E3 Overview: Day Three

Robert’s Overview: Whether you spend the evening imbibing spirited potables or merely turned in early, fatigue is inevitability on the third day of E3. Knowing this, I placed a double-dose of Eastern righteousness to start the day: back to back appointments with Atlus and NIS America.

A brief playthrough of Dragon’s Crown confirmed that Vanillaware has crafted a wonderfully engaging hack-and-slash title which aims to please a variety of players. Solitary players can tackle the onslaught of creatures and the rewards of treasure hunting by themselves, with up to three AI drones, or with a trio of local or online players. Each of the four playable characters has a unique moveset, which allows for a modest number of attacks. Most notable is a heavy strike which issues substantial damage but requires players to pick up their weapon afterward. Naturally, DC’s biggest enticement is the title’s sumptuous hand-drawn aesthetic- which delivered a faultless sixty frame-per-second output on both the PS Vita and PlayStation 3 platforms. My only concern is the game’s simplicity; despite the gorgeous graphics, the mechanics themselves aren’t radically different from games of the Final Fight-era.

Atlus also showed R.I.P.D., a tie-in title intended for release alongside the film. A single-playthrough revealed awkward mechanics, restrained enemy types and a general lack of enjoyment. Unless the game goes through a radical eleventh-hour transformation, players might want to be suspicious of this title. Much more appealing was Shin Megami Tensei IV, which flaunted the archetypal Atlus JRPG accomplishments: exquisite visuals, full voice acting, and an engaging combat system. Thanks to the 3DS’s stereoscopic capabilities, the Shubiya-based overworld map came to life, allowing easy navigation through the post-apocalyptic environment. Combat followed MegaTen template, allowing for a players to fight, converse, and even convince creatures to join their party. North Americans can expect a July 16^th release.

Next up was NIS, which showed a quick glimpse of three upcoming titles. Beyond Disgaea Dimension 2: A Brighter Darkness lightened hues and high-definition sprites, the title revealed an energetic animated opening cinematic. Once we got into the menu system, most of the Netherworld tenets seemed to be intact, with a myriad of character customization options (and the reassurance of new classes), item world, and a mentor-student experience system which paid statistical dividends.

As many might know, The Guided Fate Paradox is the spiritual successor to Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman, offering a Rogue-like role-playing amalgam for PlayStation 3 owners. Most interesting was the utilization of the DualShock 3’s right analog stick, which allows for breezy menu navigation. Of course, Unlosing Ranger stalwarts still have the option to use the triangle button to steer through a list of options.

Lastly, The Witch and the Hundred Knights was demoed, with NIS America’s Ryan Phillips leading a single, diminutive knight across a flora-filled landscape filled with enemies. A departure from the firm’s typical turn-based titles, combat was rapid, with a character defeating a procession of walking vegetables.  In execution, the game’s customization options and elemental bonuses vaguely recalled a Diablo vibe, albeit with damage quotients bursting around the screen.