Anyone else pick up Sands of Destruction? My impressions inside!

Sands of Destruction impressions.

So far, the game is solid and a overall, high-quality JRPG for the DS.

Presentation:

Really good. It's basically like the really good classic PS1 RPGs, which never got pass that Final Fantasy status but still good enough to hold its own.

Graphics:

Excellent for the DS. The backgrounds are full 3D where you can rotate them with the L & R buttons. Only the towns are isometric like Xenogears. The designs and art is really superb. Everything looks crisp and colorful.

Sound/Music:

Masteful music because the score is done by Yasunori Mitsuda, who's like a idol to JRPG fans. The sounds are good too. Voice overs is hit and miss, but at least it's in there.

Gameplay:

Battles are random but it doesn't feel too bad. It's traditional random battles type of thing but the battle system is where it's a but different and more innovative. It plays and flows like the old Valkyrie Profile game where you press the buttons for everything. You can do combos, magic, all with buttons instead of scrolling through attack, defense, etc. The battles aren't too dragging either. It's pretty brisk and fun.

Story:

Well, it's good and bad. Good because it's a solid JRPG. Bad because it's another JRPG. Still, to JRPG fans, famialiarity isn't really a bad thing as long as the game is good. And this game is a good addition to the excellent DS JRPG library.

Some screens:

It's supposed to be like Xenogears and made by JRPG vets.

Releases next week!

I'm tentatively looking forward to it. If I had more money right now, it would be higher up on my priority list. But at the moment, I don't think I'll be able to get it for a while. *sighs*

This is most likely going to be my next DS purchase. Like I said before (last time I killed this thread), I'm a bit short of money now, so it might bea short while.

too many games D;, sands of destruction, glory of herecles, dementium 2, pokemon hg/ss, golden sun ds D: my wallet is already running dry .merch

Only two complains: The battle system and the cutescenes.

Like, after that you realize that the flurry chains are much more powerful than everything, else there's no motive to use anything else, what broke the entire battle system.

And the cutescenes? Long, annoyng, and, exceptions aside, very poor voice acting. Oh, and of course, i play RPGs ONLY because o their plot, so, at least for me, this is a BIG problem, because the plot is driven entirely by these cutescenes.

Only two complains: The battle system and the cutescenes.

Like, after that you realize that the flurry chains are much more powerful than everything, else there's no motive to use anything else, what broke the entire battle system.

And the cutescenes? Long, annoyng, and, exceptions aside, very poor voice acting. Oh, and of course, i play RPGs ONLY because o their plot, so, at least for me, this is a BIG problem, because the plot is driven entirely by these cutescenes.

Icare0

[QUOTE="Icare0"]

Only two complains: The battle system and the cutescenes.

Like, after that you realize that the flurry chains are much more powerful than everything, else there's no motive to use anything else, what broke the entire battle system.

And the cutescenes? Long, annoyng, and, exceptions aside, very poor voice acting. Oh, and of course, i play RPGs ONLY because o their plot, so, at least for me, this is a BIG problem, because the plot is driven entirely by these cutescenes.

SaltyMeatballs

It would be good, but critical hits doesn't do higher damage than chaining flurrys, and uses the same amont of BP. And I don't see the point of a auto-KO'ing attack, if nothing survives a flurry combo, save for bosses, who are imune to auto-KO anyway.

Anyway, I'll check if trading a second flurry chain for an air launch does more damage. After I upgrade the air flurry chain, of course.

And just out of curiosity, what have you used after launching the Porcus Rex in the air? Air blows?

KO, as in you can then do a big combo on it. Critical hits give you an extra turn.

When you send a enemy in the air, it doesn't use normal air blows, you use follow up attack which does a massive damage combo attack. On Taupy it should be called Victory Dance. Normal enemies like those Wasps is when you use normal air blows, etc.

When you KO a guy, you can also do a follow up attack.

KO, as in you can then do a big combo on it. Critical hits give you an extra turn.

When you send a enemy in the air, it doesn't use normal air blows, you use follow up attack which does a massive damage combo attack. On Taupy it should be called Victory Dance. Normal enemies like those Wasps is when you use normal air blows, etc.

When you KO a guy, you can also do a follow up attack.

SaltyMeatballs

Then, you've got a point. Tried, and it's true.

But this raises another problem. The game already was cakewalk when I weren't using all this stuff. Now i don't want to play because it's too 'freakin easy. It's like Easier Than Easy, but for the entire game. "Failture is simply not possible."

Yeah, it makes the MANY random encounters tedious.

Also, I guess a way to make it harder is to use crap equipment :PSaltyMeatballs

Self Imposed Challenge won't change the fact that the game is painfully easy.

Still, even with crap equipment, you will still receive near nill damage.

[QUOTE="SaltyMeatballs"]Also, I guess a way to make it harder is to use crap equipment :PIcare0

Self Imposed Challenge won't change the fact that the game is painfully easy.

Still, even with crap equipment, you will still receive near nill damage.

A job well done! I'm about 2 hours in and I'm liking it so far, and I know it's only going to get better once I am given the chance to Fortify. Oh yeah, those photos do the game no justice...I'm surprised IGN uploaded such **** quality images..talk about over sharpened & washed out colors.