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DS Fanswag: Swat those bugs!
Just a quick reminder -- our latest DS Fanboy contest is winding down, and there are only a few days left to get your name in the hat! Your chance at scoring Drone Tactics and Insecticide winds down this Friday, but remember: you can enter the contest once per day. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the original post and get your name in!
DS Fanswag: The swarm
It's getting warm outside, and you know what that means -- the bugs are coming. Thanks to DS Fanboy, however, you can enjoy the oncoming swarm, with an insect-themed two-pack of free games. We're offering up Drone Tactics ($29.99) and Insecticide ($29.99) to one lucky reader, and all you have to do is leave a comment below telling us which one interests you more. The contest will run through Friday, June 6; that night, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, entries will close, and we'll choose one winner in a random drawing. To enter, you must be 18 or older, and a current legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec). Have questions? Check the official rules.
DS Fanboy Review: Drone Tactics
It was hard not to look forward to Drone Tactics. Not only are strategy games easy to love on the DS, but anything with giant stompy robots that are also bugs is an attention-grabber. But that's a tough area to break into; the SRPGs in the DS library are just so darned good that any newcomer needs to have something special on offer. Are the insects in Drone Tactics enough of a draw?The answer is, unfortunately, a little more complicated than a simple "yes." At times, Drone Tactics really shines, but it takes a little time and effort to get there.%Gallery-14982%
Metareview: Drone Tactics
Drone Tactics launched a few days ago in the U.S., introducing a novel combination of insects and strategy to our DSes. The game already appeared as one of our suggested alternatives to Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, so how does it stack up against Intelligent Systems' gem? Look! Some people answered that question for us:Game Informer -- 70%: Game Informer's Adam Biessener served up a second opinion on Joe Juba's review, remarking how Atlus' game isn't what it first appears to be: "At first glance, this seems to be yet another piece of kid-friendly shovelware, but there's actually a decent game hiding under the sub-Saturday morning cartoon presentation. The RPG elements in this grid-based battler are thin but well thought out, and the combat itself features several reasonably balanced rock-paper-scissors relationships that make for interesting tactical decisions."Nintendo Power -- 70%: Nintendo Power follows a similar tune, snickering at the story, but praising the core gameplay: "The result is a storyline that will elicit nothing but eye-rolls and nasal snorts from anyone over 12, but the game at the core of Drone Tactics is surprisingly well-made." [June 2008, p.87 -- excerpt found at Metacritic]Games Radar -- 80%: Meanwhile, Games Radar gave Drone Tactics its best review to date, singling out the title's lifespan and customization options as the best bits: "Another high point is the high level of customization the game allows. You choose the paint jobs and decorative emblems. You choose the bugs that go into each battle. You decide the weapons and armor that each bug carries into battle. You even get to put together your own deck of preferred battle cards. The further you go in the story mode, the more your insect army starts to feel uniquely "yours." [...] It'll take you 40-plus hours to finish the story mode. Longer if you try to complete all of the optional badlands missions. That's 40-plus hours worth of awesome battles and addictive customizing."%Gallery-14982%
WRUP: Tactical insects edition
For us, this week's releases only come down to Drone Tactics and Myst DS. Sure, we could check out Prince Caspian (it did launch the Dgamer network, after all), but we're not really ones to enjoy the licensed games too much. What about you all, though? Are you digging on Atlus's SRPG action or the classic Myst? Are you resorting to busting out a dusty, old cartridge and seeing what that's all about this weekend? For us, it looks like mostly rain, so it's the perfect excuse to sit indoors and spend some quality time with our DS.%Gallery-14982%
DS releases for the week of May 12th
It's a good week to be a DS owner, no matter where you are in the world. For once, every major region has at least one interesting title hitting shelves this week, and while Australia's line-up isn't necessarily the most exciting, it's at least varied. If you are a) desperate for a new game and b) a citizen of some place with DS games, it's probably okay to be you. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Drone Tactics Myst What's out in the rest of the world's major markets? Take a little trip past the break to find out.
DS Daily: Calm before the storm
Okay, folks, the next few months are going to be absolutely, 100% crazy hard on our wallets. With some very awesome looking titles coming around the bend in May and beyond, we were wondering how you were preparing yourself? Super Dodgeball Brawlers hits this month, which will be an absolute must-buy for everyone, as well as some other quality titles (Drone Tactics, Puchi Puchi Virus). Still, it's nothing compared with how difficult June will be for our bank account.What're you most looking forward to in the coming months? The summer is going to be great for DS gamers, so what are you waiting on and how excited are you for it?
More creepy crawler machines introduced in Drone Tactics
In the latest batch of Drone Tactics screens, we get to see some new insect mecha. These drones, which are part of the "Black Swarm," include a centipede, cockroach, moth, and spider. From the amount of different units available and their varying strengths and weaknesses, this title is looking just as deep and challenging as Advance Wars. It's still another month before we'll be able to get our hands on this game, but you can bet we're looking forward to it. Which drone do you guys find to be the coolest looking so far?%Gallery-14982%[Via press release]
We think Drone Tactics is still okay
At first, we were excited about Drone Tactics for obvious reasons: insect mecha. What's not to love about skinny, metallic antenna waving around in the middle of battle? But lately, the pithy one-liners we've seen in the screenshots are starting to win us over. On the face, these short lines of dialogue don't seem too important, but the "Booyas" and fools' deaths, we're finding the characters charming, if a little clichéd. Who knew we would look beyond the bugs? Check out the latest screens in our already-packed gallery and perhaps you'll agree.%Gallery-14982%[Via press release]
Drone Tactic #1: Be an awesome robot
We're not terribly fond of insects in the real world, and we think we've been able to figure out why -- normal insects are not giant fighting robots that we can pilot. We wouldn't roll the window down to let one of those out. We can always escape into the world of Drone Tactics, where insects can awesomely shoot bullets at us instead of just being annoying.New screens, which we've collected in a jar with airholes cut out of the lid our gallery, show off some of these cool insecto-bots and also their disappointingly non-insectile and non-robotic human pilots. Although nonchalantly playing violin as you engage in a robot battle is pretty cool, we must admit -- for a hu-man.%Gallery-14982%[Via press release]
Check out more of the units in Drone Tactics
Atlus sent us some new media on their upcoming game Drone Tactics, focusing on some of the units that will be in the title. When this game hits store shelves come April, you can bet we'll be there to get our copy. Each time we see it, the game looks better and better.We've got some nice in-game screens, as well as some rendered art, all available in our gallery below. So dive in and get that notebook out. Knowing is half the battle, after all.%Gallery-14982%
The latest buzz on Drone Tactics
While the DS may be flush with strategy games lately, what it really needs is one that's all about bugs. Luckily, that need is set to be filled this May with Drone Tactics. Yes, that's right, May 13 -- pushed back from April, as rumored -- but from everything we've seen, it will be so worth the drudgery of waiting. Atlus isn't holding back on the media, either; they seem to want us to get an eyeful of the mecha insecta, and we're okay with that! Check out our updated gallery below for the latest.%Gallery-14982%[Via press release]
Rumor: Drone Tactics' April release gets squished
We've been buzzing (har) with anticipation for bug-based strategy title Drone Tactics since we first discovered that Atlus was localizing the game, but recent developments have caused some confusion about when we'll getting our hands on it.Things seemed perfectly clear earlier this month, after Atlus themselves told us we could expect the title on April 8th. Now, however, both GameStop and GameFly have Drone Tactics listed for release on May 13th and May 15th respectively.Concerned and frightened, we contacted Atlus for clarification, though have yet to receive a definitive answer. As soon as we know more, dear reader, so will you!%Gallery-14982%
Drone Tactics swarming stores in April
If you ask us, Advance Wars-esque turn-based combat crossed with giant mecha bugs is just too delicious a prospect to swat away. Evidently, Atlus agrees with us. The Japanese publisher revealed it was localizing Drone Tactics late last year, and now we have an exact date for the U.S. release: April 8th.We've also been treated to a further 29 screens of the game (see the gallery below), showing off units that range from bomb-dropping moths to cannon-toting pillbugs, and just some of the 100 customizable weapons and upgrades available in the game. If developer Success Corp. has struck an appropriate balance between said units, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin might find itself competing with Drone Tactics for our valuable SRPG time.%Gallery-14982%[Via press release]
Drone Tactics to bug DS owners April 8
Players eager to harness their inner mesothorax in Atlus' recently announced Drone Tactics for the Nintendo DS will have to keep their antenna and compound eyes in check, as the game has been pushed back from its previously announced March 25 release. The turn-based strategy game, which promises to give players "a deeply customizable army of mechanized insects," is now expected to land and pollinate Nintendo's handheld on April 8. We'd be upset, but honestly this gives us another two weeks to come up with new ways to shoehorn entomology terms into posts while we wait. Excited yet?%Gallery-16305%
Drone Tactics is actually pretty exciting
We're pretty sure Atlus means "drone" in the "worker insect" sense, not in the "monotony" sense. If Drone Tactics was really boring, Atlus wouldn't be calling attention to it right there in the title. There's little chance of boredom here anyway! The day we get bored of giant rocket-powered mechanical beetle vehicles is the day we give up on life. Although it would certainly be ironic if the game did turn out to be repetitive and boring!Of course, we think the idea of painting your own custom bug fighting machine sounds awesome all by itself, and that doesn't even take into account the actual combat. Check out the latest trailer and our gallery of buggin' screenshots and get totally excited about drones!%Gallery-14982%[Via press release]
Collecting new Drone Tactics screens
Atlus released a few new images for March's Drone Tactics, the English-language version of Konchuu Wars (Insect Wars) that has us so very excited. This past year has been very strong for strategy on the DS, and it looks like 2008 is shaping up similarly. We're certainly not complaining; commanding an army of badass mech insects sounds just as much fun as, say, an army of pink squirrels. Maybe we just like armies. When it comes to this army, you can see some of the specific units on the Drone Tactics site, and for the new screens, head on past the break.
Friday Video: Because you need to get excited about Drone Tactics
Whatever you want to call it -- Drone Tactics, Insect Wars, Konchuu Wars -- this game looks awesome, and we (especially Eric) want to make sure you're appropriately hyped. To that end, we've got not one, but two videos for you this week. Above, you'll find the game's intro. After the break, the original video we posted right here at DS Fanboy, the one that got us initially excited about bug wars. Check 'em out and get on the hype train!
Insect mecha to swarm Nintendo DS in 'Drone Tactics'
For too long entomology has gone ignored in game design, with us having to turn to the likes of Insector-X and SimAnt for our six-legged fix. Thankfully niche game publisher Atlus USA aims to change all of that with next March's release of Drone Tactics, a newly announced game of 'mechanized insect RPG strategy' for the DS. Nintendo's touchable handheld is practically tailor made for turn-based SRPGs, and the promise of being able to command our own personal army of customizable "mecha insecta" is just too good to pass up. On top of the game's "dozens of campaign operations," Atlus reveals that Drone Tactics will also include an additional 50 maps and support local wireless multiplayer, inspiring those of us with a thing for arthropods to look forward to the game's March 25 release.
Drone Tactics buzzing our way
It may have a new name, but we still burn to get our hands on a little buggy strategy, so it's a good thing Atlus has decided to localize Success Corp's Insect Wars -- now Drone Tactics -- and bring it to the U.S. in late March. So why should you be excited? Because Drone Tactics has it all: RPG and strategy elements, 100+ weapons, 50+ maps, and what's more? Mecha bugs. Sign us up for two copies, so that we may force friends to play with us. Sadly, Drone Tactics does not feature Wi-Fi play, but that's okay. One can't can't have everything, or we'd never buy anything else.Zip on past the break to check out a couple of screenshots from the title, and you might want to check out the website as well, though it's a bit slim on content at the moment.
