Guardian's Crusade - PlayStation

Gamers assume the role of an adventurous knight who accidentally stumbles upon a baby monster. The knight (with the help of a shimmering fairy) then sets off to return the baby to its home. As in many RPG titles, the quest is filled with enemies. Guardian's Crusade contains the usual random battle sequences, but these encounters are played a bit differently than most other RPGs. For example, the monsters in the maps of Guardian's Crusade are shown as pink tadpoles, which attack the character as soon as they see him.

U.S. game companies have been slow to import many established Japanese RPGs, despite the domestic success of innovative titles such as Final Fantasy VIII. However, games of that caliber are few and far between. The U.S. release of the substandard Guardian's Crusade is surprising, since it appears to be aimed at younger children or those not familiar with video games. For beginning RPG players, Guardian's Crusade may be worth a look, but more experienced gamers would probably want to stay away from this one. --Ben Jensen-Roseman

Pros: Simple graphics and kid-friendly story draw in younger children Cons: Minimal storyline No character development whatsoever No replay value at all

n GUARDIAN'S CRUSADE, Knight stumbles upon a pink monster named Baby. After having a vision, Knight tries to return Baby to Gods Tower, his proper home. As Knight, your job is to train Baby to help you in battle. However, if you're too mean to him, then Baby will not help out. To dispose of enemies quickly, collect the living toys that bestow magic powers to their users. Help Baby return home in GUARDIAN'S CRUSADE.