The four heroes of the original CBB: Draglade game return for another 2D fighting tournament where conventional attacks are mixed with mighty elemental blows to dole out the hurt. The wrinkle in Draglade lies in the Custom Beat System where players create a combo routine on a track and then execute the steps involved to ignite rapid-fire attacks against an opponent. The routine's steps are displayed on a gauge located on the lower-right corner of the screen. As the beats are executed, your fighter performs a staccato of attacks, slashes, and perhaps a finishing blow to cap the routine.Over 100 types of attacks are available to the characters for a wide range of grappling moves, smackdowns, and projectile blasts.
In addition to the original cast of Hibito, Kairu, Daichi, and Guy, six new warriors enter the Draglade tournament including an elderly bald-headed miscreant who can spit his false teeth out for a projectile attack. Similar to the first game, every character in the game may be customized with different color schemes for a unique look. Bonus: All orders for Draglade 2 will include a bonus pair of headphones in 1:1 ratio.
The one-eyed goblin named Kitaro returns to the video gaming fold in a remake of an old 8-bit Famicom game. Kitaro traipses around in 2D environs with his left eye named Medama-oyaji and battles fellow goblins, spooks, and end-level bosses of the undead sort. Kitaro can fire off projectile attacks and glide around by hefting an makeshift "parachute" over himself to traverse wide distances and platforms. For gamers who are interested in the goblins and monsters featured in the game, a bestiary may be viewed which lists the different creatures in a gallery.
Bonus: All preorders and new orders shipping today will include a bonus NDS Lite carrying pouch in 100% ratio. The pouch features a yellow and black banded design so that it looks like a bee.
Naruto and ninja cohorts squabble and fight in a new side-scrolling action game where ninja prowess and kicked-up attacks are on display. Similar to previous NDS Naruto releases, game features include:
» A large roster of characters led by Naruto and Sasuke
» Boss monsters that nearly fill the entire half of the top NDS screen
» Simultaneous four-player wireless play
» Touch pen tapping action to activate jutsus
Two ninja may also team up to perform special attacks and concerted offensive maneuvers. Bonus: All orders include a DS card storage case.
The irrepressible Stafi (aka Stafy) is back in another side-scrolling platform game where the five-pointed action hero jump, spins, and shoots his way through candy-colored levels.
A new feature in the game is Stafi's ability to transform into a fire-breathing dragon or a ghost to contend with different obstacles encountered on the various stages. Similar to previous Stafi adventures on the Gameboy, vehicles and animals may be used as carriages to travel through the levels in grand style. In addition to the overall adventure, a number of mini-games (card tricks, matching games, etc) may be enjoyed to break the monotony of the platform action.
Garish yellow is the color theme for Atlus' latest MegaTen adjunct. The game introduction features a jazzy hook, yellow numbers, and backgrounds that are painted stark yellow. The hue that colors everything in the parallel dimension featured in Persona 4 is also... yellow.
As the story goes, an unnamed high school student moves to rural Japan to live with relatives while attending school. It's a quiet town but when bodies start turning up, the placid atmosphere is disrupted. A classmate named Chie Satonaka tells hero of the Midnight TV where inclement weather causes static and yellow-tinged images to appear on television. Once the clock strikes midnight, the tv becomes a portal which leads into a netherworld where shadowy creatures with masked faces dwell. Could the murders be somehow linked to the monsters?
Soejima Shigenori returns to provide character designs and art direction while Shogi Meguro serves up the music. The visuals of the game are crisp are the battle sequences are almost artistic. Endearing scenes in the game include one where the students sit around eating hunks of watermelon.
Irem's Bumpy Trot game makes a move from the PS2 to the PSP and takes on the guise of a 3D tournament-based brawler. Bumpy Trot was originally an RPG with action-packed fighting sequences but the PSP is mainly an action game with interaction sequences and 200+ missions mixed in for good measure. Players take control of a Bumpy Troy mech which may be customized and upgraded with new parts to make it a unique vehicle with the ability to punch, pick up objects, and thrust forward like a Votoms mech.
The action takes place in Orion City where Bumpy Trot drivers from around the world have gathered together for a battle royale. Since the PSP version of Bumpy Trot is basically an action game, Irem has tweaked the game engine so that it's more conducive to fast-paced gameplay where Bumpy Trots are more mobile and easier to handle. Players who've maneuvered a clunky PS2 Bumpy Trot should be heartened since the action sequences play somewhat similarly to the PSP Gundam releases. We were reminded of Gundam this morning because the mechs can jump-jet, thrust forward, and perform slashing attacks... just like an RX-78-2.
Up to four players may participate in the ad hoc mode where the screen is split into four sections and everyone gets a unique view of the battlefield from his own perspective. Bonus: All orders include a redemption card.
Hayato Kazami jumps into the Super Asurada 01 once again and races in the Cyber Grand Prix against a host of ambitious contenders and ardent competitors. The Shinseiki GPX series has been a stalwart on Playstation consoles since 1999 and the new PSP game is the first portable release since Varie published a Gameboy version of Shinseiki GPX in 1992.
One of the hallmarks of the Cyber Formula series on the PS2 is the smooth sailing motion of the cars as they speed through the roads at 700 km/h and muscle for rank against the other drivers. The illusion of speed makes the transition to the PSP version faithfully with the walls blowing past the drivers in rapid fashion. The controls are also obedient where slight tugs and taps are enough to guide the Asurada through the winding roads and the litter of competitors on the track. Players may go into a drift by moving the controller in the direction of the curve and braking. Once the early part of the curve is taken, simply accelerate again.
Racers who are lagging behind may rely on the Aero Boost which throttles a vehicle to maximum speed for a few seconds until the booster gauge dwindles to nothing. A car customization system allows vehicles to be upgraded to higher levels of performance to improve handling, braking, and acceleration. A total of seven tracks are available in the game including a stage where the roads are covered by ice. Two major hairpin turns are also built into the icy track to give racers even more of a challenge.
A helicopter is flying over Raccoon Forest when it encounters trouble and crash lands. The S.T.A.R.S. operatives inside the helicopter emerge from the ruined aircraft with nary a scratch between them and immediately canvas the local area. An agent named Rebecca Chambers spots an overturned vehicle along with the dead law enforcement officers inside. Her fellow S.T.A.R.S. members quickly assess the situation and recover a dossier from the vehicle which details the transport of a felon named Billy Coen. The agents continue to explore the area.
Rebecca eventually finds a passenger train in the forest and enters. Instead of finding stranded riders, Becky finds a lot of dead people and a few shuffling undead who make groaning noises and are out for blood. Rebecca also finds Billy Coen, the escaped convict, but he's the least of her troubles...
The Wii version of Biohazard 0 is a two-handed affair where the nunchuk is used for movement and the Wii Remote's buttons serve to shoot. There's no Wii Remote waving antics in the game but that's a good thing because precision is required when shooting down zombies and slavering Cerberus mutts. «NCS Game Notes»
