Mistwalker is carrying a lot of weight on its shoulders now with the imminent release of Lost Odyssey in Japan. Still Sakaguchi -- Japanese role-playing game pioneer and the creator of the Final Fantasy series -- and company have found time to churn out Archaic Sealed Heat, a new strategy RPG for DS with extraordinary production values.
oprainfall writes: "In reviewing Archaic Sealed Heat, a forgotten strategy RPG for the DS by The Last Story studio Mistwalker and executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi, my passion for the Japanese language has finally intertwined with video games. As most Downpour listeners might remember, I did import a learning tool for Chinese characters (known as kanji in the Japanese language) called Tadashii Kanji Kakitori-kun (Correct Kanji with Kakitori-kun). But then, that wasn’t really a game. Although I’ve actually played some Japanese games before, they were either very short affairs (the oddball Cooking Mama predecessor Motoko-Chan’s Wonder Kitchen) or too complex in grammar, making translation guides absolutely necessary (Fatal Frame IV). ASH, however, is a completely different animal, played in its full, untranslated glory by yours truly."
N-Europe writes: "It’s not always easy in living Europe. As well as the tornadoes and bi-annual smallpox epidemics, Europeans tend to suffer also in terms of being on the tail-end of Nintendo’s release plans; at least compared to Japan and North America (our Australian readers have our sympathy). Despite Nintendo’s oceans of cash, you’d be surprised just how many Wii and DS games don’t actually release on our shores. The Brain Training generation may have made Europe a video game market to be reckoned with, but it looks like the days of shafting are far from over. These are all recent, first-party Wii and DS titles that, for one reason or another, just weren’t worth localising."
ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat was one of the earliest RPGs announced for the Nintendo DS. Early screenshots showcased the incredible graphics it would have and, to top it off, it was being made by Hironobu Sakaguchi's (the creator of Final Fantasy) new development house, Mistwalker. And then… nothing. It was over a year and half before new details and a Japanese release date surfaced. People were hyped - ASH was going to use the largest sized cart for any DS game before, and the idea of Sakaguchi leading the project was just too good to be true. Most readers have probably heard, however, that ASH flopped in Japan.
While it didn't get the 10/10 reviews many were anticipating, it also wasn't poorly received by critics by any means. It was met with brisk sales, to say the least. It will be hitting America and Europe later this year where, just maybe, it will get the sales it deserves. If you're looking for some gorgeous RPG action, then ASH might just be the answer. Alex from Nintendo Meadow has his hands on the Japanese version and, after several hours of fun, he's ready to give his impressions.
