware just isn’t quite right for those games. Left analog is obviously movement which means that right analog – if it were available – would be camera control. As it is that gets relegated to the shoulder buttons. Now weapons fire should be on the shoulder buttons, but we’re already using that for the camera, so it goes on various face buttons and d-pad directions. Customizable controls are great (and every game should have them), but they can’t save Armored Core 3 Portable from feeling clunky. No matter how I set up, the controls it never felt right.

Through the story, you play the part of a Raven mercenary. You will pilot your big stompy mech on various missions and shoot at various enemies, all of whom are also in mechs, with different and interesting weapon loadouts. Your own mech is fully customizable, and this is my favorite part of the game. Every time I play a mech game (usually Front Mission 3 or 4) I get lost in the garage making sure everything is just right before moving out into battle, and AC3 Portable is no different. You will win new parts by completing missions or winning arena fights, so you should never be in short supply.

Mechanically, AC3 Portable neglects to auto-save after every mission which is problematic as you progress through the game and unlock harder and harder missions. It also doesn’t ask if you would like to save as you exit an editor, so you are prone to lose some work there as well. 

If you need the fast-paced mech action that Armored Core provides on the go, then AC3 Portable will scratch that itch, but don’t expect anything more out of it than you already squeezed out of the PS2 version.

Pros: Customizable controls, customizable mechs

Cons: No auto-save, too many functions and not enough buttons

Plays Like: Armored Core 3 on the PS2 with a half-broken controller

ESRB: T for violence 

 

Naruto Shippuden: Legends: Akatsuki Rising

December 9, 2009

PSP / Reviews / by Justin Last Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Naruto is a mixed bag when it comes to video game translations. The Clash of Ninja games on the GameCube were great for four players, and Naruto: Rise of a Ninja on Xbox 360 was enjoyable (and gorgeous to boot) as well. Unfortunately, for every one good Naruto game there are three of four mediocre ones, and Naruto Shippuden: Legends: Akatsuki Rising for the PSP is one of the latter.

Story will be unimportant to all those who don’t follow the anime, but it is standard beat-em-up fare anyhow. Naruto returns home after a two-year training session with Lord Jiraiya to find that trouble is waiting for him. Friends need rescuing and the town needs all members of the Akatsuki ninja clan removed from the streets. Levels follow a normal beat-em-up style: beat up thugs, move a little, beat up some more thugs, move a little more, beat up a boss, do it all again on the next level. In addition to these linear scenario missions, players can take part in ranked side missions in mission mode. Side missions play just like scenario missions, but the benefit lies in keeping your upgrades from mission mode upon returning to scenario mode. Akatsuki Rising also features a multiplayer battle mode, but ad-hoc multiplayer is all that is supported so finding willing combatants isn’t really worth the effort.

The glut of available modes is a little bittersweet because most beat-em-ups, even good ones, are severely lacking in the replay department. If Akatsuki Rising had satisfying or challenging combat this would be a great PSP title for fans of Streets of Rage 2 and its ilk from console generations past. Sadly, Akatsuki Rising is not that game.

Akatsuki’s visuals and sound effects are crisp and exceedingly close to what is presented in the anime. This is a big plus for fans of the show, which is good as they are the only ones out there who will likely enjoy the title.

Pros: Good number of play modes, visuals and sounds faithful to source material

Cons: Unsatisfying combat

Plays Like: Streets of Rage 2, Naruto: Rise of a Ninja

ESRB: T for cartoon violence, mild suggestive themes 

 

Half-Minute Hero

November 30, 2009

PSP / Reviews / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Half-Minute Hero is one of the most unique games to come out in quite some time. It takes the concept of a “pick up and play game” and runs with it, with gameplay that is perfectly suited for a handheld. Taking the concept of an RPG and making it well suited for a pick up and play experience seems like something that might be impossible, but developer Opus has done just that.

There are three main modes of play that are unlocked when you first start the game (with some more to unlock as you make progress in the game). The main mode is Hero 30, which casts you as a random hero who has the job of trying to save the world in thirty seconds. This sounds like it is practically impossible, but there is no real motivation or story besides “there is a villain, you are a hero, and you must stop the villain from destroying the world.”

Within the first quest of the game, you meet up with the Time Goddess who will reverse time for you whenever you please (and are willing to pay her the money to do). And once you complete this quest and stop the villain, you learn that the real fiend behind this plot is still alive. With more than 30 different quests in all, you will find yourself with plenty to do in this main mode, especially considering some of these quests lead to branching paths. 

The gameplay is rather simple, and it seems tailored to any gamer, even those who do not consider themselves RPG fans. At the beginning of each quest, you start out at level one, and as you run around the open world you run into random encounters. You continue to fight these monsters, level up, and travel around the map until you are ready to face the final boss of the quest. The battles themselves are played out based on what your level is. There is no real input from the player required, you just watch the battle unfold, and how long it lasts depends on the level of your character.

If you find yourself running low on time, you can go to a nearby town and use one of the several Time Goddess statues to restore time once again. From these towns, you can also buy healing items, equipment (which you keep from quest to quest), and get specific side quests which may lead to rewards that help you in your journey.

At the end of each quest, you are ranked based on how many times you used the Time Goddess statues and just how quickly you were able to “save the world.” There is no real penalty for dying, as you are just brought back to your starting position with only a small bit of health. 

Each quest has specific challenges that might take you a few tries how to figure out. In this regard, Half-Minute Hero can be quite the puzzling experience, especially during some of the later levels. But this challenge is welcome, especially considering that the game overall is not terribly long (but this is no surprise really) and if you decide to sit down and get through the game as quickly as possible, it probably will not take you more than 4-5 hours. But it is meant as a pick up and play title, one you will find yourself playing at 20-30 minutes at a time before moving on to something else.

The other two modes you get from the start are Evil Lord 30 and Princess 30, both of which can be finished pretty quickly. Evil Lord 30 is a quick-paced strategy game where you must defend your castle. Princess 30 plays like a side scrolling shooter. Both modes are fun for a little while, but they leave a lot to be desired and just are not nearly as fun as the main mode of play.

Despite how lackluster the other modes in the game are, Hero 30 is a blast, and the entire game is well worth the price because of it. This is a game that is not meant to be played for long periods of time, but if you do find yourself getting through it quickly, there are harder difficulty modes that could provide quite the challenge. Half-Minute Hero is an incredibly original and truly fun handheld experience that should not be missed by any PSP owners. 

ESRB: Rated E10+ for ages ten and up; rated for animated blood, language, and mild fantasy violence

Pros: The main mode of play, Hero 30, is addictive and challenging

Cons: The other game modes are a lot more shallow than Hero 30

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