Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter

Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter
Nintendo DS box art.
Developer(s)	5th Cell (DS) Planet Moon Studios (Wii)
Publisher(s)	THQ
Director(s)	Jeremiah Slaczka (DS)
Designer(s)	Matt Pellicane (DS) Jeremiah Slaczka (DS)
Artist(s)	Edison Yan (DS) Paul Robertson (DS) David Hellman (DS)
Composer(s)	David J Franco (DS) Rich Vreeland (Wii) & Others (Wii)
Series	Drawn to Life
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS, Wii
Release date(s)	AUS October 8, 2009 EU October 16, 2009 NA October 27, 2009
Genre(s)	Action-Adventure/Platform
Rating(s)	ESRB: E OFLC: G PEGI: 3

Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter is the title of two sequels of the video game Drawn to Life, published by THQ. One of the games was developed by 5th Cell for the Nintendo DS, while the other was created by Planet Moon Studios for the Wii.^[1][2]

Plot (Nintendo DS version)

The game begins with a surreal sequence, wherein an unknown party asks the player "What do you remember about that day?" The player is given several dialogue choices that build a cohesive description of "that day," though at this time, the player is not aware of the event's importance (or even occurrence). Before the game properly begins, the player is asked to draw an image depicting this mysterious scene, introducing them to the game's core "draw" functionality.

Following this is an animation sequence wherein a Raposa character from the previous game, Heather, recovers from a nightmare. She is shown to possess a red-colored jewel pendant, which later plays an important role in guiding the characters to various places in the game world. In the same sequence, Heather is abducted by a darkness which emanated from a scepter she discovered in a beached treasure chest in the middle of the night. The next morning, when the other characters realize she's missing, a search for her is dramatically cut short by the appearance of the last game's antagonist, Wilfre, who causes the majority of the Raposa villagers to vanish, reveals himself as Heather's captor, and ultimately destroys the village itself. The remaining characters (Mari, Jowee, Issac and his daughter, Pirate Beard, Mike, and Crazy Barks) flee to the back of a massive turtle delivered, upon request, by the Creator (understood to be the person playing the game).

Their numbers sorely reduced and their home ruined, the game follows the Raposa's struggle to reunite with their fellows and, with the aid of the Creator's endowed avatar (the Hero, drawn and controlled by the player), defeat the villain Wilfre before he can realize his as-yet unknown goals.

Ending

During the last level of Wilfre's Wasteland, Wilfre kills the hero and starts absorbing color from it, supposedly destroying it. The villagers from the Turtle Ship, Watersong, Lavasteam, and Galactic Jungle all pray for the hero to revive. The hero revives but Wilfre returns with the creation that Mari built. After the hero defeats Wilfre, he morphs into Sock, Salem, then himself, and then vanquishes off, leaving Heather behind. Wilfre could have gotten away, as there is a small bar of health left when you defeat him.

The Hero then returns with Heather. Then, Mari told the Creator they are now ready. The Creator puts out the Eternal Flame. All the Raposa (except Mike) disappeared. The screen turns black then to white. Also, the same description of "that night" is displayed. As Heather prayed "God, just bring back my little brother to me" a set of drawings was seen on the credits.

The credits begin with photo stills which depict Heather, Mike and their parents going home from a carnival, eventually being invloved in a car crash. Later, Mike wakes up from his coma, and Heather hugs him out of joy. The final photo shows doll versions of Jowee and Mari which were won from the carnival. It is assumed that the Raposa world was destroyed as Mike woke up, but not confirmed. Strangly, Once the game is beaten, you can find Mike sleeping on the bed in the Main Menu, meaning that now Mike is awake again out of the game world, yet the world isn't destroyed.

Plot (Wii version)

The Raposa village has been in peace for a long time until items from the city start disappearing. Mari (now the mayor) asks the Creator to draw a new hero for help. Jowee (Mari's close friend) believes that Zsasha (a well known thief) has stolen the items and gone off to Jangala. The hero and Jowee (who loves adventure) go off to Jangala to find Zsasha, who has been held captive for days by the monkey king. Shadow walkers appear; invading Jangala. After the hero defeats them and saves Zsasha, the monkey king gives them a strage mask (which will later be important to the story). Mari realizes Zsasha did not steal the items. Mari and her assistant Circi wonder who the thief is. Mari believes Wilfre might be the thief. To make sure if Wilfre is alive Mari sends the hero (and Jowee) to Shadow City. Soon the hero finds the ink factory working again creating shadows. The hero then finds Wilfre's journal which holds a plot to destroy the Creator. They must get; branches from the tree of ages, the eternal furnace, a pen and pencil, (which they already have) and a magic mask (which they also have, given to them by the monkey king). Mari sends the hero to Icy Wastes to find the eternal furnace. While there, a strange shadow creature appears stealing it. The shadow creature is unknown but resembles a Raposa girl. Soon in the Eastern Winds the tree of ages is in danger. After fighting off the shadow creatures the hero saves the tree. Mari is happy Wilfre's plan has failed till Circi reveals she's Wilfre's wife. She uses the items that the hero had found to make creation ink and recreate Wilfre, but she can't remember what he looks like. She keeps on drawing pictures of him but they don't resemble Wilfre. After throwing away the pictures they begin to combine together creating a monster. The items used for creating the monster combine into it too. The village is flooded with ink and the monster. The hero fights the dark monster in a final showdown defeating it.

Reception

The game received positive to mixed reviews. Gamesradar gave the DS version 7 out of 10, stating it "doesn’t do enough to improve the bits of the original that weren’t so great first time round, but still entertaining."^[3] while the Wii version got 5 out of 10.^[4] IGN says "both versions pack pieces of greatness but neither end up being anything but a passable platformer," giving 6.7 for the DS version and 6.2 for the Wii version.^[5][6] Nintendo Power gave the DS version an 8 out of 10, while the Wii version received a 7 out of 10.

References

1. ^ http://www.nintendoeverything.com/?p=16810
2. ^ http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=18548
3. ^ http://www.gamesradar.com/ds/drawn-to-life-the-next-chapter/review/drawn-to-life-the-next-chapter/a-2009102714212119022/g-20090604135011643086
4. ^ http://www.gamesradar.com/wii/drawn-to-life-the-next-chapter/review/drawn-to-life-the-next-chapter/a-200910271411749079/g-20090604135314225060
5. ^ http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/103/1039465p1.html
6. ^ http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/104/1040261p1.html

External links

• Official Site (International)
• Official Nintendo page
• Interview with developers at IGN