Contact (video game)

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Contact

North American boxart
Developer(s) Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher(s) Marvelous Interactive (JPN)
Atlus (NA)
Rising Star Games (EU, AU)
Designer(s) Akira Ueda
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release date JP March 30, 2006
NA October 17, 2006[1]
AUS January 25, 2007[2]
EU February 02, 2007
Genre(s) RPG
Mode(s) Single player / Multiplayer game for up to 8 players.[3]
Rating(s) ESRB: E10+
OFLC: G

Contact (コンタクト Kontakuto?) is a video game published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan on March 30, 2006 and by Atlus in North America on October 19, 2006. The game was developed by Grasshopper Manufacture.

Contents

[edit] Storyline

 Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007)

The story begins with the Professor flying through space, fleeing from a mysterious enemy known only as the Klaxon Army (CosmoNOTs in the US release). He ends up crash landing on a strange planet, scattering the "cells" that power his ship, preventing him from getting his ship off the ground. He enlists the help of Terry (can be renamed), a young boy who mistakenly came with him. Terry agrees to help the Professor and sets out with a mysterious set of "Decals" from the Professor. Helping the Professor is the only way that Terry will be able to get home. However, as the game progresses the Professor's intentions are slowly thrown deeper and deeper into question. One of the more remarkable things about the storyline is the inclusion of the player as a separate character from those appearing on screen (referred in other media as a Fourth Wall). Throughout the game, the Professor will talk directly to the player, to give hints on how to control Terry.

[edit] Gameplay

In Contact, the Professor talks directly to the player, giving instructions in order to help Terry.[3] The game also differs from ordinary RPGs in that experience gain is instantaneous, meaning that leveling up in the middle of a battle is required, complementing the real time combat system.[3] Rather than the tradition in RPGs where a character levels up, increasing multiple statistics at once, Contact's experience system increases Terry's statistics individually as he performs different actions.[4] For instance, when Terry takes damage, his defense increases; when he damages an enemy, his strength increases.

There is a costume system through which new skills can be learned. Up to eight costumes can be obtained, turning Terry into such forms as a fisherman, a cook, a thief, an "aqua shot" (as is the name of the costume), a car driver, a digger and a pilot.[5] With greater use, a costume will add extra powers to its associated skills and statistics, including elemental magic and magical properties.

Terry also has weapon-based skills. These weapons can be gathered as the player progresses. The weapons are divided into three different categories; punching (gloves), striking (clubs), and slashing (swords). Each skill can be upgraded by using each type of weapon throughout the game. Each enemy has its own weakness, so some of Contact's strategy involves switching to the appropriate weapon to exploit an enemy's weakpoint.

The game also uses decals or stickers. The player can stick multiple decals to Terry, resulting in added powers. Decals can also be used to attack enemies, heal the character's wounds, and other functions.[6]

There are other statistics that affect Terry's relationship with the game's non-playable characters, including fame, courage, and karma. The character can attack any NPC at will. As animosity towards Terry grows, townsfolk will attack Terry on the street or run when they see him.

As indicated by the game's director, the main storyline provides a framework of diversions, or sidequests.[7] While none of these are necessary to complete the game, certain costumes cannot be obtained without completing a particular sidequest, and the sidequests themselves add significant replay value to the game.

[edit] Online connectivity

The game makes use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. During Contact Mode, the player can exchange friend codes with another player and make contact with one-another. In the single player adventure, upon reaching the WiFisland, all friends who have been contacted through friend codes appear as non-playable characters, sharing tips and items.[8] Up to 8 players can be stored as NPCs in the WiFisland.[9]

[edit] Visual style

The game has a simple, pixelated style on the top screen. The top screen is where the professor will observe and offer assistance to the main character, a boy named Terry (as well as the player), who moves around on the bottom screen. The bottom screen has a pre-rendered, detailed art style. When the professor goes onto the bottom screen, or vice versa, these styles clash.

This differentiation has been done purposely as it underlines how the player and the Professor are aliens to each other. They must make contact, communicate and co-operate to make it through the game[7] and to create feelings of nostalgia; just like the interplay between the "real" and "game" worlds.[10]

According to Akira Ueda, Contact's director, the game uses the touchscreen in several ways through the game.

“ We've endeavoured to use as many of the DS' features as we could, but not in an obvious way. Our philosophy was 'How can we use these fantastic features properly?'. We wanted them to work for the story rather than dictate it, which is something we feel is incredibly important for an original concept like Contact.[7] ”

[edit] Reception

As of Oct 24, 2006, Contact has a metascore of 74 out of 100.[1]

Gamebrink gave the game 9.0 points out of 10.0, comparing the statistics and level systems to games like Oblivion.[11] The site praised the story, job system and, especially, the music, but defined the battles as "fairly shallow."[12] On the other hand, the game received a 6.5 out of 10 by Steve Thomason in the November 2006 issue of Nintendo Power. His major complaints were that the game was "frustrating because your objectives are often obtuse and unintuitive and the game can be brutally difficult."

[edit] References

  1. ^ Contact (Official US website).
  2. ^ Contact.. Aussie-Nintendo.com. Retrieved on 2007-24-01.
  3. ^ a b c Contact. Atlus. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  4. ^ Stat System. Marvelous Interactive. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  5. ^ Basic System. Marvelous Interactive. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  6. ^ The Decal system opens up a wide range of possibilities. Marvelous Interactive. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  7. ^ a b c Jon Jordan (2006-04-18). Making contact with Contact's makers. Pocket Power Media Ltd.. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  8. ^ Bozon, Mark (2006-08-22). Contact Hands-On. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  9. ^ Wi-Fi is expanding the world of Contact!. Marvelous Interactive. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  10. ^ Akira Ueda. A very special message. Marvelous Interactive. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  11. ^ Bebpo. Contact (Japan) 2. Gamebrink. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
  12. ^ Bebpo. Contact (Japan) 3. Gamebrink. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.

[edit] External links

Official sites
Unofficial sites
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