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In short:
+ Like Animal Crossing meets SimCity with the "just a few minutes more" factor of both.
- No chance of an English-language release and practically inaccessible to those who can't read/understand Japanese.
8/10
In full:
After seeing this in Famitsu a few months back I was very tempted. The idea of a more up-close SimCity intriged me, and all the Japanese shops that are part of it was a bit of a novelty.
The first play:
Wow, this is easy. All I have to do is to make the road and put houses and shops in place. Then I go and talk to the people to make friends and then they'll introduce their friends and when I get to the necessary number of inhabitants I'll go to the next stage. And then the next stage.
The next play:
Eh? Why are those places flashing? They want things? How am I supposed to give them what they want? Hey, don't leave! What am I supposed to do? Argh! Hmph, this game isn't as interesting as I thought it would be...
The next day:
A-ha! When someone wants something their building will flash the corresponding colour for what they want. If I talk to people more and can help them out they'll give me their phone numbers and I can get them to move from the previous stage to this one. And once someone has told me they what want, I can ask other people if they know anyone who can help. And if I DON'T go to the next stage for a while I can build up a large number of phone numbers and the next level will be easier...
And it carried on like that. After the initial difficulties with the game system (not talking to people renders the game unplayable impossible) I found myself unable to stop playing. I would solve one problem, like some residents want an office to work in, and then the office would want somewhere to eat, and then...etc.
By making friends with all your residents and helping them out you'll be able to fill your phone book. And thus we have the TRUE idea of the game - it's a collect'em-up. But you'll never think that as you play, you'll be thinking about who might know someone who (e.g.) works in a petrol station. So you go and ask at one of the ENEOS (petrol station) in your town and they don't know. You go across town and ask a woman in MOS Burger, and she tells you to go and speak to a certain person in Pizza Hut as they might have a friend that does. And so on.
There are three numbers on your display to keep an eye on: your health, as the higher this is the faster you can run; your popularity, as the less popular you are the more likely people are to move out of your town; and your money, as this is what enables you to buy stuff in shops, naturally. Things you buy can be consumed or given to others as presents. If they don't like it, they won't accept it so you can save money.
As you talk to people your popularity will increase slightly. Sometimes they'll ask you about certain things, and from then on (back to a flaw in this later) you can ask others about it. If, by chance, you guess right and ask someone about their hobby they'll be even happier and might give you their number on the spot. Great. But try to talk to the same person twice in one day and you'll be told to leave them alone as they're busy.
Flaws? Only two I've found.
The first is a bugger at times. As I mentioned in the paragraph above, sometimes people will ask you about a hobby/interest and then you can pose the same question to others UNLESS you close the DS or quit the game. This resets the questions you can ask. When saving and quiting I don't think it's necessary, but when you need to close the DS to do something (work in my case) losing those questions is a pain as you have to do more work to get into people's good books.
The second is a minor graphical error. Once (and only once) I walked out of a building to find myself buried in the ground. I could still move around, talk to people and go into buildings but it looked odd. After restarting there was no problem. Odd.
Overall
Having to communicate with the inhabitants of your town is very reminicent of Animal Crossing, as are the rewards for being a good friend to them. The city making and having to think carefully about where to put what bulding is very similar to SimCity but no where as detailed or as constant. You'll spend more time running around trying to find someone who knows a Supermarket owner, etc. which can be a little frustating at times. The satisfaction from helping them and having them introduce another famous chain to your town is more than enough to compensate. I was so happy when someone introducted me to the manager of a Freshness Burger, it was completely illogical. But there you go.
Will this get a release outside Japan? I don't know. I'm not sure if D3 publisher themselves release games outside Japan or license them out. This would involve ALL the companies featured in the game agreeing to have their trademarks used together. I don't know what it is about Japanese companies and the fact that they CAN get along on projects like this (the Super Robot Taisen series also springs to mind).
8/10 from me.
There is also a PS2 version, again, Japan only and I've not played it. Though seeing the company I used to (*cough*) work for included in the original is even more amusing.
If anyone is tempted to get this and needs some help with the basics (words for Police station, etc.) and navigating menus, just let me know.
In short:
+ Like Animal Crossing meets SimCity with the "just a few minutes more" factor of both.
- No chance of an English-language release and practically inaccessible to those who can't read/understand Japanese.
8/10
In full:
After seeing this in Famitsu a few months back I was very tempted. The idea of a more up-close SimCity intriged me, and all the Japanese shops that are part of it was a bit of a novelty.
The first play:
Wow, this is easy. All I have to do is to make the road and put houses and shops in place. Then I go and talk to the people to make friends and then they'll introduce their friends and when I get to the necessary number of inhabitants I'll go to the next stage. And then the next stage.
The next play:
Eh? Why are those places flashing? They want things? How am I supposed to give them what they want? Hey, don't leave! What am I supposed to do? Argh! Hmph, this game isn't as interesting as I thought it would be...
The next day:
A-ha! When someone wants something their building will flash the corresponding colour for what they want. If I talk to people more and can help them out they'll give me their phone numbers and I can get them to move from the previous stage to this one. And once someone has told me they what want, I can ask other people if they know anyone who can help. And if I DON'T go to the next stage for a while I can build up a large number of phone numbers and the next level will be easier...
And it carried on like that. After the initial difficulties with the game system (not talking to people renders the game unplayable impossible) I found myself unable to stop playing. I would solve one problem, like some residents want an office to work in, and then the office would want somewhere to eat, and then...etc.
By making friends with all your residents and helping them out you'll be able to fill your phone book. And thus we have the TRUE idea of the game - it's a collect'em-up. But you'll never think that as you play, you'll be thinking about who might know someone who (e.g.) works in a petrol station. So you go and ask at one of the ENEOS (petrol station) in your town and they don't know. You go across town and ask a woman in MOS Burger, and she tells you to go and speak to a certain person in Pizza Hut as they might have a friend that does. And so on.
There are three numbers on your display to keep an eye on: your health, as the higher this is the faster you can run; your popularity, as the less popular you are the more likely people are to move out of your town; and your money, as this is what enables you to buy stuff in shops, naturally. Things you buy can be consumed or given to others as presents. If they don't like it, they won't accept it so you can save money.
As you talk to people your popularity will increase slightly. Sometimes they'll ask you about certain things, and from then on (back to a flaw in this later) you can ask others about it. If, by chance, you guess right and ask someone about their hobby they'll be even happier and might give you their number on the spot. Great. But try to talk to the same person twice in one day and you'll be told to leave them alone as they're busy.
Flaws? Only two I've found.
The first is a bugger at times. As I mentioned in the paragraph above, sometimes people will ask you about a hobby/interest and then you can pose the same question to others UNLESS you close the DS or quit the game. This resets the questions you can ask. When saving and quiting I don't think it's necessary, but when you need to close the DS to do something (work in my case) losing those questions is a pain as you have to do more work to get into people's good books.
The second is a minor graphical error. Once (and only once) I walked out of a building to find myself buried in the ground. I could still move around, talk to people and go into buildings but it looked odd. After restarting there was no problem. Odd.
Overall
Having to communicate with the inhabitants of your town is very reminicent of Animal Crossing, as are the rewards for being a good friend to them. The city making and having to think carefully about where to put what bulding is very similar to SimCity but no where as detailed or as constant. You'll spend more time running around trying to find someone who knows a Supermarket owner, etc. which can be a little frustating at times. The satisfaction from helping them and having them introduce another famous chain to your town is more than enough to compensate. I was so happy when someone introducted me to the manager of a Freshness Burger, it was completely illogical. But there you go.
Will this get a release outside Japan? I don't know. I'm not sure if D3 publisher themselves release games outside Japan or license them out. This would involve ALL the companies featured in the game agreeing to have their trademarks used together. I don't know what it is about Japanese companies and the fact that they CAN get along on projects like this (the Super Robot Taisen series also springs to mind).
8/10 from me.
There is also a PS2 version, again, Japan only and I've not played it. Though seeing the company I used to (*cough*) work for included in the original is even more amusing.
If anyone is tempted to get this and needs some help with the basics (words for Police station, etc.) and navigating menus, just let me know.
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