Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Softmax

PUBLISHER: Namco Bandai

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

 

Some gamers complain when a new game copies a feature from another game, but I have no complaints as long as it is implemented well. Namco Bandai's latest RPG, "MagnaCarta 2," doesn't offer anything innovative, but it does combine several elements from past RPGs to create an enjoyable experience.

Young Juto awakens on a strange island with no memories of his past and is quickly thrust into a war that claims the life of his surrogate big sister. Now he's out for revenge against her killer, but he finds that he cannot break through the front lines and exact vengeance on his own. His only hope is to team up with the Southern Forces and draft new combatants into his group.

Fighting enemies in "MagnaCarta 2" takes an interesting twist as players can switch between three fighters at will and combine their attacks to inflict extra damage! Each party member has a stamina meter that fills up with each attack, and they achieve Overdrive when they max out their stamina meter. Overdrive adds extra damage to their last attack, but puts them into Overheat mode where they cannot use items or attack for a short time. If the player switches to another fighter and reaches Overdrive fast enough, then both characters avoid Overheating by having their stamina reset. This adds a welcome bit of strategy to combat, but it still boils down to mostly button mashing.

Two skill trees are available to each character, and they can purchase new skills with points earned from leveling. Players can also craft items and customize weapons by inserting Kamonds (gems), which is very cool.

It's just too bad that nearly every side quest in the game consists of nothing more than going somewhere and/or fetching or killing something. Talk about boring! There is also so much unnecessary backtracking in this game that my virtual dogs are barking nonstop.

Still, "MagnaCarta 2" is an enjoyable Japanese-style RPG that envelops gamers in a beautiful realm of fun and fantasy.

 

'Fallen Earth' Offers Realistic Portend of the Future

 

DEVELOPER: Icarus Studios

PUBLISHER: Fallen Earth

SYSTEM: Windows XP/Vista

PRICE: $24.99 plus monthly fee

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

 

Considering the current state of the world with 2012 right around the corner, one might think that Earth is on the brink of disaster.

Never fear, because "Fallen Earth" is here to guide you through the turmoil. In fact, this FPS MMO should be thought of as more of a post-apocalyptic simulator than a game.

Set in the year 2156, "Fallen Earth" takes place on a ravaged, war-torn Earth as survivors band together in order to stay alive. Most of the luxuries that we take for granted, like utilities, shopping and even food, are scarce or even nonexistent. Think of it as "Mad Max" meets the old west, plus mutants.

Few, if any, MMOs strive for a sense of realism, but that is one of the aspects of "Fallen Earth" that sets it apart (besides the fact that there are no Orcs or Goblins). Horses are the main mode of transport due to the rarity of gasoline, and they need to be fed just like gas-powered vehicles must be periodically refueled. I also like how players come back to life because they are clones.

Budding scavengers begin their career by creating a character and joining one of six factions. Then they go through a brief tutorial that only seems to explain half of the game. The rest is up to the player to discover on his or her own, which is pretty lame. It would be nice to know that I can ride horses at level two because it would have avoided miles of unnecessary running.

I really enjoy the lack of classes in this game as it lets players customize their characters to their own play style. With all abilities open to everyone, there's no telling what kind of combinations you might achieve. On the other hand, there is no way to reset your skill choices (respec), which severely limits the freedom to experiment.

"Fallen Earth" also offers a robust crafting system and expansive PvP combat, making this one of the more interesting MMOs of 2009.

 

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Very Good

3 stars = Above Average

2 stars = Bargain Bin

1 star = Don't Bother

 

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: (Everyone)

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

T: Teen (13 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

 

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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