I’m a huge fan of the first Chaos Rings and have grinded on the JRPG (Japanese RPG) on my iPhone 4 for ages. Chaos Rings is an exclusive iOS title by the venerable Square Enix (makers of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts) and their prequel Chaos Rings Omega just came out with the August 2011 Japanese voice acting pack.
I bought it for USD 14.99 coz I was a little to eager to grab the game – it went down to USD 10.99 to celebrate the release of the voice pack just 2 hours later. -_-
The game play is exactly like Chaos Rings – there’s nothing different at all. Even the environment uses the same textures and most of the BGM is recycled, although we’ve got a couple of new characters this time around. I felt a strong sense of deja vu playing through it – I’ve spent countless hours on the first one leveling up my character so this just feels like more of the same.
The voice acting pack is something of a letdown too – it feels like it was rushed out, the main scenes have voice acting but some of the “less important” scenes lack voice acting, making it feel a bit unpolished. However the combat system is now fully voiced, which can be an annoyance or a treat, depending on how long you play it. 😉
Pros:
Expanded Chaos Rings story
The best JRPG on iOS devices
Voice acting comes as a free update, even for the first title
Game Center support – there are also hidden achievements for defeating the bosses
Cons:
Pixelation is very heavy even on Chaos Rings Omega HD running on the iPad 2 – perhaps coz I’ve played the previous title on the iPhone 4 with Retina Display
Voice acting is not consistent – not every scene has it, and it’s slightly buggy
The price tag is a bit high for a non-universal app, but then again, this is Square Enix we’re talking about
I would recommend Chaos Rings Omega since it’s 27% off for a week right now – but only if you don’t already have the first title or if you’re a die hard fan. It’s just more of the same – even the puzzles use the same mechanics.
why your apps so expensive one? usually 99 cents rite?
Well, most of the arcade games are still USD 0.99 or slightly more.
However, premium triple-A titles like this usually commands a higher price…and it’s Square Enix – who still charges that price for iOS remakes of FF I, II and II.
I think these kind of games appeal more to gamers – stuff like Infinity Blade, Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus etc – more storyline, better graphics, voice acting etc. It’s a AAA quality game – something to get engrossed in rather than the heaps of single developer USD 0.99 pick up, play and put down arcade games out there. 🙂
HB, judging by so many hits for your food entries people love reading it. The people from the states enjoyed it the most.
Thanks Mike!
Appreciate the support! 🙂