Prepare yourselves as the latest crossover game with the largest number of characters being featured is making its appearance onto the Nintendo 3DS. We’re talking about Project X Zone where Namco Bandai, Sega, and Capcom are uniting into one epic RPG title. With at least 200 characters originating from various different and familiar franchises, players should be delighted when they see such games like Mega Man X, Xenosaga and Tekken mashed together in what appears to be a peculiar and humorous situation.
Each chapter in Project X Zone involves characters from a particular gaming world as they engage in battle. Background stories are incorporated for characters including those from Devil May Cry, Ghost and Goblins, and Street Fighter. As you progress further, the different worlds eventually come together. But even so, the characters personality remains consistent thereby giving a sense of nostalgia to players who are familiar with the associated franchise.
In terms of the gameplay, as mentioned before, Project X Zone plays out like an RPG where the action is turn-based. To illustrate, the characters and enemies make their moves and perform their attacks accordingly when in contact with each other. The control scheme is very easy to get used to especially with the game’s effective use of the instructions right on the bottom touch screen. Essentially, you’re pressing the A button to land an attack followed by another press of the same button when executing subsequent attacks. There is an XP meter for your character, which when filled up to at least 100%, you can execute a significantly powerful and elaborate special attack.
Like a lot of RPGs, Project X Zone features experience points, which you acquire after every battle and thus affords you the opportunity to level up. Unfortunately, you won’t get the chance to customize your characters. You won’t be able to equip specific armor or weapons which could potentially decrease the game’s replay incentive. Nevertheless, there are power-up items that you can use towards your characters to produce unique effects on their stats. With more than 10 save lots you can use, Project X Zone is best enjoyed playing in a couple of chapters per play session. The fighting does take a long time and could get kind of overwhelming.
In terms of the presentation, the game looks mighty impressive and gorgeous. The characters that come from the different franchises are designed quite well and remain faithful to their original look. The battles themselves are where the joyful eye candy lies. It’s essentially a visual treat especially when you launch a special attack for characters like Darkstalkers and Dead Rising, which serve to fill the screen with delightful graphics and sprites. The 3D effects, however, do appear to be underutilized. Nonetheless, the overall appearance does contribute to the enthralling and fascinating experience.
Coupling well with Project X Zone’s visuals is the game’s audio execution. The characters’ voiceovers are well done with the Japanese, which you can always view the dialogue for the English translations, while the musical tracks are pretty much fantastic. You will be able to hear the original songs as well as remixes, thus giving you a little flavor of nostalgia as well as some refreshing new tracks.
Project X Zone brings the best of the worlds from Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Sega, which to players can be an epic ordeal. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to how much of a hardcore RPG fan you are. The more you enjoy these types of turn-based strategy games, the more you’ll be able to appreciate the content offered by Project X Zone. Currently you can get Project X Zone either from your local video game retail store or via the Nintendo eShop as a download. While I am blown away with the 200+ characters featured in this game, I suggest to players to check out the demos so that you’ll know what to expect from a Nintendo 3DS title like this.
