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Contact

EMAIL PRINT ds

8.0 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 36 critic reviews
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Based on 16 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Atlus USA

Developer: Marvelous Interactive

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: October 19, 2006

Summary

The klaxon alarm is shrieking! Something is wrong! The Professor wrestles his damaged spaceship to a crash landing on a mysterious planet. In the aftermath of the crash, The Professor discovers that the power sources of his ship, known as Cells, have been scattered across the surface of this strange world. To retrieve them all, The Professor enlists the aid of a brave young man named Terry — and a brave video game player known as you! The Professor and Terry will ask for your help during the course of the adventure, using the Nintendo DS to "contact" you along the way. Will The Professor gather the Cells and return to outer space? Will you learn the goal of the mysterious organization that seeks to gather the Cells for itself? The future of an entire world has been placed in your hands. [Atlus]

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Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

eToychest

Such games are rare, and I consider Contact to be a triumph of development. But, putting aside my assessment of its artistic merit, Contact is really just a fun, engaging RPG that Nintendo DS owners have been waiting for ever since the system was released.

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Play Magazine

It feels postmodern and classic all in the same heartbeat. [Oct. 2006, p.62]

GameBrink

The beats are creative and the music will stick in your head for days. [JPN Import]

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AceGamez

Contact is one of the most imaginative game concepts yet on the DS and fortunately for us all there is a deep and satisfying role-playing gameplay system to back up that concept and make it a thoroughly enjoyable and long-lasting adventure.

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

It's got a gripping story, simple combat system and uses the dual screens in inventive ways. Highly recommended. [Dec 2006, p.92]

GameZone

Contact has an easy to grasp control scheme, making it simple for anyone to pick up and play. However, the game is still incredibly deep, with tons of customization options for your journey.

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Deeko

For those who seek something fresh and intelligent, unique and humerous, Contact is the perfect game for you. The combat and grinding may get old in the end, but the game itself is solid and that fact alone makes it all worth while.

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GamePro

For those with patience, a good sense of direction, and an interest in the obscure, you owe it to yourself to try the game out. If you have a short temper or enjoy the mundane, it's best you avoid making contact with this one.

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Nintendojo

A perverse sense of humor and singular style ensure that Contact offers a refreshing dose of originality that is certainly not lacking on the DS, but might be lacking in the RPG genre.

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1UP

Its high-concept nature never translates into pretentiousness -- on the contrary, the English script is by turns hilarious and intriguing. Despite its imperfections, it's unique, daring, and occasionally strange.

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VideoGamer

It's got a great look and can be played without causing too much stress. The DS is the perfect console for casual gaming and Contact fits that bill perfectly.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Contact offers a creative island-hopping adventure that stands taller than many recent portable RPG's. [Oct. 2006, p.119]

IGN

Contact is an amazingly interesting title, and while it isn’t necessarily for everyone, gamers who get into the design are going to find themselves rewarded with a ton of awesome content.

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Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

Although it makes good use of the stylus, the combat system is not as good as any of the many alternatives available on the DS. It can be a little repetitive, but if you play in short sessions, it could mean fun to the more patient gamers. [Dec 2007]

Cheat Code Central

While some gamers will be turned off by the lack of control during battles, the game’s deep statistics, enduring characters, and down right bizarre story are more than enough to warrant a look.

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RPG Fan

Contact is a classic case of A for effort, C for execution. It is easy to tell that a lot of love was put into this game and it had the potential to be a classic of Earthbound proportions. Unfortunately, despite the game's merits, I ultimately found it too mundane, boring, repetitive, monotonous, and dull to recommend.

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Games Master UK

It isn't quite good enough to be a cult classic, but it's routinely OK and fitfully superb. [Mar 2007, p.82]

PALGN

Contact has a very strange feel to it, and not just that of a game with over-simplified controls.

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VGPub

If the idea of playing a game that feels traditional, but is an entirely new creation with a sense of humor appeals to you, then pick up Contact today. Otherwise, you aren’t missing much.

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Eurogamer

If you can bear the disappointment, and push on through, you'll realise that, between the whole intertextual thing and the interesting-but-average RPG mechanics, there's still a decent game in here. It's just a shame it's not the amazingly brilliant one it could have been.

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N-Europe

If you want to make Contact in strange new ways then this passionate game could be for you. Just don’t be hoping for something amazing to take you away from all your bases.

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NGamer UK

An RPG that dares to be different, plot-wise, but still starts you off fighting worms and skellingtons in cobwebby old dungeons. [Dec 2006, p.38]

Yahoo! Games

All of Contact's charm can't save it from the tedium that bogs down a lot of RPGs. But it's still as solid as they come, not terribly spectacular, but the perfect fare for devotees of the genre.

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Game Informer

This isn't going to change the world, but far be it for me to condemn it for being a run-of-the-mill RPG with a fun sense of humor. [Oct. 2006, p.114]

Edge Magazine

What it lacks in tactical depth, it returns doubly so in its offbeat charm whether through the crackpot mutterings of its cast of characters or its increasingly nontraditional modern-day island locales. [Oct 2006, p.93]

NGC Magazine UK

A mixed bag of seen-it-all-before RPG standards, totally weird plot devices and unspeakable gaming in-jokes. Both like and unlike everything you've played before. [Nov 2006, p.67]

GameSpot

A promisingly strange premise gives Contact a strong start, but the often-boring combat and exploration sequences that ensue just don't live up to it.

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Console Gameworld

Contact offers a refreshingly unique experience, but it certainly is not for everyone.

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Nintendo Power

Contact is, in a word, frustrating. [Nov. 2006, p.92]

Modojo

The freshness of the self-referential humor, the EXCELLENT music, and the juxtaposed watercolor/pixilated graphics certainly make Contact an experience. The somewhat boring and repetitive combat, coupled with the somewhat boring, repetitive line of quests dampen that experience somewhat, however.

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Games Radar (in-house)

Contact does sport an incredible surprise ending that adds depth and changes your perspective on all the main characters in the game. However, its impact is greatly diminished by the extremely short play time.

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GameSpy

The uninspired combat and backtracking may put you off, but the game's unique story and premise make Contact well worth experiencing.

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NTSC-uk

Those looking for an RPG-lite experience to ease them into or even help them return the world of RPGs, or looking for a chunk of throwaway fun, will no doubt enjoy Contact as an easygoing romp.

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Pocket Gamer UK

Something of a disappointment considering our expectations, uncovering Contact's charms demands significant patience.

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Thunderbolt

With a mixed bag of quality, humor, and creativity to work with, gamers will likely find themselves split over the game’s appeal. It’s not a bad game; it simply lacks a decent execution.

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games(TM)

If only as much imagination had been applied to the gameplay as the narrative. [Dec 2006, p.108]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 16 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Andrew S. gave it a9:
I don't play many RPG's (Pokèmon) but this was a great, fun game. Half of the fun comes from filling the inventory and reading descriptions of the weapons and items. Fun.

Bukkarooo gave it a9:
I just recently finished this and I thouroughly enjoyed it. The was plenty, I didn't beat it 100%. That may be why it was pretty short, I beat it within a week. The areas are nicely done, though the characters are somewhat underwhelming. This is inventive in the fact that YOU are a character. You just "influence" the main character, "Terry". I won't bore you with the story, though it's actually good, I don't want to explain it though. The fighting is fun, if you like FF12, you'll love this. There are plenty of weapons, and you can cook when you have the right costume. Costumes are a big part of the game, there is Default, one for each element, fishing, cooking, and thievery. This is so much fun, give it a try.

J. gave it an8:
This game had me frustrated (in a good way) and generally kept me entertained, but also disappointed me in some areas. It reduces the complications of other RPGs, but in the process removes some of the fun you might find in fighting systems with features like full spell casting (though there are some "special moves" you can use). While the storyline is fun it is a bit insane and gets you wondering what the heck is going. It also feels a bit thrown together sometimes. This game isn't for everybody, but for me it was worth the money. Some of the fun comes after you beat it you can get items that you may have missed during the regular course of game play, get "girlfriends" and play a few fun "mini-games" scattered throughout the world.

J. J. M. gave it a5:
This game disappointed me at a lightning pace that few other games ever have. Its reputation as "clever" and "offbeat" is enormously undeserved in my opinion. It's a very, very generic RPG with no plot, boring characters and enemies, and dull, repetitive gameplay. It is a game that will be quickly forgotten, and rightly so.

Matthew G. gave it an8:
Although it is short the first time through, there are still further secrets and interesting things to occupy your time long after finishing the game. Amazing music, great humour, and wonderful ending!

Thomas M. gave it an8:
The automated combat system works fine, considering you can still maneuver and choose other commands such as items or special attacks. The eccentric storyline and inventory put this game on a higher tier than other "by the numbers" RPG's. It's just so fun! And the graphics are easy on the eyes.

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