Ugh, talk about frustrating! Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of those old NES games that just makes you wanna chuck your controller. Controls feel like you're walking on ice, enemies are everywhere, and it's basically impossible to figure out where you're supposed to go. Total clunker.
It's half the first strand type game (as dr. Jekyll) and half a shmup (as Hyde).
Honestly not as bad as I remembered. The first time I played it I just made fun of the game with my best friend. Even if we knew the mechanics from yt videos we just sucked at it.
Now I made it pretty far, but the game throws so much shit at you it's like a bullet hell, so I just quit.
Some times the screen is filled with literal shit, bombs, spiders, and the worst enemy: women running at you. Other times it's a walking simulator.
I can see why it's not well received but it's definitely not one of the worst games of all time. Maybe it's one of the most misunderstood games of all time. It can be hard and frustrating but I like the dynamic of trying to get as far as you can before turning into Hyde, then if you kill enough monsters as Hyde you return where you were with (mostly) full health. There's infinite continues too from what I played. Maybe I'll come back to finish it one day.
Honestly not as bad as I remembered. The first time I played it I just made fun of the game with my best friend. Even if we knew the mechanics from yt videos we just sucked at it.
Now I made it pretty far, but the game throws so much shit at you it's like a bullet hell, so I just quit.
Some times the screen is filled with literal shit, bombs, spiders, and the worst enemy: women running at you. Other times it's a walking simulator.
I can see why it's not well received but it's definitely not one of the worst games of all time. Maybe it's one of the most misunderstood games of all time. It can be hard and frustrating but I like the dynamic of trying to get as far as you can before turning into Hyde, then if you kill enough monsters as Hyde you return where you were with (mostly) full health. There's infinite continues too from what I played. Maybe I'll come back to finish it one day.
You think we're silent? Fine. Then I'll say it loud and clear: THE BOOK IS ALWAYS BETTER!
it's good actually https://youtu.be/tNKY_SbMb10?si=RoFEewJ-qae9lExN
hello it is me the real dr jekyl and mr hyde and this game is only kind of bad
This review contains spoilers
What I'll say here will sound counter-intuitive and somewhat inflammatory, but I genuinely believe in what I'll be saying so strap in.
I've attempted to play this game countless times on, let's say not original hardware, and throughout all those attempts I never made a dent past the second level. It is a grueling, tedious slog that sends you back on your way like a Chaplin-esque pratfall at your expense. You as Jekyll, attempting to make your way to your wedding and fighting the Hyde inside you, must face the many MANY obstacles ahead. Whether they be the work of demons silently influencing the townsfolk or natural mishaps and provocations that'll send Jekyll over the edge to Hyde. You are challenged to keep Jekyll calm amidst this constant chaos lest he turn to Hyde and either regain his composure or die right where he began.
As I've said, it is grueling, it is tedious, and I haven't even seen far into the game myself. However I can't help but be captivated by anti-game meta narrative at play, intended or not it gives me the kind of feeling that might drive people who play Pathologic to keep going with that game. You have to succeed as Jekyll, resist temptation of falling back as Hyde and being overwhelmed by your demons and triumph non-violently, turning the other cheek to all the vitriol the game itself throws at you. It's a Sisyphean task, and isn't that enticing in of itself? I don't have to beat it to appreciate that built into the very gameplay is a greek tragedy that instills the horror of the original story into the meta narrative, that instills it within the player. Maybe I'm a masochist, but I'll pop this game in every now and then just to enjoy the atmosphere of it all, the beautiful daytime stroll belying the bubbling anxiety and dread of becoming the monster again and undoing the progress you've so carefully maintained.
And I do have to compliment the atmosphere, the artistry of the game. The music has this victorian gothic kind of flavor that sets the mood for the game perfectly, and the pixel art just as well. The palette chosen and the black outlined style pixel art make for a kind of pulpy horror feel that is just great, especially in the Hyde section under the moonlight and with everything in ruins and facing ugly odd demons. It's the NES sure, and it's primitive, but I think they made the most with the limitations and it makes for a good horror mood. Add to that the limited story that, without dialogue presents itself clearly and the stakes understood through its' gameplay. I really appreciate the effort put into making a good and bad ending, however limited, that feels true to the story and doesn't just give a saccharine happy end. The boss fight at the end, which in the Japanese version when the boss dies has a silhouette of the main demon impaled on the Church's cross, and that's a pretty damn awesome conclusion, as well as the ambiguity of the wedding scene where the monster in Jekyll still lives... It's just real neat little story details! And while nes RPGs and games like Ninja Gaiden have more fleshed out stories, the implied story in this game plus the gameplay further nailing down the themes makes it special in my eyes.
All this to say, I'll probably never beat this game in my lifetime, and there's a lot unfair about it that could be done better. Could this game having a dodge roll for Jekyll make it so much better? I think so, as a further nonviolent approach, but maybe that clashes with the whole idea of Jekyll "keeping his composure". All in all, I think this game does something really cool with its sparse horror narrative, its chilling atmosphere and art, and anxiety inducing gameplay that comes together to make a game that is a futile effort that you can appreciate. This could've been just a Castlevania type throw potions to kill enemies as Jekyll and save the princess type game par for the course, and a lot of people wanted that out of it I think. But I really DO appreciate it as this kinda anti-game where you have to beat it as a composed non-violent Jekyll, perhaps stumbling as Hyde along the way, but still just moving forward against all the frustration and odds with a brisk walk through the English countryside.
TL;DR : This but unironically https://youtu.be/EjXn5qiM8Zw?t=903
I've attempted to play this game countless times on, let's say not original hardware, and throughout all those attempts I never made a dent past the second level. It is a grueling, tedious slog that sends you back on your way like a Chaplin-esque pratfall at your expense. You as Jekyll, attempting to make your way to your wedding and fighting the Hyde inside you, must face the many MANY obstacles ahead. Whether they be the work of demons silently influencing the townsfolk or natural mishaps and provocations that'll send Jekyll over the edge to Hyde. You are challenged to keep Jekyll calm amidst this constant chaos lest he turn to Hyde and either regain his composure or die right where he began.
As I've said, it is grueling, it is tedious, and I haven't even seen far into the game myself. However I can't help but be captivated by anti-game meta narrative at play, intended or not it gives me the kind of feeling that might drive people who play Pathologic to keep going with that game. You have to succeed as Jekyll, resist temptation of falling back as Hyde and being overwhelmed by your demons and triumph non-violently, turning the other cheek to all the vitriol the game itself throws at you. It's a Sisyphean task, and isn't that enticing in of itself? I don't have to beat it to appreciate that built into the very gameplay is a greek tragedy that instills the horror of the original story into the meta narrative, that instills it within the player. Maybe I'm a masochist, but I'll pop this game in every now and then just to enjoy the atmosphere of it all, the beautiful daytime stroll belying the bubbling anxiety and dread of becoming the monster again and undoing the progress you've so carefully maintained.
And I do have to compliment the atmosphere, the artistry of the game. The music has this victorian gothic kind of flavor that sets the mood for the game perfectly, and the pixel art just as well. The palette chosen and the black outlined style pixel art make for a kind of pulpy horror feel that is just great, especially in the Hyde section under the moonlight and with everything in ruins and facing ugly odd demons. It's the NES sure, and it's primitive, but I think they made the most with the limitations and it makes for a good horror mood. Add to that the limited story that, without dialogue presents itself clearly and the stakes understood through its' gameplay. I really appreciate the effort put into making a good and bad ending, however limited, that feels true to the story and doesn't just give a saccharine happy end. The boss fight at the end, which in the Japanese version when the boss dies has a silhouette of the main demon impaled on the Church's cross, and that's a pretty damn awesome conclusion, as well as the ambiguity of the wedding scene where the monster in Jekyll still lives... It's just real neat little story details! And while nes RPGs and games like Ninja Gaiden have more fleshed out stories, the implied story in this game plus the gameplay further nailing down the themes makes it special in my eyes.
All this to say, I'll probably never beat this game in my lifetime, and there's a lot unfair about it that could be done better. Could this game having a dodge roll for Jekyll make it so much better? I think so, as a further nonviolent approach, but maybe that clashes with the whole idea of Jekyll "keeping his composure". All in all, I think this game does something really cool with its sparse horror narrative, its chilling atmosphere and art, and anxiety inducing gameplay that comes together to make a game that is a futile effort that you can appreciate. This could've been just a Castlevania type throw potions to kill enemies as Jekyll and save the princess type game par for the course, and a lot of people wanted that out of it I think. But I really DO appreciate it as this kinda anti-game where you have to beat it as a composed non-violent Jekyll, perhaps stumbling as Hyde along the way, but still just moving forward against all the frustration and odds with a brisk walk through the English countryside.
TL;DR : This but unironically https://youtu.be/EjXn5qiM8Zw?t=903
It's easier to walk in real life than in this game
I kinda like the theory that this game is actually some sort of meta commentary on how much more rewarding being bad is, while the good guy takes unfair punishment, but that in the end, you still need to be the good guy to win. It dosent make the game fun, but that was never the point was it.
That being said, I cannot know if that was the point.
That being said, I cannot know if that was the point.
From hell.
honestly kind of underrated because of avgn. it's shit but tries something different and it was fun for me to figure that stuff out
I'm gonna go ahead and play devil's advocate against everyones wishes here. I really don't think this game is actually as horrible as it's made out to be.
Yes, as Jekyll you're mostly defenseless against the townsfolk and animals out to get you, but then the game just becomes different and enforces a pacifistic playthrough which gives it some uniqueness from a lot of other shit on the NES. Some of the imagery during the Hyde sections are pretty cool imo, and I can't help but laugh at Jekyll's insane misfortune and how much of a target to the entire populace he is for reasons unknown. There's a guy shooting ducks! And they just so happen to be falling towards Jekyll's noggin! You can also bribe the horrible singing lady and make her shut up, which to me is fucking great.
"Hey, could you like kindly shut the fuck up? Here's some coins."
I'll give this game big props in that it lets you continue proper while even having Hyde start at the first stage to give you more time to build back up the "stress meter". That alone gives it an edge over so many other crappier games of this era tbh, this game could've easily sent you all the way back to the first screen like so many others but decided not to. If it did, then I would've totally given this a worse score mainly thanks to my next point.
What actually kills the game is the later levels which just throw way too much shit at you. You get bombarded by stampeding bitches in dresses that clothesline the shit out of you and at the same time you have to dodge the bombs with football field-sized hitboxes all while waiting for the spiders to gingerly climb their way back up the tree. Then I think after that one is the awful stage with the rolling barrels. I didn't play enough to make it past the other one. I don't understand why you can kill the bees with your cane, but not the spiders when logically the spiders are much more defenseless and vulnerable to it. I also can't help but feel like the hitboxes on the bombs are rng or different for certain ones, I've had at least one still hit me while I was timing my jump to avoid them as usual which feels like it should get me through provided I don't get clotheslined by one of the townsfolk.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the game is great by any means, I just don't think there's enough here for me to actually despise the shit out of it compared some of the other crap I've played on the same system. At least this game isn't boring me to tears nor is it trying to kill me with strobe lightshow effects like fucking Transformers Mystery of Convoy.
You could do so much worse. Far from the worst on the system, let alone of all time.
Yes, as Jekyll you're mostly defenseless against the townsfolk and animals out to get you, but then the game just becomes different and enforces a pacifistic playthrough which gives it some uniqueness from a lot of other shit on the NES. Some of the imagery during the Hyde sections are pretty cool imo, and I can't help but laugh at Jekyll's insane misfortune and how much of a target to the entire populace he is for reasons unknown. There's a guy shooting ducks! And they just so happen to be falling towards Jekyll's noggin! You can also bribe the horrible singing lady and make her shut up, which to me is fucking great.
"Hey, could you like kindly shut the fuck up? Here's some coins."
I'll give this game big props in that it lets you continue proper while even having Hyde start at the first stage to give you more time to build back up the "stress meter". That alone gives it an edge over so many other crappier games of this era tbh, this game could've easily sent you all the way back to the first screen like so many others but decided not to. If it did, then I would've totally given this a worse score mainly thanks to my next point.
What actually kills the game is the later levels which just throw way too much shit at you. You get bombarded by stampeding bitches in dresses that clothesline the shit out of you and at the same time you have to dodge the bombs with football field-sized hitboxes all while waiting for the spiders to gingerly climb their way back up the tree. Then I think after that one is the awful stage with the rolling barrels. I didn't play enough to make it past the other one. I don't understand why you can kill the bees with your cane, but not the spiders when logically the spiders are much more defenseless and vulnerable to it. I also can't help but feel like the hitboxes on the bombs are rng or different for certain ones, I've had at least one still hit me while I was timing my jump to avoid them as usual which feels like it should get me through provided I don't get clotheslined by one of the townsfolk.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the game is great by any means, I just don't think there's enough here for me to actually despise the shit out of it compared some of the other crap I've played on the same system. At least this game isn't boring me to tears nor is it trying to kill me with strobe lightshow effects like fucking Transformers Mystery of Convoy.
You could do so much worse. Far from the worst on the system, let alone of all time.
Castlevania 2 Simons Quest may be a pretty bad game....
The attack does nothing lol, what were they thinking!!!
50% of the time AVGN reviews a game negatively, he simply exaggerates the negative aspects for comedic effect.
This is not one of those games. This game is well and truly hot garbage. I would rather play Superman 64 from start to finish.
This is not one of those games. This game is well and truly hot garbage. I would rather play Superman 64 from start to finish.
"All it takes is one bad day", the video game. A unique mechanic that had potential, but was worn down by a dull execution.
WHAT DID DR. JEKYLL DO TO DESERVE THIS?!
“The book is always better” people were real silent when this dropped
O jogo ruim dos jogos ruins! É esse cara aqui, ele mesmo, seu polícia! Doutor Jaca e Mister Esconde!
Baseado em um livro incrivelmente famoso, "O Médico e o Monstro", que conta a história de um simpático Doutor que se usa como cobaia para um de seus experimentos, cujo efeito acaba sendo dele se tornar em uma criatura abominável toda vez que se irrita, já deu origem a dezenas de adaptações e paródias na TV e no cinema, inclusive serviu de inspiração para o Incrível Hulk! Então como pode um jogo baseado nessa história ser tão ruim?
O enredo do jogo é que nosso amigo Dr. Jaca vai se casar, então, precisamos guiá-lo até a igreja. É só isso.
Claro, uma vez que você se desvie das crianças arteiras, dos loucos que soltam bombas, de cachorros doidos, gatos abestados abelhas aranhas gigantes pássaros cagões coveiros cantoras pessoas barris bombas cachorros bombas bombaaaaaAAAAAA
Mas claro que você tem uma arma. Você tem uma bengala. Ela não faz nada. Mas você tem uma bengala.
Então, claramente, tudo ali é feito pra deixar o Jaca puto da vida e virar o Mister Esconde. Nesse caso, o jogo fica espelhado, fazendo parecer que você está voltando, mas não é o caso, eu já explico. Neste modo, criaturas grotescas aparecem para te atacar, mas agora você tem ataques de verdade. Um soco fajuto e uma bola de fogo bêbada. Apenas use a bola de fogo que ela uma hora ou outra acerta os inimigos.
Eventualmente, você ganha sanidade o suficiente para voltar a ser Jaca e continuar seu caminho.
O que acontece, todos os ataques que Jaca sofre baixam sua sanidade a ponto de virar Esconde, mas você não quer isso, porque as fases do monstro são o caminho que você já percorreu, mas espelhado, o monstro começa na casa do Jaca, e se ele alcançar o ponto eu que ele se transformou em monstro, um raio atinge ele e vai de arrasta pra cima. ENTÃO COMO SE JOGA ISSO??
Você precisa conseguir chegar são até a última fase (acho que é a quinta), onde aí você precisa trazer o monstro também para lá, que no final da fase no modo monstro, tem um chefe final, que uma vez derrotado, irá revelar o final bom, chegando lá como Jaca depois. Porém, você deve entender que isso é extremamente difícil e nada divertido. Jaca é uma pessoa normal que não consegue se defender de nada! Qualquer ataque que vem contra ele, é quase certo que vai acertar. E além da barra de sanidade, tem uma barra de vida também, então, se você não morrer do raio, vai morrer de tanta merda que te jogam na cara mesmo.
É um jogo que pode ser engraçado de jogar uma vez, fazer seu amigo jogar e ele ficar confuso com tudo que está acontecendo, mas finalizar ele é algo inviável, a quinta fase inclusive começam a te jogar um barril atrás do outro e não tem o que fazer ali, simplesmente.
Única coisa boa que eu posso falar dele é que os cenários no modo Jaca são bem bonitos, fazem muito bom uso da paleta de cores do NES. Mas é, de resto, eu acho que a noiva do Jaca tá querendo dar um fora nele e ele não tá se tocando.
Baseado em um livro incrivelmente famoso, "O Médico e o Monstro", que conta a história de um simpático Doutor que se usa como cobaia para um de seus experimentos, cujo efeito acaba sendo dele se tornar em uma criatura abominável toda vez que se irrita, já deu origem a dezenas de adaptações e paródias na TV e no cinema, inclusive serviu de inspiração para o Incrível Hulk! Então como pode um jogo baseado nessa história ser tão ruim?
O enredo do jogo é que nosso amigo Dr. Jaca vai se casar, então, precisamos guiá-lo até a igreja. É só isso.
Claro, uma vez que você se desvie das crianças arteiras, dos loucos que soltam bombas, de cachorros doidos, gatos abestados abelhas aranhas gigantes pássaros cagões coveiros cantoras pessoas barris bombas cachorros bombas bombaaaaaAAAAAA
Mas claro que você tem uma arma. Você tem uma bengala. Ela não faz nada. Mas você tem uma bengala.
Então, claramente, tudo ali é feito pra deixar o Jaca puto da vida e virar o Mister Esconde. Nesse caso, o jogo fica espelhado, fazendo parecer que você está voltando, mas não é o caso, eu já explico. Neste modo, criaturas grotescas aparecem para te atacar, mas agora você tem ataques de verdade. Um soco fajuto e uma bola de fogo bêbada. Apenas use a bola de fogo que ela uma hora ou outra acerta os inimigos.
Eventualmente, você ganha sanidade o suficiente para voltar a ser Jaca e continuar seu caminho.
O que acontece, todos os ataques que Jaca sofre baixam sua sanidade a ponto de virar Esconde, mas você não quer isso, porque as fases do monstro são o caminho que você já percorreu, mas espelhado, o monstro começa na casa do Jaca, e se ele alcançar o ponto eu que ele se transformou em monstro, um raio atinge ele e vai de arrasta pra cima. ENTÃO COMO SE JOGA ISSO??
Você precisa conseguir chegar são até a última fase (acho que é a quinta), onde aí você precisa trazer o monstro também para lá, que no final da fase no modo monstro, tem um chefe final, que uma vez derrotado, irá revelar o final bom, chegando lá como Jaca depois. Porém, você deve entender que isso é extremamente difícil e nada divertido. Jaca é uma pessoa normal que não consegue se defender de nada! Qualquer ataque que vem contra ele, é quase certo que vai acertar. E além da barra de sanidade, tem uma barra de vida também, então, se você não morrer do raio, vai morrer de tanta merda que te jogam na cara mesmo.
É um jogo que pode ser engraçado de jogar uma vez, fazer seu amigo jogar e ele ficar confuso com tudo que está acontecendo, mas finalizar ele é algo inviável, a quinta fase inclusive começam a te jogar um barril atrás do outro e não tem o que fazer ali, simplesmente.
Única coisa boa que eu posso falar dele é que os cenários no modo Jaca são bem bonitos, fazem muito bom uso da paleta de cores do NES. Mas é, de resto, eu acho que a noiva do Jaca tá querendo dar um fora nele e ele não tá se tocando.
Though I can respect how the developers at-least tried to tie some of the story's themes into the gameplay, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the NES has earned its notoriety with its awful, sluggish, and frustrating gameplay, confusing and punishing design, and ruthless difficulty. As a wise man once said, "I've had more fun playing with dog turds!"
I knew it's bad but I didn't know it's that bad
An interesting concept severely brought down by the incredibly unfair difficulty the game has.
Not to sound like a jerk, but i'm positive all the 1 word reviews on this game are from people that only watched the AVGN episode rather than actually play the game. Yeah, the game itself isn't really too good, but its not too bad. The whole premise of the game is to avoid damage as Jekyll and get as far as you can. This game is pretty much a really early example of a pacifist run. You're not allowed to hurt anyone because Jekyll is supposed to be good. But once you become Hyde, you want to murder anything that gets in your way. But if you go all the way to the start as Hyde (Hyde's stages are Jekyll's in reverse), then you die automatically. This game is also pretty ambitious as it has 2 endings. Completing the game like normal will net you the regular ending. But beating the game under a specific condition and defeating the only boss in this game gets you a special ending. Weither or not its worth getting this ending is up to you and how you view this game. The game itself is still not a very good game and can bore the average gamer who isn't dedicated in actually seeing the end of this long pacifist run.
This is really not as bad as everyone memes it to be.
This review contains spoilers
It's not good
I played it on emulator for a total of 5 minutes for a laugh 10 years ago because of AVGN like a lot of other people lmfao. Funny game
Yes this is as bad as people said it was.
what were they thinking????????????,?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Bruh
bruh