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 Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena

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Rebel Yell
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Rebel Yell


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Number of posts : 156
Age : 33
Location : Probably Lost
Job/hobbies : Yellow Comet Infantry Division
Registration date : 2007-12-17

Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena Empty
PostSubject: Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena   Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena Icon_minitimeWed Feb 24, 2010 5:12 am

Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena Custom-robo-arena-ds.441294

For those of you who don't know what Custom Robo is, it's pretty much a game where you command tiny robots in either holographic or "real" world environments. And as the name suggests, you can customize these robots with various armaments that includes: Body (Robot), Gun (Right Hand), Pod (Backpack), Bomb (Left Hand), and Legs (Legs).

Like many customization type games, some people would think this would be as hard as say, Armored Core, but that's not the case. Customizing in this game is simplistic and enjoyable, and depends on what you personally prefer and want out of your little robot. The franchise itself has about four games or so, starting out with the N64 (Japan Only), then the GBA (Japan Only), GameCube (Japan & Not Japan), and Nintendo DS (Also Japan & Not Japan). Moving on...

Story:

Many other reviewers who've done this game have often complained of the run-of-the-mill storyline... While I can agree with them for a bit, I would rather much prefer to tell them to kindly shut the fuck up about it. For those that have played this game and beat it, well, you know what I'm talking about.

For those who don't, I'll sum it up in one word: Pokemon. Yes, Pokemon. You go around beating the ever loving crap out of everyone on your way to become the best. But while you go around with your toy robot to pummel the elderly and small children alike, knowing that they can't possibly win cause they're CPUs, there comes the actual climax of the Pokemon-like tale when the story's "Team Rocket" makes an appearance. Their goal at first was to capture you and make you do their bidding, but after discovering that your female teammate can pull white magic from Final Fantasy, they lose all interest in you and wish to (capture her) openly invite her to crumpets and tea.

And that's how the story goes: You battle, you battle some more, you fight the bad guys, save the girl, and hell, why not add a third helping of fighting! But aside from the main story, there are many amusing side-quests that break up the boring pile of dialogue that you have to endure.

Which include: Doing the police's work for them, Scavenger hunting for items and videos, Unlocking special robot parts, Participating in special battles, and fighting a secret club of obsessively clean people who cry at the slightest speck of grime on their robots and love to think that they carry a significant status of authority above the entire in-game world... I wish I was kidding about that last bit.

Ugh, yes, the story sucks and is a pain to go through, but it's necessary in order to gather all the parts and robots you'll need for the actual fun part, the game-play.

Game-Play:

Here's where Custom Robo: Arena really comes through!

Other than mindlessly milling around the world challenging everyone and their grandma, the game goes into an "easy-to-fucking-hell" difficulty when it enters the battle sequences. But that's what makes it fun! Aided with a wide spectrum of customization to fit your battle's theme and needs, as well as the certain terrains you will fight in, the game calls for some really fast-paced and intense situations. The controls when fighting are rather simple, and can be changed if needed be...

Also, this game packs Wi-Fi for all your battle needs. What's best about the online portion of the game is the fact that it runs smoothly with no lag or frame-by-frame slow down. Oh, and depending who you're fighting, the battles can range from piss-poor easy to Asshole Mario-hard. But I guess that was obvious... Add to it, the people who made this game solved somewhat of Nintendo's Friend Code problem with the "Rival List". You can fight some random person and add them to a list so you can fight them again whenever you want. Only problem with this is that both players must want to add each other. My only complaint with the Wi-Fi section however, is that it takes a year and a half just to find ANYONE to play with...

There was also something that caught my attention while playing this game, and that was the incorporation of the touch screen. While it's not much, there are two things you can fiddle around with: Wiping the dirt off your robot and Posing it in a variety of environments. This may not sound like much, but I guarantee you that you'll be playing around with the wide set of backgrounds and possible poses for hours! Or for all to see when you jump on multiplayer or Wi-Fi.

The game's overall game-play is why I can forgive its crappy story! But what's game-play without visuals...

Graphics:

I'll begin it with this: IT LOOKS LIKE POKEMON!

Custom Robo: Arena's overall world map and characters all look like something from a recent Pokemon game if not more flat! However, that is of course, just the world map and characters. The robots themselves on the battlefields and personal backgrounds are all in decent 3-D graphics. While it's not as smooth as the GCN and Wii graphics, it's to be expected and can easily be forgiven as this is one best the games on the DS when it comes to 3-D graphics. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the game lets you play in two camera angles in battle: An over the shoulder view (For a more "in the game" feeling), and a wide bird's eye view (To see everything that you can hide behind or kill you). These can be toggled by simply pressing the select button during the match.

Graphics Example
Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena Custom-robo-arena-ds-guide-big

Bird's Eye View
Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena Custom-Robo-Arena-1

Over the Shoulder View
Rebel Yell's Review - Custom Robo: Arena Custom-robo-arena-20070320021810205-001

Thrilling Conclusion:

It's a true gem among the mainstream bile that we see all the time these days, and I would recommend it to people who can forgive terrible story in favor for exceptional game-play. I personally enjoyed it, and would wish for a continuation in the series, but seeing as many of us in the United States has no interest in it, I doubt that will happen.

If you can find it, the price tag for it now might be in the $12.00-$5.00 range, depending on how or where you find it, it may be lower or higher than in said price zone. But when you do, pick it up and give it a spin!

Oh, and here's my Friend Code for any who may have Custom Robo: Arena.

Name: Azriel
Friend Code: 5456-3474-9592

PEACE!
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