Wii

Opoona

All that being said, Opoona is quite enjoyable overall. Sure, it has some quirks and flaws, but not everything can be Halo or Zelda. The action is fluid and easy to grasp, the story features a few twists on some typical fare, and the gameplay is simple and intuitive (rats, almost made it through a Wii review without using that word!). If you like your games with a heavy dose of reading and some Twinkie-eating Jedi wannabes, this one's definitely worth a look.

Opoona is one of those once-a-generation type games -- for many hardcore RPG fans this will be a bit of a letdown, but for others it could easily be heightened to the level of the Mother series if another game does come out.

Without much competition on the system, Opoona is easy to recommend for Wii-owning RPG fans. Still, its unique style and lighthearted charm set it apart in a genre increasingly filled with dark, somber epics. Anyone looking for a cute, fun adventure (and certainly fans of Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing) should give Opoona a try. While it may not be flawless, it’s got so much going for it that it definitely deserves some attention.

Das erste klassische Japano-Rollenspiel für die Wii ist da! Und obwohl ich auf den ersten Blick alles andere als begeistert war, konnte mich Opoona immer mehr fesseln. Das liegt nicht an der Geschichte, die zwar spannend ist, aber hanebüchen und langsam erzählt wird. Auch die Grafik ist nicht mal durchschnittlich. Aber der Stil sehr schön geraten und die Figuren sind herrlich abgedreht. Vor allem aber sind die umfangreichen Job-Möglichkeiten sowie das spannende Kampfsystem fesselnd und spassig. Auch der Umfang ist beeindruckend, was zu vielen spassigen Stunden führt. Daher ist Opoona nicht nur aufgrund der mangelnden Konkurrenz, sondern auch für sich betrachtet ein gutes Rollenspiel für alle Fans. Ein echter Kracher ist der dicke Weltenretter allerdings nicht geworden.

As a whole, there is much more good about Opoona than bad, and it is one of the more ingenious additions to Wii’s catalog of games. It’s a charming and memorable title that is, in the end, a lot of fun to play. Casual RPGers may or may not latch onto this one, but longtime fans of the genre will should pick up Opoona without hesitation. Hopefully, Koei isn’t done with this solid franchise.

Is Opoona the next big RPG on the market today? No, but it does offer enough for Wii owners to take notice. The game looks pretty good for a childish game. Opoona controls great and battles are a real blast. Most of the games problems really occur in the crappy elevator system and the camera. You can learn to deal with these things, but at some point you will get frustrated with these problems.

Still, provided that you can get past these issues OK, Opoona does actually achieve what it tries to do; be a decent and very playable RPG suitable for any and all in the Wii’s massively varied audience. It may not be the most creative game we’ve ever seen, but Opoona is pleasant and playable at least and that’s more than we can say for some games.

It may not be for everyone, but for fans of old-school RPGs, especially those who are sick of spiky-haired, angstful teenaged protagonists, it’s well worth the $50 price tag. It may not offer the visuals of a Lost Odyssey, the epic scale of a Final Fantasy XII, or the nostalgic glee of a Dragon Warrior VII, but it’s a solid RPG with some unique gameplay mechanics, and a prime candidate for a franchise.

Opoona has some nasty flaws, such as its average story, awful translation effort and the fact that many an avid RPG fan, will find it lacking the complexities that they crave, whilst a lot of Wii users will be disappointed at the bizarre absence of any form of motion control. But alongside its flaws, Opoona also has much in the way of highlights, resulting in a very enjoyable, though not quite amazing, game.

Aurally and even artistically, the development team are on a strong enough footing to stand against the industry's most experienced outlets, but their grip on several of the more elementary aspects of game design proves tentative at best. Navigation is never less than a chore and the contrary camera needs constant nannying; if you can deal with these irritations then there's a reasonably deep experience to be had, only then presuming you appreciate that this game was made at every stage for you and the other guy. There's depth for the core and there's pick-up-and-play for the casual crowd, but they're each half of an experience that a little less ambition and a tighter focus would have strengthened immeasurably. Nevertheless, if you can reign in your expectations then Opoona is a fun, light-hearted fluffer of a game that remains, as an RPG on the Wii, among the best of a wanting lot.

Bureaucratic nonsense aside, Landroll is a great planet to explore. Opoona's design aesthetic is fantastic, and the world gives off a sort of Phantasy Star Online vibe. The music is also outstanding, which adds a lot to the overall package. If you're easily disoriented, though, expect to have trouble navigating the elaborately designed domes. The in-game map isn't very effective in helping you get around either. Opoona has a lot going for it, but a few easily fixed flaws keep it from greatness. If we ever see a sequel, hopefully these things can be fixed. Your RPG choices on the Wii are sadly limited right now, making Opoona sort of a winner by default. Even so, this is a fun and interesting game that is worth looking into.

Would I play Opoona if I didn't have to review it? No. But 12-year old Daemon would. There are certainly lots of kids with Wiis, and they deserve a decent RPG to play. That's what they'll get in Opoona. It looks good, it's easy to play, and there's a lot to do. If you don't mind random battles, you'll probably find the game to be enjoyable in spite of its many faults. Most of my complaints (no voice acting, lack of camera control outside, typos…) probably wouldn't occur to a younger gamer.

Despite its flaws, there are probably many young Wii owners that could use a not-too-difficult RPG to get them into the genre. For them, Opoona might be worth checking out.

Opoona is yet another example of a game where very little is actually broken, but very little is noticeably good, either. A good walkthrough or two could make it worth renting, but is a mediocre game like this really worth that amount of effort? Perhaps, but only if you're a hardcore RPG fan looking to play everything avavilable for the Wii.

Opoona emanates a liveliness that will keep even the most jaded role-player from hating it. However, the candy coating goes only so far, and tedious side missions and other frustrating elements sprinkle too much salt onto the sweetness. The first few bites of Opoona are scrumptious, but you'll be full in no time.

This is not an RPG to change people's minds, and there's a fair chance it'll repel more newcomers to JRPGs than it pulls in: the random nature of the battles will aggravate many and Opoona's 'lifestyle' elements equate to little more than a bit of light wandering and a bed to sleep in to restore HP. As a result, Opoona represents something of a missed opportunity and feels like it needs an extra hour or two in the oven to heat things up a little, but if the prospect of something a little cooler wets your appetite, Artepiazza's effort has much to give underneath its tranquility.

Annoncé à la fois comme un RPG et un simulateur de vie, Opoona est un titre d'autant plus déroutant qu'il se destine au jeune public. Si le gameplay révèle son efficacité assez rapidement durant les combats, la dimension aventure perd le joueur dans des environnements inutilement complexes où l'on s'oriente difficilement. On espère malgré tout que ces quelques défauts n'empêcheront pas les plus jeunes d'apprécier les bons côtés de ce titre qui ne possède pas encore d'équivalent sur ce support.

Opoona is stuck in a rather unfortunate position. The problem is that hardcore RPG fans looking for Wii RPGs will grow bored quite quickly and newcomers to the genre might not even want to play an RPG in the first place. Opoona is a decent attempt at making an RPG for everyone, but it's a little too sedate to offer any gaming thrills.

Opoona is probably especially suited to younger players thanks to its simple control, leisurely pace and imaginative presentation; as long as there's someone around to help navigate the confusing cities, kids will have no problem at all enjoying this, and might take more readily to the game's humour and odd charm without feeling stifled by its simplicity. For most of us, though, Opoona is a curiosity - it's charming, strange and often fun, but too shallow and stretched out to make for a genuinely engrossing RPG experience.

Though Opoona is original and exciting, there are too many problems for it to be anything more than an interesting diversion. If the game design had been tighter and featured more polish, it would have been a winner but as it stands, it'll probably be of interest only to die-hard RPG fans.

Give credit to Opoona for trying to wedge a lot of new ideas into its paper thin premise, but the half baked ‘lifestyle’ elements can’t hide the fact that it’s a very simplistic and ultimately uninteresting RPG.

Within Opoona there is a really original game fighting to be discovered. Unfortunately the technical issues contained within and a mundane RPG battle system dimishes the overall gaming experience.

The beautiful music is about the game's only saving grace. Just so you don't get lost yourself, here are some directions. Go to your local game store, hand the clerk your money, and buy something other than Opoona.

Opoona is not a game for everyone. Those that want a very addictive and enjoyable battle system will really enjoy this game. Those that are looking for a deep storyline and engaging characters will find nothing of the sort here, which is unfortunate.

Beyond its intriguing battle system, Opoona is simply a monotonous trawl through futuristic cities that never impress, luscious exteriors that are never allowed to impress, gameplay that makes Crazy Frog Racer 2 look impressive, and an anorexic storyline that only succeeds in impressing on the player that the 30 hours required to drag themselves over the finish line will be lost in the pits of gaming hell forever.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Wii’s audience is currently split more-or-less cleanly in two. Most Wii owners fall into one of two camps - the people who bought into all the family-friendly ‘casual’ stuff and are loving it to pieces, and everyone else, who will probably sell their Wiis on eBay this Christmas if something seriously ace doesn’t come out for it soon.

Opoona's heart is undeniably in the right place. As an RPG, it's pretty standard, yet it manages to be just plain comforting thanks to its quirky looks and sounds -- and even its easy one-handed control option. The game only really stresses you out when you're figuring out what job to do next and where to go, but once you clear those barriers -- and don't always expect grandeur -- it's not a bad trip.

The outstanding musical score isn't nearly enough to save Opoona from the weight of its crushing mediocrity.

Opoona fails as an introductory RPG for the young’uns, because it’s not as easy and straightforward as it should be; and for more versed RPG players, it doesn’t provide anything innovative or compelling. There are other, simpler, more unusual JRPGs available on Wii for those who want their fix. Stick to those. If you were hoping to play this game so that you could have the chance to play with some balls, do yourself a favor by staying home and playing with your own. And for the truly ambitious, this game also includes an optional one-handed control scheme, so you can actually do both at the same time. [Editors Note ~ Balls.]