Things you have heard elsewhere are true: the game does have a 30-hour tutorial/story section. Also, I particularly like Zero Punctuation's summary of the character classes for all Final Fantasy's, ever: Serious Spice, Manly Spice, Angsty Spice, Ethnic Spice, and Kooky Spice. Throw in "Cutesy Spice" and that's pretty much everyone.
I have to admit, the dialogue does annoy me a little bit. Maybe playing Uncharted 2 has ruined me for every other game ever. Which reminds me to put up a quick review of Uncharted 2. And I suppose I'm always particularly sensitive to the whiny-ass characters that show up in these types of situations. He's kind of killing me.
Naturally it's a beautiful game, right down to the menus and upgrade system. I mean, like, the menu where you level up? A delicate unfolding multi-colored series of crystals or whatnot. Pretty. I don't have requirements for beauty in games, but yeah, I'll be impressed.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Report: White Knight Chronicles
Good: Graphics are lovely, dungeons are massive, no load times (except for saving). Graphics impress with subtle touches like dappled sunlight through the trees splashing onto your cloak, distant mountains and valleys, and all the dialogue cutscenes done in the armor of your choosing, for every character.
Bad: Dialogue and storyline will make you grope for a sharp object to stab into your throat, or blindly throw yourself off the nearest tall object. Be very wary before you begin! Be aware of your environment and remove such possible dangers.
Unusual: You create a custom character, but the focus of the story is completely on the stock characters, two of whom get the super-voltron-style armor, and your character doesn't. You'll end up playing the entire game as the main character, as is usual in other jRPGs, and not only neglect your own created character in battle, but he/she is completely ignored for the entire duration of the storyline. Never speaks, is never spoken to. The only purpose of having the character is to take them to the online quests.
Also unusual: Creating your own mini-town and then recruiting townspeople randomly from towns to live in your town in the middle of the ethers. You can go there and buy things from your very own item merchant, but the purpose of the town seems murky at best. I beat the game using whatever weapons I found handy, never having to utilize the extensive upgrade system at all or resorting to grinding. I can only hope this town is carried over to the next game, as it proved unhelpful in this one. And speaking of which....
Very bad: The story hardly begins before the credits roll. Apparently White Knight Chronicles Volume 2 will have the actual story part of this storyline. Because all you get here, is line. The bad guy unleashes an ancient evil, and takes it back with him to his island where he has an army already amassed and awaiting him. The heroes have accomplished precisely nothing.
Overall, if you take the precautions described above, and can handle a bit of bad-japanese-style storytelling, the game is perfectly acceptable - though it may be advisable to wait for the next one to be closer on the horizon before biting off this half-storyline (like Assassin's Creed or Longest Journey). Some of the concepts are pretty unique and interesting, which is why I'm extra-baffled by how stock the characters and main premise are. Seriously? Your princess is kidnapped? You summon a huge armor and fight big bad guys? It's been done so many times and for children so much younger than us, it's hard to swallow.
Bad: Dialogue and storyline will make you grope for a sharp object to stab into your throat, or blindly throw yourself off the nearest tall object. Be very wary before you begin! Be aware of your environment and remove such possible dangers.
Unusual: You create a custom character, but the focus of the story is completely on the stock characters, two of whom get the super-voltron-style armor, and your character doesn't. You'll end up playing the entire game as the main character, as is usual in other jRPGs, and not only neglect your own created character in battle, but he/she is completely ignored for the entire duration of the storyline. Never speaks, is never spoken to. The only purpose of having the character is to take them to the online quests.
Also unusual: Creating your own mini-town and then recruiting townspeople randomly from towns to live in your town in the middle of the ethers. You can go there and buy things from your very own item merchant, but the purpose of the town seems murky at best. I beat the game using whatever weapons I found handy, never having to utilize the extensive upgrade system at all or resorting to grinding. I can only hope this town is carried over to the next game, as it proved unhelpful in this one. And speaking of which....
Very bad: The story hardly begins before the credits roll. Apparently White Knight Chronicles Volume 2 will have the actual story part of this storyline. Because all you get here, is line. The bad guy unleashes an ancient evil, and takes it back with him to his island where he has an army already amassed and awaiting him. The heroes have accomplished precisely nothing.
Overall, if you take the precautions described above, and can handle a bit of bad-japanese-style storytelling, the game is perfectly acceptable - though it may be advisable to wait for the next one to be closer on the horizon before biting off this half-storyline (like Assassin's Creed or Longest Journey). Some of the concepts are pretty unique and interesting, which is why I'm extra-baffled by how stock the characters and main premise are. Seriously? Your princess is kidnapped? You summon a huge armor and fight big bad guys? It's been done so many times and for children so much younger than us, it's hard to swallow.
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