Idkbutlike2
Reviews
Xenogears (PlayStation)
Mechs, mutants, machinations, and lots of half-assed gameplay in between...
The Good
Xenogears is another one of those RPGs that's coveted by a dedicated fanbase and/or hardcore RPG players but is met with either disdain or dislike by everyone else. Coming out in an era when Squaresoft tried to sort of recreate its image through the kinds of themes present in their games, Xenogears is another sci-fi fantasy RPG, combining elements of advanced technology, religious and psychoanalytical philosophy, and to some extent, magic. And as with many Squaresoft RPGs, the game's strong point is its plot. Xenogears tells the story of Fei, who after "accidentally" laying waste to what he thinks is his home village, goes off on a journey to find his place in life. But what starts off as a cliche quest for soul searching turns into an epic tale of several millennia of human progress on a distant Earth, and a battle for the ultimate fate of those humans. And if that's not for you, you also get to duke it out in giant mechs called Gears. And who doesn't like giants robots, eh?
The Bad
Well, I hope you enjoyed reading the previous section of this review because frankly, that's all the good stuff I could say about this game. While the concept of this game's story seems brilliant, it is executed in a dull and slow-paced fashion. I honestly have no idea how Squaresoft thought they could stuff this much plot into a two disc RPG without it gobbling up hours of gameplay time, but they certainly didn't do a very good job of it. The amount of text-based cutscenes in this game is just ridiculous. And with the dialogue already being quite poorly written, I found it irritating having to sit through them. And the amount of these scenes just increased as the game went on, with disc two being almost completely comprised of them.
But forget plot and presentation for a minute and digress to a much more important aspect of a video game: the gameplay. This is probably the biggest source of boredom and frustration in this game. The battle system seems fun and different initially, but becomes extremely boring and repetitive as the game goes on. Rarely do you do anything more in a battle than heal your party and use characters' best Death Blows. Oh sure, there are Ether spells in this game, but most of them are just there for show and are borderline useless in most situations. In-Gear battles are a bit better since you actually have to take fuel consumption into account and have Special Options and the Booster feature to use, but don't feel as fun as they should. What also bothers me is how ridiculously easy all the battles in this game are, but I guess that's there to counter the relentless encounter rate in this game.
That leads me to the topic of dungeons and cities. Most of the locales in this game are pretty boring. The NPCs don't say anything interesting, and there's little more to do than to shop and find some way to progress the plot. Okay, maybe one or two towns DO offer a mini-game for you mess around with, but they're hardly worth your time. The dungeons in this game are quite tedious and poorly designed. In a lot of them, all the rooms look the same, and while I could forgive this in an 8-bit or 16-bit RPGs which have a static overhead view, in Xenogears you're often forced to rotate your camera within dungeons to know where to go, which quickly makes you lose your sense of direction since only two dungeons in the game actually have maps, and you're forced to figure out where to go by yourself. Combine that with sloppy platforming elements, annoying puzzles, and a high random battle encounter rate and you the perfect recipe for gamer rage.
One last complaint I have about this game is a lack of any interesting side quests or dungeons. I know a few bonus areas open up near the end of the game, but only one of them is actually somewhat pertinent to the plot and offers something useful inside it. The rest are just plain stupid and pointless.
The Bottom Line
Xenogears is one of those games that you either love, hate, or don't care about whatsoever. It is an unconventional RPG that tried to set itself apart which a complex plot and unique gameplay elements which honestly didn't impress me. The dungeons and towns are boring, the battle system is underdeveloped, and there are just way too many cutscenes. If you like to play games just for the plot, then you will probably thoroughly enjoy this game, but if you like RPGs with lots of fun side quests, interesting dungeons, and a good battle system, then look elsewhere.
By Idkbutlike2 on February 16, 2011
Sparkster (SNES)
A great spin-off/sequel to an awesome Genesis platformer.
The Good
Sparkster does a good job in maintaining the many positive aspects of Rocket Knight Adventures. The gameplay and level design are fun and diverse like its predecessor, and zooming around on your rocket pack is as satisfying as it ever was. The graphics are very well designed, with neat-looking sprites, colorful level designs, and a few clever uses of Mode 7. The music is also as good with catchy, well-composed tracks that accompany each of the game's seven stages.
The Bad
There's really not much wrong with this game. My only problem when initially playing the game was getting used to the controls, which felt different from those in Rocket Knight Adventures mainly because the rocket pack in this game is much faster, and learning to roll from side to side effectively took a little practice. Another thing that some people might not like is that the game isn't a true sequel to Rocket Knight Adventure, since its plot doesn't really follow it chronologically. As for me, I really couldn't give a crap about plot in an action platformer, and if you don't either, than this isn't a problem.
The Bottom Line
Sparkster is a great addition to the Rocket Knight series. It is a fun platformer with excellent gameplay, graphics, and music. In my opinion, it is better than its very different Genesis counterpart, since it plays a lot more like Rocket Knight Adventures. Anyone who has played RKA or is a fan of 2D action platformers should check out this game. I highly recommend it.
By Idkbutlike2 on October 24, 2010
Metroid Fusion (Game Boy Advance)
There's some actual plot this time around!
The Good
Metroid Fusion is a departure from the Metroid series in a lot of ways, but still maintains the many good aspects of the series. The graphics and level design are awesome, and I still find myself wondering how the GBA was capable of such things. There are still plenty of kick-ass boss fights, each one offering you a new power-up. I liked the whole concept of the X parasites too. Being able to absorb them for health and missiles proved more convenient and predictable than the items dropped by enemies in past Metroid games. The length and difficulty of the game are also satisfying, which proved to me (back in the day) that not all handheld titles are short and easy.
The Bad
The main problem with this game is that there's too much text and linearity. You constantly have to wait and read what Adam has to tell you, and it's often a simple objective that you could easily figure out on your own (go in, kill boss, activate something, get out). Also, the fact that you're confined within a sector for each objective greatly decreases the amount of open-ended exploration which you can do, a thing that the rest of the series is greatly known for. However, aside from these minor (in my opinion) problems, the game is still damn good.
The Bottom Line
Metroid Fusion takes the main gameplay mechanics from Super Metroid, and applies them in a different fashion. It's a very different game in the series, but is still worth checking out. And if you don't mind the text and linearity, there is literally nothing keeping you from loving this game.
By Idkbutlike2 on June 25, 2010
Lunar: Eternal Blue (SEGA CD)
Can this sequel blow away the original? Absolutely!
The Good
While Eternal Blue doesn't offer anything new and revolutionary to the RPG genre, it does provide a solid, traditional JRPG experience. Furthermore, it improves nearly every aspect of the original. No longer is the story about some childish "I wanna be a hero!"-type adventure gone wrong, but it's a tale of a world in peril, with many plot twists and revelations that keep you playing, and a cast of interesting characters that have far more depth than the rather static ones in the original.
The graphics in the game are also quite good for its time. The character/enemy sprites and locales have a decent amount of detail, and the animated cutscenes really show what the Sega CD was capable of as a console. The music in the game is good as well, and in my opinion is nearly on par with some PS1 RPG soundtracks. Finally, the localization quality of this game is top notch. With voice acting and tons of cool 90s pop culture references, the localization gives a certain liveliness and sense of humor that no other game at the time had. Working Designs really outdid themselves with this title.
The Bad
My main complaint about this game lies with the "cost" system in this game. Sure, it allows you to control the development of characters' magic directly, but the fact that saving costs something is just plain annoying, and when you're trying to save frequently to avoid being reckless, and/or are in a rush to end a playing session, the last thing you want is to have to fight more random battles to cover saving costs. Other than that, I really have no complaints about this game.
The Bottom Line
While Lunar: Eternal Blue is far from being the biggest, most popular RPG out there, it certainly delivers a satisfying experience. It is a true underrated classic, and is a treat to anyone who's into old-school 16-bit RPGs. I would highly recommend at least giving the game a passing glance. It deserves a lot of praise.
By Idkbutlike2 on June 21, 2010
Chrono Cross (PlayStation)
Forget continuity, just enjoy this game for what it is.
The Good
Chrono Cross is a perfect example of what a good PS1 RPG should be. The graphics, music, and story are very well done, and add a unique touch to the game that no other game has yet to match. The battle system is fun and intuitive, and the whole concept of elements allows for a very organized and customizable array of abilities which you can mix and match to your choosing. And with 45 party members available in the game, you've got a lot of room for experimentation.
The game's setting is another strong point. Throughout this long 2-disc adventure, you'll travel through beaches, swamps, ancient ruins, volcanoes, haunted ships, and even alternate dimensions. But as unrelated as all of these locations sound, they all create a world that is as beautiful as it is dark and mysterious. They really make exploring and progressing the plot fun and exciting.
The Bad
Possibly the only complaint one could have against this game is how different it is from Chrono Trigger. The battle system, characters, and setting resemble very little of what Chrono Trigger had introduced, and leaves lots of plot holes regarding the game's relationship to the original time line. Other than that, there aren't any other problems with this game that aren't completely arbitrary.
The Bottom Line
This is yet another example of Squaresoft's sheer talent in making RPGs, and coming out at a time when RPGs were finally gaining world-wide popularity, it's easy to see why this game is so noteworthy. Every aspect of the game is great in it's own way, ensuring you'll like at least something about it. And to those who are still upset about this game being a bad sequel: think of it as a standalone title. I'm sure you'll enjoy is more that way.
By Idkbutlike2 on May 9, 2010
EarthBound (SNES)
Good game, if you don't mind the kinks
The Good
EarthBound (Mother 2) was pretty original for its time for being an RPG set in a modern world, while most RPGs at the time set in Medieval or "steam punk" environments. This makes it seem much more plain and simple, allowing you to travel, manage money, and find rest areas in the game (hotels, specifically). Humor is also a strength in Earthbound, with wacky characters like Mr. Saturns and the Bubble Monkey, bizarre enemy names, and funny comments heard from talking to various people and examining objects.
The Bad
Hate to be a heart breaker, but this game has some negative aspects. First and foremost, the game's graphics are pretty crappy. Now I know that the companies that developed this game spent 5 years developing the graphics to this game, but that was mainly because of the oblique perspective that the game is presented in. The battle sprites look really bad with all the pixel errors found in them, ranging from a few misplaced colors, to a completely ugly design, such as the boss Frank, and the Shattered Man. Also, some of the music is really bad (although there are a few kick-ass melodies in Earthbound that don't go into this complaint, such as "Threed Freed at Last" and the Summers theme), with some tracks having "electric farts" as percussion, and a bad choice of instruments. I found the "Monkey Maze" track particularly annoying with all the monkey screeches and a nauseatingly repetitive melody.
My final complaint is with the game's mixed difficulty. All too many times, I've found myself playing smoothly for a few parts of the game, and then getting frustrated with amazingly hard spots like the Fourside Department Store, and Magicant (You have to face a bunch of Krakens with just one freaking character!), which isn't good for a game targeted for all ages, because kids easily get mad over a game.
The Bottom Line
EarthBound is a funny, creative, and somewhat original game for its time. Released near the end of the SNES's era, it was rather obscure due to strange marketing, with the "This game stinks!" motto, which I think had a pretty negative appeal to the game due to its low sales in the U.S. It's technologically behind, though it was developed carefully and strenuously, but for all the bad sides to the game, it's positives make well up for it.
Bottom Line: EarthBound's for RPG nerds. An average gamer would hardly be interested in playing this game without having played other RPGs around the same time period. Nowadays the only logical way of playing the game is through emulation, since the rarity of the cartridge has made it worth around $100 and a horribly low chance of the game being released on Virtual Console due to the many copyright infringements unintentionally present in the game (find out about these from another source).
By Idkbutlike2 on March 2, 2010
Secret of Mana (SNES)
A great early Action RPG
The Good
Aside from the highly arbitrary statement of "This is my favorite SNES Action RPG," there a lot of good things about Secret of Mana. It's storyline is well-written, though the script is quite plain, since a lack of cartridge memory caused much of it to be stripped down in the English localization. The graphics are bright and colorful, and show what the SNES was capable of at the time. The music is nice and upbeat, but not too "out there" to the point where it takes away from the game's underlying dark atmosphere. The gameplay is fun and fast-paced, making level grinding actually enjoyable, for once, and the addition of multiplayer is even better!
The Bad
While I truly love this game, there are a few problems that players make come across while playing it. First and foremost, the AI in this game is a bit primitive, and often causes the party members you aren't playing as to get themselves in fatal situations. Bugs are also plentiful, especially when it comes to sprite interactions and collision detection (that's the only term I can associate the phenomenon with). And finally, some players make not like the "Ring Menu" system in the game. Personally, I found this feature rather convenient, but many players who are used to a generic menu system find it a nuisance.
The Bottom Line
Secret of Mana is a great Action RPG, and should be played by anyone interested in RPGs from the 16-bit era. With nice aesthetic touches, a great plot, and multiplayer, it really offers a lot of fun for a 16 Megabit game. I highly recommend trying it out, and for those of you who never owned an SNES, I urge you to stop using emulators and buy this game on the Virtual Console.
By Idkbutlike2 on January 21, 2010
Quake II (Windows)
An underrated classic from id
The Good
Quake II was far ahead of anything else in its time graphics-wise, with vibrant, fully 3D maps and realistic (for its time) enemies. Its fast-paced action lead you through a long campaign where you play the role of Bitterman, a lone soldier trying to take down a killer race of cyborgs called the Strogg. Sure, it's a cliche storyline, but who really gives a damn about plot in an id Software shooter? Multiplayer is also fun, and the ways you can play online has since expanded with a huge amount of fan content. If you're looking for a mindless, "pick up and play"-type first person shooter, this is a great option.
The Bad
As good as Quake II is, it's far from perfect, and contains a few negative aspects. First and foremost is the horrible AI of the campaign enemies. You'd often find these guys running in place, in-fighting, and or dying in traps which are really meant for the players (lasers and lava pits, for the most part). Another major issue is that the game is almost completely unrelated to the original Quake, minus the ubiquitous Quad Damage (who could live without it?). The weapons seem more like those of Doom, with the return of the Shotgun, Super Shotgun, and Chain Gun. The Plasma Gun and BFG are also reincarnated as the Hyperblaster and BFG10K. The Axe, Electrobolt, Nailgun, and the rest of the familiar Quake I weapons are gone. What gives?
The Bottom Line
Quake II is a generally well-done first-person shooter, and offers hours of fun to those who get into it. The graphics, multiplayer capability, and ease of play make it very entertaining. Although it has nearly nothing to do with the original Quake, it is still a genuine id Software FPS, and deserves a larger audience. If you ever get a chance to play this game, and are a fan of old-school shooters, I guarantee you will enjoy it.
By Idkbutlike2 on December 4, 2009
Chrono Trigger (Nintendo DS)
Good ol' Chrono Trigger - with a little more
The Good
Chrono Trigger is by far one the best RPGs I've had a chance to play. With a cool cast of characters and an interesting storyline, you can't go wrong with this one. Now, I admit, it's a little dated, being originally released in 1995, but there are some subtle changes with bring new life into this seemingly worn out title. The most notable ones a huge variety of extras, including the game's entire amazing soundtrack, and all of the animated cutscenes which you can access at your own free will. I found the DS interface a lot more comfortable than the original because you can finally attack an enemy simply by tapping the touch screen rather than having to find them using the pointer, which often didn't move in it's intended direction. The added side missions were also quite fun, and offered a new ending which finally made some solid connection to Chrono Cross.
The Bad
Something... Maybe not...
The Bottom Line
This game is a "must play" for any RPG fan. Now it doesn't really matter what version of the game you play, but the DS version is my favorite, and is the most accessible version at the time. The characters, storyline, gameplay, and perhaps graphics (though they are rather old and unchanged from the original) are just great, and the music quality will blow you away (they had Yasunori Mitsuda AND Nobuo Uematsu working on the soundtrack!). This game is a masterpiece and has stood the test of time (and travelled it!). If you're looking for a fun, entertaining RPG, this is a top choice.
By Idkbutlike2 on July 16, 2009