TGS 2009: Hands-on: Sands of Destruction

Gallery: Sands of Destruction
Sands of Destruction's battle system (that was the entirety of my experience) is heavily combo focused, typically letting your characters choose multiple attacks or actions per turn. Different attacks can have status effects or cause the enemy to be knocked back or knocked upward into the second screen -- which opens up more options for attack. For example, when Taupy, a heroic teddy bear, renders an enemy airborne, he can follow up with an attack called Victory Dance. All attacks have their own timer, which must fill before the attack can be used again, adding a somewhat Active Time-like element to the turn-based action. There are also "blood attacks" that consume MP in addition to requiring a charge.
The other unique aspect of Sands of Destruction's combat is its "Quip" system. You can equip certain "quips" to certain events, and they will trigger randomly upon satisfaction of the requirements and offer some kind of bonus. For example, you can set Taupy's quip "I'm a professional" to the end of a battle, and he will then occasionally utter that very boast following a battle, at which point the team is awarded double experience. Even more hilariously, Kyrie, the main character, nasally intoned "It's probably my fault" after taking damage.
This quip system, along with the inclusion of a deep-voiced stuffed animal who is clearly the strongest fighter on the team, give Sands of Destruction a somewhat humorous air, which sounds like it could be inappropriate for a game in which the goal is to end the world, but somehow it works.













Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
[ArchiGamer] [Live from Omicron Persei 8] @ Sep 26th 2009 3:43PM
Hmm, consider me intrigued.
I am a machineee @ Sep 26th 2009 4:01PM
This actually looks like it could be fun. DS is held sideways?
bongoes the Black Lantern @ Sep 26th 2009 4:28PM
I've been looking for more games that hold the DS book style. This one seems interesting.
Neophoton @ Sep 26th 2009 7:29PM
No, it isn't held like a book/sideways.
I played the Japanese release last year, and while I liked it... it still left more to be desired. I'm hoping it'll be improved for the better in the English release.
[ArchiGamer] [Live from Omicron Persei 8] @ Sep 26th 2009 4:08PM
You know what actually is worth doing; not posting that crap here.
esposch @ Sep 26th 2009 11:39PM
Awww damn. Thought that said "Esposch's RPG" for a sec. :(
Quattro @ Sep 27th 2009 1:14PM
I've always been curious as to why they changed the name from World Destruction to Sands of Destruction for the English release.
topic2dx @ Sep 27th 2009 7:34PM
[banned!]
motajones @ Dec 4th 2009 10:57PM
Taupy's Voice is the best. :D