Last King Of Africa (Nintendo DS)
The small portable pen Nintendo has become very quickly the ideal host for adventure games in the style point & click until now mainly practiced on a PC. If the original productions are not very many, however, adaptations of the great adventure PC games begin to swarm. After Syberia is another studio production from the White Birds of Benoit Sokal who is transposed. Thus, Paradise, released there are now more than two years, was renamed Last King Of Africa and not more White Birds to achieve, but Seventh Sense Studios. The PC version was a paradise lost, this adaptation will it be a new Eden?
The MAURAN, imaginary country located in Africa, is in full civil war. The rebels oppose the forces of King Rodon, a tyrant, cut in his fortress-ship: The Black boxes. Her daughter was en route to find, but attacked by the rebels, his plane crashed near the town of Madargane. Collected by the prince of the city, it turns back to strength, but not remember his identity. She wants to go home in Geneva. His name forgotten, it is called Ann Smith, the name of a journalist who wrote a book on Maurane. His fate will be in contact with a black leopard with which it strange affinity. It goes in search of his memories and his memory surge.
If history is the same, the achievement of this adaptation has been completely redesigned for the portable Nintendo console. The title is an adventure game 'point & click "and the stylus replaces the mouse. Fully playable with the stylus, only the "select" button will bring up a small flicker on the elements of interest, avoiding the hunt for pixels on a small screen. Unfortunately, it often does not index every point interactive and sometimes it goes almost unnoticed including funds too clear. By tapping the screen, we move Ann Smith, the latter, like the PC version, sometimes a tendency not to want to go in the direction indicated. But overall it behaves quite well. The inventory was also reviewed. Displayable in full screen, it helps to have some information about objects carried. A mini version at the bottom left of the screen allows quick access to objects moving with the directional cross. However, once an object used, this possibility ceases to exist, forcing them to return to full inventory screen to select another object. Ergonomics poorly thought, but fortunately little embarrassing. As against this adaptation can not combine the objects between them, which greatly simplifies things.
A simplification that is also on several levels. The most notable is with the wealth of enigmas. The game has indeed suffered a slimming cure impressive from the PC to the DS. Very destabilizing to the top for any player who tried the PC version, it still ends up by getting used to. The consideration is that adventure, not very difficult at the outset, becomes even easier and life takes a hell of a play. A regular PC version of the game will finish in less than five hours and it will take just over a player time to discover this adventure. Note, at the level of cuts made on the title, a positive aspect with the removal of passages harsh on PC where you should direct the leopard. Also, places are crossed far fewer lives. A good point against by the enigmas remain. Some of them are interactive and it will use its stylus to turn cranks, cut lianas and I think. Everything is well done and accurate enough to be fun to do.
Despite all these cuts, history has not been changed, the passages are not played summaries sequence illustrated drawings. In addition, many come kinematics reward our efforts. The landscapes are very nice crossed even if sometimes the color palette makes some places quite confused and shades chosen are often too close, creating large areas without mixed transition frank. The characters have correct and animations are fairly well modeled, but their integration into the scenery is not perfect. Doubling disappeared except during certain cinematic and, strangely, it is in English subtitled in French. The top screen displays a map of places visited, very clear it will not be lost. The music remains sympathetic but quickly turn loop, it is nice to be able to independently adjust the volume of sound. They are not legion, but sufficient.
Conclusion
Who is aimed precisely Last King Of Africa? Certainly not for players who would like the PC again on the portable Nintendo. They would be too frustrated and disappointed by the cuts made by the great enigmas of simplification and actions to achieve. For the players discovering the genre point & click and attracted by the "Touch Generation"? Probably! They discovered a title to the story, fairly well done and interactive, with sufficient reflection for failing bored. This release comes at eliminating certain defects of the PC version but does not offer a real challenge. Its low life also disappoint those who discover this kind of adventure game. Nevertheless, Last King Of Africa is not a bad title, but it lacks the extra which would have allowed him to conquer the occasional public.
