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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: RPG Developer: Marvelous Interactive Publisher: Xseed Games |
presents players with the familiar premise of controlling a humble young hero destined to save the world. It features a game mechanic
called the Book of Prophecy that is unlike anything most players have ever played before. There is a learning curve and a the book isn’t
as intuitive as it could have been, but players that are willing to put in the time will find this game to a deep and visually impressive
game for the Nintendo DS.
The premise of the game is that the world is coming to an end and players have been selected to make a record of everything worth
keeping in the Book of Prophecy. Almost everything players encounter in the game can be recorded, including people, monsters, items,
weapons and flowers. The idea is that their journal will be used as a reference tool when the new world is created. Of course the idea
is a little morbid, but if the world is going to end, players might as well have a say in what the next world is going to look like.
“Avalon Code” is a pretty linear action RPG where players split their time between talking with the townspeople and venturing out to
battle monsters in the countryside. Most of the time, the game will tell players exactly where they need to go next and they need to fight
their way there. Dungeons are included, but instead of being open areas, they are divided into rooms, each of which has a specific
objective in order to pass. Players may have to defeat all monsters, light all torches or flip all the switches within a time limit. It is an
interesting design and a welcome change from the typical action RPG.
Guiding players along their journey are four elemental spirits who explain how the book works and provide hints as to what they should
do next. Not only can players record people and items in their book, they can mess with their attributes as well. This is the majority of
“Avalon Code,” everything in this world is governed by codes which are characteristics the book can add or remove to its entries. For
instance, players might encounter a really tough monster. Once they have copied its data into the book, players can add an illness code
that will drastically reduce its health. If players need to light a torch in order to open a secret door, they can add a fire code to their sword
and use it as a flaming sword.
There are limits to what players can do with codes though. They can only hold four in reserve, so they will often need to do some
rearranging with the various characters and items in their Book of Prophecy. Each entry can also hold only a certain amount of codes
although this will be increased over time. Finally codes come in different shapes and sizes, and getting them to fit on an entry is a
puzzle game itself. This ends up being a heavy mechanic that requires a lot of time but offers some great customization options.
While the spirits are around to help players, the user interface still isn’t as friendly as it should be. Players use the Book of Prophecy a
lot but it can be clumsy. Navigating the book is slow, finding a specific entry or code can take a while, and it doesn’t always provide
enough information to help. For instance, the effect of some codes is obvious, while other codes are less apparent and players will
only discover their meaning if a scripted event explains it.
Players take control of their character with the D-Pad and face buttons, but they will need to keep their stylus in hand in order to use the
Book of Prophecy. There are a couple of control issues though. Sometimes it is too difficult to make contact with an enemy. If players
try to scan objects that are close together the game may choose the wrong one. These aren’t huge issues the ruin the game, but they
are very noticeable.
The hero of the game has a strange but amazing ability to launch enemies into space. If players are able to catch them off guard, they
can initiate a Judgement Link which is a timed mini game where players see how many times they can bounce them into the air. With
each hit, the enemy soars higher and higher until they evaporate in space. It is really weird and really grinds the pace of the game to a
halt, but it is definitely fun. Reaching the maximum height will replenish their magic points, so there is a point to it all.
“Avalon Code” offers players a unique experience among action RPG games. Capturing people and object in the Book of Prophecy and
playing with their attributes is a great new mechanic players won’t be able to find anywhere else. The interface isn’t perfect but it is very
engaging. The game is also paced very well and offers out new abilities to the player at regular intervals throughout the 20+ hours of
game play. Players looking for a cinematic Nintendo DS experience will find it here. Now that the groundwork has been laid, players
will hope for a sequel that refines the interface and offers a near perfect RPG.
called the Book of Prophecy that is unlike anything most players have ever played before. There is a learning curve and a the book isn’t
as intuitive as it could have been, but players that are willing to put in the time will find this game to a deep and visually impressive
game for the Nintendo DS.
The premise of the game is that the world is coming to an end and players have been selected to make a record of everything worth
keeping in the Book of Prophecy. Almost everything players encounter in the game can be recorded, including people, monsters, items,
weapons and flowers. The idea is that their journal will be used as a reference tool when the new world is created. Of course the idea
is a little morbid, but if the world is going to end, players might as well have a say in what the next world is going to look like.
“Avalon Code” is a pretty linear action RPG where players split their time between talking with the townspeople and venturing out to
battle monsters in the countryside. Most of the time, the game will tell players exactly where they need to go next and they need to fight
their way there. Dungeons are included, but instead of being open areas, they are divided into rooms, each of which has a specific
objective in order to pass. Players may have to defeat all monsters, light all torches or flip all the switches within a time limit. It is an
interesting design and a welcome change from the typical action RPG.
Guiding players along their journey are four elemental spirits who explain how the book works and provide hints as to what they should
do next. Not only can players record people and items in their book, they can mess with their attributes as well. This is the majority of
“Avalon Code,” everything in this world is governed by codes which are characteristics the book can add or remove to its entries. For
instance, players might encounter a really tough monster. Once they have copied its data into the book, players can add an illness code
that will drastically reduce its health. If players need to light a torch in order to open a secret door, they can add a fire code to their sword
and use it as a flaming sword.
There are limits to what players can do with codes though. They can only hold four in reserve, so they will often need to do some
rearranging with the various characters and items in their Book of Prophecy. Each entry can also hold only a certain amount of codes
although this will be increased over time. Finally codes come in different shapes and sizes, and getting them to fit on an entry is a
puzzle game itself. This ends up being a heavy mechanic that requires a lot of time but offers some great customization options.
While the spirits are around to help players, the user interface still isn’t as friendly as it should be. Players use the Book of Prophecy a
lot but it can be clumsy. Navigating the book is slow, finding a specific entry or code can take a while, and it doesn’t always provide
enough information to help. For instance, the effect of some codes is obvious, while other codes are less apparent and players will
only discover their meaning if a scripted event explains it.
Players take control of their character with the D-Pad and face buttons, but they will need to keep their stylus in hand in order to use the
Book of Prophecy. There are a couple of control issues though. Sometimes it is too difficult to make contact with an enemy. If players
try to scan objects that are close together the game may choose the wrong one. These aren’t huge issues the ruin the game, but they
are very noticeable.
The hero of the game has a strange but amazing ability to launch enemies into space. If players are able to catch them off guard, they
can initiate a Judgement Link which is a timed mini game where players see how many times they can bounce them into the air. With
each hit, the enemy soars higher and higher until they evaporate in space. It is really weird and really grinds the pace of the game to a
halt, but it is definitely fun. Reaching the maximum height will replenish their magic points, so there is a point to it all.
“Avalon Code” offers players a unique experience among action RPG games. Capturing people and object in the Book of Prophecy and
playing with their attributes is a great new mechanic players won’t be able to find anywhere else. The interface isn’t perfect but it is very
engaging. The game is also paced very well and offers out new abilities to the player at regular intervals throughout the 20+ hours of
game play. Players looking for a cinematic Nintendo DS experience will find it here. Now that the groundwork has been laid, players
will hope for a sequel that refines the interface and offers a near perfect RPG.
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