Spectrobes: Origins Preview

The DS action-RPG series makes a move to the Wii with a ton of new features, and of course a bunch of new Spectrobes to help aid your fight against the Krawl.

The Krawl are at it again. For those unfamiliar with Spectrobes, the popular DS franchise, the player takes on the role of Gallen, an interplanetary police officer who has the unique ability to excavate ancient mystical beings known as the titular Spectrobes to aid in his battle against the Krawl, an evil species intent on gaining ultimate rule of the galaxy.

Spectrobes: Origins
Building An Army

The Wii version of Spectrobes introduces quite a few changes to the franchise, including a more action-oriented approach to the gameplay. Spectrobes for the Wii still contains many of the RPG elements that the series is known for, but puts a stronger emphasis on the real-time battling, and building up a vast array of Spectrobes. Outside of battle, the Spectrobes also come in handy. We spent some time exploring in a recent demo at GDC 2009, and we utilized the Wii's motion controls to send (swinging the Wii remote in a downward motion) our little Spectrobe out to help in our excavation. Oftentimes we encountered mineral deposits, which are used for advancing the skills and abilities of the Spectrobes. Though the developers couldn't reveal the exact number of Spectrobes available in Origins, they promised that they will be as numerous and varied as they were in the DS versions.

Spectrobes: Origins

Another highlight of our demo was the battle system. Each Spectrobe and enemy found throughout the game is assigned one of five different elemental attributes, which allows for certain elements to be stronger, or weaker, to others. As we prepared for battle, we chose six different Spectrobes to bring along for the ride. Each Spectrobe has different abilities; some are stronger at attacking while others excel in healing or magic attacks, so a well-balanced group is necessary for success. Once in battle, we called on different Spectrobes to test our enemies' weaknesses. Another departure from the past games is the ability to control Gallen and perform separate attacks while your Spectrobe goes at it. Additionally, you instantly change the enemy your Spectrobe is attacking by pointing the Wii remote at the screen. So far, Spectrobes: Origins looks like it will please fans of the series and quite possibly bring in some newcomers as well.

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