Biomotor Unitron

[ Yumekobo / RPG / 8 Megabits ]

    Biomotor Unitron is a great RPG adventure for the NGP where you explore dungeons and participate in competitions with your customised mech. You get to choose your Pilot and Partner from several different races in the beginning, which affects the appearance & characteristics of your Unitron.

    There are lots of things to do; exploring dungeons, interacting with NPCs, etc, as you unravel the mysteries behind the game's interesting & intriguing storyline. The graphics are colorful, featuring cool artwork & designs for the various characters and Unitrons (On the other hand, the enemy monsters look very lame...). The battle scenes and attack animations all look very nice.

    The ability to customize your Unitron with various body parts & arms is a big plus. The game features a cool Arms Development System, whereby you can create new Arms by infusing them with various Materials.

    For an RPG, the random encounters & battles can get very frustrating after a while. The dungeons are randomly generated using pre-made tiles, but their designs are dull and simplistic. Comparing parts when buying/equipping is also pretty cumbersome.

    Don't let this deter you from picking this game up. Biomotor Unitron is a lot deeper than you may think when you initially play it. This is definitely a must-buy, since there is a lack of good RPGs on the NGPC.



Score: 8.0

Dive Alert

[ Sacnoth / SLG / 16 Megabits ]

    Dive Alert is a submarine simulation where you engage in real-time battles against enemies. The game features a cool customisation feature and an original sonar-screen style battle system. It is also highly challenging, and requires a lot of patience, time & careful planning to get past most stages.

    However, this is where its good points ends...

    The game is extremely repititive; stages & objectives are all exactly the same. You'll find yourself staring at the same sonar-screen most of the time and you'll soon get sick & tired of it all after a few missions.

    The objective of each stage is mainly to reach the Checkpoint, but the whole game feels so frustratingly slow & sluggish that it's more of a chore. You'll face wave after wave of endless enemies who regenerate constantly to bombard you with missiles from all directions, and because your Submarine moves so painstakingly slow, it's near impossible to successfully dodge and counterattack most of the time.

    In the end, you'll find it easier to just ignore all the enemies and make a break for the Checkpoint. Even if you do, it still takes a ridiculous amount of time to reach the Checkpoint, and keeping your Submarine in good condition to face the Boss is another problem.

    I feel that Dive Alert is one of the worst games I have ever played. I regretted buying it, and I got sick of it after 3 days of playing. The only thing I enjoyed about it was its customisation aspect, but that alone is not enough to save the game from being such a poor title.

Score: 2.0

Faselei!

[ Sacnoth / SLG / 16 Megabits ]

    Faselei is a war simulation-RPG which puts you in the shoes of a mech pilot known as Sho. The game takes place in the future where battles are fought using mechs known as Toy Soldiers (or TS).
    The game's character and mech deigns are great! The overall look & presentation of the game gives it a military/war feel. The story is conveyed through cool cinemas, and unlike other NGPC games, this game has a serious theme to it, involoving several warring factions. Sho belongs to the revolutionary group "Faselei" which is figthing against the country of Istall. Along the way, you'll encounter his rival and many other major characters and NPCs. The overall graphics are pretty cool, and the battle animations are nicely done.
    On to gameplay! Between stages, you can visit the Shop and buy all sorts of equipment to outfit your TS with. Other then the usual assortment of weapons, repair items and ammo, it is equally important to install the proper "Program Chips" in the Computer of your TS (more on this coming up). When you are ready, go to the Command Center and you will be briefed on your next assignment. (Or you can select "Mission" to go on a side-quest to earn extra money.)

    Now, the battles in Faselei are the highlight of the game! Faselei uses a new style of gameplay which Sacnoth calls "TIPS" (Tactical Intelligenc Programming System). Each stage takes place on a map and is played out in a turn-based sequence. During your turn, you can assign a number of commands to your TS (depending on its Action Points). The "Program Chips" which you have equiped earlier will be available for you to select. This include a large number of different command for Movement, Attack, Defence and Support. Early in the game, you can equip a limited number of "Program Chips" at any one time, so you'll have to choose wisely. After inputting your commands and ending your turn, ALL units on the map (friendly forces and enemies) will execute their given commands SIMULTANEOUSLY. After out commands have been carried out, the next turn begins and you get to input new commands again. (You only need to control Shotarou's TS for each stage, so it is not as confusing as you think.) This sort of gameplay adds an extra depth to the game's strategy. Not only does it require you to carefully position your TS and make good use of your limited weapons, but it also makes you think in advance and anticipate your enemies' actions. This new gameplay system is a welcome idea, and is a step above other strategy games.
    Faselei is definitely one of the coolest games I have ever played. Sacnoth has done it right this time and has redeemed themselves after their last catastrophe (ie. Dive Alert)! The only complaints I have about the game are its slow/jerky mech movements (quite tolerable), the lack of a proper in-game save feature, and the fact that the game is very short!

    Faselei looks & feels very much like Square's awesome Front Mission series, with some story elements borrowed from mecha anime like Gundam! Highly recommended for fans of mech-strategy games.


Score: 8.0

SNK Vs Capcom: Card Fighters Clash

[ SNK / Digital Card Game / 16 Megabits ]

    SVC:CFC is a cool RPG-style digital card game with SNK/Capcom characters. The game comes in two versions (Capcom & SNK), so pick up the one that suits your taste.

    The colorful in-game graphics are great, especially the cards which have awesome artwork. The game also has some nice voice samples.

    The gameplay in CFC is simple by highly addictive & exciting. There are plenty of different cards with unique attributes & effects, making for interesting & unpredictable matches. No two battles are like, due to the randomness of such games.

    The game's main attraction lies in collecting your favorite cards and customising an unbeatable deck. This requires a lot of time and work, but it's fun and well worth it.

    The game suffers from a weak story and very repetitive gameplay. (You'll spend a great deal of your time fighting & fighting...).

    Nevertheless, this is one of the best strategy games there it. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes card games. For those who have never shown interest in such games, the cool characters are enough reason for you to try it out..

Score: 8.5