Reader Reviews

Star Review: Densha De Go! (PS2)

by st3ph3n

"Densha De what!?" I hear you say. "Densha De Go!" I respond, it means "Lets go by Train!", so shall we? This is a quintessential (perhaps first time I've used that word ever) piece of Japanese gaming that everyone should try at least once. The premise is simple - drive a Train from A to B stopping at various stations along the way. All very pedestrian and dull when you think about it, I mean trains don't even have steering wheels (yet the drivers get paid a fortune for driving them). Once you've negotiated the utterly impenetrable Japanese menus (a game unto its self) then you'll suddenly find yourself behind the... er, not wheel, driving control implements, yes that'll do.

Now it gets interesting.

You'll instantly hit the accelerator and find that not everyone is on the train, congratulations! You've killed five Japanese schoolgirls in those sailor outfits. Go straight to jail, do not pass Densha de go!, do not collect your train licence.

You restart, this time you wait until you get some crazy Japanese warning on the screen, delivered by an anime style Japanese lady of course, and now you go. More crazy Japanese warnings are flashed at you, but you ignore them as you race through Japan at 200mph in the Shinkansen. Then suddenly, shit, train station approaching! You cut the gas, reach for the brakes and apply them. AAARHRHGHGH! Too much brake, you've sent another five Japanese schoolgirls flying about the carriages (this time you get a nice up-skirt in the animation window). You ease off and you slowly pull into the station. You find you're actually not dead on time and have missed the target (either early or late) by a whopping five seconds. You've brought incredible shame on your family; there is no way to save face. You've now quit the railways because of your ineptitude and will later in the day commit suicide to save further embarrassment for your family. A far cry from the British railways I'm sure you'll agree.

This game is like record breakers, you'll need plenty of dedication if you want to do well, and it's hosted by Cheryl Baker. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but Densha is a game you can play with your mates and just piss yourself laughing at as you each fail miserably at your given task, but still come back for more because it is such good fun.