The adventure nearly begins

After watching the advertising videos on The Ninty Channel, I was eager to start this adventure. Having been spoiled by the well-thought-out Xenoblade Chronicles, the controls for this game already seemed clunky.

Chapter 1 takes place with the team already assembled and fighting their way to the capital through a series of lizard caves, already populated by a great many lizards and giant lizards ready to ambush us. I count all this as preface, getting used to the look and actions of the characters. Xenoblade has a similar preface, dealing with events before the story kicks off.


Ducking and diving, rushing out with my sword and performing some chain attacks, it was very hard to see exactly what was happening after the OVERVIEW of the battle disappears. It's probably like real swordfighting; it's not possible to lift the  camera (set just behind your character) or see what's behind you when fighting what's in front.


Some of my party lift themselves in the air and fire coloured balls of light around the level. This is their magyk attack. I have to protect them while they do this or they have to start all over again.

A little way into some stone ruins, one of my party is knocked out, but after a weird dream sequence I have a new power known as The Gathering (last heard of in Highlander and Babylon 5) which can revive my mercenary ally and make all the enemies focus their agro on me. Now that they are shooting daggers (which is shown as coloured sight lines across the room), everyone else can concentrate on wiping the enemy out.


Finally we are put to the test - a massive monster called Cocoon. Here's a natty concept-art depiction of The Gathering and Cocoon. If the whole game had looked like this I would have paid double.

Drawing it outside with The Gathering allows my team to wipe it out. Now we can head on to the main road...