Harvest Moon a Wonderful Life Special Edition Review

Console : Playstation 2
Genre : RPG ?

Prologue

A next serial of Harvest Moon after Harvest Moon 3 Released.In these Wonderful Life Special Edition there are some additional girl than we can get as a wife than Regular Wonderful life series, these girls is Lumina. Harvest moon a Wonderful Life stories similiarly with it's old generation. What again if it's not about a boy from the city that running a farm in the village, eh?

Gameplay

In this series harvest moon has the best quality of graphic than the another series even Innocent Life (next generation of Harvest Moon) still lost with this games full 3D graphic. But there is a consequence that Wonderful Life must be pay for it. Especially to any player who has already play Harvest Moon Back to Nature (1st series of Harvest Moon) will recognize this consequence right after trying this game. Right! There a great price for a great quality, a great quality of graphic will greatly prolonged loading game progress. Not only that, game progress running slower than any other harvest moon series. End? not yet! Wonderful Life series also lack of event. Hmph... end of my complaining section! but at least there is still good point, there are new developed crops systems like merging seed into new different variety plant (I guess, because actually I'm a little forgot) and you can plant not just mere plant but also a tree. Altough tree need more time but personally I like it better than a mere plant that will withered and died during season changing.

Shining Force NEO Review

Console : Playstation 2

Genre : Action/Adventure

Prologue
Shining Force NEO stories began with Max as the central character, he lived quietly with his father and a childhood friend. But later some incident happened, his village attacked by monster that was supposedly has turned to stoned. Then "a men behind the mask" appear, later a fight between Max's father and this men can't be avoided. Moreover one them died in this battle and Max's journey starting from here.

Gameplay
In Shining Force Neo character equipment and skill take the most rule on the games. We will keep getting killed if we don't adjust our weapon and skill depended on situation we were. For example there are some weapon or skill that really effective on some monster but has no effect to another monster (Especially when fighting against golem type monster). So the main aspect in these games determined by your ability to customized your character (Max), for a little tips while playing this one don't just relying on one type weapon. I think at least there must be one type of weapon for range and melee attacks.

Master of Fantasy Review

Console : PC-Online
Genre : MMORPG

Prologue
Master of Fantasy considered 2D games, although this just use 2D graphic but this games has all basic elements for MMORPG games. Just like chat box(for broadcast,all,whisper,grub,circle), skill tab scroll, map, quest, status,etc. This game brought to Indonesia at beginning years of 2008 by Playon interactive.

Gameplay
There are 4 basic class in Master of Fantasy, they are : Fighter, Archer, Mage and Cleric. Later after reaching level 40, each class divided into 2 another class. For example for fighter class, after reach level 20 a fighter should be a gladiator. And in the level 40 they should choose one from Swordmaster or Knight, each has it's own unique ability. There also one unique featured that only this game had, they are proctor feature. A feature that allowed senior and junior relation between player, a senior player can gained experienced from junior player and the junior player can gain extra Libi(currency in MoF) from this proctor systems.

Other
For more detailed information about this games, visit it's official homepage at http://mof.playon.co.id

Raycrisis Review

Console : Playstation
Genre : Shooting/Arcade

A great shooting/arcade game from Taito, there are many different thing in Raycrisis than we can't find in the common shooting/arcade game. With awesome graphic, locking system and modern style indicator menu I think Raycrisis has successfully delivered it's best gameplay in the shooting/arcade games class. Enough for compliment, back to the topic! At first we play Raycrisis we can choose up to 3 available plane they are : WR-01, WR-02 and WR-03 (WR=Wing Raider). Each plane has it's own shooting and locking systems, WR-01 used regular shoot (just like in common arcade game) and laser for locking systems with 8 maximum lock on. WR-02 used laser shoot and lightning for locking systems with 16 maximum lock on. WR-03 used homing shoot and photon for locking systems with 32 maximum lock on. Also there's bonus plane like R-Grey 1 and R-Grey 2 if we successful finished some game in the special mode (I think... sorry a little forgot). In gameplay usually we will fight a regular enemy before reached boss, but from this point there are something different in raycrisis! If our enchantment systems are reach 100% (shown on top - right indicator) we will instantly sent to Boss Area whatever you ready or not. This is one of unique systems that Taito delivered in this Raycrisis game.

Digimon World 2 Review

Console : Playstation
Genre : Adventure/RPG

Prologue

Digimon world 2 stories beginning by yourself registered as new digimon tamer, a new tamer you will gained Digibeetle(a transportation to explore dungeon in this digimon wolrd series) and one digimon as your 1st partner. But before you got your partner, you must choose from 3 club which have it's own digimon type (there are 3 type: Vaccine,Data and Virus). After you choose one of them, you will get your 1st partner digimon and begin your own journey.

Gameplay

On gameplay we will spent all most of our time to go around in dungeon by Digibeetle to find boss, key item or capture new digimon to be our partner. But this dungeon is not place for easy- fooling-around, if you're reckless you will end up in losing energy or Digibeetle HP so you can't even reach the boss floor before fighting it. Also Digimon World 2 using turn/phase system as it's main battle system just like common another RPG games, but there aren't random battle encounter in this one. So you can just avoid enemies to escaped from some meaningless battle.

Grandia 3 Review

Console : Playstation 2
Genre : RPG

Prologue

Yuki is the main character in this games, he is boy who dreamed to flying in the sky by a plane. On some night while testing his plane design with his mother above the woods, some incident happened and accidentally he met with Alfina who want become communicator and looks for her big brother. Later both of them traveling together to find out what really happened to Alfina's big brother.

Gameplay

Grandia 3 stories can be considered a short stories, but this weak spot good covered by nice dilemma between character. On battle system, I think Grandia is still in top position than other RPG with it's great graphic and unique battle systems. Also there are new combo system called aerial combo and regular feature on Grandia like magic and skill customization. But be careful, in Grandia 3 difficulty is can be considered hard (I think). Beginner RPG player maybe will get stress out for trying to beats the last boss.

Front Mission 5 Review

Console : Playstation 2
Genre : Strategy

Prologue

Front Mission 5 stories begin with Walter and 2 of his best friends while they are still child. This 3 promised to gathered on city park on some day, while they are met at park for some reason many wanzer and any other milllitary unit appear on the city and began to attacking each other in those city. Commotion happened all around the town, and not so long after that a wanzer approaching this 3 child while still battling with other unit. Then some incident happened to Walter and of his friend. Walter stories later begin some years after those incident happened...

Gameplay

On my personal opinion I think this is the most not easy version of Front Mission, considered there are limitation attack accuracy of arms, limited point for upgrading wanzer, etc. This where front mission 5 became really strategy game! We must considered many factor before attacking or countering enemies. Because I think there are no ultimate wanzer in this version though, but there something really-really new. Like bazooka or gattling gun weapon, character free recruitment system, arena mode (when you collect bounty that later for upgrading wanzer), survival mode (where we can find a new wanzer part), etc. But the most aspect I like is it's story, it's just reminds me about front mission 3 games. Where we travel from one place to another and progressing mission with some cool scene, like parachuting from plane or using boat to infiltrate enemy base. But the language this game I played actually a japan language so I'm not clear enough to understand about this version stories.

Front Mission 4 Review

Console : Playstation 2

Genre : Strategy

Prologue

Front Mission 4 game progress focused on 2 main characters, they are Darril and Elsa. Darril is a soldier that has duty for scouting on some area of South America, in other place Elsa is a wanzer pilot of Durandal (a wanzer research and test team from European Community (E.C.)). The stories begin with Elsa especially when unknowed forces attacking an E.C. German base not so long after Elsa joined Durandal. Although German government has already investigated this incident but Elsa knew if there was something didn't right about this incident. So Elsa with Durandal team decided to investigated this incident to find out the plot behind this attack.

Gameplay

There are something new on this front mission battle system, so now we can't only depend on upgrade and battle skill while playing this game. There are new attack link and defend link system, where we can attack enemies together with our ally in one battle scene (just like Back Up Fire skill on Front Mission 3). This new thing make this game became not easy to play (but I think this is still easy than Front Mission 5), because not only on our side that can do linking attack but also the enemies too. So we can't be a Rambo with going alone with one wanzer and destroying all enemies (except on tutorial off course) in this 4th series. Also there are new type of backpack for this series, there are jamming, radio, and repair backpack. Jamming backpack used to jamming enemies wanzer systems, like making enemies unable to move or system down. Repair backpack specialized for repairing any wanzer part, and the most special one is radio backpack that can be used to call air support attack!

Radiata Stories Review

Console : Playstation 2
Genre : RPG

Prologue

Another RPG by square enix, Radiata stories main character is Jack Russel a son of a heroes in radiata. The stories begin when Jack trying to be Knight of Radiata through it's exam. He was confident enough that he can passed those test with his current ability, but reality talk different he was totally beaten by ... (it's secret) but with some unreasonable reason at least he is being accepted to be a knight of radiata. His adventure continued from there...

Gameplay

Battle system on radiata is easy to be understand, it's just like Star Ocean 2nd Story or Legend of Mana games. We control one character only on playing, while the other character will be automatically played by cpu. Although we can't control other character, but we can still give them a command. As addition There are 2 path on Radiata Stories : Human Path and non-Human Path, non-human path happened when you chose to chase Ridley and the other option will lead to human path.

Phantasy Star Universe Review

Console : Playstation 2
Genre : Action

Prologue

A great sample of an action game by SEGA, on this game we play as Ethan Waber who live in era where human civilization has greatly advancing and live in another galaxy called Gurhal Systems. In these Gurhal Systems there are a sun surrounded by 3 planet, each planet resided by a kind of human race. They are CAST, Newman, and Beastman. After a long wars between this 3 planets finally an era of peace was born. But after arround 100years era of peace a new threat has occurs on gurhal systems and this is where the Ethan Waber stories began.

Gameplay

There are two variety of gameplay in Phantasy Star Universe, story mode and free mode (I forgot what exactly this mode section called). In the story mode we play as Ethan Waber and his adventure on Gurhal systems, in free mode we can make a charracter through 4 different race : human, CAST, newman, and beastman. For additional information : a saved character in free mode can be used as your main charracter on Phantasy Star Universe Ambition of the Illuminus. On gameplay we take a control a character and go through various mission, each mission usually need additional tool/equipment to complete. A good point of Phantasy Star Universe is their weapon customization, party form and character building.

Weapon Variety

Just like a regular weapon there are 3 type weapon: range ,spell and melee (This reminds me of DotA-allstars games ^_^ ). For melee category there are sword, 2 handed sword (big sword or what it's exactly called), double sword, dagger, claws and spear. Each has it's unique character, for example dagger has a weak attack their attack speed and combo are really good and for 2 handed sword they are slow but wide range attack and really powerful. Next for spell casting weapon, we can choose rod or long rod. If we choose normal rod we can still use 1 empty slot for other weapon but we can only use 2 kind of spell. But if we choose long rod we can't add additional side weapon but we can use 4 kind of different spell and usually powerful but take a more time to casting spell. And the last for range attack there are gun, twin gun, rifle, laser cannon, machine gun (actually it's like sub machine gun), and shotgun. But on gameplay I prefrer rifle than the other weapons, because of their long-ranged attack and good accuracy and damaged.

Wild Arms 4th Detonator Review

Console : Playstation 2
Genre : RPG

Prologue

Wild Arms 4th Detonator main charracter is a boy called Jude Maverick who lives and raised in a hidden village, this village actually was mechanical object that keep flying on the sky and has stealth ability. But someday this hidden village was founded by some group of people who seek ARMs that being keep in this place. Then a little conflict happened but at least the ARMs called Shapeshifter has been saved and take Jude as it's host. But due to Jude's lack ability of controlling ARMs situation became more complicated especially when main mechanical part of this village damaged. In the end this village can't be saved and all villager must escaped from this village at once by emergency pod. This is where Wild Arms 4 stories really began, where Jude finding out what happened to the outer world really are..

Gameplay

Wild arms 4th Detonator served a new different battle systems, as subtitute an old battle systems they use hex battle systems. Actually it's very unique but can make a battle really difficult especially when a player careless. Also there are some special team attack, when Jude and his friends combined their attack together. But actually feature that I can remembered well is an ability to turn off random encounter in some area around save point. This is really useful when you getting bored by encounter monster and do meaningless battle.