A more serious Advance Wars?

HeatShadow · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:26 pm Post subject: A more serious Advance Wars?

Here's something interesting; Kotaku recently reported a new Advance Wars for the DS in the works. What's interesting is that it now seems to have a darker and more serious tone to it. Article and first screenshots can be seen here.

So what do you make of it? Like/dislike the new designs? Think maybe this also means the story will be more serious as well? It's also been reported that the cast of the previous Advance Wars games will be gone; sorry to see them go or eager for some new blood in the lineup?

Personally, I'm a bit divided. I think the new designs look pretty nifty so far. If the story gets as dark as some of the plotlines found in Fire Emblem, it won't be a bad thing, though if they get any more dire than that it might cause some problems. I'll definitely miss pwning people with Kanbei, and I would've liked a bit more time with Sasha, but if they can come up with some COs with some unique personalities, it'll be hard to complain.
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Shakai · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject:

I don't know what to make of it. I played a demo of Dual Strike, but never got to buy it. I played through AW 1 and 2, they were fun, but I found that I suck at the hard modes Sad

Well, I'll check on the news every now and again, this looks pretty nifty.

(AND WE ALL KNOW HOW I LIKE DARK STUFF HAHAHAHA *bricked*)
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Wackoman.EXE · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:00 pm Post subject:

Out with the dark, in with more mechanic wackiness.
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Dingo · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject:

Hmmm, I'm kinda mixed about this as well. Sure, the core gameplay will be there, but I'm rather happy with the cast we know and love.
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Midnight · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject:

Agreed.

I was looking forward to adding to the cast of COs that were in place through the three games thus far--and it would be fun to see them back. Would Colin, Grit, and Hachi be as broken as much as they were in the original?

The cast was so colorful and wonderful to follow--I hope they aren't just abandoned.
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HeatShadow · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:19 pm Post subject:

If there were any doubts, there is now proof: a short clip of gameplay:

http://kotaku.com/gaming/clip/advance-wars-2-gameplay-307809.php

It is sideways, so wary of neck cramps. The combat scenes have been changed completely and are now shown on both screens. The art style for the units and maps has also been changed severely, though with the video's bad quality, it's hard to tell what they look like now.

There's something interesting though; my hearing may be deceiving me, but it sounded like Andy's theme was playing in the backround. Maybe the old cast isn't as gone as we think they are?
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Shakai · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject:

....Two questions.

One: Why is it still called "Advance Wars" if it's on the DS? They changed it from Super Famicon wars on the Super Famicom to Advance Wars for the GBA, so why is it still Advance wars and not DS wars?

Two: Why is it called "Advance Wars 2"? Advance wars 2 already exists on the GBA. Wouldn't it be called "Advance Wars: Dual Strike 2" or something?
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The time is come. Bid farewell to your bloodstained past.
Forsake the darkness you once embraced, or the light will find no hold.
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HeatShadow · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:52 am Post subject:

One: That is a good question. A very good question indeed. ^_^;;

Two: There was some mention in the initial article about it indeed being called "Advance Wars DS 2."
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HeatShadow · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:36 pm Post subject:

Sorry for the double post, but I didn't want this to go unnoticed: new screenshots.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/dual-strike-too/the-new-mature-advance-wars-ds-309276.php

The new map design looks pretty frickin spiffy, and that Zoom button might mean we'll be able to change the view of the map to give us a broader view of the battles. Smile

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Shakai · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:31 am Post subject:

MOTORCYCLE UNIT YOU SAY? LOVELY.

And do my eyes deceive me, or did they say "Fire" "Emblem" "D" "S"?

:D
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The time is come. Bid farewell to your bloodstained past.
Forsake the darkness you once embraced, or the light will find no hold.
Vanquish the dark knight! You and he are one no more!

Unknown Neo · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject:

The motorcycle unit sounds interesting and fun. I wonder if they're going to have those CO powers in this one.

Dingo · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:17 am Post subject:

Hands-on review (Link courtesy AWN and Kotaku)

Well, here's those mixed feelings again. Old COs are NOT going to be available, amongst other things. Although, I think it'll be for the better, as it returns to the more core mechanics.

Gone:
- COs we all know and love.
- Tag powers
- Dual screen maps
- Toned down COPs

Added:
- New units, such as Motorbike (counts as infantry), Flares (lights up the FoW), and Dusters (new air unit, not much said about it).
- WiFi Batting with Voice Chat! (OH GODS YES.)
- Enhanced Map Editor

I dunno about you guys, but I'm beginning to think this isn't such a bad step. It's a new direction, and I don't think it'll disappoint.
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Midnight · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:30 am Post subject:

I'm going to go through this one at a time:

Gone:
COs we all know and love

That's quite unfortunate. I must say that their somewhat chipper personalities were in good contrast with the somewhat serious situation of the actual combat. That was part of what attracted me to the games in the first place. Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll probably see functional clones of them in the new game.

Tag Powers

I'm actually quite pleased with this function. Tagging provides the user such a ridiculous advantage it's not even funny. The ability to "Time Walk" periodically can make a game's flow change nearly instantaneously, and endows its user with such a large advantage that players of equal skill will decide each of their skirmishes with who can hit a Tag first.

Dual Screen Maps

I've got mixed feelings about this. The concept of two fronts was interesting, but a swift victory on the top front enables a 2-on-1 game in the main front, and that is just terrible for the defender. Also, it is quite irritating to leave the top front to an AI, and watch it make ridiculously bad mistakes.

CO Powers

From what I hear, these aren't gone, but they've been made significantly less swingy so that enabling one will not immediately tilt the game towards its user's favor. Nevertheless, I did like the two-tiered ability system, though a good problem with it is that the powers themselves are often designed in a way that I will only want to use COP or SCOP. I don't relish turning Rachel into Nell for a turn when I'd rather drop three missiles into play, and I don't want to get attack boosts based on the number of properties I control with Kindle when I could just deal three damage to all enemy units on properties. Good CO/SCO powers should be balanced so that I would seriously consider using one or the other, and not just one exclusively like cited above.

Added:

New Units:

I'm liking it. It's always a good thing to see new things added to the build command. In addition, they claimed that they were recalculating the prices of the units, so hopefully things will be slightly more balanced in their costs, and I would consider using each since they have more or less the same efficiency.

WiFi Combat:

Hell yes. The true test of skill is to play PvP matchups with other humans, and this enables that quite admirably. I'm imagining tournaments and ranking ladders for the future. This seems to be the most promising aspect of the new game to me.
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Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

Sai-kun · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:36 am Post subject:

I like the name of this one. It's a lot darker. The main guy is kinda sexy, too.

X3 This game is shaping up awesomely. The darker theme is awesome.
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HeatShadow · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:01 pm Post subject:

Gameplay trailer:

http://kotaku.com/gaming/clip/advance-wars-days-of-ruin-311189.php

I also agree with everything Midnight said.

There are two interesting things I noticed while watching the trailer: that there is a new air unit called a Ship Plane, and there was apparently a new property listed as "Temp Port"; in other words, a temporary port. Perhaps it's possible to now construct temporary unit production/repair bases?
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DanSidney · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:24 pm Post subject:

A "more serious" version of the game?

Hey where did I hear this last? Oh right. Sonic the Hedgehog. A "more serious" Sonic the hedgehog game.

We all saw how it ended.
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Shakai · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject:

Tag powers? What are those? (I didn't play Dual Strike)

Also, voice chat DURING combat? HELL YES.

Wait...

I hope n00bs don't know how to use their microphones....

And a problem I have with wifi is that you never know if either A) your opponent is using a cheating device or B) you seriously suck at the game you're playing.

And CO powers that are more equal and less like "CO power" and "SUPER CO POWER!!!" would be nice. Might make a for a nice contrast and the good ole "Should I use this or that?"
_________________
The time is come. Bid farewell to your bloodstained past.
Forsake the darkness you once embraced, or the light will find no hold.
Vanquish the dark knight! You and he are one no more!

Unknown Neo · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

Midnight · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:20 am Post subject:

Sai-kun · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:05 am Post subject: