A mix of city building simulator and side-scrolling platform, neither of which are very fleshed out. The two modes do provide the game a nice tempo and reprieve from the other helping to mask the game's weaknesses.
The side-scrolling platform sections which usually act as bookends to the simulation mode feel like a poor man's
Castlevania. The controls are chunky and non-responsive, doing quick turns and jumping are a chore. In a perfect world this gameplay would have been more like an
Altered Beast. The game's difficulty* is based on monsters constantly getting cheap shots on you that are almost unavoidable and end bosses that are difficult to navigate. A good deal also stems from poor character controls which I'm sure most gamers are sure to love! I also was not a fan of the time limit. Let me finish the game at my own pace dammit. If I wan't to hide in a corner and slowly bleed the monster with a shot every two minutes well why not?
The simulator mode is very simple, as you perform a series of tasks to develop land for your faithful while fending off monsters. You can't really lose during this segment although you can have some setbacks or not fully realize your cities development. The more people your cities hold, the more followers you have, the more faith your subjects have, and that equates to you getting more HP bars for your final battles. During this portion you also collect gifts from your flock including spells. The Shooting Star magic received fairly early on tilts the end boss fights drastically in your favor, with a few casts killing them and making the game a bit too easy to be fair.
The concept is a pretty good one, just could have been executed better. The simulation side could have added a few more details or expanded a little in diversity as the game progresses. The platform sections could have been longer, the controls cleaned up, and since you are a God, I don't understand why the platform warrior you play is so anemic in his use of weapons, power-ups, or couldn't morph-change or whatever to show off some awesome powers. A big let down.
(If you look closely at the sprites your subjects are apparently lego people)
Graphics: Some really nice moments but mostly just good.
Controls: Sim mode is fine. Platform mode is bad.
Music: Nicely Done
Fun: Almost
*Japanese version much harder than US or EU.
See Review:
A Good Review That I Agree With