Shiness is the classic game you do not expect. Tested in the latest events of the event dedicated to the presentation of the Focus lineup, it has pleasantly surprised us both for its concept and for the delight of the result achieved and shown in the available build.
The guiding idea of the title is to combine the mechanics of role-playing with those of the beat-up, trying not to distort either of the two experiences.
Exploration and Environmental Puzzles are the classic ones of this kind: The Legend of Zelda is the game they themselves have said to have taken as a reference for these two aspects. As soon as you go to the fights, instinct for the obvious need you will soon understand, we will face a classic 1vs1 beacon with three-dimensional arenas, with a combat system that takes up much of
its own mechanics. The passage seemed so simple and natural to be perfectly sewn on the needs of both genres that would thus cover their sides usually obscure: narrative, beaten, and rendered gameplay action, for role playing. The only alarm that is played in our head is the
possibility that, dividing the efforts of a team of 15 people like the Enigma, you could end up having so many content and lots of mechanics, but not all in depth. While it is true that only in the course of the review we will be able to officially resolve this doubt, the thirty minutes of gameplay that we have performed have undoubtedly provided good impressions, which we will report here.
So much flesh on fire
The adventure of the game begins with a journey to the center of the earth that, as experience teaches us, will be much longer and complicated than expected because the protagonist, named Chado, will have to stop the game at the start of the game his progress on account of an accident that will shatter the ship. From there, as in any narrative plot, we will get to know the other crew members who will join us for the most disparate reasons and together we will try to complete the arduous task.
The sections that the developers showed us were two, the first that introduced us to all combat dynamics, while the second (corresponding to the beginning of the adventure) that led us to the exploration mechanics.
The nature of the beetle rests on its bases on several elements; all overlook the catalog of classic moves made from combo, link, dash and parade. They add to the magic moves of 4 different types and colors, some of which can be combined into other subtypes, and to conclude, we find objects that can be likewise used in the Ninja Storm to understand. By leaping the first analysis, particularly trivial given the total reliance on the gender of belonging, I will dwell on the dynamics of the functioning of the spells which is the most particular one at first glance. The arena will continue to change color and, while staying in one of the different states, we will see growing points to spend in order to use that particular kind of magic. Much easier to do than to say. By focusing on one or the other color, we will increase affinity, while losing it to other areas. When we reach the maximum value in one of these areas, we will not suffer damage from an attack belonging to it.
So many items, a double finish and a nice character design
During the battle, additional challenges will be proposed, which, if completed, would allow for obtaining unique objects. Challenges boast a fair variety considering that they are of 15 different types and in total give access to 40 objects.
Objects that we will receive at the end of the match, together with the vote of performance and totalized combat experience.
As already mentioned, the fights will all be 1vs1, but we will be able to change between five different characters who will also be members of our party. In particular, we can select two that, besides helping us with their peculiar abilities to overcome simple environmental puzzles, will help us in battle giving us, from time to time, a number of useful buffs.
We then signal the presence of multiple-choice dialogues that will slowly hang the balance needle to one of the two running narratives, which will radically change the outcome of the adventure from a certain point onwards.
We were extremely pleased with the creation of cutscenes, as they were staged by using manga strips that will also accompany the release of the game. Drawing on the technical talk, graphic experience, due to the release of the project on different media, is clearly perceived the realization of all the models through the cel-shading technique and the resulting cartoon effect.
