New Legends

New Legends Description

Lacking any kind of reasonable role-playing game, it comes as little surprise that the Xbox's Japanese launch got off to a slow start. But maybe THQ's highly anticipated New Legends will put an end to the Eastern sales drought for Microsoft, and kickstart gamers' appetites for Bill Gates' PC in disguise. This particular RPG outing visits the eastern giant that is China, set in the future, and in a state of conflict. This isn't a typical futuristic war affair though: New Legends plays host not only to an army of human individuals, but a plethora of demonic creatures and seemingly indestructible Gods. Unlike most traditional role-playing games, particularly those emerging from the software houses of Japan, New Legends focuses less upon exploration and leans more towards combat. RPG veterans fed up with scrolling through endless pages of spells and items can now demonstrate their technical skills as they attempt to beat the opposition to a pulp. The combat system itself is a challenge to get to grips with, but once you perfect your own specific fighting style and start earning some real cash, you can visit the local weapons shop and choose from a range of blades and bullets to defend yourself with. And the seemingly nightmarish Xbox control configuration, like most other console pads, isn't that bad once you become used to it. It's like holding the top of a basketball decorated with buttons and triggers. The complete game comes with beautifully-rendered environments, a truly immersive atmosphere, thanks to some Dolby Digital sound effects, and a storyline that, although not entirely original, is nonetheless intriguing. It's an accomplished RPG, and the first of its kind for Xbox.