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Lady Sia
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Graphics & Sound:
One might ask, 'What did we do with ourselves before cel-shading?' Seeing this cool effect in more and more games certainly begs the question. It's not right for every game or platform, but it works well for adding definition in a small space like the Game Boy Advance screen. Lady Sia may seem to have come out of nowhere, but TDK Mediactive has been showing off their substantial skills more frequently on a number of platforms, so it's no surprise that this is one of the best games to date for GBA. It's about more than the cel-shaded look, which is less and less surprising as it's used with greater frequency. It's about flashy, well defined backgrounds and environments that don't seem to be trying to win the contest for who can fill the most screen real estate with the most colors and animation. There's plenty of colorful, animated eye-candy here, but it works in harmony with the action of Lady Sia to promote a more organic feeling. You may (gasp!) actually start getting into the story and looking around at the world you're exploring with real fondness. If this reminded me of anything, it was the first time I played Castlevania for PlayStation. That game knew how to create some atmosphere, and it made for a better experience. Lady Sia has a lot of great moves, showcased well by the character animations. Unfortunately, she doesn't move with the greatest fluidity, but I suspect this has more to do with the engine than the graphics. Enemies range from slow-moving and sleeping to fast-as-lightning or immense, and Lady Sia does a good job of keeping up and looking good when kicking butt. She not only looks great as her ladyship, but also transforms into a beast form that really rawks. Platformers on the small Game Boy screen have always seemed watered down because a big part of jumping, running and butt-bouncing is seeing what is coming at you, watching a single screen of action at one time. And, before now, a single screen of action just wouldn't show you enough stuff in enough detail to make things worthwile. Notable exceptions were, of course, the Mario games. Who didn't love that? But, the real refinement couldn't happen until GBA. Finally, we have enough power to draw real detail, smooth out those ugly corners and give true expression to characters. |
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Gameplay:
At first glance, Lady Sia feels like a typical Platformer. Cute character that jumps, fights and gathers items...check. Jumping puzzles requiring good coordination and some switch-puzzles requiring a bit of imagination...check. Enemies, bosses and deadly obstacles...check. That's right, we have all the elements most people expect from the genre these days, so what makes Lady Sia worth your time and money? As the game progresses, Lady Sia gains powers and weapons that can completely change the dynamic of play, taking things far afield of the 'standard' Platformer. If you expected some kind of frilly story, which TDK could easily have gotten away with since we don't really know this character anyway, think again. Lady Sia takes the 'go girl' mentality to new heights by attempting to pull control of an entire world away from a powerful sorcerer, one kingdom at a time. In Sia's time, magic and cold steel rule, but after the opening sequence (which I won't spoil) Sia finds herself at a bit of a disadvantage. Before she'll be able to battle the sorcerer Onimen, she'll need to reclaim her skills and liberate the people held hostage under his dark reign. The basic goals at first revolve around Sia's magic powers and her sword. Having lost all but the basic armament, Sia takes on several truckloads of baddies to at least rise to some basic power and move on to higher level ass kickin'. These are the kind of objectives any Action fan can get into. Roll into town, wreak havoc and claim a prize. Gather items along the way, fight monsters...you know, that stuff. Lady Sia may be trying to accomplish more than the average Platformer, but it doesn't throw aside the lessons of past games. Never boring and never too hard or unbalanced, this game really moves The growth of Sia's character makes for good motivation, and levels are big without being huge and confusing. Also, they are closed levels, versus the 'world wandering' concept we see in something like Castlevania. Finishing a level and moving to another can somewhat diminish the immersion possible with creating one big world, but levels are tied together into worlds to create continuity and sense of place. Sometimes, making large leaps in a world requires the use of a vehicle, which in Sia's case is a big bird. And not big bird like Big Bird, but a pretty tough honcho of a bird that can dish it out and take it all day long. These segments are relatively simple, but mix up the action. Also, when Sia gains the magic power to morph into her 'beast' self (yes I know, where the heck did a transforming beast idea come from?) it definitely feels like a different ballgame. Possibly to avoid too many Altered Beast references, Sasquatch Sia can only be pulled out briefly due to the quick drain on her magic reserves. All these magic powers include spells and fireballs, but when all things magical don't seem to be enough, watch Sia bust out the Bruce Lee moves. Yeah, she's tough as nails. With all these little extras and special skills, Sia's jumping and item gathering feels like a means to an end (as it should) instead of the only thing going. |
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Difficulty:
Lady Sia tried hard to be the kind of game that's approachable by gamers of all levels. As Sia starts her adventure, a strange character follows her to explain certain items and actions, really just a clever tutorial. This can be turned off for people who just don't want the help, but it is a nice way to learn controls and capabilities. Part of the problem I found with Lady Sia is that controls don't always move as smoothly as one would like. Fighting enemies on ledges tends to result in a nasty fall, since each swing of Sia's sword moves her gradually forward. In some ways, it feels more like an Action game that wants to be a Platformer, as the controls just aren't tight enough to really pass for more discerning fans. A minor flaw, but nobody likes cheap deaths by falling or monsters that can exploit difficult controls and slow response times.
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Game Mechanics:
In building this game, I'd guess TDK had the big picture figured before they just started coding. Consistency in design, but not repetition to the point of boredom, shows up at any given point during a level and even between different kingdoms. The story, and Sia's quest, develops nicely by way of new powers that correlate to new controls without screaming 'You got a new power!' In fact, levels are designed to offer certain goals and definitely feel planned and paced. In a kingdom, Sia is really in a hub, and can play levels in any order. But, the objectives for a level are always clearly stated, so you'll be able to decide how you want the story to develop. And, at no time do we see some gratuitous reward or test popping up just so Sia can have a new power. Growing the character is a process built into the game's story and design. Issues with the engine aside, controlling Sia is no walk in the park She starts out with a basic set of combat moves, and also the ability to cast offensive magic in little pieces. Really, casting the magic isn't worth much more than hitting an enemy at first. Casting uses up stored power, and you'll learn to save your reserves for mini-bosses or tough, quick enemies. Sometimes beating enemies is more about brains than brawn, but fighting generally amounts to massive button mashing. Sometimes, moving around the levels feels a bit frantic, for only having 4 buttons. The shoulder buttons are used well here, one to swipe with a sword and another to sneak by sleeping enemies. Otherwise, combinations of directional movement in the D-pad and the (A) or (B) button is all you'll have to manage a large number of moves. Several 'sticky' features make the Platforming less hard, such as auto-grabs on ledges or resistance to falling, but moving and attacking doesn't always come across quite so well. Mostly due to slow response and enemies a little too fast and strong for your own good, you'll learn how to maximize the sword and magic attacks, and when to put on your sneaking shoes and avoid conflict altogether. If Lady Sia makes it big, many gamers will see the quality I've been talking about here, and appreciate TDK for giving up such a thoughtful game. If this had been a launch title, the buzz would definitely have been tremendous. Great action, good level and character design and plenty of secrets make Lady Sia fun to play and a challenge from the very beginning. The main issue will be whether this new character, from a company that isn't yet a household brand in gaming, will catch people's attention. If you buy this game looking for a fun Platformer or Action title, you'll be satisfied and surprised. I'm so glad to see a company bringing out new characters, since we've probably had all the sequel, trilogy and quadrology action we can take. Fresh ideas are always nice, and TDK delivers with Lady Sia. |
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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