"What the hell is that?" you might ask when looking at the title. It's a strategy game that bring out the best of X360, so taxing is this game's engine, my X360 struggles its hardest to just load the game to the next event... Okay it's a lie. it's PS1 style S-JRPG like FF Tactic and not as good. Wow I bet you can't wait for the mind blowing review.
My drawing first
http://vividobscura.deviantart.com/art/Serenity-Request-189326550?q&qo
So it's been 6-7 months since I started to draw, let say it's one semester already. Since I just finished my free sketches thing, I'm thinking of coloring. I need some help, NO! Please don't runaway! It's very simple tiny bitty thing. I need a few stocks. Well stock is basically anything that can be used for inspiration, reference, source material for drawing. I won't copy it, I just need something for guideline, for more realist drawing.
For pro, stock consist of complex photos of models in detailed outfits, but I don't need that. If you got tagged in some online shop ads, saw some cosplay photos, or any kind of photo of models that got good lightning and shade, please send it my way. I mean it only take a wriggle of your thumb and less than a minute of your time, just send me the link, you don't even need to save the image. Any help will be much appreciated.
Here comes the review. I'm writing for the sake of just writing here. Record of Agarest War is as niche as it gets. Practically anyone who don't have any experience or interest on tactical game, JRPG or anime will be alienated. For ones who has the aforementioned interests, it is much bearable, not exactly good but you'll live.
I'm only playing this because it's dubbed in Japanese, since my indovision got replaced by the lesser fastmedia, my Japanese channels are gone. It's a good way to learn the language though. And for what it's worth, the hand drawn arts are good, despite the overly anime looks which is not really my taste, and slightly sensual innuendo blatantly advertised on the arts. Hey it's a form of marketing, don't ridicule it.
The most striking feature about this game is its graph. Aside for the anime arts, others aspects just looks flat. It still uses the same sprite that PS1 used. I'm not too concern of the graph, I know artistic style can pushes the game far like Persona which used last gen graph but still managed to look edgy, or the use of cel shade like PoP 2008 or Okami, but this is just absurd. For a game that loses to FF Tactic that released 15 years ago is such a demerit award.
This is as old school as it can get, old world map, cliche and overuse background of castle, town etc. In fact most of the backgrounds or terrains are lazily rehearsed over many supposedly different areas. Of course this samey area also provide the same enemies to fight. It's exhausting to see such small variety in vast world map, as if the game coerce you to drag on the game.
But it doesn't matter if the graph suck, because first and foremost, the gameplay is obviously the priority of any game. Sadly it's serviceable but not outstanding in any way. This is pure tactical RPG, with adequate customization, but it feels like patience on grinding is more crucial than skill. It also doesn't has the height difference on combat, so every fight occurs in uninspiring bland and flat background. The main draw is linking system, when a character position him/herself in specific ways, they can perform multiple combos regardless of their speed and position, so a powerhouse can unleash massive damage even when it's not his turn or if he is faraway but is linked properly.
The battle uses AP for each action, so there is limited attack for each char, more powerful moves take more AP and faster chars replenish AP faster. There is incentive to finish the battle quickly in form of bonus to EXP, EP (to enhance items), PP (to enhance stat) and so forth, but if you wait long enough for your AP to build up for more powerful attacks to Overkill the enemies, they are more likely to drop valuable items that can be used to create better equipments. The loot and level up system are familiar, buy and sell items, upgrade or create new items, combine skills. It's actually pretty deep, but nothing you haven't seen before.
Guess how the main char respond...
I read the review a few years ago. I said that it spans for five generation. Each generation has a collection of harem, in the end you can mate with one of the girls and the son of the mating will be the hero of the next generation with stats and items still intact. Rinse and repeat five times. It's a bit hentai dating sim, but it's still Teen rated, so the mating just a side perk.
The voice over only available on Japanese which is a good thing, I fear the accent and translation would make a messed up English iteration of the game. The OST is quiet okay, but to hear it over and over again in the same environment is agonizing. I wish it had more library of music.
One thing that is awkward, I accidentally created a high tier item called Misty Guard (don't know if it's common or not, but I guess it's rare) and it made my main char an instant bad-ass, boost up defense, resist and avoid, add stat and four other skills. I sent him alone to absorb damage, he got raped by enemies linked attacks, but survived 3 consecutive battles without healing with just a scratch. It just a matter of how fast I can win now, not whether I can win or not.
I just played it about 10 hours, but it is already feel stall. I even haven't complete first generation yet. I feel this game is shamelessly prolong its gameplay rather build more exciting traits. Oh well, rate 6.5/10. I wouldn't have played it if not for the Japanese audio and great arts. Wow, this is really long and killing my time. I'm out.
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