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Bernard
Su (03.02.2002 - Winning Entry, Feb2002 Contest)
From the creators of Desire...
C's Ware really pulled out the stops on this game, hot on the
heels of their success from Desire.
Like Desire, EVE is a remake of an older version, and the translation
is ported over from the remake. Unlike Desire, however, the remake
was also edited for sexual content, meaning that all the sex scenes
were either omitted or rewritten (hence the VERY low score for
ecchi level). Sexual innuendo does abound throughout the game,
however, as Kojiroh seems to chase everything with a skirt.
The graphics are gorgeous in full-color, with the usual attention
to detail, and the player has the option of playing the game full-screen
or in a window. The much-hyped Lucid Motion engine also delivers,
and the animation sequences don't seem to be as stilted as they
are on Desire.
Sound effects and music are piped in via MIDI format, which may
earn the contempt of some gamers. However, the composer does know
his stuff, and none of the musical pieces sound out of place.
Thankfully, there's a wide selection of themes, so the music doesn't
really get all that repetitive. But what does salvage the sounds
score is the voice acting. EVE boasts an all-star cast, such as
fan favorite Takehito Koyasu (Gundam Wing's Zechs Merquise; Hotohori
in Fushigi Yuugi) as private investigator Kojiroh Amagi and Junko
Iwao (Card Captor Sakura's Tomoyo Daidouji) as government agent
Marina Houjou. Even the VAs of the supporting cast have name recognition,
and each matches his or her own character perfectly. I couldn't
have dreamed of a better crew for this game.
Gameplay is...well, your standard point and click. You're presented
with a variety of choices, and you get to choose one of them.
This time around, C's Ware tweaked the Multi-Sight System so that
unlike Desire, where you could play straight through one character's
scenario from beginning to end, in EVE you're forced at times
to switch to the other character's perspective to unlock a flag
point for your original character. Although this is a welcome
innovation, oftentimes you can find yourself confused as to what
you're supposed to do next when all your character seems to do
is to go around in circles.
Gamers may also be put off by the linear storyline, but I myself
found it quite fascinating. Hidden agendas and dark secrets abound
throughout the game and aren't revealed until the very end. And
though EVE tells a self-contained story, it also leaves the door
open for future sequels (which it has, by the way). The characters
are very memorable and have their own unique personalities. Though
Kojiroh has a laid-back, who-cares style to his methods and is
a definite womanizer, he also has razor-sharp instincts and can
go from flirtatious to serious in a snap. The other characters
have their own quirks and faults.
C's Ware packed EVE with their usual extras. Nothing really special
in there, but nothing I found really lacking (other than an inability
to replay the animation segments).
All in all, EVE Burst Error is quite a game. It might not rate
all that high on the replay factor because of its linearity, and
gamers looking for a sex-filled romp will be disappointed, but
if you like murder mysteries and political intrigue, not to mention
plot twists worthy of Metal Gear Solid, you might want to consider
picking up this title.
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