It Blends Everything Into Something Very Unique, Made All The Sweeter By Being A Gaming Question Mark, No?...
At first the combat system kind of threw me. I knew to jump and shoot etc. but I totally underestimated the charging of machine guns. It REALLY helps. It could be because I didn't pay too much attention during the tutotial...which was optional(Bad idea), and you had to understand a lot of crap in just 15 minutes. Or an hour. However long it took. I don't know if anybody else would ever make that mistake, but I know there's always been lots of compaints about the tutorial. But for deffinate: it gets awesome when you know what you're doing...
I really hated the combat system before then, but I stuck with it for the story. There's not too much of it in the beginning. You know somethings going down, but you just kind of let it dwindle expecting it to get explained a little later. If you literally pay attention to every second of every cutscene, you probably would be able to latch on when **** hits the fan later in the game and you're able to connect the dots finally. It's got a beautiful story overall. Even if you don't totally get it, the ending will put a smile on your face, and when you do understand it, turns out it's so much deeper then you even though, which literally leaves this whole other story out of the main plot, and if I recall it breaks your heart. Would've been more confusing, but to me it says a lot about a story that it still works without this important story being shown, but it's still brilliant without it. That's strong story structure for you...
The characters are very well placed in thier world. They fit in with the game extraudenarily(Ooh...should not have tried to spell that.) well. If you take the time to think about the world they're leaving in, the kind of people they are is very well written. Obviously in most games backstories are written etc. but the personalities are very...I want to say 'human', but it's not worth much. You just understand who they are, why they are blah, blah. The two guys name's get confusing sometimes, but it's all good, you fix it in your mind a second after...
Comabt system! I didn't finish. I was going to say it's one of a kind, and very intiguing when you understand it. You will feel like a fool when you have the hang of it, it's suprisingly easy when you look back at it later on, but that's usually much, much later on =/ Every move you make is very important, because in the average fight(Not when you're party is just unstoppable), the "wrong" decision out of 2 "good" decisions can still leave you completely devo'ed within seconds. It does get very intense quite often, but it's nice. It's usually not unbeatable, you just have to have actually really plan yourself well. You literally will need the environment to come into the fray. Losing's a bit of a ballache, having to pay more and more money, but again, if I'm honest, it's pretty rare I was killed cheaply, it usually was because I got too cocky or hoped an enemy wouldn't attack a certain person before thier next go. I'm okay with it. I've come to terms, I can admit it. Speaking of the oh-so-rare*twiddles point moustache*...
I think some of the appeal of this game to it's players who love it--same as I, platinume'd it several months back...for some reason--is because it's not widley known among people. Every one of my friends that know of it either don't like it or just haven't played it. As expected, those who didn't like it hated the battle system. You cannot just jump into this game. You will die before you get the chance to learn. Anyways, I think this game is like that band who's song are just a little more special because not as many people have heard them. It's probably a very childish nature, but whatever, if it makes the game better and doesn't hurt anybody, why not?...
The little costume selection etc. is a delightful lil' addition. I know it's usually the same meshes, but it's a very good part of the game. There's a lot of variation...a LOT, and they're usually entirely different designs, not just recolours. It has a very impressive collection...more then the original Sims 3. I think it was Gamespot who said the colour palette of the world was dull, but I think it's been done of purpose so these characters who you've customised stand out all the more in this world/tower, a subtle emphasis that these people are very special. I'll leave that for the story to explain. That's not a spoiler...OBVIOUSLY they'd be special, or else they wouldn't be there at all--sit down, what're you getting so mad about? The other sidepart is, of course, the sidequests. To me, these were a bit of a pain at times. I wouldn't mind doing the main objective, but having to return--sometimes every damn floor--to get a little bit of coin is ridiculous. I know it makes it more lifelike, but because the quests are usually; 'Beat the fudge out of these guys' or 'Give this to some guy' and then you have to trek back all the way to say it's done, it's just far too repetitive for my liking. The bad side, though, is that it can eally help your party in the game, so you're almost obligated to do this ball breaking tasks for these...*shakes fist* **** weirdo's!...
To put a lid on all this; it was a risk, but totally worth it. It could have fat-person failed, but it's created a genuine classic for the future years. Maybe it's not recieved widespread appeal, but that's because I don't think you could give this one specific category. It literally has a slice of everything, but unfortunatley that's made it either not as action/drama/football etc. as everyone likes, but it's made something I think if you got into it, anyone would appreciate and enjoy. Needles out...