If you enjoyed Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja (or at least thought you might), then there's good news: the sequel is just as charming, just as engaging, and perhaps even a little more fun than the original. The sequel has a lot of new things, including a second baby step toward making Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns a hair easier on your sanity and frustration levels.That's right -- while Izuna's games definitely fall under the roguelike label, they're a fingernail easier than the traditional dungeon crawler. That doesn't make them any easier to me, but the hardest of the hardcore may scoff at Izuna's differences, while the rest of us can actually attempt the game without "accidentally" dropping the DS or anything. What's different? In both Izuna 2 and its predecessor, when you die (and will you ever die), you keep your levels. In keeping with the roguelike tradition, you lose everything else, but it's not absolutely everything in a square-one sort of way. Izuna 2 adds something else on top of that: the tag team system. And that's where things get a little sticky.
Here's the thing: if you want your roguelikes infinitely brutal, in which each move is like playing chess with a grandmaster, then Izuna 2 is probably not for you. If, however, you like the idea of a softer, gentler dungeon crawl, Izuna's great, and made even greater by the tag team system. But in order to enjoy it, you just have to accept that Izuna 2 isn't going to be as traditional a roguelike as it can be. It's not a flaw, but rather, a stylistic choice, and it's up to the player to decide if that's appealing.
Me, I'm not that great at roguelikes. I enjoy the challenge, but sometimes find it difficult to find the patience to persevere through the worst spots. That makes Izuna's slightly-lowered difficulty more appealing. It helps that Izuna is fun and never takes itself very seriously. The dialogue (with Japanese voice acting!) is charming, amusing, and frequently breaks the fourth wall. All the quirks that made the first game such a treat are here again, and coupled with the new gameplay mechanic, Izuna 2 really becomes a unique experience.But how's the tag team system work? Essentially, it's like having an extra "life" (at least, if you've kept your chosen teammate leveled up). You go into dungeons as a pair, though only one character is playable at a time, and when one dies, the other takes over, with all of the same items. It definitely lessens the pressure that usually comes with entering dungeons in a roguelike.
But here, that just feels right. This game isn't taking itself seriously, so why shouldn't you relax? Early on in the title, it all just works so well together, and more aggressive challenges would take a little of that away. It's difficult to enjoy the jokes when you're swearing under your breath because you've just died for the tenth time in an hour.
Check back later for our full review!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-19-2008 @ 3:47PM
Mr Khan said...
So its still brutal, but with more safety nets?
Sounds good to me
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7-19-2008 @ 4:33PM
Flagg said...
I was hopping that the other team member would follow the player.
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7-19-2008 @ 6:58PM
aj said...
Actually, I'm not really big on roguelikes, but I've been hell bent on getting a copy of one of the Izuna games based on the sense of humour alone. Izuna 2 sounds like it was made just for me, which is.....creepy, actually.
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7-19-2008 @ 8:06PM
theclaw said...
Izuna games being easier is good for me, for sure!
But it divides fans of the genre. A lot of them are hardcore players who expect brutal or relentless difficulty levels.
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7-19-2008 @ 8:49PM
klintor said...
So just how shitty is your game?
So awesome.
I love PA
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7-20-2008 @ 2:29AM
Puddles said...
I didn't find Izuna all that hard (except for the bonus dungeon). I found it to be challenging, but in a good way. Once I figured out how to play cautiously, I had no problem. It just requires some strategizing.
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7-20-2008 @ 7:11AM
bVork said...
Oh yuck, they kept the level-retaining aspect. I think that is a horrible decision, as it encourages grinding and gives the designers less incentive to properly balance the game. Looks like the SP system is back, too. I do appreciate the more strategic approach to item use that it encourages, but it also motivates players to grind.
I'll stick to Shiren. I'll say only one thing about Shiren vs Izuna: you'll never ever see an Izuna game with a puzzle mode like the one in Shiren.
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7-20-2008 @ 9:05PM
LordGek said...
Well at least ONE of the post story dungeons is Izuna 2's take on Shiren's "Fay's Final Puzzle" (you enter the dungeon naked, level 1, and have to fight your way through 99 levels of a dungeon with no access to town...but then again you'll have a tag partner).
7-20-2008 @ 11:57PM
bentendo said...
I'm buying it. I was addicted to the original Rogue, so I'm sure I'll like this, even if it's a little easier than most roguelikes. I want to go for Shiren as well, but I'm thinking I'll wait for the Wii release.
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7-21-2008 @ 5:50AM
Almadi said...
Atlus is a company that should be supported!!!
They have picked up the slack after Working Designs folded. They go down and 'no more weird and cool' Japanese games for the Western market.
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7-21-2008 @ 7:47AM
jgoreham said...
I normally agree that Atlus is great and deserves support and attention, but those awful pre-order posters really put a sour taste in my mouth. I can't bare to check out the Izuna games now if Atlus thinks so poorly of women.
7-24-2008 @ 2:20PM
aj said...
I, for one, have never played a JRPG that didn't involve sexism.
But then again, it's just a game, and I am far more disturbed at what women do to themselves than I am about a cartoon drawing.