Srice
The gameplay is busted as hell in a way that makes it a tedious cakewalk. It's incredibly easy but I found myself avoiding combat as much as possible because it'd feel like a chore. There's some good ideas in the writing but the execution leaves much to be desired - for a game that ostensibly asks the player to have empathy for people with all sorts of physical and mental struggles, it thinks fat people are a punchline and trans people are disgusting perverts. That's all that needs to be said, really.
There's a moment in the game where a group of fat women are blocking the way. You get them to move by telling them there's a free buffet table. This causes them to run out of your way, shaking the screen while they move. This is played for laughs but it's delivered in such a lazy way that I can't even say it's a bad joke executed well!
There's a moment in the game where a group of fat women are blocking the way. You get them to move by telling them there's a free buffet table. This causes them to run out of your way, shaking the screen while they move. This is played for laughs but it's delivered in such a lazy way that I can't even say it's a bad joke executed well!
2002
A charming enough port of Lunar. It might lack the voice acting and anime cutscenes but there's some great spritework at play here. The localization is a mixed bag, thankfully it doesn't have the poorly aged punchup of Working Designs' translation, but Ubisoft(!) provides one that's just a little too dry. Though thankfully it doesn't have the bloat that WD introduced in their localizations of previous Lunar games; the GBA port might be the quickest to play through since the numbers aren't cranked up to prolong the game. It only took me about 10 hours and I never had to grind.
It's not the best version of the game but there's something to be said for how quaint it is that this exists; they could have repeated the same plot beat for beat but much like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, each retelling of Lunar keeps the broad strokes but changes plenty of individual plot beats. I think that's neat as all hell!
It's not the best version of the game but there's something to be said for how quaint it is that this exists; they could have repeated the same plot beat for beat but much like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, each retelling of Lunar keeps the broad strokes but changes plenty of individual plot beats. I think that's neat as all hell!
2007
For a full 3d remake it doesn't change enough for my tastes, the story additions are very limited and pointless. Still, it retains the core of Final Fantasy IV so it's a good game, just not the version of the game I would point folks towards for their first playthrough.
1995
Its best qualities are its excellent pixel art and incredible soundtrack. Aesthetically, it's a powerhouse. Unfortunately the game just isn't that fun to play! The game has more levels than the average Sonic game, and the levels all feel the same because they're huge and barren.
The levels are very easy as well. I don't have a problem with easy games but they gotta have something to keep me engaged and these levels do not. Chaotix's physics gimmick is fun for a few levels and then you realize there's a whopping 25 levels after the intro section. That's comparable to Sonic 3 & Knuckles, two combined games that can be played separately while still feeling like a full game! Sheesh!
The levels are very easy as well. I don't have a problem with easy games but they gotta have something to keep me engaged and these levels do not. Chaotix's physics gimmick is fun for a few levels and then you realize there's a whopping 25 levels after the intro section. That's comparable to Sonic 3 & Knuckles, two combined games that can be played separately while still feeling like a full game! Sheesh!
2021
Back in the day I could never get into Final Fantasy II. I tried when I was a young lad with an emulator, consuming every 16-bit and 8-bit JRPG imaginable including ones that had been fan translated. I tried again when Final Fantasy I and II were ported to the GBA. I just had to accept that maybe Final Fantasy II is the only game in the series that is not for me. It's certainly a black sheep strange stat growth system that would find a home within the SaGa series.
But then, over the past few years I became SaGa-pilled and learned to love the randomness. So I finally gave Final Fantasy II a proper shot with the new Pixel Remaster and, well, I still think it's the weakest mainline game but it's still worth playing!
It's ambitious in a way I can respect, with its keyword system being reminiscent of PC RPGs. And its story was obviously influential for later games in the series, since after all the infatuation with Star Wars started here, among many other reoccurring elements. As a historical piece I found a lot to appreciate about its simple narrative.
Unfortunately the gameplay gets to be a bit tedious! Thankfully these days I have embraced the auto-battle function. Without it I would never have finished it. Boss fights are interesting enough but in going through dungeons there's not much of interest in the random battles. After a few hours resource management isn't an issue at all due to all the money you earn + spells being dirt cheap to cast. It's not the worst thing as the game only took me about 15 hours to complete, but thank goodness for auto-battle all the same.
I'm glad I finally beat it and while I have warmed up to it, it's still my least favorite Final Fantasy. But hey, it just goes to show that even the worst of the lot still has plenty of redeeming qualities.
But then, over the past few years I became SaGa-pilled and learned to love the randomness. So I finally gave Final Fantasy II a proper shot with the new Pixel Remaster and, well, I still think it's the weakest mainline game but it's still worth playing!
It's ambitious in a way I can respect, with its keyword system being reminiscent of PC RPGs. And its story was obviously influential for later games in the series, since after all the infatuation with Star Wars started here, among many other reoccurring elements. As a historical piece I found a lot to appreciate about its simple narrative.
Unfortunately the gameplay gets to be a bit tedious! Thankfully these days I have embraced the auto-battle function. Without it I would never have finished it. Boss fights are interesting enough but in going through dungeons there's not much of interest in the random battles. After a few hours resource management isn't an issue at all due to all the money you earn + spells being dirt cheap to cast. It's not the worst thing as the game only took me about 15 hours to complete, but thank goodness for auto-battle all the same.
I'm glad I finally beat it and while I have warmed up to it, it's still my least favorite Final Fantasy. But hey, it just goes to show that even the worst of the lot still has plenty of redeeming qualities.
1992
Kinda wild that this morning I played this game for the first time in over 20 years, and then Nintendo goes and announces a Return to Dreamland port for the Switch a few hours later!
At any rate, it's still a good time today. It's simplistic, sure, but it controls well and it's less than an hour long. All killer no filler, babyyyy. Because of how the Kirby franchise has evolved over the years it's interesting to return to a game in which you are expected to defeat bosses with their own attacks. While Kirby's copy ability in subsequent games became his defining feature for a lot of obvious reasons, it makes me wonder what could have been if they made just one sequel that further tested the limits on what a Kirby game without it could be.
Also, kudos for having a hard mode that changes enemy placements and boss attack patterns instead of just tinkering with the numbers. Always a pleasure to see that kind of design at play!
At any rate, it's still a good time today. It's simplistic, sure, but it controls well and it's less than an hour long. All killer no filler, babyyyy. Because of how the Kirby franchise has evolved over the years it's interesting to return to a game in which you are expected to defeat bosses with their own attacks. While Kirby's copy ability in subsequent games became his defining feature for a lot of obvious reasons, it makes me wonder what could have been if they made just one sequel that further tested the limits on what a Kirby game without it could be.
Also, kudos for having a hard mode that changes enemy placements and boss attack patterns instead of just tinkering with the numbers. Always a pleasure to see that kind of design at play!