You get sucked into this game by the "Monster Synthesis" part of this game. An overall good RPG.
Good
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Great graphics - Monster Synthesis is great fun - Good range of monsters - Old classic monsters from the Dragon Quest series - Flexible camera -
Bad
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Poor story - Lack of NPC interaction makes the game feel deserted - Your character looks like he ran away from a circus ( not a BAD thing but just thought id alert some ) - Online play isn't live
The beginning reveals that your are playing as an abused child who is already depressed to a point where he neither can speak or show expression. You are sent off on a mission to infiltrate the Monster Scout challenge as a CELL agent.
The gameplay is quite similar to Pokemon and is simple. Get strong monsters and beat everyone else up. The scouting system of the game allows you to catch monsters using your own. This takes up one turn, where all your monsters attack the selected target in an attempt to convince it you are good enough to command it.
Graphics of this game are a highlight, I was surprised by the 3D world you explore. Where there is 3D, there will be camera angles and this game solves those nasty issues with the camera with the L and R buttons. Although simple, it is effective and grants you a good view of your surroundings. This is important for this game because unlike Pokemon, you can see the monsters on the map allowing you to avoid or hunt specific monsters.
Monster Synthesis, really sucks you in. Its simple enough so that new players are comfortable with using it, yet, it is complex enough for serious players to manipulate so they can gain the strongest monsters possible. The Monster Synthesis part of the game can at times be more fun than the actual battles of the game itself and you may find yourself on an island, grinding many many monsters purely to synthesise them and see what new monsters you can get.
The game offers online play, which would be better if the players you fought online we're living humans. When you connect to Wi-Fi, your team is graded and then another team of the same grade is downloaded to your DS for you to fight.
One major let down of this game is the story. Its shallow and has no meat in it. Its like reading an instruction manual for a toaster. You already know what its going to say and whats going to happen. You press the right buttons and your toast comes out right? This game is the same.
Overall, good game that has potential for development, mainly on the story and possibly enhancing the character a bit, maybe introduce some customization options. Otherwise, the graphics, and gameplay of the game are great and I would definitely recommend it to someone in search of a nice RPG