19-Jun-2002 Nintendo goes hardcore with a frenzied card battling game Nintendo goes hardcore with a frenzied card battling game
Slowly and stealthily, the malicious tendrils of an enchanted Black Fog are creeping across the land of Argwyll, cloaking hideous beasts intent on carnage. The last hope for the people of the land is young Princess Katia Jerbere, armed only with her magical deck of Guardian Creature cards.
All grown up A GameCube exclusive release, Lost Kingdoms is exactly the sort of game to widen the Cube's appeal. At first sight it might appear to be a Final Fantasy-style role-player, but it's actually much more of a card-battling action game in a mythical setting.
Imagine the random battle elements of Final Fantasy harnessed to real time sword and sorcery fighting. And how about a fully controllable 3D camera which allows you to zoom in and out and rotate your viewpoint using the yellow C stick? Final Fantasy X would have rocked even harder with such an effortless control system.
Let's be clear, Lost Kingdoms is distinctly adult in tone with an emphasis on the dark and depressing. Katia explores muddy battlefields carpeted with fallen soldiers, dark mines where she can barely see in front of her royal turned-up nose, and dank dungeons with more than a whiff of torture about them. Only occasionally does she get to traipse around some fragrant meadows, including one scenic location where you have to run around smashing giant eggs.
Card for life Don't expect much in the way of plot-expanding cutscenes or lengthy sub-quests. There are some simple puzzles but nothing to distract you too much from your precious cards. It might all sound like a simple concept, but with 27 levels to explore and 104 cards to collect, Lost Kingdoms is a hugely entertaining game that combines absorbing quick-thinking and strategic elements with visceral hack 'n' slash brutality.
Maura Sutton
// Overview
Verdict
Neither a straightforward role-player nor a traditional card collecting game, this could spark off a whole new card 'em up genre.
You can forget all the usual formulaic role-player rules regarding stats and levelling up. In Lost Kingdoms it's all about the cards – nothing else. Each card represents one of four elements – fire, air, water and earth – and many have special characteristics too.
The cards with the sword symbol allow for melee attacks by Katia
Cards that have the joystick symbol give Katia direct control of a pet creature
Cards with the red mask represent powerful summoned creatures
// sharp cards
You're never more than a few minutes away from a fierce card battle. One minute Katia is picking her way through corpses, the next the screen starts to ripple and it's monster-mash time.
When battle commences your first four cards are randomly selected
Think on your feet and quickly choose the most effective card
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