Update: February 28, 2008
«©NCSX» Join the birds in the sky and embark on an action adventure that follows the journey of a lad who flies across a world primarily covered by water. Billed as a flight simulator without conflict, players fly and commingle with flocks of feathered friends that populate the planet. In the intro to the game, a damaged spacecraft passes over a blue-tinted planet as it tumbles through space. The ship was meant to dock with a research station on the planet below but it has suffered a catastrophic hull implosion. The spacecraft eventually releases a capsule from an underside hatch which plummets into the planet. After a fiery descent, the capsule projects its landing gear and makes a safe landing. In the next scene, a lad named Hugo Ramanski who wears a protective suit emerges from the capsule and eventually takes to the air with a glider-like contraption. His mission is to locate the research station which just happens to be on the other side of the planet where Hugo landed. Aerial Planet is the kind of game that requires a dedicated time investment to get the controls down pat. A short tutorial starts the action off which is an invaluable starting point to learn the nuances of how the glider works and wings through the air. Pack-in Bonus
Every copy of Aerial Planet includes a Planet Symphony audio CD which contains melodious music from the game. In case you're wondering who sings the songs on the CD - it's the computer generated Miku Hatsune from the Vocaloid2 software program. Although an anonymous voice actress provided the voice samples for Miku, the Vocaloid2 program generated the vocals for the songs without any need for a real live singer at the time of production. Maybe it's a precursor and preview of what we'll be doled out from the record companies in the future. Jan Code: 4995506001339 View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.
NCS Game Notes
» Start a new game and the camera pans across a green expanse where the capsule from the intro has touched down. Hugo, the hero of the game appears in the foreground and is still dressed in his spacesuit but his helmet has been doffed. A communications device is attached to his left ear. The camera pans down to an AI device located on his left wrist which flashes intermittently. » After the formalities are over, Hugo takes off on a glider of sorts with a sizable wingspan. Soon afterwards, a tutorial commences which teaches the Dual Shock controls as follows: R1 Trigger / Accelerate and loft higher. To fire the afterburners, double tap R1 twice quickly
R2 Trigger / Activate air brakes
L-Analog / Push upwards to swoop down and push downwards to fly higher; Push left and right to move accordingly
R-Analog / Maneuver the camera around the glider. Push down to reset the camera to default position » The controls are simple but the flight mechanics take considerable practice to get down right. For example, moving the L-analog left or right won't physically move you left or right. Since you're in the air, what you're trying to do is move the glider's wings so that they work with the built-in thrust and the air currents to reach certain locations. In the early going, you'll have to refine your movements and get your bearings because a red target in the sky must be reached and you'll get to practice flying in order to reach it. » Day turns into night and night turns into day. The Day that you're on as well as the time are shown on the upper-right corner of the screen. » To bring up a 3D map of the area that you're flying around in, press the SQUARE button. To zoom in and out of the map, press the R1 or R2 triggers. » To perform a quick turn-around move, press and hold the R2 trigger and then move and hold the L-Analog either left or right. » After the meat of the tutorial has been completed, the radar on the upper left corner of the screen will flash and you'll be able to join disparate flocks of birds in flight. If you've practiced the flight maneuvers somewhat, you'll be able to adjust your glider and fly with the birds in formation. It's rather special the first time you lock into thrust with a flock and check out their fluid motion as they fly in perfect unison alongside the glider. When Hugo is with a flock of birds, he's protected from the elements around him since they're inhabitants of the planet and know how to avoid intense weather patterns and fierce atmospherics. » After enjoying the sun and skies, the first level grows dark and storm clouds gather which leads to howling winds and pelting rain. The effect of inclement weather is well done and we felt relieved after the storm passed. » The hero's health is indicated by the body icon located on the lower-right corner of the screen. Whenever Hugo crashes onto land, a chunk of HP is removed from his body. Lose all of the hero's HP and the game ends abruptly. » Since Aerial Planet is a Nippon Ichi production, it just wouldn't be right if a Disgaea reference wasn't placed somewhere in the game. In later areas of the planet that Hugo travels across, he can fly alongside a flock of purple Prinnies who somehow stay aloft with their tiny demonic wings. This document is ©NCSX 2008. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.
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