Publisher: Konami
Platform: GameCube
Price: 6,800 yen
Genre: SRPG
Origin: Japan
Release: December 15, 2002

IGN Review

After a very successful debut on Game Boy Advance, the popular anime TV show is finally making its way to GameCube. Courtesy of Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (Konami JPN), Yu-Gi-Oh! Falsebound Kingdom is billed as a departure from all previous titles in the series as it tackles the RPG genre with an all-new battle system and with detailed, fully 3D graphics that really bring out the scale of some of the creatures.

At the outset of the game, players select one of two different stories. Both are told through elaborate cutscenes -- and there is of course a big, but as of yet secret reward for finishing both. The background story for both storylines almost sounds like the plot for a Star Trek: Next Generation "holo deck" episode. The famous foreign (as in: not Japanese) game company SIC Domino Lab is hard at work on the next generation of videogames, a title called Kingdom that completely immerses the player in its virtual world. As it is planning to bring the title to Japan, Domino Lab opens the VR game up for test play. In the first story, Yugi takes part in the beta test but soon runs into trouble. The program won't stop and he's stuck in Kingdom's virtual world -- unless Yugi manages to follow the prearranged storyline and beat the game. There's just one problem: the game is extremely tough and features hundreds of vicious monsters, intent on not letting players get too far. The second story involves KaibaCorp CEO Seto Kaiba, who also gets mixed up in the malfunctioning simulation game and somehow has to figure out how to escape on his own.

The game uses a turn-based battle system in which you build a team of three monsters and send them into battle against your foes. But if you're expecting an extension of the traditional Yu-Gi-Oh! card battle game, you're in for a surprise. Konami purposely wanted to take the GameCube version into a different direction and offer up something more akin to a Final Fantasy game, but with the added twist of having to assemble a strategically sound monster team of three. Depending on what combination you pick, your team's combo special attacks will greatly vary in type and effectiveness against certain foes, so you have to choose wisely.

	Hit the A button to move your character to the end of the line (left), then engage in menu-driven combat (right) for an all-out three-on-three monster battle royale.

For the world map system, Yu-Gi-Oh! takes its cues from traditional PC real-time strategy games. You move your team in real-time across the huge field map, and your enemies move around independently at the same time. No waiting for turns, here. Speed is as important as strategy. To further stress the passage of time, the game features a day/night system. The sun will set before your very eyes and night will fall -- and with it, the strength of certain types of enemies will greatly increase.

	The game lets you pick which storyline you would like to play first: Yugi's or Seto's. You'll of course get to play the other story once you finish the first one.

In addition to standard three-on-three battles, players will also encounter rogue monsters. These loners wander about the landscape without allegiance to anyone, just waiting to pick a fight with a hapless Kingdom player. However, if you manage to win the battle, you can add the monster in question to your team, thus increasing your team selection. Naturally, the game also features a full-fledged experience/upgrade system. Your monsters will gradually level up and get stronger attack and defense powers, so battle training is essential to building a powerful team.

	Create a team of three monsters, send them into battle with the enemy, then reap the benefits and level up.

Could this be the big name roleplaying game to break the string of boring RPGs on the system? Considering Konami Japan's pedigree of titles (Metal Gear Solid 2, Zone of the Enders), RPG fans may finally have something to look forward to on GameCube.

Konami hasn't announced a US release of Falsebound Kingdom yet, but given the popularity of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise over here, it's only a matter of time until the title gets an official date. The Japanese version will be available on December 5, 2002.

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