ZTGD: "Just when you thought you had seen it all along comes Agetec's latest PSP title Fading Shadows. Not quite an RPG and yet not quite a puzzle game this curious mix of Marble Madness meets dungeon crawling could be one of the most unique experiences on Sony's portable machine. Taking a step outside of the conventional realm of puzzle games developer Ivolgamus has created a title so peculiar it nearly defines its own genre. You guide a beam of light that directs a small ball through a series of levels filled with traps and obstacles much like any other game of this type. The catch here though is that the ball you are guiding is actually filled with the soul of the main character as you guide it through the 50 levels throughout the trenches of hell, definitely not your average puzzle game."
Pros
+ Clever level design
+ Tons of intricately crafted puzzles
+ Nice presentation
Cons
- Frustrating camera
- No zoom function
The third day of Christmas is upon us! Now all those festivities are out of the way, it's time to burn off all those extra calories with a bit of thumb twiddling!
Today we run through March: a typically busy month for videogame releases, in anticipation for Easter...
GC writes: "The story behind Fading Shadows, yes there is a story plot, is that the Evil Master Gardal is up to no good and wishes to over through the Castle of Heaven. To breach the walls, Gardal with the help of his two minions Quiph and Morg must sacrifice the purest, untainted soul of Erwyn who is prophesied a loooong time ago."
There's a good deal to appreciate in Fading Shadows. It's an unusual concept that, at its best, is compelling. Unfortunately, camera issues and poor level design choices pop up too frequently, upsetting the delicate balance of simple yet absorbing puzzle adventure gameplay that the game occasionally manages to achieve.
