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PS2 | RPG | Tsugunai: Atonement

Boxart for Tsugunai: Atonement
Tsugunai: Atonement 15 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 2.5
  • SOUND: 3.0
  • CONTROL: 3.0
  • FUN FACTOR 3.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 1.8
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 3.1

Review: Tsugunai: Atonement

Review by STARDINGO | 12/11/2001 | 16:07:10 PM PST

This slow, novel-like RPG from Atlus comes to the table spouting some pretty unique ideas?but does it have what it takes to back them up?

With its strong emphasis on story and large cast of main characters, this weird, quiet, slow burn adventure from Atlus unfolds more like a novel than your traditional RPG. The concept is pretty novel, too?you?re a ghost forced to possess other people to rid their lives of sorrow?even if the execution leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Tale of One City
You are Reise, a disembodied knight who must heal the saddened hearts of an entire saddened town in order to make peace with your past sins and reclaim your physical form. As a ghost, you?re bound by the laws of the spirit realm to never stray too far from your body?though that little rule is mostly just a reason to confine the game to within the limits of one single town. As you leap from body to body, you?ll take on a number of tasks that sometimes resemble graphic adventures and even survival horror games: Some missions are simple, annoying errands like ?find the special furry cat;? others are more dangerous, traditional RPG struggles like raiding some sacred ruins or sealing off spirits that have popped up a newly built Sanctuary; and others still are more character-driven labors such as mending the rift between a father and his estranged daughter. Roughly half of these Tsugunai Tales are interesting?others play out as dull duties that boil down to talking to as many people in the town as possible until you eventually leap out of the body and move on to the next.

Canterbury Leap
Tsugunai?s graphics are strictly first-generation?with simple, unpolished character models and none-too-detailed environments?and the controls are unrefined. Your character moves too clunkily, and the menu system?especially when dealing with the game?s puzzle-like magical runes?can get a bit unwieldy at times. Enemy encounters boast some interesting battle mechanics with a timed-defense system that enables you to reflect back attacks in a number of different ways, though combat quickly becomes a bore thanks to a lack of enemy variety and the fact that every character you leap into is basically just Reise wearing different skin. However, while the sound effects inspire a big ol? ?whatever,? the music is quite nice?a sort of Celtic greatest hits collection that?s always pleasant on the ears.

Tsugunai definitely sports a strong, refreshingly original idea?though that?s really all it has going for it. Unless you?re an RPG freak or a staunch supporter of anything ?different,? you?d probably be better off settling down with a good book or a 24-hour Presidents? Day Quantum Leap marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel.