GI.net: "The game follows a young prince named Serdic of Bretwalde, whose kingdom was destroyed by the neighboring Grand Meir Empire. Also, the sacred sword has become corrupted, so Serdic cannot become coroneted until the sword is purified. Along the way, Serdic will encounter an intriguing cast of characters from a gentleman bandit to wizards of various temperaments to noble knights. Each character feels unique and, depending on the battle, will talk to each other on the battlefield.
Graphically, the game feels like something out of the early Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis era, yet it is highly refined. Everything is bright and colorful, and there are silky smooth backgrounds. Sprites are animated well, except none of them walk across the screen. You tell them where to go, and POP, there they are. The story is told first through the top screen, letting you know what is going on, and then there is dialogue between the characters and then you get to the battle. Characters' faces change depending on the dialogue. (Also, note, all of this is completely skipable at a press of a button. Most of the time.) In essence, it is vanilla in its presentation."
Play Online writes:
"One of the strengths of the DS as a gaming platform is that, because of its worldwide popularity, it has received a library of games that is absolutely stunning not only in scope but also in size. The problem with such a situation, however, is that it is dreadfully easy for good games to get lost in the shuffle, as both a high amount of releases each month and a set selection of "guaranteed" hits can make it hard to know what lesser-known titles are worth tracking down.
So, as we prepare to step into the world of gaming that 2009 has in store for us, let me take a moment to look back to 2008, and briefly talk about five great DS titles that it's quite likely you may have missed."
Hmm actually I only missed one of those games: Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation and I think we know why...
1UP writes: "I'm not in the habit of reviewing games I haven't beaten, but every once in a while, I make an exception. Some games aren't really meant to be beaten, like Pokémon -- yeah, you can "win," but the game goes on long beyond the final battle, even after you've surrendered to the marketing slogans and caught 'em all. And some games -- like Success and Atlus' Rondo of Swords -- I review once they've beaten me."
Candace Savino writes:
''Strategy RPGs aren't exactly rare on the DS -- some people might even argue that the genre is too plentiful on Nintendo's handheld (though this writer would beg to differ). Regardless, it's always nice to see something refreshing in an SRPG, which is why I was looking forward to playing Rondo of Swords. Having heard of its unique gameplay system, I wanted to see if this title would force me to think differently and not rely on strategies I was used to.
At the same time, though, I was a bit apprehensive. While change can be a good thing if it's implemented correctly, it can often feel forced if it's not. Moreover, one reason that strategy games don't differ at their core is because the formula works. Can throwing away such tried-and-true methods really lead to an enjoyable game? Just mosey on past the break to find out!''
