VGR:
"Visuals are impressive for a DS title, although they won't win any prizes for them. They also lack that "Suda 51 effect" of looking unique. Dialogue itself is also a disappointment, the story is good enough but the actual talking is quite bad. The soundtrack is typical of this man's games and fits well within it, it's a shame that it's probably the most memorable part of the entire game.
Suda 51 has taken an odd turn down the pathway of mystery/adventure instead of his usual action-style games like Killer 7 and NMH. Even if the most dedicated fan of his will be disappointed by this effort, as it lacks any real edge to it and most of all, isn't all that much to play."
Today's release of No More Heroes 2 is not only a chance to step into the foul-mouthed beam-sword-weilding shoes of Travis Touchdown, but also to reflect on the progeny of Tokyo-based Grasshopper Manufacture. Helmed by the enigmatic Suda 51 (so named because his actual first name, Goichi, means 51 in Japanese), the company is known for its wildly inventive, original, and financially risky software. Adopting the slogan "Punk's Not Dead," the company represents the rebellious, individualistic, and at times crude and violent mentality of punk music. Let's take a look at some of the developer's more memorable games.
Yeah I dunno what's up with that, GamerGrenade's been chugging lately. Someone needs to go wind up the turnkey on the server again or something.
If there's one thing that Flower Sun and Rain definitely delivers, it's that typical Suda 51 charm and humor, filled with so many random pop culture references and off-the-wall humor that it's actually kind of hard to believe it's a Japanese-made game. While there's atmosphere galore here, the puzzles themselves are somewhat obtuse, especially the optional ones, which often feel more like doing math homework than solving a mystery.
Fans of Grasshopper's original work will not be disappointed, but adventure game fans that don't have any previous experience with Suda's work may want to think twice about this one.
I like what I see, I'm a fan of Suda 51, and this is a very well written review.
Gamertell has posted a positive review of XSeed's DS game titled Flower, Sun and Rain.
From the review:
"Flower, Sun and Rain has everything you expect from a Goichi Suda game. It's stylish, has an incredibly complicated and interesting plot, unusual gameplay mechanics and a wonderful sense of ambiance. While the visuals aren't stellar and the camera constantly fails the player, the controls, characters and stories more than make up for it. And, if the graphics annoy you a bit, keep playing. As the game goes on and Sumio experiences the same day over and over, things start to look different. Sadly, after playing and finishing Flower, Sun and Rain, I get the feeling that only Suda51 and point-and-click adventure fans will pick up and persevere through this wonderful story."
