Latest Title Review #2 - 2018
This would be the year I would discover "Fist of the North Star", not because of this game, but rather, because of its memetic status. The scene in which Kenshiro would announce, "お前はもう死んでいる; Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru", as his victim's head blew up into bloody pieces, just popped up in my YouTube feed one day, and immediately, I was hooked.
And really, that's what this game is all about. You get to play as Kenshiro, and wield his ability to make his victims blow up into pieces with a punch. Well, several punches, as he screams out ATATATATATA. It's a really good time, especially with a dense combo list that you unlock over time, which adds more fatalities for you to watch Kenshiro perform. Oh the many ways you can blow up your enemies' heads.
The story surrounds the city of Eden, and you're pretty much their savior. What starts off as bandits trying to raid the place, soon turns into something much more sinister and powerful, as they do. The story didn't really get going for me up until near the end when things REALLY start ramping up. I will say, if it weren't for the awesome fighting you get to experience, I would have gotten tired of this game quite quickly. Thankfully, I did find the ending to be not only satisfying, but also, quite emotional. I wasn't expecting to feel that way given my previous words, so that to me, is a big plus. Maybe it was because emotions were already high after beating the grueling final boss. Whatever the case, I felt feels in the end, and that's great.
Once the game is done, you are left to explore what's left of the game, and if you focused only on the main quest, then you're in for a TREAT, or not, depending on the person. There are a TON of minigames, sidequests, and challenges to complete. It can seem daunting at first, but with a handy checklist in your pause menu, you can just go down the line, and knock it out over time. Some things are harder than others, and eventually, can feel like a chore getting through it all. You may not want to 100%, and of course, that's okay! Just enjoy the minigames, for they are cute, clever, and even have their own stats and things to upgrade within each game. There's even an arcade for you to play actual classic Sega arcade games. You have to unlock them too, which was my favorite of the side quests. The other side quests are fine, but most are fetch quests, and are pretty awful to get through.
All in all, "Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise", is a great fighting game, with much to see and do. It's quite the full package, which is nice to see in an age of games released with barely anything that you eventually have to pay more money to get. The story and even the gameplay can feel like a drag at times, but it always found a way to get exciting again, so it really depends on how much you're willing to take as a player. I say give it a go, whether you've seen the anime or not!
This would be the year I would discover "Fist of the North Star", not because of this game, but rather, because of its memetic status. The scene in which Kenshiro would announce, "お前はもう死んでいる; Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru", as his victim's head blew up into bloody pieces, just popped up in my YouTube feed one day, and immediately, I was hooked.
And really, that's what this game is all about. You get to play as Kenshiro, and wield his ability to make his victims blow up into pieces with a punch. Well, several punches, as he screams out ATATATATATA. It's a really good time, especially with a dense combo list that you unlock over time, which adds more fatalities for you to watch Kenshiro perform. Oh the many ways you can blow up your enemies' heads.
The story surrounds the city of Eden, and you're pretty much their savior. What starts off as bandits trying to raid the place, soon turns into something much more sinister and powerful, as they do. The story didn't really get going for me up until near the end when things REALLY start ramping up. I will say, if it weren't for the awesome fighting you get to experience, I would have gotten tired of this game quite quickly. Thankfully, I did find the ending to be not only satisfying, but also, quite emotional. I wasn't expecting to feel that way given my previous words, so that to me, is a big plus. Maybe it was because emotions were already high after beating the grueling final boss. Whatever the case, I felt feels in the end, and that's great.
Once the game is done, you are left to explore what's left of the game, and if you focused only on the main quest, then you're in for a TREAT, or not, depending on the person. There are a TON of minigames, sidequests, and challenges to complete. It can seem daunting at first, but with a handy checklist in your pause menu, you can just go down the line, and knock it out over time. Some things are harder than others, and eventually, can feel like a chore getting through it all. You may not want to 100%, and of course, that's okay! Just enjoy the minigames, for they are cute, clever, and even have their own stats and things to upgrade within each game. There's even an arcade for you to play actual classic Sega arcade games. You have to unlock them too, which was my favorite of the side quests. The other side quests are fine, but most are fetch quests, and are pretty awful to get through.
All in all, "Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise", is a great fighting game, with much to see and do. It's quite the full package, which is nice to see in an age of games released with barely anything that you eventually have to pay more money to get. The story and even the gameplay can feel like a drag at times, but it always found a way to get exciting again, so it really depends on how much you're willing to take as a player. I say give it a go, whether you've seen the anime or not!