PR*CURE-ACT

Pr*Cure-ACT, or to be more precise, PreCure-ACT, is a side-scrolling 2D doujin action game. For those familiar with Japanese animation, they will recognize the characters are from "Futari wa Purikyua" or "Pretty Cure."

Aside from the names of the two main characters, I knew next to nothing of what Pretty Cure is about at the time of purchase. I didn't buy the game based on the source material. I purchased based on the demo available from the developer's web site. It was more than enough to convince me it's definitely worth upgrading to the full version.

PreCure-ACT perfectly captures the essence of what made games in the 8 and 16-bit console eras fun. The game was designed in a way to make the player initially fail. With a little bit of practice, the player can eventually learn the skills necessary to progress further. There's a lot of satisfaction to be gained from observing one's own playing skills improve. Older games forced players to get better at manipulating the game's physics before they could get anywhere. The fun came from the player conquering the obstacles presented in such games. This is this essence present in PreCure-ACT.

The game's difficulty settings allow a wide range of players to try their hand at the game. Whether the player is a seasoned veteran or is an absolute newbie, there are enough difficulty levels to allow a player of any skill level to play at the appropriate setting.

The game keeps track of the total time played and any items (cards) acquired during previous play. The cards are power up items or extra lives. Once a card is collected, the player can take advantage of the benefits when a new game is started. If the game suddenly becomes too easy to the player because of the acquisition of cards, the difficulty setting can be adjusted to the appropriate level in subsequent play.

Fans of 2D action games definitely need to give PreCure-ACT a chance to win them over. It's a good game, a lot of fun, and highly recommended.