Soul Nomad and the World Eaters

Rating Teen Genre action Publisher NIS America External Links Official Soul Nomad and the World Eaters

I don’t know if having the essence of a dark god in your brain is more help or hindrance when coupled with the charge of saving the known world from potential destruction. After it’s all over, you may end up with a spot on Oprah if little else. Could you imagine the ratings? I could, especially if you got to kick Oprah in the face or steal some of her personal Décor items in order to power up one of your battle squads.

Three words: worth the wait! Soul Nomad and the World Eaters has been showcased since March of 2007 and remained relatively hidden by the flood of Fall titles. If you knew where to look, though, you would easily find it. There was no lack of promotion. This was not a sudden revelation that took the gaming world by surprise. If you love Disgaea, or Nippon Ichi Software, you were ready for this. Welcome to no-holds-barred tactics!

That’s what Soul Nomad and the World Eaters both promises and delivers. Most of the game’s selling point was the built-in ability to “break the mold.” If you were annoyed, or just particularly heartless, you are allowed to attack and steal from innocent laypersons and townsfolk. Granted, it’s a little one-dimensional once you actually get around to it. Pick a person and choose a command from your list of Gig Edicts in order to initiate combat or steal Décor items. Most of the interaction is on the battlefield. There is no moving about town aside from selecting options from a list.

Soul Nomad strips itself down to three basic essentials: story, battle, and customization. In an effort to streamline the tactical process, it inadvertently bogs itself down. The story, while informative and well scripted, tends to cause unwanted tedium. Interaction is replaced with simple commands. Talking to townspeople may net you some items here and there, but the overall purpose is clear to a fault. When all is said and done, be mean! Kick, steal, cheat, and fight your way to what you want.

The manual and the story talk about alterations in the ending based on how much dark power you end up using. While it seems a bit vague, I believe that a player must play through the game about two or three times before coming to grips with the full reality of the experience. That being said, I can understand the possibility of restraint. Replayability is a landmark seller for many titles, and a game has to be replayable to want to go through it again and again. This is where Soul Nomad may suffer a few losses.

Most of the game is combat, and most of the combat comes down to your ability to arrange units for maximum damage. There is a large mix of strategy and luck in dealing with unit placement, since you do not individually control a large bulk of your party’s actions. Basic attacks are determined by placement on the grid. The control comes in which units you summon, where you move them, and using the special techniques that emerge based on unit placement. In the end, numbers matter. The more damage you do, the better off you are. On the same token, he who lives by the numbers will die by the numbers. Enemy units are downright ruthless, often wiping out whole units before they are able to gain levels. Just the kind of challenge a hungry gamer craves.

The novelty of the title may wear off rather quickly to most. Any originality to be found will be found in the customization and organization of units at your disposal. In many ways, Soul Nomad and the World Eaters is a minimalist tactical venture, which is both a blessing and a minor curse. However, you will not lack for the same graphical and musical quality that has made all Nippon Ichi titles stand out. As stated earlier, still worth the wait!