 |
Playstation > PlayStation Game Cheats > PlayStation Reviews > Staff Review | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
| Playability: Let me start with the battle system right away. I have heard some rumblings about "Long, tedious battles". Let me tell you as an avid rpg gamer, and as a gamer in general, this is not true. The battles in Koudelka use a two-fold element to attack. Your characters, and the enemy for that matter, are not static on the battlefield. When you take a turn you have the option to move. What this means is that when you select the move command, a grid showing where you may move will appear. Once you finish moving, you may then attack. This takes time. Traditional turn based rpgs don't have to deal with the whole movement aspect, Koudelka does. That said, I've played many rpgs with spells or summon commands that made the battles last as long, or longer than the battles do in this game. Of course in battle you can also use magic. This game makes use of a point distribution system I like. When a character goes up a level they are allotted 4 bonus points, you can use the 4 points on any attribute you like. If you want to raise Dexterity and thereby raise the hit points of that character, go ahead. Or would you rather make the character a stronger magic user and raise the Piety, or Intelligence? Whit this feature you can literally customize all three of your characters to your liking. Throughout the game you will acquire weapons. Anyone can use these weapons, but the stats of the character will determine its effectiveness. Also each weapon has a classification, spear, gun, axe, and so on. As one uses the weapon class more, their weapon level in that class will rise. Weapons do break though, with the exception of the firearms, so don't get too attached to that axe. In addition to weapon levels, some also have magical attributes. A weapon may have a fire attribute, or light or earth. All these affect how well they work against the enemy, because your enemy may have those attributes also. Just as in most rpgs, always use the opposite type magic on them. When you travel around the rooms in Koudelka, it is a nicely rendered 3D scene, with doorways that you can go through, in Resident Evil fashion. Also items will be found lying here and there. Mostly the items tend to stand out, but not always, so keep your eyes open. Items. This again is a drawback to me. You only have a limited number of items you can carry. In Koudelka, there are many "key" items that you cannot discard. The problem is that the key items and your normal items share the same inventory, so when you get full you are forced to either leave precious life saving items behind or you have to pick which one to throw away. Not a good deal, however you look at it. This was my biggest hang up; also it would have been nice to be able to use the dual shock analog sticks. When you defeat a major boss you are rewarded with a healing and save point. Scattered throughout the rooms are "Temporary save points" also. These temporary ones you can only use if your game ends and you start over right away. You cannot turn on your PSX and load right from them, for this you must use your "normal" save file. Another thing to consider is Koudelkas length. Even though the game spans four discs, it is relatively short. It can be finished in about 12-18 hours, and that may be on the long side. Throughout the game many videos and cut scenes will play out the story nicely, and trust me the battles are not too long. There are quite a few "Bosses" in Koudelka, and they do take awhile, but that's the way it should be. The random battles are over usually in one or two rounds. Over the four-disk adventure, you will find yourself totally engrossed in the characters as they make their way through the Nemeton Abbey. I did. Game Options: • Number of Disks: 4 • Number of blocks used on Memory card per save: 1 or 2 • Maximum number of Players (without a multi-tap): 1 • Multi-tap compatible (max players): No • Link-cable compatible (max players): No • Split screen multi-player option (max players): No • Other accessories: None • Dual Shock Pad Digital Button compatible: Yes • Dual Shock Pad Analog Stick compatible: No • Dual Shock Pad Vibration compatible: No |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
please note that this article should not be
reproduced in any form without the permission of Absolute Playstation