May 2, 2007 - The Wii's growing lineup of anime-influenced titles has thus far consisted primarily of ports of PS2 or GameCube game engines with a few gimmicky Wiimote actions thrown in. Given its minimal support for the Wiimote, we have a feeling that One Piece Unlimited Adventure is no different and was originally planned for a system with a more standard input option. However, in the end, Wii owners are getting this latest One Piece game all to themselves.
Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates are playable in Unlimited Adventure, which, like the title suggests, is an adventure game with a large world to explore and lots of enemies to fight. The adventure begins as the crewmembers find themselves scattered about a mysterious island following a shipwreck. Initially, you take control of Luffy in a search about the island for the remaining crew members, but Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Nami, Tony Tony Chopper, Robin and Franky quickly join the roster.
You're free to switch between these characters on the fly as you explore the island, but the basic controls remain the same no matter whom you use. You have access to a combo-ready standard attack via A, a jump via the B trigger, and a dash move with C. You lock on to the nearest enemy by holding down Z and evade incoming attacks by pressing A and B together. Each character also has a single attack assigned to a shake of the Wiimote.
One of the best parts of the game is how it initially tricks you into thinking that the combat system sucks. Each character starts off with a single move -- the standard A attack. As you use this, monotonously attacking enemies, you quickly learn new moves and a fluid battle system begins to emerge. Luffy gains the ability to string together two, then three-hit combos. He also gains an air attack which can take out multiple enemies in one go.
The game encourages you to use the full variety of your move set. When groups of enemies come in for attack, a command list appears on the left side of the screen. Execute all the commands, in any order of your choosing, and you finish off with a super move, resulting in some flashy effects and bonus items.
Each character feels so different that you're sure to have a preference. Luffy and Sanji have quick fist attacks, compared to the powerful, but slow, Franky. Usopp fires arrows; unfortunately, the game does not use the Wiimote as a pointer for aiming your attacks. Robin is a bit of an acquired taste, as all her attacks seem to involve her hands reaching out at the enemies from the ground. We personally like Zoro, whose quick blade attacks could make for an interesting game on their own.
The island that serves as the game's setting is large, and slowly expands as you play. At key points in the world, the Wiimote starts ringing out a deafening cry, indicating that there's a secret path to be unlocked in the area. To open up the new path, you usually need to find key items which are then fed to a mysterious orb that also plays a key role in the game's storyline.
New areas of the world are also unlocked by exploiting Franky's ability to assemble ingredients that you find scattered about the world into tools. Most important is a pickaxe, which can be used to break barriers. You'll also find a net for gathering insects and a fishing rod. These items all make use of the Wiimote for direct waggle controls (yes, another game that uses the Wiimote as a fishing rod; Dog Island, released the same day as One Piece, also has this minigame).
With the expanding world and large cast of playable characters it's clear that Bandai Namco and developer Ganbarion have packed a whole lot into the main single player mode of play in Unlimited Adventure. Those who tire of single play also have the option for a two player battle mode. You can make use of the pirate cast as well as all the boss and enemy characters.
At its core, One Piece Unlimited Adventure has all the makings of a quality title. But there's one big problem holding it back: the game was clearly rushed out the door to make a release in time for Japan's Golden Week holiday season. Framerate and loading problems are the big culprits. Particularly notable is the lengthy pause, complete with skipping audio, when switching characters. The framerate problems are also unfortunate, as the game actually might be one of the better-looking Wii titles thanks to its sharp cel-shaded characters. Presentation bonuses like the frequent CG cut-scenes and voice-based dialogue sequences are wasted due to the lack of polish.
It says a lot about the core gameplay that, despite the problems, we're still enjoying the game. If Bandai/Namco can clean things up for the international release, this latest One Piece title has the potential for unlimited success outside of Japan.