Well, I’ve now cleared away some of my holiday games that I did not purchase due to Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker, such as Blue Dragon, the Tales of Destiny remake, Piposaru Racer and Wild Arms: The Vth Vanguard. The only other biggy I’ve yet to sink into are Ryu Ga Gotoku 2 and the new Rockman.
I think I’m ready to make my first actual 2007 release purchase! Beside Monster Hunter Portable 2nd and importing Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, my choices are pretty broad. I plan on buying a nice little crop of games and nibbling away at them. Unfortunately, the game I want the most is for a system I don’t have (VF5). That’s where you come in! Should I get…
…Fire Emblem: The Goddess of Dawn with a Wii? It’s bound to be every bit worth it, judging by past games and I’d be ready for Super Paper Mario and such whenever that hits! I’m a big enough Fire Emblem fan that I’d buy it just for that (as Wii Sports and the other games, like the Festival Master, Rabbids Party and Wario Ware are just going to played at a friend’s house or with them coming over anyway, so hardly seems to own the Wii and I’ve already won Zelda).
…Yggsdrasil Labyrinth? It’s an old-school, tough-as-nails Wizardry/Bard’s Tale/Might & Magic-style turn-based, party-based hardcore RPG where you even draw your own maps on the touch screen and explore the fabled world tree, it’s gotten ecstatically high reviews since its release.
…Dragon Shadow Spell? It’s by a company whose game I really enjoy, Flight Plan, who did the completely unconventional Black / Matrix SRPG, which is a favorite. As well, they do Summon Night, which has traditionally straddled the line between Fire Emblem-style SRPGs and Tactics-Ogre-style SRPGs, it looks delicious.
…Soul Cradle? It’s Nippon Ichi’s newest joint and its even farther removed from their past games than usual. Let me brief: cowgirls, last bosses you can fight in 15 minutes, beating up and stealing from townspeople, Ogre Battle-style unit based battles on a Fire Emblem style map, with sick 2D graphics.
…Shining Force EXA? A dungeon hack by the makers of Neo and Record of Lodoss Wars for the Dreamcast that finds you playing the dual role of the male hero with a party of miscreants as well as a heroine who stays at the fortress and fights defensive battles from attacks generating from the two main game powers they are stuck between and fortifies the fortress, almost Suikoden-like, but more involved. I think it also has a skeleton character who is looking for one his bones and hits on women, so I don’t it lacks in the character department.
…Kaito Wario the Seven? Finally a sequel to the 2001 GBA Wario Land 4, which was all kinds of sex and the series in general being an awesomely different kind of 2D platformer. In this one, Wario transforms himself into superheroes and invades TV shows, platforming as he changes costumes and solves minigames to open treasure chests. Just kidding! Turns out I bought this game already and just forgot!
…Hotel Dusk? I love me some adventure games, mmm, adventure games.
…Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village? I love me some adventure games, mmm, adventure games. Also, mmmm, Level 5.
…Tales of Destiny 2? I already own this, but it’s for the PSP and it’s one of my favorite RPGs from last generation. The battle system has very unconventional tactics and the script is a riot. I’d love to play it any time on the go.
So which should it be? If you don’t care what I play, then whichever game gets picked (you can vote on more than one) I will deliver impressions on alongside Monster Hunter Portable 2nd and Jeanne D’Arc, which I’ve won, but haven’t talked about here yet, so choose the one you want to hear about.
-Kitsune