That the game respects the player enough to give the choice to keep things moving is an excellent decision. These features are an extremely appreciated streamlining of a process that can drain time in other genre titles. The choice is there to simply hit a button to use the previous turn’s commands again. This instantly handles the outcome of the turn, bringing up the menu again for the next. Those feeling impatient can opt for the quick resolve. After inputting the commands, the player can resolve the turn like normal, with each action displayed. Still, Experience Inc worked to make the trash battles as quick as possible. Turn based and still in the first person view, these have the players select the actions they wish to take. The battles themselves are also modeled on the tried and true old school style. It seems strange to praise a feature that removes control from the player, but it really does alleviate a major part of the hassle that these games can have, while still sticking to the classic framework. It’s possible to get interrupted by random battles, but these require input from the player before picking up. This means that the player can head back to a maze, choose where they wish to go, and go grab a drink while the party walks there. If it was previously explored and can be reached without changing floors, the party will automatically take the steps needed. A feature that I discovered on accident, the player only needs to pull up the map and select the destination. The exploration is also aided by an auto-move option. A quick glance at this quickly shows where a player left off before retreating back to base to heal up and restock. Fortunately, the auto-map system works extremely well, making sure to point out areas of interest, locked doors, and unexplored areas with no input from the player. These can become long, drawn out affairs to completely map. Each labyrinth is filled with monsters to fell, secrets to discover, and shortcuts to learn. Taking place in the first person, these segments are deep and challenging. The “meat” in the kebab analogy would be the dungeon exploration and battles. Still, where this game lacks in flash, it more than makes up for in substance. The latter still maintains some obvious Japanese influences, though. Type A is uses an anime inspired artistic conceit, while B goes for a more western fantasy styled approach. Major scenes are expressed through static drawings that, while beautiful to look at, don’t hold up to what one would expect on a current gen console. Most will push the tasty food onto a plate and dig in.įrankly, this title could have used a bit more panache in the storytelling arena. It’s there to stick the grilled meat and veggies together, but not meant to be part of the actual dish. While this plot is interesting, the way it’s used in Stranger of Sword City can be likened to that of the skewer on a kebab. Should the crystal be left, the monster will only regenerate and wreak havoc again. In exchange for room and board, these folks are tasked with defeating specialized monsters, called Lineage, and gather the crystal left behind. Due to the relatively reduced gravity, the Strangers have the ability to wear heavier armor and wield weapons like a boss. Called Strangers, many others have taken up residence in Sword City. It’s soon revealed that the player is not the only denizen from Earth to end up in this alternate realm. After fighting off a hydra and its minions, the knight and the player beat a hasty retreat to the city proper. Upon reaching the surface, a betrayal occurs, only to be quickly thwarted by an interloping knight. After going through character creation, complete with dice rolls for bonus stat points, the player is soon escorted through a labyrinth of underground ruins. A flight from Japan to Alaska crashes in an alternate dimension, outside of the titular sword city. This crashed flight is the setup for the dungeon crawling RPG. No wonder Japan has a reputation for being weird. The flight could be brought down because someone might have special powers in an alternate fantasy realm. According to Experience Inc’s Stranger of Sword City, one can’t even escape. Demons explode from the ground, cities get stomped and it’s possible to experience amnesia at the drop of the proverbial hat (that is, if I am remembering that right…). The person walking past could be a neo-vampire that can only be defeated by stripping them down. There’s always the chance somebody can be thrown into a television to experience murder by Midnight Channel. If Japanese games set during the modern era have taught the world anything, it’s that Japan is a seriously scary place to live.
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