RAGNAROK ODYSSEY

If the Vita now has a set of roles with top quality Persona 4 Golden, it also hosted in its catalog Ragnarok Odyssey, a Monster Hunter-like for those who prefer the plains filled blobs warlike high schools where assassinations rage. Developed by Game Arts, the studio behind series like Lunar and Grandia, the title can hunt monsters by the hundreds while with three traveling companions. What wisely wait until the arrival of Soul Sacrifice?

Ragnarok Odyssey - Screenshot éditeurReprenant the world of Korean MMORPG Ragnarok Online, the game published by GungHo draws its inspiration from Norse mythology since it is talking about a war between humans and giants. As in the cult series from Capcom, the story is extremely light and is just a pretext for battles that are at the very least 95% of the gameplay. Before getting into the nitty-gritty, the player creates his avatar by choosing traditional attributes: name, gender, skin color, type face and hair, tone of voice, accessories, etc.. Few choices are offered at the beginning but others are unlocked later and changes are possible during the adventure, which makes customization much richer. Besides the physical aspect, the player also decides the class of heroes among the six available: warrior, blacksmith, assassin, mage, hunter and the first choice of your servant, clerk.


WINTER IS COMING

Of course, every job match a weapon type and specific characteristics. Thus, the hunter is the only one to attack from a distance with his bow while others prefer the body-to-body, the blacksmith with a huge hammer and a cleric shield and a small mass, for example. Points awarded in attack, defense, agility and area damage varies depending on the class chosen, the player can easily find a shoe to fit. It should be pointed out in passing that the magic is almost nonexistent, mages and clerics are only able to summon respectively buffs weapons and healing. To conclude on the properties of jobs include the warriors and priests are the only class able to ward off some attacks, a successful guard can occasionally stun the enemy.

Ragnarok Odyssey is removed monster ad nauseam. Extremely repetitive solo, the game features the same pattern of tireless quest to another. To make it short, we accept a mission from the Citadel acting as central hub, it is transported to the scene, we take care of the type and number of monsters listed in the allotted time, they pick up the loot and no different. Unable to explore the outside world in his own way as a classic RPG, the only player to make the hack slash with a bestiary which is struggling to renew a section to another. Suffice to say that you have not finished cross mushrooms, wolves, giant rabbits and other trolls caves over the nine main chapters composed of a dozen missions each. For a boss fight felt good, how many clashes henchmen uninteresting? Too, for sure. Therefore, we can not recommend too to practice in small sessions as to avoid too feel the daunting approach quests. The missions are fairly short - about ten minutes on average - and lend themselves quite well to the portable format.


HEY BILOOT

In terms of gameplay, the game of Game Arts offers the real-time combat for less dynamic. Specifically, there are two weak and strong attacks, it can send the opponent in the air when one maintains the appropriate button. Once the projected scoundrel, it is possible to continue the combo while avoiding any ground attacks from other enemies. Some sequences based on five shots are also present but most of the time, hammering a button in order enough to overcome the small fry. Fortunately, the boss, them, require a little more savvy to be destroyed. Once their attack patterns are identified, it is at first to approach wisely using running and dodging, which decreases the action bar. Then, once the animal to reach and through a lock system in two colors (white for the nearby red for resistance), we can strike targeting a specific body part. Finally, like a fighting game, a gauge fills up and as you type in order to eventually activate "Dainself" mode. A state that includes the increase in raw power, but in return, lose life when the shots do not touch. These battles necessarily show more difficult than normal fighting but nothing stuck chandeliers provided.

The player has the opportunity to bring three types of potions before starting a quest to regain life, heal a poison or a spell, or recharge the action bar faster . Moreover, we have the right to die twice during a mission, the third failure bringing the character to the central hub while having validated recovered far objects. Moreover, the interest of the loot is relatively small in Ragnarok Odyssey. The only mounted level occur when completely finished a chapter. The rest of the time the booty amassed can be sold and reinvested in potions or exchanged at various merchants to have a new color jacket or - more interesting - get cards. In fact, they can be accumulated in order to grant the player bonuses (and sometimes penalties) significant: +1 attack, increased resistance to poisons ... In all, we find more than sixty times and it will make the right choice according to their properties in relation to the types of monsters encountered.


RAGNA half, HALF AND HALF SUN RAIN

Who said said major graphics power for a laptop. Alas, this is not the title that will treat for the eyes, most are poor textures and design very original characters. In addition, the scenery as the vegetation has the unfortunate tendency to appear via a pop-up effect that you'd straight out of the previous generation. As for the specifics of the console, they are not used, the camera can be rotated through the back pad and then enlarged map display with touch screen. Speaking of which, note that the camera is very fast problem when fighting in confined environments, and that one is overwhelmed by a dozen enemies. Receiving no French localization, game Game Arts has, however, a soundtrack to the medieval quality color composed by Kumi Tanioka, a musician who has worked on the series of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, among others.

In addition, if the title has a very honorable life solo - expect a good thirty hours out quests - you can also get into the multiplayer game if you can find the world. Overall pretty empty servers allow anyway to track the monster up to four and one can not recommend enough to start at the same time. Indeed, the game takes into account the level of the lesser player. In other words, if the player is Level 7 and her three friends are only Level 2, quests will be available than those available in 2, hence the interest to evolve simultaneously. Playable both locally and online, the multiplayer features a somewhat dated interface that does not necessarily encourage the sessions. And if your allies have decided to take ten minutes to dress and otherwise modify the voice of their avatar, there is nothing to do except wait. Brief note finally that various elements try to break the monotony in which the game is installed, such as changing class possible in Chapter 2 or the epic assault the fortress at the end of the third act. Nothing that scotchera the player on the screen yet, but it's still welcome.