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Contact: Reviews

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Game Score: 9/10

Contact, a new Adventure/RPG from Atlus, is at the same time a refreshing change and an homage to the glory days of the SNES rpg era. Its gameplay and graphics are reminiscent of a few games which might be recognizable to gamers who have been around for a few years.

The first thing that I noticed about the game, long before its release, was that all the screenshots and art I was seeing reminded me a lot of Earthbound. When I booted up the game for the first time, I was shocked to be presented with a "Character Creation" interface that almost made me think that I was, in fact, playing some kind of Earthbound sequel. I was even asked to enter in my favorite food!

As I played through the game more, I realized that the gameplay and graphics on the lower screen (more on this in a few moments) reminded me of another game that I remember fondly from my past: Secret of Evermore. The sound from the game, while not (so far at least) incredibly exciting, at least matches the mood and doesn't take my attention away from the game.

The controls, in my opinion, are very smooth and the touch control is integrated very nicely. It is possible to control the game entirely with either the d-pad/buttons or the touch-screen, but I find it most comfortable to use them both situationally, using the touch screen to navigate the game's menu or when I need to target something specifically, and the d-pad and buttons to direct gameplay.

One of the most interesting things about this game, to me, is the use of the dual screen. On top, the NPC that guides your character through the game stands in a lab, and converses back and forth occasionally with your character. Often however, the NPC addresses the player directly! It's helpful and amusing, as the old guy on the top screen sometimes says some pretty ridiculous things. In addition, the art on the top screen is highly reminiscent of Earthbound (as is the humour in this game, but to a less kooky extent than earthbound) and the lower screen very reminiscent of Secret of Evermore.

All in all, I consider this a throwback to some of the elements of RPG's that I miss the most when playing modern games, while at the same time including some interesting modern features (for example, your character can change "jobs" by putting on different clothes, FFX-2 anybody?). I recommend this game to basically any RPG enthusiast, especially those who like Earthbound or Secret of Evermore, or anyone who enjoys a little laugh with their gameplay.