Hey everyone! After doing my Immortal story I am kinda burned out on stoires for a bit. But I am not going to let my writing skills get rusty, sooooo, at the suggestion of a friend of mine I am doing a game review. So, here goes!
 
 
Ebony plays Tag Force 4!
A story/review by Misterebony!
 
 
Ebony sighed deeply as he walked into his home in Fairton. With the Hunters defeated and many of those who followed in their wake scattered to the winds, Ebony was taking a well deserved rest. Or so he thought.
 
But as he entered his home,. SHODAN, the AI that powered it, contactedf him. She appeared on a monitor in the main living room, which was empty right now since most of the residents were shopping at the moment.
 
"Greetings Mr. Ebony. How was your recent trip?"
 
Ebony sighed. "I'm not too sure. I went to a very odd dimension, where they have a most unusual sport. I never saw anything like it."
 
SHODAN projected a 3D image of herself on the couch, a sexy but at the same timne scary green skinned woman with cables for hair. She relaxed as Ebony spoke. "And what sport was this master?"
 
"Cardfights.... on motorcycles."
 
SHODAN ahhed! "Then you must have visited the dimension of 5D's! A Yu-Gi-Oh subdimension!" She displayed images on the screen of a high class but stuck up duelist named Jack Atlas, claiming his superiority over all others as the KIng. Watching it on the screen was a kid in the slums with a red superbike called a Duel Runner, said bike being fixed up by a little girl witgh a long sleeved shirt and a stocking cap.
 
"In this world, the main character, Yusei Foto, tries to get out of the slums of the Satellite and get revenge on Jack for the theft of the duel runner. But he soon learns he and Jack and several others are actually pawns in a greater destiny, to destroy villians called Dark Signers."
 
Ebojny nooded. "Sounds exciting, and the game looked fun. But I could not get a deck to play, nor did I understand the rules enough in order to learn how."
 
SHODAN hmmed. "Well, don't you still have that PSP that Author gave you?"
 
Ebony nodded. "Yes..."
 
SHODAN changed the image on the screen to that of thwe two duelists standing beside a title screen. The screen read Tag Force 4, and hich octane music was playing.
 
"This might help then. It is a game set in the universe made in the dimension of Earth called Yu-Gi-Oh Tag Force 4. It was reased in 2009 by the creators of the card game, Konami."
 
Ebony blinked. "Wait... Konami made the game? Didn't they also make....."
 
"YEs. They made many video games as well, such as Castlevania and the MEtal Gear gaames. Yu-Gi-Oh was their big break into card games to conter ones like Magic: The Gathering. However, since they also are video game publishers, they could create video games based on their card game as well."
 
Ebony smiled. It was a smart move, one that would help build revenue, but also made sure that most of the content was correct. SHODAN proceeded to explain the game.
 
"In the game, you are a new duelist who goes around and picks up cards off of the street. In doing so you wind up making a decent starting deck and meeting many of the characters in the universe of 5D's. After the intro to these characters, you are taken to your room, where each day you travel around the locations of Domino City and the connected Sattelite, finding cards and fighting duels."
 
Ebony blinked as he saw a Chibi style character walking and talking to other chibi style characters. Then he noticed something. "Hold on... thta's it?! That's the whole story?!"
 
SHODAN nodded. "Pretty much. Oh there are story events as you earn the trust of others."
 
Ebony tilted his head as he saw the main character engage in communication with another duelist. Or rather he played one of three minigames to improve relations with that duelist: a card guessing game, a game of rock paper scissors, or a connect the lines game along a ladder. Ebony shook his head at the lack of character development. He also saw that the player could ask about other characters, give the other person one of several different gifts, ask the person to join up, or of course duel them in a match.
 
"There is almost no dialouge here...." Ebony said. "It seems kind of.... generic."
 
SHODAN nodded. "Especuially if you played the previous games. Remember this is the fourth in a series of titles, the previous three set in the GX universe, one that was like a school. Now there something like this seems to work better, but here.... it seems somewhat out of place.
 
"Although after certain events in the story it is clear that duelists DO travel back and forth, but the reason for that is never really explained in the game."
 
Ebony nodded. "So I see, not to mention the main character never talks basically, and looks a lot like Ash from Pokemon, just with no face."
 
"Another downside of the game. But you must remmber that the real highlight of any game like this is the card gamne itself."
 
The screen shifted to the duel,a nd Ebony went wide eyed as he saw the game come to life, the characters getting some new dialouge at last, and seeming to react with every card play. Ebony blinked.
 
"Wow! Now that is more like it! Wait..... I cannot do anything..."
 
SHODAN nodded. "That is because your partner is dueling this time. That is also why you cannot see their cards. However, You have the option of dueling yourself, or you can Tag Duel."
 
Ebony ahhed. "And I assume that is a four player match?"
 
"YEs, two on two. Other intrestingf duels unique to this game is the idea of a destiny draw, where if your near defeat you can automatically draw a card from one of five preselected ones that can change the face of the game. Also possible is the ability to Synchro with your partner in such a situation so you play as one."
 
Ebony hmmed. And from what I am seeing there are a lot of options for cards."
 
SHODAN nodded. "Yes, the game has over 4000 cards in it, split in a variety of unique explansion decks. You earn the points to buy them through winning duels or in game events. From such a variety you are able to make a wide array of themed decks."
 
Ebony hmmed. "Such as, say a deck of angels?" He ;laughed, not really meaning it, but SHODAN nodded.
 
"Indeed. Angels, cyber monsters, a worm hive, samurai, even theives and superheroes!"
 
Ebony blinked. "Remarkable."
 
SHODAN smiled. "You can also save various decks for later use, trade and duel with other players via local multiplayer or even online, and advance various characters to participate in special story duels."
 
Ebony hmmed, and was impressed.... but only slightly. "Still, the storyline could be better."
 
SHODAN nodded. "Indeed. Plus if you already own another of the games in the series there is nothing really new here but new cards. The AI is also somewhat lacking unlike myself." She smiles and enhances her curviture. "Not just in generic appearences either, but also in dueling. It is very unbalanced. A couple duelists can actually win in one turn reguardless of what you do."
 
Ebony hmmmeed. "The game sure looks and sounds good though. I like the music. Not very catchy but fittingf for each location and duel. And the chibi art is pretty neat as well."
 
SHODAN nodded. "The game is also easier to learn than you think. The game has an in game manual and tutorial for the card ga,me to help new players. Plus, Several generic duelists are very easy, and all the duelists show some neat combos you can aim for." She msiled. "Its a great game, but if you have another title of this type you better skip it. Still, as far as I see this is one of the best to learn the game."
 
Ebony nodded and held his PSP. "I agree. Proceed with the download SHODAN!"
 
SHODAN nodded. "Download commencing................................................ File completed."
 
Ebony smiled as he began to play. "Well, I better go relax then and try this out. Incidentially, if you have the game SHODAn, I would like to play you later."
 
SHODAN smiled evilly. "How can you compare to a goddes... of dueling?"
 
Both of them laughed.
 
 
FINAL RATING: B-
 
PROS:
 
Great amount of cards
5D'S!
Synchro Monsters!
Easy to learn thanks to in-game tutorials
LOTS of replay value
 
CONS:
 
Unbalanced AI
Nondeveloped storyline
Generic Chibi Art
Long load times