Since the day I signed my
life away to Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I have had many
opportunities to enjoy the expansion of the action adventure genre. Since those
days, games like Castlevania: Lament of Innocence and Devil May Cry have
received so much hype that many new titles come and go, never being given their
due respect! For instance, last year Otogi: Myth of Demons was released.
Though its debut had been small, its surreal and fantastic setting had
distinguished it from other such hack ‘n slash titles. Regrettably, as great as
the game had been, very few people followed through upon its release. I myself
missed the mark and let the game slide by for nearly half a year before finally
going back to it. Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors offers close to twenty hours
of gameplay that should not be set aside. Its air combat is superb and character
designs (Yeah, all six of them!) are immaculate.
Welcome back to the world
of the unknown, where undead warriors are resurrected and demons rampage. The
story, in case you haven’t been keeping up with the series, is nothing new to
the action adventure genre. Demons have invaded the city and are hunting for the
holy orb, a renowned source of immense power. By order of the Capital, the
priestess Seimei, the sorcerer Suetake, and the warriors Kintoki, Sadamitsu, and
Tsuna forfeit their souls to resurrect the famed undead warrior Raikoh.
Empowered through the ceremony, Raikoh and his new allies must protect the
mystifying holy orb at all costs while ridding the city of demons once and for
all.
Pick up the controls and
get ready for some button mashing goodness. Otogi 2 is played just as
most others of its kind, providing an over the shoulder camera and an ample
supply of hack ‘n slash terror. Providing six unique characters, there is room
for just about every style of play. Provided you prefer magic casters and
dealing with your enemies from afar, stick to characters such as Suetake and
Seimei. If jumping into the heat of battle and swinging massive weapons holds
greater appeal, then Kintoki is right for you. Though beware, each phase is
divided up into a multitude of levels and no character is permitted to partake
in any more than one stage per phase. Many stages even go as far as to restrict
specific characters!
Though similar enough
that switching characters shouldn’t be too much of a hassle, be prepared for the
necessity to adopt a variety of tactics. For instance, characters are
specialized enough that the use of quick characters may benefit your ability to
catch fleeing enemies, while more durable characters such as Kintoki will be
able to take heavier hits without having to worry. Jumping is yet another
distinct difference among the characters. Though all are able to dash around the
stage not all are able to jump more than twice. A few characters even have the
distinct ability to jump continually hindered only by the size of the rooms!
As interesting as it may
sound, the aspect of the game that feels most out of place is its intricate menu
system. At the end of each battle stats are displayed ranging from the amount
of destructiveness that occurred throughout the stage to the amount of
experience gained. After analyzing just about every possible aspect of the
scenario you just experienced, perhaps you’ll be ready to continue back to the
main menu. Here you will be able to save, load, buy just about everything
ranging from accessories to character attributes, equip everything and
everything, and finally, when the time is right, continue to the next stage.
Though the main menu
takes getting used to, you’ll be spending time here upgrading your characters
and readying them for their next undertaking. Different weapons and magic can be
equipped, though many of the game’s more powerful spells are reserved
exclusively for Suetake.
As if the game weren’t
difficult enough, prepare to spend near half an hour becoming accustomed to the
Otogi controls. Perhaps the most difficult aspects of the game to become
familiar with are the camera and lock-on controls. Alas, the camera’s
orientation is often hard to work with and its manual rotation is far too slow.
Often you’ll find yourself mashing combos and darting in directions that the
camera is slow to recognize. Being swarmed with enemies and attacking those both
on and off screen has been one of the genre’s basic dilemmas for some time now
and unfortunately Otogi 2 is no exception.
Perhaps the game’s most
distinguishable feature is its destructible environment. In fact, at the end of
each stage, the player is shown a grade based upon how many and what objects
were destroyed! As for the game’s visuals, Otogi 2 thrives on its
extravagant illusory art that decorates its many scenarios. Though the voices
are nothing to go crazy over, the music could be described as one of the game’s
greatest assets.
Simply put, Otogi 2
is a game that deserves more than your “to play list”. Buy it, rent it, or
borrow it, Sega has proven their worth and this game merits your support. Just
don’t expect to be putting the controller down any time soon. Immortal Warriors
sports six playable characters, imaginative graphics, and an amazing musical
score.
Gameplay: 9.1
Very few games of
late hold the potential to reach the heart of gamers. With the key element to
each game’s success being the gameplay, Otogi comes out on top. Though the game
may not be a Devil May Cry, it does include six characters for the player to
experience and a great deal of top notch demon exploding combat.
Graphics: 8.5
Alas, there is a
wee bit of slowdown presented at a few of the game’s more chaotic moments,
though it holds little weight when compared its dazzling particle effects and
gorgeous character designs.
Sound: 8.9
The Otogi
soundtracks are certainly something that should be noted. The music is comprised
of what sounds to be a traditional Japanese string instrument complimented by
light percussions. Throughout the numerous phases, music will depict the games
mood as much, if not more so than its dreamlike graphics.
Difficulty: Hard
Otogi 2 is a
surprisingly tough game. For those of you who consider themselves ‘beyond’
leveling expect some rough encounters. For the rest of us, some good advice
calls for returning to previous stages and building up your character’s
attributes and levels.
Concept: 8.3
There is nothing
new regarding the notion of ‘famed’ warriors defeating hordes of undead.
However, the execution of the concept is rarely done so exquisitely. Graphics so
surreal that they closest resemble dreams, and music that perfectly complimented
the game’s desired mood. Myth comes alive and suspension of disbelief is
possible as Otogi 2 captivates its player in what can only be described as a
pristine execution of true legend.
Overall: 8.8
If you are
looking for some sword swinging hack ‘n slash action or just something to hold
you over ‘till Devil May Cry 3, than this is the game for you. With six
characters each with their own unique abilities, attacks, and combos you’ll
experience the best of both worlds. Whether it’s the brute strength of Kintoki
and his mighty axe or the agility of Sadamitsu and her swift scythe, there is
fun to be had by all and close to twenty hours to do so. Don’t let another
fabulous title slide by; give Otogi 2 a try if for no other reason than
in respect to its predecessor Myth of Demons.
