-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Stella Deus - 1up.com review
- Thread starter Wario64
- Start date
Yea I guess that's how it goes.
Tales of Symphonia
Stelladeus
FFX (kinda)
All casualties of the localization process of rpgs. Stelladeus has pretty by the books SRPG gameplay that's not too outstanding in anyway, but it's not bad either. It's just a solid average SRPG. Now what actually made it a good game in the Jpn version was the best script (not overall plot, but I mean the actual lines of dialogue) in an rpg to date IMO. Penned by the writer of the Lodoss War novels, it read like a shakespeare drama in game form. Combined with some incredible high quality voice actors/actresses who delivered them dialogue as though it was a stage play, the game was a fantastic experience. I was always excited about the next scene coming up which motivated me through the maps. A really nice alchemy system which made the battles much easier was cool too.
So yea, when I heard that not only were they cutting out the Jpn track but that the US voices were horrible...I figured the US Stelladeus would be doomed and these scores are about what I expect.
At least PS3 is Blue-ray so for rpgs there should be no reason not to do dual-language tracks. Then they just need to get better translators/writers to make the dialogue awesome like the great localizations of games such as Vagrant Story.
Tales of Symphonia
Stelladeus
FFX (kinda)
All casualties of the localization process of rpgs. Stelladeus has pretty by the books SRPG gameplay that's not too outstanding in anyway, but it's not bad either. It's just a solid average SRPG. Now what actually made it a good game in the Jpn version was the best script (not overall plot, but I mean the actual lines of dialogue) in an rpg to date IMO. Penned by the writer of the Lodoss War novels, it read like a shakespeare drama in game form. Combined with some incredible high quality voice actors/actresses who delivered them dialogue as though it was a stage play, the game was a fantastic experience. I was always excited about the next scene coming up which motivated me through the maps. A really nice alchemy system which made the battles much easier was cool too.
So yea, when I heard that not only were they cutting out the Jpn track but that the US voices were horrible...I figured the US Stelladeus would be doomed and these scores are about what I expect.
At least PS3 is Blue-ray so for rpgs there should be no reason not to do dual-language tracks. Then they just need to get better translators/writers to make the dialogue awesome like the great localizations of games such as Vagrant Story.
The voice acting is pretty atrocious, and the writing forgettable.
Cool setting, great concept for a story... that goes nowhere.
I gave up when I hit Chapter 3, my brother is on chapter 5, I think, and he looks like he's dropped it to.
It's a me-too "strat rpg" along the lines of Tactics Ogre or FF Tactics, but completely lacking in challenge, strategy, or even an engaging character development mechanic.
Cool setting, great concept for a story... that goes nowhere.
I gave up when I hit Chapter 3, my brother is on chapter 5, I think, and he looks like he's dropped it to.
It's a me-too "strat rpg" along the lines of Tactics Ogre or FF Tactics, but completely lacking in challenge, strategy, or even an engaging character development mechanic.
Go Go Ackman!
Banned
I'm forced to agree. I'm at chapter 4, and I really don't have the patience to go further. Looks like it's EB-bound. A shame, the character designs are plenty sexy.
Thank God, I thought I was the only one bored with the game. I've literally forced myself to the end of Chapter 4, and I hate myself for it. I can turn the voices off, and the game does have great graphics and artwork, and decent gameplay. What totally kills the game for me is that it is just SO FUCKING BORING. It heavily encourages using the catacombs, in which you fight the SAME types of enemies every time, just at a higher level. In a level that's the same except for a few variants. My girlfriend honestly thought I was stuck on one map in the game for a week, because every time she saw me play, I was doing a look-alike catacomb level.
Too few (useful at least) abilities, REPETITIVE enemies and environments (oh look another washed out desert looking level!) really killed this game for me. I was incredibly looking forward to it, and it really let me down, and has me renting Atlus games in the future now. I'd give it a 7, if that.
Too few (useful at least) abilities, REPETITIVE enemies and environments (oh look another washed out desert looking level!) really killed this game for me. I was incredibly looking forward to it, and it really let me down, and has me renting Atlus games in the future now. I'd give it a 7, if that.
Not to mention STUPID AS FUCK enemy AI. I've never seen so many enemies get stuck behind the same stupid wall IN THE SAME BATTLE. Sad.
It's like it uses only the most basic "pathfinding" and can't read 2 steps ahead and go around walls. Yikes.
The guild missions are absolutely terrible, a very pale, mewling shadow of what Square implemented in FFTA, for example. The much vaunted Fusion system is senseless, arbitrary, and unfun. And potentially gamebreaking if Gamefaqs is to be believed.
Lovely art, better than average graphics, great and ethereal music. But the gameplay is gimped, and not particularly fun, once you realize that hour 15 is idential to hour 2.
And yeah, the Catacombs of Trials are a horrid way to grind levels.
I was REALLY pissed that ranking up characters didn't change their looks or significantly affect their development. Whoopie, I gained a few meaningless stats and can equip another worthless action skill. Hell, the only truly useful skills in the game were the passive ones anyway, and ranking up didn't grant you any more passive slots. Blech. Terrible game.
It's like it uses only the most basic "pathfinding" and can't read 2 steps ahead and go around walls. Yikes.
The guild missions are absolutely terrible, a very pale, mewling shadow of what Square implemented in FFTA, for example. The much vaunted Fusion system is senseless, arbitrary, and unfun. And potentially gamebreaking if Gamefaqs is to be believed.
Lovely art, better than average graphics, great and ethereal music. But the gameplay is gimped, and not particularly fun, once you realize that hour 15 is idential to hour 2.
And yeah, the Catacombs of Trials are a horrid way to grind levels.
I was REALLY pissed that ranking up characters didn't change their looks or significantly affect their development. Whoopie, I gained a few meaningless stats and can equip another worthless action skill. Hell, the only truly useful skills in the game were the passive ones anyway, and ranking up didn't grant you any more passive slots. Blech. Terrible game.
Go Go Ackman!
Banned
At first I thought "all right, more FFT and less disgaea gameplay" and that the AP system was good. Really, all it does is slow the action down by making you choose between moving and attacking. It works, but it doesn't improve on the standard move, attack formula in terms of a fun gaming experience.
I never touched the catacombs until the last Jade battle, where I had to clear like 20 levels just to have a fighting chance. A waste of time. The plot is dull. The special attacks TAKE FOREVER, to the point where I avoided casting spells because the animations add 10 minutes to the battle.
The maps were pretty good I guess.
I never touched the catacombs until the last Jade battle, where I had to clear like 20 levels just to have a fighting chance. A waste of time. The plot is dull. The special attacks TAKE FOREVER, to the point where I avoided casting spells because the animations add 10 minutes to the battle.
The maps were pretty good I guess.
C- Warrior
Banned
Doesn't it say 6.0?
8.0 (or in this case 7.8) must be the average of what you're referring to then. I think.
8.0 (or in this case 7.8) must be the average of what you're referring to then. I think.
TekunoRobby
Tag of Excellence
In a sick sort of way I'm kinda glad the game isn't all that amazing. I was really loathing missing out on another quality game.
Guess I'll pick this one up when it drops in price.
Guess I'll pick this one up when it drops in price.