Review on Lux-Pain for Nintendo DS

The long awaited review finally arives! Just like the last one, I did not watch the trailers I linked for you, nor did I read any reviews by those people who played the game at E3 or the GDC. I also did not read the instruction book. My feelings of excitement for this game are completely related to the manga pics I saw on the website and the genre listing it as a psychic detective story. Also, I haven't finished the game. I like to write the review after about six hours of gameplay when I have a feel for the game but haven't experienced everything yet.

Initial Thoughts

1. Maybe i should have read the instruction manual on this one. It threw me right into the middle of an investigation, and i did okay at picking up what i was supposed to do after staring at the screen for 1.5 minutes before realizing it wanted me to do something.
2. I don't know if they did it on purpose, but the dialogue isn't the same as the captions, and its kinda disorienting for those of us who are compulsive about reading our anime. Did you ever watch Steamboy in english with the english subtitles? yeah. its like that. And then we get to two drunk girls, one has voiceovers far off the captions, the other of which has no voiceover at all.. again, disorienting. The voiceover thing bothers me a lot. And it isn't like its just here and there. Its different all over the place. I'd say 90% of the captions don't match the voiceover script. The captions seem to be more of a direct translation from the original Japanese, while the voiceovers are what it would sound like it if an American said it. And it isn't like they're trivial characters. Some of them are main characters. And sometimes characters who normally have voiceovers.. don't. In fact there was not one voiceover the entire way through day 3. Its like they gave up.. *sigh* I have no problem with reading the captions only. I think it would have been better to go all or nothing on the voices. It detracts from the game.
3. The intro vid is pretty sweet, good graphics. They had a good group of artists.
   
4. Hmm.. a few spelling mistakes in the english captions. Should have read thru them again.

Initial Thoughts Rating: -

Storyline

Once I began to ignore the voice issue, the storyline became really interesting. A psychic investigation into a rash of suicides. The clues, the characters, the interaction, all very engaging and captivating.

Storyline Rating: +

Gameplay

Investigation is the most pervasive element in this game. Either by talking to people and answering their questions or responding with an emotion (coded by colors... blue is sadness, red anger, yellow happy, purple laughter, etc.), or scratching their face off hunting for small psychic worms, called Shinen, that contain thoughts, emotions and feelings. The search for the worms is innovative, and do refrain from trying to clear the whole screen... I .. burned out a subject's brain and ended the game... *blush* Briefing is given at the beginning of each day, debrief to remind you of the clues is given at the end. I have experienced a single combat, which was in the form of a mini-game ala whack-a-mole.

Gameplay Rating: +

Genre Elements

Lux-Pain is listed as a psychic investigation game, and it hits dead on. There is a small rpg element with experience gathered when worms are collected or important clues are discovered. Leveling up increases aspects of your psychic searching power (Sigma ).

Genre Elements Rating: +

Replay-ability

The story is very linear and clues will be uncovered pretty much regardless of the order in which you investigate the areas of the city (this i found out after a fatal mistake or two and reload). It plays like a book, with a few interactive areas, and is a one-shot story. A good story, but no replay.

Replay-ability Rating: -

Summary

Lux-Pain is a really good story-driven investigation game with innovative elements and a strong storyline. The voice acting is good, but the seeming randomness of using voiceovers and the completely different scripts is distracting.

Summary Rating: (3 out of 5)

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