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Anticipation = 5 stars (Not a review)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

E3 2004 came and went and AstroBoy Omega Factor was there and waiting. It played like a classic space shooter with power ups and loads of enemies to blow away. The game looks very sweet on the GBA hardware and is being developed by Treasure, the same guys that did Ikaruga and Gunstar Heroes, and the coming soon: Guardian Heroes for GBA. The hype starts here for this soon to be classic.

wow... this game really...ROCKS!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I couldn't wait till the release day since I found out that the game was developed with cooperation of TREASURE, one of most beloved video game company of my life(company responsible for games like Radiant Silvergun, Gunstar Hero, Guardian Heroes, Silhouette Mirage, Sin and Punishment, Ikaruga, Bangaioh...) So I bought an import version because I figured that this game is an action game although I have very minimal Japanese...who needs to know Japanese when you are playing an action/shooter game, right? Well, I was very wrong; and I'll explain later why.

This game is based on THE famous 'Astro Boy(Tetsuwan Atom)' series by Tezuka Osamu, who's considered to be the Father of the Japanese manga/animation starting in 1960s. What really surprised me was the sheer amount of animation and STORY in the game. I mainly expected just some nice actions, yet this game is just packed, I MEAN PACKED WITH SEEMINGLY ENDLESS STORY. There are total of 46 characters, directly related to 'Astro Boy' series such as Uran and Dr.Ochanomizu, however, some characters, like Sapphire, happens to be one of Tezuka Osamu's creation from other series.

So what about the game itself? You can definitely feel the touch of TREASURE here and there, which means it's very enjoyable. I would say that the game is bit on the easy side, however, they give you much harder option once you complete the game by having to finish the game without a continue(I continued numerous time while I was playing for the first time...it's not that easy). Graphic and sound is top notch as if you are watching a well-made GameBoy Advance version of animation; you won't be sorry! This game starts with a tutorial with Dr. Ochanomizu, and it is highly recommendly because Astro Boy can do several things, including some special attacks(Some characters are reachable by performing certain action... so pay attention!)

I guess this game really shines when it comes to the story. I felt strongly compelled to buy US version SO I CAN JUST GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING ONCE AGAIN WITH KNOWING THE PLOT. I mean, who really cares about this old, outdated anime as long as you get to play the action part, right? WRONG! I remember that I bought an mport version of Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero first(again, couldn't wait), then bought US version just to read rivals' profile. Why? Because the game was so good and reading that rivals' profile was a crucial part of that gaming experience...didn't mind playing the whole game AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS STILL DAMN GOOD. It's same for this very game because you can't deny the whole gaming experience of this sheer amount of story when you get to play this game; trust me on this.

You can finish the game with finishing from stage 1 through 7, however, there are unlockable stages 0 and 8, which gives you the REAL ending with more, much more satisfaction. And I guess the one of the best part of the game was figuring out and completing the game with 100% completion; I don't get picky with completion percentage with games, but this game FORCED me to do so WITH PLEASURE.

So if you are having a doubt that this game is just a way to cash in some profit by using some Astro Boy fame... Think again because you will be PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

Enjoy; you won't be sorry!

Fun for the road

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 14, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is fun and and has a great replay value. Good story and a is not too easy. There are many cool bosses. Great game to play on a long trip in a car. A most own game.

this is such a cool game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

i just bought this game yesterday and i love it. there r 3 levels of difficulty (i chose hard) so u dont have to worry about it being too easy. it is really challenging and action-packed. with all the different special attacks and enemies, it never goes wrong. it also has a great story. i totally recommend this game.

Best GBA game yet!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I'm not going lightly with my 5 stars on this one - this game is awesome. I was doubting this game because it seems a little childish, but once I played it I regretted even thinking about not getting it. No matter what style of game you like, this game is essential to all GBA gamers (especially those who like games such as Metal Slug)!

Amazing Side-Scrolling Platformer, Great Replay Value

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I haven't looked forward to a GBA game that wasn't a port from NES or SNES in quite a while. This game is a GBA original, complete with all of the side-scrolling action that made 80s/90s platformers classics in their time.

I'm not a big anime or Astroboy fan, but the story of this game sucks you right in from the beginning, explaining all that you need to know about the robot and why you are fighting your way through each level.

To complete the game and unlock all of its bonuses, you need to play through the game twice, with new levels and abilities unlocking only during the second playthrough. There are also three difficulty settings: easy (good for first-time players and children), normal, and hard (best for veterans).

This game is good for all ages, and an absolute gem of a game. A must own for those who like side-scrolling action!

An Overlooked Gem

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: October 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a fantastic action title for the Game Boy Advance and, dare I say, perhaps the best original game to come out for the GBA in years.

Based on the manga by Tezuka Osamu, you play as Astro Boy, a robotic boy with a heart of gold and the desire to bring peace to a world of humans and robots. You don't have to understand the characters or the story to enjoy this game, which serves up a healthy dose of old school side-scrolling action!

Astro has various abilities accessed by very simple controls. His standard attack is a punch (B button), which can be linked up to create combos. B + Down is a kick attack that sends enemies careening across the screen and bowling over other enemies. B + Up is Astro's finger laser, which is his primary long-range weapon. The A button is jump. Double tapping the direction pad in any direction makes Astro dash. Interestingly, he is invulnerable when he dashes, which is a very important gameplay mechanic on higher difficulty levels. Lastly, L, R, and B + A launch all sorts of flashy special attacks.

These easy controls guide Astro through a graphically lush world and seven "episodes" of gameplay. The developers fill the screen with colorful enemies and awesome special effects. The game's plentiful bosses rotate and scale and level backgrounds have five or six layers of parallax scrolling, taking advantage of everything the Game Boy Advance can do. Some enemies are even larger than the screen itself! The overall feel of the game is like Mega Man blended with a traditional brawler like Final Fight with a dash of Gradius shooting. Astro has moves traditional to Mega Man games, but you are frequently forced to fight hordes of enemies before the screen will scroll to the next area. There are also a few shooter stages where Astro flies to the right and you fight all sorts of avian foes. This hybrid action/brawler dynamic is fresh and exciting to play.

Although the initial game may seem short, the developers extend the game by forcing you to play through it twice. While this is a choice that might seem lame, in a brilliant move, the story actually explains why you play the adventure twice, and various things are twisted and different the second time around. Only after completing this "second quest" will you unlock the final eighth episode. Overall, this is very gracefully done.

I think it's a testament to how fun this game is that it's an absolute joy to play it twice. Individual episodes don't take much longer than fifteen minutes to complete at easier difficulties, making this a great game to kill time with. The replay value on this title is very high.

However, there are two minor problems with the game. First, there is slowdown when the action gets intense. It's not bad, however, and in some ways it makes attacks feel more powerful and dramatic. And second, the game does feel short. Although there's lots of replayability, it's no replacement for having more levels. If a sequel was ever made, I'd definitely pick it up!

Judging from the copies of the game as various stores, I'm not sure how well it is selling. But, I believe this is easily one of the most fun and polished GBA games I've played in a very long time. This is a superb, overlooked gem that every GBA owner should play. Highly recommended.

Great game, but then what?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Nice control, great graphics, cool premise. But when it's over, it's over. I was kind of disappointed that there wasn't much more beyond the gameplay than punch, kick, fire finger laser, fire special attack. With a limited number of combos thrown in. I loved it that I could kick enemies into each other and that provided some challenge. But ultimately there was something about this game that left me cold. Technically, for graphics and sound and control, it's great. But you have to rate on more than what the numbers show. The more I thought about it though the more I thought that this was more of a Mega Man clone than anything else. Which is great! The Mega Man collection for the GBA was disappointing in that it didn't include the console versions as well (I would have loved to play Mega Man X 1 through 6 on my GBA).

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Proper criticism doesn't complain and not explain.

The Best Game for The GBA

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I would have to say that this is the best game for the GBA that I have ever played. It is simply perfect in almost every aspect. Treasure has made some of the best 2D games around, but they have gone above and beyond with this one.

Here's Why:

1. The gameplay is tight.
The control, feel, fluidity, response; basically all control elements work flawlessly to give this game an amazing feel.

2. The Difficulty is just right.
One of the common criticisms of today's games is that they are always too easy or too hard. This game gets things just right and keeps you in the sweet spot of gaming for the entire ride. You never feel like you are blowing through enemies way too easily, but at the same time you don't get stuck on stages and feel it's hopeless to continue.

3. The story aint' bad.
Ok ok, I know it will upset the fanboys but I still think the character is weird being a 10 year-old in his underwear, but once you get past the weirdness factor the story is pretty cool, especially in the later parts of the game. Most reasons for replaying a game and doing levels again are pretty lame like unlocking characters or bonus footage, but this game ties the story into its replay so you really want to finish it the second and third times around.

4. Everything works together well.
It's not just that all these elements work seperately but that they come together to form a really polished, smooth, and great gaming experience.

5. It's FUN!
In my top 5 games of all time on the fun factor this game is just a blast. I couldn't wait to be done with work to get back to playing it.

The only real criticism is that the graphics get a bit pixelled because they use the same models for multiple sizes of enemies. Other than that it's really a gem.

Finally, a note to all the older gamers who think this is just a kids game: Don't be fooled. I grew up loving games like Robotron, Mario, Contra, and Gradius (And I've beaten the last three also). So just cause it looks like it'll be a kids crap game or just for anime fans don't be fooled.

Pick this game up! You won't be sorry!

What every action game should be like

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game after reading a bunch of reviews so it was pretty hyped up in my mind before I ever played it. I have to say it didn't dissapoint.
As other reviewers have said, one of the strongest points in the game is the story. It actually makes you want to complete each level to unravel the next part of the story.

The gameplay is so intuitive it doesn't take too much practice to get used to the control scheme. At the same time it has the perfect balance between control depth (different moves, attacks, etc.) and complexity.

In general, Omega Factor is extremely fun to play and its pacing is just perfect. Amazingly, it even offers a lot replay value for an action game (discover all the characters Astro can meet)! A GBA must-buy!

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