Contact (DS)

So yeah, new game from Grasshopper/Suda51 (Killer 7). Looks like an absolutely awesome mix of Earthbound-style pixel art and beautiful, hand drawn backgrounds. It's apparently some sort of RPG, and Nintendo Wi-Fi plays a big part in the game, so it may be an online RPG.

http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_002.jpg http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_009.jpg
http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_007.jpg http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_008.jpg
http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_003.jpg http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_001.jpg

Small video (it's a short comercial, but it's the only video available so far, and looks great):

http://s12.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...L3LHSVLVNC8U1D

I haven't really gotten into Killer 7 much, but I love GH/Suda's insane sense of creativity, and of course matching that with Earthbound-ish visuals gives me a massive erection. Anyone else looking forward to this?

Very interested. Anything by Suda 51 deserves a rent at the least.

Hot damn that looks nice.

I'd like to know more about this game.

Are 636x263 images of overrated fighting games allowed in sigs now?

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

Are 636x263 images of overrated fighting games allowed in sigs now?

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Yup, there was a memo even.

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Originally Posted by Andy

So yeah, new game from Grasshopper/Suda51 (Killer 7). Looks like an absolutely awesome mix of Earthbound-style pixel art and beautiful, hand drawn backgrounds. http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_008.jpg
http://ds.advancedmn.com/images/media/contact_003.jpg

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That is really jarring.

Looks interesting. I'd love to find out how it actually plays.

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Originally Posted by Geen

Looks interesting. I'd love to find out how it actually plays.

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(insert Killer 7 flashbacks of 2 years ago)

That alone piques my interest.

This'll probably have some wi-fi capability; Note the connection strength bars in the upper left corner in a couple of those pics.

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Originally Posted by Bacon McShig

This'll probably have some wi-fi capability; Note the connection strength bars in the upper left corner in a couple of those pics.

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I take it you didn't read the first post?

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Originally Posted by Andy

Anyone else looking forward to this?

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I am now :)

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Originally Posted by starslight

I take it you didn't read the first post?

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Oh. Whoops. I just read the bit after the pics.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

Are 636x263 images of overrated fighting games allowed in sigs now?

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I had to start checking profiles to see what you were talking about, and holy crap... yet another reminder of why you have to have sigs turned off around here. I'd love to abuse my powers and take away the right for sigs from people who do stuff like that.

Commercial.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

That is really jarring.

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Im just guessing, but I assume that just that doctor/professor guy and his flying lab are in that kind of graphic style. Nothing else in the screens or the commercial look like that. Must be some sort of weird deal with him, where he has a much simpler graphic style.

A comical sci fi RPG? I'm in. That looks amazing. Those aren't just backgrounds, they're vistas! I dig the Earthbound'esque art. I wonder if the wifi isn't online play, maybe it will be extra content?

edit: Check out the rippling water animation in the clip where the boy is walking up to the castle. :eek:

edit: Pause the video near the end on the segment where 9 small clips are grouped together. The bottom middle clip shows some sort of Namco-like pixel racer.

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Originally Posted by Bacon McShig

Commercial.

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I thought you read the bit after the pics? ;)

Anyway, yeah, I'm thinking the difference between the hand drawn backgrounds and the pixel art is very deliberate; perhaps the scientist is from another dimension or another time or something.

It looks cool, hopefully it's a fleshed out game and not a communication style RPG. *-neo

well that certainly has promise, ill be keeping an eye on this, when is it supposed to be out in japan. wont import but that will give us a timeframe of when we may see a us port.

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Originally Posted by Dylan1CC

edit: Pause the video near the end on the segment where 9 small clips are grouped together. The bottom middle clip shows some sort of Namco-like pixel racer.

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Also, in the upper right corner is some other Title Screen for something called "Dragon and Dragon" and it looks like a sidescroller of some sort. This game has quickly ramped up into my most interested area.

I am intrigued... we don't get a lot of, as an above poster put it: "comical sci-fi RPGs" (which DOES sound like Earthbound's genre, doesn't it? ;))

I'm currently playing Killer 7 and it's a rad game. Not that this game looks anything like it but I'm hoping the quality and creativity will be there.

Looks like a good 'un. When I saw the post, I thought it was a game based on that crappy Jodie Foster Movie.

More reason to love Atlus (thanks to Perrin for originally finding this but it was in a Super robot thread) The quirky sci-fi comedy action RPG is on its way to the states in July, wi fi features 'n all:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/693/693395p1.html

Fancy backgrounds. YES!

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Originally Posted by Giltch

Fancy backgrounds. YES!

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I was thinking this too. I can stare at a painting all day instead. It'll have better graphics and probably similar entertainment value.

This game looks interesting. Hopefully the story will make more sense than Killer 7.

Fuck yeah, I don't think it has gotten much press, but Atlus is officially bringing this over to the US. :) Man, I love Atlus. Here are the first English screens:

http://i.i.com.com/cnet.g2/images/20..._screen001.jpg http://i.i.com.com/cnet.g2/images/20..._screen002.jpg http://i.i.com.com/cnet.g2/images/20..._screen003.jpg http://i.i.com.com/cnet.g2/images/20..._screen004.jpg http://i.i.com.com/cnet.g2/images/20..._screen005.jpg

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

That is really jarring.

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Yeah I thought that too, from all that I've read the game shows a lot of promise. With what seems like an open ended world with a good deal of custimization, here's hoping for the best.

Has there been an explanation of how this game actually plays?

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Originally Posted by PBMax

Has there been an explanation of how this game actually plays?

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Yeah the battle system is in real time but you don't control the attacks. You set the target and move your character but you have to wait for him to attack. And you can attack anybody friend or foe.

Atlus has convinced me (two Summon Nights, Contact, fucking Touch Detective) to get a DS. I asked them about the wi-fi... it was a little confusing, but you trade friend codes and that puts NPCs in your world. I don't know what they do beyond that though.

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Originally Posted by Sqoon

Atlus has convinced me (two Summon Nights, Contact, fucking Touch Detective) to get a DS. I asked them about the wi-fi... it was a little confusing, but you trade friend codes and that puts NPCs in your world. I don't know what they do beyond that though.

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HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

:link: :link: :link: :link:

[edit]: Japanese site link for curious souls.

[edit2]: Somebody, start a new thread for it. (I'm way too lazy.)

[edit3]: nm. Red Bull energized me into action.

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Originally Posted by shidoshi

I'd love to abuse my powers and take away the right for sigs from people who do stuff like that.

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Do it.

I've put in about two hours with the game and have some mixed feelings. I understand the main complaint of reviews that the battle system is too simple, honestly I found it refreshing not to mirco manage a RPG party and sort through a list of ablities/spells.

The thing that's killing me is the dialogue and pacing of the game. The narrative just kinda floats around. You're sleeping outside then suddenly a spaceship lands, you end up climbing aboard, meet the professor and just as suddenly are on a island after the professor combined the ship with some pirate wreckage he found. The interaction between Terry and the professor serves only to further plot points there's really very little interesting dialogue between them and left alone the professor just mumbles and pets his dog or stands at the computer. The developers could have pushed the whole two different people working together aspect more, like having the professor assist in deactivating dungeon traps or offering greater info than he does. NPCs really don't have anything compelling to say ethier. Hopefully the game picks up story-wise as it's a bore right now.

Another minor annoyance is the pirate ship, instead of picking a locale and simply going there, the game will recreate a bit traveling on the open seas, still have to see if there's a way to skip this like the playing with the dog sequences when Terry is asleep.

On the plus side I like the whole island exploration idea, the graphics and music are good, and the mini-games seem entertaining enough. With some work a Contact 2 would be a great game. *-neo

I'm hoping TRU has a copy of this when i go later this week. Otherwise, i'll get it through Amazon.

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The developers could have pushed the whole two different people working together aspect more, like having the professor assist in deactivating dungeon traps or offering greater info than he does. NPCs really don't have anything compelling to say ethier. Hopefully the game picks up story-wise as it's a bore right now.

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Without having actually played the game, the idea of the professor minding his own business and not helping the player appeals to me. Hippie art house games...

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Originally Posted by Beefy Hits

Looks like a good 'un. When I saw the post, I thought it was a game based on that crappy Jodie Foster Movie.

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I don't know of any crappy Jodie Foster movies called Contact. I know of a spectacular film staring Jodie Foster, written by Carl Sagan called Contact. I should ban you.

I passed this up earlier today to get Electroplancton.

I'm happy with my purchase, but with the way this looks, and the talk it seems to be getting, i think I'll be hitting this up next week or so.

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Originally Posted by Finch

I'm hoping TRU has a copy of this when i go later this week. Otherwise, i'll get it through Amazon.

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Checked two TRUs today and neither of them has it in. The guy at one of them said they wouldn't be getting them in at all. Don't know if that goes for TRU in general, or just that particular store.

The one close by is pretty good about getting in even the weird stuff. We'll see though. I'm just being cheap, crossing my fingers that they get Magical Vacation and Summon Night 2 in as well so i can use the buy 2 get 1 free deal. ):>

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Originally Posted by Tracer

I don't know of any crappy Jodie Foster movies called Contact. I know of a spectacular film staring Jodie Foster, written by Carl Sagan called Contact. I should ban you.

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Word.

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Originally Posted by Tracer

I don't know of any crappy Jodie Foster movies called Contact. I know of a spectacular film staring Jodie Foster, written by Carl Sagan called Contact. I should ban you.

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Sorry to break it to you, but that movie blew. On the other hand this game looks really cool.

Say what you want about Foster, say what you want about the movie, but if you say a bad word about Carl Sagan and I'll have your ass.

BUT NOT IN SPLINTER CELL, LOL

The big knock I've heard on this game is that it's very short and has no replay value whatsoever. How does the online play work?

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Originally Posted by SpoDaddy

The big knock I've heard on this game is that it's very short and has no replay value whatsoever. How does the online play work?

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From what I've heard, you level up by trading friend codes.

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Originally Posted by Glass Joe

Sorry to break it to you, but that movie blew. On the other hand this game looks really cool.

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Ban request +1. Seriously Jodie Foster Contact while not as good as written Sagan Contact is a good on screen iteration of a book.

Sagan pwns you harder than a black hole pwns matter within its event horizon.

It was a really good movie but it was, like, a week and a half long.

does anyone know if this plays anything like shining soul 2? i really liked shining soul 2.

The book was cool. I remember they cut all the Pi stuff out of the movie which, while understandable, was sad because that was some of the most interesting stuff in the book.

Amazon is owning me on Contact like they did on Okami. It has yet to ship.

I was considering ordering this with the google checkout special for $25 but apparently lots of people that have ordered it online haven't seen it ship out yet. I might just go to Toys R Us tommorow instead and see if there's anything good to exploit the B2G1 free special on.

Contact was overly long but it was an interesting movie. I've read very little Sagan, but what I've read I've enjoyed.

I'm about 2 hours in, like neoalphazero, and my feeling of the game is very similar. I'm hoping it picks up in the dialog department, because I really like the characters and the idea of the game, but so far they're not being fleshed out at all, and everything seems very flat and arbitrary.

Still, I'm actually enjoying the battle system quite a bit (it feels like a 2D f-chan take on an MMORPG, no joke), and I think a lot of the ideas in the game are very fresh for the genre. I love the look of the game, and the music is decent. I'm just hoping the characters and story pick up soon.

I'm going after the second crystal or whatever, I'm just under the impression that it's just "Get the basics out of the way" mode.

I just got the second gem and I'm liking it so far. I like the general idea behind the aesthetics, but I think the lower screen (the pre-rendered one) looks pretty ugly. Some of the music is great. The basic game so far is kind of like a J-RPG mixed with a Diablo-style dungeon romp/collectathon. It's fun, but I hope it has more up its sleeve too. The first island was kinda bland.

Oh and that new (obligatory?) female reviewer in Play seems to have read Jeremy Parish's Contact review a few...million times and memorized it completely before she wrote her own.

Whoa, this game is wacky. Not so sure it's any fun, though...

Contact was a movie which I enjoyed.

It is also a game that looks like dogshit, apparently. boo

Has anyone here dicked with the wi-fi stuff in this game?

If you want to harass my character, you can connect to 3265-0004-2611 (damn friend codes).

I don't know what to think of this one yet. I've uncovered three of the islands, but it doesn't seem like there's any reason to go back and explore once you've finished up with one. The Prof. says there are tons of hidden rooms, but I can see them all being completely usless in the long run. Like, kind of just thrown in for good measure.

"What do kids like these days?"

"Hidden shit! Let's give them TONS of hidden shit! Make it inane, too!"

"Great idea!"

Anayway, I'm thoroughly enjoying the quirk this game has to offer, and I'm typically not one for Quirk. Especially Japanese quirk. Like Katamari Damanci? Fuck that gay game. The costume changing is a bit absurd, and I love it for that very reason. SO far, I've been a member of a fire brigade and a super suave chef. Good times.

The combat seems like it could have been a bit more well thought out. It's there as a staple obsticle, but I would have prefered a rash of thinking puzzles, rather than beating the shit out of an unsuspecting hermit-crab//anemone//sand worm//etc.

All said, so far, not too deep into it, it's a mediocre game at best, but like Neo said, a beefed up Contact 2 would be the bee's knees.

Holy crap, this game's out? Totally slippin' here. Gonna have to pick it up, even if it's just to support Grashopper.

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Originally Posted by MarkRyan

Holy crap, this game's out? Totally slippin' here. Gonna have to pick it up, even if it's just to support Grashopper.

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What else have they done?

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Originally Posted by Captain Vegetable

What else have they done?

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A little game called Killer 7.

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Originally Posted by MarkRyan

A little game called Killer 7.

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I'm pretty sure I should've known that.

I haven't gotten much further, but the game is already starting to pick up. I will break it down Gamepro style.

Bad:

• Graphics don't look much better than what I would expect from a free online flash game. To be fair, this is coming right after playing the pinnacle of handheld pixel art, Mother 3. That's still no excuse though. I love the character art that's all over the box and manual, but that charm just does not translate into the actual sprites, and the choppy animation is weak.

Good:

• The combat isn't quite what I would call "fun" per se, but it's brisk and I very much appreciate it over random battles.
  
• The story is beginning to show signs that its from the creator of Killer 7 (tons of missing exposition, cynical government conspiracies, terrorism, etc.).
  
• I love most of the music. It's creating a wonderful little atmosphere for me to settle into almost on its own.
  
• The game feels very old school to me--almost like an NES game--partly because of the soundtrack but also because of how it tosses a huge variety of unrefined gameplay elements at you from a pretty basic interface. I mean that in a positive way though. Unrefined yes, but also simply well-implemented so far (even the 'stealth'!).

Also, at the beginning of the third island (the first one of any real substance, it seems) was anyone else strongly reminded of Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World? Well sure enough, the professor was reading a Murakami book when I saved my game 20 minutes later.

I've been mysteriously enthralled by this game the past couple days.

I'm digging the music and sound effects, stat ups, battles, and collection aspects, but not feeling the whole decal system, boring dog/cat interaction, and lack of overall polish. Also, the way Terry moves and his collision with walls feels inexact and clumsy. And can't we get a chime or something when we're given an item or find a secret location? I need that kind of feedback.

I have two crystals, and just arrived at the fourth island. Overall, it's cool, different. Won't be surprised if I suddenly lose interest, though, given its general lack of momentum.

Yeah, I've warmed up to the game quite a bit, but my feelings are almost exactly the same. Aside from all of the little gameplay issues where it lacks polish, the main thing that has kind of disappointed me is that the story really doesn't seem to have much focus; it just flies all over the place. But at the same time, that's become somewhat of an endearing quality to me. While it may not be nearly as fleshed out as, say, Earthbound --or as much as I'd like it to be, frankly-- it's not often that you get a game that tries to go off in its own direction, ignoring most of the genre conventions (especially in the RPG genre).

When taken for what it is, instead of what I wanted it to be (a spiritual addendum to Earthbound), it really is its own unique, interesting little experience. It's like a crazy dungeon hack for f-chans.

Yeah, this is now one of my favorite DS games.

These aren't story spoilers at all -- just general gameplay stuff -- but I'll tag 'em just in case.
I just finished the pyramid island (itself quite neat), and am now in Habara, a take-off on Akihabara, complete with a giant tower-style videogame/anime/appliance store. As you scale the tower, you fight fridges, vacuum cleaners, and miniature models. Every so often, in order to advance to the next floor, you need to play an arcade game, but you actually go inside the game itself as Terry. The second one is called Dragon Dragon, a side-scrolling "RPG" type game that looks like a cross between Ghouls n' Ghosts and Zelda. So, you're you, playing a DS game, controlling Terry, who is controlling himself inside an arcade game.

It's all very fresh, and really makes you want to keep playing to see what the next island will throw your way.

Its a cross between Ghouls and Ghosts and Gauntlet, damnit! The tile sprites and ghosts are ripped straight out of Gauntlet. The title music sounds like it is from Metroid, though.

I love the open irreveleance, utter tearing down of the fourth wall (the professor is constantly and openly talking to you (the player) during cutscenes) and silly references this game makes. Random stuff, from the Snaaaaaake sequence (being some crazy third level reference to both Metal Gear Solid and the flash cartoon) to the professor telling you to suck less whenever you die to one guy looking for Snakes on a Train to the part where one of the enemies uses her idol status to make a bunch of otaku gather all of the damn jewel shards to having to play a spoof of one of the music trakcs from Daytona USA to get to the final part of the game. Even the game system is a joke at times, with the absurd grind to get level 100 skills that are absolutely unnecessary and the fact that you can beat on NPCs in the game and they respond like nothing ever happened (just like a real videogame!).

I just love the fact that at one point the best way to farm for cash is to jack it from otaku shopping in the giant store in Habara.

This game owns.

I just bought a copy on ebay for $18 including shipping, but the dude had no feedback yet, so we'll see how this turns out... :/

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Originally Posted by Dipstick

Its a cross between Ghouls and Ghosts and Gauntlet, damnit! The tile sprites and ghosts are ripped straight out of Gauntlet. The title music sounds like it is from Metroid, though.

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Ah, okay. I never really played that game. I knew it looked familiar, though. And I messed up on other stuff, too. The game is called "Dragon and Dragon", and you're fighting cell phones in the tower, not models.

I think I might be at the last island now, but there's still tons of gaps in all my inventory screens. Think I'll go back now, and see what stuff I've missed. I also still don't have two of the optional costumes! Don't tell me where they are, though, please, not even in spoilers.

One's near that rock on the second crystal-island-phone-cam-model-action-mega-ultra. You know the one.

Played this for a couple of hours and so far it's one of my favorite games in a while. The sheer level of bizarreitude is so endearing. Like Dipstick said, the irreverence for EVERYTHING about it is what really makes Contact stand apart. It's just good times. Even the inane nonsense is great.

"Snaaaake"

I finally broke down and looked on gamefaqs for the location of the Thief outfit. I don't think hardly anyone would have thought to do that, so I'm a little annoyed that I tried to play fair for so long. I'll go back now, open the locked chests, then wrap it up. I don't feel the need to fill all the inventory slots or acquire all the girlfriends (especially after I read the requirements for getting the gamer girl).

I was starting to think I might have missed the Thief outfit. Is it before or after island 3?

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Originally Posted by icarusfall

I was starting to think I might have missed the Thief outfit. Is it before or after island 3?

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After

If you just let the game idle, most of the songs are really long. They go into all these new segments you usually don't get to hear when playing normally (i.e. triggering battle music constantly). Just bring up the menu, let the game sit for a few minutes and enjoy. The Habara music is super funky.

Try it, you will like it.

is this game getting hard to find yet? i don't have a ds yet and was wondering if i should just pick up a copy if i see it anywhere.

I still see it new at EB, and there's plenty going for under $25 on eBay. I got mine for $18 shipping included, so if you're gonna' get one, get one there.

I just picked this up at Best Buy with God Hand in a "these games are probably going to disappear in a few months" frenzy. gg gift card.

When does the WiFi stuff start and does anybody still check it?

I just bought this yesterday and I'm not sure if I like it so far. I'll keep playing though.

I think my biggest complaint is cosmetic- i.e., why does the doctor and the cat look like they are from Earthbound but the boy and everything else doesn't? That really, really bugs me.

IT'S ARTSY YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT </wrists>

Why does the cat scream at me every 4 seconds?

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Originally Posted by Satsuki

Why does the cat scream at me every 4 seconds?

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I dunno, but my cat sits on my monitor and does the same thing, so maybe I should ask her.

Yeah, see, I have a real white cat that sort of looks like the cat in the game, and she sort of screams the same way. It's really annoying to have them both scream at me at once.

lol, I can totally picture that.

ok late to the party here, but i just picked this up, and, wow, im impressed, some of the concepts actually remind me a bit of morrowind, i havent gotten far, but im liking it.

Yep its good never been online with it tho and i still need to beat it...

This game is pissing me off. I didn't get the Flyboy outfit in Ft. Eagle the first time around, so now I am in the next stage that needs it and when I go back to Ft. Eagle, all the soldiers are replaced with snakes and I can't get the Flyboy outfit. Fuck, I have to start over.

You sure you're in the area where you're supposed to get it? It's outside the main buildings, on an airplane landing strip if I recall.

Yah I was there, all snakes. F'ing BS.

man that sucks how did you miss it the first time?

I guess I didn't kill the guard under the tree. I gave up.

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Originally Posted by rama

does anyone know if this plays anything like shining soul 2?

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Holy sugarsnaps, indeed it does.

I just cracked into SSII, and imagine my delight as I was immediately struck at all the similarities to one of my favorite DS games:

• How the character sprite moves, and how he's slower than his running animation would suggest he should be.
• The pre-rendered backgrounds (these could literally have been pulled straight out of Contact).
• The fonts and HP gauge.
• The music on the Item screen.
• All the hidden rooms reached by pressing against walls, and then traveling through black space.
• Certain stats increasing the more you get damaged.

I checked GameFAQs, and, sure enough, Grasshopper! I had no idea. This is a wonderful surprise. Almost like a Contact 0.

Contact sucks.

I tried desperately to like this game but failed. The concept/art/direction is neat (like a different Mother) but the combat blows.

KoF's review is gospel, but those looking for something a little more in depth can read on.

Recreating Contact (DS) in Ten Easy Steps


You will need:

1 computer
1 printer
1 working stove
1 twenty dollar bill
1 piece scotch tape
1 friend, family member, or coworker
1 copy of Diablo
1 frying pan



Instructions:

1) Place the $20 bill in the frying pan, and the frying pan on the stove top.

2) Set the burner to "High" and walk away.

While that cooks, it's time to get to work on recreating Contact's exhilarating combat system!

3) Print the following screenshot.

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1197923609

4) Using scotch tape, adhere the image to the very top of your laptop, recreating the "dual screen" effect.

5) Install and run Diablo. If at all possible, try to configure it to run at half speed.

6) Ask a friend, family member, or coworker to play it. Sorry, you'll not be interacting with the game.

7) Watch them play for a couple of hours.

8) Return to the stove. You'll notice that your efforts yielded nothing of significance, maybe a chunk of carbon at best. You'll also notice that your $20 is gone.

9) Repeat Step 7.

10) Repeat Step 7.


Congratulations, you've just experienced Contact!



Frequently Asked Questions:

• What was the purpose of burning the $20 bill?

The purpose was two-fold, actually. In reducing the bill into a chunk of carbon, you've both relieved yourself of $20 (the going rate for a copy of Contact) and recreated the excitement of Contact's celebrated cooking system.

• Why did I tape that screenshot of a professor and a cat to my monitor? It's not doing anything; it's pointless.

Exactly.

Why is Contact coming up again?

Compass started it.

<3 Contact.

Hey, guys, we're almost at three pages. Just a couple more posts!

:lol: ARBM post = pure comedy