Customer Reviews

Fantavision

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The critics thrashed it. The people who bought thinking it was Tetris hate it. Since I tend to like odd items that nobody else likes (Starship Troopers, Double Team, Lunar, Phantasy Star), this was one of those games where I took the reviews quite lightly. In all honesty, if I bought the PS2 when it was released, this was one of the games that I would have bought.

I admit, I am horrible with puzzle games. My Tetris skills aren't the best, I can't pass Zelda (on the Gameboy) and well, you get the idea. In terms of this game, it will take me a while to get a hang of it. My girlfriend on the other hand, needed 2 tries to get past Level 1. I have yet to get there. And yes, I do know that I am pathetic.

The graphics are pretty neat. Of the games and demos I've seen, I haven't been disappointed with the PS2's graphics. The explosions are really cool and when you chain the fireworks into a 50 or more chain, it's just awesome. Oh, did I mention that it looks like it takes place in Seattle. In the replay mode, we see what could be the Space Needle AND a dome (Kingdome, I think).

The tutorial (yes, there is one and it helped ME) is a bit quiet, the instructor has a fairly soft voice. The music is... Well, typical music fare. It's a little better than the elevator music in Gran Turismo2, but not that much better. However, it does not distract from playing. No, there are other things to distract you during play. And it's no necessarily the game. (Cats, significant other, parents, room mates, work, phones, etc...)

It's an addicting game, though once it's over, it's over. It's not like Tetris where you could go on and on. It's a fun game because what other game allows you to blow up fireworks into neat patterns of your choice?

While the price is a bit steep for a puzzler like this, it's worth a rent or two. It's like paying for Gradius 3/4. It's really hard to do. Fortunately, most stores are dropping the price on this game AND the used versions should be around ... You can't go wrong on those prices seeing how the majority of 128-bit games are closer to.

This game may be catered to a younger crowd, but it's still fun for all ages. Don't be too critical and remember video games are about having fun. Don't let the others get you down. Renting is always a good option if one is undecided.

Fantavision was quite a lot more fun than I originally thought it would be. I found the puzzle gameplay addictive, and I hate Tetris (so that's saying something for this game). There are only 8 levels in the game though, and I was watching credits after approximately 1.5 hours of gameplay, no kidding. I was disappointed with the scarcity of different levels (you basically capture fireworks over a city, then in space, then near the moon--that's basically it. After you beat the 8 levels, the game unlocks an Extra menu which lets you play the levels again, only with more difficulty. Because of the two-player mode, and two extra menus, the game has limitless gameplay in theory, but I would have liked to see a bit more in the levels department--I just felt cheated after playing straight through the game on my fourth or fifth try. The game feels more like an experiment or lengthy demo than a full-fledged game. Also, minus the very cool backgrounds, the actual gameplay could have been ATARI 2600. The game isn't that impressive minus the scrolling backgrounds. (The background graphics are impressive though)

The game is quite fun. It's like a "chill-out" game where you can play and have fun and enjoy the cool music, graphics, and pretty fireworks :) Trying to get as many chains of fireworks as possible can be a challenge, if you choose to do so. Enjoy!

Fantavision for the PS2 is a puzzle game where you get to create your own fireworks show. You do this by capturing the rockets in midair and then detonating the colored combinations. You can have up to three combinations, such as; three orange, three blue and three yellows. The more combinations you detonate, the higher your score and the better the fireworks explosions. And that is what is all about. The graphics are colorful. The screen will pan through several backdrops such as a cityscapes, space stations, and other interesting places to put on a fireworks show. The particle effects look cool- they really look like actual fireworks in the sky. The music consists of new age, pop jazz and light rock, which fits into the mood of a show. The sound effects are also good, but simplistic. If you know what fireworks sound like then this is what it is in the game as well. The controls are very easy to learn. You use your analog stick to aim, then the controller buttons to capture and detonate the fireworks, it only takes a few seconds to learn. There is an in-game tutorial
which clearly explains everything if you don't understand the game.

It excels in the "novalty" part of fireworks into a playable game, that is easy to get into. Although frantic at times, the game play is still fun. It is also one of the most unique puzzle games available for the PS2 system, but it also happens to be one of the shortest puzzle game for the PS2 (or possibly any system)! It takes me about 45 minutes to finish even in the hardest difficulty. Once you finish, you can replay the fireworks shows you created and view it from multiple camera angles and special effects. You will also unlock a few challange modes, but other than that, the game has very little replay value. Fanatavision is just begging for extra levels. And shame on its creators for making it so short; with only nine (9) levels of gameplay. This fact alone ruins its potential to be one of the best puzzle games to come along since Tetris.

Pros:
+very unique gameplay
+excellent graphics
+excellent sound effects
+excellent music
+excellent controls
+excellent tutorial
+beautiful fireworks
+fun for all ages

Cons:
-super short game
-voice acting sucks
-strange cutscenes
-little unlockables

This game is awesome for young people. It's not complicated it's a very easy game to play. I should know i even figured out how to play. This game is not only good for young people but a great game for adults as well. The graphics are awesome for a game like this. The game meets up to the greatness of playstation 2.

THIS GAME IS SO COOL! The graphics are beautiful. People say this game all around stinks, but this game is really quite fun. It is better with two people, though. (Especially when somebody steals your "starmines"!*)
I rented it tonight, and played it with a friend. They should make a Fantavision II. If you got points for destroying targets that would be even more fun.... IGNORE THE OTHERS! YOU WON'T BE LET DOWN!

*"Starmines" are periods of lots of fireworks you catch. This helps you make more points. You earn starmines by collecting stars and eventually spelling "starmine".

This game rules, it is fun, but short. Great for a rainy day or any other day. Definitely worth more than $5.

I havent played Zoop so I cant really compare this game to ZOOP!

When I first starting playing this game (10/25/00) before the launch date of Ps2. The first thought came to my mind was, "What the heck is going on?" After a while I got a hang of the controls and the idea of the game.

The gameplay goes to the speed of your reaction with the analog control which you can only use and the dentonation of the fireworks with the o button.

If you are looking to try out something new that is not a tetris and Super colums type game, this would be the one for you. Instead of falling objects hitting the floor and then climbs up to the ceiling, you have to touch the fireworks and dentonate it before it goes back down. If you miss a few or so, that would be the end of you. But becareful though, this game is quite repeative and short.

The game appears to be a simple puzzler at first, part Columns, part Missile Command. And it really IS too. But between special items, explosion effects, "daisy chains," and whatnot, you've got a task on your hand. First, you'll just be trying to explode as many as you can. Then you'll be trying to connect as many colors as you can with the 'wild' fireballs. Then you'll be chaining them. (If you want some long-term goal for this game, play through the 'Hard' game to unlock the second line of Specials. Then watch the 'Ultra Chain' movie. A 430-some chain is nothing to sneeze at, and even more is *possible*.) Two player mode, which I haven't had a chance to play yet, looks like it could be trippy.

Who else but Sony would think of a game as original as this one. It is such an original idea. Great idea for your kids if they love fire works, because now, they are all year-round. The graphics get a 10, gameplay 9.5, repeat value 5.0. I say this because once you start the game, it is the same thing, no new adventures.