Difficulty:

Easy

Time Spent:

10 Hours or Less

The Bottom Line:

"Boring"

'LostWinds' is a very interesting game. It starts off pretty good and looks like it's going to be a fun & innovative platformer. It has a decent visual style and some nice music. And it even tries to tell a decent story.

But after about an hour into it, I became extremely bored with how simplistic the game is. And the nice, bright visuals turned into dank looking caverns that had very little personality. The camera became extremely annoying at times. And then there is the main core of the gameplay: the Wii controls.

If you ever played the excellent PS2/Wii game, 'Okami', then you should know what to expect here. The gameplay focus around you directing the wind with the Wii remote to help your character traverse the levels. Doing this is almost exactly like the motions used in 'Okami', except they aren't as innovative, interesting, or responsive.

In fact, in this very brief game (it should take you around 3-4 hrs. to beat) there is very little excitement whatsoever. You do gain a new 'wind power' or item every now and then, but it's not enough. The gameplay is so simplistic and easy that there is very little feeling of accomplishment when you do complete one of the quests. Most of the puzzles are very common sense and only are difficult, at times, due to the camera or the game not reading your movements with the Wii remote correctly.

Maybe the worst part of the game is the 'combat' and enemies. There are only a few enemy types in the game and the ones that are there, don't provide much challenge are easily swept away by a gust of wind. Even if they do hit you enough to 'die', you can just revive yourself by waiving the on-screen pointer over yourself a few times and you are as good as new.

'LostWinds' had a lot of potential and I could see where the developers where going with the concept. The problem was in the execution. This is a game that is just too simplistic for it's own good. It's WAY too short for the $10 asking price. And some quirky design problems hamper the title from being a must-have. This game is getting a lot of mixed reviews, but most people seem to like it. I guess I just expect more for my $10 than a 'Okami wanna-be' platformer. And on a system that gives you MANY other (and better) choices for your Wii pts. in the way of the 'Virtual Console' there is no reason to waste your points on this.