News: Nintendo DS News | Tales of the Tempest Disappoints Page 1

Nintendo DS News | Tales of the Tempest Disappoints

18.10.2006

The latest batch of reviews are now available from Japan, courtesy of Famitsu magazine and sadly it looks like the delay for Tales of the Tempest on the Nintendo DS was not a favourable one. Below are all the reviews for the latest issues:

Tales of the Tempest (NDS, Bandai Namco): 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 - (28/40)

Untold Legends: The Warrior's Code (NDS, Ubisoft): 6 / 7 / 7 / 7 - (27/40)

Pinky Street: Kira Kira * Music Hour (NDS, Dimple): 8 / 8 / 6 / 7 - (29/40)

Puzzle Series: Jigsaw Puzzle Oden-Kun (NDS, Hudson): 6 / 5 / 6 / 6 - (23/40)

Negima!?: Chou Mahora Taisen Kattoiin, Keiyaku Shikkou Dechai masuu (NDS, Marvelous): 6 / 4 / 5 / 5 - (20/40)

According to the review (thanks to Jonnyram for the translation), these are some of the main talking points:

The encounter rate is low, meaning there is no real stress whilst on the move;

Whilst the new battle system is good, the AI of allies is poor;

Overall, the in-game volume is low;

The online aspect is purely for the swapping of items and other things;

The map is unnecessarily large considering how fast you move;

2D should have been used, rather than chunky polygons;

The new three-line battle system makes it all feel more action-oriented.

However, looking at those points, hardly any of them really seem too negative. Certainly a lower rate of random battles seems like a blessing! And for those that have already seen video clips of the game, you can see it looks very good indeed. Okay, perhaps a 2D RPG might have worked better, but it is still impressive.

All that remains to be seen now, though, is whether this actually effects sales and the future release of the game in the West.

Stick with Cubed3 for further updates...

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Satoshi 18.10.2006#1

I was so looking forward to this game.

Maybe people of famitsu like millions of random encounters... Smilie

And the graphics don't look too bad...i'd prefer 3d to 2d

And people don't know how to increase the Ds' volume in japan?

( Edited on 18.10.2006 14:31 by ZeroSimon )

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DanielPrimed 18.10.2006#2

Yeah I'd prefer 3D as well. Looked like a good effort on that part for the hardware. Its a pity really. I wonder how the PSP version did in comparison.

Pity that, 28 is still a good score I think. So thats maybe a 75% over here as not many famitsu games score really highly.

jb 18.10.2006#3

Hmm, but of a dissapointment but I really don't see (from the scans/vids) how it seems so bad, I guess it's to be tried to be believed.

Shame nothing got over 30 this week!

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Laurelin 18.10.2006#4

I want to wait 'till you guys review it. I am not certain. These things are most certainly not evil assets for me...

I find your lack of faith disturbing!

xlnx14 18.10.2006#5

Although the 3D polygons are a bit chunky from looking at the screens, I think it gives the game a distinctive look and sets it apart from other games. Similarly that is why I like Tales of Symphonia so much, it just looks and feels different than other GC games out there.

Satoshi 18.10.2006#6

Laurelin said:
I want to wait till you guys review it. I am not certain. These things are most certainly not evil assets for me...

...Yeh but cubed3 gave baten kaitos what 4? Smilie Smilie Smilie

I love that game!!!...and number 2 is even better!!!

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Darkflame 18.10.2006#7

It looks better then FF3, and it even fits the style of Symphonia, so i have no clue what the problem with the graphics is.
I mean, if they said low framerate or something.

Seems like purhapes the game isnt as good as they hoped for, but also that its hard to relationalise why.

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The Croft 18.10.2006#8

NAMCO are terrible games company in my view maybe if a SE, Nintendo, SEGA or CAPCOM made this game they would have been alot better.

Mike Gee of iZINE said, "...The Verve, as he [Richard Ashcroft] promised, had become the greatest band in the world. Most of the critics agreed with him. Most paid due homage. The Verve were no longer the question mark or the clich�. They were the statement and the definition."

MattEvansC3 18.10.2006#9

ZeroSimon said:
Laurelin said:I want to wait till you guys review it. I am not certain. These things are most certainly not evil assets for me...
...Yeh but cubed3 gave baten kaitos what 4?I love that game!!!...and number 2 is even better!!!

That would be me. I felt the mark was fully justified and explained why in my review, it was a sub-standard RPG that failed to offer the basic elements of a good RPG and its "innovations" did nothing to improve the genre either - I also did not enjoy playing the game. Raz was going to do a C3-2-1 on it but he had too much on his plate

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Elrinth 18.10.2006#10

If there where no "innovations" you would give it even less? 3, 2? Smilie
well people have diffrent tastes Smilie
I agree that the combat system at occations can be a hazzle Smilie

if you didn't enjoy the game, it's a fair review.. 4 points is good if you didn't enjoy it.

nuff about that... I'm looking forward to test Tales of the Tempest... but it doesn't look appealing in any way Smilie

dojo 18.10.2006#11

Mr.Ashcroft said:
NAMCO are terrible games company in my view maybe if a SE, Nintendo, SEGA or CAPCOM made this game they would have been alot better.

Yeah, I mean, come on...

Ridge Racer....AWFUL!
Soul Calibur....PANTS!

Smilie

Wait...there's an Untold Legends game out for DS!? I thought it was a Sony exclusive, so, what's this? Untold Legends on PSP, PS3, DS...The Settlers on PC and DS, AoE on PC and DS...wowzer.

JoshSL 18.10.2006#12

Bloody hell...... I was so looking forward to this game Smilie

Such a shame Smilie Namco fuck it up AGAIN.

They need to make stuff for Nintendo more often, they might learn a thing or two... oh well, they're better than Capcom... Smilie

& never diss Soul Calibur in front of me!! NEVAAAR!!!

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Raff 18.10.2006#13

what's wrong woth a 7777 score? Surely about 5555 is average? So it's well above average.

It's going to be shit and you jolly well know it.

James2t3 18.10.2006#14

Well it's a solid 7 so it isn't THAT bad.
All the bad points sound the same as the problems with Tales of symphonia.
So while not a stunner of a game it should still be a solid game.

XBL Gamertag: James2t3

JoshSL 18.10.2006#15

Blade2t3 said:
Well its a solid 7 so it isnt THAT bad.All the bad points sound the same as the problems with Tales of symphonia.So while not a stunner of a game it should still be a solid game.

*Squeeee!!* Smilie

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James2t3 18.10.2006#16

Btw is there really an Untold Legends games for the DS? Or is it maby a mistake, maby japan exclusive, i don't remember it being announced Smilie

XBL Gamertag: James2t3

dojo 18.10.2006#17

SuperLink said:
Blade2t3 said:Well its a solid 7 so it isnt THAT bad.All the bad points sound the same as the problems with Tales of symphonia.So while not a stunner of a game it should still be a solid game.
*Squeeee!!*

I must say that I fail to understand the relevance of that, Linksydude (your new name, by the way).... Smilie Smilie

Grumbler said:
whats wrong woth a 7777 score? Surely about 5555 is average? So its well above average.

I thought that too, tbh.

( Edited on 18.10.2006 21:08 by der dojo99 )

tiamat1990 18.10.2006#18

I've seen videos and it looks great! I think he was smoking drugs and thought he was reviewing a PSP game.

JoshSL 18.10.2006#19

der dojo99 said:
I must say that I fail to understand the relevance of that, Linksydude (your new name, by the way)....

It's simple enough, ToS is so good it makes me *squee*, so if ToT has the same problems, then *squee!* Smilie

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Satoshi 18.10.2006#20

Grumbler said:
whats wrong woth a 7777 score? Surely about 5555 is average? So its well above average.

But with a "tales" game i was expecting 9999
So thats well under expectations

Avoid Games Like the Plague, productivity++

Megadanxzero 19.10.2006#21

jesusraz said:
2D should have been used, rather than chunky polygons;

What? ... What? ... As far as I'm concerned it's the best looking 3D on the DS yet. Freaks.

I'm pissed off about having random battles too. Random battles should never have existed in the first place, let alone still be used today

Still a proud member of the 'omfg amazing water in games' society

Raff 19.10.2006#22

ZeroSimon said:
Grumbler said:whats wrong woth a 7777 score? Surely about 5555 is average? So its well above average.
But with a tales game i was expecting 9999So thats well under expectations

Even though Tales of Symphonia was shit?

It's going to be shit and you jolly well know it.

Megadanxzero 20.10.2006#23

BLASPHEMY!! >,<

Still a proud member of the 'omfg amazing water in games' society

JoshSL 20.10.2006#24

Megadanxzero said:
BLASPHEMY!! >,<

>.<

Not all Tales games get 9999? Surely? They all have problems & there are always tons of people who seem to hate it? Smilie

Random battles? Meh, Tales of Phantasia had random battles, so does Final Fantasy, love them both I do.

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The Croft 21.10.2006#25

To be fair all 7's as Grumbler said is a well above average score but i think many people were expecting something like Children of Mana score 10, 8, 10, 8.

I still think Namco are losing alot of credibility with there constant supply of shit games.