Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Cameron does, as he flexes his range, enhances his elements and battles his motions.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Cameron Chu. If you’ve played Dawn of the New World, or just want to ask Cameron more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Wii)
The epicly cliched story of mana, trees, elves, humans, and those in between continues. Now with added monsters!
Loved
Skits: In the original, the lack of voicing in skits for western versions meant it was like watching paint dry. This is no longer the case; and while it’s not a ground breaking feature, it adds that little more to a game so dependant on character interaction.
Characters: The thought and care put into the characters continue, with most of them being genuinely interesting and funny. Running jokes from the original, like Collete’s’ knack for falling or Zelos’ flirtatious affairs with Sheena bring back a sense of nostalgia, while new characters such as Marta and Tenubrae keep things fresh.
Flex Range Element Enhanced Linear Motion Battle System: Despite the ridiculously long name giving it the impression of complexity, fighting is it is in fact simple, fast, and fun. While the addition of monsters may be convoluted, they are vital for higher difficulties and even then there is still the option of picking human characters. And as always, being able to avoid enemy encounters is a blessing.
Hated
Emil: If you thought Lloyd was annoying, just wait until you see Emil. Not even Johnny Yong Bosch, a.k.a Ichigo the Mighty Morphin’ Black Power Ranger, can save this abomination of a character. While Lloyd was an agreeable twit, Emil is the combination of two personalities: an unlikeable coward and an unlikeable hothead.
Inferior: The original, developed five years prior is in nearly all respects superior. While they may be little, things in this sequel like the lack of deep battling customization, the removal of stylish cel-shading, the absence of an explorable world, a weak story and the addition of unnecessary cutscenes make them many and grating.
A whole lot of recycling and a whole lot worse, Dawn of the New World is still one of the best RPGs out there on the Wii. Not exactly saying much, but despite its many flaws it is a solid game that fans of the original should play.
Reviewed by: Cameron Chu
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 300 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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