PC – The Last Remnant Review
The PC has not provided a home to many Japanese role-playing games, and when it has, the results have been uneven. How refreshing, then, that The Last Remnant is such an entertaining experience. It features a rich, original fantasy world, obviously crafted with great care and artistry, and it tells a strong, politically charged tale that will keep you glued to the screen. Although somewhat flawed, the battle system is fun to play around with, particularly in the second half when enormous armies go head to head in some dramatic, bloody showdowns. When the game was released on the Xbox 360 in 2008, these elements were partially buried under an avalanche of shameful technical problems. But with nary a hint of slowdown and less noticeable texture pop-in, The Last Remnant’s excellent gameplay shines on the PC, making it a journey that almost any RPG fan should take.
Rush Sykes is the prototypical fantasy hero, innocently sulky but totally devoted to his sweet sister Irina. When Irina is kidnapped, Rush hurries to liberate her, but unsurprisingly, it’s not the most straightforward of rescues. Rather, Rush finds himself caught in a political struggle centered around powerful magical artifacts called remnants. These objects are both the center of society as well as a great curiosity, heavily researched at the Academy by hosts of scientists, including Rush’s own parents. What starts as an upheaval between the pro- and anti-remnant factions explodes into an all-out war when a formidable hulk of a man calling himself the Conqueror appears, apparently able to control any remnant, no matter how large or potent. Political forces clash and hidden powers are unleashed, and though a tenuous peace is eventually achieved, it isn’t long before conflict reawakens. The story is epic, though Rush himself isn’t the most interesting leading man. Fortunately, his supporting cast is excellent; the noble David is a charmingly haughty presence, and David’s guard Emma makes a strong impression, thanks to some excellent, emphatic voice acting.
Whereas other RPGs tend to center on their protagonist, The Last Remnant eventually focuses on the Conqueror and his secrets. He’s a solemn, momentous presence who makes an impact each time he appears, and it’s easy to believe that this man may actually be capable of controlling the universe. But though it will take you a good 60 hours or more to unravel all of his secrets, the journey is entertaining, given that The Last Remnant’s distinctive fantasy world is so beautifully constructed. Each city you visit is different from the last, yet the overall vision is cohesive, so nothing feels out of place. Landmarks such as the towering, glowing remnant in Elysion are not soon forgotten, and numerous side quests will have you exploring scorching deserts, caves of bubbling lava, and even the land of the dead. Most of these locales are lovely and beautifully lit.
Those attractive environments were squandered on the Xbox 360, on which awful technical problems soiled the artistic beauty. On the PC, the frame rate remains smooth, which makes it easy to drink in the scenery and fully enjoy the bloody drama of The Last Remnant’s spectacular-looking battles. Texture pop-in, a telltale sign of the Unreal 3 Engine, is still present but less conspicuous, and the loading times have been markedly improved, which keeps the pace flowing nicely. However, a new problem has cropped up in the form of some occasional screen tearing, and the lack of an in-game v-sync option means that you’ll need to adjust the settings in your video-card software if it gets bothersome. Nevertheless, these issues are relatively minor, and though some low-resolution textures and simple geometry may occasionally distract PC enthusiasts with keen eyes, the game’s technical aspects ably support its art design.
The Last Remnant’s battle system is intriguing, though you will be several hours in before you can appreciate its intricacies. Rather than controlling party members during combat, you recruit leaders and soldiers, and group them together into unions. Although each unit has his or her own stats, equipment, and arts (the game’s versions of spells and combat skills), you issue union-wide, turn-based commands on the field. Whereas in most RPGs you choose very specific actions, such as casting a particular spell or using a particular item, in The Last Remnant you choose broader commands. These may include healing unions that need it; performing mystic arts (though you can see which arts the units will use, you can’t micromanage them on a unit-by-unit basis); or summoning Rush’s awe-inspiring, beautifully designed cyclops to assist in battle.
Early in the game, when you don’t have a whole lot of unions under your command, you may bemoan the lack of micromanagement that this system entails. The fundamentals are a little confusing too, given that there doesn’t always seem to be rhyme or reason to the process that decides which abilities are available to you and when. Later on, however, you’ll have a lot more units under your command, and you’ll discover how elaborate battles can become. As units use certain arts, they level up those arts and learn newer ones, all the while improving stats–though it’s unclear how some of those stats affect the outcome of your actions. (Units possess such attributes as gluttony; what does that do, anyway?) Thus, grouping units into sensible unions is crucial, as is grouping them into an appropriate formation. You can get through many standard battles without putting too much thought into these aspects, if you take a lot of side quests and grind your way to power. However, even with a bit of grinding, the biggest battles require care, both before and during combat. As you play, you’ll gain a better grasp of your enemies’ weaknesses, the pros and cons of each formation, and the best way to develop your individual units through battle commands.
Eventually, you’ll experience some large, impressive-looking battles. They can also be really challenging, so don’t expect to rush to a victory, particularly when dozens of unions are involved. On the PC, limits on the number of leaders you can employ on the battlefield have been removed, but financial restrictions and more resilient enemies prevent battles from getting too easy. Individual turns can take a while to complete, but by repairing the frame rate issues that plagued the Xbox 360 version, developer Square Enix has also accelerated the pace of battle. The game will also throw quick-time events called critical triggers at you that require a rapid button or key press; performing it correctly may initiate a counterattack, or will improve your units’ position in the turn order. These events, like most of the game, are best experienced with a gamepad in hand. We were able to play successfully with several different gamepads, including an Xbox 360 pad. The keyboard is supported, of course, and that scheme is perfectly functional, if less natural than the alternative. Thankfully, if you aren’t a fan of quick-time events, there is an option to have critical triggers resolved automatically.
The colossal battles are the highlight of the game, not just because they are impressively dramatic, but also because you can see the effects of your union makeup, formations, and in-battle decisions more clearly than in the smaller ones. A morale bar across the top of the screen adjusts during the constant tug of war, based on whether you are attacking an enemy’s flank or rear, which status effects are active, and a number of other factors. Location on the battlefield, attack range, and potency of healing items and arts are among the many other dynamics that you’ll need to consider as you plan out your turn. This thoughtful preparation makes it all the more heartbreaking when you lose a long, well-planned battle. A significant number of late-game skirmishes take a long time to complete, often stringing several tough encounters together. Considering that formations and union setup can require a bit of trial and error, you might lose a bit of progress the first few times you attempt these colossal battles. Thankfully, the combat is fun and addictive, and a high-speed battle option new to the PC version also alleviates the frustration. But given the length of these lengthy clashes, it’s vexing that you are not allowed to save between turns. Otherwise, you can save almost anywhere, and the ability to skip cutscenes should you need to replay a section is also a welcome convenience.
Outside of combat, a little scavenger named Mr. Diggs will excavate various raw materials that you encounter in dungeons. Along with the monster parts that you forage, these items can be used to upgrade your equipment or create new weapons and accessories. There’s not much to the process, and you can customize only Rush’s equipment; other units take care of things on their own, using the items you let them keep in the postbattle screen to upgrade their stuff, or asking if you’ll take them hunting for a particular resource. Considering that characters develop based on the attacks they perform, there is a lot of flexibility–and intangibility–to party progression. As a result, there is a certain amount of replay value here, if only to see how differently battles can play out if you decide to make Rush concentrate solely on mystic arts, or see what happens when the four-armed Torgal focuses on combat skills.
The Last Remnant sounds mostly spectacular. The voice acting isn’t always excellent, though it’s hard to fault the actors when they’re forced to deliver some of the game’s awkward dialogue and odd bits of slang. Everything else is of top quality, particularly the fantastic symphonic soundtrack. Even after hundreds and hundreds of encounters, the battle music is always rousing, and the triumphant fanfare after every conflict rivals the best of the genre. Every town has its own theme music, and the melodies are terrific in their own right and flawlessly match the city’s unique visual design as well.
By fixing the frame rate and other technical issues that encumbered the Xbox 360 version, Square Enix has improved the entire experience, allowing the great story and fun gameplay to sparkle on their own terms. Granted, The Last Remnant could have been tightened up even more, but even with its occasional visual and gameplay foibles, it’s a delight from beginning to end.
Add comment March 28, 2009
PS3 – Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Review
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Review
While licensed video games have a dubious history, those targeting the younger set have been particularly uninspired. It is a pleasant surprise, then, that Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa not only makes excellent use of its license, but presents a worthwhile game experience as well. Despite using different voice actors than the movie, the cutscenes capture the essence of the characters quite well, providing a continual string of well-constructed and downright funny moments. The simple gameplay may turn off experienced players, but the sheer variety of enjoyable activities will more than satisfy those looking for a fun romp through Africa.
The story in Madagascar 2 follows the path laid out by the movie it’s based on. Julien, king of not only his fellow lemurs but apparently every other species as well, thinks it is cruel to stay hidden away in Madagascar when the whole world should be lucky enough to make his acquaintance. The penguin-piloted plane carrying Julien and the rest of the animals crashes in Africa, though, far short of their New York City goal. The story is consistently goofy and the frequent cutscenes are pretty amusing. Julien is the star here, spouting jokes fueled by his kingly ego, often at the expense of his meek servant Mort. The other characters play off their own quirks, from Melman’s lack of confidence to Claire’s search for love, with humorous results. Some of the voice acting, most notably Melman’s, feels jarring and out of place, but the new cast is generally quite good. This is a silly game, and the tone stays true throughout the adventure.
Though this is primarily a platformer, you’ll be doing a lot more than jumping from one precarious platform to another. Through most of the game, you’ll be quickly shuttled from activity to activity. The tasks you’ll be asked to perform aren’t particularly deep, but they’re fun in short bursts. For instance, as Alex, you’ll attempt to join a herd of wild lions. To prove you’re worthy of such a prestigious position, you’ll be asked to perform in a variety of seemingly random competitions. Within the span of a half hour, you’ll compete in a game of musical chairs, play a variation of Hot Potato that uses the dreaded durian (a type of fruit with gooey, smelly insides), climb walls, avoid vultures, play dodgeball with mangoes, and ride on zip lines. The pacing is fast and furious–just before you tire of tossing around a durian, you’ll be whisked off to another event. Because of this, the game is never boring, despite the simplicity of many of these actions.
The breakneck pacing continues throughout most of the game. As Melman, you can ride atop boulders and whack moles intent on stealing suitcases; Marty plays a mean game of soccer and tests his speed in a series of races; the penguins drive around in a truck and build a flying contraption for Julien to ride in; and, of course, there is the quest to cure a herd of giraffes from a nasty outbreak of belly fish. Despite the many twists this game takes, the controls are tight and responsive no matter which ridiculous activity you’re competing in. And the punishment for failure is little more than a slap on the wrist, so younger gamers who have never experienced stealth in a game can get through the spy photography mission without worrying about unforgiving failure.
Later in the adventure, you’ll come across some longer, more varied quests as well. These are much closer to traditional platforming experiences, with the world opened up for free exploration and a few instances of combat thrown in for good measure. There are monkeys and coins hidden all over the land, and you’ll have to use each character’s specific abilities to navigate across every inch of the environment. As Gloria, you’ll have to get rid of a float of crocodiles by whipping mangoes at them. Once they’re banished, you’re free to explore the murky depths of the river for hidden chili peppers and fancy pearls. Alex is the most agile, able to double-jump to higher places and balance across narrow walkways. Melman can spin in the air, allowing him to float to faraway platforms. Once again, the variety keeps things interesting, constantly tossing new challenges at you.
There is replay value when you finish the five- to seven-hour main quest. Though some of the events, like musical chairs, are fun only once, there are enough interesting activities to make going back a second time worth it. There are lots of hidden monkeys scattered about and optional side quests to check out. If you feel like decorating, you can buy furniture and other gear for your monkey friends, which provides a quick joke and funny animation. The multiplayer offers some surprising thrills. Most of the activities are plucked straight out of the single-player adventure, which means you can play soccer or hot durian with a few pals. The real draw here is the mini golf. The physics are a little wonky, but the courses are huge and varied, creating a vivid atmosphere for healthy competition. One fancy quirk is being able to put some arc on your shot; if you’re daring, you can soar clear over obstacles. When you get three of your friends involved, it makes the games chaotically satisfying.
Madagascar 2 is a surprisingly fun game. The gameplay may be simple, but the variety of your objectives keeps the game flowing at a brisk pace. The cutscenes are really well done, with the oddball idiosyncrasies of the characters providing a consistent stream of enjoyable humor. And when you’re done with the main quest, there is plenty of reason to escape to Africa for a few more hours of entertainment. It’s a shame all licensed games aren’t of this level of quality, but Madagascar 2 is certainly something younger gamers or those just looking for silly fun can enjoy.
Add comment January 23, 2009
