What would happen if you got Tim Burton to make a console RPG instead of a movie? Well, it would probably suck. But, looking at the pre-Final Fantasy X PS2, there’s one game that has a similar aesthetic to some of Burton’s works, especially “The Nightmare before Christmas” and “Corpse Bride.” That game is Okage: Shadow King. This game, though not hugely popular, has quite a vibrant fan base, making this a definite cult classic. But why is that? Well, let’s dive in and find out!
The story starts you off in the role of Ari, a boy with a weak presence. After his sister gets possessed by a ghost, causing her to speak only pig latin, Ari valiantly “volunteers” to sell his soul to Evil King Stanley Hihat Trinidad the XIVth. In exchange, Stan removes the curse, leaving in its place the lesser curse of a pink shadow. From there, Stan orders Ari to help him in his quest to regain his rightful title of Evil King by defeating lesser fake evil kings, so he can once again terrorize the world. It’s not your typical jRPG plot, though it does have some classic elements, like a princess who you have to save, collecting pieces of something or other to make a greater whole, and the fact that your main character is a chosen one with extra-ordinary powers. But… well, come on! Pink shadows? Saving the world for evil? This game’s plot is, well, quirky.
Quirky is a word that describes a number of things about this game, especially the characters. There’s Rosalyn, the expert hero who, because of a run-in with Stan, wields a parasol to hide her pink shadow. Or Linda, the Teen Idol Evil King, who takes over a whole town by, using her songs to make them idolize her. Or Epros, the Phantom Evil King, who uses playing cards as weapons and always talks in rhyme. He does it all the time. That’s right, those are all playable party members. Fortunately, though each of them has significant quirks, they rarely get annoying, because this game does not take itself seriously at all. You can’t help but chuckle at the characters, because, while their facial expressions aren’t as graphically sophisticated as in, say, Final Fantasy X, they just look funny. Stan is especially over the top, with puzzled, angry, and even default facial expressions looking just like a jack-o-lantern.
Right. Enough of that, on to the battle system. While you’re walking around on the map, ghosts will appear and try to chase you. If they catch your back, you’ll be ambushed, and if you catch their back, then Stan will ask you some questions, and if you get them right, he’ll attack the enemies for you. His questions are on the order of “How would you describe the bowel shaking terror that I inspire,” which sometimes leads to hilarious responses, even when you’re actually answering correctly. You might think that you can just avoid battles period, if you’re good, but the longer you go between battles, the faster and more frequent ghosts become, so eventually you’ll get caught. When you do, the system is pretty standard. Wait your turn, enter command, added to queue. Enemies and allies can act simultaneously, so it’s a little different, but basically, your standard active time battle system.
You’ll want to get used to the battle system, because if you don’t (and even if you do, to some degree) this game has a wonky level curve. In most RPGs, you can advance to the next area immediately after defeating the boss, with only mild difficulty. If you take the time to buy new equipment, the next area will be almost easy. In Okage, if you get all the new equipment for all of your characters after beating the boss of an area, and then venture into the next area, you’ll be annihilated within around three battles. What it all boils down to is, level grinding. Get used to it.
Replay value is a tough call. You won’t see a sequel of this game, so you might play it again to get the most out of the world that you can. Plus, there is a relationship system hidden in the game, so you can experiment at finding different ways to do things. But, then again, the large amount of grinding might put you off, especially since there is no new game plus. I’m going to have to give this one a “play it again once in a long while, but not frequently.” It’s a fun game, but its issues make it so you really only want to relive the story, not the gameplay.
Well, I guess it’s time to get down a rating. Okage is a game that drags you into the world, and makes you sad when it’s over. Since there’s no sequel, you’ll have to settle for whatever the fandom has cooked up or replay the game. Really, it’s almost enough to make you forget how much of a pain power leveling was. So, as far as numerical ratings go, this guy gets a 7.6 out of 10. Just a hair above average (remember, 5 is the baseline for an RPG for me, so it’s something like 2.6 out of 5). I really like the plot, the characters, and the art style, but the gameplay is mediocre at best. Still, it’s fun while it lasts, and part of the thrill is looking forward to the next story segment. That might just get you through the grinding.
Quick Tip: During the part of the game when random encounters don’t happen (you’ll know when that is), you should take the time to try and find all the tiny gears you can. It’s annoying, but not as annoying as searching while ghosts blow you. Woo woo.
If you liked this game, you might give one of these games a shot. Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, has the same irreverent quality to it, and also has a pretty fun little world. Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is very much in the same vein. A tongue in cheek approach to RPG conventions, a look at the bright side of the dark side, and fun characters. Thousand Arms, again for a lot of strangeness and laughing at RPGs.
No comments:
Post a Comment