Last Window [NDS]

[fuji]

Surprised not to see a first play thread here for Cings swan song Last Window: The Secret of Cape West. Been playing for about 25mins so just general impressions so far.

Plays almost exactly like Hotel Dusk with the same interface and controls, though noticed a new(?) slide button which allows you to pan the view when you want to look at a particular set of objects.

The usual high quality 'Aha' video animation and presentation particularly the game intro and the usual groove jazz funk music which is so reminiscent of Cing games. Even the 'parp' jingle is back from the first game!

Not sure if its me but the graphics when traversing the rooms seem to be sharper and less blocky when compared to Eye of Providence. No option to turn of the usual tap tap sound associated with every word character appearing on the screen tap tap (a bug bear of mine)

Theres a 'rumble' option feature in the game but can't comment as playing on a DSi

First 10 mins into the game already meet four people and you can see the story/plot line building, quite intriguing. First puzzle is a simple

->Open Spoiler<-

combination dial

, took me a few goes but managed to open though even though the numbers are written down in Kyles scrapbook lol!

Am taking my time savouring the game and trying not to rush reading through the text!

[kernow]

Really enjoyed the first, if I still had a DS I'd definitely be interested in this one.

[fuse]

Not sure if waiting for a US release is just going to leave me high and dry, but I really don't want to have to get the PAL version. I quite enjoyed Again but it wasn't up to the standards of Hotel Dusk, if this one is up to the standards of the original then I'm sure I'd love it.

[Baseley09]

Not sure if waiting for a US release is just going to leave me high and dry, but I really don't want to have to get the PAL version.

Why....is it 50hz/bordered

[fuse]

I am fully aware I am setting myself up here to look like a prick, but I can't stand the PAL boxes. They're twice as thick for no good reason and have bland-o spine text.

[J0e Musashi]

CERO spineage is where it's at.

</Elitism>

[Nu-Eclipse]

I am fully aware I am setting myself up here to look like a prick, but I can't stand the PAL boxes. They're twice as thick for no good reason and have bland-o spine text.

Totally see where you're coming from, but you may not have a choice. Could be wrong but Last Window STILL hasn't been given confirmation of a US release date (remember - NOE trademarked the name Last Window in Europe sometime ago). There's a good chance that it might not see a US release at all in the same way that Again didn't see a UK/EU release.

As things stand, you either grit your teeth and purchase the UK/EU version or resort to the JPN original version.

[fuji]

Now on Chapter 4 and still enjoying it, despite meeting new people every 5 minutes or so. Puzzles are fairly easy nothing too head scratching or frustrating, though you do have to do a bit of hunting around looking for objects very carefully.

Had a couple of game over screens on Chapter 3 where I picked the wrong conversation/reply option. Game restarts you back just before you start the conversation so not too bad, but you do have to wade through reams of text all over again, so if you fail a second time it can get a tad annoying.

Theres a jukebox in the cafe so you can listen to tunes you've already encountered in the game, much like in the first game if I recall correctly. Would be nice to get out of the main building, hopefully not stuck in there for the whole game... Oh the girl who works in the cafe is kinda hot!

[briareos_kerensky]

Thread resurrection, I've just completed the game after buying it a month or so ago and I thought to share my ideas on it.

Being the direct successor to Hotel Dusk, The Last Window plays the same and there are more than a few direct links to the previous game, though they aren't vital to understand TLW's own storyline; everything you need to know about Kyle Hyde, ex police officer turned salesman, is explained thoroughly and the only thing that can put off newcomers is a cameo of a very special character from Hotel Dusk.

Once again the game is confined inside the walls of an apartment building of sorts, central to the plot, as are some of the characters living in it; others play a supporting role and aren't directly connected to the various events behind the mystery hidden in this place, but everyone is well fleshed out and no character feels like he/she has been crammed there just for the sake of creating more plot twists or for some strange coincidence: this is a distinctive edge that TLW holds over Hotel Dusk and the already excellent writing comes off as being even more solid than before.

Out of ten total chapters, the first five are nothing to write about: they introduce all characters, explain the backstory a bit and illustrate some of the puzzle and branching dialogues mechanics but aren't particularly exciting.
The last five chapters is where the game really shines: as Kyle dwells deeper into the whole affair dialogues become brighter and more interesting, puzzles get better and more numerous...not to mention that there are a couple of them that make the best use of the DS' features so far, and I'm not talking only about the touchscreen or the microphone: Hotel Dusk already had a pretty clever use of the DS near the end of the game but TLW pushes it further, putting to shame everything else that has been featured on the console: though not every puzzle is a hour-long test of pure logic, it's how puzzles are designed around the hardware on which the game runs...it's a shame that Cing is no more.

If anything, TLW feels a bit more guided than Hotel Dusk, with not as many branching situations and some really unforeseeable game over points, but overall is a very enjoyable experience. A must buy.