Before proceeding into the key features of the game, I would like to introduce you to the storyline of Kizuna Drive. For starters, the story takes place in the Sasuke and Sai Arc, which is immediately after the Kazekage Rescue Arc. Here, Naruto and his friends face an unknown foe responsible for the mysterious disappearance of ninjas from Hidden Leaf Village.

First of all, the game features two entirely different game modes for players to choose; Story mode and Free Mission Mode. As the title suggests, story mode puts players into the shoes of Naruto and his band of friends where they journey to uncover the truth of the mysterious disappearances. On the other hand, the Free Mission Mode provides players with the flexibility to select their favourite characters and put together their very own ninja dream team. Unfortunately, in order to fully experience the free mission mode, players will have to complete and unlock missions from the Story mode first.

Basically, this is a ninja-based hack-and-slash game containing several RPG elements. However, the core gameplay element of the game closely revolves around teamwork. Yes, teamwork. In Naruto Shippuden : Kizuna Drive, players will be tackling enemies and monsters in a team of four. This feature allows players to enjoy a whole new gameplay experience with their friends through ad-hoc connection; nothing beats spending time bashing monsters with your friends! Before heading into a mission, players are also given the chance to equip their characters with special scrolls, which can be obtained from missions. These scrolls function as skill or stat boosters which increase character stats or skill effects. Missions in the game are categorized into six different grades of difficulty; C grade missions which are the simplest, B grade missions which are a level above, and the more difficult missions ranging from A to S++ grades. However, in the demo I’ve played, B grade missions still prove quite a challenge to players. This is where the whole teamwork dynamics shine. Playing with friends through ad-hoc not only allows you to plan alternatives and strategies to counter bosses in the game, but also allows you and your friends to carefully time and execute a special combat system known as the Kizuna Drive.

The Kizuna Drive combat system functions to divert all team members’ effort to a single enemy for a higher damage output. In order to activate this, players will have to stun an enemy then simultaneously hitting the triangle and circle button. Upon activation, a short cut scene will show your team members gathering around the enemy which is now launched into the air. Basically, this combat system is like volleyball; all you have to do is time your attacks at the right time when the enemy is passed to you. If you time it correctly, you’ll deal a certain amount of damage to the enemy. Conversely, if you time it wrongly, you will be the one hurting instead. However, this combat system limited to normal enemies and cannot be used on huge bosses, making the game much more challenging for players.

To tell you the truth, Naruto Shippuden : Kizuna Drive is not a very beautiful game. If you were expecting to see improved graphics or character designs you can forget about it. The character designs and environment designs of the game are not very sharp and refined; in fact you can practically see the jagged edges on the characters. Instead, the game makes up for this lack of graphically intense environments by presenting the special effects in a colourful and refreshing way.  The user interface is also carefully positioned; the top left hand corner houses the health and mana bar while the top right hand corner displays the health and names of your team mates. This feature not only allows players to observe their surroundings with ease but also to maintain a clear view of their team mates’ health.

It really depends on the way you look at the game. If you are the type that demands graphical perfections, this may not be the game for you as the graphic designs will frequently affect your mood. On the other hand, if you think that gameplay mechanics are more important, you should give this game a go. With several new features and a multiplayer option, I am sure that many of you will be spending long hours immersed in the game.

The story of YS I & II puts me in the shoes of a red-haired swordsman known as Adol Christin. In the first YS known as YS I : Ancient YS Vanished, Adol took on the responsibility of seeking out the six books of YS. These books are said to contain the history of the vanished ancient land of YS. With these books, Adol is able to obtain the knowledge that he requires to fend off the evil currently sweeping the land of Esteria. Whereas in YS II, Adol is sent to YS where he begins his quest to unravel the lost secrets of the land and finally to remove the evil in Esteria.

In this latest port to PSP, there are two entirely different game modes. One is known as ‘Complete’ which allows you to load character portraits from the 2001 Windows release and another known as ‘Chronicles’ which allows you to create entirely new portraits for the current platform. There are three soundtracks in the game, two from the older versions of the game (one from NEC the other from the 2001 Windows release) and another is a new re-orchestrated soundtrack for the PSP which sounds incredible and at the same time, adds a new feel to the game.

Don’t expect high end or high definition graphics though. Unlike all the new generation games, YS I & II still utilizes a 16 bit graphics which is really old school. However, dramatic cut scenes, beautiful artworks and new character arts add a new spin to the game. Although I’m not a fan of old-school games, I can say that I’m really impressed with the outcome of the game on the PSP. The special effects like wind, smoke, shadows and also the scenery are awesomely detailed for a top down 2D game. It is truly something to be impressed with.

For the HUD, Nihon Falcom managed to organize the important stuffs such as the Health bar (both player and enemy have one), the Mana bar, a counter for the amount of gold you currently have and extra quick slots for magic at the bottom of the screen. This keeps the screen from looking congested and allows the me to observe my surroundings better while at the same time, enjoy the scenery of Esperia. Also, Adol does not get a full health bar at the start of the game, it fills in bit by bit as he gains levels and increments in health. The Mana bar is also not shown at the beginning of the game; this is a good implementation as Adol starts out without any magical powers. This mechanism should refine the growth of Adol and gamers can then really see the differences as Adol gradually becomes stronger during the later stages of the game.

Besides the HUD, a shop interface will also pop up whenever Adol interacts with an NPC trader. Every interaction that I could have such as buying and selling equipments, and healing health lost is placed on the right side, allowing me to fully appreciate and marvel at the stunningly beautiful artwork on the left side of the screen. How user friendly this game is! Now, here comes the tricky part, the combat in YS. I & II is something I respect as it is unique in its own way. Unlike games that require a click of a mouse or a pull of a trigger or even a press of a button, YS completely removed that kind of dependency. The analog stick acts as the master control of the game as it is capable of moving Adol in any direction, including diagonally. Movement in YS includes attacking, moving or ‘ramming’ Adol into a monster and these movements will trigger Adol to swing his sword. Although it does sound simple, but I have a feeling it actually isn’t. For example, if Adol is moved closer towards an enemy to attack it, that move would probably render Adol very vulnerable to any attacks from the enemy and a direct collision may cause Adol to take a higher damage compared to the damage he dished out. Gamers may have to think of special strategies to move Adol around and to kill enemies without taking any serious hits. But of course, the developer has given Adol special superhuman speed and perhaps this would help in making things easier for gamers to control Adol with his quests to overtake the enemies in the game.

As good as this game sounds, however, YS I & II is not without flaws. Observing the demo brings me to conclude that the enemies are all mindless walking zombies. Gamers will find them just walking around and may occasionally chase Adol when he gets near. Like all old-school games, the objects in Esteria are also quite identical; this may eventually become boring and frustrating for some players. This problem is notable in YS I’s biggest dungeon, the Darm Tower; where players have to smash a particular column out of a dozen similar ones in order to pass a corridor that immediately drains all of the Adol’s health.

In my opinion, Ys I & II are both great ports to the PSP system. The developer really made it a point for the player to enjoy some eye candy while playing the game. Besides that, the simple game mechanisms such as combat and interaction with NPC reduces the complexity of the game thus giving it a fast pace that will pull you into the world of Esteria. However, the lack of multiplayer options may be quite a disappointment for players who want to play the game with their friends. Lastly, the two in one combination of YS I & II makes it more affordable for players with a lower budget. All in all, it is a great game and will be worth the wait for old-school gamers and RPG lovers.

According to the NIS America website the objective of the game or in other words Prinny’s objective is to discover Demon Lord Etna’s stolen panties. Though the objective may seem funny to you, it is not so funny for the prinnies because if prinnies are not successful in finding the panties then they will become victim of Etna’s rage and Etna will make them into panties by skinning them. Participants will be able to gain additional benefit and a complete novel character crops up. However, the story will only be accessed if you are able to cross the main game without many barriers. Users have to find the panties of Demon Lord Etna before the morning. On your way to find the panties you will be moving through different stages which has their own unique themes. You will have to move through the desert, theme parks, dangerous underwater and many such exciting locations. Also, there is new mode called baby mode that has been introduced in this version of the game for beginners apart from the traditional standard mode and the hell mode. There are lots of new features and weapons that are introduced in this version like the vehicles that will assist you in traversing the battlefield and lot of special skills like the “hip pound” which make the enemies unconscious, skill to lift and throw, fart-powered flying techniques and other extraordinary skills. The “hip pound” can be followed with other attacks to completely destroy the enemies. In Prinny 2 there is a break mode into which you can enter and this break mode increases your attacks until the combo gauge gets depleted. This combo gauge which will be at the bottom can be filled by attacking consecutively in a row and also by picking up a collection sweets along your way.

It is expected that the new hurdles in this version is going to be more interesting and full of excitement. Users will be able to manage and steer the demonic penguins and prinnies as per their control. However, the overall hurdles are new and extremely pleasurable. Players will be able to control and in fact can run, hop, hack and implement special techniques. At the same time, players will also get a chance to ride the tanks, fighter jets and other war devices right into the battle zone. The overall gaming experience will be extremely wonderful and lots of sudden thrills. Hence, gamers have to complete the game within the prescribed time limit. This special feature increases the excitement and thrill level quite significantly. Nevertheless, the biggest advantage of Prinny 2: Dawn Of Operation Panties, Dood! is the whole new level of story, stages, techniques, along with a bonus narrative with a new primary character. All these novel attributes add to overall enthusiasm and interest.

NIS America who has developed the game has also added some passionate fun campaigns for its users. The idea is to increase the interest and curiosity in the game. I expect that the users of the previous game of Prinny will be able to explore really exciting stages, inventive techniques and interesting personalities that can easily satisfy all the general expectations of the user. This game is expected to be liked by girls and hence utmost effort and sincerity has been taken into account in order to enhance the overall multimedia features, sound quality, music and other graphics. I think the end result is going to be an extremely effective, interesting and a cool game for everyone and I also have a feeling that this game will gain special attention among girls. The characters in the game are more refined, lively and interesting. The users will be able to take immense pleasure while playing the game. The overall physical activity that may be involved by the participants really increases the curiosity and interest level to a great degree. The utilization of tanks, fighter jets, bombs and other devices in the battle ground tends to increase the enthusiasm level of users. The sudden and unexpected hurdles make the game even more remarkable and attractive for the game lovers. So what more can I say about the game. I just can’t wait any longer for the release of the game, but since the game is set to be released by Jan 2011 I will have to. This game will be a huge hit among users for sure.

The game, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, which was released earlier had the liberation army and its impending fight with the enemy as a part of its main storyline. The player controlled this liberation army and led it against the fight with the malevolent enemy. The outcome of the actions, at crucial points of the game, lead to a branch in the story-line and the outcomes are decided accordingly. A turn based tactical RPG, it had elements of suspense and great character plots. It will be interesting to see if the same elements are incorporated in the re-boot. The pitfalls of the Famicom/Playstation version were the lack of character classes, fewer stats and a very little dose of magic and special effects. But considering the fact that it was released in 1995, Special effects could have been a little far fetched.  It will be fascinating to see if the revamped production introduces these elements.  The famous Final Fantasy Tactics that square enix released, has plot elements taken from this game.

We can expect graphics and character rendering to be better in the latest re-boot of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, with advanced design elements and a bigger, better battlefield. The Knight, Valkyrie and the Ninja are shown in the trailer preview for this game, so these elements are there for sure. Magic seems to have gotten an overhaul.  The PSP sneek preview of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together shows a great deal of improvement in terms of the amount of magic used. The effects are pretty good and the hit points fluctuate according to the amount of magic used to perform the spells. The backgrounds, lighting effects and the music have been improved in Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. It has good background music, much better from its predecessor. From the teaser, one can certainly say that the game has seen a major overhaul. Key Characters from the predecessor have been retained.  Role playing games often are replete with elements like hit-points, shields, armor and health. The same case here, though one expects additions to the strengths/weaknesses of each character class in this version. It is only fair to expect the same non-linear battle structure as seen in the previous game, but assumptions are meant to be broken. Since this is a turn based RPG like Sid Meier’s Civilization IV for the PC, the game’s outcomes are determined by every move that the player makes. Each move counts, with a false step cascading throughout the game altering the final outcome. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is set in Valeria, like its predecessor and the main plot is similar, fight the tyranny and save the people living in Valeria. Denam Powell is the main protagonist in Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together as well.

Loyal to his father and his country, he promises to avenge his father who had been taken away by the dark knights, the oppressors. Seeking redemption, he pairs up with his sister Kachua and his friend Vice to end this reign of terror. It looks to be seen if this plot arc is taken into consideration, although the main characters reprise their role in this game. The gameplay is expected to be in similar, since it is an RPG. The map is expected to be isometric(remember it is turn based). The player needs to build his army, stack it up with different character classes. As seen in the trailer, the order of movement is determined by the characteristics of the class – speed, hitpoints and the like determine the freedom of movement, the amount of damage done etc. The game is also expected to have cut-scenes interspersed between fights, revealing story-lines and twists. Like the previous game, individual units and the team as a whole can be managed from the interface, as seen in the trailer. Overall, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, like final fantasy tactics can be expected to be a free flowing strategy game and is expected to be a decent hit amongst gamers who enjoy playing Role playing strategy games.

You may have seen many games before in this genre but this here is rather special – it is all about the king – MJ and his troupe of backstage dancers. The game is supposed to mimic the legendary King of Pop, capturing all the scintillating traits of the legend. The player in fact dons the hat, becoming MJ, virtually that is. The game basically captures the phenomenon that is Michael Jackson and tries to translate his abundant masterpieces across platforms ranging from the PSP to the latest XBOX 360 Kinect. Covering over 25 of his best musical treats, the trailers and interviews show that the players can copy his genial dancing moves – sashaying, swaying and strutting away in the game; his famous MoonWalk can also be performed, just by pressing a combination of buttons, or by moving the stylus. As you try to match up with Michael’s talent, the environment triggers various effects – visuals and music change dynamically with the setting.

The developers have strived to simulate a real time environment, with the implementation of Ubisoft’s Player Projection technology. In layman terms, a facsimile of a body will be impinged on the screen with the environments getting dynamically populated with “attributes” – features that formed a part of many live performances in history. The game is rumored to include a wide variety of gameplay modes, however, “Michael’s school” has been the only one revealed so far; players would be trying out their moves and sharpening their skills with MJ himself before the start of a show. There are video tutorials for each of MJ’s groovy moves on the dance floor. There is supposedly a challenge mode as well, where players compete with one another to get maximum points. It is rumored that there will be a career mode as well.

Multiplayer ability has been extended to 4 players in the Wii and PS3, while details on the PSP are still cloudy. The game has an additional singing feature for the Kinect version and an optional karaoke for the PS3 and Wii. These will be including real time audio enhancers to make the game feel livelier.Players who have experienced playing this game in the other platforms have given rave reviews, building up the reputation of its release for the PSP. Many believe that it is worth the amount of money paid. Everyone should own a copy of this masterpiece, the Master and his foot tapping, genial pop hits have been transformed into a timeless, user interactive epic, through this game. The creators of Just Dance 2 have set the standards really high here. It goes without saying that Ubisoft’s MJ the Experience will truly be an awesome game, enthralling audiences with a whole new interactive gaming experience – truly blissful for the pop fan.

The user reprises the role of Kratos in this edition of the game as well. If you have played the earlier version, you would be familiar with the weapons that he possessed. The player once again gets to wield those weapons. The game features many quick-time events, has boss fights and puzzles just like the last edition and the game play is similar. However, there are some really cool weapons added, Kratos can gain additional magic powers and can acquire new navigational abilities – something that was absent in the previous game. The player came make use of the “Blades of Athena” and the “Arms of Sparta” which forms an essential part of Kratos’s arsenal. Apart from this, as the game progresses, Kratos can gain the “Rage” ability. With this ability, he can set the blades of Athena on fire and his strikes cause greater damage to the enemy. The combat system has seen some tweaks. New moves allow Kratos to pound his enemies, pinning them to the ground. He also has the ability to throw them in the air as well. The new combat system has been upgraded – air-to-air attacks can be made, with rapid, incredible stunt moves and fast paced attacks. Game dynamics has been improved. A new augmented death system has been introduced. As with the previous game, kratos can make use of magic as well. New abilities include the “Eye of Atlantis”, “Scourge of Erinys”, and the “Horn of Boreas”.

Orbs of health, magic and experience points are scattered throughout the entire map, allowing players to replenish health, magic and gain more experience to unlock new abilities and gameplay modes. A challenge mode allows players to gain more powers by completing challenges presented before them. The five challenges of Ares and the eight challenges of Athena can be unlocked once the user completes certain aspects of the game. Another feature new to this game is the Temple of Zeus – a place where players can visit to sacrifice their experience points to unlock new gameplay modes. A combat arena is also available in the game, where a player could choose an adversary and fight against him. Overall, the gaming experience is incredible, much like its famed predecessor.

The game is set in between the events of the first God of War game(Playstation version) and the second one. The game is therefore an interquel and delves deeper into the life of the protagonist, Kratos. The plot is dominated by the events related to the oracle’s prophecy, with Kratos trying to find out more about his own self and his dreaded past. After Kratos ascends to Olympus as the God Of War, he is increasingly plagued by visions of his past, the past in which he was still a mortal. In order to unravel the mysteries behind these visions, he sets off to the Temple of Poseidon in Atlantis. He eventually comes to meet his ailing mother Callisto and finds out that he has a brother, Deimos. He learns that he was captured by Thanatos (the God of Death) when he was a child, and that Deimos has since been tortured at a place called Death’s Domain. The game follows Kratos’s efforts to free Deimos from the clutches of Thanatos. The game ends with the events prior to God of War II, where Kratos would eventually defy the strength of the Gods and obliterate Olympus, thereby completing the Prophecy of the soothsaying oracle. The game is wonderful with powerful characters, amazing gameplay and intriguing puzzles. The NPC’s in the game also add a lot to the story arc and give credibility to the game. The game is surely bound to be as big as its counterparts in the franchise, certainly one to buy and play.

The game, Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger Vs Darkdeath Evilman is very unique. NIS is known for its humor, and this clearly shows in all aspects of game-play. The story is based upon a very simple theme – build your “character” and destroy the antagonist. To add a little spice to it, a story-arc is presented to the player. You start off as an unknown citizen in the fictitious world, a person without any credence, but as fortune would have it, you have been entrusted with the transformation belt by the protagonist, Pirohiko Ichimonji. The Unlosing ranger is on his way to fight the Darkdeath Evilman Tanaka. As fate would have it, the unlosing ranger loses his fight with the darkdeath evilman and is killed in battle. You, then become the Unlosing Ranger and you are now entrusted with the job of saving the entire planet from impending doom.

Set in two parallel universes, the Earth and Bizarro Earth, the game has a very unique style. Bizarro Earth bears an uncanny resemblance to our planet. The epic battle between you, the hero of the game and the DarkDeath Evilman takes place on Earth, but you get to build up your character, strengths, power ups and health in Bizarro Earth and not on Earth. There is a catch however, whenever you battle DarkDeath, the events which ensue, will happen on Bizarro Earth as well. The fight might be tough, but when the going gets tough the tough get going. Fortune favors the bold they say, and there are non playable characters who help you along the way. Etranger, Dangerama and Noa along with the ghost of the original unlosing Ranger(who gives advices you on several occasions throughout the game as you embark on your quest) are all there to help you defeat Darkdeath Evilman. When you encounter DarkDeath for the first time, all the hopes of vanquishing him in this fight have to be thrown into the dumpster, because your character is still not strong and your defeat is imminent. Building your character is fun. You can literally build everything from scratch and then use the character you’ve created to fight and eventually defeat the enemy. Customizing your character, literally “building” it from scratch, makes the game fun to play. You can attach anything from a driller arm, or tank leg or a cannon enhancement, replacing your otherwise visceral organs. The game-play is wonderful; the dungeons and the traps contained in them are totally randomized, so you encounter a different environment altogether when you play the game again. The game also has a fancy fog of war, revealing enemies only when you explore the map. Additionally, to restrict free roaming, you are burdened with hunger – there is a hunger meter which makes it harder to move about freely. Energy points (EN) are spent whilst you travel, making it even more realistic. You can build you own base to start with and slowly expand your horizons as you progress further within the game. You start the game with a blacksmith, a general store and of course, your very own residence (fully functional, comes with a wife even!!) The visuals are pretty decent, often reminiscent of the old strategy games in the beginning but building up pace as you move along. User interactivity and gameplay is enhanced by random positioning of game elements. The game engine comes up with an entirely different theme every time, so there is no monotony.

Sounds easy does it not? But it isn’t that easy when you play it. The game’s progress is halted at various intervals by encounters with Darkdeath and the end result is inevitably your death – this means you are once again banished to Bizarro earth. The game is based upon a turn based algorithm. So every move you make, will also give enemies on the screen, a turn to make theirs. At the end of each level, your level is added up with the number of levels you gained. Dungeons imply boss fights and puzzles – you need to solve puzzles to get to the end of the dungeon where you’ll meet the boss. You may also end up finding the treasure room or the enemy headquarters as you progress through every dungeon. Now to sum it all up: Infinite combinations of weapons and body parts + random dungeons and traps + NIS trademark humor = Fun for hours together. Priced at 65 dollars, it is well worth the amount of money that you play. The game is easily one of the most popular games around, with its characteristic humor and intriguing gameplay. Z.H.P is a terrific turn based strategy RPG packed with an excellent re-playable mode; a must-own for the PSP.

The game kicks off with the introduction of the two principle characters in the game namely, Adol and Dogi. The cut scenes here take over, as we see Adol and Dogi making their way into the town of Redmont. We see Dogi taking stock of life, reminiscing about his past, the care free days of yore only to be interrupted by a savage howl.  This immediately cuts into an action sequence and the two chief characters quickly dive into a fight with the wolves to save Elena. Elena notifies Adol about the monsters that wreck havoc in the town and of Count McGuire’s evil rule. Added to this is the fact that Elena’s brother, Chester, is missing. The journey continues into redmont and the game actually begins to take shape. In this version of the game, the game plan is to spoil the evil designs of wicked people, masquerading and threatening the locals of the town.  It is upto you, the main player to stop them.  The game is action focused, and you will be enthralled by the various magical forces that act against you and accost you frequently. Action is something very innate in this game and this has been the major focal point throughout. The game is entertaining because of the fact that the narrative is interspersed with action sequences that really keep the player engrossed. The main functional aspect of the game is its new and improved attack system. It is fast and racy and is fun to learn.

The challenge here is to keep up with the pace of the game, making your moves swift, thereby countering the enemy. Melee attacks are easy to make. Elementary spells are at the player’s disposal once he/she collects special bracelets from within the game. Combining melee attacks is a challenge and needs to be mastered although the combinations are pretty easy to understand. The combo play needs to be swift in order to gain maximum power, thereby inflicting most damage. The makers of the game also have ensured that the battle is not repetitive and boring and rather have introduced elements that make the game fun to play. For instance, when you are fighting monsters, you need a measured sense of defense and attack, and attacking at the right moment reaps rewards.  As the monster’s defense is thwarted slowly but surely, it “drops” certain collectibles – herbal pills, pick-up combo attacks, speed move pick-me-ups etc which when collected, increase the strength of the player temporarily and prove to be an added bonus whilst fighting against the baddies. The gameplay apart from the action sequences and the fights is intriguing in the traditional sense. The game designers have developed a sand box kind of an environment, with players having free movement throughout the game. One can make use of this feature in the game to explore the city, stumbling across a few dungeons in the process which can be explored – you will of course encounter baddies in the process but it is rewarding when you quell them to complete the conquest. Puzzles can also be found along the way, when you are exploring the city. A strong mention needs to be made about the save points, upon defeat, the user is given the option to fight again and has also got the option of going back to previous save points, where you can revise your strategy and come back stronger.

Weapon upgrades and additional bonus upgrades are also available in the game. You can upgrade weapons by collecting elements like raval, a rare ore which can be found after a bit of intuitive exploration. Since it has been remade, the developers have ensured that it has the old look and feel as well, giving vibrant, fully descriptive 3D graphics a classical 2D look and feel, making one go back to fond memories of the earlier version. The soundtrack and background music is mind-blowing, provided by Yukihiro Jindo is memorable and melodious. The pacing was appropriate and the storyline sequences very orderly. The packages were wrapped up very nicely, thus adding to its charm. I have enjoyed playing the game many times over and never for a moment go t distracted or bored. Moreover, I was able to relate to the story and proceed naturally in the light of the various developments in the story and directions and remedial actions suited to a particular lot in the development of the story. What more can I say, the game is splendid. All said and done, it was a wonderful experience.

The story arc which has been used in the movie is different; in it the antagonist becomes a hero at the end of the movie and something similar can be expected in the game as well. Although the movie seems to be interesting with its story arc and plot, the game’s storyline hasn’t been exposed yet. It will be interesting to see if the elements that constitute the movie, those elements which make the movie tick, will also be incorporated in the game.  The notion however seems quite farfetched for now as the developers would rather take a different course from the movie, as they are catering to audiences who have already got a feel for the characters that make it to the game from the movie. If this is the case, THQ has to ensure that the game does not weigh down heavily on the aspects of the story, given the reputation of the makers who have created the movie.

Initial game trailers suggest that the game might have a cartoonish look and feel about it. The game environment seems to be textured, drawn literally, with many elements giving a plastic feel about it. The PC edition which was released earlier seems to be kind of like the other movie based games which has proliferated the market in the past. From the trailers, I feel that the game is somewhat similar to the Spiderman games which released earlier. The baddies seem to spring out of crates and boxes and it is fairly easy to defeat them. The UI has been modeled to contain elements which make the user experience easy. There is a built in help system as the player continues to play the game, introducing the elements that make the game interesting. From the E3 demo for the PC version, it seems as though the game is close-ended, with the environment having limited bounds and sometimes it feels like the settee is shaded, with the backdrops giving a vaguely 2D feel about it when compared to the current setting.  The controls seem to be pretty simple, and there is a points system which allows the user to aggregate power. This is strewn across the environment in the form of blue orbs as seen in the sneak preview. The gameplay seems to have the basic elements – one can walk, run, jump and dodge. From the preview, it looks as though enemies can be defeated easy once you have collected enough blue orbs, powering up your weapons.

What more can I say, the gaming experience is awe inspiring. But there are certain aspects which need to be tried and tested. It looks to be seen whether elements such as mini-games are added in within the game. Puzzle solving, small recreational activity from within the game can be expected as it has already been incorporated in the PC version. The challenge however for the developers lies in making this adaptation viable for the PSP.  Judging from the trailer, it looks as though one has the convenience to upgrade weapons. The level of toughness seems to go down as one makes a slew of weapon related upgrades. From the looks of things, it seems as though emphasis has been given on making the protagonist look better and a lot of work has gone into making the persona look similar to the one seen on the big screen.  I hope the PSP version will be more dynamic and realistic, transporting the players to an entirely new dimension with graphics and other features. Also I hope that the background music and effects match the mood of the environment and is catchy, attracting many users and capturing their attention.

For those who have never played or watched Yu-Gi-Oh! before, the game is basically a card battle game which relies heavily on the way various cards are placed on a battle zone. In Yu-Gi-Oh! the direction and facing of the cards represents a specific move. Depending on the way each card is placed, it can represent an attack, defence, summon, chain, spell and heal. Each specific move comes with its own strategy where players have to master to achieve a maximum edge against their opponents.

The battle system in 5D’s Tag Force 5 is incredibly flawed. The game is so based on luck that even the decision on who goes first is decided through a mini game of rock/scissors/paper. Furthermore, the game proves to be quite frustrating at some points as the AI is programmed in such a way that they always know which trap you’ve placed. The fact that they always seem to pick the right cards at the right time also increases the difficulty of the game. Fortunately, assuming that you have the patience for it, enemies can still be defeated when once you get the hang of their strategy; usually after losing for several times.

Besides that, newcomers in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! will find the game difficult to understand or even play initially. This is because the game assumes that all players already understand the basics of the game and launch players directly into duels without providing tutorials or guides on how to play the game. Without adequate knowledge in Yu-Gi-Oh! newcomers will eventually be forced to a roadblock. The situation doesn’t improve especially with some dialogues at the start of the game that only serve to baffle and confuse the players.

There are, however, things to look forward to. For hardcore card collectors, you’ll be happy to know that the game has every, and I repeat, every card ever released in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! as well as some cards that are only seen in the anime. Cards can be obtained through several methods in the game; progressing through the game will eventually add cards into your deck. Defeating enemies in duels will also reward players with cards. Another method to obtain cards is through a Password Machine in the game. The Password Machine allows players to ‘rent’ cards by entering the code number of the cards. Initially, players will be limited to renting one card at a time, but this limit will eventually increase as players level up in the game.

The storyline of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Tag force 5 is as long and convoluted as its name. To put it simple, the story Tag Force 5 begins six months after fighting the Dark Signers. With the passing of these events, the people of New Domino City enjoy a time of peace and harmony, but not for long. One day, three mysterious people and a turbo duelist known as Ghost arrived, who stirs up the commotion at the upcoming tag tournament. From there, players enter the shoes of a young hero who is searching for the battle of his life.

Tag Force 5 does not limit players to its story mode; in fact, there are several features to keep the game interesting. Excluding the fact that players can interact with more than 100 NPC characters, the Free Duel mode allows players to jump straight into duels while ad-hoc multiplayer matches allow players to duel with their friends; a significant improvement compared to the previous Yu-Gi-Oh! games. Besides that, players who are reluctant to leave their deck in the previous game will be glad to know that Tag Force 5 also allows them to port their deck from the previous game to the current one.

Featuring 3D animated cut scenes extracted from the anime series, Tag Force 5 is a beautiful game to look at. Character designs closely resemble the anime versions while card designs are sharp and clear. Outside duels, the game is viewed from the top down angle while duels feature a neatly arranged battle interface with the board in the middle, health bars on top and card description on the left of the screen.

Overall, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Tag Force 5 is an attractive game for the fans. However, it really depends on the type of person you are as battle could become severely frustrating at some points in the game. If you’re not the type that enjoys duel after duels, this may not be the suitable game for you. Lastly, be sure to also read up a little on how to play Yu-Gi-Oh! if this is your first time playing the game.