In Lufia Curse of the Sinistrals we have a ground-up reimagining of what gamers knew as Lufia 2 for Super Nintendo. Curse of the Sinistrals features the same characters, the same monsters, and the same basic plot outline as Lufia 2, but with a totally new script, new dungeons, new puzzles, and is now an Action/RPG instead of a turn-based experience. When we had some hands-on play time on the show floor, Natsume promised that even for people who have completely memorized Lufia 2, this will be a completely new experience.

The good-against-bad plot centers on four evil characters known as the Sinistrals, who are determined to destroy the world. Playing as one of four characters in your party, you roam the world in both Exploration and Battle Mode, with battles completed in real time. The bosses are especially nice, some of them taking up both screens on the DS and showcasing some nice visual effects. Switching between characters and outfitting them through your exploits makes it seem relatively simple to craft the gameplay experience to your liking. As one character falls, another steps in to finish the battle.

Extra touches that we liked include little things like allowing all characters in the party to gain experience, so everyone remains at around the same level. There is great nostalgia appeal here, and fans of the Super Nintendo release will also be pleasantly surprised at the extent to which Lufia Curse of the Sinistrals has been reshaped. Curse of the Sinistrals is a title that looks good and plays nice already, which is great considering that we'll see it this year, some time in the third quarter.