Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
On its surface, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies looks like just about a dozen other Japanese role-playing games on the Nintendo DS. You have cute anime characters fighting slimes and dragons in turn-based combat using basic commands like Attack, Items and Spells. But look deeper and you will find a deep, charming and addictive RPG that pushes the boundaries of the hardware and may just...
Dementium II
It's a shame that games like this must be so hampered by their platform. Dementium II has a contemplative, unnerving narrative with an unoriginal yet effective look that truly belongs on a console. It's difficult to create or embrace a proper horror atmosphere on a 3 inch screen with a MIDI-esque soundtrack, and it certainly doesn't do the combat any favors. The end result is unfortunate...
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
Hold on to your top hats and prepare to be stumped! Professor Hershel Layton and his apprentice Luke return this summer for the third installment in the acclaimed puzzle series. Titled, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, the latest game is actually the final entry in the first trilogy of Professor Layton games (keep in mind there will be more). The Unwound Future begins with the Professor...
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
Seven years after the last installment, Golden Sun finally returns. With the original two entries on the GameBoy Advance, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn makes a leap onto a new platform that allows players a new way to play the game. Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Last Age featured some of the best sprite work on the GBA, although now that the series is being brought over to the DS everything is being...
Lv42′s E3 Favorites
E3 has come and gone, and of course that mean's that there is plenty of time to talk about what we liked, or in some cases, didn't. Each of our writers has outlined (roughly) two things that they were most excited about at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. Michael Brown – Editorial Director Professor Layton and the Unwound Future It's no secret that I am absolutely...
Looksley’s Line Up
3D seems to be all the rage nowadays, with the Playstation 3 making the leap to 3D gaming and Nintendo’s own 3D enabled handheld to be presented next month. Looksley’s Line Up is ahead of the curve, a 3D enabled head-tracking game that has you hunting down hidden pictures in a unique puzzle game that sadly is held back with some hardware limitations. Looksley’s Line Up is a downloadable...
Who Knew Math Was Fun?
Well to be clear it’s not exactly math, but it’s a very interesting variation that makes for a refreshing experience in the puzzle genre; one I never embarked on upon it’s initial release. But with Picross 3D launching next week I figured it was time I finally gave the original, Picross DS, a shot. The game has you unveil squares on a grid to reveal a picture inside....
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
While most gamers are familiar with series like Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy, another of Japan's longest running RPG series seems to fall by the wayside. Developed by Atlus, the Megami Tensei games are much like those developed by Square and Enix. While a coherent story line isn't shared between the various games in the series, basic gameplay mechanics are shared throughout. Many of the Megami...
Wario Ware DIY
User made content has been all the rage lately. With games that are driven by user created content like Little Big Planet and Spore getting so much attention it was only a matter of time before Nintendo jumped in with their own design. For some the choice of the vehicle Nintendo used for the concept was surprising. The Wario Ware franchise was made famous for the micro-game concept; games too mini...
I Love my Layton
Since it's release I've been a big fan of the Professor Layton series, in fact, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box was my favorite game of 2009. For those unfamiliar with the series, you play as Professor Layton, a professor (of course) tasked with solving some sort of mystery (it depends on the game). Unlike most other games there is actually no combat, instead you must solve...
