Ranma 1/2: Akanekodan Teki Hihou

"For Ranma Fanboys ONLY!"

When I first heard that there was a Ranma 1/2 RPG available in english, let me tell you, I was ecstatic. Playing other 'Anime-Video game' crossovers, I more or less assumed that it would be a mediocre game, designed for fanboys like myself. Not surprisingly, I found a game that, although not GREAT, was still worthy of a full play through at least. Now on to the scores...

GAMEPLAY: 6
The formula to this game is your basic cookie-cutter RPG formula. The only thing that sets it apart from so many other RPGs along the same vein is the fact that the world is populated by nearly every Ranma 1/2 character from the entire series. There are six playable characters, all of which have there own strengths and weaknesses, Ranma, for example is your 'jack of all trades' hero who will, without a doubt be the best by the games finale. Shampoo is REALLY fast and has solid healing and attack magic.
The magic... That brings me to another point altogether. It seems in the translation that I've played, none of the special moves name's are translated, and worse, there is no way to find out what each skill can do through the menu! So it's a game of memorizing what each strangely named skill does and hoping that you didn't just pick the skill that makes you escape from battles!
Another neat touch was the trademark ability to change into the character's other forms with hot and cold water. If you've seen the show then that will make sense to you. Let me assure you that there are some pretty amusing situations that arise in the game with Ranma being inconviniently turned into a girl. All things considered though, this game is really basic, and has nothing too original or groundbreaking.

PLOT: 8
They scored points here by creating an original plot, not just taking it straight from the show. The premise is this: The evil Red Cat Gang is going all over the land, kidnapping the world's strongest warriors for unknown reasons. It is nothing outstanding, but it gets the job done. There are a few nice twists and surprises thrown in, several of which will give fans of the series a good laugh. I personally liked the story because it integrates a lot of the classic characters of the series, with many returning villains from various episodes taking roles in this new story. A good original story, nothing terribly deep or metaphysical, but what you would expect to see in an episode of the show. Good stuff, but nothing particularly EPIC... although I personally think thats the way it should be in a Ranma game.

GRAPHICS: 5
Now hear me out. The graphics aren't THAT bad, but there was room for a whole lot more. With a game based upon a renowned Anime, you at least expect to see a few good pictures, or well rendered faces. But no, you've got merely average 16 bit graphics with-out any of the anime style thrown in. I mean, you can tell who is who for the most part, but it was still rather underwhelming. There was room for quite a bit of improvement here.

MUSIC/SOUND: 6
Nothing that really sticks out. I recognized a few of the tunes from the series, but not much. In fact there are really no songs that stick out in my head at all! But on the other hand, I don't remember there being anything particularly grating either. Very Average. The sound effects were fairly amusing. A nice array of comical bangs and bloops, although otherwise, standard fare on this front as well.

REPLAY VALUE: 3
It's a mediocre RPG. I can see my self playing through it again, just because I'm a huge fan, but all in all there is no real reason to. There is nothing in the way of sidequests or hidden characters, and the game is quite linear. It's good for a quick playthrough but afterwards, its probably going to gather dust. There is not enough there to keep your interest a second time through.

FINAL SCORE: 7
This game isn't bad... but it's also not that good. What we have here is a very average RPG thats real redeeming quality is the fact that it takes place in the world of Ranma 1/2. For people who've never seen the show or read the manga, there is not much here too offer you. But, for the fans out there, this could be something to eat away some of your time while saving up money to buy the DVD boxed set of season six. ;)
To sum it up, this a game for Ranma fans only, for they are probably the only ones who will glean much entertainment out of this otherwise moderate game. Also to note, real quickly, this game is NOT available in the states. But there are translated versions floating about the net. GOOD-LUCK!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/24/03