(Disclosure: Review copy was provided by the publisher.)
Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and The Dice of Fate is actually a port of a 2010 RPG on the DS but was only released in Japan. Which I find complexing since it’s one of the best RPGs on a handheld but be warned, the learning curve can be steep.
The game casts you as a silent protagonist, searching for adventure in feudal Japan. It doesn’t take long until you meet a local that wants to save his terminally ill friend by climbing the Tower of Fortune. Rumour has it, the tower can change a person’s fate and escape death. Along the way you will be joined by other people with their own motivates or just like you because you gave them some catnip juice. The game is fairly light on story, but the quirky writing and solid translation will have you reading every line of dialogue. Even the NPC are constantly engaging and useful. They don’t simply say “G’day mate, the sky is blue. Now bugger off”.
The game casts you as a silent protagonist, searching for adventure in feudal Japan. It doesn’t take long until you meet a local that wants to save his terminally ill friend by climbing the Tower of Fortune. Rumour has it, the tower can change a person’s fate and escape death. Along the way you will be joined by other people with their own motivates or just like you because you gave them some catnip juice. The game is fairly light on story, but the quirky writing and solid translation will have you reading every line of dialogue. Even the NPC are constantly engaging and useful. They don’t simply say “G’day mate, the sky is blue. Now bugger off”.
If you’re just looking at the footage, the game appears to be rather basic. You just mash the X button until you win, which you could try but you wouldn’t last very long. The complexity of the game comes from your items and the dungeon design. There’s a seeming endless number of mechanics and items at your disposal. Including pots that convert items into money, pots that allow you to hide Solid Snake style and wands that make you swap places with enemies. That’s just a taste of how many mechanics and variables exist in this game.
This might seem a bit daunting but the game offers lots of tutorials to help you learn the ropes. I actually recommend that you first visit the beginner’s place. Admittedly it can take an hour and a half to clear all the lessons. But if you want to get the most out of this game, it’s recommended. I know my mumbling of the gameplay isn’t very compelling. I can’t really explain it because you need to experience the game to actually get it. There’s something about the steep learning curve and brutal difficulty that makes this game so addicting. You have to carefully plan your attacks and manage your inventory. It’s more about the survival aspect than the actual battles. Because when you die, you lose all your items, experience and you’re forced to start from the beginning. Fortunately there are ways to re-claim your items and minimise your losses. In other words, management and planning is king.
Surprisingly, the game isn’t technically that long. Because if you cut out all the chaff, story, failed attempts, side quests and tutorials. The actual story campaign is only 2 hours long, but keep in mind that’s assuming you’ve mastered all the mechanics and possess all the appropriate tools. Depending on your skill level and the number of times you die, you’re looking at least 10 to 15 hours to complete the game. But fortunately that’s only the tip of the ice berg. This game features over a dozen additional dungeons each with 99 floors. But my favourite side content is the mini puzzles. Where they take the mechanics from the main game and ask you to move statues to a specific place. It’s surprisingly well done and they could actually make an entire game based on this idea.
Similar to the Super Nintendo, the game sports 16-bit style graphics with a bird’s eye view. Unfortunately there is no way to play this game with a Super Nintendo controller, foiled again. On a more serious note, loading times are almost non-existent and the music is very relaxing. My favourite tune is the chant they play every time you level up. I will never get sick of it.
Shiren The Wanderer is the definition of a sleeper hit. Even amongst the Vita community there was little hype for this game and even I have to admit I didn’t give this game a second glance when it was announced for localisation. But colour me surprised because this one of the best games on the Vita. The challenging difficulty combined with the steep learning curve makes this a really engaging experience that keeps on your toes. I can’t recommend it enough.
RATING - GAME OF THE YEAR CONTENDER
