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The original Eye of Judgment on the PlayStation 3 never received the type of coverage it deserved when it was released, mainly because the game was more for the hardcore card collector audience than the casual gamer. Was this a mistake? In some ways yes, but then not everyone likes playing cards on their games console, the game worked with the PlayStation Eye camera which you could purchase in a bundle with the game, basically you had a deck of elemental themed cards which you built into a deck and placed under the camera onto a 3x3 grid in a turn-based gameplay affair, you could either play against the computer, or online against opponents around the world.
The PlayStation Portable version titled The Eye of Judgment: Legends however, forgoes the use of the camera and keeps things simple by having the cards in the game and not as physical item you have to carry around with you. What made the original great is still present in this portable version, but being a portable title and not having to worry about carrying around stacks of cards is a huge bonus, whether the booster packs which you had to buy for the console version will come in the form of a PlayStation Store purchase is a good question, and since the cards are the main currency in the game it'll no doubt be the case, whether gamers will want to purchase these digital cards instead of something tangible however stands to question.
The object of the game is fairly simple on paper, you goal is to hold the most tiles within the time limit over your opponent, using various creatures and abilities to attack the tiles in which your opponent occupies while defending your own. The game goes a lot more in-depth and it certainly isn't the easiest game to pick up, but the PS3 version's animated tutorials made a great job of introducing you to the basic elements of the game, hopefully the PSP version will include the same tutorials or something similar. A new Story mode has been included with The Eye of Judgement: Legends which isn't included in its predecessor, this story mode plays out in still screens with a narrative explaining the story, while the game is based more around its competitive nature, it looks like an interesting concept to keep gamers without an opponent to play against entertained.
From what we have seen the PSP version of the game keeps the core gameplay element intact, you'll start each round with five cards which you can pre-choose, you'll also have the option to swap them for another five should the need arise and you're unlucky enough to get a bad deck. Each card is dependant on its elemental type; fire, water, earth, wood and biolith each has its own benefits, the 3x3 grid which acts as the playing field has different bonuses on different squares, as such, if you were to place a fire type card onto a fire tile, that card will receive a bonus to its attack. Upon placing your card you are also able to manipulate the direction it faces much like the PS3 version, allowing you to attack or defend specific targets.
One of the key differences first noticeable over the PS3 version is its visuals, the PSP version sticks to a traditional 2D format with the occasional 3D effect thrown in to spice things up, while that may sound disappointing to some, it really shouldn't since the game looks strikingly good, of course it would have been nice to have the same type of graphics as the PS3 version, but then the PSP doesn't come with eight processors, as much as we wished it did. Still, from the looks of things the developers have tried to keep things as simple as possible while making it informative and good looking.
The Eye of Judgment: Legends looks set to be a fun title for those who were fans of the PS3 game, whether Sony can open the genre up to a more casual audience is yet to be seen since games aren't quick to finish, especially when playing against other players. The developers have said there will be more modes introduced which are specific to the PSP along with around 300 digital cards to choose from, and with the inclusion of the Story mode it should turn out to be a rewarding experience whether you play alone in the games new Story mode or online through local multiplayer or the internet.
