GAMEPLAY:
"Fantasy Life" is a so-called RPG, an RPG. It slips into a role and working on one's own abilities by successfully completing challenges and items. It is a matter of the hero, ie builds up before the game in an avatar-maker and there is a short name. The purpose in life consists mainly of battles, quests (ie, if the player characters ask a favor as an errand and for offering money), collecting and buying and selling items and reaching the highest possible rank within a profession. This promises to be a lot of variety and so it is: Various tasks there are to do and there are always, even job specific.
Speaking: There are a total of 12 different professions or even "life", you can practice (Alchemist, angler, blacksmith, carpenter, cook, Hunter, Mage, mercenaries, miners, Paladin, Schneider, lumberjack). It is possible to start a new life after a completely finished and to keep the old skills acquired (only special abilities from the old life are no longer feasible). For example, I've started as Holzfällerin and have then gone on as Sölderin, as such, I was still capable of felling trees (normal modes). However, when I after the mercenary career chose another new life, I was no longer able to use my great giant swords in special attacks. Just as an example, and little "Warning" (and my only real downer).
The control is easy to learn and easy. It served the game especially on the buttons, the touch screen is optional available (though it usually plays with buttons, because running and fighting among the most common activities and work in this way). The camera's perspective is easy to move by shoulder buttons (left or right), which is useful especially in combat situations or in the case of hidden items. In short, control fits!
GRAPHICS:
Graphically you get something on offer: both colorful environments and cute characters in "Chibi" style and clean animations and a view from the bird's eye view (from top down diagonally quasi). So you can make friends well. Pity that so no mimicry is possible at the figures and so all act with frozen facial features.
The items are well drawn, the text legible.
In between - depending on the progress of the story - there is a short bays Trickfilmchen in Anime style to see (mostly accompanied by music), which in turn are also very pretty to look at.
The 3D effect is a good looking gimmick, but not particularly necessary to support the gameplay (such as in "Super Mario 3D Land").
MUSIC AND SYNCHRONISATION:
The music is in my opinion, succeeded because it sounds nice to beautifully and provides the right atmosphere (especially in natural areas such as forests or desert), even it changes depending on the time of day (day / night). In the game are also a few (d hear in Japanese sung pieces, whether or uncredited in the pubs festivals that take place as soon as one has become in a professional masters (each profession while his own song).
A speech does not exist, spoken appears in text bubbles. Only moans and screams can be heard during the fighting.
Menus and options:
The main menu at the beginning consists of only the options "game" and "purchasable extras".
Once you start the game, you have the choice between three memory levels (so you can use the same cartridge to perform their own play as well as two more people).
Within the game then you have a menu with several options (such as "Items", "equipment", "licenses", "options" ...) available, but it is kept clear. It just takes some getting used to know the places where what information can be found.
Then again, stehts seen below in the corner, there's a "backpack" function, through which you can choose and consume eight selected items (eg healing potions during a tough fight).
EXTRAS:
It is possible to enjoy the little animated cutscenes and the soundtrack separately. It is a feature that is to some extent yet to be worked out in the game. Then they can be in a kind of theater function again see or hear.
Last but not least - the largest extra - you can speak a new region to the existing world in the game to buy, including new quests, items, and characters. Requirement is in addition to the payment (in the 10 euro-area) that you have already achieved certain progress in the game (story played out, a certain character level-number ... so you should already by playing a while and can not this venal Extra beginning use).
CONCLUSION:
Who is worried "Fantasy Life", will hardly make a mistake - as RPG newbie! Even if the story might not inspire so, the game is still a nice way to fill boring hours, supported by attractive graphics, atmospheric soundtrack and a dash of humor. "Fantasy Life" probably one of the most interesting Nintendo 3DS titles ever be.
