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Developer: SCEI
Publisher: Agetec Inc.
Genre: RPG
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 29 Nov 05
User Rating
9.3 (6 votes)- Preview
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- Agetec's turn-based RPG does a decent job of filling in the void of RPGs on the PSP, but ultimately hampared by a non-engaging story.
Overview
Thus far several genres have faired better than others on the PSP, such as the racing and sports genres. The traditional mainstays of consoles and handhelds like RPGs and puzzles have not done too well, as few have been released, and none so far have been all that decent. Well today we are going to check out one of the few RPG games to come out onto Sony's handheld device. The game has a very weird title and may be one that you haven't heard much about. The game is PoPoLoCrois and it is now available for your PSP. So is this a game you should think about investing in? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
If you are wondering why RPG's have not faired well on the PSP, the main thing you have to look at is that there have not been many on the platform. This is pretty sad, considering the platform has been out close to a year now. What I didn't know before going into this review was that this game is part of a very popular series over in Japan, and this is definitely not the first game in the series. The big question is can this popular Japanese title fair well here in the States?
One of the things I noticed right away with PoPoLoCrois is that this is a game that really doesn't even try to be different from other RPG's. Let's start with the story, which has you taking the role of Pietro, a young chap who is off to save his mother who is plagued by some sort of evil spirit. The game ends up taking you on this journey that to say the least isn't all that exciting. Unfortunately the developers of PoPoLoCrois never really try to bring in any huge twists or turns, and therefore the story doesn't help make the game more interesting.
So let's get into the actual gameplay of PoPoLoCrois, which is a turn-based RPG and one that doesn't try to bring anything overly different to the table. If you have played any of the old school RPG's, you will feel right at home. The gameplay does do a good job of varying things up and also follows the common trend lately of making a lot less random battles. These are still a part of the game, but then again are nowhere near as prevalent as before.
Overall PoPoLoCrois actually plays quite smoothly. The game just kind of goes through the motions and makes one of the more enjoyable and interesting RPG experiences. I liked the combat in the game; its pace wasn't as dreadfully slow as many other RPG's out there, or does it feel like the same thing over and over. The big downside to the game is the storyline, which actually becomes dreadfully slow and uneventful. Had this portion of the game been improved then we could have been really talking about something great.
Graphics
If you have played any of the new games that take the old school RPG genre and try to make it new, this game looks like all of those types of games. So basically you are getting a very colorful simple experience that makes things feel nice and easy in the game. The one thing I really respected about the visuals in this game were the use of color, because of how much it made the game flow so well. Sure I would have liked to see more imaginative characters and environments, but the beautiful use of color just keeps the visuals nice and simple, just the way I like it.
Fun Factor
It is a shame when you have a game that has all of the RPG fundamentals down, but they can't go anywhere further with the game than that. The story is one of the big drawbacks to the overall performance of the game, and in that sense it shows how important a good storyline is to keep you interested in the game at hand. I just really felt throughout the experience that I was just playing a game, instead of playing an experience something that we have all become accustomed to in recent years.
Overall
In the end PoPoLoCrois is a very capable RPG, but unfortunately is not one that I would consider a huge leap forward for the PSP. Had the game had a more immersive storyline, it would have made the whole experience a heck of a lot more interesting. In the end if you're looking for a turn-based RPG for your PSP, this is a good one to check out, but I would definitely rent before I would buy.
- Gameplay
7.0 - Graphics
7.0 - Fun Factor
7.0 - Overall
7.0
