Aang Heroes Battle Monsters

Aang Heroes Battle Monsters focuses around the story of Aang, a boy with the power to manipulate air. He also has the unique ability to harness the power of earth, water, and fire as well, making him an the game. Aang is destined to bring balance to a war torn nation, but for right now he's still in the training stages. Much like the show, heroes and his friends, Katara and Sokka, travel all over the nation, meeting friends and enemies alike. One of the biggest strengths of this title is its faithfulness to the show. Playing the game feels like I was watching an episode, especially since the game starts with the actual opening title sequence to the show. The cutscenes, although simple, contain a lot of the stylistic elements commonly found in anime. There are even a few cutscenes that have full voice work from the cast, which is something rare on handheld titles. It was probably the first time I was pleased to hear Sokka's whining voice! The story is pretty basic, but there's a healthy smattering of humor throughout that makes it a lot more enjoyable. The presentation feels like the developers actually care about the license, and are fans of the show. The game is presented in a top down 3D view, allowing the player to rotate the camera at whim. The environments are a lot more expansive than they would be if the game Aang Heroes Battle Monsters view was isometric. It can get hard to see sometimes, but a couple quick taps on the shoulder button clears that up right away. The 2D sprites are sharp and vibrant, maintaining the popular style of the show. All the characters are easily recognizable, and they all act differently in every facet, down to the way they walk. The battle system is where the gane starts to lose some air. The top down view makes it hard to line up the attacks diagonally. There's also this nasty tendency to get trapped and subsequently pummeled by the enemies. Neither annoyance makes the battles unplayable, and players are sure to quickly figure out how to best avoid situations like this, but be prepared to die a few times right from the start. The fights never have the same acrobatic flair that the show possesses, but does use a few of his trademark air moves. There's also a certain satisfaction that comes with hitting a soldier with staff and sending him sprawling to the ground. Still, the battles could have been a little smoother, and the collision detection could use some tightening.