subject: Ragnarok DS DSi Game Review - Download Ragnarok DS For Free! [print this page]
For those of you who were somehow never handed a demo CD at a videogame import store eight years ago, Ragnarok Online might be an unfamiliar title. The best way to describe it would be a slow-paced, cutesy, 2.5D and massively multiplayer version of Diablo. Players in Ragnarok began as novices and, after a solid chunk of pure level grinding, would eventually hit level 10 and get the opportunity to choose a fun class.
Ragnarok DS is XSeed's attempt to capture the core experience of Ragnarok Online, and crush it with the mighty Hammer of Programming into something that will fit in the palm of your hands.
On the topic of getting around, Ragnarok DS's areas are divided up into sections. Extremely frequently when you're walking through an area, you'll hit the edge of the loaded area. The game will fade to black and then fade into the new area. It literally happens every couple of seconds when you're walking straight through and can get very, very frustrating after a while.
The DS is certainly capable of maintaining a far larger area than the programmers are using, so the only reason I can come up with for the sheer volume of loading screens is to keep enemy numbers, and the distance they can chase you, in check. If that's the case, it's a very annoying method. On top of that, there are two areas which act as mazes, where if you take the wrong path you're basically sent back to the start. The problem is, there's no indication of what the right path is you have to figure it out purely by trial and error. This is super-tedious.
Ragnarok DS feels long for the sake of being long. With so few areas to visit, the game artificially lengthens itself by forcing you to visit each area far more times than is actually fun. Combat is simple and enjoyable, and directing your character's growth is interesting and versatile, but all the coolest aspects of the game are unfortunately lost amongst the repetitive and tedious direction that the story forces you down.
Ragnarok DS DSi Game Review - Download Ragnarok DS For Free!
