iPhone game of the day: Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia

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An epic JPRG that just happens to also be an old school arcade beat 'em-up

Game: Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia
Price: $2.99 / £1.79
Size: 13.9 MB
Get it now on the iTunes store:US/UK

From the name alone you can probably guess that Hybrid 2: Saga of Nostalgia is a sweeping JRPG style epic, complete with a nonsensical plot and annoying characters. But what you probably didn’t guess is that it’s also a fast-paced side-scrolling action game. Think of it as Final Fantasy meets Streets of Rage with a dash of Bleach (the anime, not the chemical).

The game is a direct sequel to the first Hybrid, but chances are even if you played the original you’ll have a hard time following the story. Protagonist Grey is still on a mission to find his missing fairy friend, who’s named … Fairy. Unfortunately, while trying to find her, he accidentally rips a hole in the space time continuum, changing history as we know it. Or something like that. The story tries really hard to be great, but it mostly amounts to people talking for overly long periods of time. Thankfully most of the dialog is skippable, enabling you to spend the majority of your time hacking and slashing.

Hybrid 2 features many RPG mainstays like level progression, special powers, and equippable gear, but it eschews the traditional turn-based combat that the genre is known for. Instead, the battles are lightning fast, real time, and reminiscent of the Bleach series of fighters on the DS. You’ll take on multiple enemies at a time, and you can perform absurdly huge combos and utilize screen clearing special attacks. It’s all a bit loose and button mashy, but it’s definitely fun.

If you don’t mind looking past the story and doing some level grinding, Hybrid 2 is a very satisfying experience. It takes some of the best aspects of beat ‘em ups and fuses them with role playing elements to create a ridiculously fast paced, over the top action RPG.

Dec 2, 2010