Shenobi
1979
I probably wouldn't rate this so highly if it weren't for how colorful the Atari 2600 version of this game was. As a kid, I loved the striking differences between bug-like ships and had loads of fun playing this. Galaga feels so inferior to me because creature ships look way too samey, despite other things the game has going for it.
2006
There's not much to be said that hasn't been said before regarding the problems with this game. My wife actually enjoyed it in spite of all the badness, so good for her. For me, it's a train wreck caused by a dumpster fire.
1987
I think the description of the game hits the nail on the head here -- it's just a sloppier, more restrictive Double Dragon without any of the fun.
1999
This is one of the few Dreamcast games I didn't enjoy on some level at all. I feel like I remember seeing reviews of this game getting a 3/10 and I thought, "An RPG for the DC, how can this be a bad thing?"
Don't let me stop you from discovering what kind of gem this game is. It might even be worth at least 1.5 stars!
Don't let me stop you from discovering what kind of gem this game is. It might even be worth at least 1.5 stars!
I didn't realize this was another game from The Chinese Room and as someone else said, a "spiritual sequel" to Dear Esther. Although I thought Dear Esther was terrible, I played it to completion.
In the case of this game, I struggled to motivate myself to explore new areas because in many ways, it is very reminiscent of Dear Esther -- although there's significantly more branching and exploration available for hearing stories and even some resolutions to make by seeking out pieces of stories, I couldn't get past how boring the game felt.
In essence, it's better than Dear Esther, but to me, is undeserving of a rating any higher than Dear Esther.
In the case of this game, I struggled to motivate myself to explore new areas because in many ways, it is very reminiscent of Dear Esther -- although there's significantly more branching and exploration available for hearing stories and even some resolutions to make by seeking out pieces of stories, I couldn't get past how boring the game felt.
In essence, it's better than Dear Esther, but to me, is undeserving of a rating any higher than Dear Esther.
As a kid, I played this a number of times and never completed it. I don't feel bad about that at all. The ColecoVision had plenty of better games, for sure -- as did the Atari 2600.
1984
I don't know how I had the diligence to play through the Nintendo version of this game, but I did it. Never again. The game gets half a star for the cool looking dragon on the box cover and game label.
2002
The SaGa games have always felt kind of unintuitive when it comes to welcoming a player to their games -- it's almost like players are expected to just jump in and know exactly how so many niche aspects of the game work.
My first experience with this game was finding it on sale for 20 bucks not long after it came out. I had read reviews on it that gave it really low ratings and complained about it being a mess. I believe this was only the second SaGa game I had played at that point (SaGa Frontier being the first) and I figured, why not?
I read the instructions to try and make sure I had a good grasp on what was going on and then took it for a spin...and got smashed in short order. The board game-like feel didn't really help matters and the visuals were unimpressive at best. I didn't spend much time with it before kicking it to the curb.
In the last few years, I went back and gave the game another go...and made it only slightly further than I did the time before with no real interest in pursuing the game beyond my progression to that point. There's just so much better out there and so much that's not worthwhile about this game. Hard pass.
My first experience with this game was finding it on sale for 20 bucks not long after it came out. I had read reviews on it that gave it really low ratings and complained about it being a mess. I believe this was only the second SaGa game I had played at that point (SaGa Frontier being the first) and I figured, why not?
I read the instructions to try and make sure I had a good grasp on what was going on and then took it for a spin...and got smashed in short order. The board game-like feel didn't really help matters and the visuals were unimpressive at best. I didn't spend much time with it before kicking it to the curb.
In the last few years, I went back and gave the game another go...and made it only slightly further than I did the time before with no real interest in pursuing the game beyond my progression to that point. There's just so much better out there and so much that's not worthwhile about this game. Hard pass.
1986
This game is how I felt about Spelunker (NES) the first time I played it, but without any of the charm to bring me back to it at all. As a kid, I don't think I spent more than an hour on this game ever -- and I played a lot of games that were less than stellar back then. Another game I don't regret not spending more time with.
1989
When I was younger, I rented this game several times because I thought the graphical style was really neat -- it had that simulator feel of some other games for that time and was billed as an RPG. Also, cool dragon on the cover and I was a kid.
I never really got very far in the game each time I played it because I had no real clue at how to proceed. As an adult, I just looked at the game and thought, "This is one seriously ugly baby of a game."
THE END.
I never really got very far in the game each time I played it because I had no real clue at how to proceed. As an adult, I just looked at the game and thought, "This is one seriously ugly baby of a game."
THE END.
2016
Got this on one of the PSN sales for 98% off. It wouldn't have been worth it at 198% off (yes it would, give me money to make up for this game).
I liken the controls to what I imagine it must be like to throw a brick onto a seriously frozen-over lake. I'll start and end with that.
I liken the controls to what I imagine it must be like to throw a brick onto a seriously frozen-over lake. I'll start and end with that.
1982
100% giving this a 0.5 because of my fear of spiders and the Atari 2600 finding ways to terrify me even with basic games like this. It was the worst kind of fun. Probably realistically a 2.0 / 5.0, though.
1992
I discovered this game at some point on a list of worst games of all-time (back when we only had systems up to the PSX and Saturn). I tried it out and it definitely felt like a pretty bad game -- not the worst ever, but definitely not really worthwhile.
However, I should note that it was amusing enough of an experience that I invited some friends over to try it out and they also got a good laugh out of the game, so I guess that's something?
However, I should note that it was amusing enough of an experience that I invited some friends over to try it out and they also got a good laugh out of the game, so I guess that's something?
I enjoyed both the SNES Clock Tower and the PSX Clock Tower. I didn't get far enough in this game to really say if it might have gotten better, but I did encounter the same game-breaking glitch early on in the main house that caused me to have to ditch my save file and start a new game...three times.
I know better than to make that same mistake now (I hope), but I'll ensure I never do by never touching the game again.
I know better than to make that same mistake now (I hope), but I'll ensure I never do by never touching the game again.
2015
It's a terrible game. I got it on a Steam sale for something like 12 cents and managed to make a dollar off it at the time. Maybe it deserves a full star for that. Or maybe it deserves two stars for the fact that when I beat the game by getting to the final screen, the game ragdolled me through the air and then spiked me to the ground and I got to sit there and enjoy nothing happening.
Maybe that wasn't the ending, but I'll assume it was, because a friend of mine played it all the way through and had the same thing happen to him. This game clearly deserves at least three stars. Go play Despair and ragdoll yourself to a better place.
Maybe that wasn't the ending, but I'll assume it was, because a friend of mine played it all the way through and had the same thing happen to him. This game clearly deserves at least three stars. Go play Despair and ragdoll yourself to a better place.