Professor Layton and the Curious Village Review

Don’t judge this game by its cover-- It’s a lot more than a kid’s game.

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System Played On: DS

Age Rating: E

My Age Rating: E10+

There’s some pretty creepy undertones in Professor Layton-- Especially in the first game of the series.

Graphics: 8/10

Simple was good on this. They didn’t try to over do it at all, they knew the DS could handle cartoony, and they kept it cartoony-- Hopefully they keep it that way.

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Plotline: 9.5/10

This, once again, caught me for its plotline. I seem to have a thing for that. One of the most intriguing, and there’s a reason I own every game: They’re all ORIGINAL and FRESH. It’s not the same story over and over.

Playability: 10/10

What can I say, it’s a puzzle game. Kind of hard to screw that up.

Overall: 9/10

Replay Value:7/10

Though the story doesn’t change if you replay it, there are around 100-200 puzzles per game, and if you miss any and you beat the game, it encourages you to go back and solve all the puzzles. Unlike other games, it’s not like you’re doing pointless missions, the puzzles are there for your enjoyment and headaches.

Synopsis:

Professor Layton and young apprentice Luke go driving to St. Mystere, where they got a letter asking for Layton’s crafty detective work. When Layton and Luke get there, not only are they bombarded with puzzles from the locals, but missing information from the lady that called them there, and murders that lead to a bigger mystery in St. Mystere.

Overall Review:

This game kept me on my seat after every puzzle.

Let me explain.

This game is NOT just a puzzle game.

Sure, there are A LOT of puzzles, but the game itself isn’t like a Brain Game, where you play everyday to improve your brain function to win pointless prizes, this game follows an actual story that keeps you on your toes.

The game ended in a place I never thought it would, and the puzzles gave me countless hours of enjoyment and frustration. It was never an overbearing amount of ridiculously hard puzzles,  and it was never too much plot I got bored. Level-5 seems to have a system in place that creates the perfect mystery game, and it saddens me more haven’t gotten to experience the Professor Layton Series for themselves.

Unfortunately, not much can be said without ruining the mystery, so I guess you kids need to find out yourselves how magnificent this series truly is.

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(GameFAQs) Walkthrough Link: http://professorlaytonwalkthrough.blogspot.com/

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Review

Soon I will be posting Kingdom Hearts 2, the one game that really kick started my love for video games, and even gaming together occasionally- but since I feel like I’m on DS kick (with LoZ and Professor Layton coming soon), I thought 358/2 was still a great game in the Kingdom Hearts series to talk about.

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Seriously, people need to talk more about this game.

System Played On: DS

Age Rating: E10+ for Fantasy violence

My Age Rating:E12+

Personally, I don’t think anyone over 12 would get too much out of 358/2. It’s not like a normal kingdom hearts game where you’re just meeting tons of disney characters and goofing around with Sora and the Gang.

This game is about Nobodies, Heartless, and darkness.

My inner scene kid is probably the reason I enjoy this game so much.

Graphics: 6.5/10

The saddest part about the Kingdom Hearts’ games-- the graphics are normally awful. It doesn’t help that Square Enix has only released Kingdom Hearts games for PSP, PS2, and DS up until the (long awaited and questionable) release of Kingdom Hearts 3 for PS3/Xbox One in some time that Square Enix and Sony just can’t seem to give to us. (insert angry face here).

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Plotline: 8/10

The plotline alone goes above what the graphics demote this game for. The overarching plotline of Sora trying to basically save every universe. In the Disney World. How can you not love that?!

The plotline for this game (which is technically a “released out of order” series) follows Sora’s “other half”, Roxas. He doesn’t really exist in Sora’s dimension, but you follow Sora’s dark counterpart the entire time.

Playability: 7/10

Nothing really to say on controls, it’s another DS game where the awkward left handed Kat has struggles. Though, for a right handed person, it’s a pretty solid use of both the stylus and the control pad at all times, which is a nice change up from a basic PS2 to DS conversion that a lot of games try to get away with.

Overall: 7.8/10

Replay Value:5/10

I’m really sorry, but unless you’re in it because you’re too emotionally attached to the characters to let go and make actual friends, Kingdom Hearts doesn’t have much replay value. You can always go back to worlds, but you need to do almost everything in every world to beat the game.

Synopsis:

You follow Sora’s alternate self, Roxas, who has no recollection of his “previous life” , and see what the Organization of Nobody’s are up too and who they really are. While on a mission, a 14th member joins the Organization, and Roxas finds himself more and more confused on his feelings for this girl and what she will bring to the Organization.

Overall Review:

The reason why I find this game so amazing is the impact it has when you have had such a “tight bond” with a character as well developed as Sora. I’ve been playing these games for basically a decade now (not to sound old), and the fictitious bond with the characters are somehow dropped when you realise that Roxas is the new Sora, and now you need to accept that Sora is not a thing anymore.

The game starts as a bitter goodbye, when the player realises that Sora is not coming back this game, and that Roxas is your new buddy.

Then, once you start creating a bond with Roxas, your life is shattered by broken memories of who once was Sora, and the dark emotional crisis Roxas has becomes yours.

I don’t even know how to explain how Square Enix does it, but every single game I or a friend has played by them has yet to disappoint. The graphics may lack, but the story will keep you crying. (you think I’m kidding, I cry every time).

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(GameFAQs) Walkthrough Link: http://www.ign.com/wikis/kingdom-hearts-3582-days

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS Review

The only reason I decided to do the 3DS version is because of the multiple features Nintendo decided to add on.
I swear if not for that, I am a N64 girl ‘til the day I die.

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System Played On: 3DS

Age Rating: E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood, and Suggestive Themes

My Age Rating:E

Because Suggestive Themes? Really Nintendo? E is more appropriate personally, there’s nothing scary or bad about this game. Majora’s Mask is a different story, though.

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Graphics: 7/10

Definitely clearer and crisper than the Nintendo 64 version, but let’s be honest, we all assumed that was the intention when Ocarina of Time was announced for 3DS centuries ago.  

Plotline: 6/10

Although I do love Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time isn’t much for plotline. Sure, good intentions, cool ideas, and great puzzles can make a legacy of a game, but it’s another “Save the Princess” style game. Mario got his fame for it too; I’m not that bitter.

Playability: 9/10

As much as I know I will be a stickler for N64 controllers, the 3DS just runs smoother. ALTHOUGH, I did not like the gyro sensor that they added in. Read more on that in the overall review.

Overall: 7/10

Replay Value:8/10

The only reason this is getting such a high replay value is because they added in additional options, like Master Quest and Boss Challenges: Both only being available after beating the game.

Master Quest wasn’t bad, but I don’t think they tried too hard. Also, Boss Challenges only seem like something speedrunners or perfectionists would enjoy--neither of which I am.

Synopsis:

Young Link is sent off to make sure the villain, Ganondorf, does not do what Princess Zelda’s vision foretold-- Stealing Hyrule’s precious Triforce, the item that holds the utmost powerful magic. (See why I said it was a “Save the Princess” style game?)

Overall Review:

I don’t think it’s in my nature to bash a Legend of Zelda game- but I do need to get a little angry at Nintendo.

Maybe it’s because I don’t like 3DS’s.

Maybe it’s because I don’t like change.

Maybe it’s because I just need to rant about something.

Whatever it is, I need to straighten this out. I’m in no way angered at the original game, or the remastered version, simply the added features on the 3DS version.

I’ve already stated my opinion on Master Quest and Boss challenge, but there are 3 more fun bonus features!

Motion control, which means you can use the gyro in the 3DS for a full 360 first person perspective view, Touch screen menu, which is having access to maps and items on the bottom screen at all times, and “hints”, which are added checkpoints where you will be “told a vision” of how to get past a puzzle.

Motion control was a cool concept, except for its completely irrelevant to a game like Ocarina of Time, since it’s a puzzle game, not a shooter.

Touch screen menu just gets me slightly butt hurt, because there’s something terrifying about opening your map right before getting shot by a skeleton that children will never experience these days; But this last one really boils my blood.

Kids are literally given cheats IN GAME now. No more sitting for 2 hours pissing off at the game for not getting a puzzle. Now all you have to do it go to a local “vision statue”, which tells you a vision of how to get past a certain part of a dungeon or map location. SO not about that.

With all that aside though, they still did a really good job with graphic improvements, and that’s enough incentive for me to go out and buy the game.

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(GameFAQs) Walkthrough Link:

http://www.ign.com/games/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d/3ds-77881