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Being one of the biggest games development and  publishing
companies in the world, Konami are generally right on the ball when
it comes to developing for new systems. With the shock of such a
company having a total of zero titles involved in the
NintendoDS launch line-up, many other smaller developers began to
think twice about the viability of developing for such a unique
system. With such a clear-cut impact on the progression of the
industry, it then seems as if Konami have thrown themselves to the
gauntlet, offering three titles for PSP users within the
first few weeks of release.
Whilst Metal Gear Ac!d
 is intent on rejuvenating the
classic Metal Gear formula, Rengoku: The Tower Of
Purgatory seems to have taken on a much grander challenge. Rengoku:
The Tower Of Purgatory is a title that whilst offering itself
with simple presentation and instantly accessible combat, it’s
wealth lies within the depth of the simple structure.
The basic premise of the game sees the player taking on the
role of A.D.A.M. – a cybernetic construct hell-bent on
discovering his reason for being – thrust into a tower filled
with rival robots following procedure mercilessly. As A.D.A.M., you
have a huge selection of weaponry at your disposal including both
ranged and melee weapons. Each weapon is placed on one of the four
action areas of A.D.A.M.’s body, represented by the four face
buttons – Triangle for the head-mounted weaponry, Cross for the
stomach, Square for the left arm and Circle for the right - a very
simple system that’s incredibly effective. Progressing through
the levels destroying enemies will not o nly provide with additional
interchangeable weaponry, but also Elixir – a substance which can
be used to power-up your attack, defence and resistance as well as
provide extra “slots” to store bigger weaponry.
The game proceeds through your typical Level structure –
with each representing you ascending a further floor within the
Tower – on a Level/Boss Level repeating system. Many of the
Levels provide a substantial challenge over the last played, as so
you may find yourself descending a Level in order to kick some
easier-to-kick butt and receive the power-up benefits of doing so. 
Whilst presenting itself at the forefront of gaming technology, it
soon becomes apparent that Rengoku: The Tower Of Purgatory
is truly an “old skool” production. The title is clearly a
follow-up to games such as Isolated Warrior on the NES and MERCS
on the Mega Drive, now offering the free-roaming and customisable aspects that such
titles tried to represent with their pixelated warriors and
brightly-coloured 2D power-ups. The title offers those who’ve sat
at staring at their TV screens without watching TV for the past 15
years a glimpse of what gaming could’ve become – how the games
they’d played would’ve still been lobbying the limelight today
had it not been for the advent of the likes of Lara Croft, Master
Chief or EA’s marketing department.
In the 1980’s, Rengoku: The Tower Of Purgatory was
the game developers dreamt they’d one day be able to build.
Offering customisability to the extreme with a selection of
literally hundreds of weapons and technique  variations, you can
build A.D.A.M your way. However, whilst the development team
were obviously sitting around patting each other on the back for
achieving the game build they’d all been waiting for the past
twenty years, they seem to have missed a vital issue – variety.
Yes, twenty years ago gamers were more than happy to spend £40 to
run from left to right with a singular button to represent
“jump”, but times have changed, and the limitations of a title
which for all it’s effort seems limitless is rather daunting.
Graphically, Rengoku: The Tower Of Purgatory is often
more miss than hit. While the armour effects and explosions are
pleasing enough, the drab, grey textures lining every wall
in the title are often hard to bear – and the polygon pop-up in
between the textures within these walls in just downright
inexcusable. While you may never get more than a handful of enemies
on screen and even less within attacking range, every AI characters
attack procedure is animated as well as A.D.A.M.’s selection. The
sound offered by the title is little more than average for the
system, and even with a high-end pair of headphones you’re not
very likely to get your feet tapping or heart-pumping from the
beats within Rengoku: The Tower Of Purgatory.
Konami have presented a mixed-bag-of-fish here. One the one
hand, Rengoku: The Tower Of Purgatory is the game that
countless gamers have been waiting for whilst, on the other hand,
those gamers have been spoilt by countless hours on titles such as Devil
May Cry 3, The
Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
and the incredibly elusive Custom Robo. Whether or not Rengoku:
The Tower Of Purgatory deserves to be chastised simply for
staying true to the formula is open for debate – but it is clear
that the formula isn’t what it was, and the need to see what the
next Level looks like lessens with every completion of a previous
Level.
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