Χ-Play (2003)

Phantom Dust, Red Ninja, NanoBreaker and more! (3x29)

Air date: Mar 29, 2005

On tonight's episode of X-Play, we review Phantom Dust. Xbox and Japan have always gone together like steak and vegans, but Microsoft's studio in the land of the rising sun did produce one admirable achievement in Phantom Dust. However, defying all logic, Microsoft opted not to bring the game to the U.S. If you consider that Microsoft published Sneakers here--a horrible kids' game about a mouse--you'd see the oddness of this decision. Majesco has picked up the ball and ran with it, and even gave the game a budget price here in the States--and there was much rejoicing. Nanomachines. You just can’t trust ‘em. On this technologically advanced episode of X-Play, we take a look at Konami’s straight-up action game Nano Breaker. After breaking a whole lot of nanos, and getting our own nanos busted quite a few times (it’s a tough game), we’re ready to let you know the consequences of letting these tiny mechanical buggers into your life. Oh beloved technology, why have you turned against us? Most gamers would agree that there could never be too many games featuring ninjas (or monkeys for that matter, but that’s a topic for another time). The combination of stealth, fluid acrobatics, and variety of unusual weapons makes this “occupation” more appealing than your typical samurai, barbarian, hit man, or maverick space cadet for dealing damage. Red Ninja: Edge of Honor is not a traditional take on the genre, either. The protagonist can use her feminine charms to seduce her victims, for starters, and her main style of attack incorporates a weapon you’ve likely never seen before. New developer Tranji Studios introduces a number of interesting ideas in an attempt to make this title stand out from the Ninja Gaidens, Shinobis, and Tenchus of the world. You probably haven’t heard of Dai Senryaku VII: Modern Military Tactics, let alone pondered the thought that there have presumably been six iterations before it. It’s a strange thought, but in case the n