![]() ![]() ![]() More than once I was humming along to the themes from Sakura Wars and Streets of Rage without even noticing. #Project x zone ost fullOn the bright side, each location has its own theme music to set them apart, which leads to a massive soundtrack full of good-to-great remixes of the many classic tunes included. And when you often have 10 or more fighters to control on the map, you can easily lose track of their placement in a boring setting. Stages like Tokyo intersections and parks can get pretty bland, even more so as several areas get reused across Project X Zone 2's campaign – I saw the same church interior more times than I’d have liked. “The different battles take you to many settings pulled straight from the source material's games, but they eventually blend together as the bottom of the inspiration barrel is scraped. Without improving much on the original, the turn-based, top-down action is serviceable as a platform for packing as many characters as possible onto the screen, but the battles and character development themselves are repetitive, with a level of flash that eventually wears off. When compared to the best strategy games on the 3DS, such as Fire Emblem and Devil Survivor, Project X Zone 2 doesn't really make the grade. An Army of MascotsĪll of that is the layer of fun and historical references layered on top of the actual tactical game underneath, and unfortunately it’s not much of a foundation to build on. It's hardly a deal breaker, but it leads to momentary confusion from hearing Japanese voices coming out of characters you'd only heard speak English before. And speaking of disconnect, there’s no localization of the voiceover - you’ll only hear Japanese language throughout. ![]() If references to Sakura Wars' dating sim elements or Shenmue's search for sailors don't ring a bell, much of PXZ2's best stuff won't do much for you. Project X Zone 2 expects you to be fairly familiar with the characters involved, even if some have rarely appeared in games released outside of their native Japan. “Of course, the heavy dependence on nostalgia for these characters means that the satisfaction you’ll get out of PXZ2's roster will differ based on how well you know the games being referenced. I was dying to see what new surprises Project X Zone 2 had up its sleeve for its constantly expanding roster. Chapter after chapter of the 30-hour tactical campaign introduces more famous faces to the mix, making each new map feel eventful from a story standpoint. Different pairings give varied cute dialogue, which inspire you to mix and match PXZ2's roster more than any gameplay incentive will. Same goes for when you partner up similar characters, like the tough-as-nails Chinese fighters Chun-Li, Pai Chan, and Xiaoyu, and they’ll toss off quick witted gags during a fight. The Odd Couple DozenIt rewards experimentation, too: build a trio of characters from Shenmue and its spiritual successor Yakuza, and you'll find some aggressively winking asides to their shared history. Even better are the ultra-deep references to behind-the-scenes stories from development. Seeing Strider and Shinobi meet Virtua Fighter's Kage and react to their different interpretations of ninjutsu is a laugh, as is seeing Phoenix Wright get used to working for the demonically possessed Tekken champion, Kazuya Mishima. “Sharp dialogue writing really makes the most of the unique pairings. Simply seeing, say, Street Fighter's Chun-Li talk to Yakuza's Kiryu is the reward. The collection of excuses used to unite this army of heroes through time and space is often laughed off by the characters themselves, emphasizing that the mystery that unites the motley crew for a turn-based strategy game ultimately doesn't matter. ![]() As a way of reveling in gaming history, PXZ2 is just the dose of nostalgia you'd want, though it doesn’t make the strategy action surrounding it any less shallow.Just like in the original, Project X Zone 2 brings together a variety of series’ characters, from Street Fighter and Yakuza to lesser-known franchises like Sakura Wars and Summon Night, by way of a story that's as best described as perfunctory. Project X Zone 2 overloads you with truckloads of good-natured celebration, piling dozens of classic characters from Namco, Sega, and Capcom all into one sprawling package of tactical gameplay. Like funnel cake or any other sweet treat, fan service can be satisfying, but if there's not much going on underneath its appeal wears off quickly. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |