If you happen to be the type of person whose brain shuts down at the very mention of “traditional RPG”, then chances are you’d scroll past a game like Hexyz Force without so much as a cursory glance. You could hardly be blamed for such an oversight; on the exterior, there doesn’t appear to be much distinguishing appeal that would lift it above any other handheld RPG.
Do a little more research, though (like looking on the front of the game case), and you’ll discover that Hexyz Force has some fairly significant backing. Developed by Sting, makers of the quirky and complex Knights in the Nightmare, and published by Atlus, Hexyz Force strives to be the ideal handheld RPG. Atlus recently gave us a peek at the game in action, and explained what makes this game a notch above the competition.
The premise of Hexyz Force revolves around the two playable characters, Cecilia and Levant, both attempting to prevent the ultimate annihilation of the world by the God of Destruction. Each character has an individual campaign, with both clocking in at 25+ hours. Depending on choices you make and side quests you complete, you’ll gain balance points that determine how the game ends.
And as a complement to its multi-perspective story, Hexyz Force also boasts very polished-looking anime cutscenes, complete with voice acting.
Like many, many other RPGs, Hexyz Force sports a multi-character battle system, complete with a rock-paper-scissors-style mechanic. As you fight, a combo sequence appears in the upper corner that shows a certain chain of attacks. If this string of moves is broken by either you or the enemy, the one responsible is granted a damage bonus.
The one thing that looks to set Hexyz Force apart in this category is that it gives the player complete control over the tempo of the battle. If you feel like things are dragging a little too much for your liking, you can simply press the R button to increase the speed of the battle. This seems like the perfect thing for an RPG to have, especially on a handheld system where play sessions are often interrupted.
One of the things stressed repeatedly during the demo was how streamlined Hexyz Force is, in terms of both gameplay and load times. The game makes use of the PSP’s install feature and has been optimized to decrease load time significantly. We saw a UMD version of the game running on a retail PSP, and it the speed was certainly impressive. It will also be available in a downloadable version on the PlayStation Network, which promises to increase speeds even more.
Hexyz Force comes out on May 25, and will cost $29.99. If the game delivers on its promises, it’ll be a steal at that price, so keep your eyes open.
I kind of dug Nier at first, as it played like an old-school RPG. The problem was it still had the problems of old games. If Hexyz Force can bring modern standards (i.e. Save Anywhere, etc.) with old-school play, it’ll get my dollar.
nope…hexyz force doesnt have a save anywhere future.. but the r1 really speeds up everything, even your walking speed and dialogues,… you should still try considering buying it