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... offers enough variety to keep you playing past the flaws, if only to see how it all turns out. |
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The game's most distinguishing feature involves a "connect" tool that allows Capell to briefly manipulate party members' abilities directly. In towns, this doubles as a conversation tool and lets Capell walk various companions around to chat up the townfolk and occasionally elicit a quest-spawning conversation. In combat, it allows him to manipulate team members and cast their magic spells or take control of their ranged weapons to resolve occasional light logic puzzles.
Strong story, iffy gameplay
Like its weird name, Tri-Ace's Japanese-style role-playing game Infinite Undiscovery plies a series of paradoxes: It discombobulates players with a demoralizing introduction but eventually blossoms into a tactically satisfying mash-em-up supplemented by a likable cast of characters. It herds those characters through linear milieus but provides them with plenty of interesting things to do. Its heroes and divas peddle sentimental tripe but eventually experience heartfelt loss and grief. It's a love letter to a niche demographic that hearts opera-fantasy, but it's action-packed enough to indulge hack-and-slash fans.Tri-Ace dubbed the game Infinite Undiscovery to signify an experience that rewards relentless probing. There's certainly plenty to tease out in the two dozen hours it takes to run through the game's fascinating, well-told story, but on the whole, the "discoveries" feel pretty conventional. Blaze through a combat zone and all you'll walk away with is money, food and the odd special item.
The connect menu's underdone, too. In towns, it's just a time sink, a redundant chore that amounts to running laps around villages with different companions in hopes of getting the game to cough up a side quest. In combat, it functions adequately when the connect ability's a magic spell that targets and executes without manual intercession. But when Capell has to aim a ranged weapon, the game drops into a first-person crosshairs view that feels awkward and jumpy. Worst of all, Capell freezes up in this mode, inviting enemies to clobber with glee.
On the other hand, Tri-Ace supplements the game's lengthy brawling stints with features like crafting items and situational mini-games. Early on, for instance, Capell can sneak around or surprise enemies to gain temporary attack bonuses. Since he plays the flute, he can learn tunes that increase party stats or open up hidden areas. Party members are readily shuffled around, but certain ones in conjunction with food and trinkets are necessary to create some of the game's most important items. It's eventually possible to "enchant" party members and boost their attributes by combining artifacts. There's even a clever little mini-game that shows up around the halfway mark and ranks the party's performance after certain battles.
Bottom line, Infinite Undiscovery offers enough variety to keep you playing past the flaws, if only to see how it all turns out. Where's the next chain battle? Why does Capell look like the game's legendary hero? How'd the group's adversary manage to enslave the moon? What's really up there, anyway? If you play Infinite Undiscovery to its thundering close, you'll get to find out.
What's an "Infinite Undiscovery?" Who knows? The game's manual has a section near the end that reads "discover the undiscoverable" and encourages you to "mix it up." Does it succeed? Answer an existential appellation in kind: Sort of.
-;Matt
