REVIEW: Mind Zero PS Vita

Mind Zero
RPG, Dungeon Crawler
PS Vita

In the wake of Persona 4 Golden there are a few games that try to use the same winning formula, Mind Zero takes the real world where a few teenagers have found themselves in the middle of a battle between the police and entities known as MINDs and their plot to open a portal from their world to ours. The teens gain the ability to call upon spirits to help them in battle to help curb the tide of negative emotions that allow the MINDs to enter our world.

The game does a great job with the voice talent and the combat. The game uses turned-based combat and the teens can use spirits to help them in combat. Through the use unique combat cards that you can swap in and out gives the player several options during battles. One feature that I enjoyed was the ability to save the game during dungeons, I would play the game in short bursts so this feature was huge for me.



The weak point of Mind Zero is the plot. The story is mundane at best and it plods along as if it is walking in a bog. Slow and drawn out is a good way to describe the story. However, once you get past the cutscenes in the beginning things do pick up and the game is off to the races.



VERDICT

Mind Zero is said to be a Persona clone and in my opinion it is, but it is one of the best out there if you are looking for a new dungeon crawler this is a strong contender.

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REVIEW: Velocity

Velocity
Puzzle, Shooter
PS4, PS Vita, PS3

Velocity is a scrolling game that involves navigating a Quarp Jet, a spacecraft that can teleport while it avoiding and defeating aliens. The main goal of the game is to rescue stranded ships. In order to do that you must shoot down shields and obstacles in order to reach stranded ships and rescue their crews. The puzzle portion comes when you must deactivate the shields in a specific order as well as other challenges.

Velocity is a cross buy, which means that it is available for both the PS4, PS3 and the PS Vita. I had a chance to play it on both the PS4 and the Vita and both are great ports. The Vita version feels natural, with the bombs using the the right joystick. The graphics are amazing as they use a variety of colors and the game is quite challenging as the levels ramp up the difficulty once you get a feel for the game.

The game also adds a side scrolling section that puts our heroine on foot and dashing through barriers, solving puzzles that advance the game. While most games that take you out of the main game would feel disjointed, the on foot action feels like a natural extension to the game.

With all the triple a titles vying for your attention, Velocity is a game that shouldn't be missed as it is a new twist on an old theme and it is done exceptionally well. Velocity is free until 7 October when October's Playstation Plus games switch. So act fast if you want to experience it.

VERDICT

7/10

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REVIEW: Dragon's Crown PS Vita

Dragon's Crown PS Vita
Side Scroller, Action Role Player
PS Vita, PS3

Dragon Crown first made waves with its rather "interesting" depiction of its female playable characters. Particularly the Sorceress, who is a little top heavy to say the least. While I admit that it was the reason it ever made it on to my radar initially; it wasn't until I actually went and purchased a Vita and was looking for some of the top rated games that I ended up purchasing it and recalling that the two were the same.

The plot revolves around a legendary relic, the Dragon's Crown and the quest to retrieve it. A mysterious coven of magic-users with influence in even the highest levels of government seek the treasure and have used their sorcery to link together long forgotten ruins, dangerous labyrinths and many other areas together in order to search for it.

GAMEPLAY

Dragon's Crown starts out with you picking your hero. You have six classes to choose from with varying degrees of difficulty: Warrior, Amazon, Wizard, Sorceress, Elf, and Dwarf. Each of the classes offers you a different attack from close quarter combat to ranged and spell attacks each with their own strengths and weakness. However, which ever class you choose they all are fun and engaging.

As you play the game you find yourself in various locations and hunt for loot and points to upgrade the characters skills as you would in any RPG. As you progress you have to really plan out your upgrades as there is no way that you can unlock every attribute of your character. So careful mapping of the way you play your character is a must.

The game also allows you to play with up to four friends. I didn't get a chance to put this mode to the test but while I played the game, I couldn't help but wish that I had someone else to play the game with as it would have been a great way to tackle some of the harder levels.

When I started the game, I chose to play as a Wizard. After a quick level tutorial I was off on my grand adventure. My second play through, I played as the Amazon and while the moves were different, the overall tutorial was similar. But there is definitely a strong replay value in the game as the classes play with a notable difference.




GRAPHICS

Dragon's Crown is very colorful and the visuals make for an appealing game. The female characters are drawn from the mind of a frustrated teenage boy with a wild imagination but after the novelty of bouncing busts, the level design will take over and will impress you.

AUDIO

The sights and sounds are impressive but the soundtrack is where Dragon's Crown really shines. My complaint in the audio is in the voice work. It tends to grate on you and I found myself turning it off and relying on subtitles to progress the story when interaction was needed.

VERDICT

Dragon's Crown is a winner. While the plot and voice acting are weak, the gameplay, visuals, and soundtrack make up for it. It is also free until the end of the month (August) through Playstation's Plus program and shouldn't be missed. Dragon's Crown should be reminiscent of the old school side scrolling action combined with a great RPG element. I would say that if you are a hardcore RPG player or just the Average Joe looking for something new, Dragon's Crown will win you over as it is easy to get into and provides enjoyable and long-lasting gameplay. Something that is rare to find these days.

OVERALL 8.5/10

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REVIEW: Conception II PS Vita

Conception II
Role-playing, Dungeon Crawler
Platforms: 3DS, Vita

In a world where the populace is under constant threat from monsters are formed from Dark Circles, a young man learns that he has the mark of the Star God on his hand, which allows him to attend a special school for people bearing the mark that gives them the ability to fight the monsters and defend humanity.

The protagonist, upon arriving at the school is tested and we quickly learn that he has a larger than average amount of Star Energy (the power to fight the monsters) and that he is the foretold "God's Gift." This title makes him an instant celebrity and elevates him to the elite branch of warriors. His power grants him the ability to fight inside the Dark Circles and bring a female companion. The female companions when "classmating" with God's gift can create Star Children, which can also go into the Dark Circles and fight the monsters.

Gameplay

Conception II is a dungeon crawler that uses a combination of turned based attacks and a 360 degree battlefield, split into four sections. Depending upon where you place your fighters around the monster, they may or may not be in harms way when it is the monster's turn to attack. Some attacks affect more than one of the four quadrants. The team can take on one monster at a time or you can split them up and take on up to three monsters at once. There are direct attacks and area of effect attacks.

When you are not in a battle you work your way through the various levels of the dungeon and can either evade them or attempt to take them unaware and gain an advantage in combat by attacking first.

When you are not in a dungeon, the game switches over to the academy where you can shop for items, change your Star Children teams (two teams of three), take on new quests, and interact with the various female companions in an attempt to increase your relationship status and conceive new Star Children.

The controls work rather intuitively. The right stick moves the camera and the left moves the hero. The buttons are clearly marked as you play through the game for each of the actions.

One complaint that I have is that as you work your way through each dungeon the first time, once you reach the final boss, the academy pulls you out forcing you to work your way through the dungeon again. The second play through has you now possessing an item that allows you to contain the boss and close the circle. While you can skip floors after working yourself to the next level upon your return, in order to level up your characters, it is best to start at the beginning of the dungeon and work your way back to the boss.



Graphics

While I am relatively new to the PS Vita (slim model), the graphics do look outstanding. The colors are bright and the characters are drawn well. The "classmating" portion of the game may be a concern for some but there isn't any nudity just glowing outline of the female's body, imply that the act may not just be holding hands. A rating of PG at best.

Audio

The music is what you would expect for a dungeon crawler and plays on an endless loop. It isn't great but it isn't bad.

Verdict

Conception II is a decent role playing game that has a interesting storyline but isn't as dramatic as Persona 4 Golden, a game that is considered the best RPG for the system, which is well deserved. Conception II offers a more light-hearted experience that combines the dating sim and dungeon crawler well. While there are many floors that you need to fight through in order to close them, the game goes by quickly and is a decent game if you are looking for something to fill in the gap P4G has left you after completing it. I for one, enjoyed all of the games aspects and while it doesn't break any new ground like it.

Overall   7/10

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