Well, look what we have here! MyWiiNews was lucky enough to get our hands on a review copy of Opoona, the quirky interstellar RPG that will be hitting store shelves this Tuesday, March 25. While I’ve only had the game for a couple of days so far, Opoona looks like it just might be the breath of fresh air that we all hoped it would be. Read on for our hands-on impressions of the game, and check back later on this week for our full review!
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It’s been somewhere around five or six hours since I first popped in Opoona, and it’s certainly unlike anything else available for the Wii. From its unique controls, to the overall structure and story of the game, Opoona is certainly in a league of its own. Opoona begins his eponymous adventure aboard his parent’s spaceship en route to a relaxing family vacation. Within seconds of meeting his family, everything suddenly flashes red and sirens erupt from all corners of the room. Opoona’s family flees to the escape pods to save their lives, desperately hoping for help from the planet below.
After three days of unconscious slumber, Opoona’s journey finally begins. As he awakes, he meets Serge, one of the many concierges of Tokione, the largest residential dome on Planet Landroll. Serge explains that there are a handful of different domes on Landroll, each specifically designed to keep out the recurring onslaught of enemy Rogues that currently plague over half of beautiful planet. After a bit of initial testing and preparation, Opoona finally embarks on his first journey.
A Rogue Approaches!
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Five hours into Opoona, and it’s obvious that I’ve barely cracked the surface of what this game has to offer. Opoona is a self-proclaimed “lifestyle RPG” that revolves around exploring Planet Landroll and obtaining licenses for the colonies, searching for employment, procuring friendships, and much more. Opoona begins his quest as a Ranger, a sort of “warrior class” that explores the land outside the domes and rescues people overwhelmed by enemy Rogues, but can eventually branch out and try a myriad of different vocations that offer new side quests, minigames, and more. He attacks through his “energy bonbon;” the bouncy orange ball atop his head that can be lethally chucked at foes by flicking the Nunchuk’s joystick. It’s a simple system that has a lot of potental and surprising depth, and will be interesting to see how it works with multiple characters later on.
Speaking of adventure, Opoona’s art style creates does a wonderful job enveloping you into its colorful surroundings. From the absolutely massive dome of Tokione, to outlying grassland areas and hotels, Planet Landroll manages to feel both cohesive and expansive. As with most cel-shaded games, Opoona looks much better in action than in screenshots, and doubters should at least see it moving before passing judgment. Equally impressive is its music, hand crafted by Final Fantasy XI veteran Hitoshi Sakimoto, which has to be some of the best futuristic tunes I’ve ever heard in an RPG. Even though its graphics may be a little rough around the edges, the Opoona’s overall aesthetic is charming beyond words.
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As most people who have picked up the Wiimote have noticed, controls are of the utmost importance to Wii games. I was initially skeptical of Opoona’s unique, one-handed control scheme that allows for the entire game to be controlled solely through the Wii’s Nunchuk. After spending over five hours trying to figure out which setup works best (you can use the standard Wiimote setup as well), I’m still finding myself switching between the two different setups. On the one hand (pun not intended), the Nunchuk setup is beautiful in its simplicity, and actually works rather well. But after cutting my teeth on Super Mario Galaxy, I can’t shake the comfort that comes from using both hands to control Opoona, especially with the ease of camera control that the Wiimote offers. So far, I’ve found that two-hands is good for getting down to business in big battles and when exploring places quickly, while the single-handed Nunchuk route is great for casually getting from place to place. We’ll see how this changes as the game progresses.
While Opoona succeeds through its expansive landscapes and endearing art style, it also has a few annoyances that occasionally grind my gears. Firstly, the fact that the camera is completely uncontrollable when exploring in the field seems like a huge hurdle for a game that focuses so much on exploration. I’ve also found it’s particularly easy to get lost in the domes, as the map on your PDA-esque device is a bit lacking, but that’s just a matter of time. Also deserving of mention is the occasionally shabby localization, with confusing lines such as “Opoona won the battle handily!”, and mysteriously delicious morsels known as “CALORY CUBES” that seem to make little sense on their own. It’s by no means unplayable, but chances are anyone who enjoys critiquing language will have a few giggles here and there.
There’s so much packed in Opoona that it’s difficult to try and efficiently sum it all up without turning this into a full-blown review. Even if it’s a little rough around the edges, Opoona has a certain air and charm about it that I haven’t seen in an RPG since Earthbound. Even if it’s not for everyone, it’s certainly shaping up to be an enjoyable and unique experience that you can only find on the Wii. Stay tuned for MyWiiNews’ full-length review, discussing Opoona’s battle system in length, and giving the adventure a final verdict that will help you decide whether to buy or rent this quirky, quirky game.
Read the full in-depth Opoona Review!
Bucky | March 24, 2008
