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The Next Level's Review (A)

Pinch me, I'm dreaming. At least that's how I felt when I heard the news that Culdcept 2 was being brought over to the U.S. market. From NEC Interchannel, no less. God, I thought, here's another title that we're going to be teased with that'll never see the light of day. It's a fantasy. A dim light at the end of an otherwise jet black tunnel. A myth. Something just waiting to get the big ol' Sony "reject" stamp on it for fear that it won't appeal to an audience large enough to understand what it's all about. Yet, here we are and here I have a review copy of NEC's Culdcept for PS2. Wow.

See, Culdcept 2 was a title that was released for the Dreamcast in Japan as that console began to wane. It has developed a such a rabid fan base in that country that there are Culdcept National Championships that award cash and prizes and there's even an annual DVD released each year with "Secrets of the Culdcept Masters" for perusal. Clever advertising suggests that playing this game might cause one to forgo personal hygiene, human contact, and sleep to play "just one more round". The scary thing is that they're right and aren't exaggerating. The game is hauntingly addictive and is certain to have you scratching your head wondering how the hell it's 3:00 a.m. already.

Culdcept features art from a slew of relevant Japanese artists, such as Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage), Kastsuya Terada (Blood: The Last Vampire) and Kenji Ito (Romancing SaGa). While the in game board design and the 3D characters that meander around it aren't particularly special, you'll notice that the actual "card" art as well as the up close ups of you and your adversaries are sensational. The presentation of the entire game is decidedly old school and that's not a bad thing. There are 42 unique maps that comprise the game, each of which house a different opponent and require different strategic approaches to achieve victory.

It would be impossible to explain all of the nuances and intricacies of all of the elements that make Culdcept what it is without making this sound like either a sermon or Doctoral dissertation., so rather than bore you will multitudes of specific details of game play, this review will try to give you more or less a general idea of what's involved. Culdcept is a hybrid board game and card game that relies on user edited "books" that house a set amount of cards (50) that you select prior to setting out on a particular board. As you progress through the game, you'll earn more varied and powerful cards to use and can edit the book at any time prior to taking on a board. There are varied "colors" (elements) of the board in which particular cards will be more powerful. Cards consist of creatures, items, and spells that can be used or held depending on what the situation calls for.

The best comparison that can be made between the board used in this game and another game would be Monopoly, wherein particular colors are individually powerful but become more powerful if more of the same color are held. For example, if you have a Dwarf (green/earth) card and you land on an unoccupied green square you an "summon" the Dwarf (i.e. use the card) to occupy the square. The Dwarf and the square occupied are of like colors and therefore there are advantages bestowed to the that card, whether it be offense or defense. When another creature already occupies a square, you have the option to battle it with one of your creatures (cards) or pay rent (magic units) to the owner. Boards are won by achieving a certain amount of Mana points which are achieved by gathering squares on the board and leveling them up, circling the board and passing the castle (again, think of passing "GO" in Monopoly), or by having your opponents land on your squares, lose battles, and pay you "rent". Items can serve as either offensive (increasing strength or damage) or defensive (increasing hit points or reducing damage) and spells are cast prior to your die roll. The spells are largely varied and it's up to you when the right time to use each spell presents itself.

Again, the preceding paragraph barely touches the surface of what Culdcept is all about. It's not Monopoly with cards, it is far more intricate than that and there are multiple facets to each particular board that make each a unique challenge. After all is said and done, there are 480 cards to choose from and you'll be limited to which 50 you take with you to each particular map. Carefully balancing items, spells, and creatures is just the start of the thinking that will have to lay behind each of your successive steps. Taking all of the most powerful cards with you will virtually guarantee your defeat as you will not have enough Mana to use them properly. Often you'll find that your opponent has less powerful cards than you do but is handing you your ass on a plate because he's got the Mana to use spells and items while you do not. Equally, summoning and occupying squares also requires Mana and you'll certainly come to a point where you won't have enough to either assume that square or pay the rent on a square for a battle in which you've lost. You'll then have to jettison a property or two to get back in the game. As the game continues the intricacies increase as do the means by which you can develop a lead. There's an online help manual and a tutorial mode, as well. Use them, grasshopper.

Culdcept is like heroin to strategy game addict. Get on this train and it'll be hard for you to get off, particularly if you're of the deliberate and thinking person variety of gamer. Accolades should be showered on NEC for having the balls to bring this title to U.S. shores. They've done their part, now it's up to you to go do yours and buy the thing so we can see more titles like this in the future. Highest possible recommendation.

Graphics: 8
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 10
Replay: 10
Rating: A

Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 08:48

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Steam Gear PS2
ST:50 HP:50 MHP:50
G:60
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Claims 1/2 the standard toll value.

Culdcept PS2/DC

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