Tag Archives: psp

Computer Games

Final Fantasy: War of the Lions, War Against the Interface

This game is one of the highest rated PSP gaes on Metacritic but I have just found unbelievably frustrating. The amount of key pressing is unbelievable. If I press attack and there is only one target I can attack then you know what computer machine? Just select it for me. In fact wherever I just have one option why don’t you just automatically set it up so I can confirm it? If I am going to be selecting Wait from a menu loads of times why not bind the common options to the symbol buttons so I can just press a button series rather than using arrow keys and X all the time?

There is also a lot of Game Over in War of the Lions. Fail a battle, Game Over. Your character dies in a battle, Game Over (is there a way to save a dying character? if not then why make it a game ender?). And what happens when you get game over, the game reboots… from the start sequence. Sorry but when did I switch on Iron Man mode?

I know this is a port but that’s no excuse for making no effort to try and make the user interface fit the device. Even D&D Tactics is better than this. The excellent cut scenes really don’t compensate for the cruddy design decisions.

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Computer Games, Games

God of War: Chains of Olympus

So far GoW: CoO (TLA 4TW) has proven to be my favourite PSP game I have purchased so far. Graphically it is an amazing title that really looks like a normal console game on a tiny screen. However the secret seems to be the way the game uses the PSP’s controls.

The tactile experience mirrors what is happening on screen. If you are struggling to break free from the grip of a monster then you are hammering keys, if your character is straining to snap open a chest then you are holding the button in a death grip yourself. The analogue stick has a better feel for movement. You feel like you directing this torrent of motion rather than going left a bit, right a square…

This link between interface and game only breaks down when you are asked to chain together various specific interface interactions very quickly to complete boss-type fights. In particular I find rotations quite difficult because the on-screen icons are not very clear as to whether you are aiming for clockwise or anti-clockwise.

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