Lair

[Yoshimax]

If this doesn't arrive from VG+ tomorrow I am going to take someones life

WANT... NEED... NOW!!

Come on then where's the impressions ? Compared to most first plays on here in the first few days of a games release this one is particularly muted which doesn't bode well - especially after all the hype the majority were pumping out for it.

[Mardigan8]

Right... didnt get a chance to get involved with it last night hence the late impressions, apologies. Bottom line... this is NOT the turkey it is being made out be. I dont doubt that with additional time this could have been VERY special but it is by no means the low scoring mess it has been made out to be. Be warned, these impressions are going to cover what is RIGHT with the game

The controls, for all the bitching and moaning about lock ons and tilt I was really worried but I have yet to find a move that has been too fiddly to carry out. The variety of controls the Dragon has are quite impressive, you can dogfight, you can engage in side by side Dragon battles, you can execute "Takedowns" that kick off a small QTE moment for your character to swing through the air in a variety of ways to take down an opposing Dragon and its rider. You can lay waste to hundreds of ground troops, either by landing and taking over the ground controls (Immense fun) or by carrying out a fly by where you line up a strafing run, dive, then let your flames spew as you pass the feeling of empowerment this game gives you is pretty good. Bear in mind it aint easy to pull all this off but spend some time with the tutorials and you will get the rewards. I done the first couple of missions then went back to the tutorials, unlocking a new tutorial every time I done one and now feel confident about dealing with whatever challenges the game is going to throw at me. It will take practice to get real enjoyment out of this and this is obviously where the reviewers decided to pack it in, but it is practice that is worth getting as the stuff the Daragon cando in the riht hands is AMAZING.

As has been said before the visuls go from jaw on the floor to a bit shoddy, but in the middle of a HUGE battle and beleive me these battles are HUGE any problems are hard to notice. Picture the scenes during the final battle of 'The Return of the King' and you will have an idea of what these battle scenes look like. If the opening few set pieces are anything to go by this game is gonna be very interesting. The levels themselves are wonderfully constructed. The opening mission has you defending the Alysian Temple annd you have to engage opposing Dragons aswell as a naval fleet. The architecture of the Temple and the surrounding area is gorgeous and is a beutiful setting for the carnage that ensues. Flying around using the camera to pan about gets you some beautiful shots of the land and hopefully later levels will build on this. All this is complimented with some wonderful animations for the Dragon itself and the rider, which are best shown during the QTE events mid fight, they really are nice. Any framerate problems that have been cited in the past are nicely disguised with motion blur as you pan the camera during battle and it is never enough to take anything away from the good stuff that is going on.

I had been looking forward to this for quite a while and am delighted I kept faith and am finally getting to enjoy it. Sure there are things that could be better but as I expected the good stuff massively outweighs the bad.

NTSC is the first place I come to truly get a sense of how a game is being received and I doubt this will ever change. Multiple reviews fed me nonsense, TBM gave me just his view and it had more truth in it that any of the reviews I read... I hope others feel the same with this.

If this even remotely tweaked your interest then I expect you to enjoy it. Give it time, get use to the controls and there is a LOT of fun to be had.

Oh, and another cool thing... there are moments where you have to keep your ground troops morale up during a battle by delivering killer moves or laying waste to another ground army, so, I landed in the middle of a ground battle, created a circle of fire around my Dragon, killed anyone who was left standing and watched my own troops cheer as there morale meter went back up someone try and tell me they dont think that is cool

EDIT: Also, the score is perfect for this type of game. Much like the operatic stuff used in the LOTR films it sways and flows perfectly with the action and adds a real sense of drama to the events.

[Mardigan8]

Continuation from Headline thread...

The targetting is actually ok, once you work it out. A simple click of the shoulder button locks on to the target that is highlighted in white, locking it on and making the target ring go red instead of white. And when it works mid air and you lock on to another dragon the camera gives you a lovely fly by view as you attack the target... it works, it could be better yes, but it works.

[hudson]

Is there an option to control your dragon with the analog sticks or are you forced to use motion sensor controls only?

[Number45]

Forced to motion controls I believe, otherwise I don't think it would have been so heavily panned.

[hudson]

aah pants. Thanks.

[Mardigan8]

Yes, aerial controls are compulsory using the Tilt. It changes to the stick when you land and fight on the ground.

[Dragon2k4]

The only way to use a analog stick/nub is by playing via remote PSP apparently - will this mean only on the PSP screen or via the big screen? hmmm...

[Number45]

But then you lose two of the shoulder buttons as well, so I'm not sure how well that's going to work?

[Yoshimax]

Future patch for twin stick control ? If the demand's there......

[Mardigan8]

Yeah, if you use the PSP then apparently you dont have any brake buttons, which are actually quite handy.

[Yoshimax]

I'm amazed at the concept that the PSP has gone from a kind of all round multifunctioning "console in your hands" to a controller for PS3

[chopemon]

I'm amazed at the concept that the PSP has gone from a kind of all round multifunctioning "console in your hands" to a controller for PS3

Some would say a jack of all trades and master of none.

I am amazed that you can use it to control Lair but it just seems to be something that has randomly happened rather than a collective vision on Sony's part.

I watched the Game Trailers review earlier, are the bugs that they show (camera clipping through the geometry a lot and dragon combat animations getting locked in one pose) happen a lot?

[Mardigan8]

Some would say a jack of all trades and master of none.

I am amazed that you can use it to control Lair but it just seems to be something that has randomly happened rather than a collective vision on Sony's part.

I watched the Game Trailers review earlier, are the bugs that they show (camera clipping through the geometry a lot and dragon combat animations getting locked in one pose) happen a lot?

The only thing I have seen is the Dragon getting caught in the scenery once but a quick flick and a 180 sorted that... I have seen none of the issues you mention Chopemon... every combat animation for the Dragon battles so far has been lovely to watch.

And flying high above 2 huge opposing armies of ground troops, flicking the pad so the Dragon dives, then flying low torching the enemy troops in flame, then rising up into the air just does not loose its appeal

[Yoshimax]

I've got to say if I was a reviewer and I received a copy of this game with that poor excuse for a "reviewers guide" I'd instantly mark it down just for that - what a gargantuan f-up they just can't stop themselves.