tuskoub
A stark example that limited hardware doesn't necessarily mean a game can't be great by modern standards. This is still one of the best 2D Zelda games, thanks to its charming world, music, characters, and the story it tells outside the usual Zelda conventions. The dungeon designs are puzzling without being obtuse. Marin is such a charming character with many cute moments. Plus, all the other wacky cameos and crazy characters make for a fun world to explore. The hardware is the major thing holding the game back, with the constant switching of items being a massive hassle. Even though the Nintendo Switch remake is a straight upgrade, Link's Awakening DX is still special to me and so very fun that I can actually recommend this version in good faith.
Fire Emblem Thracia 776 is my absolute favorite video game of all time. I love this game so very dearly. Heads-up that this review will be very gushy and long. For a personal introduction, I first played this game as a freshman in High School when I ran into someone in the Library playing Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn. It was the first time I'd met someone else who liked FE and was ecstatic, since he was one of the first friends I made in a completely new school. Eventually, he showed me this game and I was so intrigued by all the different mechanics, story set up, and its relative obscurity. Just like I stated in my review of Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War, I've made countless friends online through discussion and fandom over this very game and treasure the community experience with this game dearly.
Thracia 776 exemplifies the power of video games as an art form perfectly. Ludonarrative Harmony is when story and gameplay compliment each other to provide and immersive experience. That's the exact term I'd use to describe this game. Thracia marries tactical gameplay and the story of a personal war to invest the player emotionally in a way that no other medium can.
Most other Fire Emblem games feature a grand army of a few lordlings taking down legions of brigands, soldiers, and such to represent a whole largescale war in small scale skirmished. This entry actually represents a very ground-level, personal type of conflict perfectly fitting the story of a Prince estranged from his nation, in hiding, trying to make a stand for common folks around him. Leif's tactics are underhanded, but necessary for survival and this is communicated through gameplay.
Your supplies aren't magically handed to you or easily available through a sizeable allowance from your family. Leif and his army STRUGGLE for survival in this game and you really do feel this as the player. If you want weaponry, items, and gear, you need to knock your enemies out non-lethally and yoink the items off their person. If you want money, you need to scrounge and swipe items from your opponents and pawn them off, as even going through the gladiatorial arenas aren't as reliable. Every interaction has so much more meaning where you try not to just clear the enemy, but manage and bolster your lacking supplies at any given time.
Your party will not consist of holy-blooded Super Soldier royalty like in many other Fire Emblem games. As Leif needs every willing hand he can, his barracks hold host to all walks of life from cutpurses, rogues, brigands to normal villagers forced to take up arms to knights defected from the other side of the conflict after witnessing their home country's atrocities.
This reflects itself in gameplay once again through the Fatigue system, one of my favorite mechanics. It makes natural sense that your units would grow tired after being deployed for multiple skirmishes. It's such a brilliant system that actually forces you to engage with all the units who enter your army instead of relying on a small few and juggernauting the whole game. It increases the amount of tactical decisions you make. Will you rely entirely on one unit to help carry you through a tough map at the risk of potentially needing them for the next? Do you bench a unit prematurely on an easier map so that you can have them fully rested up for the next one? Every mechanic in this game works in tandem to provide a thorough, tactical, small scale experience like no other.
This map design here is also superb. Most of them are layered, with multiple objectives, rewarding the player for playing more tactically, and with tough challenges that engage the player's tactical sense. Special shoutouts to Chapter 14 here, a tooth-and-nail defense map where you act as a city's last hope against an invading force. There are many different types of enemies to defend against, an expansive city, and multiple objectives deep into enemy lines that tempt the player to push back harder. For the sake of length, I will limit it to that example but there are many such other standouts like Chapter 6, Chapter 17A, Chapter 19, Chapter 22, Chapter 24x, and Endgame
I have to give special praise to the story here as well. While not the grandest scale of conflicts, this story is very protagonist-driven. Leif is a protag that you WANT to root for. He's a fifteen year old kid who's tired of having everyone cover for him, wanting to make a difference and make something out of his tragic life. He's endured great loss and suffers from low self-esteem thanks to not being as blessed with super Holy Blood powers like all the great leaders of his time. He makes many mistakes throughout the story, suffers from them, and grows as a leader and person for them. Leif's story is one of circumstance. He shows that greatness comes from any source and can surmount struggles when every odd is stacked against him. I think anyone can relate to or find at least some sort of inspiration within.
In addition, this game boasts a very enjoyable soundtrack, crunchy sound design, and charming late-SNES 2D graphics when the spritework was at its most refined. Everything in the presentation is shaded with a moody, darker tone and the character portraits are so striking with their deep coloring and shading.
In summary, Fire Emblem Thracia 776 is nothing short of a masterpiece. It weaves a compelling story with captivating, challenging, strategic gameplay together to form a tale that could only be delivered and experienced through this medium. It demonstrates the meaning of ludonarrative harmony perfectly. This game is amazing.
Thracia 776 exemplifies the power of video games as an art form perfectly. Ludonarrative Harmony is when story and gameplay compliment each other to provide and immersive experience. That's the exact term I'd use to describe this game. Thracia marries tactical gameplay and the story of a personal war to invest the player emotionally in a way that no other medium can.
Most other Fire Emblem games feature a grand army of a few lordlings taking down legions of brigands, soldiers, and such to represent a whole largescale war in small scale skirmished. This entry actually represents a very ground-level, personal type of conflict perfectly fitting the story of a Prince estranged from his nation, in hiding, trying to make a stand for common folks around him. Leif's tactics are underhanded, but necessary for survival and this is communicated through gameplay.
Your supplies aren't magically handed to you or easily available through a sizeable allowance from your family. Leif and his army STRUGGLE for survival in this game and you really do feel this as the player. If you want weaponry, items, and gear, you need to knock your enemies out non-lethally and yoink the items off their person. If you want money, you need to scrounge and swipe items from your opponents and pawn them off, as even going through the gladiatorial arenas aren't as reliable. Every interaction has so much more meaning where you try not to just clear the enemy, but manage and bolster your lacking supplies at any given time.
Your party will not consist of holy-blooded Super Soldier royalty like in many other Fire Emblem games. As Leif needs every willing hand he can, his barracks hold host to all walks of life from cutpurses, rogues, brigands to normal villagers forced to take up arms to knights defected from the other side of the conflict after witnessing their home country's atrocities.
This reflects itself in gameplay once again through the Fatigue system, one of my favorite mechanics. It makes natural sense that your units would grow tired after being deployed for multiple skirmishes. It's such a brilliant system that actually forces you to engage with all the units who enter your army instead of relying on a small few and juggernauting the whole game. It increases the amount of tactical decisions you make. Will you rely entirely on one unit to help carry you through a tough map at the risk of potentially needing them for the next? Do you bench a unit prematurely on an easier map so that you can have them fully rested up for the next one? Every mechanic in this game works in tandem to provide a thorough, tactical, small scale experience like no other.
This map design here is also superb. Most of them are layered, with multiple objectives, rewarding the player for playing more tactically, and with tough challenges that engage the player's tactical sense. Special shoutouts to Chapter 14 here, a tooth-and-nail defense map where you act as a city's last hope against an invading force. There are many different types of enemies to defend against, an expansive city, and multiple objectives deep into enemy lines that tempt the player to push back harder. For the sake of length, I will limit it to that example but there are many such other standouts like Chapter 6, Chapter 17A, Chapter 19, Chapter 22, Chapter 24x, and Endgame
I have to give special praise to the story here as well. While not the grandest scale of conflicts, this story is very protagonist-driven. Leif is a protag that you WANT to root for. He's a fifteen year old kid who's tired of having everyone cover for him, wanting to make a difference and make something out of his tragic life. He's endured great loss and suffers from low self-esteem thanks to not being as blessed with super Holy Blood powers like all the great leaders of his time. He makes many mistakes throughout the story, suffers from them, and grows as a leader and person for them. Leif's story is one of circumstance. He shows that greatness comes from any source and can surmount struggles when every odd is stacked against him. I think anyone can relate to or find at least some sort of inspiration within.
In addition, this game boasts a very enjoyable soundtrack, crunchy sound design, and charming late-SNES 2D graphics when the spritework was at its most refined. Everything in the presentation is shaded with a moody, darker tone and the character portraits are so striking with their deep coloring and shading.
In summary, Fire Emblem Thracia 776 is nothing short of a masterpiece. It weaves a compelling story with captivating, challenging, strategic gameplay together to form a tale that could only be delivered and experienced through this medium. It demonstrates the meaning of ludonarrative harmony perfectly. This game is amazing.
1986
Ironically, sluggish movement and lanky jumps would normally be a flaw in a game but Castlevania’s level design leverages it into an asset. In an era before games employed detailed graphics and sound to convey horror, this game uses your lack of control to make you feel more at the enemy’s mercy. I find that very interesting and I love mastering the boss and level design. The music is very iconic and great for the NES. With that said, the game is still pretty basic, simple, and some challenges feel cheap and a bit too far out of the player’s hands. They managed to get a lot of the series’s identity right and set in stone with this very first entry. Still a fun and worthwhile experience even today though.
In spite of being old and “clunky” to many, with not being able to see movement ranges or having to keep a sheet of notes with weapon stats handy, I really like the first Fire Emblem. It’s very charming and is relatively fair for an NES RPG. This game almost single-handedly invented the SRPG genre, and also my favorite series of all time. The plot is nice and simple, though I do prefer both of the remakes of this game. Still, I actually would find myself returning to it since most of the maps are fun. Biggest drawback is how insane of a spike in difficulty Medeus, the final boss, is. I had to pull out a bunch of flunkies from the bench of my party to be able to survive.
(SPOILER FREE, LONG REVIEW WARNING)
Berwick Saga is nothing short of a masterpiece. It's absolutely among the toughest video games I've ever completed and there are some nitpicks I have but, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Lazberia. This is the pinnacle and culmination of Shouzou Kaga’s history of games up to this point, feeling like all the best aspects from Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War’s scale and scope, Fire Emblem Thracia 776’s mechanical richness, and Tear Ring Saga’s writing
My favorite thing about this game is how mechanically rich it is, how everything weaves together and plays off itself. This is the closest to Fire Emblem Thracia 776 that I've felt that deep sense of management and tactics since my first completion of that game, my favorite video game of all time. The money you have, every microcosmic choice you make to spend it on a mercenary, on food, on horses, on items, or anything reverberates through the whole performance of your army. Your funds are limited, and you have to earn a lot of your money. In no other game have I felt as great of a feeling of getting a gift as whenever Reese would get money in this game, as we also learn directly where it comes from. The battle's more active flow and all challenges that come with it are very tactically engaging, working the noggin harder than ever with an SRPG.
That's Berwick Saga's other strength, the depth of its world and characters. While there is much to Lazberia that we don't learn, we learn everything about the characters in our contingent, the city of Navaron, and those connected to them. It's everything I love about The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask and Moon: RPG Remix Adventure in which a smaller setting is expanded upon greatly to breathe life into this digital world the player experiences. I'm genuinely going to miss the NPCs in this game, and I'm happy to have experienced all the arcs that almost EVERY character in this game endures.
Not only is every character a joy to read and watch as they ALL have their own sidequests, backstories, and development to enjoy, but they also come with stark gameplay differences that make each unit unique and worth using (Except Derrick and Perceval). I was ALWAYS strapped trying to pick who to deploy not because I struggled who to include, but because I struggled who to leave behind at the barracks, a mark of good unit design. Each unit is made so unique and has a niche all to their own. It sounds ludicrous but you could deploy a unit in this game to do ONE thing in a whole chapter and it still somehow feels like their deployment was worthwhile.
Ultimately, I'm happy with the way the story ended in retrospect but there is a large part of the game where it feels like you're waiting for the main plot to occur. It's all in service of the main themes of the game, however I wish they started and paced certain threads earlier (Like the Chosen One and everything in Raze). The strongest points come in the theming about this game. The conflict centers around a 500-year long war who barely anyone living can remember why it started, just that the hatred for their enemies is so ingrained. I love these types of tales and especially the thesis of Berwick Saga. That thesis being that problems won’t go away on their own, change doesn’t just happen because. These things take real concerted effort from people with strong wills and character to undo the wrongs of the past and no miracle will sprout out of anywhere to save you. If you want to see change, be the change. (I am a MAJOR fan of the twists and turns this game’s plot takes even if it takes a while to get there)
While I was down with the difficulty for a good amount of the game, it started to get a bit too overbearing in the latter third, with Ballistae and Dark Magic spammed everywhere with very few, centralizing options (Provoke/Shield and Owen) to mitigate their presence. Still, many of the maps are beautifully designed and stand as some of the best SRPG maps I've ever played. They are multi-layered with many engaging objectives, gameplay-story synergy, and smart enemy placement/design. Chapter 3-M, 5-M, 11-M, and 12-1 stand out in this regard to me with some intense story beats packed with them.
The RNG in this game is incredibly unfair, everything people attribute to Fire Emblem The Binding Blade is much more egregious here and rates are low across the board. The game's most unnecessary mechanic also suffers from this, being the RNG Weapon Durability, which is the most antithetical mechanic to this game's tactical gameplay and becomes blind luck. This area is the biggest drawback to Berwick Saga in my opinion. However, even this has some tactical merit as you can use food, skills, and certain weapons to ensure greater Hit and Avoid rates. While this is my only true scathing point and knock against the game, I believe that it can lead to some tactical decision-making and gameplay (with the exception of durability, that part is pure random chance).
In summary, Berwick Saga's world is rich and engaging. Its mechanics are deep and will have you wracking your brain more than ever with an SRPG. Its characters are fully fleshed and real, even down to the shop NPCs. This game is not for the light of heart, however. I'd consider myself to not just be good at games, but at SRPGs and this put me through the wringer big time. If you're up to such an immense challenge, however, you will find one of the brightest hidden gems around. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime game.
Berwick Saga is nothing short of a masterpiece. It's absolutely among the toughest video games I've ever completed and there are some nitpicks I have but, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Lazberia. This is the pinnacle and culmination of Shouzou Kaga’s history of games up to this point, feeling like all the best aspects from Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War’s scale and scope, Fire Emblem Thracia 776’s mechanical richness, and Tear Ring Saga’s writing
My favorite thing about this game is how mechanically rich it is, how everything weaves together and plays off itself. This is the closest to Fire Emblem Thracia 776 that I've felt that deep sense of management and tactics since my first completion of that game, my favorite video game of all time. The money you have, every microcosmic choice you make to spend it on a mercenary, on food, on horses, on items, or anything reverberates through the whole performance of your army. Your funds are limited, and you have to earn a lot of your money. In no other game have I felt as great of a feeling of getting a gift as whenever Reese would get money in this game, as we also learn directly where it comes from. The battle's more active flow and all challenges that come with it are very tactically engaging, working the noggin harder than ever with an SRPG.
That's Berwick Saga's other strength, the depth of its world and characters. While there is much to Lazberia that we don't learn, we learn everything about the characters in our contingent, the city of Navaron, and those connected to them. It's everything I love about The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask and Moon: RPG Remix Adventure in which a smaller setting is expanded upon greatly to breathe life into this digital world the player experiences. I'm genuinely going to miss the NPCs in this game, and I'm happy to have experienced all the arcs that almost EVERY character in this game endures.
Not only is every character a joy to read and watch as they ALL have their own sidequests, backstories, and development to enjoy, but they also come with stark gameplay differences that make each unit unique and worth using (Except Derrick and Perceval). I was ALWAYS strapped trying to pick who to deploy not because I struggled who to include, but because I struggled who to leave behind at the barracks, a mark of good unit design. Each unit is made so unique and has a niche all to their own. It sounds ludicrous but you could deploy a unit in this game to do ONE thing in a whole chapter and it still somehow feels like their deployment was worthwhile.
Ultimately, I'm happy with the way the story ended in retrospect but there is a large part of the game where it feels like you're waiting for the main plot to occur. It's all in service of the main themes of the game, however I wish they started and paced certain threads earlier (Like the Chosen One and everything in Raze). The strongest points come in the theming about this game. The conflict centers around a 500-year long war who barely anyone living can remember why it started, just that the hatred for their enemies is so ingrained. I love these types of tales and especially the thesis of Berwick Saga. That thesis being that problems won’t go away on their own, change doesn’t just happen because. These things take real concerted effort from people with strong wills and character to undo the wrongs of the past and no miracle will sprout out of anywhere to save you. If you want to see change, be the change. (I am a MAJOR fan of the twists and turns this game’s plot takes even if it takes a while to get there)
While I was down with the difficulty for a good amount of the game, it started to get a bit too overbearing in the latter third, with Ballistae and Dark Magic spammed everywhere with very few, centralizing options (Provoke/Shield and Owen) to mitigate their presence. Still, many of the maps are beautifully designed and stand as some of the best SRPG maps I've ever played. They are multi-layered with many engaging objectives, gameplay-story synergy, and smart enemy placement/design. Chapter 3-M, 5-M, 11-M, and 12-1 stand out in this regard to me with some intense story beats packed with them.
The RNG in this game is incredibly unfair, everything people attribute to Fire Emblem The Binding Blade is much more egregious here and rates are low across the board. The game's most unnecessary mechanic also suffers from this, being the RNG Weapon Durability, which is the most antithetical mechanic to this game's tactical gameplay and becomes blind luck. This area is the biggest drawback to Berwick Saga in my opinion. However, even this has some tactical merit as you can use food, skills, and certain weapons to ensure greater Hit and Avoid rates. While this is my only true scathing point and knock against the game, I believe that it can lead to some tactical decision-making and gameplay (with the exception of durability, that part is pure random chance).
In summary, Berwick Saga's world is rich and engaging. Its mechanics are deep and will have you wracking your brain more than ever with an SRPG. Its characters are fully fleshed and real, even down to the shop NPCs. This game is not for the light of heart, however. I'd consider myself to not just be good at games, but at SRPGs and this put me through the wringer big time. If you're up to such an immense challenge, however, you will find one of the brightest hidden gems around. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime game.
Long Review Warning: opening with the fact that I love this game. I have completed it MULTIPLE times, including on official hardware. Out of every game I've played, this one is absolutely among the most important to me personally and for my development. I have made so many great friends and taken part in many discussions thanks to this masterwork.
Very few pieces of media have moved me so much emotionally, yet this game gets the honor of being one of the strongest examples personally.
The first time I played through this game, I KNEW about the spoiler event at Ch. 5, prepared for it, and used to joke about it and all. I still remember the sheer dread I felt upon the event playing out. I didn't cry but I can distinctly remember the feeling of the sky outside my window going grey, a chill sent down my spine, and the emotion being so powerful I had to put down the game for an hour and just soak it in.
However, the feeling afterwards was equally as powerful. The opening for Chapter 6 is one of my favorite video game moments of all time. The swelling music and the bleak state of the world after the fallout of Chapter 5 contrasted with the light and hope put into the player's hand is nothing short of magical. You empathize HARD with Seliph's struggle in the second half of the game. This story is very nuanced and easily the biggest detractor to the "Fire Emblem stories are never good" myth.
The gameplay is top-notch as well. While players of modern games may bemoan the lack of features like trading items, these systems are all interwoven so delicately to support one another and make the experience quite mechanically cohesive. Every system supports and builds up the Love mechanic in the game, which has great story, gameplay, and game feel pay-off, in addition to adding an intense amount of replayability.
The soundtrack is among my favorites in video game history. Each one perfectly suits the mood and events in the story and game feel. To shout out a few: The title theme is EASILY the best version of the main Fire Emblem theme period, with its mysterious lead into the bombastic, war marching-tempo main part of the song. Girl of the Spirit Forest is wistful and exciting, frequently being the lead "lovey dovey video game song" example that comes to mind for me. Dance in the Skies is a different pace from the two songs before and suits the winter environment with its Sleigh Bells and somber tones better than most Christmas-y BGM I can think of. The Final Holy War is one of my favorite BGM period, tying the narrative of the whole story together just through song, and empowering the player to push through the final act.
This review is already very long, so to wrap up without rambling more: I absolutely adore every thing about this game, the secret events, the units, the maps, the mechanics, the music, the story. I know deep within my heart that were this game localized for the West, it would REGULARLY be in league with games like The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy VI for conversations regarding the best video games of all time. An absolute masterpiece I think needs to be experienced and I eagerly anticipate a potential remake that would allow more to do so.
Very few pieces of media have moved me so much emotionally, yet this game gets the honor of being one of the strongest examples personally.
The first time I played through this game, I KNEW about the spoiler event at Ch. 5, prepared for it, and used to joke about it and all. I still remember the sheer dread I felt upon the event playing out. I didn't cry but I can distinctly remember the feeling of the sky outside my window going grey, a chill sent down my spine, and the emotion being so powerful I had to put down the game for an hour and just soak it in.
However, the feeling afterwards was equally as powerful. The opening for Chapter 6 is one of my favorite video game moments of all time. The swelling music and the bleak state of the world after the fallout of Chapter 5 contrasted with the light and hope put into the player's hand is nothing short of magical. You empathize HARD with Seliph's struggle in the second half of the game. This story is very nuanced and easily the biggest detractor to the "Fire Emblem stories are never good" myth.
The gameplay is top-notch as well. While players of modern games may bemoan the lack of features like trading items, these systems are all interwoven so delicately to support one another and make the experience quite mechanically cohesive. Every system supports and builds up the Love mechanic in the game, which has great story, gameplay, and game feel pay-off, in addition to adding an intense amount of replayability.
The soundtrack is among my favorites in video game history. Each one perfectly suits the mood and events in the story and game feel. To shout out a few: The title theme is EASILY the best version of the main Fire Emblem theme period, with its mysterious lead into the bombastic, war marching-tempo main part of the song. Girl of the Spirit Forest is wistful and exciting, frequently being the lead "lovey dovey video game song" example that comes to mind for me. Dance in the Skies is a different pace from the two songs before and suits the winter environment with its Sleigh Bells and somber tones better than most Christmas-y BGM I can think of. The Final Holy War is one of my favorite BGM period, tying the narrative of the whole story together just through song, and empowering the player to push through the final act.
This review is already very long, so to wrap up without rambling more: I absolutely adore every thing about this game, the secret events, the units, the maps, the mechanics, the music, the story. I know deep within my heart that were this game localized for the West, it would REGULARLY be in league with games like The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy VI for conversations regarding the best video games of all time. An absolute masterpiece I think needs to be experienced and I eagerly anticipate a potential remake that would allow more to do so.
1994
A great platformer both to play and look at. It's shocking how such early 3D CGI holds up, and it doesn't feel like it should be possible, but it totally does. There is a nice straight-forwardness to this game's level design where it doesn't pull many punches but doesn't pull cheap tricks either. The factory and jungle levels are cool, minecart levels can be a bit too strict. The boss fights are generally uninspired and the low part of the game, but the final boss is great. The music is awesome too.
Rondo of Blood is easily my favorite of the classic styled Castlevania games. It feels like the ultimate refinement of that style. The 32-bit presentation and CD-quality soundtracks are beautiful in their own right.
Even more beautiful is the level design, I genuinely enjoyed almost every one in the game and the alternate exits are a fun way to replay each stage and master them. Most rewarding are the bosses, they’re very challenging for sure (As Richter, Maria completely stomps them).
Games like these really push you to want to do your best and master them, and when done right, they draw you in to replay them multiple times.
Even more beautiful is the level design, I genuinely enjoyed almost every one in the game and the alternate exits are a fun way to replay each stage and master them. Most rewarding are the bosses, they’re very challenging for sure (As Richter, Maria completely stomps them).
Games like these really push you to want to do your best and master them, and when done right, they draw you in to replay them multiple times.
1994
This is a tough review to write because it's hard to say what hasn't already been said. Growing up, I wasn't as keen on Search-Action games as I am now but my recent playthrough of Super Metroid a few years ago changed that.
The exploration is very well done here as many others have said, the detail on the spritework is astronomical for the SNES, and the atmosphere is otherworldly. The boss fights are pretty challenging and fun. My only draw was that I didn't like Maridia and found it very frustrating but every other area, especially lategame Norfair, was very enjoyable. An amazing game for surely.
The exploration is very well done here as many others have said, the detail on the spritework is astronomical for the SNES, and the atmosphere is otherworldly. The boss fights are pretty challenging and fun. My only draw was that I didn't like Maridia and found it very frustrating but every other area, especially lategame Norfair, was very enjoyable. An amazing game for surely.
1990
Long-review short: Masterpiece.
This was one of the first video games I played, and it was the one that made me truly fall in love with the medium as a whole. This game does everything so damn right.
The spritework is great and holds up well. The controls and movement are the perfect amount of responsiveness. The level designs are very fun and have a lot of explorability, (even sidestepping the issue where Super Mario Bros. 3’s levels sometimes felt too short).
The music is some of the most catchy and iconic video game music in all history. The vibes and theming of each level are immaculate.
Everything this game brings to the table, from Yoshi/Baby Yoshi, to the expanded importance of the world map, to the secret exits, to the Cape Feather’s fun movement is a hit. All the enemy designs are really cool too.
I may be blinded just a tad by nostalgia but I legitimately can’t muster a flaw to write in. (Except the secret exits in World 5 being obtuse but that’s nothing)
I would very firmly put this in the category of games that absolutely everyone should play through at least once. Very easily one of the best platformers of all time, to this day.
This was one of the first video games I played, and it was the one that made me truly fall in love with the medium as a whole. This game does everything so damn right.
The spritework is great and holds up well. The controls and movement are the perfect amount of responsiveness. The level designs are very fun and have a lot of explorability, (even sidestepping the issue where Super Mario Bros. 3’s levels sometimes felt too short).
The music is some of the most catchy and iconic video game music in all history. The vibes and theming of each level are immaculate.
Everything this game brings to the table, from Yoshi/Baby Yoshi, to the expanded importance of the world map, to the secret exits, to the Cape Feather’s fun movement is a hit. All the enemy designs are really cool too.
I may be blinded just a tad by nostalgia but I legitimately can’t muster a flaw to write in. (Except the secret exits in World 5 being obtuse but that’s nothing)
I would very firmly put this in the category of games that absolutely everyone should play through at least once. Very easily one of the best platformers of all time, to this day.
1997
My pick for the best Mega Man X game. I am a major sucker for the 32-bit sprite style at display here. This game is so stylish and smooth. Having Zero as a playable character is a really fun addition with all his moves, much more than in X3, and the bosses are great. The story is just okay, and the voice acting is subpar, but I love the level design and game feel so much that it elevates this game greatly to me. I didn't mention it with my other Mega Man X reviews but air dashes are always great for game feel.
2003
I can only imagine what must’ve happened behind the scenes for this game to turn out the way it did and I feel so bad for the developers who worked on it. This is pretty much as bad as it gets. It doesn’t feel good to control, nothing interesting happens, it isn’t visually interesting, I can’t remember any of the music in the game, the sound mixing genuinely hurts to listen to. Something must have been seriously awry with the pipeline around this time at Capcom for Devil May Cry 2 and this to happen back to back.
My thesis of that review was that it’s important to play games that are commonly trashed on to see how you feel, I feel less so with this one, at least to completion. It still warrants at least a brief look. I maintain that games like Mega Man X7 still act as cautionary tales and serve as examples of what to avoid, as harsh as that is.
My thesis of that review was that it’s important to play games that are commonly trashed on to see how you feel, I feel less so with this one, at least to completion. It still warrants at least a brief look. I maintain that games like Mega Man X7 still act as cautionary tales and serve as examples of what to avoid, as harsh as that is.
For a franchise that had just been deprived of its long-term lead creative minds and key development staff (Shouzou Kaga, Mayumi Hirota, and many more), I think stripping back to the most core mechanics, storytelling devices, and design was a smart idea.
I do have some biases in favor of this game. Growing up introduced to Fire Emblem through the GBA games always gave me an affinity for this unlocalized entry as some "cool obscure one that was like the ones I knew". Plus, it has many maps and chapters that are reminiscent of Thracia 776, my favorite game.
This game is a bit tougher than the average Fire Emblem, which feels a bit strange of a balance direction for what was clearly intended to be a soft-reboot to introduce new players, but I enjoy that. I enjoy the quirks like the less reliable accuracy, the huge playable cast with lopsided unit balancing, and more.
Its fun to replay, trying out new units and going different combinations of paths. I really enjoy revisiting this one. It's not my favorite FE out there since its story can be a bit flat for some parts, some maps can be really annoying, and sometimes the quirks are too quirky, but I can definitely say I like this one.
I do have some biases in favor of this game. Growing up introduced to Fire Emblem through the GBA games always gave me an affinity for this unlocalized entry as some "cool obscure one that was like the ones I knew". Plus, it has many maps and chapters that are reminiscent of Thracia 776, my favorite game.
This game is a bit tougher than the average Fire Emblem, which feels a bit strange of a balance direction for what was clearly intended to be a soft-reboot to introduce new players, but I enjoy that. I enjoy the quirks like the less reliable accuracy, the huge playable cast with lopsided unit balancing, and more.
Its fun to replay, trying out new units and going different combinations of paths. I really enjoy revisiting this one. It's not my favorite FE out there since its story can be a bit flat for some parts, some maps can be really annoying, and sometimes the quirks are too quirky, but I can definitely say I like this one.
2003
An amazing action-side scroller! Fantastic graphics with a striking heavily cel-shaded style and classic film aesthetic. The main mechanic where you manipulate/edit film is really engaging, though I remember the zoom-in slow shots being the most powerful by far. Much like other titles in this era from Capcom, that sense of style and flair is NAILED in this game. I played this way back in high school but now that I’ve actually played Devil May Cry, it’s crazy seeing how much of the style is the same across both games.
In my previous review (of Wario World), I’d mentioned that my first partner in high school loaned a few games to me and this was one of them. I have a lot of fun memories of beating this game on Adult Mode (this game’s hard difficulty) and surpassing Fire Leo because she challenged me to. I’m glad I was met with that challenge because it’s such a fun difficulty to play and I’d highly recommend it
In my previous review (of Wario World), I’d mentioned that my first partner in high school loaned a few games to me and this was one of them. I have a lot of fun memories of beating this game on Adult Mode (this game’s hard difficulty) and surpassing Fire Leo because she challenged me to. I’m glad I was met with that challenge because it’s such a fun difficulty to play and I’d highly recommend it
All-time great. If you could only play one Donkey Kong Country game of the trilogy, this is the one. The graphics are yet more refined from the previous entry and still hold up in a shocking feat for early 3D CG, the levels are even more fun now with less of the unfun types of levels from the previous game (Barrel levels) and the minecart levels are actually very fun here. In addition, the secrets in this game are more fun to go after with more substantial rewards, plus the new level elements and animal buddies are cool to toy with.
This is all without the major haymaker this game hits you with, the music. Man, this is legit among the best Video Game soundtracks of all time. It's timeless, and composer, David Wise's, work here is at it's master-craft status. The soundtrack, graphics, and level design all work in symphony to craft this masterpiece of a platformer.
This is all without the major haymaker this game hits you with, the music. Man, this is legit among the best Video Game soundtracks of all time. It's timeless, and composer, David Wise's, work here is at it's master-craft status. The soundtrack, graphics, and level design all work in symphony to craft this masterpiece of a platformer.