Pop quiz: What do you get when you take Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda and Family Guy and put them in a blender?
One of the most amazing games I've ever played in my life. I've reviewed a lot of games, but I've never taken on a project like this.
But is it a good game or a bad game? Here's a hint: IT NOW! DON'T EVEN READ THIS REVIEW! CLOSE AMINO RIGHT NOW AND GO THIS GAME!!!
To explain this game in great detail would be a great disservice to anyone wanting to try the game for themselves, so I'll go over a few breaf points.
THIS is how I was introduced to the game. Look at this ad, it hit me with a Gameboy Color style, a la LoZ: Link's Awakening. That was a good game, and the in-ad demo was just as fun, so I thought I'd give it a try.
But little did I know that I was in for the most epic ride of my life.
I'm gonna start with the obvious: What the heck does Family Guy have to do with Guardian Tales? This whole game has so many pop culture references I can't list them all: Power Rangers, Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Final Fantasy VII, Back to the Future, The Hunger Games. Hell, world 3 is one big Harry Potter reference! Even world 8 is a courtroom/law drama. The only thing missing is an Angry Video Game Nerd reference (but I wouldn't be surprised if they snuck one in somewhere).
I'm gonna say that the developers of this game DEFINITELY know how to keep an audience entertained.
Not only are there references everywhere, but the visual style is also absolutely stunning. Look at this hub world. Heavenhold has the feel of a Gameloft game, with the added bonus that you don't have to pay your way through the game. That's where games like Empires & Puzzles (another game I reviewed a while back) fail. They start off easy and fun, but then you hit a brick wall and the only feasible way through the game is to pay real money to get the good stuff.
GUARDIAN TALES, however, doesn't do that. Yes, you CAN pay real money if you want, but they don't make it so you HAVE to once you reach a certain point.
There are two main reasons for this:
#1: The difficulty is perfect. This is one of those games that gets progressively harder as you go along, but as long as you keep all your heroes leveled up as you go, you won't have any problems. This is because the difficulty ramps up perfectly, not going from too easy to too hard too fast.
#2: The in-game special currency is easier to get than in other games. While in most games you'll get a gem or two here and there on rare occasions, this game is generous with gems, while not being SO generous as to shower you with them. No, they give you just enough gems to allow you to do what you need to do and have a little bit left over.
(My tip here is to not blow all your gems on summons, as that fills up Heavenhold REALLY fast, and before you know it you're out of room and out of food. Don't ask me how I know this. Instead save your gems to use in game for continues. There are some places where you'll absolutely NEED them, especially for some of the later bosses. Also TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE RIFTS AND DUNGEONS!))
My next point is going to be the WIDE VARIETY of characters. Not only is there no shortage of creativity here, but the characters in the main game look absolutely adorable. On the character select menu (let's just call it that) the artwork for the characters is stunning and amazing. Even the voice actors did an amazing job!
Next, let's talk about the rifts. This is part of what sets Guardian Tales apart from any other game I've ever played. Even here you can see they gave you no shortage of variety and creativity. In the Awakening Dungeon, for example, you get awakening stones by cracking down on illegal parking. How do you do this? By SMASHING THEIR CARS!!!
Some of the puzzles can be a little confusing, but they're not hard once you figure out what you're doing.
Some parts are definitely geared more for adults. Like Succubus Town. Look at that screenshot. They call it "dream therapy," but we all know what's REALLY going on here....
The last thing I want to talk about is the gameplay. It's one of those games that's very easy to pick up and play, making it ideal for almost anyone. Expect a challenge, though, because some battles (like the one above) can be tricky.
The ONLY thing about this game that pisses me off is Lightning Counter. You know, that annoying, cocky chick that you have to race in each world. Some races are fairly easy, others are dang near impossible for me. The race in world 2, for example. GOOD. GOD. I tried 17 times before I finally gave up. The race in world 3, on the other hand, was insanely easy.
Now I know that's just me being a wimp, but I've never been good at racing games (plus my reflexes suck eggs through a straw).
In conclusion, Guardian Tales is as close to perfection as a mobile game can get. Literally, I have NEVER seen this level of detail except in a console game. This is the most epic game I've ever seen. The story is deeper than any other mobile game I've ever seen, and then they have NIGHTMARE mode, which gives you NEW storylines in each world (only a little harder) PLUS side stories and quests ON TOP OF THAT! I haven't beaten the game, and already I feel like this is the best mobile game I'll ever play. It's fun, addicting and, most importantly: FREE!
That's right, you don't have to pay to OR play it! I DO recommend a tablet or a phone with good memory, however.
If you haven't played this game yet, then what are you doing with your life?
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