No Blues Here
August 2, 2007 – Are you looking for the next great RPG that has classic genre elements? If so, Blue Dragon will be the game for you. We have been looking forward to this game for what feels like forever, but coming later this month we will be diving straight into the world created by Mistwalker. Luckily, I was able to play a little of the game before its release. First things first, if at any point in your gaming life you have felt that turn based RPGs were not your cup of tea, then you may not interested in this title at all. I do say, however, that you should give this a try due to the simple fact that if you have ever thought about trying this genre out, this would be a great place to start. Enough about why you should try it though. How does it shape up after a fairly long wait in terms of the video game industry? Read on to find out.
After an uninspired menu screen (I’m sure this will be different in the actual game), I selected between one of the two areas to play through – the Ruins and the Fortress. I went with the Ruins first. This was the perfect place to get accustomed with the combat system of the game. The term turn-based does not do the game justice, more like as many turns as you can squeeze in before you are attacked maybe. There were several times I had to wait for long periods and several attacks before it was even my first turn when I went up against the baddies, and that takes a lot out of you if you have not played a turn-based RPG in a while. I started out with all five main characters – Shu, Jiro, Kluke, Zola, and Marumaro – and each one brings a different approach to the combat. For example, Jiro brings the healing and protective spells, while Kluke controls the black magic and supportive spells. Automatically, I can see how we will need to rely on the abilities of the others in order to progress in the game, yet another classic element of RPGs. Even in the demo you have to adapt quickly to this combat technique, otherwise it is a short demo. Several of the spells are also present in the demo.
I do have one gripe about the lettering on the screen – it is incredibly small. This may not be that big of a problem during the full game since you will have the time to become associated with where certain spells and items will be, but in the demo it was a huge turn off when trying to see what spell you where selecting. I was blindly selecting spells at first, crossing my fingers that it did what I wanted. Since this is a turn-based game, I doubt that will be much of a problem when the full game is released. During the demo, I was only allowed one hour to explore the game’s features. Thankfully, everything you select from the main blacked out menu has an explanation for what it does in the top left corner of the screen. An interesting concept idea for the combat system is that after you select any action other than using an item, you can charge the action to make the impact stronger. The disadvantage to this was if you timed it wrong you would be waiting too long and the action may not even be performed before the enemy attacks, a feature of the game that could keep the turned-based game alive.
At the end of the Ruins level, I faced an abomination of a tree that looked like it was spat out of one the Evil Dead movies, only slightly more demonic. If these are the types of enemies that we will be facing in the game, I am glad that we will have the opportunity to be a little more accustomed with the characters and their abilities before we wander along to find the “Devil Tree” and his nasty friends.
Once the “Devil Tree” was uprooted, I decided to play through the Fortress level of the game. It was a huge difference considering the Ruins levels was mostly about becoming acquainted with the combat system. This one had more of a “search things out” approach to it. Also, unlike the Ruins level, we are treated to a couple of in-game cutscenes which look as wondrous as the game itself. A little of the story is also given. Apparently, somewhere in your journey Kluke gets a metal contraption wrapped around her neck that works like a bomb and now they have to find a way to remove it. At the end of this level, we square off against General Szabo and his merry little quartet of robots. First I faced off against the quartet, and I honestly thought in the back of my head that I would only have to face them and I unleashed several attacks I should have held onto. As soon as they were bashed, it was General Szabo’s turn. After defeating him, I was given another cutscene, though it was not in-game graphics but CGI. The heroes quickly discover that the device around Kluke is about to explode. Kluke takes off not wanting to cause any of them harm. Shu chases after her. The tension builds as Shu tells her that he was going with her no matter what, and right when the intensity of this moment has you hooked, the screen goes white, thus ending the demo.
If I wasn’t already anticipating this title at the end of the month, then after the demo I would be. There seems to be a lot to explore in the game and that it will be more than just your standard RPG, including a beautiful art style that matches the playful music. I do wish the song during the boss battles will be different because if it is the same song, I will have to make sure I mute the television after a few major boss battles. Blue Dragon is shaping up nicely and I cannot wait until the full release to find out the other secrets of the boy and his dragon.
Features:
Microsoft goes where it has rarely gone before… the RPG.
February 18, 2007 – There is a simple formula for creating frenzy amongst Japanese gamers. This involves pitting an unlikely, spiky-haired hero against a merciless evil villain…but not without fighting countless random encounters with the local monsters and sufficiently leveling up. In other words, develop an RPG. Unfortunately, Microsoft’s Xbox failed to adhere to this strategy, and they paid the price, as reflected by the pitiful sales of the console in Japan.
However, with the Xbox 360, Microsoft sought to make amends in the form of Blue Dragon, an epic three-disc RPG developed by Mistwalker, a studio headed by Final Fantasy creator and designer Hironobu Sakaguchi. Indeed, Blue Dragon created waves in Japan, boosting the Xbox 360’s mediocre sales, and selling over 80,000 units within the first few days of its December 7th Japanese release date. Critically, gamers’ responses have been overwhelmingly positive and renowned Japanese console game review magazine Famitsu gave Blue Dragon an impressive score of 37/40. And, since there is no shortage of RPG gamers in North America, developers are working to import the game by the summer of 2007.
The Blue Dragon story seems to follow the rule of “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” as it centers on the young and spunky Shu. True to RPG fashion, the brave and ambitious hero, along with his friends and companions set off in an epic adventure to stop the evil Nene and his robot army from destroying the world. However, the protagonists are not without weapons as they have the ability to control shadows, or rather giant blue avatars of monsters that attack enemies for them. At first glance, the battles would be familiar to all RPG gamers, utilizing the tried, yet true turned based system. However, there seems to be a unique twist when completing the chosen action. When an action, be it casting some sort of magic or physically pounding an enemy, is chosen, a gauge will appear and fill as you hold a button. The gauge determines the power and timing during battle of the action for that character, adding a unique flair to the turned based system. It remains to be seen whether this added control can really add a new layer of depth to the battle system or just turn out to be an inconvenience.
Another unique addition to Blue Dragon is the lack of random encounters. Instead, in the over-world view, players will actually see the enemies and can either confront them to commence battle, or avoid them altogether. In fact, the player could approach an enemy in the over-world view from behind and score an advantaged “sneak attack” once the battle starts, adding more of an arcade element to the RPG. Also, to take this even further, in Blue Dragon, a button in the over-world will allow you to create a circle around your party and any enemy within it will be fought all together in one battle. Even more intriguing is the fact that, within the giant battle, not all enemies get along and they can and will attack each other, a factor that can be employed strategically.
Of course, an essential RPG element is the ability to customize your characters, and Blue Dragon seems to live up to the expectations. Shadows have the ability to take on different job classes and paths, and, with the collection of shadow points gained during battle, can learn the skills associated with the path. With the characters independently gaining stats and the shadows learning different sets of skills to the players liking, there are countless combinations of team formations.
Presentation wise, Blue Dragon looks nothing short of fantastic. The characters and environment are designed by Akira Toriyama, known for his work with the Dragon Ball animated series and the Dragon Quest RPG franchise. Fans of either work will surely recognize everything from character models and outfits, to town buildings and environment. And, although cartoonish, the game makes full utilization of the Xbox 360’s powerful console engine, creating a smooth, clean, and detailed environment in both the cinematic sequences and actual game, clearly establishing that pixels are a thing of the past.
Another exciting bonus is the attachment of Nobuo Uematsu who, as any fan of the Final Fantasy series will tell you, is a highly acclaimed video game composer. Although I haven’t heard any of the tracks for Blue Dragon, if it is nearly as good as his past achievements, players can look forward to a great soundtrack. In addition to the music, it seems that most of the story sequences will be voiced-over and if the dubbing goes well, Blue Dragon’s music and ambience will go far in enhancing the gameplay.
Blue Dragon has already proven its success overseas in Japan both critically and financially, and in previewing the game, it is easy to see why. Although a seemingly cliché storyline, the large customizability of the shadows, the unique over-world approach, and the battle system gauge could make for solid RPG gameplay. Coupled with the seemingly amazingly flawless presentation and backings from such veterans as Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nobuo Uematsu, and Akira Toriyama, Blue Dragon may turn out to be a landmark not just for the Xbox 360, but for the RPG genre as we know it.