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DS

Europe

Chronos Twins

by Karlie Yeung - November 25, 2007, 1:20 pm EST
Total comments: 3

5

Does time travel work out on the DS?

Chronos Twins introduces the novel concept of simultaneous gameplay on the top and bottom screens of the DS. It is essentially a 2D shooter, styled after retro platformer/shooters of the same type.

Under the premise of playing in the past and present at the same time, you control one character across both screens simultaneously. The top screen of the DS shows the present while the bottom screen shows the past. The backgrounds are mostly the same, using a slightly different colour palette, while the platforms, obstacles, and enemies vary. If your character is standing on a platform on one screen then they are safe, even if on the other screen they are standing on thin air. Enemies on both screens can hurt you and you must dodge or shoot them on whichever screen they appear. Likewise, obstacles such as rocks and pillars on one screen will affect you in both time periods and you must dodge or remove them from your path.

Jumping on one screen makes you jump on the other, but shooting uses two separate buttons and you must shoot in both the past and the present separately. Having to shoot enemies on each screen ensures that you have to constantly switch views between the top and bottom screens, even when having reached a supposedly safe point platform-wise. There seems to be no way to watch both screens without constant switching, looking at both screens from a distance for example creates no advantage. Damage meters and danger markers appear on both screens to alert you to the screen where you should pay attention, but many times it is both and the danger message is just one other thing that you are unable to track at while looking at everything else.

A lot of repetition and memorization is required and this is ultimately how all of the levels are completed. The gameplay never feels fluid or intuitive. Most levels contain checkpoints and continues are offered after every level, these are essential for making progress due to the sheer difficulty of the game. As a platformer/shooter with only one screen it would be a tricky game, but having to memorise almost double the amount of information to be able to get through each level escalates it to fiendishly difficult.

While the dual screen gameplay is new, the levels appear to be all too simple. Each level has new types of obstacles and challenges but there is nothing really unseen. The game is styled after retro shooters and the concepts seem to be ripped straight from other games of the genre. The changes added to continuing levels include more obstacles and enemies, on rails levels with enemies chasing after you, and rather easy bosses. All these elements you could expect from any other shooter, but there is not the polished formula that you would expect from a game of a genre with a long history.

Score

Graphics Sound Control Gameplay Lastability Final
3 4 6 4 7 5
Graphics
3

The graphics are low quality for a DS game. Sprites and text are awkwardly shaped emphasizing the dullness of the story. The dying animation is choppy, a real nuisance when you lose lives so often.

Sound
4

The music and sound effects do not stand out as being much better than the graphics.

Control
6

The controls are simple and work accurately allowing you to jump and shoot when you need to.

Gameplay
4

It's tough and unforgiving. While there is enough variety in the levels for it to not become repetitive, it will be when you are forced to play a level over and over again to complete it.

Lastability
7

It will take a long time to gain mastery of all the 15 tough levels and complete them.

Final
5

Does playing on two screens at once work? Maybe, if you are prepared to use hundreds of continues.

Summary

Pros
  • Novel concept
  • Simple to control
Cons
  • Poor graphics
  • Steep difficulty curve
Review Page 2: Conclusion

Talkback

MashiroNovember 25, 2007

A much shorter review:

"This game has nothing to do with Chrono Trigger.

0/10'

=D

y

Quote

Originally posted by: Mashiro
A much shorter review:

"This game has nothing to do with Chrono Trigger.

0/10'

=D


SIGNED!

KDR_11kNovember 26, 2007

I would have asked about it because I saw it in stores just today. That review saved me some time.

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Chronos Twins Box Art

Genre Action
Developer EnjoyUp
Players1

Worldwide Releases

eu: Chronos Twins
Release Oct 12, 2007
PublisherOxygen Interactive
Rating7+

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