First Review

Here is my first review of a WiiWare launch title, LostWinds. I hope you enjoy.

Lost Winds Review
A great introduction to the capabilities of WiiWare….

Have you ever dreamed of controlling the wind with the Wii Remote? Developer and publisher Frontier Developments did, and then took this idea of directing wind to the next level. They did this by implementing it in conjunction with controlling a character in a beautiful and fanciful 2D platformer game. At first glance it seems like a pretty complex control mechanic for a WiiWare launch title. However, is the control scheme a simple gimmick? And is it worth the more expensive ten dollar price tag on WiiWare?
Soon after the game begins the main character, Toku, falls into a cave. In the cave he discovers a wind spirit named Enril, who also acts as a main character throughout the game. Enril tasks Toku with the mission of saving the island, Mistralis, from the game’s antagonist, a dark figure named Balasar. Toku must then search across the island in search of pieces of the wind spirit, Enril.
Enril is the main means of controlling Toku in LostWinds, by using Wii Remote pointer. While Toku, with the aid of the nunchuck, can walk left and right and climb ledges by himself, Enril allows Toku to do so much more. Control of the wind via Enril enables Toku to be gusted up in the air, to manipulate fire, boulders, etc., to solve puzzles, and to unlock powers as one progresses through the game. Overall it takes only a few minutes to acclimate to the controls and after that Toku and Enril work with impeccable fluidity. The controls allow Toku to do so much within the game and work so well that it overcomes any gimmicky feel.
The gameplay of LostWInds also avoids any feeling of being a gimmick. Progression through the game is very similar to that of a Metroidvania title. As I mentioned earlier Toku goes through the game finding pieces of the wind spirit, Enril, to unlock new wind powers. Toku must find other various types of items too. However progressing is not a cake walk: there are many simple yet satisfying puzzles strewn throughout the game. Toku also battles various enemies with help of Enril. Most of the battles are fun but fairly easy, though they do require you to think somewhat outside the box in order to defeat certain enemies.
Being a WiiWare title, LostWinds is surprisingly strong graphically. It has very clean looking Eastern inspired graphics with nice lighting and shadow effects. The fire in the game is also good looking. However, where LostWInds really shines is the wind’s effect on trees, bushes, water, and many other environmental elements. When the wind rushes over these elements it causes them to rustle, splash, etc. LostWinds is visually pleasing, though it does have some rather dull textures within the character models, trees, etc. that detract from the overall experience.
The background music in LostWinds is also Eastern inspired. It has very relaxing melodies that add to rather than intrude on the gaming experience. The sound effects are also a very nice addition.
However, Lost Winds is not a perfect game. One of its few flaws is that it is rather short. It can take anywhere from two to five hours to complete the quest. Though there is the option of collecting 24 little trinkets to increase the lifespan of the game, this is a very minimal add-on.
At only ten dollars I felt like I got my money’s worth. The graphics, gameplay, sound, and especially the controls are all very refined and strong. So, even though Lost Winds is short, it is also very sweet. I look forward to playing the sequel which is currently in development.




Score:
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 9.0
Gameplay: 9.0
Lastability: 6.0
Final: 8.5

Nintendownloads and DS Begins!

Welcome to my new Nintendo blog. My new mission of finding a Nintendo site to write for inspired this blog and I hope it does its jobs of getting my name out there. I will be covering both the Wii and DS. However, my main coverage will be of the Wii's virtual console and WiiWare and hopefully in the future I will be able to get a DSi and cover the DS store's offerings, when the DSi hits American shores. So, without further ado here is Nintendownloads and DS Begins!