Title: White Knight Chronicles: Origins
Developed By: Matrix Software and SCE Japan Studio
Published By: Sony Computer Entertainment
Based on: The prequel story to White Knight Chronicles on the Playstation 3
Console: Playstation Portable
Genre: RPG
Subtitles: English
Region: This review was conducted on the Australian PSP version from the Playstation Network. The game is only available in PAL regions (Europe and ANZ) and no differences should be between the two regions.
Classification: This game is classified PG for Mild fantasy violence; Gaming experience may change online
Special Thanks: This game was funded out of my own pocket.
This should be my last Playstation Portable review for a while, so I have been saving a bigger one than the previous ones for last. When I did my review of White Knight Chronicles 2 which encompassed both the first and second games, I realize that it did not score very well only receiving a C grade overall. Despite that, it was one of the games I perhaps spent quite a bit of time working towards and given the online mode… the one I was most distraught about losing my save file for when my old PS3 decided to kick the bucket. This game shares many things in common with the Playstation 3 releases, however I would go and compare it more to the mission-based gameplay systems of Phantasy Star Universe than the world navigating, plot-oriented system of White Knight Chronicles. However, as the core gameplay is there does it make the game any better or does it come off as a boring Playstation Portable version? Find out in my review of White Knight Chronicles: Origins for the Playstation Portable.
As with the original installments of the game, you start the game by creating your very own original character which you can alter every facial and body component of from gender to hair style to how tall they are (Both giants and lolis are possible in this game). Unlike the PS3 games where the character is then pushed to the side with the sole purpose of the avatar to appear in the online Geonet mode, the PSP game takes it a step further and sets the Avatar as the games protagonist, a good choice if you ask me. You start the game in a city about to be overrun by the Yshrenian Empire and run into a mysterious boy, who through obvious questions determines your character class and then lets you get killed by a Knight. -Bad End- you might be thinking… but fortunately you unlike many others in that city manage to survive having been rescued by the Mobile Corps. These men and woman take on missions all around the continent while travelling on a train and of course, you are inevitably recruited into their ranks.
While I will not go into details about the storyline as elements may spoil elements of the other games, but I think it was a creative little plot they produced and gives a look into the state of things 1,000 years ago during the Dogma Wars which is frequently referenced to in the series in terms of the characters and knights. However, I did feel that things were rather slow, with several enemy killing or item collection quests between plot which sort of ruined the overall experience to me slightly. I did appreciate the whole travelling on the train element as it both mean’t I didn’t have to run around terrain for hours on end to get to a quest and it was just a great idea in terms of the plot.
Character, monster and environment designs are all based on the original PS3 titles designs, with the inclusion of several familiar sets of equipment, monsters and even the character design system or more or less the same – which might not be the most creative action to take but I think it effectively linked the games together. The designs are of what I would consider a good quality for the Playstation Portable and is of the same standard set by say… Persona 3 Portable, but while being similar to previous installments, are far more low-res given the system limitations. For the most part I have no qualms about the design, however there are a few areas for concern which I would have liked to be addressed – when there is a considerable amount of action on the screen the game is susceptible to frame rate drops which can result in game overs and as this is a heavy dungeon crawler, I would have liked for more variety in level designs…. they are on a train so I am sure they don’t hang around the same couple of areas all the time!
Unfortunately, there is no opening sequence for Origins which is disappointing considering the other games have had some very enjoyable ones (Even if the English dubbing of the songs aren’t as good as the Japanese ones). However, the music tracks included in this game are appropriate and effectively help set the mood with a number of orchestral tracks to even a few lyrical tracks during the battles (Including a particular one during the transformation battles which was rather awesome). Characters are not voiced but instead rely on text to progress the plot, which is one reason why the Avatar is given a bit more lee-way in the plot as he or she is not required to speak.
No matter how you look at this game, it is one big dungeon crawler with the purpose for dungeon crawling being missions given to you. When out and about completing missions, you are able to pick up new recruits which will join you in future missions, leaving for the most part you responsible for your team members and the ability to custom tailor the party to your liking. There are two ways to pick up quests, through going through the main quests which you progressively unlock or through giving gifts to other team members which will open their personal quests and sub-plots for you to take. After accepting the quest, you are plunged into the mission zone separated into several zones, each with monsters to kill and items to collect. This is where the game sort of gets repetitive and tiring very quick – as most of the missions just have you collecting X of an item or killing Y of an enemy instead of necessarily completing a zone, defeating a boss (In the first couple of hours the quest ratio was not in the favor of killing bosses) or doing something special to differentiate one quest from another. Of course, through completion of these levels you are given gold, items to use in synthesis and hopefully progress some plotline.
The battle system remains the same as previous WKC games, with the wait between attacks, different forms of attack and magic as well as the games unique concept on Transformation. Instead of just transforming into a knight, after filling the gauge you can transform the entire party into Optimus’ which all give them specific stat boosts and is actually a much more convenient system. The game also differs in that stat increases, boosts from transformation and many other things can be altered through synthesis and/or purchase of items. Through spending tonnes of money, you are also free to purchase new extensions to the train which give you bonus battle effects, an increased number of mercenaries and other benefits depending on the carriage your purchase and considering the price, it gives you the incentive to save up instead of purchasing equipment and armor that only give negligible improvements to stats. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to dive into the games online mode, but it supposedly allows you to join in another players quests however lacks the Georama feature which I spent so much time on in WKC1 and 2.
Personally, I don’t think this game fully benefited from being released on the Playstation Portable. While I understand this was released in February 2011 in Japan, I feel it would have been much more beneficial for the development teams to have waited a few more months and begun development on the Playstation Vita, as the game did have potential… but with limitations to design and a mission-oriented dungeon crawling system which could have been less repetitive, the extra time and more importantly… power of the Vita might have seen this being a brilliant release. Despite that, it was for the most part an interesting title and I quite enjoyed myself during the play-testing.
Final Score
Storyline/Character Development: C+
Design: B
Music/Voice Acting: B
Gameplay: B-
Replayability: B
Personal Opinion: B
Overall Score: B-
