Otogi: Myth of Demons
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Sega Developer: FromSoftware Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action
Graphics & Sound: How many times have you heard the phrase 'old school' in the past month? Hell, the past week? It seems that the term 'old school' is slowly coming into the vernacular of many gamers, especially among newer gamers (the ones who started with the PSX and can't see how people played 2D games). The problem is that somewhere in the overuse of the word, the meaning has been lost. Traditionally, old school described games before the PSX. These games were 2D, had little in terms of story and usually only allowed 3 lives and maybe a continue or two. Save points every three feet were non-existent, the games were hard as hell and usually lasted longer than a week. Much like Contra and Maximo, Otogi: Myth of Demons is old school. Not in the 'new' sense of the word, but in the old, legit version. Otogi is short on story, big on mindless hack-n-slash and hard to boot. This, of course, is what makes it great. Visually, Otogi is eerily reminiscent of Panzer Dragoon: Orta. The worlds presented in the game are extremely lush and detailed - which should make for a few very happy Xbox owners. The entire game has a wonderfully oriental look to it, while managing to give each area its own unique look. Ever seen an anime where the character unleashes an amazingly powerful attack and after the dust settles, all that's left is a ruined wasteland of the area? That's a typical level in Otogi after you're done with it. Character designs are also very well crafted. I was especially impressed with the special effects the game manages to pull off without beating them into overuse. The game's ability to display dozens of enemies without slowdown is also something worth mentioning. Now, if only the game fared as well in the sound department. It's not that Otogi sounds bad, it's just that it doesn't stand out as much as the graphics. There's the occasional cool effect like wood shattering and metal clanging, but this is something we've all heard before. The music is nice, but forgettable -- and the English voice acting is sub-par (of course this could be because I've recently been spoiled with the excellent voice work in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness). There's very little to not like here, there's just nothing to get excited over.
Gameplay: In a way, I like to think that Otogi: Myth of Demons is something of an apology from Sega for Shinobi. Fast paced action, swords slashing every which way, enemies dying left and right. At the heart of it all, Otogi is everything Shinobi should have been. Keeping with its old school roots, Otogi is very short on story. Raikoh is the last member of a clan that guards the bridge between life and death. Basically, he's the grim reaper and in charge of administering the deathblow when it's your time to go. Despite not liking his job, Raikoh goes about doing it anyway, until he's forced to kill his father. After fleeing, Raikoh dies but is resurrected by a princess who promises to bring him back to life if he does her a favor. This isn't exactly the stuff Final Fantasies are made of, but it gives a purpose for those who seek reason. Personally, killing demons was enough of one for me. And so, you travel through 29 levels killing everything you come across and wreaking general havoc across the land. Not content to be just a hack-n-slash game, Otogi also features a few RPG elements. After completing levels you'll be awarded with gold and exp. Exp, obviously, allows your character to become stronger and gold lets you buy all sorts of fun weapons such as swords (both single and double bladed) and staffs. You can also purchase magic and other accessories.
Difficulty: Just as with Contra: Shattered Soldier, I don't think many gamers who were weaned on the PSX will appreciate the beauty of Otogi: Myth of Demons' difficulty level. This game is by no means easy and it will take you multiple tries to complete some levels. The great part about it is that Otogi rarely crosses over into the area of frustration where you want to snap the disc in two. The game is a definite challenge, but one that's surprisingly addictive and fun.
Game Mechanics: So I've been harping on Otogi: Myth of Demons being old school, so I'm sure you were expecting things to fall apart in the control area. At least, that's what I was thinking. Let's be honest here folks, as many of us that say 'you know, the camera system isn't that bad', each and every one of us gets frustrated at sloppy camera work. This is a bane of the 3D era and it's something that rears its head during the game. It's easy to say 'it's not that bad', but when I'm fighting ten or twelve enemies, the last thing I want to do is worry about tweaking the camera. Otogi does, however, offer a lock-on system, which helps to somewhat remedy the situation. Other than camera issues, Otogi's controls are sharp and solid. Attacks are handled with two buttons that never change (even if you arm a different weapon). Pressing these attack buttons with precise timing unleashes a slew of combos that look just plain cool. Pressing A makes Raikoh jump, with a double press causing him to double jump. Once in the air, Raikoh can still fight, which is always fun. Magic plays a major part in combat and will provide some of the flashier moments in gameplay. Pressing X casts a 'normal' spell. Hold the X button charges the spell -- which results in an overdrive version of the spell that usually destroys everything in its wake. As great as it is, Otogi isn't perfect. Some will find the game a little too shallow, while many others will find it way too hard. In the end, Otogi is an excellent throwback to the old days of gaming and should appeal to the older generation of gamers. Overall, the game is fun and well worth the purchase.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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