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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:47 am Post subject: Jeanne d'Arc takes on TGQ. |
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So, as per the "what everyone is playing" thread it seems like a bunch of you haven't heard of this game yet. Which, I guess, is pretty understandable because:
a) I don't seem to think that it was publicized very much, if at all.
b) The PSP just isn't a "console of choice" around here.
c) Even when you do hear about the game, I would imagine most people's gut reaction would be akin to mine, which was... "why the hell would I want to play a game about Joan of Arc?"
But! After spending some time with the game (I'm about 15 hours in already), I can honestly say that it is one of the best games on the handheld.
So, what is it all about?
As apparent in the title, you play, literally, as Joan of Arc. While it has many of the more overt elements of the story (young girl who, upon talking with God, decides to lead the French against the British for what she believes to be France's salvation, et cetera), there are huge liberties taken with the source material. For instance: the British are not only British, but have made pacts with demons to take over France, the story takes place in a world filled with magic and creatures like lion- or raccoon-folk, and there is a significant sub-plot about 5 armlets that, through divine powers, can transform characters into badass soldiers of the Lord once per round. Random, for sure, but it all comes together in a pretty damn coherent story (especially for the fact that Jeanne is portrayed as being frigging over-the-top crazy).
Which is too be expected, really, as the game was crafted by Level 5, the same company who did the both Dark Clouds, Rogue Galaxy and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. As apparent in their other games, Level 5 definitely have a soft spot for the more old-school type RPGs and this love definitely also applies to their take on the strategy RPG genre.
While, at first, it might seem like you cannot really customize your characters very much (each PC that you recruit will only wield a particular type of weapon, so you cannot really "change classes"), the game circumvents this might be problem with a deep (and immensely satisfying) interface that uses gems (which you buy from stores or pick off your dead enemies, of course) to enhance your characters. These can affect anything from the character's strength or MP reserves to which special attacks they can use during a battle. It is kind of reminiscent of the materia from FFVII.
If that wasn't enough, a few levels into the game you will also unlock the ability (through a character from Rogue Galaxy) to combine gems to make new ones, like the alchemy pot in Dragon Quest. It is through this system that each character, despite being restricted in their weapon-type, can really be tweaked exactly how you deem most fitting. Plus, you will pretty much always have more characters than necessary so you aren't forced to use any character you don't like (characters who sit out of a battle still get a percentage of the experience and so still level up, in the background).
As far as the battles themselves go, the most poignant thing I can say about them is that they are epic. You will generally control a team of 7 against dozens upon dozens of opponents. As such, the strategy involved is generally a combination of knowing when to push forward and when to fall back... But, this is all under the pressure of a timer, which makes it so you constantly have to keep on your toes, plan accordingly and strike fast.
It is true that this can be frustrating (I played a couple battles where you have to get your team out of an area, only to have 1 of the characters make it within one square of the exit when the timer ran out). Also frustrating is when you've gotten a handle on your opponents and they suddenly summon reinforcements, throwing your entire action plan into disarray. But these are minor qualms.
And if we are to discuss the graphics in the game... they are beautiful. Everything is crisp and the level design is always intricate. Depending on the characters you bring into battle, you can confront each level in completely different manners (for example, one character can place ladders to storm castles, so you don't have to break down the front gate). It looks much worse in the IGN screenshots, so take them with a grain of salt.
The voice acting varies between pretty great (the French accents tend to be hilarious) to somewhat mediocre. The music is fitting but, like in games like Puzzle Quest, isn't necessarily a focal point. I tend to tune it out.
The game is also riddled with side-quests and optional battles (pretty much every level has a "Free Battle" mode that you can return to) so, if you want to put off the story a bit and just have some fun... you can do that too.
All in all, Jeanne d'Arc is a nostalgic trip through SRPG conventions, that manages to add in enough new ideas (such as the rock/paper/scissors aspect of the elemental powers, "Burning Aura" which involves tiles that increases your hit strength based upon comboing attacks, and "Unified Guard" which increases your defenses if characters are side-by-side) to make the game feel fresh and, really, one of the best games I have played in recent memory. _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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Talbain .
Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 7
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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Between this and Monster Hunter Portable 2... my PSP is going to get some pretty heavy usage in the coming weeks.
Daaaaamn. _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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Isfet .
Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 107 Location: A New York
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:31 am Post subject: |
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it's nice to see someone else actually picked this up. so far i've only put about an hour or two into this game, but it i can definitely agree that it looks gorgeous. the systems seem fairly coherent, too, and the game has a very polished feel overall (which is almost odd considering how little publicity it's received). |
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ryan .
Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 999
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:02 am Post subject: |
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According to Next-Generation, it's the #1 selling PSP game on Amazon. I think I'm about 7 hours in, and my two complaints are the wizards with their unlimited mana - you cast blizzard on me one more time! one more time!! - and the endless cutscenes. The levels are actually really short, but then you have to sit through ten plus minutes of "jeanne!!!!" "thanks, roger." "rar I tark wark a jarkass." _________________ Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart. |
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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:39 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, wizards, necromancers (who tend to spam heal) & whip-ladies/the lance guys (who have that freezing attack that renders your characters useless for a turn) are always my first targets on a map. Then archers, because they are annoying, and then whatever brutes are around.
There ARE a lot of cutscenes... but I either kind of only half pay attention to them or find them humorous. There have been a few pretty damn poignant ones though, that I was impressed the developers had the balls to pull off. The story (while there is an argument that there might be too much of it) does have some merit.
But yeah, the main thing that impresses me is, just as Isfet said... it is frigging coherent. Everything ties together and - ohmygod- actually makes sense. There doesn't seem to be any aspect of the game included just for show.
The levels do get a LOT of more epic (holy crap, I just finished one that I thought was unbeatable... it was awesome). The only main problem I have is that, if you go into a fight with the wrong strategy... it can be impossible to make things work in your favour. _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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Shapermc Hot Sake!
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:32 am Post subject: |
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I decided I wasn't interested in this game when it was talked about like this in EGM:
"It's really great to see a jRPG taking on a serious historical situation. Some history buffs will scoff at lizardmen being added on to this historical game, but don't let that fool you: the history is nearly spot on with just a bit of exgaggeration."
Honestly, this just has to do with the stupidity of the writing and nothing to do with the game. _________________ “The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932
"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!" |
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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:40 am Post subject: |
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"Just a bit"
Holy shit. I am astounded. _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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ryan .
Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 999
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:40 am Post subject: |
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They certainly can't mean that the English didn't have gargoyles guarding a fortress with lightning-generating towers. _________________ Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart. |
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Shapermc Hot Sake!
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:44 am Post subject: |
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ryan wrote: | They certainly can't mean that the English didn't have gargoyles guarding a fortress with lightning-generating towers. |
Yeah, jRPG nerds fucking kill me with their idiotic defense of games sometimes. _________________ “The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932
"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!" |
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dhex Breeder
Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 6319 Location: brooklyn, Nev Yiork
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | the history is nearly spot on with just a bit of exgaggeration." |
any more weasel in those words and dude woulda had a weasel pop out of his keyboard and admonish him for his lack of clear thinking. _________________
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Dracko .
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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Chill out, guys. Not even the supposedly secular French government knows how to teach this little ditty. It's a total embarrassment seeing a national icon taught as a divinely vindicated heroin while undermining the politics of the time.
Which leads me to believe that this review hasn't the first clue of what he's talking about. I blame too many jRPGs. _________________ "This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!" |
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dhex Breeder
Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 6319 Location: brooklyn, Nev Yiork
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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dude it's totally easy to teach joan of arc.
1) bitch was crazy
2) holy shit god's talking to her
3) just by fuckin' accident the brits are up in their croissants and god sez "'ey you get me some motherfucking parisian croissants and while you're at it go fuck up some limeys."
4) she shows up in orleans (named after new orleans) and sez "'ey you are all je ne sais british so fuck off" and thus breaks the seige and shit
5) she gets captured after pissing off the wrong frenchies and busted down to camping with drug-addicted french ninjas
6) joan of arc? more like joan of inflammable!
i went to public school btw. _________________
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Isfet .
Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 107 Location: A New York
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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that's an excellent summation.
i wonder if the burning segment will be an anime cutscene?
oh, i hope so.
anyway, yea, the game is just fun and trying to determine/defend it's "historical accuracy" is really silly. and especially silly to bring up in a review. i mean, it's just sort of the next progression of JRPGs:
1) rip off Wizadry/Ultima/whathaveyou
2) start infusing more anime elements
3) start distorting Western religions
3) start distorting Nietzschean/Jungian/Freudian archetypes
4) start distorting actual European history |
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Harveyjames the meteor kid
Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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ryan wrote: | They certainly can't mean that the English didn't have gargoyles guarding a fortress with lightning-generating towers. |
My fortress has never looked better! |
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SuperWes Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3725
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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silentmatt wrote: | Monster Hunter Portable 2 |
I gotta ask it, what's the draw of Monster Hunter Portable? Isn't the PSP version of Monster Hunter pretty much an MMO with the MMO part taken out? I played the first one for a bit on the PS2 and even tried to get into the first PSP one, but then I realized that without knowing three other people who also have PSPs and want to spend an enormous amount of time leveling up characters they can't even take online it's not worth it. But maybe I'm wrong. What makes it fun?
I should maybe note that I got Killzone: Liberation this weekend and after the first mission I'm kinda enjoying it! Glad I waited for a price drop though ($16 at Toys R Us!) I refuse to pay $40 for a portable game.
-Wes _________________
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Swimmy .
Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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dhex wrote: | dude it's totally easy to teach joan of arc.
1) bitch was crazy
2) holy shit god's talking to her
3) just by fuckin' accident the brits are up in their croissants and god sez "'ey you get me some motherfucking parisian croissants and while you're at it go fuck up some limeys."
4) she shows up in orleans (named after new orleans) and sez "'ey you are all je ne sais british so fuck off" and thus breaks the seige and shit
5) she gets captured after pissing off the wrong frenchies and busted down to camping with drug-addicted french ninjas
6) joan of arc? more like joan of inflammable!
i went to public school btw. |
Post of the century?
Actually, there's probably an entire thread buried in "comedic summaries of complicated things," but I'm not gonna go there. _________________
"Ayn Rand fans are the old school version of Xenogears fanboys."
-seryogin |
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Winged Assassins (1984) .
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 996 Location: Super Magic Drive
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Swimmy wrote: | Post of the 15th century |
_________________
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simplicio .
Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 12:55 am Post subject: |
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Swimmy wrote: | dhex wrote: | dude it's totally easy to teach joan of arc.
1) bitch was crazy
2) holy shit god's talking to her
3) just by fuckin' accident the brits are up in their croissants and god sez "'ey you get me some motherfucking parisian croissants and while you're at it go fuck up some limeys."
4) she shows up in orleans (named after new orleans) and sez "'ey you are all je ne sais british so fuck off" and thus breaks the seige and shit
5) she gets captured after pissing off the wrong frenchies and busted down to camping with drug-addicted french ninjas
6) joan of arc? more like joan of inflammable!
i went to public school btw. |
Post of the century? |
Kenneth Branagh's new filmic rendition of As You Like it is set in 19th c. Japan, and features ninjas. White ninjas. _________________ "Worlds turn the new machine to thee. To thee. Though, thine the new machine space."
-Kurt Schwitters, 1919 |
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ionus .
Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 12 Location: not philly
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:55 am Post subject: |
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waiting for George Washington shonen war of independence giant robot srpg itt! |
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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:11 am Post subject: |
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SuperWes wrote: | I gotta ask it, what's the draw of Monster Hunter Portable? |
The Monster Hunter games are an odd breed. I never actually played the PS2 version but sunk some hours into the first Freedom game. Single-player is generally only slightly better than mediocre, as the controls are cumbersome and the lack of any overarching story is kind of annoying.
It is in multiplayer that the game shines. You need to spend some time in single player to really get a decent equipment set but, when you get 1 or 2 (or 3) other people with PSPs together to go on a hunt... It can be really fun. Basically, as the game progresses, you are constantly being pushed towards taking on larger and larger dinosaurs/wyverns/etc and the fun is really in the challenge - because the game really doesn't hold your hand. You need to be constantly on the ball and plan out an attack to have it succeed.
When Freedom started getting stupid hard, I kind of just put it away... mainly because I knew that Freedom 2 would be coming out and I was hoping it would fix some of the annoyances of the first game. Now that it is here, I can really say that the two games are basically identical. Of course, 2 has more variety in environments/monsters/equipment but the controls are the same as are most of the gameplay mechanics. If you didn't like 1, don't bother with 2.
Actually, the more I think about it... the less I find myself actually wanting to play 2, despite being a new release in the PSP. The game is an investment - it is brutally hard at first, then gets a bit easier (as you get better equipment and figure out strategy), only to get brutally hard again. I honestly don't know if I have the time to devote to it.
SuperWes wrote: | I should maybe note that I got Killzone: Liberation this weekend and after the first mission I'm kinda enjoying it! |
Man, Killzone gets a lot of flack... but, really, I loved Liberation. I had a blast playing through each chapter, getting all the suitcases, doing all the extra missions... I think it is one of the perfect games for the PSP. It is pretty lite, it is badass and, all around, just fun. Co-op mode is definitely sweet and the fact that they released another whole chapter for download is also pretty awesome.
ionus wrote: | waiting for George Washington shonen war of independence giant robot srpg itt! |
In which a reviewer can say that the tale only slightly and insignificantly deviates from true history, correct? _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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dhex Breeder
Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 6319 Location: brooklyn, Nev Yiork
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:19 am Post subject: |
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at least koei pretends to care about history, or at least the textual accuracy of early bodice rippers/knights in white satin classics.
Quote: | Kenneth Branagh's new filmic rendition of As You Like it is set in 19th c. Japan, and features ninjas. White ninjas. |
jesus fucking christ.
and yes there is a whole thread waiting for simple summations of complicated things. where that thread shall be....only joan du deus knows! _________________
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Pijaibros .
Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 342 Location: Mistake by the Lake
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:51 am Post subject: |
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I don't know if anyone is still talking about the PSP game, but fuck that Dauphin escorting mission.
That one took me at least 2 hours to clear because he just LOVES running headfirst into one of the blades of those crow knights. It also doesn't help that the archers can snipe the guy from halfway across the map and reinforcements become available 6 turns in.
This mission was the equivalent of the Wiegraf battle from Final Fantasy Tactics. Only in the elation I felt once I managed to clear the board.
It's been a joy to play until then, I'm still afraid of taking on the Colosseum or those Dragons in that one prairie field. They look so beefy, and the whip girl with the dragons dodges everything. |
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silentmatt .
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 305 Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:00 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, that mission was a pain in the ass. All you need to do though is make sure ALL OF YOUR DUDES go into that straightaway first and block his path. Then just sort of huddle around him. Your team will take all the shots, the dauphin will survive and everything is cool.
The first time I played it, I wanted to take the left path and so sent all my team over there... only for dauphin's turn to come up and watch him singlehandedly brave the middle path (and get slaughtered). What an idiot.
But, yeah... if you go into the mission knowing that the guy is going to behave like that... it really isn't bad at all.
As far as the other two missions go: I played the first 3 or 4 rounds of the Colosseum and then got slaughtered. But, that is probably just because I got cocky. Haven't gone back to finish it yet.
The dragon level isn't as hard as it looks, however. If you do it when it first gets unlocked -you probably will get slaughtered. But I came back a few levels later and - so long as you take out the bee things on the left hand side first - you should be able to get through it relatively scarfree. _________________ PSN: Twitch_City ||| Wii: 8083 5371 5767 6700
"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient." |
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Pijaibros .
Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 342 Location: Mistake by the Lake
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:20 am Post subject: |
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silentmatt wrote: | Yeah, that mission was a pain in the ass. All you need to do though is make sure ALL OF YOUR DUDES go into that straightaway first and block his path. Then just sort of huddle around him. Your team will take all the shots, the dauphin will survive and everything is cool.
The first time I played it, I wanted to take the left path and so sent all my team over there... only for dauphin's turn to come up and watch him singlehandedly brave the middle path (and get slaughtered). What an idiot.
But, yeah... if you go into the mission knowing that the guy is going to behave like that... it really isn't bad at all. |
Yeah I realized that my third time, but what kept frustrating me was that the snipers and mage would target the dauphin if I didn't send at least a couple guys to the right to dispose of the first set of distance hitters. Or if I wandered just one space too far to be able to target the backup sniper that showed up later on. Little miscues like that, were the cause of my failure.
Heck, the only reason I was able to clear it was because one of the lancers paralyzed the Dauphin with leg strike. Allowing me to clear the bottom half of the board and half the crows without any fear and setting me up for victory.
I love the thief Colet (?), he's the only melee warrior who can score hits without ever missing. Real nice, especially with his high critical %. Add a burning aura and it's damn near an instant KO, always. |
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