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As far as Japanese role playing games go, PoPoLoCrois is as traditional as you can get. This series is so well-liked overseas that they had a PoPoLoCrois anime cartoon at one point. US gamers can finally get a taste of it on the PlayStation Portable.
It starts with a traditional clichéd RPG storyline. Young prince Pietro sets off on a quest to find a cure for his mother's sleeping curse. Along the way he meets new friends who join him on his adventure and they fight monsters and bad guys and ultimately save the world in the process. Gather clues and items in towns and then go fight baddies in nearby dungeons. None of the characters or plot really stands out, but everything has a charming innocence about it anyway. The graphics are also very traditional, similar to any of a million classic 16-bit RPGs. Even though the 2D sprites and backgrounds could've been done on the Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS, they still look sharp and detailed on the big PSP screen. There is plenty of color and lots of things to look at. The animated cutscenes are nice, too. The music helps draw you into this fairy tale storybook world, but it does get repetitive. And just like some past Japanese RPGs, the translated text doesn't always flow as well as it could.  Random turn-based battle encounters are the order of the day here, and these take elements from other classic RPGs as well. Battles happen directly on the field so obstacles like trees and rocks can be used to your advantageļ¾or disadvantage. You move around on a grid and try to attack enemies from behind for more damage. It's kind of like a strategy-RPG lite. Earn experience points, gold, and other spoils after battle to help you on your quest. Play control is a bit difficult while walking around because of the three-quarters isometric perspective. Plus the screen blur when you move can be a bit jarring. While the load times aren't very long, the game pauses to load before every battle, spell, and new area you enter, and those pauses get a little irritating after a while. Still, if you like classic RPGs like Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Phantasy Star, or Lunar, then PoPoLoCrois is worth the quest. 
Even though you battle monsters with swords and spells, violence is only cartoony and defeated enemies just disappear. There is no blood or questionable content at all. Reading skill is definitely required as this RPG is pretty text heavy. If you forget where to go next, there are not a whole lot of clues or help like in most modern RPGs. Young gamers may still enjoy the cute squatty characters and the fairy tale world of PoPoLoCrois, even if they may need help from an adult every now and then.
This review edited by Dave Long Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Browse Amazon.com's selection of "popolocrois" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: PoPoLoCrois |
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