[PS3] 3D Dot Game Heroes ($30 + $10 Amazon Credit)

Amazon currently has this game for $30, and they throw in $10 of promotional credit for your next video game purchase:
http://www.amazon.com/3D-Dot-Game-Heroes-Playstation-3/dp/B002I0J45C/

Here's the GT review:
<div style="width: 480px;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="gtembed" width="480" height="392"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=64700"/><param name="quality" value="high" /> <embed src="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=64700" swLiveConnect="true" name="gtembed" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="392"></embed> </object><div style="font-size: 10px; font-family: Verdana; text-align: center; width: 480px; padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; background-color: black; height: 32px;"><div><a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://www.gametrailers.com" title="GameTrailers.com">Video Games</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://www.gametrailers.com/game/3d-dot-game-heroes/12022" title="3D Dot Game Heroes">3D Dot Game Heroes</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-hd-3d-dot-game/64700" title="Review HD">Review HD</a></div><div style="padding-top: 3px;"><a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://xbox360.gametrailers.com/" title="XBox 360">XBox 360</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://ps3.gametrailers.com/" title="PS3">Playstation 3</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://wii.gametrailers.com/" title="Wii">Nintendo Wii</a></div></div></div>
Metacritic page:
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/3ddotgameheroes

Reviews may seem a bit mixed, but I think the lower price does help. Basically a lightweight "homage" to old school games RPGs, specifically Zelda. Or a ripoff of Zelda. But also some added humor and some unique gameplay. I didn't get too far, but enjoyed it quite a bit (loved the "Did you get a Slim?" comment one of the townspeople made). Character creation aspect seems pretty cool (saw some nice ones online). Published by Atlus, and From Software (developers of Demon's Souls) was also involved. Though I think Silicon Studio developed it (not much of a history for them I think?). From Software might have just published in Japan, although there are some Demon's Souls references in the game.

Anyone else playing? I actually put it on hold temporarily because I wanted to finish Planescape Torment, but I'll probably return to this one pretty soon.

 

Gameplay, as YaosDirtyStache said, is retro. Which is either good or bad depending on how you look at it. Not much different from Zelda on NES or SNES. Has some temple puzzles to solve (though as far as I got, this was just simply using a boomerang to hit a button across the room). Mow down grass to get coins so you can buy a new shield in the town. Big bosses with weak points. That kind of thing.

The oversized sword mechanic makes things a bit too easy, although you only get that when your health is full. There are lots of ways of upgrading the sword (longer, more power, different attacks I think, etc.), but I haven't really gotten far enough to check them out. Seemed a bit more on the easier side to me, but I'm guessing it gets much more difficult later on. The retro style would lend itself to that.

If you don't care for the retro style, then probably not enjoyable. And I think even if you do, probably not worth $60 or $40. But at $30 (or $20 if you want to use that kind of math here), it is almost on par with some downloadable games, and I think that might be a fair value for the game. At this point, I probably enjoy the visuals and atmosphere of the game the most, more so than the gameplay (though I enjoyed that too). It is fun to just go around the town and read all the funny lines they put into the game, thinking about how I used to do this years ago.

edit: Oh yeah, I think there is a Tower Defense minigame, and maybe some others too. Can't wait to get to those parts.