Steambot Chronicles

"Grant Theft Auto for the little ones"

Steambot Chronicles labels itself as a “sandbox” game, like a Grand Theft Auto without the random murders and drive-bys. The game features MANY things to do and people to see, to a point where its overwhelming to think of the possibilities.

Story and Overview:
You wake up washed up on a beach next to a girl named Connie asking if your ok. You have little clue who you are at first, but quickly remember your name is Vanilla Bean (sorry, no option to switch names). You suffer from amnesia, and even with a burning ship behind you, you can't remember a thing about your past. Connie helps you up, and your story begins.

A large portion of the game revolves around machines called Trotmobiles. Trotmobiles are essentially giant robots that are used for assortment of things, including battles. They are somewhat new to us, and some people do use them for evil (maybe even you.)

The game features MANY options to choose from in terms of conversations, career choices, girlfriends, instruments to play. In the beginning of the game, you learn Connie is the lead singer for a world famous band called the Garland Globetrotters. You join this band and can play almost 10 different instruments with them. You can be the bad guy, take control of the Globetrotters, play pool, be a trotmobile arena fighter; the choices are endless.

Graphics:
Steambot Chronicles manages to be the first game I've ever played where the graphics are beautiful and ugly at the same time. The cel shading look great and goes with the style of the game; this helps the characters and trotmobiles look their best. The backgrounds are a complete 360 though, their bland as any game in recent memory. Slowdown occurs often, in seemingly random places. There was an occasion where I was fighting 5 monstrous enemies with my trotmobile and parts were flying everywhere with no slowdown whatsoever. Fast forward an hour, I'm walking in the city to a bar when one too many people get on screen and all of a sudden, Vanilla starts running a whole lot slower. Even in the first five minutes of gameplay slowdown occurs. It doesn't bring down the game at all, but it makes you wander if the game could've flown a whole lot smoother with another month of two in development. Load times in cities are frequent, but that's acceptable considering how much is going on.

Sound:
Oh, this is a mixed bag. The sounds for the instruments are terrible MIDI quality, it felt like Irem was trying to go old school with it and it just doesn't sound right. Connie's singing gets the job done, even though the songs are very cheesy. Apparently however, the songs haven't been changed from the Japanese version at all. English is “cool” in Japan, and most songs feature a few lyrics in English. The background music in unique, and fits the style of the game perfectly. The sound effects are very meh, and I wish the trotmobile sounded more mechanical. The voice acting is great, and almost no character's voice actors seem out of place, which is a rarity these days. Kudos to Atlus.

Gameplay: Instead of making one big jumbled mess, I've split it up into categories.
Conversations:
Just about every conversation with anyone will have options for you to choose from, with every line voiced. It reminds me of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in that your options are always pretty varied, and sometimes you'll be surprised with what you can say. The usual three options are nice, mean, and selfish. You can be so mean to people that you join the evil corporation the Killer Elephants and never talk to Connie again! You can also hook up with the band's back up singer, and tell Connie you two are friend only.

Quests:
As stated above, you can be the bad guy and join evil corporations and take over towns. You can take over the Globetrotters and schedule events and shows, and become a rockstar. You could take it easy, rent out an apartment and furnish it with posters and couches and invite your lady interests over. There are trotmobile arenas all around the country and all look differently. You can't do whatever you want, as there is a set story line. After the first three to four hours (which you will follow a set storyline), the game opens up and your off on your own.

The Little Things:
As you travel across the world, you will pick up more and more trotmobile parts, including some that let it go into the ocean, some that give you six legs, sniper rifles, different windshields, etc. Meeting every NPC in the game is also something you can do, as the game has a scrapbook which you can fill up and look at. Pool, trotmobiles arena, and the 15 instruments make this game loaded with replay value.

Replay:
Almost none, nothing ever really closes off to you during the game, and since the game is so big there is little reason to replay it. When you realize that you can spend 50 plus hours on the game though, it really doesn't make a difference.

What is had going for it:
-Voice acting
-Cute little graphics
-Almost endless
-Choices, choices, choices
-Interesting controls

What it has going against it:
-Sound
-backgrounds
-slowdown

buy or rent? Buy, it is published by Atlus and since it didn't sell so well don't expect a reprint. Come in with a open mind, and try not to judge too quickly.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/18/06