The video game equivalent of a "Chick Flick". Could it be a "Dame Game"? So cute & sweet that you can't play it if you're diabetic. I am often saddened by the fact that the general impression of gamers is that of a bunch of guys with no social life who never really outgrew adolescence. I know that it's not the case, but in a market that produced such hits as "Tomb Raider," "Fear Effect," and "Danger Girl," I can see how really bad it looks to the world at large.Which leads me to rejoice whenever I see a video game that wants to break out of the usual mold of gaming. Thus, when I saw "Rhapsody," a game which advertises having a "pancake" attack on the back of the box, I knew I had to give the game a try. But, of course, what if I got mislead by the promise of food? It wouldn't be the first time, which reminds me: I ought to stop thinking with my stomach.
"Rhapsody" starts out with Cornet, a young lady who is hoping to find her perfect match. She is also trying to figure out how to deal with Kururu, the animated puppet that follows her around. Obviously, this is not the usual set-up for a video game. What, playing a female main character? Without a centerfold's body? What a novel idea!
Well, Cornet does get to meet her prince, Ferdinand, and even dance with him, but on a switch from the normal way games go, this game features the handsome prince getting kidnapped, and Cornet having to chase after him. Meanwhile, the witch that kidnaps the prince turns out to have more up her sleeve than just making off with royalty. Oh, the trials of youth.
The game's story is not that complex, but the characters are rendered fairly well. You get a fairly strong impression of all the personalities of the characters, from the degenerate Minister Golonzo to the 'mature' foolishness of Marjoly, the witch. Moreover, you are accompanied by many puppets, who all have their own side quest which adds a little more to the story.
Yes, I did say puppets. It turns out that Cornet carries around a magical horn, which can make puppets become animate and do her bidding. This is how you'll get most of your party members, the other way being to defeat monsters with your horn, who then may join you. Which an astute gamer will note as being shades of the Mediator class from "Final Fantasy Tactics." Which also makes sense, if you consider Cornet can also raise the stats of her puppets.
Actually, the game also owes one more large debt to Final Fantasy Tactics: the battle system is a simplified version of Tactics' system. You are placed on a map, although this map is not two-dimensional. You and your party then face off against a group of enemies, with a range of attacks available based on each character's specialty and element, which is similar to "Chrono Cross." While derivative, the battle system is easy to understand and get into, and it does work rather well for the game.
The game also does a fairly decent job with the graphics. They are pixelated, and the game looks like it could have been done back on the Super Nintendo. And there is nothing wrong with that; if it looks good, then why nitpick about what level of graphics it has? You can easily discern everything on screen, and the graphics have a bright, clean look to them. You won't encounter eyestrain on these graphics, even if they aren't Rembrandt level art.
The music of the game is rather strong, as the title suggests. At several points in the game, one or more characters breaks out into song, and you can even select whether the game gives you the original Japanese with anglicized lyrics or a translation. Of course, some of the songs can get annoying, but for the most part, they are fairly strong. You'll just really have to be in the mood for a more melodramatic score. Odds are, you'll even appreciate the soundtrack CD that comes with the game.
Ultimately, what sets this game apart from other games, though, is that the game is made in the shojo tradition. In short, this is the 'girly' subset of modern Japanese pop culture. This means that the characters are more into emotional concerns such as love and fufillment, rather than the tired 'rescue the kingdom/continent/world/glacial drift' plot motion. You also get some traditional anime-style shenanigans, such as Kururu getting slapped by Cornet with a fan after the former suggests that the puppeteer starts wearing her underwear on the outside.
The game is kind of interesting, as well, in that I can't really point to a flaw, per se, in the game. Mind you, that doesn't mean I think this is the most wonderful game that has ever graced my presence. It's just that while it's fairly strong in all areas, it's not a mind-blowing game. It's graphics are good, but I've seen better. Same with the sound, the story, the battle system, the whole ball of wax.
Ultimately, though, the fact that it doesn't have any glaring weaknesses, as well as having a fresh concept, means that "Rhapsody" is one of the better games to have come out in quite a while. the game is definitely not for the excessively macho, or the insensitive lout, or the person who just doesn't get "Oh My Goddess!" On the other hand, for someone looking to see what shojo is all about, or for a gamer looking for a small change of pace, this is the kind of game that you're looking for.
