The Last Story Preview/Review Center!

[Shizuka]

Just like I did with Corpse Party, I've created this topic to summarize all previews and reviews of The Last Story, and I'll be accepting links from both american and european gaming websites. If you find a review that's not on the second post, post it here and I'll be sure to include it!

Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/the-last-story): 81 (based on 15 Critics (http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/the-last-story/critic-reviews)).

Gamerankings (http://www.gamerankings.com/wii/988055-the-last-story/index.html): 80.17%.

[Shizuka]

Meristation (http://www.meristation.com/v3/des_analisis.php?pic=WII&idj=cw4b62e5cbba96e&id=cw4f3d43683c3e7): 9.0.

XGN (http://www.xgn.nl/wii/review/33733/the-last-story/): 9.0.

Official Nintendo Magazine UK (http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/35767/last-story-review/): 8.6.

3D Juegos (http://www.3djuegos.com/juegos/analisis/7902/0/the-last-story/): 8.6.

Metro GameCentral (http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/891131-the-last-story-review-new-legend): 8.0.

Nintendo Life (http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wii/last_story): 8.0.

VideoGamer (http://www.videogamer.com/wii/the_last_story/review.html): 8.0.

EuroGamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-23-the-last-story-review): 7.0.

Edge Magazine UK (http://www.gamerankings.com/sites/1241-edge-magazine-uk/index.html): 8.0.

IGN (http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1219299p1.html): 8.5.. (IGN Editor's Choice)

Eurogamer Italy (http://www.eurogamer.it/articles/2012-02-23-videogiochi-the-last-story-review-recensione-wii): 9.0.

EveryEye (http://www.everyeye.it/wii/articoli/the-last-story_recensione_16217): 8.0.

VideoGamesZones (http://www.videogameszone.de/The-Last-Story-Wii-234092/Tests/The-Last-Story-im-Test-fuer-Wii-Gutes-Japano-Rollenspiel-mit-Schwaechen-869444/): 8.0.

Gameblog.fr (http://www.gameblog.fr/test_902_the-last-story-wii): 6.0.

Eurogamer Germany (http://www.eurogamer.de/articles/2012-02-23-the-last-story-test): 9.0.

Eurogamer Spain (http://www.eurogamer.es/articles/2012-02-22-analisis-de-the-last-story): 7.0.

[Shizuka]

Space 2. For Previews.

[reyvard]

thanks ! good way too don't have a lack of info ! all xseed games should have this or is it already done ?

your avatar is too creepy for me *___*

[Shizuka]

I'll be doing it for all future XSEED games, since Corpse Party. With the help of everybody, hopefully this will be the place to find all sorts of press information regarding The Last Story. And thank you, it's deliciously creepy.

[PringlesXD]

Hmm, those reviews are quite favorable. Yayness.

[Shizuka]

Updated with new reviews.

[Jack_McCloud]

Thanks for the info! I just bought Corpse Party off of PlayStation Network, it's downloading now. I'll contribute anything that I find on The Last Story! :D

[Shizuka]

I'm glad you got Corpse Party, and I'm counting on your help on the future!

[perrandy]

http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/The_Last_Story/index.html
review by rpgfan.in a nutshell they tell you that the game is mediocre because "there are better options out there" Lol

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/other/wii/laststory/reviews/laststorystrev1.html
meanwhile.rpgamer's review seems to think that the game is great!
who to believe? lol

[SIN]

http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/The_Last_Story/index.html
review by rpgfan.in a nutshell they tell you that the game is mediocre because "there are better options out there" Lol

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/other/wii/laststory/reviews/laststorystrev1.html
meanwhile.rpgamer's review seems to think that the game is great!
who to believe? lol

Rpgfan is pretty trustworthy, and we might see different results from different editors. But I don't think this game is as good as Xenoblade to be honest. I will still try to get it day one and I'm sure the massive supporters of Project Rainfall will as well, I think the story will be forgivable for someone like me who sees past certain flaws. It will no doubt be a good game and will help Xseed a lot. But as far as quality goes (gameplay and story-wise) I think their Falcom deal is still the strongest games that they will have for the niche market. I kind of hope they don't put those completely on the back-burner and start marketing towards the Rainfall members and people who may have never played Xseed games before this. Not that all of them haven't but I'm sure there are plenty that fit that description. Yes, if The Last Story was never localized it would have been a crime, but it'd be a bigger loss if a lesser-known game like SC was snubbed, and hopefully nothing like that happens

EDIT: I am in no way trying to put down new members that have joined since TLS announcement, you have become fans of a great company and most of you have shown support for their other titles, so I hope we can enjoy all of the greatness to come and I hope you can all enjoy past Xseed titles if their are some you haven't played :)

[Aria]

Well, if anyone doesn't know yet, gamespot gave this game a 9.0/10. Not saying gamespot is more reliable or anything but it looks like the scores from the critics are all over the place. Most have been giving it 8s and 9s but there are a few who are seemingly very much bothered by how predictable the story is. I guess if you're the type to be bothered by the idea of "cliche", this game might disappoint you. Personally, I've seen a couple playthrough videos of both this and Xenoblade and I'm far more interested in this one. Then again, I'm not one to be bothered by cliche at all as long as they're executed well and, from what I've heard from the majority, that seems to be the case with this game. I also find the battle system extremely intriguing.

A couple of things bother me about the review from rpgfan:

"Zael is a likeable enough hero, but the rest of the motley mercenary crew could be horribly slaughtered and you wouldn't bat an eyelid. They're all about as interesting as planks of wood"

From what I've seen myself and heard, Zael actually seems to be the character with the least amount of personality. Not saying he isn't likable but I'm not sure I can understand how the reviewer can say he's likable and, in the same breath, say the others are as interesting as "planks of wood".

"Not having a button to press to attack hurts immersion somewhat, but it's not too much of an issue. "

So, the reviewer played through the entire game and never figured out that there's a manual mode where you can, indeed, attack with the pressings of a button? I imagine he completely rushed through it, which has me questioning then if he paid attention to anything. Likewise, he doesn't mention at all the existence of the online modes. His complete lack of knowledge makes me doubt he ever had any interest in this title to begin with. I mean, I haven't played this game yet and even I know these things, simply because my interest in the game has been making me keep up with various bits of news :/

[Ryos]

The thing about games is it's always very difficult to know how much you will like or dislike a game until you yourself play it because as the saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. I remember how much I loved Saga Frontier and suggested a friend pick it up and he thought it was awful. So yeah. :(

[Chaosblade]

It will no doubt be a good game and will help Xseed a lot. But as far as quality goes (gameplay and story-wise) I think their Falcom deal is still the strongest games that they will have for the niche market. I kind of hope they don't put those completely on the back-burner and start marketing towards the Rainfall members and people who may have never played Xseed games before this. Not that all of them haven't but I'm sure there are plenty that fit that description. Yes, if The Last Story was never localized it would have been a crime, but it'd be a bigger loss if a lesser-known game like SC was snubbed, and hopefully nothing like that happens

I agree, especially in the long run thanks in part to the Steam announcement. But still, that and Last Story is a heck of a one-two punch that should do great things XSEED. Which will hopefully mean more great games getting localized.

[perrandy]

I agree, especially in the long run thanks in part to the Steam announcement. But still, that and Last Story is a heck of a one-two punch that should do great things XSEED. Which will hopefully mean more great games getting localized.this leads me to this question...since xseed is starting to put their work on pc,wouldnt that hamper their console development cycle since there would be more to do.and as we all know xseed is a small company?

[SIN]

The thing about games is it's always very difficult to know how much you will like or dislike a game until you yourself play it because as the saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. I remember how much I loved Saga Frontier and suggested a friend pick it up and he thought it was awful. So yeah. :(

Well I didn't like the first one as much but I loved saga frontier 2! And actually I thought I'd like TLS better than Xenoblade, but Xenoblade is a better game though I like the combat in TLS more.

[Ryos]

this leads me to this question...since xseed is starting to put their work on pc,wouldnt that hamper their console development cycle since there would be more to do.and as we all know xseed is a small company?

Well yeah, but if sales are strong on the PC, they could add more employees and churn out more games for both, meaning we all win! But all that's putting the cart before the horse. :P

[SIN]

Well yeah, but if sales are strong on the PC, they could add more employees and churn out more games for both, meaning we all win! But all that's putting the cart before the horse. :P

If they just port them to Steam I don't think it would be insanely difficult, probably easier than localizing for consoles. So I hope we get more from them.

[juegosmajicos]

Hey guys, new review posted over at Nintendo Enthusiast.

Nintendo Enthusiast (http://www.nintendoenthusiast.com/the-last-story-review/) - 9.5 | Second Opinion (http://www.nintendoenthusiast.com/the-last-story-review-second-opinion/) - 8.5

For the record, I thought Zael was the weakest voiced character, but did like his personality quite a lot. You can really get a sense of how the story's events are affecting him, and his own morality is particularly palpable. The rest of the cast is also amazing, except for this one person, who is pretty ok for the majority of the game but then Sakaguchi got possesed by Kojima or something because that character got kind of ruined.

The city of Lazulis is amazing.

One thing I can definitely say is that whether someone enjoys the game as much as others depends entirely on whether they liked one school of RPG thought more than the other - you know, FF7's characters versus Xenogears' world, Mass Effect versus Skyrim, etc etc. What I'm saying is that Xenoblade and The Last Story go in pretty opposite directions, so there will inevitably be some people that swear one game is inherently "better" than the other, when in fact it could very well just be their own preferences in the genre.

Anyway, all my thoughts (and those of a fellow editor) are within the review.

[wrath]

The thing about games is it's always very difficult to know how much you will like or dislike a game until you yourself play it because as the saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. I remember how much I loved Saga Frontier and suggested a friend pick it up and he thought it was awful. So yeah. :(
Exactly this!
I detest FFXIII millions of people didnt(Just a more recent example) So not everyone will adore the same game equally so its realy up to the gamer themselves.I for one hardly ever listen to game reviewers since their opinions hardly ever match my own...I buy a game based on what I think of it when I first get a view of it and go from there....But I still want Pandora's Tower more:D

But on the subject of xseed aiming to sell to certain groups or giving up a lesser known of a lesser known game over another....Well .... if they arent getting income they cant continue to run so localizing a game like "The Last Story" while being more aware of by folks will lead people back to exseeds door and possibly get those people interested in future xseed,or past,games keeping them in buisness and producing lesser known (niche)games. So by them doing a more "widely" known game once in a while helps in the long run I think and I dont see why they shouldnt they are a company that runs on consumer revinue afterall and anything that potentially can bring in more costomers shouldnt be fround upon when it comes to the wonderfull games they have to offer.

[perrandy]

glad to see that reviews are more positive than negative.i'm really hyped by this game, i just hope that nintendo opens themselves more to the rpg genre on their next home console.cuz,as we all know the wii was pretty anemic for this genre

[Shizuka]

I'll update this topic with all published reviews so far until the end of the day.