by Sam Kennedy 09/16/2005
Call me crazy, but the game I was most eager to get my hands on at this Tokyo Game Show was Extreme Ghouls & Ghosts on the PSP -- partly because it's been so long since we've seen a new installment in the franchise, but mostly because it looks so darn good on the PSP.
The level on display (the first level of the game) was pretty typical Ghouls & Ghosts fare -- it took place in the now familiar graveyard setting and featured your typical ghoulish enemies. But it's worth noting that this is the first Ghouls & Ghosts installment where you can perform both the double jump and throw weapons vertically, making it the best controlling installment yet. Another element worth noting was the ability to transform into various other creatures in strategic locations by jumping into a pot of witches brew. For example, one could transform into a frog to make the giant leap over a lava pit.
Graphically, the game's a marvel on the crisp PSP screen. Enemies are really organic seeming, and spurt lots of guts when killed. Older installments also had this effect, but it's all much more animated and fluid now. Backgrounds are also very animated, and the demo ended with a massive boss that took up the entire top half of the screen.
In terms of weaponry, there were a few classics, such as the standard lance (obviously), a knife, and the holy water, but I also spotted a few new ones: sickels that can be thrown in rapid succession and a tri-shot crossbow.
Oh, and it must also be said that the demo at TGS was hard. Damn hard, actually. But I'm sure that's just what any true Ghouls & Ghost fan would want to hear.
