Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs is both the newest and the weakest entry into this Pokémon spin-off so far. Things have either taken a step back, like only allowing you a single Pokémon partner or new additions to the game play such as the drawing of "ranger signs" with your stylus, are fluff rather than substance. There are a few new things that are actually quite good, but will be lost on the core audience, such as the increased emphasis on character customization. That said, the game is still a good one and both Pokémon and action RPG fans will have a lot of fun with this due to the unique gameplay and the drought of action RPGs for the Nintendo DS. It's cute, looks quite nice, the music is definitely improved from the second game and the latter half of the game offers a nice amount of challenge. This is a definite purchase for fans of either Pokémon or action RPGs in general, but for everyone else this will no doubt be lost in the shuffle of an exceptionally loaded October.
XMNR: Local retailers aren't running with any big crazy coupon deals on new games this week like they have in previous weeks but there area a number of older games discounted from a little to practically free. Notable sales this week include Pokemon Ranger and Pokemon Dungeon games for only $4.99 at Toys R Us, Medal of Honor for $19.99 at Kmart and the DJ Hero 2 Turntable bundle for just $19.99 at Toys R Us.
This week also has a few hardware deals including Gift Cards for the Xbox 360 and Kinect bundles at two different retailers and a Gift Card for Kinect with the purchase of a game.
GamingExcellence - Pokemon Rangers: Guardian Signs is the third in the Pokemon Rangers installation. It's all about the Pokemon Rangers; a group of individuals whose sole duty is to make sure that relations between Pokemon and humans are going well and that Pokemon aren't being mistreated. An altogether perfect set up for a role playing game involving Pokemon.
Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs is solid, competent, and not without charm, but repetitive mechanics and a lack of depth render it a game best suited to younger or more inexperienced gamers looking for an easy entry to the franchise.
