Little Town Hero
Nintendo Switch
CONSIDERING how hardly any news about Little Town Hero hit gaming circles from inception to release, pundits wouldn’t have been wrong to buttress its status as a “Little Known Title” when it finally made its way to the Nintendo eShop last week. It was announced with no fanfare and scant information in August last year. Even then, the public knew, well, little apart from its genre (role-playing game), working title (Town), and synopsis (a young lead defending a — what else? — town from monsters). And, after that, virtually nothing was heard of it until the week before its Oct. 16 launch.
To be sure, not all releases for the Switch are given the red-carpet treatment. If anything, the opposite has become the norm; few out of the sheer number of intellectual properties being developed for the hybrid console at any given time get their turn in the spotlight. Nonetheless, the relative dearth of information about Little Town Hero is nothing short of remarkable; after all, no less than Game Freak — responsible for the videogame arm of Pokémon, the biggest media franchise in the world — steered it to fruition. Little wonder, then, that gamers all but became prospectors, with material on the title, among them an official video showing the first 20 minutes of gameplay close to release date, treated as rare finds.
No doubt, the radio silence was deliberate. In controlling the flow of information, Game Freak succeeded in whetting the appetite of gamers all the more. And, in retrospect, it was right to do so. Little Town Hero manages to live up to expectations and serves as ample proof of the viability of the developer’s Gear Project initiative, which encourages programmers to break from its flagship Pokémon series and work on innovative concepts as a means to “recharge” their creative juices. Put succinctly, the developer’s first RPG outside the Pokémon series since Bushi Seiryūden: Futari no Yūsha for the Super Famicom in 1997 works because of a unique willingness — a preferential option, even — to be different.
Little Town Hero’s initial impression screams typical. It presents the lead character within a simple storyline: Axe is inquisitive and full of youthful vigor, bent on seeing the world that lies beyond his town. Unfortunately, the castle he aims to serve likewise prevents him — and all other subjects — from leaving, keeping them in as a way to keep monsters out. As the latter somehow penetrate the boundaries, anyway, he moves to take the invaders on with help from his friends, among them sidekick Nelz, old reliable Pasmina, and “rival” Matock, training from castle guard Angard (a clear allusion to the fencing term), and a red stone that gives him the power to do so.
As linear as Little Town Hero’s narrative progression may be, the gameplay is far from rote. As with most other RPGs, exploration of the overworld and interaction with non-playable characters are crucial to advancement. And unlike most other RPGs, leveling up and grinding, not to mention collecting currency and equipment, are deemed unnecessary. No random battles occur; nor do they need to be sought for the buildup of talents. Even as a skill tree is used, climbing it becomes inevitable via combat triggered by specific events.
Considering the direction of longtime Pokémon series programmer Masao Taya, Little Town Hero’s singularly spectacular turn-based battle system should come as no surprise. And yet it does manage to call attention as the game’s foundation, and not merely because of its unorthodox mechanics that, for lack of a better description, represent an amalgamation of, say, Mario Party and Slay the Spire. Thought bubbles that frame ideas (labeled “Izzits”) from which actions (“Dazzits”) are concretized and consolidated through the dispensation of ability points (three to start and increasing by one every three turns to a maximum of six). The results are then pitted against those of the enemies, with the turn ending after the hands are exhausted. Movement along the combat board is then possible, after which another turn commences. And so on and so forth until victory is crafted or defeat is suffered, whatever the case may be.
For all the seeming complexities, Little Town Hero’s gameplay is thankfully intuitive. Battles can last long, but wind up being appropriately rewarding, never mind the hand — no pun intended — that randomness plays in outcomes. Buffs and boosts can be triggered by well-thought-out action sequences and character placements, and a fair share of strategizing is required to take advantage of enemy weaknesses. Which, as an aside, provide the bases for side quests en route; townsfolk with whom relationships were hitherto made and fortified actually get to help from the sidelines during combat.
For the most part, Little Town Hero looks and sounds great; as is representative of Game Freak’s intellectual properties, it boasts of colorful cel-shaded visuals and vibrant music (influenced by the direction of Undertale’s Toby Fox and Pokémon’s Hitomi Sato). Animations are likewise beautifully rendered, although their frequency can stifle pace and, apparently, put a crimp on hardware resources; transitions occasionally lead to graphical slowdowns, especially with the Switch undocked. Parenthetically, the Animal Crossing-type synthesized tones emitted during conversations can take some getting used to.
In the final analysis, Little Town Hero provides value well beyond its $24.99 price tag. It certainly lives up to its name; designed as a deck builder in RPG clothing, it figures to keep gamers immersed for a good 15 hours or so. Oozing with humor and charm, it both provides substance to Game Freak’s Gear Project enterprise and makes the wait for the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield next month all the more worthwhile.
THE GOOD:
• Complex, but not complicated, combat system
• Outstanding audio-visual presentation
• Offers good value for money
THE BAD:
• Battles can take a while
• Forced animations wear out their welcome
• Occasional graphical lags
RATING: 8.5/10
POSTSCRIPT: Don’t be fooled by the name. FUZE4 may carry the title of an adrenaline-pumping racer or futuristic action romp, but it’s neither. In fact, it isn’t even a game. Rather, it’s a tool for coding games, and, as described in Nintendo’s official site, “designed and developed by a team of experienced gamers, programmers, artists, and educators. The end result is a language ideally suited to coding games and apps for absolute beginners and seasoned programmers alike.” In other words, it’s not out to provide quick fixes for those unable to stop fidgeting in their seats for long periods at a time.
FUZE4 isn’t cheap. At $39.99, it comes off as a Nintendo eShop offering that requires careful consideration prior to purchase. For those serious in their intent to learn — or further expand their knowledge — about the intricacies of game programming, however, it promptly exposes itself as a decided bargain; on tap are a thousand dollars’ worth of assets that can be used to create two- and three-dimensional models for gaming content across a variety of genres. The interface is both intuitive and well-designed, with support for Joy-Con, touchscreen, and even keyboard inputs. And, most importantly, it features tons of support for newbies; tutorials and on-the-fly references replete with explanations and examples are easily accessible.
Needless to say, there’s a learning curve even for the resolute and well-prepared. On the other hand, FUZE4 does an excellent job of starting slow, and then of escalating the transfer of knowledge, and always at the users’ pace. Actions and accompanying texts of code are first shown, followed by the requirement of simple commands to get objects to move on the screen, and then of inputting changes to existing programming to see their effects.
Make no mistake. FUZE4 can, and likely will, be daunting. There can be no sugar-coating the effort needed to progress. That said, the possibilities are endless. The extent of the imagination is the only limit, and, in this regard, the key is not to see the absorption of information as a means to an end, but also as an end in and of itself. (8.5/10)
As a turn-based role-playing game with a grandiose storyline, Battle Chasers: Nightwar appears more fit for consoles or personal computer systems. All the same, Handy Games succeeds in porting the iteration of noted artist Joe Madureira’s fantasy comic-book series over to iOS devices without hardly any noticeable compromises. It certainly starts off big, with an engrossing cinematic setting up the premise. Principal protagonist Gully and airship mates Garrison, Calibretto, Red Monika, and Knowlan find themselves stranded in a mysterious island after being shot down by unknown forces. A wealth of mana in the area subjects them to hordes of enemies, and their efforts to stay alive while finding out the reasons for their predicament form the crux of the narrative.
Controls and feedback are slick and fast on both mobile phone and tablet. Battle Chasers: Nightwar requires movement over a significant area, and screen taps along the overworld and inside dungeons are nothing if not responsive. Random encounters during exploration phases or specific quests abound, and difficulty spikes can be jarring. Thusly, grinding becomes a must in order for the characters to level up their skills and abilities. And while only three at a time can participate in combat, all will have to be in the rota to keep the party balanced. Battle gauges fill up to unlock on demand individual and group attacks that magnify their power.
On the whole, Battle Chasers: Nightwar packs a wallop, featuring an art style that stays true to its source material, a soundtrack that succeeds in setting the proper moods, and tons of action within a compelling plot that ties everything together. And it’s technically efficient as well; graphical options abound, allowing gamers to go for high-resolution settings under optimal conditions or select lower ones to prolong battery life. In any case, they can save their progress, quit the game at any time, and pick up from where they left off whenever they want. In short, it’s perfect for gaming on the go. At $9.99, it comes highly recommended. (8/10)
THE LAST WORD: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is coming to the Switch. Recently rated for the platform by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the first-person shooter has gamers assuming the role of gunslinger Silas Greaves and using any and all sorts of weapons to upend enemies. Shootouts are highlighted by realistic gunfire, cries of pain, slow-motion effects, and large splashes of blood. Developer Techland, which acquired the rights to the Call of Juarez series last year, is gearing up for a big reveal later this week.
