After battle, XP is earned and as you might suspect, levels are gained. Each new level comes with points that you distribute among four stats (strength, defense, luck and speed). Climbing the level ladder also unlocks new special attacks and dual strikes that involve other party members. The developers we spoke with specifically mentioned Chrono Trigger in this regard, saying they wanted to capture that same sense of excitement you got when playing classic SNES RPGs. Seeing as one of our favorite Trigger features was the group attack, it sounds like they're on the right track.
If the battles are mix of Mario RPG and Trigger, then the dialogue is most definitely akin to BioWare's own Mass Effect and Knights of the Old Republic. We know you're probably thinking "why would anyone care about the dialogue in a Sonic game?" That's a fair concern, but BioWare'sgone on recordsaying it'll make us care about the characters and what they have to say. Our hands-on was only a few moments so we didn't get to sample a lot of text, but we did see the Mass Effect-style dialogue options that let you decide how Sonic will respond. Hasty, unfriendly answers could turn people away, or they might open up new side quests. It's all about playing a role and sticking with it, just like the other BioWare RPGs. If you're not in the mood for chatting, there's a specific "Sonic" response that skips the talking and gets you back in the game.
The Chaos have a prominent role in Chronicles as well. Each character in your party can equip one Chao and utilize its special effect, be it fire damage, regenerating health or some other unique trick. They appear randomly on the map, so no two people should have the same Chaos, making local Wi-Fi trading a must. The main perk of trading, however, is obtaining ultra-rare Chaos that have far greater powers and could easily be overlooked. Pity it's not WFC trading...
Our brief time with the game left us desperately eager for more. Not because it was an astonishing game that we simply had to gush about, but rather a game that shows promise and could easily turn out to be Sonic's saving grace after years of terrible sequels. BioWare knows its business, and if it's name dropping Chrono Trigger and assuring us we'll like the story (which becomes much darker, we hear), then we're forced to expect good things despite many red flags that may pop up in our heads. Let's hope those expectations are met when the game arrives in the fall.
Apr 15, 2008
