Developer: G-Artists | Publisher: Ignition | Format: PSP
Reviewer: Craig Gallagher Popolocrois is the first European release in a role-playing series that has been doing the rounds for nearly a decade in Japan. It was so popular enough that it spawned its own anime series. The PSP version is something of an amalgam of the first two games in the series, which have been woven together into a singular, fairly cohesive adventure. The reason the game works is because is because the developers have wisely decided to keep everything relatively simple.
The combat system is easy to pick up and is perfect for any newcomers to the genre, but hardened genre veterans may feel that the game is a little too simple.
The story follows the exploits of Pietro, the young prince of Popolocrois. At the beginning of the game Pietro is a mere 10 years old, but is still able to save his mother who has been put into a deep sleep since he was a child, as her soul have been confined to the world of darkness. The second half of the game follows Pietro as a 15 year old, on his quest to save his fathers soul from the darkness. The story is simple enough and flows well, meaning that gamers can easily follow the events whether playing the game over a period of a week or a month.
The gameplay in Popolocrois is as basic as it comes. You talk to a character who then lays out a mission which you then undertake. You then walk about in search of some artifact which is usually located in a dungeon. Much like Pokemon, you will be randomly pulled into battles on your quest. This happens a lot but is surprisingly well handled and enjoyable.
The real down point to proceedings are the load times. Every time you enter battle or step into a new area, the game pauses for a few seconds to load. Even in battle there is a very noticeable lag as attack animations load. It also takes a number seconds to bring up the map. This may not seem like much but it quickly become very irritating.
Popolocrois is the perfect introduction to role-playing games for novices. Its simplicity works to its advantage as a pick up and play game. Unfortunately, it’s a simple story that experienced role-playing fans will get bored rather quickly.
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