The Video Game Revue

"@ Play" Looks at Izuna

@ Play is a regular column on GameSetWatch dedicated to Roguelike games. It also happens to be one of the better series of articles I've bothered to read about game design. I mention it here because this week the column critiques Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, which is one of my favourite Nintendo DS RPGs.

One thing to take away from the GameSetWatch article on Izuna is that being a connoisseur of Roguelikes is the wrong reason to play it. When push comes to shove, Izuna is a very casual RPG experience compared to Rogue or any respectable descendant of Rogue.

Personally, I can't claim to like Izuna for any truly rational reason. It's not that it's a great game, or that it has some killer feature, or anything like that. I just happen to like it. It's light-hearted, it appeals to the part of me that used to kill fifteen minutes with a quick game of Rogue, and I can pretty much shut my brain off while playing it but still be challenged enough to enjoy myself. I'm even planning to buy the sequel when it comes out.

posted by Parappa @ 3:45 PM