I never "got" Earthbound. I respect it, but I just couldn't really vibe with it how I wanted to. So when I tried its predecessor on a whim, I was expecting to bounce off it pretty quickly... But to my complete and utter surprise, I adored Mother. I don't think I've played a single NES game that resonated with me more.
On a purely presentation level, I love everything Mother is going for. The story manages to do so much with so little, using the NES's limited capabilities to tell a subtle but deceptively deep narrative that feels like a punch in the gut once you realize what it's all meant. The simple Peanuts-inspired artstyle is so cozy and charming, but can also feel haunting in how empty the game can feel at times. I love how Magicant starts off as this overwhelmingly surreal location, but as you return there more and more, it starts to become familiar and homely. I love the robust rock-influenced soundtrack, the existential dread of Youngtown, the abundance of weird and memorable setpieces like the desert tank and the early-game poltergeist, and the harrowingly desperate and personal final boss fight that had me more on edge than anything I've played in a while.
As for the gameplay, yeah, it's flawed. Its battle mechanics can feel archaic, its balancing can feel all over the place, and some of its puzzles can feel quite cryptic, but as someone who's played their fair share of NES RPGs, Mother is incredibly generous. The run button makes exploring Mother's massive open world an absolute treat, you get so many great grinding opportunities and immensely powerful PSI spells and are never really at a lack of options, and for all the complaints I've heard about the grinding in this game, I was stunned at how tightly-paced it is regardless. Even with the times I took stopped to grind up my party, Mother took me less time to beat than any of the Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy games on the NES yet still managed to cover far more ground. Like yeah, Mother is probably the grindiest Nintendo RPG, but that's not really saying much.
I honestly didn't expect Earthbound Beginnings, of all games, to be the one to help me understand the appeal of the Mother series, but it's funny how things work out sometimes. I think they're the kinds of games that may rub you the wrong way at first, but if you just give them a bit of your time, they'll make it worth your while. I gave Mother a chance and was immensely rewarded with one of the most sincere and affecting adventures the NES has to offer, and now I can say I'm excited to do the same with its sequels someday.
And if Mother's combat is still too much for you, play a mod. Literally any mod, there's so many out there. There is a version of Mother for everyone, and everyone should experience this one-of-a-kind game.
On a purely presentation level, I love everything Mother is going for. The story manages to do so much with so little, using the NES's limited capabilities to tell a subtle but deceptively deep narrative that feels like a punch in the gut once you realize what it's all meant. The simple Peanuts-inspired artstyle is so cozy and charming, but can also feel haunting in how empty the game can feel at times. I love how Magicant starts off as this overwhelmingly surreal location, but as you return there more and more, it starts to become familiar and homely. I love the robust rock-influenced soundtrack, the existential dread of Youngtown, the abundance of weird and memorable setpieces like the desert tank and the early-game poltergeist, and the harrowingly desperate and personal final boss fight that had me more on edge than anything I've played in a while.
As for the gameplay, yeah, it's flawed. Its battle mechanics can feel archaic, its balancing can feel all over the place, and some of its puzzles can feel quite cryptic, but as someone who's played their fair share of NES RPGs, Mother is incredibly generous. The run button makes exploring Mother's massive open world an absolute treat, you get so many great grinding opportunities and immensely powerful PSI spells and are never really at a lack of options, and for all the complaints I've heard about the grinding in this game, I was stunned at how tightly-paced it is regardless. Even with the times I took stopped to grind up my party, Mother took me less time to beat than any of the Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy games on the NES yet still managed to cover far more ground. Like yeah, Mother is probably the grindiest Nintendo RPG, but that's not really saying much.
I honestly didn't expect Earthbound Beginnings, of all games, to be the one to help me understand the appeal of the Mother series, but it's funny how things work out sometimes. I think they're the kinds of games that may rub you the wrong way at first, but if you just give them a bit of your time, they'll make it worth your while. I gave Mother a chance and was immensely rewarded with one of the most sincere and affecting adventures the NES has to offer, and now I can say I'm excited to do the same with its sequels someday.
And if Mother's combat is still too much for you, play a mod. Literally any mod, there's so many out there. There is a version of Mother for everyone, and everyone should experience this one-of-a-kind game.
My team consists of Faggot, Dyke, Furas and Queer. My fave food is piss which sometimes makes great Disco Elysium references during gameplay
(edit: unfortunately giving up on it for now and probably will just watch a walkthrough on yt. The gameplay from what I experienced so far just getting lost on a gigantic and mostly empty map and re-living the Zubat cave from Pokemon except you can't escape)
(edit: unfortunately giving up on it for now and probably will just watch a walkthrough on yt. The gameplay from what I experienced so far just getting lost on a gigantic and mostly empty map and re-living the Zubat cave from Pokemon except you can't escape)
i like how this game rewards your curiosity. many cases where i just randomly went to examine something i thought was peculiar and it gave me something i needed to progress. i think the game couldve incentivized this more with some more responses for your checks then just "no problem" but i understand nes had its limitations. soundtrack is very moving as well. the overworld theme, the castle of magicant, the indoors theme, will remain in my mind for many years
Não zerei. Mano, eu passei MUITO tempo no Mt. Itoi, MUITO TEMPO no Mt. Itoi. Desde o ano passado eu estava tentando passar desse inferno, as vezes ficava semanas sem jogar, todas as vezes saia frustrado, QUASE CONSEGUI. Até que... Meu celular foi roubado.
Eu estava jogando em um emulador de Famicom no celular. Isso teve algumas implicações: O software tinha uma versão premium ( que eu não comprei ), eu não conseguia diminuir o volume no jogo, não conseguia "acelerar" e também não conseguia usar Save State. Eu ressalto essas coisas pois EU PASSEI MUITA RAIVA nesse jogo, DUNCAN FACTORY é um lugar amaldiçoado. Esse jogo é DURO, ele vai te maltratar, ele vai cuspir na sua cara, ele vai rir de você. Mas PORRA, poucas vezes eu tive uma experiência tão marcante com alguma obra artistica, esse jogo é LINDO caralho.
Desde o primeiro momento que eu tive que deitar um Hippie no pau na primeira rota, até o eu pegar um tanque e depois me aventurar numa caverna de macacos mentirosos. Apesar do penar da gameplay, pqp, parece que os devs e o tal do Itoi estavam numa inspiração divina pra elaborar essa aventura bizarra e esses diálogos escalafobéticos. Nunca senti tanto ódio quanto, em Snowman, um local muito do filho da puta espirrou na minha cara e me deixou gripado todo fudido, ou então quando eu falei com um velho e ele LOTOU MEU INVENTÁRIO COM UMA QUANTIA CÔMICA E ENORME DE TOOTHBRUSH. Eu entrei numa boate, aceitei bebida de uma mulher e APARECEU UM POLÍCIAL DO NADA E ME LEVOU PRO XILINDRÓ PQ O NINTEN É MENOR DE IDADE E NÃO DEVERIA BEBER.
Que trilha sonora da porra também, talvez a maior protagonista na imersão em Mother. Recomendo fortemente o álbum [ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/keiichi-suzuki-hirokazu-tanaka/mother/ ]. Se esse jogo não fosse o bagulho mais penoso de jogar, tendo 3000 inimigos seguidos a cada 5 passos e um balanceamento patético, seria o melhor jogo já feito na história da humanidade (Arte 2). O que me deixa muito curioso de como será Earthbound e Mother 3.
Um dia vou jogar novamente, vencer o Mt. Itoi e zerar esse jogo, um dia.
Eu estava jogando em um emulador de Famicom no celular. Isso teve algumas implicações: O software tinha uma versão premium ( que eu não comprei ), eu não conseguia diminuir o volume no jogo, não conseguia "acelerar" e também não conseguia usar Save State. Eu ressalto essas coisas pois EU PASSEI MUITA RAIVA nesse jogo, DUNCAN FACTORY é um lugar amaldiçoado. Esse jogo é DURO, ele vai te maltratar, ele vai cuspir na sua cara, ele vai rir de você. Mas PORRA, poucas vezes eu tive uma experiência tão marcante com alguma obra artistica, esse jogo é LINDO caralho.
Desde o primeiro momento que eu tive que deitar um Hippie no pau na primeira rota, até o eu pegar um tanque e depois me aventurar numa caverna de macacos mentirosos. Apesar do penar da gameplay, pqp, parece que os devs e o tal do Itoi estavam numa inspiração divina pra elaborar essa aventura bizarra e esses diálogos escalafobéticos. Nunca senti tanto ódio quanto, em Snowman, um local muito do filho da puta espirrou na minha cara e me deixou gripado todo fudido, ou então quando eu falei com um velho e ele LOTOU MEU INVENTÁRIO COM UMA QUANTIA CÔMICA E ENORME DE TOOTHBRUSH. Eu entrei numa boate, aceitei bebida de uma mulher e APARECEU UM POLÍCIAL DO NADA E ME LEVOU PRO XILINDRÓ PQ O NINTEN É MENOR DE IDADE E NÃO DEVERIA BEBER.
Que trilha sonora da porra também, talvez a maior protagonista na imersão em Mother. Recomendo fortemente o álbum [ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/keiichi-suzuki-hirokazu-tanaka/mother/ ]. Se esse jogo não fosse o bagulho mais penoso de jogar, tendo 3000 inimigos seguidos a cada 5 passos e um balanceamento patético, seria o melhor jogo já feito na história da humanidade (Arte 2). O que me deixa muito curioso de como será Earthbound e Mother 3.
Um dia vou jogar novamente, vencer o Mt. Itoi e zerar esse jogo, um dia.
Кажется, я теперь понимаю почему о первой части вообще никто не вспоминает. Самая душная JRPG на моей памяти. Единственная игра, где внезапная битва может наступить ступив один шаг после предыдущей. Из-за этого прохождение растянулось на добрые полгода. Накидываю один дополнительный бал только из-за того, что это дед породивший на свет вторую часть.
Not as good but still good