Review #1: Yu-Gi-Oh Duelists of the Roses
This is a game based on the hit anime tv show yu-gi-oh. It is based on the card games but takes place in ancient times in Europe. Players can choose between the evil white rose side or the good red rose sides. This game is very complicated unless you know all of the different fusions and can get good cards. The very first battles are against Rex Raptor and Weeble Underwood. The battle system is new and complicated. Every team has a leader and that leader can move around and summon monsters face down. When one of your monsters and an opposing monster meet on the same square the person with the highest attack/defense wins and at times does lifepoint damage. Each player has 4000 lifepoints and when the leader is attacked it counts as lifepoint damage.The problem is, that the enemies that you face are usually stronger that the monsters in your starting deck which means that you have the higher chance of losing. So unless you do not how to use your deck properly (aka use fusions to make stronger monsters) you are going to lose. The highest level in most of the starting decks you can choose from is around 3.5 stars which means low stars and low attacks. So dont expect to win unless you are a super wiz at the game.
Overall I would give it about 6.5/10. This is only because of the difficulty of the game. The rest of the game is much easier and the graphics are great considering the fact that Japanese anime is complicated and detailed. The story line is also good but I only hve one question... why does it take place in Europe if the show and the card games are based in Japan. New twist? Couldn't think of anything better? But anyhow...the game is okay...only if you are a true diehard fan. Everyone else...stay back, the difficulty will blow you away.
Review #2: Dragonball z: Budokai
This game is basically like "Streetfighter" but only with the DBZ characters. In story mode you can unlock new characters. The storyline is basicallly...well totally like the tv show. From the battle match ups to the beginning title for each episode. But each person you face gets unlocked in arcade mode. The battles are also quite easy once you know the controls and can pull off some killer combos. Really all I did was hit enimies into the air constantly and then added in some other moves and I had won. But the really good parts are the arcade modes and the versus mode where you can have some extremely odd match-ups like Goku and kid-Gohan! Matches also include many different types of attacks and you also have the aerial flight ability to allow you to fly around the arena for added strategy. With many different punches and kicks there are also the special abilities that can be used to blow your opponent away. Overall I rate this game 8.3/10.
Review #3: Kingdom Hearts
This is the first game to ever combine japanese anime with the wonderful magic of disney. This is the first realtime FF which includes all of the Final Fantasy characters. And when I mean real time I mean the battle system. Instead of teh usual active time battle this game has pushed beyond the limits of an FF to bring you something new. Kingdom Hearts goal was to combine the world of Final Fantasy with the Disney Empire. To do this, some characters would have to be altered: either Disney would get older, or Final Fantasy would become younger. Disney has the advantage of being more widely known, so Final Fantasy was altered. Many of the Final Fantasy characters are younger. This transformation can be a little disturbing, but it is neccessary for the game to succeed. The story is a classic tale of good versus evil, mostly between the Disney cast, but as you move through the story, the Final Fantasy characters make their presence felt. King Mickey has disappeared and Donald and Goofy are sent to start searching for him. Sora, our main character, is on his own world, destink islands, when it�s attacked by a superior dark force. After an battle, Sora is sent to a new town, where he finds the Keyblade or rather, it finds him. When Donald and Goofy see that Sora is now the Keyblade master, they recruit his help to battle the forces of evil or the heartless. The rest of the game is for you to see. I rate this game a 9.5/10 for outstanding graphics, sounds, battle system and story line.Review #4: Dark Cloud 2
"Sequels have much more to live up to, compared to the usual stand-alone title. It is often difficult to meet or exceed this hype. However, when it comes to Dark Cloud 2, the expectation of an exciting title is thoroughly fulfilled. Through its energized battle system, unique gameplay, and appealing graphics, this title stands out as a rare gem."Courtesy of RPGamer
This game is different then them all. This game includes all sorts of melee and long ranged weapons for increased battle tactics. And in this game there is no character switching like the first dark cloud. Maximillion and Monica, the two playable characters, don't level up as well. Instead there weapons do and each time they level up the weapons stats change for added strategy. No sequel has ever improved more than this game. I give this game a 9/10
