Reviewed: August 17, 2006
Reviewed by: Justin Nixon
Publisher
NIS America
Developer
SCE Studios Japan
Released: July 18, 2006
Genre: RPG
Players: 1-4
ESRB: Everyone
7
7
6
6
6.4
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
It has become very rare in this day and age for an RPG to re-invent the genre. Most RPG's follow the same type of storyline. They use the same type of battle mechanics. They even use the same clichés. It is a system that works, and as long as people still buy them developers don’t have to change it.
Before you get too excited let me just say that Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light for the PSP does not re-invent anything. Like many other RPG's out there, Blade Dancer isn’t bad, but it does nothing to make itself stand out. If you’re not yet tired of your stereotypical ‘save the world’ RPG then Blade Dancer may give you a few hours of enjoyment.
Blade Dancer, in all generality, has the same basic storyline outline as most RPG's. It’s your typical ‘Save the World’ RPG with a few new elements that don’t really add much to the overall experience. All-in-all, don’t expect a completely original game.
If you haven’t heard the story before let me give you the short version. You play as a young man named Lance. Lance sets out for a carefree adventure on the open sea and lands on an island called Foo, swinging his sword at anything that stands in his way. Along the way you meet other fighters who become your allies. Together you save the world against an evil force. I’m being vague to not give away the exact details of the story, but that’s basically it.
The battle mechanics are a little different than most games. For starters, you can actually see your foes in the field. Each foe is represented by a floating skull that will sometimes chase you if it sees you. They aren’t that fast, and most times you can outrun them. The cool part about this is if you are strong enough the skulls will float away from you. In this case you will attract more powerful foes. The skulls range in color depending on the foe or foes that they represent. They range from light blue, being the easiest, to black, being the hardest.
Once you are engaged in a battle you will notice that this isn’t your typical turn-based RPG. Like many RPG's, turns are based on individual timers. Each character has a timer to determine when it will go next. Other RPG's are based on timers, but in this game the action continues even if you don’t choose an option. For example, you can stand there without picking an option and the foes will continue to attack you until you are defeated. This keeps the action going at a pretty quick pace. I found myself focusing more on my options and less on getting attacked when I first started until I realized that it wasn’t purely turn-based. Player progression is just based on gaining experience through battles and growing levels. So the more of these battles you fight, the quicker you grow.
Another interesting aspect that isn’t exactly new to the genre is potion-making. You can make potions out of different items you find throughout the world. There are also many weapons and secret items hidden throughout the world, like all RPG's, waiting on you to find them.
If you get bored with the single-player mode then you can take the adventures online and play with friends. The online games involve you and a few of your friends, up to three, battling through a number of set dungeons in hope of eventually defeating the boss of the dungeon. There are a number of dungeons to choose from. This gives you a chance to show off your character and play with your friends. This adds quite a bit of replay value to an already lengthy game.
The PSP has the best handheld visuals around. This game, in some ways, is no exception to that. The character models look great. All of the foes found throughout the game are well designed, and, although not completely original, look good nonetheless.
Unfortunately, the environments aren’t so well done. They don’t look horrible. They’re just bland. The castle interiors are texture-less and flat along with the dungeons, and outside environments.
With exception of a select few, you could switch the soundtrack from any RPG in history to another RPG and it wouldn’t make a difference, especially ‘save the world’ RPG's. At times the music is light and playful, other times it’s just dramatic. You’ve heard this music before so it isn’t any kind of surprise.
The fact that there are voice-overs in the game at all is a good thing. The voice-overs themselves aren’t that good, but it’s better than reading text through the entire game.
If you have played RPG's in the past then you will know exactly what to expect out of this game. The game will not captivate you like some RPG's. The multiplayer does add an element of overall depth to the game, but at this point in gaming it is a bigger surprise if a game leaves out multiplayer instead of incorporating it into the game.
With that being said $40 is a little on the steep side for an average RPG. I can’t honestly say that you will have adequate time to beat it if you just rent it, but you will get a feel for the game and then will be able make a decision about purchasing from there. Personally I wouldn’t even rent it. Not that it’s bad, but do you really want to spend 30+ hours on a hand-held RPG that does nothing new?
I’ve played many RPG's over the years, and only a few, in my opinion, have changed the genre. This is not one of those games. I am a firm believer that if a game is truly great then there is no need to make drastic changes to its sequels, but if a game is average then the developers must try and improve it, not stick to that same formula like so many do.