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Product summary
Infinite Undiscovery feeds your need for narrative, but it's ultimately a shallow, flawed experience.
Specifications: ESRB: Teen; Genre: Role-Playing See full specs
Price range: $27.97 - $59.99
Gamespot editors' review
- Reviewed on: 09/02/2008
- Released on: 09/02/2008
Role-playing games strike a tricky balance between gameplay and narrative that is easy to take for granted when everything goes together correctly. Infinite Undiscovery is sadly an example of how flawed design and myriad imperfections can mar an otherwise enjoyable adventure. Square Enix manages to provide the frame of a role-playing game epic that falls short on execution.
When the world is in danger, be sure to ask nearby furry creatures for assistance.
The world of Infinite Undiscovery is influenced heavily by the moon, which is home to a god who is revered as a source of magical blessing. Humans who are born under auspicious moon phases are tattooed with sigils known as Lunaglyphs, which grant power and the ability to cast spells. Everything's in disarray because a group called the Order of the Chains has shackled the moon to the earth, disrupting the normal flow of power and bringing the two heavenly bodies on a collision course. The people's only hope is Sigmund the Liberator, a man with the ability to cut the chains and restore the world to normal. Capell, the protagonist, is a cowardly musician who mysteriously is a twin to Sigmund in appearance, which gets him unwillingly wrapped up in the troubles of nations.
All of the characters are well defined, and it's easy to come to know and grow fond of them through the game's preponderance of narrative cutscenes (some silly dialogue notwithstanding). Whether it's Capell getting thoroughly browbeaten by the idealistic princess Aya, the adorable scamps Rico and Rucha chatting in excitement, or the serene priest Eugene offering some sage insight while adjusting his glasses, you're always learning something new about the characters and their motivations. You'll have close to 20 playable characters by the end, and though some are better fleshed out than others, many are likable. The narrative itself is engaging but at the same time feels a little light on depth, some of which is due to the gameworld.
Wedged between all of the storytelling mania is the gameplay, which sees you roaming the world in search of chains to smash and people to aid. One of the problems with both the world zones and many of the dungeons in the game is that you're often given very loose guidance about where to travel (such as "south"), and the areas themselves are huge and can be lengthy. Combine winding paths that have multiple nooks and crannies with a mapping system that relies on you discovering areas in very narrow swaths, and the whole thing feels less like exploring a world and more like a way to make you wander around and cut through enemies. With such huge outdoor zones, there are a surprisingly small number of towns to visit, which makes the lands that you wander through feel empty and lonely. You'll also have to retrace your steps quite a bit, which will get tiresome around the fifth time that you've had to cross the same desert.
Battle is completely real-time and action-oriented. You'll always be controlling Capell, and you have a few simple AI settings for your party members that you can cycle through using the D pad. Once you're in range, you'll target the nearest enemy--but it's not an autolock for attack purposes, so you'll have to continually move around to try to score hits on mobile foes. This is somewhat of a pain if you're trying to connect with an ability that involves a lengthy animation. Capell can execute quick attacks and strong slashes, and you can bind two special skills that will be activated when you hold down the A or B button. Attacking an enemy in succession will start a combo meter that you can build through your own hits and those of your friends. Using the connect feature, you can issue orders on the fly to a specific ally to use his or her special attacks, which is good for combo-building or solving some of the game's dungeon puzzles. The X button will play your flute, which lets you perform various tunes that will reveal hidden passages or enemies, or shield your party from harmful magic.
Use your connection abilities to assassinate harmless barrels.
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