Well, I picked up my copy of Guardian War last night at Babbages right before closing, picked up my girlfriend, and went out to dinner. I didn't get home to play it until around 1:00am, and that's after pulling a 13 hour shift. So, I didn't get to play it much before I went to bed...
Anyway, after all that, it's nothing like Secret of Mana at all. From what I've seen, the "world" map is a very limited, tile-based screen, where you have to conquer individual squares to pass. I don't know how linear this becomes, since I only beat two squares so far. (I was REALLY tired.) Anyway, when you go to combat on a square, it changes to a 3d perspective from about 30 degrees above and behind your character. You move your characters around as a group, and then individually when you come into combat range of a monster. I can't really describe the way they made the landscape too well, but they did it very well. There are rocks, and cacti laying around, and the whole screen rotates around the combatants. There are some very impressive looking spells from the priest, like Holy Light, and Healing. (Yeah, Healing actually looks impressive.) I don't know how many more you can get. But, the combat is NOT real time. It's more like, well, an SSI D&D game, like Pools of Radiance, but with a different perspective, and much better graphics. I like the fact that you move your characters individually, unlike a lot of the RPG's on SNES, where your guys line up agains the monsters, and duke it out like a Revolutionary War battle.
I don't know how much more story there is, but it seems kinda flat so far. You're a golem, brought to life by the Goddess somethingorother to purge the world of the evil whatshisname. Pretty basic stuff so far.
Overall, on my 15 minute first impression, I like the game. It's got a lot of potential, and at least fills a much needed niche on the 3DO.
However, the RPG on the Jaguar is much better. Oh, wait, sorry, there's nothing new out for Jag at all. It's that thing over next to my 3DO covered with dust. (Sorry, I'm disgruntled.)
Mark Murawski
I love it. It's great. 3DO needs it.
First off, it _is_ almost entirely combat oriented. But the combat system to this game is fantastic. It gives you much more strategic control than any of the SNES run-o-the-mill (even if it's a great mill) RPGs. And there are many things in the game that are either NOT documented, (Who the hell wrote the instructions? The Japanese guy who licked the stamp to mail it here?) or barely documented.
One of these is the simple fact that you can "wear" several bodies at once. You are a golem, and you can add different bodies as equipment. So, my main character has a Paladin body as his primary body. This gives him a good swing, and Holy Light. Then, I added an archer body as his Sub1, so I can use his ranged attacks. On top of this, I have a knight body as my Sub2. I think I just did that so I didn't have any slots... :) But these abilities are vital in combat.
Also, you have to ability to charm monsters in combat, and make them join your party, by using a Bell of Love. These monsters stay in your party, and you can add up to 8 of them. It's even more insteresting when you give the monsters strategy instructions. You don't have direct control over them, but you can give them directives, like "attack leader" or such. You still have to watch the health of the monsters, and heal them whenever necessary.
I've only found the first 4 characters to join the party, so I don't think I've seen all that much in this game yet (I hope.) But, I've gotta recommend this game to anyone who likes a decent strategic combat RPG. I've been trying to think of another game to directly compare this to, but I can't. Shining Force? Nah... Master of Monsters. Nope... Um, Gemfire? No... I'm not gonna waste my time. Try it.
Mark Murawski
michel.buffa@essi.fr