Tail Concerto

"Waffles: They're not just for breakfast anymore"

There are a few things in life that I tend to avoid whenever possible. Such things on this list include intestinal parasites, food that's been out in the summer sun too long, and games with the Bandai logo on them. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of having the Bandai logo grace their television screens before a game, they are a Japanese company that have mainly gotten rich off of rehashed video games based on popular anime licenses. As long as there is a demand for games featuring Gundam and Digimon, Bandai will be there, willing to rob these slobbering fans of their hard-earned money with yet another uninspired trip into video game licensing hell.

But, every once in a while, this cursed chain of licensed mediocrity is broken, and Bandai actually graces the public with a game that is not only an original concept (not based on a cartoon or toy franchise), but is also something people would actually want to play. Tail Concerto is one such game. Maybe Bandai realized that they couldn't fall back on popular characters to sell the game this time, so they actually tried to make an effort. The result is a fun 3D action adventure game with an entertaining storyline, and even a touch of RPG elements for good measure. Bandai of America did not have the courage to release this game over here (they have a reputation to hold up, you know), but fortunately, the folks at Atlus did.

Tail Concerto is set in the fantasy kingdom of Prairie, a set of 8 cities and regions that magically float in the sky. These lands are home to the Dog-People, peaceful dog-like creatures who just try to get by day-to-day. They have recently begun excavating the ruins left behind by their ancestors. There are tales of a great war that almost brought about the end of the world, and even greater tales of an ''Iron Giant'' that was so powerful, it could not be stopped. It is through these relics of the past that the Prairians learn of life before their time.

Although the Dog-People are the most dominant species in this kingdom, there are also a few Cat-People. They generally get along well with their canine brothers, but there are some who are not happy with the arrangement. A large group of cats want a kingdom devoted entirely to the Cat-People, and believe that they are being wrongfully oppressed by the dogs. This group, known as the Black Cats Gang, have been terrorizing the many areas that make up the Prairie kingdom.

This is where you come in. You are Waffle Ryebread, a dog who is a member of the Prairie Police. Waffle has been looking forward to a day off for a long time, but his dreams of vacation are cut short when he gets a call from the Police Chief about the actions of the Black Cats Gang. Not only are these felonious felines causing chaos in the street, but it is also rumored that the three main members of the Gang, the Pris Sisters, are searching for five mythical crystals that are artifacts from long ago. What do the cats want with the crystals, and why does the oldest sister in the Pris family seem to know Waffle? Waffle's quest to discover the truth will ultimately unlock the tragic history of his ancestors' past.

Much like Namco's Klonoa series, many people have shunned Tail Concerto, because of its overly cute art style. However, just like the Klonoa series, there is a darker and much more compelling story told behind the ''kiddy'' visuals. Tail Concerto starts out as a light-hearted Mario-style 3D adventure with a great emphasis on plot, but by the end, the tone turns much more serious, and you find yourself caring for the characters. (Never thought I'd find myself caring about someone named Waffle...) The game's story features a good combination of light-hearted whimsy, adventure, and even a little bit of tragedy when you learn the truth behind Alicia's (the oldest Pris sister) motives for joining the Black Cats Gang.

As mentioned earlier, Tail Concerto is a 3D platform adventure game shown in a third person view. You follow Waffle as he visits the 8 regions that make up the Prairie kingdom. You must gather information from the locals, foil the many attempts of the Black Cats Gang from causing chaos in their quest for the five crystals, and prevent a centuries-old mistake that almost wiped out all life from repeating itself.

Our hero has been issued a standard Police Robo to aid him in his mission in capturing the cats. The Police Robo is a giant robot that Waffle rides in. It can run, it can pick up and throw objects with its large arms, and it can even fly for short distances when it's equipped with a jet pack. But, the most important feature of the Police Robo is the bubble cannon that's mounted on the front. This gun allows Waffle to capture the members of the Black Cats Gang in a giant bubble. With them trapped, our hero can capture them, and send them back to police headquarters. Of course, the bubbles pop after a while, so you have to be quick in catching them. Waffle can catch them without the aid of bubbles, but the cats are fast, and quick to run away.

Unfortunately, you're not the only one with access to advanced technology. The Black Cats Gang have their share of mechanical vehicles and weapons, and they are not afraid to use them. From tiny bomb dropping airplanes, to giant cat-shaped robot bosses, these felines are determined to make sure you don't get in their way. You encounter many rooms literally crawling with members of the Gang, and you have to capture them all if you want to advance to the next room. Fortunately, Waffle can use the arms of his Police Robo to catch the bombs that are thrown at him, and throw them back at the cats. Either that, or he can use his bubble cannon to damage them.

Of course, Waffle has to take care of his Robo if he wants it to keep on running properly. If you ever take too much damage from the Black Cats Gang, you can find health-reviving items like bones, canned dog food, and first aid kits. You can also find whistles that will call upon the police dog, Panta, who will fix your Robo if you run out of health completely. The whistles act as continues. As long as you have one, you can continue from the exact scene you left off. You can also save your game via Panta, or whenever you call back to Police Headquarters on a telephone.

The gameplay in Tail Concerto is fairly linear. You are usually told where to go next by a townsperson or major character, and then you fly to the next island floating in the sky via Waffle's airship. Concerto features a fairly lengthy storyline that will require you to visit many of the regions numerous times. You can also revisit past areas at any time, if you want to look for more items at your leisure.

The graphics in this game help bring the light-hearted and whimsical feel of Tail Concerto to life. With character designs by famed anime/manga artist, Nobuteru Yuuki (best known for his work on Record of Lodoss Wars and Vision of Escaflowne), the game has an appropriately cute look and style to it. Each of the 8 regions that make up Prairie have their own unique motif. One minute, you're in the bustling city of Resaca, and the next, you're freezing in the arctic wastelands of Coolant. I like the visual and art style of the game, and it makes me wish it could have been a hand-drawn 2D adventure.

Unfortunately, Bandai decided to go for a 3D polygonal style, and it just does not work. The Playstation was definitely the inferior 3D machine compared to the N64, and it really shows in this game. Blocky characters made up of few polygons, background objects that have pieces of them disappear when you look at them from a certain angle, and an overall jagged appearance to everything really hurts the charming style of the game. It's certainly not a bad effort, and I'm sure it dropped a few jaws when it was initially released in Japan back in 1998, but today, the graphics just seem horribly dated. It also doesn't help that the game's camera is often more of a hindrance than a help. It mainly stays focused on Waffle the whole time, so it can sometimes be very hard to see your surroundings, especially when the game requires you to make extremely difficult jumps. The camera makes some areas harder than they really need to be.

The real treat in the graphics department are the anime cinemas that are featured during major plot points. These sequences are nearly full screen, very clean in picture quality, and they load almost instantly, so there's no staring at a blank screen before they start. Definitely an impressive achievement, and I wish they had used them more often, as most of them appear during the later half of the game.

In the area of sound, Tail Concerto is strong, featuring a light-hearted symphonic style soundtrack that always fits the mood of the scene that you're currently encountering. The music is nothing you'll remember or seek the soundtrack for, but it is quite pleasant, and never seems out of place. The sound effects are good, too, with strong explosions, and atmospheric effects such as wind.

However, the big news in the sound department is the voice. Almost every major character in the game has many hours of voice accompanying their text. Atlus has done a fine job casting the game, and all of the voices fit the character, but they still come off as a bit annoying. I guess because the characters are so cute, the person who directed the actors told everyone to talk in high-pitched voices. Some of the voices just kind of grate on you after a while. (Especially Fool, the evil black market arms dealer cat.) Even if their voices are a bit too high, they still manage to bring good emotion to their roles, and some of the dialogue is pretty funny. (I love it when Alicia Pris calls Waffle a ''big, flea-bitten dork''.) A noteworthy dubbing attempt from Atlus, just ease up a bit on the pitch of the voices next time.

If there's any fault to be found with Tail Concerto, besides the previously mentioned camera problems, it's that the game is too short. This game will barely last you the weekend. Yes, there are a few challenging areas in the game, but nothing that should stump experienced gamers for long. The areas you explore are also too linear. It'd be nice if there were some more alternate paths. The game does try a bit of variety with a maze-like region that you explore, but even that is solved simply.

It doesn't really matter, though. Tail Concerto eventually won me over with its charm and story. If you liked the Klonoa games, you'll probably like this, too. You can easily find this game for $10 or $15 new, so you really have nothing to lose. Let's hope Bandai can stop milking the Gundam and Digimon franchises long enough to give us a next-generation sequel in the future.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/04/02, Updated 06/09/03