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Rogue Galaxy
Developer:Level-5 Inc.
Publisher:Sony Entertainment
Platform:PS2
Genre:Real-Time RPG
Release Date:January 2007
Article Posted:December 2007
Grade:82/100


One of the most promising games ever to land the PS2 this year is a cel-shaded, space themed game by the name of Rouge Galaxy. Although the title may seem to be a bit normal, once you start the game, you will be taken into a galaxy where humans and other aliens live together and spaceships are just your normal means of transport. Sounds like Star Wars? Maybe, but as you look deeper into the game, you will discover that it has its own story to tell.

The game revolves around a young man living on a desert planet enslaved by occupying troops whose dream is to travel in space. One fateful day, a massive beast/monster invades the town. On his way to stop the beast, he meets a mysterious yet powerful man. Events start to unfold including two crew members of an infamous space pirate mistaking him for a well-known bounty hunter. And so the adventure begins…

Maybe the introduction of the game is just too basic to attract attention but once played, anyone will appreciate the beautifully rendered cel-shaded environment, characters (which can give some players the impression that they are “playing” an animated movie), and the whole plot that drives the story into motion.

Level 5 did a great job with the musical scores in the game itself. Ambient sounds match the actual location where the characters are traveling. Not to mention that there is almost NO loading time when checking out locations. The areas to explore are wide but the game helps users by having a quickview map and a mini map located on the gameplay screen itself. Characters interact with one another during battle or while traveling. The voice acting is so perfect that each of the characters have distinct personalities of their own.

One great addition to the game is the active battle system. Players can give commands to their AI controlled comrades. Although Jaster (the main character) can not be swapped out of the party, players can choose who will be the active character he/she can control during battles. One good thing about this game also is that you will be able to see the changes in character weapons and outfits each time you change their equipment.

Battles in RG are random but not to the extent that it will bore or frustrate players with too many enemies while they are exploring the dungeons. Let us just say that the intervals between fights are normal. Also, battles are fast and “real time” so making decisions quickly can help a lot to win battles. Your comrades will occasionally give suggestions about the items and skills they want to use. You will be given a few seconds of time to decide whether you will allow them to execute their suggested actions. Properly using this good combat interaction between the party members is crucial to surviving the battles.

Hacking and slashing your way to victory is not always the best choice. There are certain battles where you need a specific weapon or attack which will be the most effective in bringing the enemy down. Some tactics include destroying enemy shields using a charge attack, or hitting a specific weak spot on the enemy’s body. Such battles happen every now and then in the world of RG.

Skills here are called “Revelations”. Revelations can be mastered by putting the required item in the Revelation flow chart of the character. Every character has unique charts and players may need to choose carefully to whom they bequest those rare items to first.

The game is filled with extra in-game features that add enjoyment to the actual gameplay. Some extras, such as raising Insectrons and battling them out (Mushiking Style) in a coliseum take the stress off a hard, typical, space pirate day. Being a notorious space pirate also means that there is competition. This comes in the form of a race against rank and popularity. Players will start in the 100th Rank (Not bad, since there could be thousands of hunters out there) and must fight their way up by slaying a required number of beasts and exchanging them for points. Bigger, badder and more dangerous targets called “Quarries” score the highest. They are considered as the “Most Wanted” beasts of all time.

Other great features of the game include a good item creation system. You can synthesize weapons (you need your trusted mutated toad to do that…..honestly) to form more powerful ones or just create new items from blueprints in the game’s FACTORY menu. Not to mention that completing certain tasks (such as getting all items, blueprints or ranking 1st in Insectron tournament) will give you access to even more goodies.

The story is pretty much linear and there are no time restrictions, so players are given more than enough time to do what they need to before proceeding with the story. This is especially true after gaining free access to travel across the planets.

Overall, the game promises hours and hours of a great experience. This game has the makings of being one of the greatest titles ever to be released this year.



       


Graphics: 90/100

Great cel-shaded graphics; smooth and vividly colored

Sound: 90/100

The voice acting is superb and sound is magnificent

Controls: 80/100

Controls are easy and user friendly.

Playability: 80/100

All players can get accustomed to the inviting world of RG; navigation is a breeze

Replay Value: 70/100

Features a secret dungeon and a few post game goodies.