Jason Hidalgo|jhidalgo@rgj.com
Hey, you've got Zelda in my Dynasty Warriors!
Or is it the other way around?
Two Japanese video game franchises sail into uncharted territory with the release of "Hyrule Warriors" for the Nintendo Wii U.
For gamers who've been stuck underneath a Goron for the last couple of years, Hyrule Warriors is a game in the vein of Dynasty Warriors one-versus-1,000 formula but with Zelda characters.
How did this video game marriage come about?
I talk to longtime Legend of Zelda director and producer Eiji Aonuma of Nintendo as well as Koei Tecmo producer Yosuke Hayashi.
Now some of you may be thinking: "It's nice that you're expanding your horizons, Jason, but I come to Technobubble to read the oh-so excellent reviews from the fine-looking young man that I admire very, very much."
Hey, can you say that again, buddy? Just kidding. I also review "Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair" and "Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment" for the PlayStation Vita.
Question: Who initiated the idea for Hyrule Warriors?
Yosuke Hayashi: Koei Tecmo originally proposed the idea to Nintendo. We actually have a bunch of Zelda fans in our staff and we felt it might be good to have a Zelda-themed game that had action-based gameplay and Nintendo agreed.
Q: How is Hyrule Warriors different from past Warriors' games?
Hayashi: This was this actually the first time we have done a collaboration between a game series and another franchise as opposed to an anime, so that proved to be a challenge. The Legend of Zelda series has its own style of gameplay so we honestly had some difficulty in the beginning in figuring out how we can translate that Zelda gameplay into a Dynasty Warriors-style game.
Q: What are the chances of us seeing a Nintendo Warriors game with characters like Mario, Samus and Kirby?
Aonuma: We believe the Hyrule Warriors collaboration works out well because the Zelda intellectual property also happens to be a very good fit with Dynasty Warriors. As far as other Nintendo IPs, some may work out and others may not so that's something we're still not completely certain about.
Q: Who's your favorite character to use in the game and why?
Hayashi: I was happy to play as Ganon. The idea of being able to use characters you're not normally able to play as in those Legend of Zelda games was something I find satisfying.
Aonuma: I had the most fun playing with the original character Koei Tecmo created called Lana. The scene where you're fighting alongside the child of the Deku tree really left a big impression on me.
Q: For Mr. Aonuma, is there anything you learned from playing Hyrule Warriors that you might apply to the upcoming Legend of Zelda game for Wii U?
Aonuma: One aspect of Hyrule Warriors that really left a big impression on me was how the big bosses can actually move across the map while you're fighting them. For example, you can have a boss start by heading toward your stronghold and you'll attack and then follow them. That's something you don't usually see in a Zelda game because bosses are usually in enclosed spaces so that kind of gameplay feels fresh to me. It also works really well in an expansive world, which is what we're planning to do for the next Zelda game. It's going to be a really open world so that's the kind of gameplay we'd really like to incorporate.
Q: Is there a possibility for online co-op to be added to Hyrule Warriors in the future?
Hayashi: From our side, we considered what kind of co-op play would really suit the Wii U. What's really unique to the Wii U is the controller so we decided to include two-player local co-op where one player uses the TV and the other uses the Wii U tablet. We just think that kind of co-op play where you have two people there in front of each other is really fun.
Q: If you got stuck in a deserted island and can only bring one video game to play, what would it be?
Hayashi: Hyrule Warriors.
Aonuma: The Legend of Zelda A Link Between Worlds.
Q: Are there any plans to remake other Zelda titles from the past to the Wii U like you did with the Wind Waker?
Aonuma: Obviously, as time goes by and hardware functionality changes and improves, we have an interest in how they might open up new possibilities for games. The No. 1 thing for us is listening to Zelda fans and responding to their ideas so we can make sure they have a great experience. We're quite aware, for example, that people have strong opinions about Majora's Mask so that's something we pay close attention to.
Q: Any updates about the new Legend of Zelda game you're working on?
Aonuma: No (long pause, then laughs). We don't have any particular updates but our staff members are working really hard on this game right now in the midst of Japan's very hot summer weather.
DANGANRONPA 2: GOODBYE DESPAIR
Murder gets another dastardly turn on the PlayStation Vita with "Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair."
For its latest semester, the Danganronpa series trades in the claustrophobic school life for an entire island.
What could possible go wrong, right?
Well, just as a shark named Jaws can make a nice beach seem like Dante's Inferno, a crazy bear named Monokuma also can make any student outing beary unbearable. Get it? Because what can be better than one horrible pun but two?
Yes, the diabolical Monokuma returns yet again to terrorize students. Ya' know, if I'm ever offered a free ride to a school named Hope's Peak Academy I'm doing a 180 and running away like my hair's on fire.
Just like "Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc," your group finds itself trapped with no way out except getting away with murder. As a result, it doesn't take long before your fellow island prisoners start taking Monokuma up on his offer to get out of this tropical disaster. Your job, meanwhile, is to figure out who the guilty party is so remain among the world of the living.
Pacing, psychology and mystery continue to be a strength for Danganronpa 2. You'll find yourself constantly anticipating what's going to happen next as people start dropping like flies. Getting attached to a particular character? Watch out. They might end up dead or kill someone, in which case they'll end up dead, too, once their crime gets figured out.
To stay up to speed, you'll need to interact with the other characters, gather clues, solve puzzles and read the tea leaves so to speak in order to accurately identify the killer come class trial time. The game also adds some new mechanics to help freshen things up a bit. These include minigames and a Rebuttal Showdown where you literally slash your foes' arguments. Objection! Oh, wait, wrong game.
Overall, Danganronpa 2 builds on the formula of the original game, including its unique presentation and production values. If you prefer your games to have more action with turbocharged pacing, D2 will not be for you. But if you're a fan of murder thrillers and actually enjoy the deliberate pacing of the genre, then D2 will be a killer game, figuratively speaking, of course.
Cost: $40
http://nisamerica.com/games/danganronpa2/
SWORD ART ONLINE: HOLLOW FRAGMENT
The story of online ladies' man, er, hero Kirito heads on to the PlayStation Vita with "Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment."
An expansion of "Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment" for the PSP, Hollow Fragment beefs up the previous game with a bunch of all new material. For fans of the anime, you're basically presented with an alternate scenario from the ending of the show's first arc, where remain stuck in the virtual world.
In terms of gameplay, this is an action RPG that tries to straddle the line between the two genres. So much so that sometimes, it feels like it can't decide whether to be an action game or an RPG. The system may feel complicated, perhaps even intimidating, to folks not used to this kind of playstyle. Once you get the hang of the combat, though, it can get pretty fun.
Note that the main combat is timing based, rewarding non-button mashers with more damaging attacks. Battle also adds diversity by allowing you to do things like block or cancel enemy attacks while adding faux MMO elements like partners. In addition to providing combinations, allies are vital to giving you a bit of a break in the midst of battle by switching aggro so you can lower your risk gauge and refill your boost meter.
Relationships are vital in the game so you'll want to make sure you increase your affinity with other characters. Lovers of old-school grinding will also love the hunt for all sorts of stuff from various weapons to those costumes that otakus just adore. All that grinding not enough? Hey, there's a new game plus, too.
Translation can be hit or miss but at least the Japanese audio remains intact. The game is also set to get lots of additional content. Overall, the game has some rough spots here and there but it's not a bad game either. It won't be for folks who hate grindy games or prefer Western RPGs. If you love Japanese action RPGs and also like the SAO universe, though, this will be for you.
Cost: $40, PSN
http://www.swordartonline-game.com/
