"Famous faces from Capcom, Namco Bandai and Sega join forces in this intricate and strategic role-play adventure. Like yourself, these characters may very well be far out of their comfort zones, but they adapt and conquer the battlefield in a completely new manner."
The Gameplay:
Street Fighter, Tekken and Virtua Fighters are not normally franchises associated with role-play and this is exactly why Project X Zone is so interesting. Across three famous franchises mentioned above, characters are selected, paired up and forced into battle utilizing key turn-based role-play elements as well as implementing iconic moves and abilities that every character is known for.
So at first glance it might be a little confusing and difficult to take everything in simply because the gameplay styles you’re used to seeing these characters in are nowhere to be found – but this new role-play adventure they’ve been placed in is interesting, tactical and highly rewarding. Players are forced to use the game’s EX bar to decide whether they want to perform special moves, block, counter attack or use on-map abilities. This alongside seeing iconic moves performed by your favourite characters makes this a very easy game to get sucked into and enjoy.
It’s fair to say that liking the franchises represented will not necessarily correlate to you enjoying Project X Zone’s gameplay. Fans of RPG games will definitely enjoy it and if you happen to be a fan of the series involved then it’s even better. Knowing the source material absolutely has its perks but Project X Zone caters with the Crosspedia, an information database that helps explain and introduce gamers to characters they have not come across.
The Presentation:
Project X Zone is a stylish 3DS release – one that implements a wonderful artistic direction that makes each and every character look vivid and beautiful. Considering how different some of the art-styles are across these franchises, it’s an absolute testament to the art-team of how well they have merged all these characters together. Whether you’re in gameplay or watching the story unfold you will be marvelled at the beautiful quality Project X Zone portrays from start to finish.
The Verdict:
Project X Zone reminds me of Pokemon: Conquest in the sense that a franchise with a very clear gameplay direction was taken, flipped on its head and revealed to the masses in a tactical role-play environment. It was brave, quirky, interesting and ultimately paid off. The same can be said for Project X Zone: while the story of how all these characters came together is incredibly confusing, the core gameplay, presentation and replay value is very strong. Definitely check it out and see if catches your attention the same way it did mine.
Gameplay – 8.0
Presentation – 8.0
Replay value – 8.0
Verdict – 8.0
Igor Kharin
Project X Zone at CeX
