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[PS3] Lost Dimension (demo)

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    [PS3] Lost Dimension (demo)

    Lost Dimension is the new game from the developers of Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey, out next week in Japan, with a demon available now on the Japanese PSN.

    Unfortunately, it has a huge language barrier. Understanding how the mission mechanics work is easy, however you have a huge part where you select characters' skills, have characters interact with each other, and try to catch a traitor among your group entirely in Japanese, with little to no English or even spoken lines to help. Maybe the full game will have more voiceovers, but it's safe to say that this game will be out of reach to many people if some western publisher doesn't pick this up...which I'll find very strange if someone doesn't.

    The demo throws you right into the first mission, where you are explained everything. Missions are turn based, you move all your characters, then the enemy does the same. Movement is free, like Valkyria Chronicles, and position is very important, as characters can support each other, weapons can affect areas of various shapes or single enemies, and enemies can use your same tactics.
    All weapons and skills have a range, and if you attack an enemy with a weapon that outranges yours, it will counterattack; same thing goes for enemies, of course. Skills consume "SAN", I think it stands for sanity, which is regained by killing enemies.
    At the end of a mission you are graded, up to S, and higher the rank, better the reward will be. The main character will also receive a vision, with all characters that undertook the mission will say something: this connects to the story, as apparently there's a traitor among your group: everyone knows there is one (how is never explained), but nobody knows his or her identity. By changing the active party members, it's probably possible to figure out the traitor and bring him/her to justice in the Judge System, where not only you, but the whole "friendly" cast votes on the character to eliminate.
    It's possible to use Vision Points to really know what a character thinks, and after a mission you can engage in conversation with a limited number of characters (usually two), hoping to improve relationships. Relationships are not just between the main character and the rest of the cast, but also between all other characters.

    This aspect of the game seems extremely well done, but completely out of my reach for complete understanding. Just like skills ad their progression tree, and it's highly likely that this is the strongest point of the game, as missions in the demo aren't particularly engaging.

    I have the complete game on preorder, and the demo left a positive impression, language barrier notwithstanding. I really hope this will get an English release soon.
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