Apossum
06-24-2006, 07:50 PM
so i decided to give this game a try before it comes out here in the states.
a few details first:
--it has widescreen support, don't know about progressive scan.
--the graphics are very detailed. Everything looks very hi-res. the only thing holding them back, as usual for a ps2 game, are the jaggies. Maybe it's because most of it is in 2-D, but they created some of the nicest, most detailed environments ever on the PS2.
--the soundtrack is freaking awesome!
since I don't know Japanese, I can't comment on the story at all. it starts with the girl going into a town...I skip all the cutscenes, but within the first hour of play, I got 4 party members along the way--a wizard, another knight girl, an archer, and a guy reminiscent of the guy with the huge sword in VP1.
so far, it's a lot like the first one with several major improvements. it's still all in 2.5-D, except the world map. you walk along linear, side-scrolling paths with the option to go through any number of branches to explore. Battles aren't random--you go into battle when you touch an enemy avatar while exploring. You're then transported to an arena to take on a party of enemies. More about that in a minute.
While exploring, there are some slight platforming elements. Like the first game, you have the ability to freeze things and use them as platfomrs. This time, however, you can't make ice ledges by shooting at the walls. To replace that whole system, you can now aim upwards at a diagonal angle (but not downwards) and bank your ice shots off the walls. So in order to get to where you are going, you have to rely on freezing enemies only (who also leave a feezable "soul" behind after you kill them.) This made for some good fun in the first dungeon-- there were lots of secrets that required trick shots, freezing multiple enemies to make stairs and precision platforming to find secrets.
the only other thing I can comment on is the battle system.
If you liked it before, wait till you try Silmeria. It's still fast paced, you can still pull combos, you can still do different effects on enemies depending on how you attack, there's still an AP system, overdrive moves etc.
The system is totally improved though. Now the battles are in full 3-D arenas with large groups of enemies, and you can roam freely in them. The catch is that each time you move, the enemy also moves. However, you have a dash that allows you to move far without them moving at a cost of 10 AP. Not only that, but you can split up your party into two groups, to take on more enemies at once. There's always an enemy leader in the arena--you can end the whole fight just by taking him out, or you can dispatch them one by one and milk the experience. finally, there are enemy crabs. you can launch them in the air and juggle them for massive damage. I don't know how to convey the awesomeness of the battle system, but just think VP1 with 3-d areas, more monsters and a lot more strategy.
As for the rest of the game, I can't really tell. I only know which items are healing potions, so I spend all my money on those and weapons and try to fight as much as possible :) I know item creation is there--you can bring materials to a merchant and have them make stuff. well, I just finished the first chapter and I'm glad to see another good rpg coming out for the PS2 (unfortunately, the only other one I've fully enjoyed is nocturne.) If anyone was worried that they would butcher the series, forget about it and get this the day it comes out, it's gonna kick ass.
if anyone has any questions, i'll do my best to answer them
a few details first:
--it has widescreen support, don't know about progressive scan.
--the graphics are very detailed. Everything looks very hi-res. the only thing holding them back, as usual for a ps2 game, are the jaggies. Maybe it's because most of it is in 2-D, but they created some of the nicest, most detailed environments ever on the PS2.
--the soundtrack is freaking awesome!
since I don't know Japanese, I can't comment on the story at all. it starts with the girl going into a town...I skip all the cutscenes, but within the first hour of play, I got 4 party members along the way--a wizard, another knight girl, an archer, and a guy reminiscent of the guy with the huge sword in VP1.
so far, it's a lot like the first one with several major improvements. it's still all in 2.5-D, except the world map. you walk along linear, side-scrolling paths with the option to go through any number of branches to explore. Battles aren't random--you go into battle when you touch an enemy avatar while exploring. You're then transported to an arena to take on a party of enemies. More about that in a minute.
While exploring, there are some slight platforming elements. Like the first game, you have the ability to freeze things and use them as platfomrs. This time, however, you can't make ice ledges by shooting at the walls. To replace that whole system, you can now aim upwards at a diagonal angle (but not downwards) and bank your ice shots off the walls. So in order to get to where you are going, you have to rely on freezing enemies only (who also leave a feezable "soul" behind after you kill them.) This made for some good fun in the first dungeon-- there were lots of secrets that required trick shots, freezing multiple enemies to make stairs and precision platforming to find secrets.
the only other thing I can comment on is the battle system.
If you liked it before, wait till you try Silmeria. It's still fast paced, you can still pull combos, you can still do different effects on enemies depending on how you attack, there's still an AP system, overdrive moves etc.
The system is totally improved though. Now the battles are in full 3-D arenas with large groups of enemies, and you can roam freely in them. The catch is that each time you move, the enemy also moves. However, you have a dash that allows you to move far without them moving at a cost of 10 AP. Not only that, but you can split up your party into two groups, to take on more enemies at once. There's always an enemy leader in the arena--you can end the whole fight just by taking him out, or you can dispatch them one by one and milk the experience. finally, there are enemy crabs. you can launch them in the air and juggle them for massive damage. I don't know how to convey the awesomeness of the battle system, but just think VP1 with 3-d areas, more monsters and a lot more strategy.
As for the rest of the game, I can't really tell. I only know which items are healing potions, so I spend all my money on those and weapons and try to fight as much as possible :) I know item creation is there--you can bring materials to a merchant and have them make stuff. well, I just finished the first chapter and I'm glad to see another good rpg coming out for the PS2 (unfortunately, the only other one I've fully enjoyed is nocturne.) If anyone was worried that they would butcher the series, forget about it and get this the day it comes out, it's gonna kick ass.
if anyone has any questions, i'll do my best to answer them