"Nano Hates the Beaker"

Nanobreaker is the latest creation of the infamous IGA of Konami. IGA's previous creation, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, was a mixed bag. Some enjoyed it, others hated it. While IGA works his latest Castlevania in 3D, IGA previously worked on a new 3D game based off of the Lament of Innocence game engine. That game is Nanobreaker. Does it succeed where Lament failed, or is it take a turn for the worst? In certain aspects, Nanobreaker is better, while in others, it is not.

Graphics: 8/10

Konami truly knows how to utilize the PS2's graphical prowess to the limits. The FMVs in the game are another example of Konami's CG skills, with realistic characters and excellent presentation. The FMVs are on par, if not better, with the best graphics that Gamecube or Xbox can muster.

The in-game graphics don't disappoint with a smooth 60 fps speed with almost no slowdown. The characters are well detailed, and the enemies are nicely done. Character animations are smooth and fluid, from simple movements to beautiful slashing animations. The attack graphics are certainly a treat to watch, from a simple sword combo to a energy explosion with devastating effects. Booster transforms are a treat to watch as Jake resembles something similar to Onimusha 3's Oni form with auras surrounding his body. Do that and release Jake's limiter and he looks similar to Devil Trigger form in the Devil May Cry games. The environments are the only weak spot here; while they certainly depict the atmosphere well, they feel a bit bland. However, unlike in Lament of Innocence, rarely are rooms used repeatedly. A good thing since it's not very fun to run into the same rooms throughout the entire game. Another noteworthy aspect is the blood.

Be warned that Nanobreaker is quite the blood-fest, having more blood than games like Mortal Kombat. The blood gushing out of enemies is very excessive so watching the screen completely filled with blood is a common sight. Another thing about the blood is that it doesn't disappear like in other blood-filled games. If you are disturbed by the sight of blood, you can change the color of it during the game.

Plot: 4/10

With a sci-fi setting and strong visual and musical component, it's a pity Nanobreaker does little beyond the generic plots found in most action/adventure games. The protagonist is Jake Warren, a super soldier who doubles as a one-man army. The plot is simple: nanomachines have evolved and helped humanity a great deal. On one island, the computer controlling the nanomachines malfunctions and the chaos ensues. While other games such as Galerians have done the idea well with twists of their own, Nanobreaker's plot is completely generic. The plot writers had the time and ability to create a complex, well-written plot but for some reason chose not to. Nanobreaker certainly doesn't beat Lament in this category.

Gameplay: 7/10

The gameplay in Nanobreaker is good for the most part. At first, the game is very similar to Lament of Innocence. Jake can do 2 types of attacks: vertical and horizontal, can block/dodge roll, and has a capture move to bring enemies close to him. After a while, players will realize that it's not quite Lament but an improvement of the battle system. The combo system is the big seller of Nanobreaker. All the combos are pre-learned, but require chips to activate.

The combos aren't for show though, they have a use. Something like the Spear power is great for armored Orgamechs(the enemies), while the Hammer combos are for crowd-clearing purposes. The normal combos at the start quickly become weak and combo use is necessary to defeat enemies. Bosses also support use of combos further: most can only be defeated using a specific type of combo that the Plasma Blade(Jake's weapon) transforms into. Lament also had a similar combo system, but the normal combos were more than enough to best any enemy or boss in the game. Nanobreaker does the opposite; the combos are never useless. The Capture move is more useful than what it looks like. It can be used to stop enemy attacks and lure them close for some hack-and-slash action. A technique that can be done during Capture is a Capture-counter, which works by pressing an attack button as the enemy is lured closer, will instantly slice an enemy in two. Also, when fighting enemies, Jake can release his limiter by damaging enemies enough times. While in this mode, his wings are revealed, damage increases dramatically, and any combo's special effect activates instantly as long as it hits.

Lastly is the Booster system. During the game, Booster accessories can be found/used. These include temporary transformations with special effects(increased chance of Capture-counter) to a powerful energy explosion that blows away all in the blast radius. In comparison to Lament's relic system, both only act to support the characters defensively and offensively.

Nanobreaker also features an rpg-like system where you are rewarded gallons(equivalent of EXP) when harming enemies. At every 2,000 gallons, a bonus will be given. These include life recovery and increased Booster capacity. Since the purpose of the game is to deliver as much destruction as possible, the system supports it.

The bad? The camera control. While Nanobreaker is controlled by a fixed camera, it can be manually controlled. The problem with manual control is the camera tends to zoom in Jake's position and may get stuck in that position, which causes problems in the heat of battle. Many times the enemies will not be visible due to the moving the camera and it being stuck. In one particular area, the camera is not controllable. While this may seem beneficial, it prevents the player from seeing the exit. In contrast, Lament has a fixed camera but it reveals enemies and the area ahead most of the time. It is a disappointment since IGA promised to improve all aspects of the Lament engine, including camera control.

Also problematic is the lack of healing options. While one of the bonuses of a level-up is life recovery, it is not enough to correct the problem. During the final areas of the game, players must fight hordes of Orgamechs then immediately a boss without healing. While life is automatically recovered after finishing an area, it would have been nice to have more life recovery power-ups in the areas. The Booster gauge regenerates when you attack enemies, so why not have a healing Booster?

Sound: 8/10

The music of Nanobreaker is one of the best aspects of the game. The tracks fit for a game in the genre, but also has a Castlevania feel to them. This works well with the action going on when battle ensues. The VAs are also done well here. Konami has included dual language capability, which is a good surprise. The whole game's text can be in full English if need be, making Nanobreaker a very import-friendly game. The sound effects do their job, though it could be better. Great job done here.

Difficulty: 8/10

As for game difficulty, those who were disappointed in Lament's lack of difficulty(or for that matter, the new Castlevanias) will enjoy the challenge found in the game. It's one of the hardest games in the genre, which can be made much harder by Hard mode. Death is quite common, especially with the lack of healing options but it's fun nonetheless.

Fun Factor: 7/10

There is fun to be found in the game, as long as one doesn't quit playing early. Once combo chips and Booster equipment are found, the game becomes more enjoyable to the player. The horrible camera and lack of healing items damper the fun to be had. The game ends in around 6-8 hours though, which is a bit short. Splatter Mode(the purpose here is to amass as much gallons as possible), Hard Mode, and other unlockables await once the game is complete.

Overall: 7/10

Nanobreaker is in ways, an improvement over IGA's other creation, Lament of Innocence. In others, it is not. Still, it's a decent game to play. It's at least worth a weekend rental. It's other competitors, Devil May Cry 3 and God of War, are most likely to be better than this. If there is a sequel in the making, hopefully the development team can do something with the camera and lack of healing abilities.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 02/03/05, Updated 01/02/07