One Piece: Grand Adventure

The Official Games Radar Reviewer Handbook (Third Edition) cites two important criteria to look for when reviewing anime-based games. The first? They have to appeal to the fans of the anime. And the second? They also have to be fun enough to appeal to everyone else. Some games only manage the first point; a rare few manage both. Bandai's new One Piece: Grand Adventure is a textbook case of an anime game that is packed full of fan service but is lacking in areas of greater substance. Even so, it throws enough things into the pot that at least some of them will stick.

Grand Adventure is basically an extension of the previous One Piece: Grand Battle, which Bandai described as a "free-roaming vs. battle game." Others used the more descriptive "Power Stone knock-off," giving credit to the fighting game that was this title's obvious inspiration. Whichever the case, Grand Battle 's core arcade mode lives on here but is supplemented by a new Grand Adventure mode. The game's main attraction, Grand Adventure lets you take to the seas with the character of your choice to partake in a variety of battles and minigames on the numerous islands you'll encounter. Along the way you'll gather allies, win items and earn experience, all resulting in a bigger, badder, more funnily dressed crew of sea-sailing scoundrels.