Jteich2
Note: This playthrough of Oracle of Seasons was played as the sequel to Oracle of Ages via the Linked Game feature
What strikes me most about Oracle of Seasons is how different the overall experience feels from Oracle of Ages. While both games in the duology were released on the same day in 2001 and look similar at a glance, Zelda fans of the era were treated to two unique adventures. A common refrain for these games is that Ages focuses on puzzles while Seasons focuses on combat. I personally find this view is a bit simplistic as dungeons in both games contain elements of puzzles and action. Rather, each of these games channel different modes of exploration that the Zelda series tends to draw from. And these modes of exploration can clearly be seen through the design of each game's overworld.
Oracle of Ages is a puzzle-led exploratory action game. The world of Labrynna is, as its name suggests, a labyrinth. It is confusing to navigate around and requires using your items to puzzle out the path to the next dungeon via the present and past timeline maps. There are specific routes and combinations of items that need to be used to navigate its world.
Oracle of Seasons is a discovery-led exploratory action game. While the overworld still gates specific areas until you get a specific item, you can explore much more of the overworld in a freeform manner. The map doesn't feel nearly as constrained in how you can navigate it. The featured item of the game, the Rod of Seasons, can manipulate how you traverse the overworld by changing the season while standing on a tree stump. This enables the discovery-led exploration. The flow of the game is such that you find a new area with a stump, manipulate the seasons, and explore the surrounding area to discover new changes in the overworld that will allow you to traverse forward. You are also encouraged to keep an eye out during exploration since secret caves, staircases, and portals can become available to you as the seasons change.
With an emphasis on discovery via exploration, Seasons specifically feels like a spiritual successor to the original Legend of Zelda on NES. Having just played the original Zelda, it was fun to spot all of the connections! The manner in which you navigate to Dungeon 1 and its appearance on the outside directly resembles Dungeon 1 in the original Zelda. Seasons also has a mechanic where you can burn bushes, bomb caves, and find other mysterious entrances to reveal old men that do a variety of things. Like in Zelda 1, these characters can steal your money, give you money, or other provide other fun secrets. Even some of the Zelda 1 dungeon bosses make a return!
The other notable feature of the Oracle games is the ability to link the games to each other to create a seamless story. After finishing Oracle of Ages, you are given a password that can be entered into Oracle of Seasons to continue the story. After doing this, Seasons will contain new plot events, a new endgame, and the ability to upgrade items by passing passwords you discover in Seasons back into Ages (and vice versa). Even after finishing Ages, I was constantly dipping back into it during my playthrough of Seasons to get secret items I could transfer back to Seasons. It sounds a bit confusing to type out but works well in practice. It's a cool system that makes these Zelda adventures feel like more than the sum of their parts.
Overall, I enjoyed the flow of Oracle of Ages slightly better than Seasons as my personal preferences for 2D Zelda slide towards puzzle-led exploration. I also connected more with Ages' world since it was a difficult experience to puzzle my way across it. But Oracle of Seasons is an excellent game in its own right and when linked with Ages, these two games provide an epic, handheld Zelda experience. The dungeons are excellent, the overworld exploration is satisfying, and the scenarios you come across are funny and memorable.
Favorite Music: I love the music in Oracle of Seasons so much more than Oracle of Ages. Playing Seasons puts into contrast what exactly I thought was missing in Ages. The town themes and dungeon themes are memorable and atmospheric. The songs below are all unique to Oracle of Seasons while my favorite songs in Oracle of Ages are shared between both games. That fact alone puts my feelings on both soundtracks into clearer focus.
Horon Village: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP5BC6rgFas&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=9
Dancing with Din: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR8TCFjlfxM&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=7
Dancing Dragon Dungeon (Level 4): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhGS79bPPCI&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=21
Tarm Ruins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0EumkAeEAo&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=4
What strikes me most about Oracle of Seasons is how different the overall experience feels from Oracle of Ages. While both games in the duology were released on the same day in 2001 and look similar at a glance, Zelda fans of the era were treated to two unique adventures. A common refrain for these games is that Ages focuses on puzzles while Seasons focuses on combat. I personally find this view is a bit simplistic as dungeons in both games contain elements of puzzles and action. Rather, each of these games channel different modes of exploration that the Zelda series tends to draw from. And these modes of exploration can clearly be seen through the design of each game's overworld.
Oracle of Ages is a puzzle-led exploratory action game. The world of Labrynna is, as its name suggests, a labyrinth. It is confusing to navigate around and requires using your items to puzzle out the path to the next dungeon via the present and past timeline maps. There are specific routes and combinations of items that need to be used to navigate its world.
Oracle of Seasons is a discovery-led exploratory action game. While the overworld still gates specific areas until you get a specific item, you can explore much more of the overworld in a freeform manner. The map doesn't feel nearly as constrained in how you can navigate it. The featured item of the game, the Rod of Seasons, can manipulate how you traverse the overworld by changing the season while standing on a tree stump. This enables the discovery-led exploration. The flow of the game is such that you find a new area with a stump, manipulate the seasons, and explore the surrounding area to discover new changes in the overworld that will allow you to traverse forward. You are also encouraged to keep an eye out during exploration since secret caves, staircases, and portals can become available to you as the seasons change.
With an emphasis on discovery via exploration, Seasons specifically feels like a spiritual successor to the original Legend of Zelda on NES. Having just played the original Zelda, it was fun to spot all of the connections! The manner in which you navigate to Dungeon 1 and its appearance on the outside directly resembles Dungeon 1 in the original Zelda. Seasons also has a mechanic where you can burn bushes, bomb caves, and find other mysterious entrances to reveal old men that do a variety of things. Like in Zelda 1, these characters can steal your money, give you money, or other provide other fun secrets. Even some of the Zelda 1 dungeon bosses make a return!
The other notable feature of the Oracle games is the ability to link the games to each other to create a seamless story. After finishing Oracle of Ages, you are given a password that can be entered into Oracle of Seasons to continue the story. After doing this, Seasons will contain new plot events, a new endgame, and the ability to upgrade items by passing passwords you discover in Seasons back into Ages (and vice versa). Even after finishing Ages, I was constantly dipping back into it during my playthrough of Seasons to get secret items I could transfer back to Seasons. It sounds a bit confusing to type out but works well in practice. It's a cool system that makes these Zelda adventures feel like more than the sum of their parts.
Overall, I enjoyed the flow of Oracle of Ages slightly better than Seasons as my personal preferences for 2D Zelda slide towards puzzle-led exploration. I also connected more with Ages' world since it was a difficult experience to puzzle my way across it. But Oracle of Seasons is an excellent game in its own right and when linked with Ages, these two games provide an epic, handheld Zelda experience. The dungeons are excellent, the overworld exploration is satisfying, and the scenarios you come across are funny and memorable.
Favorite Music: I love the music in Oracle of Seasons so much more than Oracle of Ages. Playing Seasons puts into contrast what exactly I thought was missing in Ages. The town themes and dungeon themes are memorable and atmospheric. The songs below are all unique to Oracle of Seasons while my favorite songs in Oracle of Ages are shared between both games. That fact alone puts my feelings on both soundtracks into clearer focus.
Horon Village: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP5BC6rgFas&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=9
Dancing with Din: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR8TCFjlfxM&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=7
Dancing Dragon Dungeon (Level 4): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhGS79bPPCI&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=21
Tarm Ruins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0EumkAeEAo&list=PLD7475F03564D42CA&index=4
1986
The Legend of Zelda is one of my favorite video game series and I've been interested in going back to the first entry several times over the years. I've played through parts of the first Zelda many times and beat it once during the Wii Virtual Console era. After recently playing through Oracle of Ages, which was my first time playing a 2D Zelda in a few years, I did get interested in going back to the original Legend of Zelda again. What piqued my interest this time is that while I did finish Zelda 1 many years ago, I never actually engaged with the game's Second Quest; an additional journey through Hyrule that becomes available after the credits roll. As a bit of a Zelda "completionist", I wanted to make it to the Second Quest and give it a fair shake!
From what I remember of when I played the game during the Wii era, I remember Zelda being enjoyable enough, but an experience that had aged. To give Zelda 1 a fairer shake this time around, I first decided to engage with it in the way that players in 1987 would. Back in those days, reading the manual was critical for learning the ropes of a new game! And sure enough, while the Legend of Zelda drops you into its world with no direction upon booting it up, the manual provides a ton of useful information to help get your bearings. There are descriptions of the game's key items, enemies, an unfinished map of the overworld, and hints nudging you towards the game secrets.
With this information in hand, I began another playthrough of the First Quest and I loved my time with it. One of the defining features of the Zelda series going forward would be its exploration and puzzle-solving. What's unique about this first entry is that the puzzle-solving is based on navigation. In the overworld, this takes the form of seeking out the different dungeon entrances, item shops, and secret caves. While there are many criticisms to be found of Zelda being too obtuse due to needing to "burn every bush on a screen" or "bomb every wall", I found this to not be the case. Besides one heart container, most of the caves beyond a bush or wall don't hide anything critical to the quest. The two dungeons that are hidden behind a wall or bush are pretty well telegraphed in my opinion. As long as you pay attention to the world map and retain a sense of curiosity about the world, the overworld exploration is very rewarding.
The second aspect of Zelda's game design is its dungeons; my favorite spaces in the game. In each dungeon, the puzzle of navigating a space is made more direct as you fight through gauntlets of enemies and puzzle out how to find a dungeon's special item and proceed to the boss. What made this playthrough of Zelda more special is that by the fourth dungeon of the game, I took the manual's advice and began to draw my maps for each space. The feeling of mapping out a dungeon and using it as a reference for finding secret bombable walls was a very memorable experience.
Once I was able to work my way to the credits, it was then time to begin the Second Quest. The Second Quest may seem similar to the First Quest when you start, but it is quite different. Every dungeon entrance except the first is shuffled to a new location, each dungeon has an entirely new layout, and there are new modes of traversal introduced in the dungeons. Shops and caves are also shuffled around to different locations. The Second Quest is harder, but was incredibly satisfying to puzzle out as it plays off your knowledge of the first quest. While you may not find what you expect, notable locations from the First Quest will usually hide something useful in the second quest. Mapping out each dungeon also proved to be just as critical in this second run of the game.
All in all, revisiting Zelda 1 was more rewarding than I expected after engaging with it on its terms. It's safe to say that it's now become one of my favorite games. The nature of the game design makes it easy to pick up and play, and the loop of overworld exploration feeding into dungeon exploration is incredibly satisfying. It's incredible how much of the format of future Zelda games was nailed here before being further refined in A Link to the Past!
Funnily enough, I think I also had a better experience this time around since I was using a better controller. When you want to play a game from 1987 that utilized a D-pad, it turns out that you want to use a modern controller with a good D-pad! The Switch Pro controller D-pad and Joycon D-pad options for this are...not great. I ended up using the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller which has an excellent D-pad. The game felt more responsive and I imagine is closer to the experience players had in 1987 with the NES controller.
Favorite Tracks:
Normally, I'd take the opportunity at the end of a post to highlight some of my favorite music in the game. Zelda is a funny case in that the entire soundtrack is less than 10 minutes. What is there is excellent, but there just isn't much of it! The overworld theme is iconic and has been re-interpreted many times over the years. And the Labyrinth theme is one of my favorite tracks in the series and one I wish was re-interpreted more often in future games!
Instead of picking and choosing tracks, I thought it would be fun to highlight that the soundtrack has a slightly different sound depending on whether you play the NES version or the Famicom Disk System (FDS) version of the game! The FDS has six sound channels compared to the NES' five. This sixth channel made more sounds available to composers for their music. You can see this change when comparing the title theme of the two versions. The FDS version has a fuller sound with some additional "instruments"!
NES Title Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyMKWJ5e1kg
FDS Title Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0wMU2c1MvY
Not in the game, but this symphony arrangement of the dungeon theme is one of my favorite arrangements ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WrgY2O6xHE
From what I remember of when I played the game during the Wii era, I remember Zelda being enjoyable enough, but an experience that had aged. To give Zelda 1 a fairer shake this time around, I first decided to engage with it in the way that players in 1987 would. Back in those days, reading the manual was critical for learning the ropes of a new game! And sure enough, while the Legend of Zelda drops you into its world with no direction upon booting it up, the manual provides a ton of useful information to help get your bearings. There are descriptions of the game's key items, enemies, an unfinished map of the overworld, and hints nudging you towards the game secrets.
With this information in hand, I began another playthrough of the First Quest and I loved my time with it. One of the defining features of the Zelda series going forward would be its exploration and puzzle-solving. What's unique about this first entry is that the puzzle-solving is based on navigation. In the overworld, this takes the form of seeking out the different dungeon entrances, item shops, and secret caves. While there are many criticisms to be found of Zelda being too obtuse due to needing to "burn every bush on a screen" or "bomb every wall", I found this to not be the case. Besides one heart container, most of the caves beyond a bush or wall don't hide anything critical to the quest. The two dungeons that are hidden behind a wall or bush are pretty well telegraphed in my opinion. As long as you pay attention to the world map and retain a sense of curiosity about the world, the overworld exploration is very rewarding.
The second aspect of Zelda's game design is its dungeons; my favorite spaces in the game. In each dungeon, the puzzle of navigating a space is made more direct as you fight through gauntlets of enemies and puzzle out how to find a dungeon's special item and proceed to the boss. What made this playthrough of Zelda more special is that by the fourth dungeon of the game, I took the manual's advice and began to draw my maps for each space. The feeling of mapping out a dungeon and using it as a reference for finding secret bombable walls was a very memorable experience.
Once I was able to work my way to the credits, it was then time to begin the Second Quest. The Second Quest may seem similar to the First Quest when you start, but it is quite different. Every dungeon entrance except the first is shuffled to a new location, each dungeon has an entirely new layout, and there are new modes of traversal introduced in the dungeons. Shops and caves are also shuffled around to different locations. The Second Quest is harder, but was incredibly satisfying to puzzle out as it plays off your knowledge of the first quest. While you may not find what you expect, notable locations from the First Quest will usually hide something useful in the second quest. Mapping out each dungeon also proved to be just as critical in this second run of the game.
All in all, revisiting Zelda 1 was more rewarding than I expected after engaging with it on its terms. It's safe to say that it's now become one of my favorite games. The nature of the game design makes it easy to pick up and play, and the loop of overworld exploration feeding into dungeon exploration is incredibly satisfying. It's incredible how much of the format of future Zelda games was nailed here before being further refined in A Link to the Past!
Funnily enough, I think I also had a better experience this time around since I was using a better controller. When you want to play a game from 1987 that utilized a D-pad, it turns out that you want to use a modern controller with a good D-pad! The Switch Pro controller D-pad and Joycon D-pad options for this are...not great. I ended up using the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller which has an excellent D-pad. The game felt more responsive and I imagine is closer to the experience players had in 1987 with the NES controller.
Favorite Tracks:
Normally, I'd take the opportunity at the end of a post to highlight some of my favorite music in the game. Zelda is a funny case in that the entire soundtrack is less than 10 minutes. What is there is excellent, but there just isn't much of it! The overworld theme is iconic and has been re-interpreted many times over the years. And the Labyrinth theme is one of my favorite tracks in the series and one I wish was re-interpreted more often in future games!
Instead of picking and choosing tracks, I thought it would be fun to highlight that the soundtrack has a slightly different sound depending on whether you play the NES version or the Famicom Disk System (FDS) version of the game! The FDS has six sound channels compared to the NES' five. This sixth channel made more sounds available to composers for their music. You can see this change when comparing the title theme of the two versions. The FDS version has a fuller sound with some additional "instruments"!
NES Title Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyMKWJ5e1kg
FDS Title Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0wMU2c1MvY
Not in the game, but this symphony arrangement of the dungeon theme is one of my favorite arrangements ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WrgY2O6xHE
The Oracle dualogy has always been a blind spot for me when it comes to the Zelda series. I was so glad to find upon diving in that not only does Oracle of Ages live up to the high bar the Zelda series has set for itself, but it also executes certain ideas better than other games in the series!
The story is fairly standard for a Zelda game. In Oracle of Ages, Link finds himself in the world of Labrynna needing to rescue the Oracle of Ages herself, Nayru from the clutches of evil. And lo and behold, you do this by spelunking through many dungeons, gaining new items, and helping the townsfolk of the world in typical Zelda fashion. The main gimmick of this game is the Harp of Ages, an item that allows you to teleport between two separate maps of Labrynna, the past timeline, and the present timeline.
Traversing through the world to locate your next objective presents itself as a puzzle box. With only the vaguest sense of direction as to where your next objective lies, you need to poke and prod at the limits of the map to chart your course. The act of getting from point A to point B can be challenging, requiring clever use of the items in your arsenal as well as spatial thinking of how the past and present world maps fit together. While the path you take through Oracle of Ages is strictly linear, I found that exploring the world still felt open-ended and rewarded my curiosity. Two aspects of the game's design are key to my feeling this way.
1. The game does not care if you get lost and do not know where to go next.
2. Your traversal of the world unfolds entirely on a continuous map.
I got lost many times throughout the adventure! However, I found that getting lost only increased the satisfaction I felt when determining the correct path forward. Since the world map you traverse is relatively small in the grand scheme of things, there are only so many places to check when figuring out where to go next. The game design allows you to get lost in the world of Labrynna but be rewarded for your exploration efforts before too long. Having your exploration take place across one continuous map also helps to instill this feeling. It feels as if you are exploring a living space rather than discrete zones.
I was surprised to find myself constantly comparing the world design of Oracle of Ages to that of Skyward Sword; both of which are games directed by Hidemaro Fujibayashi. Skyward Sword's world design acts in a very similar fashion where traveling through the overworld to get to the next objective feels like one giant traversal puzzle. While I like Skyward Sword, you rarely feel like you are charting your own course through its world. The linearity of your route becomes obvious since the way forward is constantly signposted and overworld areas are separated into distinct zones. This makes the world feel more disconnected.
Oracle of Age's dungeons are also a delight to puzzle out. Many of the games' dungeons force you to think about the architecture of the entire space rather than only think about one puzzle in a specific room. In that way, Age's overworld design and dungeon design are tightly linked. My favorite Zelda dungeons adopt this approach and it's why the Crown Dungeon, Mermaid's Cave, and Jabu Jabu's Belly were some of my favorite dungeons in the game.
This is a top-tier 2D Zelda experience and I'm excited to see what lies in store in Oracle of Seasons.
Favorite Tracks: For a Zelda game, the soundtrack is unfortunately one of the weaker aspects. The dungeon themes especially don't stand out much and can seem to drone on.
Title Screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3LXEInpQCc&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=1
Skull Dungeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4RR12EUhs&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=21
Boss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f327T53lEmM&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=45
Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOvyyiv8fHk&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=41
The story is fairly standard for a Zelda game. In Oracle of Ages, Link finds himself in the world of Labrynna needing to rescue the Oracle of Ages herself, Nayru from the clutches of evil. And lo and behold, you do this by spelunking through many dungeons, gaining new items, and helping the townsfolk of the world in typical Zelda fashion. The main gimmick of this game is the Harp of Ages, an item that allows you to teleport between two separate maps of Labrynna, the past timeline, and the present timeline.
Traversing through the world to locate your next objective presents itself as a puzzle box. With only the vaguest sense of direction as to where your next objective lies, you need to poke and prod at the limits of the map to chart your course. The act of getting from point A to point B can be challenging, requiring clever use of the items in your arsenal as well as spatial thinking of how the past and present world maps fit together. While the path you take through Oracle of Ages is strictly linear, I found that exploring the world still felt open-ended and rewarded my curiosity. Two aspects of the game's design are key to my feeling this way.
1. The game does not care if you get lost and do not know where to go next.
2. Your traversal of the world unfolds entirely on a continuous map.
I got lost many times throughout the adventure! However, I found that getting lost only increased the satisfaction I felt when determining the correct path forward. Since the world map you traverse is relatively small in the grand scheme of things, there are only so many places to check when figuring out where to go next. The game design allows you to get lost in the world of Labrynna but be rewarded for your exploration efforts before too long. Having your exploration take place across one continuous map also helps to instill this feeling. It feels as if you are exploring a living space rather than discrete zones.
I was surprised to find myself constantly comparing the world design of Oracle of Ages to that of Skyward Sword; both of which are games directed by Hidemaro Fujibayashi. Skyward Sword's world design acts in a very similar fashion where traveling through the overworld to get to the next objective feels like one giant traversal puzzle. While I like Skyward Sword, you rarely feel like you are charting your own course through its world. The linearity of your route becomes obvious since the way forward is constantly signposted and overworld areas are separated into distinct zones. This makes the world feel more disconnected.
Oracle of Age's dungeons are also a delight to puzzle out. Many of the games' dungeons force you to think about the architecture of the entire space rather than only think about one puzzle in a specific room. In that way, Age's overworld design and dungeon design are tightly linked. My favorite Zelda dungeons adopt this approach and it's why the Crown Dungeon, Mermaid's Cave, and Jabu Jabu's Belly were some of my favorite dungeons in the game.
This is a top-tier 2D Zelda experience and I'm excited to see what lies in store in Oracle of Seasons.
Favorite Tracks: For a Zelda game, the soundtrack is unfortunately one of the weaker aspects. The dungeon themes especially don't stand out much and can seem to drone on.
Title Screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3LXEInpQCc&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=1
Skull Dungeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4RR12EUhs&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=21
Boss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f327T53lEmM&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=45
Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOvyyiv8fHk&list=PL2F0B084555138765&index=41
Rhythm Heaven games are always a delight to play. The combination of WarioWare style "microgames" with rhythm-based gameplay is such a unique concept that hasn't been replicated much elsewhere! Per its title, the majority of Megamix's rhythm game offerings come from past games in the series with only a few new additions. Since I had only played the DS game before, I had a great time with this one as most of the games were new to me!
All of the rhythm games this time are tied together by a story mode that feels like it doesn't really need to be there. There is also a fair amount of side content and items to collect with in-game currency. Unfortunately, this side of the game suffers as the currency system is completely unbalanced. At the end of the game, even after going for all Perfects, I still did not have nearly enough money to collect all of the in-game side items. The only way to obtain them all would be to just repeat the rhythm games ad-nauseum which is not fun in the slightest.
But my quibbles don't distract from the fact that this a great rhythm heaven game! You know what you are signing up for. The rhythm games are still the star of the show and don't disappoint.
Favorite Tracks:
Airboarder, That's Paradise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6iDWVtvFrI&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=15
Donut Remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxoHBJoRc0M&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=54
Pajama Party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NAjxs1Cews&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=69
Final Remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHFV1gdkezM&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=93
Staff Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paqculru4wA
All of the rhythm games this time are tied together by a story mode that feels like it doesn't really need to be there. There is also a fair amount of side content and items to collect with in-game currency. Unfortunately, this side of the game suffers as the currency system is completely unbalanced. At the end of the game, even after going for all Perfects, I still did not have nearly enough money to collect all of the in-game side items. The only way to obtain them all would be to just repeat the rhythm games ad-nauseum which is not fun in the slightest.
But my quibbles don't distract from the fact that this a great rhythm heaven game! You know what you are signing up for. The rhythm games are still the star of the show and don't disappoint.
Favorite Tracks:
Airboarder, That's Paradise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6iDWVtvFrI&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=15
Donut Remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxoHBJoRc0M&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=54
Pajama Party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NAjxs1Cews&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=69
Final Remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHFV1gdkezM&list=PLgp5C9zuvc2JPYdfF5bM9cq0JVsm3jBjh&index=93
Staff Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paqculru4wA
2012
HarmoKnight is a game that seems completely up-my alley; it's a combination of a rhythm game and platformer with an incredibly appealing aesthetic. Unfortunately, while competently made, each gameplay element seems like it should fit together better than it does.
To start off, the aesthetic is beautiful. HarmoKnight was directed by James Turner and his artistic design shines through with the cute characters and anime-styled world. Each stage in the game presents a new rhythm style challenge where you hit items and smack enemies to the beat. What really bummed me out is that for a rhythm game, the music isn't particularly memorable and instead is rather functional. There are also a fair amount of courses that re-use past musical motifs. The courses that I thought were the most fun used arrangements of songs from the Pokemon series, which doesn't speak too well to its original soundtrack.
On top of that, something is off about the response time of the button inputs combined with the visual indictors on-screen for when to "hit to the rhythm". It results in a rhythm game that can feel a bit sluggish and un-responsive when compared to the music. This is an absolute killer for any game in this genre. On some courses, it felt like I was adapting to the unresponsive game controls rather than getting in touch with the song of the course.
At the end of the day, HarmoKnight is still a charming game. The boss courses are a particular highlight as each boss fight uses dynamic camerawork to enhance the spectacle. I only wish it clicked with me more.
Favorite Tracks:
Spring in Your Step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hStrn3GRvp8&list=PLzVR5F5ns13yynPFv_cmjP9Oj0KCJufTV&index=11
Hideaway Beach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va8PNTA4pbk&list=PLzVR5F5ns13yynPFv_cmjP9Oj0KCJufTV&index=30
City Lights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1GDMx2g2ZE&list=PLzVR5F5ns13yynPFv_cmjP9Oj0KCJufTV&index=36
To start off, the aesthetic is beautiful. HarmoKnight was directed by James Turner and his artistic design shines through with the cute characters and anime-styled world. Each stage in the game presents a new rhythm style challenge where you hit items and smack enemies to the beat. What really bummed me out is that for a rhythm game, the music isn't particularly memorable and instead is rather functional. There are also a fair amount of courses that re-use past musical motifs. The courses that I thought were the most fun used arrangements of songs from the Pokemon series, which doesn't speak too well to its original soundtrack.
On top of that, something is off about the response time of the button inputs combined with the visual indictors on-screen for when to "hit to the rhythm". It results in a rhythm game that can feel a bit sluggish and un-responsive when compared to the music. This is an absolute killer for any game in this genre. On some courses, it felt like I was adapting to the unresponsive game controls rather than getting in touch with the song of the course.
At the end of the day, HarmoKnight is still a charming game. The boss courses are a particular highlight as each boss fight uses dynamic camerawork to enhance the spectacle. I only wish it clicked with me more.
Favorite Tracks:
Spring in Your Step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hStrn3GRvp8&list=PLzVR5F5ns13yynPFv_cmjP9Oj0KCJufTV&index=11
Hideaway Beach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va8PNTA4pbk&list=PLzVR5F5ns13yynPFv_cmjP9Oj0KCJufTV&index=30
City Lights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1GDMx2g2ZE&list=PLzVR5F5ns13yynPFv_cmjP9Oj0KCJufTV&index=36
2001
Kuru Kuru Kururin looks like a fun enough game from a distance, but whose main appeal reveals itself once you actually start playing. It's a great arcade-style game with a single core mechanic; navigate through a variety of obstacle courses while controlling the movement of a constantly spinning rod. There's plenty of variety across the Adventure mode, which offers a lengthy series of more involved courses, and the Challenge mode which offers more bite-sized courses.
The number of interesting courses already add plenty of depth to the main mechanic, but Kuru Kuru Kururin shines when it becomes clear that each Adventure mode course and Challenge course has a time attack element to it. There are a few tiers of course times that you can aim to beat by continuously honing your skills. An addicting feedback loop emerges as you work to best the different times because of how quickly you are able to load back into a course. It becomes a hard game to put down as you keep telling yourself, "Just one more run".
But you also don't need to engage with the Time Attack elements if you don't want to! There are multiple off-ramp points for the game depending on what you find fun about it. You can work through just the Adventure mode, just the challenge mode, or progress through as much of the time attack tiers as you wish. You'll get as much out of the game as you put into it.
Favorite Tracks:
Grasslands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22j0a2dBeHU&list=PLC1B69F7C3882D9FC&index=6
Cave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSC47hGikY0&list=PLC1B69F7C3882D9FC&index=10
The number of interesting courses already add plenty of depth to the main mechanic, but Kuru Kuru Kururin shines when it becomes clear that each Adventure mode course and Challenge course has a time attack element to it. There are a few tiers of course times that you can aim to beat by continuously honing your skills. An addicting feedback loop emerges as you work to best the different times because of how quickly you are able to load back into a course. It becomes a hard game to put down as you keep telling yourself, "Just one more run".
But you also don't need to engage with the Time Attack elements if you don't want to! There are multiple off-ramp points for the game depending on what you find fun about it. You can work through just the Adventure mode, just the challenge mode, or progress through as much of the time attack tiers as you wish. You'll get as much out of the game as you put into it.
Favorite Tracks:
Grasslands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22j0a2dBeHU&list=PLC1B69F7C3882D9FC&index=6
Cave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSC47hGikY0&list=PLC1B69F7C3882D9FC&index=10
1999
Ape Escape occupies a special place in Sony's history as it was the first game on the platform to require the use of the DualShock analog controller. While modern gaming has coalesced around a standard control scheme for analog sticks, Ape Escape's developers had the challenge of being one of the first development teams to design a game around such a controller. This results in a 3D platformer that feels unlike any game I've ever played.
It was a constant delight to encounter how much thought was put behind Ape Escape's non-standard control scheme. To tackle the game's ultimate objective of capturing every monkey on the loose, the different gadgets you acquire are critical. The left analog stick controls your character movement while the right analog stick gives you precise control over each of your gadgets. Each gadget is assigned to a face button on the controller and the function of the right analog stick contextually changes depending on which gadget is being used.
With the beam sword or time net equipped, a flick of the analog stick corresponds to the direction the item is swung. But other items, such as the propeller that allows you to gain extra height, can only be used by quickly moving the right analog stick in a circle. With each item's movement assigned to the right stick, you can be much more precise in your movements. Instead of having the range of your item be locked to the direction your character is facing, any gadget can be used in any direction at any time. It's a great mechanic that makes the act of tracking down and capturing the monkeys satisfying. Ape Escape is chock full of different scenarios and boss fights that take full advantage of the gadgets you acquire and the analog controller.
The whole package is tied together with an appealing Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic and an incredible drum and bass soundtrack. The PlayStation library is slowly becoming one of my favorites because of the amount of incredible music made for its games. Never would I have guessed that Ape Escape's soundtrack would be spearheaded by a famed Japanese house and jungle music composer.
Favorite Tracks: Soichi Terada knocks this soundtrack out of the park. The soundscape is atmospheric, up-beat, and off-kilter.
Time Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqeaFVsz30w&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=3
The Lost Land, Molten Lava: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iAqWfD6q_0&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=10
Mysterious Age, Dark Ruins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jbNHgmU1TM&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=14
Mysterious Age, Cryptic Relics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsYXbnGv2Gg&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=15
Oceana, Inside Dexter's Body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcxbrsYU_ds&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=18
Cave Area: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glDCWh1cnz4&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=21
Medieval Mayhem, Crumbling Castle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBy_pkcsdzs&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=26
Futurama, Tv Tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmYCG6Jyog4&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=30
It was a constant delight to encounter how much thought was put behind Ape Escape's non-standard control scheme. To tackle the game's ultimate objective of capturing every monkey on the loose, the different gadgets you acquire are critical. The left analog stick controls your character movement while the right analog stick gives you precise control over each of your gadgets. Each gadget is assigned to a face button on the controller and the function of the right analog stick contextually changes depending on which gadget is being used.
With the beam sword or time net equipped, a flick of the analog stick corresponds to the direction the item is swung. But other items, such as the propeller that allows you to gain extra height, can only be used by quickly moving the right analog stick in a circle. With each item's movement assigned to the right stick, you can be much more precise in your movements. Instead of having the range of your item be locked to the direction your character is facing, any gadget can be used in any direction at any time. It's a great mechanic that makes the act of tracking down and capturing the monkeys satisfying. Ape Escape is chock full of different scenarios and boss fights that take full advantage of the gadgets you acquire and the analog controller.
The whole package is tied together with an appealing Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic and an incredible drum and bass soundtrack. The PlayStation library is slowly becoming one of my favorites because of the amount of incredible music made for its games. Never would I have guessed that Ape Escape's soundtrack would be spearheaded by a famed Japanese house and jungle music composer.
Favorite Tracks: Soichi Terada knocks this soundtrack out of the park. The soundscape is atmospheric, up-beat, and off-kilter.
Time Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqeaFVsz30w&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=3
The Lost Land, Molten Lava: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iAqWfD6q_0&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=10
Mysterious Age, Dark Ruins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jbNHgmU1TM&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=14
Mysterious Age, Cryptic Relics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsYXbnGv2Gg&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=15
Oceana, Inside Dexter's Body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcxbrsYU_ds&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=18
Cave Area: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glDCWh1cnz4&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=21
Medieval Mayhem, Crumbling Castle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBy_pkcsdzs&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=26
Futurama, Tv Tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmYCG6Jyog4&list=PL06360565CFC0FAC0&index=30
1994
The call of King's Field has been hard to shake. Ever since watching a stream of Kings Field 4: The Ancient City in early 2022, I thought the idea of playing through the original King's Field would be a funny joke due to the game's lauded difficulty. I started streaming the game with a friend and ran into the absurd difficulty that I expected. I could barely grasp the slow tank-like controls and the timing of the attacks. I got lost in the maze-like structures of Floor 1 and died many times to enemy skeletons. It was a fun experience that resulted in me struggling to the end of Floor 1 and putting the game down for good. Or so I thought.
King's Field never quite left my mind. I felt myself drawn to the dank, grungy atmosphere of the Royal Graveyard and the hostility of the space. I admired that while the graveyard was modeled with dated, PS1 textures, the space felt real and lived-in due to its outright hostility towards the player rather than being accommodating. To delve deeper into the dungeon, you need to meet the game on its terms and not bend them to yours. I couldn't resist the call anymore and delved back into the dungeon in 2023 with minor success before putting the game back down.
I journeyed once more into the dungeon in 2024 to surprising results. After my expected deaths to enemy skeletons and time spent getting lost on Floor 1, I felt myself tune into the game's rhythm. The pace of combat fell into place and diligent exploration led to discovering an in-game map. Having a better handle on the floor layouts gave me the confidence to delve ever deeper. Before I knew it, I was navigating floors with confidence. I successfully found hidden passages, gained powerful equipment, and solved the game's challenges on my own without a guide. I was thrilled with my progress and slowly gained confidence that I could see this experience through to the end.
I eventually reached the final boss and...could not overcome the challenge. I don't think I could have completed King's Field without the help of a community written guide. The mechanic of Sword Magic, which is never explained in-game or in the manual to my knowledge, seems required to defeat the final boss. I managed to discover the game's most powerful weapon, the Moonlight Greatsword, on my own, but couldn't even scratch the final boss without it's sword magic. With the knowledge of sword magic in hand, the boss went down with relative ease. This seemed unfair and disappointing. I had made it all this way with my own ability only to be foiled at the end.
But a pillar of modern day FromSoftware titles IS their community. While fans will always ban together on forums to uncover each of their games' secrets, FromSoftware does officially endorse community collaboration in some of their titles through in-game communication features. They expect this collaborative effort from their fans and design their games around it. It's possible that this mindset originated with King's Field, their very first game. The developers may have hoped for similar community collaboration to be used to conquer the devious dungeon that they had designed for their player base.
In context, it seems only fitting that I couldn't conquer King's Field without assistance. King's Field truly can't be figured out via the fortitude of a single player. It's only through community that we can conquer the challenge.
While I've tried other FromSoftware titles over the years, King's Field 1, an obtuse and underplayed game that I could only play via fan-translation, is the first of their games I have rolled credits on. It gives me the courage to go back to their other titles and see what I can accomplish with the support of the dedicated FromSoft community.
Favorite Tracks:
Floor 1-2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px7-sv_eLO4&list=PLeCNBB0gH4T723I6ZpVCxmjaR_URAw--0&index=7
Floor 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ7rsHYqG5w&list=PLMHCGC8qP541NiPgBMSB9_or48DXzBaPM&index=6
King's Field never quite left my mind. I felt myself drawn to the dank, grungy atmosphere of the Royal Graveyard and the hostility of the space. I admired that while the graveyard was modeled with dated, PS1 textures, the space felt real and lived-in due to its outright hostility towards the player rather than being accommodating. To delve deeper into the dungeon, you need to meet the game on its terms and not bend them to yours. I couldn't resist the call anymore and delved back into the dungeon in 2023 with minor success before putting the game back down.
I journeyed once more into the dungeon in 2024 to surprising results. After my expected deaths to enemy skeletons and time spent getting lost on Floor 1, I felt myself tune into the game's rhythm. The pace of combat fell into place and diligent exploration led to discovering an in-game map. Having a better handle on the floor layouts gave me the confidence to delve ever deeper. Before I knew it, I was navigating floors with confidence. I successfully found hidden passages, gained powerful equipment, and solved the game's challenges on my own without a guide. I was thrilled with my progress and slowly gained confidence that I could see this experience through to the end.
I eventually reached the final boss and...could not overcome the challenge. I don't think I could have completed King's Field without the help of a community written guide. The mechanic of Sword Magic, which is never explained in-game or in the manual to my knowledge, seems required to defeat the final boss. I managed to discover the game's most powerful weapon, the Moonlight Greatsword, on my own, but couldn't even scratch the final boss without it's sword magic. With the knowledge of sword magic in hand, the boss went down with relative ease. This seemed unfair and disappointing. I had made it all this way with my own ability only to be foiled at the end.
But a pillar of modern day FromSoftware titles IS their community. While fans will always ban together on forums to uncover each of their games' secrets, FromSoftware does officially endorse community collaboration in some of their titles through in-game communication features. They expect this collaborative effort from their fans and design their games around it. It's possible that this mindset originated with King's Field, their very first game. The developers may have hoped for similar community collaboration to be used to conquer the devious dungeon that they had designed for their player base.
In context, it seems only fitting that I couldn't conquer King's Field without assistance. King's Field truly can't be figured out via the fortitude of a single player. It's only through community that we can conquer the challenge.
While I've tried other FromSoftware titles over the years, King's Field 1, an obtuse and underplayed game that I could only play via fan-translation, is the first of their games I have rolled credits on. It gives me the courage to go back to their other titles and see what I can accomplish with the support of the dedicated FromSoft community.
Favorite Tracks:
Floor 1-2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px7-sv_eLO4&list=PLeCNBB0gH4T723I6ZpVCxmjaR_URAw--0&index=7
Floor 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ7rsHYqG5w&list=PLMHCGC8qP541NiPgBMSB9_or48DXzBaPM&index=6
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is a stellar 2D metroidvania. It harkens back to older games in the Monster Boy series with demanding gameplay and old-school design principles while also implementing a modern, beautiful presentation. With every new area I traversed through, I kept being awed by the expressive hand drawn background art and character animation. The fast-paced action, expressive art style, and varied soundtrack all aid the pacing and made this game difficult to put down until it was over.
All of the gameplay hallmarks of an excellent metroidvania are here. There's a complex and varied world to explore, upgradeable animal forms that expand traversal options, pattern-based boss battles, and plenty of equipment to sift through. These systems are all implemented well, but as a big fan of platforming games, my favorite aspect of Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom was the emphasis placed on platforming-based challenges and puzzles. Navigating many of the game's spaces requires switching between animal forms to take advantage of each form's unique movesets. This emphasis makes the act of navigating Monster Boy's world a puzzle in itself.
For a game that emphasizes switching between different animal forms on a regular basis, I feel that this mechanic could have been implemented more smoothly. Selecting a new character with the default radial wheel option necessitates a pause in the action which takes away from the game's rhythm. There is another option to switch between forms one at time using buttons on the controller, but I found this to be a bit cumbersome as well. I've seen this type of control be effective in certain games, but it doesn't quite land for me here due to how critical the fast-paced gameplay was to my enjoyment of the experience.
Favorite Tracks:
Green Fields: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-HloEoBPDI&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=3
The Sewers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG7V5FIdHAI&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=40
Crystal Caves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRoTHTat-V4&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=2
Castle of Lupia Phase 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FraSbAukV-k&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=4
All of the gameplay hallmarks of an excellent metroidvania are here. There's a complex and varied world to explore, upgradeable animal forms that expand traversal options, pattern-based boss battles, and plenty of equipment to sift through. These systems are all implemented well, but as a big fan of platforming games, my favorite aspect of Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom was the emphasis placed on platforming-based challenges and puzzles. Navigating many of the game's spaces requires switching between animal forms to take advantage of each form's unique movesets. This emphasis makes the act of navigating Monster Boy's world a puzzle in itself.
For a game that emphasizes switching between different animal forms on a regular basis, I feel that this mechanic could have been implemented more smoothly. Selecting a new character with the default radial wheel option necessitates a pause in the action which takes away from the game's rhythm. There is another option to switch between forms one at time using buttons on the controller, but I found this to be a bit cumbersome as well. I've seen this type of control be effective in certain games, but it doesn't quite land for me here due to how critical the fast-paced gameplay was to my enjoyment of the experience.
Favorite Tracks:
Green Fields: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-HloEoBPDI&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=3
The Sewers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG7V5FIdHAI&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=40
Crystal Caves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRoTHTat-V4&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=2
Castle of Lupia Phase 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FraSbAukV-k&list=PLA2FBJVTopFZ24Co2_HyAmLnE-nNOFN_n&index=4
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was my first experience with the Xenoblade series, and it blew me away. I'm coming back to write this review more than a year after I've finished it as I regularly find myself to thinking upon the themes of its narrative.
It's easy to lump in Xenoblade 3 into a category of JRPG story of "Attacking and Dethroning God", but I find the narrative to contain deep resonance when reflected against modern times. Xenoblade 3 is a story of a toxic yearning for the present and the consequences it presents. It's a revolutionary story that focuses on the will of the younger generation fighting to grab the future they deserve for themselves. It's a story of the power of community and the power for us all to change ourselves for the better. Xenoblade 3 is all of these themes and much, much more. It's willing to tackle so much in its story to the point that the game could collapse under its weight, but its structure remains stable.
The story has its moments of melodramatic, anime bombast, but it also takes the time to ground its central cast in the quiet moments. The central cast members are given the space to express their aspirations and fears around the warm light of a campfire, to grieve fallen comrades, and to have fun in each other's company. It's special to follow these characters through their respective emotional journeys as they work to build the community that the world of Aionios needs. You can also feel the impact of your efforts on the world around you as you free colonies from oppressive rule and recruit heroes to your cause. You will continue to work with these colonies throughout the game to transform the world into a community of equal collaborators, all working towards a better future.
I didn't touch on it much, but the gameplay and exploration through the world is a joy as well. The game has so...many...systems, but the complexity ramps up over time and I found all of its sytems to mostly add to the experience. Engaging with these systems is how you will spend the majority of your playtime in Xenoblade 3, but it is the themes this game tackles that stick out to me after all this time. It's what makes this experience so special to me.
Favorite Tracks:: I barely even touched on the soundtrack!! It's incredible. Hats off to the entire composition team. These few tracks are the just the tip of the iceberg.
The Bereaved and Those Left Behind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4MXGl1Qbgg
A Life Overflowing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmi_lZU392Q
Carrying the Weight of Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC5s9KcaHHY
Moebius Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NahBomgb0E
Words That Never Reached You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hs1zwwQuUo
It's easy to lump in Xenoblade 3 into a category of JRPG story of "Attacking and Dethroning God", but I find the narrative to contain deep resonance when reflected against modern times. Xenoblade 3 is a story of a toxic yearning for the present and the consequences it presents. It's a revolutionary story that focuses on the will of the younger generation fighting to grab the future they deserve for themselves. It's a story of the power of community and the power for us all to change ourselves for the better. Xenoblade 3 is all of these themes and much, much more. It's willing to tackle so much in its story to the point that the game could collapse under its weight, but its structure remains stable.
The story has its moments of melodramatic, anime bombast, but it also takes the time to ground its central cast in the quiet moments. The central cast members are given the space to express their aspirations and fears around the warm light of a campfire, to grieve fallen comrades, and to have fun in each other's company. It's special to follow these characters through their respective emotional journeys as they work to build the community that the world of Aionios needs. You can also feel the impact of your efforts on the world around you as you free colonies from oppressive rule and recruit heroes to your cause. You will continue to work with these colonies throughout the game to transform the world into a community of equal collaborators, all working towards a better future.
I didn't touch on it much, but the gameplay and exploration through the world is a joy as well. The game has so...many...systems, but the complexity ramps up over time and I found all of its sytems to mostly add to the experience. Engaging with these systems is how you will spend the majority of your playtime in Xenoblade 3, but it is the themes this game tackles that stick out to me after all this time. It's what makes this experience so special to me.
Favorite Tracks:: I barely even touched on the soundtrack!! It's incredible. Hats off to the entire composition team. These few tracks are the just the tip of the iceberg.
The Bereaved and Those Left Behind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4MXGl1Qbgg
A Life Overflowing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmi_lZU392Q
Carrying the Weight of Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC5s9KcaHHY
Moebius Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NahBomgb0E
Words That Never Reached You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hs1zwwQuUo
1996
I've been catching up with PS1 games I missed out on as a kid and Crash Bandicoot is a surprisingly great early 3D platformer. The emphasis of the platforming comes down to controlling your momentum through different stage challenges. In some stages, the best way to progress is to keep your momentum up and rarely come to a complete stop. In other stages, suddenly stopping and starting your movement is critical to making it through more tricky challenges. It's platforming really sang for me when I could get into a groove of near-constant momentum.
There are also plenty of secrets which encourage going back to levels and exploring for hidden gems. Secret hunting made me want to try for the 100% ending. I enjoy the aesthetic of the environments, but portrayal of Aku Aku and the native population of the islands is pretty insensitive.
Favorite Tracks:
Boulders/Boulder Dash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XQqRHQGzjs&list=PLL-sMa2lHYj3YhYFZ38o-6VOu68I6vbom&index=6
The Lost City/Sunset Vista: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfRchCjbhBg&list=PLL-sMa2lHYj3YhYFZ38o-6VOu68I6vbom&index=11
There are also plenty of secrets which encourage going back to levels and exploring for hidden gems. Secret hunting made me want to try for the 100% ending. I enjoy the aesthetic of the environments, but portrayal of Aku Aku and the native population of the islands is pretty insensitive.
Favorite Tracks:
Boulders/Boulder Dash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XQqRHQGzjs&list=PLL-sMa2lHYj3YhYFZ38o-6VOu68I6vbom&index=6
The Lost City/Sunset Vista: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfRchCjbhBg&list=PLL-sMa2lHYj3YhYFZ38o-6VOu68I6vbom&index=11
I never get too excited about a new 2D Mario platformer until it's actually in my hands and I'm playing it. Even after playing a 2D entry, I won't think much of it until I'm actively replaying it. Every time I think a new entry will be too similar to past entries, I'll be surprised and proven wrong. This is one of those times!
Mario Wonder is a joy to play. Nintendo has finally made the act of controlling Mario and Co. as well as their personalities shine through in 2D as much as they already do in the 3D series. The gameplay experience harkens back to Super Mario World in that it encourages exploration, discovery, and surprise as to what you'll find instead of more hardcore 2D platforming action. Although there are a few sections that are still tough as nails!
The Wonder Flower mechanic is central to the pillar of discovery the design team was going for. With each new level, I found myself wondering what new challenge or surprise would be thrown at me next and I found there to be many more hits than misses here. The drawback to this mechanic is that with Wonder Seeds, there is less emphasis placed on the level design of the latter half of stages if you don't get a Wonder Seed. I wish there were more reasons to explore stages without collecting a Wonder Seed, but these opportunities are rarely there. Wonder Seeds bring joy through an abundance of unique content, but they sometimes result in levels not feeling truly "complete".
One other thing I'll call out is that I really love the approach to multiplayer. Having other players as shadows that are constantly aiding your journey or being present in a stage adds a dimension to the game I didn't expect. The Search Party levels where you team up with other players to search for extremely well-hidden items is the highlight of this approach. I'll also never forget traversing through the extremely difficult final stage with a Red Yoshi Stranger. We would continually wait for each other at each section and revive each other if needed. This was my favorite experience in the whole game.
Nintendo is reliably one of the only game companies that can express a giant smile from me whenever I play. Their teams always pay attention to the small details, and it always enhances the experience. Mario Wonder has personality in spades.
Favorite Tracks:
Petal Isles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ5Tqz7Fwlg&list=PL2XjmdkuVL-3wJKAC7hwQ3BADByBhhj8r&index=26
Wonder Flower (Going Up!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSYA7sqsEIA&list=PL2XjmdkuVL-3wJKAC7hwQ3BADByBhhj8r&index=15
Mario Wonder is a joy to play. Nintendo has finally made the act of controlling Mario and Co. as well as their personalities shine through in 2D as much as they already do in the 3D series. The gameplay experience harkens back to Super Mario World in that it encourages exploration, discovery, and surprise as to what you'll find instead of more hardcore 2D platforming action. Although there are a few sections that are still tough as nails!
The Wonder Flower mechanic is central to the pillar of discovery the design team was going for. With each new level, I found myself wondering what new challenge or surprise would be thrown at me next and I found there to be many more hits than misses here. The drawback to this mechanic is that with Wonder Seeds, there is less emphasis placed on the level design of the latter half of stages if you don't get a Wonder Seed. I wish there were more reasons to explore stages without collecting a Wonder Seed, but these opportunities are rarely there. Wonder Seeds bring joy through an abundance of unique content, but they sometimes result in levels not feeling truly "complete".
One other thing I'll call out is that I really love the approach to multiplayer. Having other players as shadows that are constantly aiding your journey or being present in a stage adds a dimension to the game I didn't expect. The Search Party levels where you team up with other players to search for extremely well-hidden items is the highlight of this approach. I'll also never forget traversing through the extremely difficult final stage with a Red Yoshi Stranger. We would continually wait for each other at each section and revive each other if needed. This was my favorite experience in the whole game.
Nintendo is reliably one of the only game companies that can express a giant smile from me whenever I play. Their teams always pay attention to the small details, and it always enhances the experience. Mario Wonder has personality in spades.
Favorite Tracks:
Petal Isles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ5Tqz7Fwlg&list=PL2XjmdkuVL-3wJKAC7hwQ3BADByBhhj8r&index=26
Wonder Flower (Going Up!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSYA7sqsEIA&list=PL2XjmdkuVL-3wJKAC7hwQ3BADByBhhj8r&index=15
This was pretty fun! I'm a sucker for a 2D metroidvania and Harmony of Dissonance is closer to achieving the goal of having a portable Symphony of the Night. Whereas the first Castlevania entry on GameBoy Advance, Circle of the Moon, feels stiffer to control, Juste Belemont in Harmony is incredibly agile. This makes the act of navigating and backtracking through Harmony's castle more engaging and fun. Juste also has a wide array of spells at their disposal which are engaging to discover, albeit even if some of them are a bit overpowered. The soundtrack has a few highlights, my favorite being Offense and Defense, a grungy electronic track that the Gameboy's sound compression only adds to. This game is the definition of comfort food for me. Enjoyed my time with it, but not much to sit with when it was over.
Favorite Tracks:
1. Offense and Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtAG611Z73c
Favorite Tracks:
1. Offense and Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtAG611Z73c
1994
Earthbound has a legacy that looms large. It made me put off playing it for quite some time. Now that I've found the time to finish it, it's an experience that feels greater than the sum of its parts.
Earthbound's script, atmosphere, and general tone feels ahead of its time. Playing through it, I felt like I was witnessing the genesis of inspiration for a large swath of indie games. And these aspects completely held up for me! Earthbound's vision of American suburbia and society is charming and quirky from its rendering of the enemies you fight to the character's you interact with. It tells a story of the power of friendship and community that does resonate.
At the same time, I was surprised to find the JRPG combat felt plodding and not as thoughtful by comparison. The battle system provides plenty of options for strategy, but they feel like they are only truly needed in tricky boss encounters and at the beginning of the game when you have less party members. Those types of encounters remained interesting and tense! However, at a certain point, the most efficient way to get through any battle is to just mash the attack button. This loss of strategy combined with a high encounter rate pads out the game and makes fighting not very interesting. It was a struggle to get through the last sections of the game for this reason. I thought I'd be able to recommend Earthbound as a good first JRPG, but I feel that it's combat system is not a great representation of what the genre is capable of. It can be simple to the point of tedium.
This sore spot still pales in comparison to all Earthbound has to offer. I adore the way the game uses friction to immerse you in its world. You will need to use ATM's to continuously withdraw and deposit money for shops, call your dad to save your game, and manually buy items and physically hand them to NPC's that need them to name a few interactions that give Earthbound a sense of place. A great example of friction positively impacting a game space.
And the final boss battle is jaw dropping. It's a showpiece of nightmarish imagery that culminates with an unexpected vision of solidarity in the face of ultimate evil. I cried. Worth a play!
Favorite Tracks:
Your Name Please: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qKE0GKtPHs&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=6
Home Sweet Home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8HLmavya0M&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=17
Otherwordly Foe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSkwblpGnAI&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=13
Pokey Means Business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMCXMg8p9sc
Smiles and Tears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQVOb1b7iOc&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=116
Earthbound's script, atmosphere, and general tone feels ahead of its time. Playing through it, I felt like I was witnessing the genesis of inspiration for a large swath of indie games. And these aspects completely held up for me! Earthbound's vision of American suburbia and society is charming and quirky from its rendering of the enemies you fight to the character's you interact with. It tells a story of the power of friendship and community that does resonate.
At the same time, I was surprised to find the JRPG combat felt plodding and not as thoughtful by comparison. The battle system provides plenty of options for strategy, but they feel like they are only truly needed in tricky boss encounters and at the beginning of the game when you have less party members. Those types of encounters remained interesting and tense! However, at a certain point, the most efficient way to get through any battle is to just mash the attack button. This loss of strategy combined with a high encounter rate pads out the game and makes fighting not very interesting. It was a struggle to get through the last sections of the game for this reason. I thought I'd be able to recommend Earthbound as a good first JRPG, but I feel that it's combat system is not a great representation of what the genre is capable of. It can be simple to the point of tedium.
This sore spot still pales in comparison to all Earthbound has to offer. I adore the way the game uses friction to immerse you in its world. You will need to use ATM's to continuously withdraw and deposit money for shops, call your dad to save your game, and manually buy items and physically hand them to NPC's that need them to name a few interactions that give Earthbound a sense of place. A great example of friction positively impacting a game space.
And the final boss battle is jaw dropping. It's a showpiece of nightmarish imagery that culminates with an unexpected vision of solidarity in the face of ultimate evil. I cried. Worth a play!
Favorite Tracks:
Your Name Please: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qKE0GKtPHs&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=6
Home Sweet Home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8HLmavya0M&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=17
Otherwordly Foe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSkwblpGnAI&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=13
Pokey Means Business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMCXMg8p9sc
Smiles and Tears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQVOb1b7iOc&list=PL1kU0pk5M3GCwzveqamX71sW3RmCzuXB5&index=116
This is one of the best 2D action games I've ever played. The act of play feels fantastic with rock solid, responsive controls. Richter's personality comes through with his still stiff, but more acrobatic moveset when compared to previous Castlevania protagonists. And as a secondary playable character, Maria takes this acrobatic control to greater heights.
The pixel art is evocative and lends a sense of place to the environments you traverse. The soundtrack has already jumped into my favorites.
And for a 2D action game, Rondo of Blood gives you an incredible amount of freedom. There are secret alternative routes through stages, alternative levels and bosses, and plenty of secrets to find. This game is an incredible achievement, and I can see myself replaying it many times in the years to come.
Favorite Tracks: All of them??? Fine, I'll choose a few.
Bloodlines (Stage 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR0UjAQIX6E&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=3
Cross a Fear (Stage 2a): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT6PC3z-BLA&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=4
Beginning (Stage 4b): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbObVMYy3yg&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=9
Opus 13 (Stage 5b): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1dRzjA_Xlc&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=11
The pixel art is evocative and lends a sense of place to the environments you traverse. The soundtrack has already jumped into my favorites.
And for a 2D action game, Rondo of Blood gives you an incredible amount of freedom. There are secret alternative routes through stages, alternative levels and bosses, and plenty of secrets to find. This game is an incredible achievement, and I can see myself replaying it many times in the years to come.
Favorite Tracks: All of them??? Fine, I'll choose a few.
Bloodlines (Stage 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR0UjAQIX6E&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=3
Cross a Fear (Stage 2a): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT6PC3z-BLA&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=4
Beginning (Stage 4b): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbObVMYy3yg&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=9
Opus 13 (Stage 5b): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1dRzjA_Xlc&list=PL60B3A83F3AAC6E44&index=11