Solatorobo: Red the Hunter Review
Thirteen years ago Japanese video game developer CyberConnect2 (or CC2 for short) released Tail Concerto on the original PlayStation with veteran niche publisher Atlus localizing the title for North America audiences. The game wasn't a huge success in either territory as it released in both countries with little fanfare, so hopes of a sequel were repeatedly dashed due to the originals' lackluster sales. However, when CC2 announced Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (literally translates to "Sky and Robot"), a spiritual successor to Tail Concerto, fans of the original were understandably excited.
After the Japanese release came and went without any localization announcement from its publisher Namco Bandai all hope was seemingly lost. That was, until Nintendo of Europe picked it up the European rights and XSEED Games picked up the North American rights to the title. With the Nintendo DS riding on its last legs of life, many gamers are being picky about what games they're picking up. Which begs the question: is Solatorobo worth your hard-earned cash? The answer to that is a resounding yes.
Solatorobo's world is set in a world filled with two main races of anthropomorphic cats and dogs who speak a Japanese-inflected version of French and act just like normal human would. The main character, Red, is a sky-pirate “hunter” who travels in an airship along with his sister, Chocolat. Of course like any good story things become complicated quickly as Red comes across a magical medallion during an airship raid. This sets in motion a plot that affects the game's entire world and sends a number of baddies on his red-brown tail.
The story begins pretty predictably. There are characters who aren't who they seem they are and the of course, there's the all-important plot twist midway through the game which serves to change things up considerably and puts the story into overdrive. This makes it feel more organic than the initial setup arc that comprises the first half of the game. Those who feel rushed with some games these days shouldn't worry, though, as Solatorobo allows the player to progress through the game at their own pace with its numerous side quests. These are prevalent after finishing each of the game's chapters and can range from stacking objects to solving a maze and defeating enemies.
