Jen's Dorkiness Knows no Bounds

This "review" is for two games this time: "Code Geass DS" and Death Note: Kira Game.

There are two games this time because they're both in Japanese(and I don't know a lick of Japanese). Despite the language barrier, they're both playable if you don't know Japanese. With Code Geass, when you have to choose an order from the Geass selection, you can use trial and error to figure out what's what. In Death Note, you can still win purely by guessing. ^^;

Anyway, starting with Code Geass: It's basically a very simple RPG. You're part of the Black Knights and fight against Britannia. As you fight, you level up and can upgrade your Knightmares into more powerful forms. Also, as part of the story(I guess), you have your own character whose appearance is based on the answers to Zero's questions at the beginning of the game(your character joins shortly after Narita). In the first playthrough, it follows the story for season one with minor deviations(you can Geass enemy soldiers to dance instead of either kill themselves or just let you pass, for instance...when I can figure out which option it is, that's the one I choose for the hilarity). The graphics are mostly 2D, with a little 3D thrown into the mix, but, as long as the game's fun, that shouldn't matter.

Sound: The music's taken from the anime(it's very easy to pick up on that when you've played the game then watched an episode of the anime), and the sound effects are nice. The explosions of enemy Knightmares sound very satisfying while the explosions from your own Knightmares makes you feel frustrated...especially if you've heard it several times in a row followed by the game over screen(a sure sign you need to fight random battles to level up or upgrade your Knightmares).

All in all, a very fun game.

Death Note: Kira Game

This one is a strategy game of sorts where you're either L or Kira and you have to determine which of the other characters is the one you're looking for(If you're playing as L, you're looking for Kira and vice versa). For each round, each character makes a statement and you ether agree or disagree until it's time to make your own statement and try to sway the others to vote the way you are(by trying to raise suspicion toward another character). As L, your objective is to find and arrest Kira. On the other hand, Kira has 3 objectives: He can either find out who L is and "punish" him with the Death Note, find out who L is and frame him for being Kira(and have him arrested), or either kill or frame every member of the team until only L and Kira remain.

Again, the game's playable even if you don't know Japanese(I don't and I'm on chapter 6 in Story Mode). I generally base my agreement or disagreement on the statements based on whether the character's trying to raise trust or suspicion, and I tend to look for who consistently tries to raise suspicion and keep voting him(or her) as being my opponent. The game also tosses out a hint in the form of a thought bubble for your character. If it pops up after another character's made their statement, then the character suspects that character(or instance, if you're playing as Kira Light and Matsuda makes a statement. If a thought bubble pops up for Light after the exchange with Matsuda, then Light suspects Matsuda as being L. Yes, L and Kira aren't necessarily who they are in the series).

Again, this is a very fun game.