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by Funkula 03/19/2006, 1:20pm PST |
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Japanese titles for the Xbox are few and far between. Japanese titles that are WORTH PLAYING are even rarer. However, the Xbox somehow became the inheritor of some of the best aspects of the Dreamcast legacy, with the Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Dead or Alive franchises migrating to it. Phantom Crash is another game in this vein. In the story, Tokyo has been decimated by rising sea levels and a science experiment that went wrong, so the population has migrated away. However, the city is still in use as a mech combat environment. Teenage thrillseekers fight each other for prize money and recognition.
GAMEPLAY AND SINGLE PLAYER:
The controls of the game are very good and flexible. Several options for the controls are available, including several button configurations and two movement options, one of which is a standard FPS setup and another which allows for Mechwarrior-style torso twisting. The basic gameplay revolves around two aspects: arena combat and mech customization.
In the arena, you face ~6 mechs in a large level, full of shortcuts and hiding places. When you kill another mech, you get a cash reward and they jump back in from the nearest gate. However, if you die, your combat for the day is over and you suffer a cost proportional to the quality of your components. Once you get good, however, it is entirely possible to rack up 70-80 kills in a match without suffering serious damage. Ammo, health, and cash crates are dropped into the level at regular intervals, so keeping an eye on the drop points helps your longevity immensely.
Various types of weapons are available, with machine guns, rockets, and melee weapons being the most useful. One interesting aspect of the game is that every mech can equip a cloaking device which makes it nothing but a shimmer in front of the background. This is quite useful for getting out of tight spots (although a single hit will bring it down again) and setting up ambushes.
Progression is in a tier system, with higher-level matches becoming more viable as your equipment quality and skill level increases. Once you've defeated the area ranker in each map at each tier, you face the Tokyo champion. I never got that far, unfortunately. One major flaw merits attention--there are only three maps in the game. This makes things get much more repetitive than they would otherwise. Regardless, there's plenty of gameplay available just in those maps, although it was this that eventually made me put down the game.
On the garage side of the game, a decent bit of variety is present. There are only three mech chassis available, but a TON of parts for each one. The only parts that are modular between chassis are the cloaks, targeting computers, and chips. Chips are an interesting innovation, being an animal-emulating AI that acts as your interface with the mech. Different chips are good at different aspects, and control the size of your auto-aim reticle, your missile lock-on time, and the chance of getting a critical or reflecting an incoming shot.
Various leg types offer different advantages, and different weapon systems cater to diverse play styles. Here is where the game really starts to feel like Armored Core. While it doesn't have the sheer volume or interchangeability of AC, it offers one nice feature: parts can be tuned either light or heavy. This is fairly expensive, but can be used to influence space taken up in the mech (there's a weight limit), speed, hit points, and damage (for weapons). Furthermore, chips can also be upgraded, increasing their performance in the listed areas. This area really makes the customization shine.
MULTIPLAYER:
It's present, but unimpressive (this is probably why the reviewer fags hated it). Split-screen 1v1 deathmatch, oh boy. Another downside that merits mention is the lack of support for multiple people playing single player. Only one save file is allowed, and it doesn't support saving to the memory card. In other words, one memory card per person would be required so that the OS file-copying could be used. My friends were not willing to shell out for them, so I was the only one who got to save progress.
GRAPHICS AND SOUND:
Simply great. Character conversations are done in a JSRF-like cel-shaded look, although the people look a little ugly until you get used to them (not graphically ugly so much as dog-ugly). The mech combat looks awesome, particularly the cloaking effects. Sound effects are quite serviceable, although not noteworthy.
Music is the stand-out element of the game's presentation. Over a hundred songs are available, and you design your own combat soundtrack. All the songs are Japanese, so that's either a bonus or a penalty depending on your perspective. They range from electronica, Jpop, and jazz to metal and dance. Only two downsides here: 1) only ten songs per playlist, although you're unlikely to stay in combat long enough for this to become an issue 2) each song costs a little money. Neither of these is even a mild annoyance, however.
PROS:
-fast, fun mech combat
-awesome soundtrack
-deep customization
-quirky, funny plot and characters
CONS:
-only three maps
-lackluster multiplayer
-only supports one single player save
CONCLUSION:
This is not the greatest game ever. However, it is second only to JSRF for Xbox owners looking for funky Japanese games, and it's a nice deep mech combat game to boot.
8/10
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The closest you'll get to an easy way to browse the deleted posts. by Creexul :( 03/13/2006, 6:02am PST 
So Jsoh and I both finished Sacrifice finally. by Creexul :( 03/13/2006, 6:51am PST
Metroid Prime 2 by Rafiki 03/19/2006, 12:52pm PST
Viewtiful Joe by Forensic 03/19/2006, 12:58pm PST
Mega Man: battle network: Blue version by Mischief Maker 03/19/2006, 12:59pm PST
Morrowing vs Daggerfall... FIGHT! by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/19/2006, 1:02pm PST
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence == Rygar with vampires, except better by godamit 03/19/2006, 1:03pm PST
SSX3 (PS2) by Fussbett 03/19/2006, 1:04pm PST
Re: SSX3 (PS2) by Ivan Dork It 03/20/2006, 3:23am PST
It's an in-joke for that time period. by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 8:57am PST
no no no by Ivan Dork It 03/20/2006, 10:57pm PST
Re: no no no by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 11:14pm PST
Re: no no no by Ivan Dork It 03/21/2006, 3:40am PST
Solved by Fussbett 03/21/2006, 9:50am PST
Crimson Skies (XBOX) by Funkula 03/19/2006, 1:05pm PST
Kirby Air Ride by Funkula 03/19/2006, 1:06pm PST
INC Reel Roundup and/or Cinema Showdown, pardner (plenty spoilers) by I need clarification 03/19/2006, 1:09pm PST
OH GOD THE SUCK! (Matrix 3) by Mischief Maker 03/19/2006, 1:10pm PST
Fire Emblem (GBA) by Funkula 03/19/2006, 1:11pm PST
So this Deus Ex 2 demo sure is short and small by Roop Dirump 03/19/2006, 1:13pm PST
MANHUNT (PS2) by Fussbett 03/19/2006, 1:14pm PST
KOTOR, PC by mrs. johnson 03/19/2006, 1:14pm PST
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun by Creexul ^_^ 03/19/2006, 1:15pm PST
Atari 10-in-1 by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/19/2006, 1:15pm PST
Gravitar by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/20/2006, 2:35am PST
Where did you get your Vectrex flashcart? Review plz. NT by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 9:00am PST
First impression: Godzilla Destroy all monsters (XBox) by Mischief Maker 03/19/2006, 1:16pm PST
Mech Assault (X-Box) by Mischief Maker 03/19/2006, 1:17pm PST
this really isn't a good review of this game :( by Weyoun Voidbringer 05/24/2009, 4:44pm PDT
ok I should do a real and honest review so the correct opinion is here by Weyoun Voidbringer 05/24/2009, 5:46pm PDT
Battlestar Galactica (X-Box) by Mischief Shai-hulud 03/19/2006, 1:18pm PST
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by FABIO 03/19/2006, 1:19pm PST
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (PS2) by FABIO 01/24/2007, 6:41am PST
Phantom Crash (XBOX) by Funkula 03/19/2006, 1:20pm PST
Age of Mythology: The Titans, worst demo ever by FABIO 03/19/2006, 1:21pm PST
Bujingai (PS2) (Jap) by Fussbett 03/19/2006, 1:25pm PST
Gackt the Gamer by Fussbett 06/23/2009, 12:53am PDT
I enjoyed this clip too much to say anything funny about it. by Zsenitanuki 06/30/2009, 2:28pm PDT
Ratchet And Clank -- Going Commando by Rigthbug 03/19/2006, 1:26pm PST
Re: Ratchet And Clank -- Going Commando NT by Quentin Beck 12/13/2007, 5:01am PST
Pithy review of Dynasty Tactics 2 by curst 03/19/2006, 1:28pm PST
Panzer Dragoon Orta (XBox) by Mischief Maker 03/19/2006, 1:28pm PST
I am TOTALLY freaked the fuck out right now (Beyond good & Evil) by Mischief Maker 03/19/2006, 1:31pm PST
NFL Street by Ice Cream Jonsey 03/19/2006, 1:32pm PST
Baldur's Gate 2 Dark Alliance 2 (Playstation 2) by Creexul ^_^ 03/19/2006, 1:33pm PST
Re: A bitter appraisal by Kab(uke) Seme by Kab(uke) Seme 03/19/2006, 1:35pm PST
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns by FABIO 03/19/2006, 1:36pm PST
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic by elwonko 03/20/2006, 1:24pm PST
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles- first two hours impressions by FABIO 03/20/2006, 1:26pm PST
Mac fans: still flaming homos. by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 1:28pm PST
It kicks ass. by Frank McGillicutty 03/20/2006, 1:31pm PST
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA) by Voyons Donc 03/20/2006, 1:32pm PST
Zone of the Enders 2 full review by Mischief Zero-Shift 03/20/2006, 1:33pm PST
Zwwwweeee fighting? by Souffle of Pain 02/07/2007, 11:54am PST
There was a link that was lost in the transfer by MMore Woman than you'll ever have 02/07/2007, 1:15pm PST
It was that pussy bitch who posts as me by Souffle of Pain 02/07/2007, 1:20pm PST
Colin McRae Rally 04 (PS2 EURO) by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 1:48pm PST
Along those lines by Mischief Maker 03/20/2006, 1:53pm PST
Culdcept (PS2) by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 1:54pm PST
Reactions by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 3:45pm PST
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 4:41pm PST
That one didn't get deleted. But I approve of the effort. NT by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 10:09pm PST
Silent Hill 3 (PS2) (PAL version) by Fussbett 03/20/2006, 4:43pm PST
AIM log review of Everything or Nothing. by Creexul ^_^ 03/21/2006, 5:50pm PST
Ninja Gaiden: I love this game!/I HATE THIS MOTHERFUCKING COCKSUCKING GAME! by Mischief Maker 03/21/2006, 5:51pm PST
The Suffering by curst 03/21/2006, 5:52pm PST
Review: Samurai Warriors by False 03/21/2006, 5:53pm PST
Red Dead Revolver (PS2) by Fussbett 03/21/2006, 5:58pm PST
Siren: Curst was right by FABIO 03/21/2006, 5:59pm PST
More Broussard forum posts by Fussbett 03/21/2006, 6:02pm PST
Front page this, please NT by Souffle of Pain 03/21/2006, 8:34pm PST
It's old though. NT by Fussbett 03/22/2006, 11:24am PST
I know it goes without saying, but Fussbett and INC make the best logs. by Jerry Whorebach 05/24/2009, 5:12pm PDT
jhoh NT by Weyoun Voidbringer 05/24/2009, 5:48pm PDT
I'm relieved Jhoh is publishing the book, because it sounds like a lot of work. NT by Fussbett 05/24/2009, 8:26pm PDT
Then when it comes out it's all switched with Mranduh logs. 8( NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 05/25/2009, 1:41am PDT
JUNK II by Fussbett 03/21/2006, 6:10pm PST
Dvorak saying there were great 3D0 games is still as good now as it was then NT by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/24/2009, 5:18pm PDT
Junk by Fussbett 03/21/2006, 11:00pm PST
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