Post by adamskafan on Oct 5, 2006 20:11:52 GMT -5
Well here's a jewel of a game.
Proof that Sony can do things right by hiring seldom-known coroporations with big dreams.
MAJOR SPOILARZ
You play as the reanimated statue-corpse of Shiranui under a new name, Amaterasu [recognized in Japanese Mythology as the Sun Goddess], a she-wolf. To all, you appear as a normal white wolf, save for those with supreme spiritual power, they see your true form, covered in red markings with the Divine Instrument on your back.
You have been brought back by Sayuko [if memory recalls correctly], a wood sprite who needs your help. Your first mission is simply to help the Wood Sprite fight back the evil by roaming Eastern Nippon and the villages strewn about in order to cause the Konohanaru sprouts to bloom and fight back the evil curse. You learn that Orochi, the legendary 8-headed monster that Shiranui and Nagi, the greatest swordsmen who ever lived, is behind the curses, returning from the dead.
Throughout this venture, you cause the trees of Konahanaru to bloom, meeting strange characters along the way and helping them with their needs that only a God could pull off. The more they believe in the Gods, the more Praise you earn. Like XP, you allocate this praise into four stats: Solar Energy [health], Ink Wells [Uses of the Celestial Brush], Astral Pouch [revives you when full], and Purse [amount of cash you can carry, multiplies each time by ten. Example: start with the power to carry 99,999 at max, after one level up, can now carry 999,999 at max].
You also come across the Thirteen Gods. Each grants you a different brush technique, or in some cases, several techniques.
There are really 15 gods, but the three Monkeys of Flora count as one, I guess. After the Second Monkey appears and smashes his head into your television set, most of the other Gods act a bit silly.
You are also acomponied by Issun. Japanese legends tell of an Old man and woman who never had a child. The Old woman prayed to the Gods for a child, even if it was one-inch tall. They are given this request in the form of Issun in the tale, who saves a princess and is rewarded by being transformed to human-size by the Mallet of Luck.
In the game, Issun is the strongest of a race of small people called Poncles, and the Lucky Mallet shrinks the wolf, rather then grows the Poncle.
There are many other secret things in this game, but let's cut to the chase.
GRAPHICS: Cell-chaded, looks alot as if the whole game is drawn with a paint brush, incredibly beautiful.
SOUND: Intense. Only drawback: The only characters who actually have voice actors are Shiranui, Amaterasu, and Susano/Nagi. Susano and Nagi's only voice-acting bits are just when he laughs. Everyone else's voice is represented by odd little noises.
GAMEPLAY: Original, mixing combat with puzzles and platforming all into one strange, awesome pile of crazy-coolness.
STORY: Immense. You'll immideatly be sucked in by it. I know I am.
REPLAY VALUE: Extremely high.
I give this game a 9.9/10, minus .1 point for the absence of human voice acting.
Proof that Sony can do things right by hiring seldom-known coroporations with big dreams.
MAJOR SPOILARZ
You play as the reanimated statue-corpse of Shiranui under a new name, Amaterasu [recognized in Japanese Mythology as the Sun Goddess], a she-wolf. To all, you appear as a normal white wolf, save for those with supreme spiritual power, they see your true form, covered in red markings with the Divine Instrument on your back.
You have been brought back by Sayuko [if memory recalls correctly], a wood sprite who needs your help. Your first mission is simply to help the Wood Sprite fight back the evil by roaming Eastern Nippon and the villages strewn about in order to cause the Konohanaru sprouts to bloom and fight back the evil curse. You learn that Orochi, the legendary 8-headed monster that Shiranui and Nagi, the greatest swordsmen who ever lived, is behind the curses, returning from the dead.
Throughout this venture, you cause the trees of Konahanaru to bloom, meeting strange characters along the way and helping them with their needs that only a God could pull off. The more they believe in the Gods, the more Praise you earn. Like XP, you allocate this praise into four stats: Solar Energy [health], Ink Wells [Uses of the Celestial Brush], Astral Pouch [revives you when full], and Purse [amount of cash you can carry, multiplies each time by ten. Example: start with the power to carry 99,999 at max, after one level up, can now carry 999,999 at max].
You also come across the Thirteen Gods. Each grants you a different brush technique, or in some cases, several techniques.
There are really 15 gods, but the three Monkeys of Flora count as one, I guess. After the Second Monkey appears and smashes his head into your television set, most of the other Gods act a bit silly.
You are also acomponied by Issun. Japanese legends tell of an Old man and woman who never had a child. The Old woman prayed to the Gods for a child, even if it was one-inch tall. They are given this request in the form of Issun in the tale, who saves a princess and is rewarded by being transformed to human-size by the Mallet of Luck.
In the game, Issun is the strongest of a race of small people called Poncles, and the Lucky Mallet shrinks the wolf, rather then grows the Poncle.
There are many other secret things in this game, but let's cut to the chase.
GRAPHICS: Cell-chaded, looks alot as if the whole game is drawn with a paint brush, incredibly beautiful.
SOUND: Intense. Only drawback: The only characters who actually have voice actors are Shiranui, Amaterasu, and Susano/Nagi. Susano and Nagi's only voice-acting bits are just when he laughs. Everyone else's voice is represented by odd little noises.
GAMEPLAY: Original, mixing combat with puzzles and platforming all into one strange, awesome pile of crazy-coolness.
STORY: Immense. You'll immideatly be sucked in by it. I know I am.
REPLAY VALUE: Extremely high.
I give this game a 9.9/10, minus .1 point for the absence of human voice acting.