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Harker Gets Hands On Elebits

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
People kept asking, so I figured I'd make a new thread for the 5 or 6 people interested in this title.


The game is much improved over the E3 build. Everything has a pleasent, soft glow to it. And despite many screens, I didn't notice any significant jaggies at all, it all looked pretty smooth to me. Note that the objects in the rooms weren't super highly detailed, but they were appealing and the art was charming.

There were only 2 Elebits in the first demo, but this version had probably 5 or 6 different varieties. I noticed different personalities too - the blue ones were always sleeping and walked really slow when disturbed, the red ones were lightning quick and always went ! whenever a light was shown near them, orange Elebits fly, yellow ones shoot out sparks, etc. Knowing their personalities, I think, will play into where you find certain kinds and the best methods to trap them.

Some people will be happy to note there are items in the game, so it isn't a straight search-n-capture. There was a ball you could break open that had an electrical field, that if you dragged it around it stunned any Elebit it touched. Also, there was a blue tube that if you smash it, gives you 15 seconds with a Rainbow Homing Laser that locks on to any Elebit on screen and drags it straight to you. The object is to keep capturing them, and different parts of the room and later the house open up to you, depending on the electricty level. You have to physically turn the remote to turn on faucets, open door handles, etc. The game does have some noticable physics too - You can't just point and click to open a cupboard or door. You press A to lock your beam on it, and you have to physically move the beam in the direction the door is hinged to open it. For example, in the kitchen, you have to grab the cupboard by its handle, and if its hinged on the right, you have to move it to the right to open it - movements in any other direction have no effect.

As far as control goes, it's really sensative. You can't make big gestures - but if you do very subtle ones, it works beautifully. It barely requires any movements at all, you basically glide across the screen. If you flail, you fail. Some of these suckers are fast, so you have to be quick! One thing that felt a bit awkard was walking and firing at the same time. I couldn't really get that down, because if you move the pointer to the edge of the screen, it turns - so if you're walking in one direction you tend to drift in others. It just takes a bit getting used to, and walking felt a bit stiff anyway - you can tell the main focus has been in the laser movements, not the players.

Anyway, wasn't much else in the build I was playing. Basically same levels. At least there is more variety, and tighter control. I didn't get to try multiplayer, but methinks that could be where the money lie.

Any questions?
 
Cool, great impressions, much appreciated.

Just wondering, was the turning like Red Steel, or did it have a smaller bounding box (ala COD3, MP3 Expert controls)?
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
JCX9 said:
What kind of levels or environments are there, or is it just the house?

I was in the kitchen, then I went outside. It was timed, so I didn't have enough time (or electricity!) to explore much more.

In the E3 build, you could pretty much just grab anything you wanted and toss it anywhere - even houses. Now, however, you have to build your power beam up, and capture more electricity to trigger mini-events (like the toaster popping open and Elebits flying out everywhere). And I think you need different beams to move different objects... some of the "heavier" objects, like tables or other houses, for example, were covered in a reddish hue when I tried moving them. My beam was blue, so I'm assuming that means I'd need another ray - red perhaps? - to move those objects.

That's just me speculating though.
 
Does it actually feel like a good, solid, quirky little game title like Katamari was, or do you think it could get old fast? (I know...kind of a loaded question and probably unanswerable...>_<)
 

SumGamer

Member
Five or six Elebits :O, I think I'm in love <3.

Form your experience, is there any different between each type of the elebits?

Is there any combo of sort when you only catch the same type consecutively?

Are you smiling when you play it :) ?
 
Just wondering, was the turning like Red Steel, or did it have a smaller bounding box (ala COD3, MP3 Expert controls)?

Also, how fun was the game?

And can you see it being a lasting experience, or boring after a little while?
 

Busaiku

Member
This game is sounding a lot better than what I thought of it before.
Wasn't even thinking of picking it up as it seemed pretty pointless, but it actually sounds pretty fun.
Might end up picking this up when I get a Wii as well.
 

Mejilan

Running off of Custom Firmware
Some tidbts from...

November 2006 Nintendo Power magazine said:
When you begin a level, no Elebits are providing power to the various fixtures in a room, but as you use your capture gun to snag the little critters, it will increase the wattage in the area, and as you reach specific benchmarks, dormant appliances will become usable. (In this fashion you are granted new opportunities to interact with your environment, and must solve environmental puzzles, of sorts, to capture more and more Elebits.

To make the game even deeper, Elebits features an experience system that allows the capture gun to increase in strength. While many of the creatures [...] simply provide more electrical power upon their capture, special Gold Elebits reward you with experience that level up the gun and thereby let you lift bigger, heavier objects (and thus explore more of the environment).

Adding to the complexity, the game utilizes a sound parameter that measures the amount of racket you make as you toss around furniture and appliances. Some Elebits are frightened by sound, so at times it's in your best interests to stay quiet [...].

Naughty black Elebits can attack the hero (yes, you do have a life meter), and in some missions your goal is to take out particularly aggressive boss Elebits.

When you're tired of completing mssions, however, you can kick back and enjoy a score-attack mode, or you can snag Elebits competitively with up to three friends [...].

My comments or summarizations are in [brackets].
 

jj984jj

He's a pretty swell guy in my books anyway.
I'm glad they added that experience system. If it's implemented right this really could be the next Katamari. :)
 

Mejilan

Running off of Custom Firmware
Funny you should mention that. Since this is a US rag, I refrained from duplicating the entire article, but they do mention that this might be the next Katamari Damacy-like sleeper hit!
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
MadraptorMan said:
Does it actually feel like a good, solid, quirky little game title like Katamari was, or do you think it could get old fast? (I know...kind of a loaded question and probably unanswerable...>_<)

I havent played it long enough for it to feel "old," but the one thing that could make it get old to me, I think, is the same settings. This game lives or dies by its environments. I don't know how much you can explore, but I'd LOVE to walk through a small town, go into a little forest or down by a lake... I hope we get some more outdoor, rural areas.

Hunting Elebits at night in a forest sounds awesome.
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
SumGamer said:
Five or six Elebits :O, I think I'm in love <3.

Form your experience, is there any different between each type of the elebits?

Is there any combo of sort when you only catch the same type consecutively?

Are you smiling when you play it :) ?


I mentioned some differences in the Elebits I saw in my original post.
There were only five or six that I noticed... I heard there were more, and even boss ones you get to battle.

I wasn't smiling as much as I was concentrating, because I hated the little red ones that got spooked when light was near it or I dropped something nearby and the little bastards ran into hiding, haha

Edit:
Oh, Mej posted a quote that mentions bosses - cool
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
Alkaliine said:
Just wondering, was the turning like Red Steel, or did it have a smaller bounding box (ala COD3, MP3 Expert controls)?

Also, how fun was the game?

And can you see it being a lasting experience, or boring after a little while?


it's not done like a FPS, the camera doesn't really move unless you move it, though I think it did drift a bit when I was firing right off the screen. Its more static, and the player moves a bit stiff - I think they want you to stay focused without jittering, because you have to be pretty precise to actually hit an Elebit to capture it. It wouldn't work so well if the camera were constantly moving.
 

SumGamer

Member
John Harker said:
I mentioned some differences in the Elebits I saw in my original post.
There were only five or six that I noticed... I heard there were more, and even boss ones you get to battle.

I wasn't smiling as much as I was concentrating, because I hated the little red ones that got spooked when light was near it or I dropped something nearby and the little bastards ran into hiding, haha

Edit:
Oh, Mej posted a quote that mentions bosses - cool

By different I mean after you capture them, is one contain more juice than other or something like that? It sounds nice anyway, cant wait to pick it up and curse Konami for not releasing this at launch in US. Thank you JH.
 

billysea

Banned
I am interested in this game. It seems fun and has Pikmin style written over it. The only reason people don't care about it is because it is not made by Nintendo and therefore people think its gonna be third/fourth-rated title.
 

jj984jj

He's a pretty swell guy in my books anyway.
billysea said:
I am interested in this game. It seems fun and has Pikmin style written over it. The only reason people don't care about it is because it is not made by Nintendo and therefore people think its gonna be third/fourth-rated title.
That doesn't have much to do with it in this case. Chibi Robo bombed totally in every country and Nintendo published that.
 

ethelred

Member
SailorDaravon said:
This isn't a launch title.

It's not? I thought it was.

jj984jj said:
That doesn't have much to do with it in this case. Chibi Robo bombed totally in every country and Nintendo published that.

I wouldn't consider its Japanese performance to be bombing, honestly. Not a mega-hit, or anything like that, but it sold pretty well.
 

SumGamer

Member
AdmiralViscen said:
When is the North American release?

I'd like to know as well. It's launch title in Japan so I expect at most 6 months after that since it doesn't look like it has lots of japanese in the game anyway.
 
Gamestop.com has a pic of one of the elebits plushes.
http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=B230033A

B230033Ab.jpg


Order Elebits for the Nintendo Wii and receive a collectible Elebits plush doll FREE! Your Elebit plush will be one of two breeds sealed in a customized box for you to discover. Which Elebit will you capture and take home with you? Some customers will receive a rare orange elebits doll. Selection is random, no special requests please. Offer good while supplies last.
AAAAH!
 

Mallika

Member
Those plush dolls are (weirdly) cute. And the whole random factor? Heightens the suspense, I suppose. Imagine getting an orange elebit -- will you keep it or eBay it off?
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
SumGamer said:
I'd like to know as well. It's launch title in Japan so I expect at most 6 months after that since it doesn't look like it has lots of japanese in the game anyway.

That GameSpot link says 12/12/06
 
This game has really come a long way since the (anything but encouraging) E3 build. Thanks for the impressions. These impressions and the lastest images definitely got me interested in this game now.
 

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
I had a lot of fun with the E3 build but I was worried the game might become stale rather quickly... it seems it received a substantial upgrade, that's very encouraging!
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
Mallika said:
Those plush dolls are (weirdly) cute. And the whole random factor? Heightens the suspense, I suppose. Imagine getting an orange elebit -- will you keep it or eBay it off?

gotta... uh, catch 'um all?

Elebits 2 to feature Elebit vs Elebit battles :lol
 

Beezy

Member
Mr. Spinnington said:
This game comes out finals week... I can only imagine what this will do to my grades.

I don't plan on buying a Wii until I'm done with finals. Zelda will really **** me up. I hope I'm able to hold out until then. :(
 
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