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James Wallis
WDS Article Author, Frontiers Nerd, Star Trek Geek, Console Inventer Wannabee...
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Get our game guide for: The Last Remnant. This precise WALKTHROUGH GAME STRATEGY GUIDE is now available for you right in your members area and compatable for the PC, SONY PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) and Microsoft XBOX 360 Platform.
Let Loose the Dogs of War
Designed to give you control over large-scale battles, The Last Remnant's combat system begins just like any other role-playing game with you issuing commands to your largish party (it looked initially like the party was comprised of five members). The twist comes once the action begins to play out; where previously you would simply watch your party members run through their attack instructions, you'll now have to watch closely and input specific button patterns to ensure maximum effect on your attacks. It's similar to that old SNES chestnut Super Mario RPG or, to use a more recent example, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, where carefully timed button presses increase the potency of each strike. In the middle of the fight, however, the camera sweeps wildly, panning to highlight each character in turn and shifting to slow motion to give you enough time to react to the random button prompts.
The clash we witnessed began normally enough, until mid-way through when a small group of frog-like creatures strolled up from behind our heroes. Fortunately, they were friendly and they arrived just in the nick of time, because they immediately engaged a group of enemy reinforcements poised to strike. While the little frog-beasts took care of their cluster of enemies, even more enemy reinforcements showed up with a giant bird monster in tow. It was cool though, because our heroes had their own group to call in for backup, complete with a monstrous robot cyclops big enough to take out the bird monster. The whole thing was reminiscent of a fight between the summoned beasts from Final Fantasy VII, so you can imagine how breathtaking it was to see these colossal titans meet on a crowded battlefield.
Beyond the Battlefield
Outside of the combat system, The Last Remnant seems remarkably similar to most other role-playing games. In a world where remnants (gigantic relics of a bygone age) dot the landscape surrounded by towns or cities, these magnificent artifacts somehow begin to impact the balance of power. It's up to you to lead your troops to victory in this war-ravaged environment.
Developed by a mixture of veteran designers and fresh talent, The Last Remnant is slated for a simultaneous release in both the United States and Japan (a first for any Square Enix game). As the glorious water effects I saw in the canyons environment illustrated, this game makes full use of the hardcore horsepower of both the Xbox 360 and PS3. I should be able to get some hands-on time when Square Enix's Party 2007 begins in earnest in Makuhari, Japan this Saturday (or late Friday night, for my fellow Americans), so expect updated impressions to be forthcoming.
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