Hybrid Heaven
Reviewed by Rocky
So let's face it. Sincerely, The N64's library of games truly lacks some
good old RPGs (and something else other than that). Something that
won't even faze RPG haters (obviously) but for a turn-based battle fan
like me, the situation is a little complicated. I opted for the N64 back
in '97, cuz the Play games did not seem too good. Years passed, and I
saw awesome titles go by and by for the PSX, like Final Fantasy 7, 8,9,
Chrono Cross, and other great RPGs. I was seriously tempted to sell my
N64 and buy a Play just for that. But then again I was too enjoying my
fantastic N games. So what about the RPGs? Finally, starting from 1999,
N64 slowly is reaching that RPG habit too, with titles like Paper Mario,
the new Zelda Majora's Mask, Aidyn Chronicles, and the reviewed Hybrid
Heaven. These titles (except Zelda) are just WAY inferior to the FF and CC
counterparts on the Play, but still quite fun. As soon as I bought Hybrid
Heaven, I thought OK, this time I'm going to have fun. Frankly, I did.
Graphics: 4 out of 5
Graphics are the best part of Hybrid Heaven. Sure, no dazzling animations or
FMVs, but still above FF's graphics. Graphics, as RPG lovers know, are the
LEAST important part in an RPG. Crisp, detailed characters, even though
their polygons show a little bit too much, beautiful backgrounds with tons
of enemies and places to explore. But in the meantime, it's the same old thing.
Ok, looking at great backgrounds is fun, but what about if you look at the
same thing for the whole game? That's my point. You never really get to
see a huge variety of places,like forests or lakes or cities. Just an
underground base that looks like a bunch of decadent sewers for all your
gaming experience. Not fun at all. Other aspects are fairly good, the camera
just glitches a little sometimes (maybe trying to imitate Resident Evil
with its fixed camera angles), but the framerate is constantly at good
levels, and the menu interface is clear and readable. About the interface,
it's fairly colorful and filled with sparks and various luminescences that
activate when you get hit. Graphics are maybe one of the strongest points
of the game.
Music and Sound: 2 out of 5
There is no music. I'm not joking here, or maybe a need a doctor's visit,
but I do not hear any music while playing. Maybe the music is put on a
lower level so that players can focus more on gameplay...but I don't think
that's it. There are some melo scores here and there a la Resident Evil, but
like I said they are too low on volume to be heard. Even the battle music
seems uninspired and tirelessly repetitive. Who wants to listen to some
bland music when one's right in the middle of action itself?. The same
thing cannot be said about the sound effects. At least those are awesome.
You can hear your character's footsteps quite clearly, or a laser that an
enemy's shooting at you, or the enemies' cry itself. The music is fairly low,
but when it gets to sound effects, this game's number 1. You can't live with
only those, though, and music is one of the most important parts in an RPG
experience. Final Fantasy teaches us well...
Game Challenge: 3 out of 5
The game challenge is almost in existent. Make your way through dark
corridors for the whole game, with monsters that occasionally pop up
here and there. Even if a monster was particularly hard to beat, at the
end of the battle you'll learn that enemies moves, making you a powerful
war machine in no time. Levels are gained too easily, and by the time you're
on the 3rd out of 10 levels you're already at level 20. Items like cure potions
are found too often and weapons are definitely too powerful. There are
different difficulty levels, and although I played on hard, I still didn't
find enough challenge to satisfy me. Many inexperienced gamers will
enjoy this aspect of the game, but Hardcore RPG fans that are used to
the difficulty of Final Fantasy levels are not going to be impressed by
this. WAY too easy for an RPG!
Game Play-Fun: 4 out of 5
Gameplay offers something new to Gamers and RPGs alike. When you
encounter an enemy,the game does not switch to another screen like in
other RPGs, but it rather changes camera angles. Encountered your foe
then, the true fun begins. You are free to manipulate your character in
battle until the time to attack or defend comes. When you want to attack
(when you're near enough to an enemy) you press the A button and a list of
moves, including punches, kicks, and grabs will appear. Choose one, and
your character will execute it automatically. Almost the same concept
when defending. A warning message is displayed on screen, and you can
choose whether to Step aside, Counter the attack or simply Guard.
Depending on the enemies move then, your decision can either be right
or wrong. Simple and intuitive battle system, quite fun and engaging,
definitely a step ahead for having an active RPG. The great rock of the game.
Frustration
This game is not frustrating at all. Almost no puzzles to resolve, almost
straightforward, with few bosses that will give you pain. Nothing to worry
about, even for newbies.
Replayability: 2 out of 5
Seriously, I don't think this game has enough replay value. Sure, you can
start off with the Easy mode to end up with Hard, but the game is always
the same. No additional quests or side quests present in the game, only the
main quest where you just run around encountering enemies. You'll play
it the first time through, it's going to be that way, 100%.
Game Value: 3 out of 5
Worth the price if you get it on sale, but I wouldn't spend 50 dollars on a
game like this. Very good game, not enough for all that mulah.
Overall: 8.3 out of 10
A nice RPG that will entertain you for a while, not enough to satisfy
hardcores like me. too linear to be an RPG, too short to be an adventure. Its
a Hybrid, like the game suggests. Still waiting for another Final Fantasy.