Updated about 1 week ago

Updated about 1 week ago

More of the same, but refined, a statement that seems to describe the successive mainline Summon Night games. Better story pacing and funner mini-games, with slight re-balances to EXP requirements and stats and the addition of multiple spells per summon. Characters also feel less flat. Overall the game feels more focused and polished than the first game.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

Updated about 2 weeks ago

Updated about 2 weeks ago

A masterpiece of the 32-bit era. While the Mega CD original was more a run of the mill RPG with some nice writing (and a love it or hate it localization), the Saturn and PSX version is just. It's hard to put into words just how beautiful it is. Canon is added to make the story flow better, challenge has been added, and more and more heartwarming scenes are added to add to the original's charm. Again, a masterpiece. Unworked Designs patch that sucker and play this. You just gotta.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

An addictive little stage based Action-Adventure title. Finding underground staircases without candles by jumping about is probably the only low point of the game, and I'm sure you have to do it in Stage 4. The standard map based koban and pass collecting and villager+youkai bopping (and lady humoring, always collect the ladies) is really good, and the first person dungeon mazes are also really fun. Controls are also really great apart from some jumping jank. A classic.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

Updated about 2 weeks ago

Pokémon makes its entry into the world. A very jank game, far outclassed by its sequels. AI and movepools are rudimentary, and Psychic is completely broken in terms of strength, making going back to this game a challenge for a lot. However, I still feel nostalgia for its simple graphics and gameplay. I prefer GSC/HGSS the most, but I replay Gen 1 the most. An easy beginner's RPG that anyone can pick up and play. Make sure to connect to a friend to get all the mons!

Updated about 2 weeks ago

A game that is hindered by its "innovations". A lot of it is inspired by the gameplay of tabletop RPGs, which Akitoshi Kawazu is a fan of, but a lot of it feels just too opaque compared to a normal tabletop game's system. As a result the game is less than the sum of its parts, with a lot of its mechanics holding up a game that feels kind of phoned in, if you've studied it enough to comprehend the mechanics. SaGa Frontier or Romancing SaGa 2, this ain't. Music slaps tho.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

A superbly designed CRPG. There is an option for virtually any combination of stats, skills and traits to progress through the game, and that's honestly rather beautiful. For the first WRPG I'm trying to finish, Ultima 1 aside, it's a level of detail I have not seen in any JRPG. Writing and worldbuilding is also extremely clever and poignant, and the characters that serve as the talking heads are quite memorable.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

One of the best, most terrific platformers I have ever played, stunning graphics, excellent gameplay, perfect music. The first two Gargoyle's Quests aren't mandatory, I didn't play them when I played this, but I am considering going through them once I finish this.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

An interesting mix of run and gun mechanics and RPG held back by its design that doesn't work. Using chips is fine, but complex movements across your field, mashing the buster as a secondary attack, dungeon design, and the whole mechanic of chips (including the one that allows you to run away) being added semi-randomly is a huge pain. The Internet design is also winding and twisting, extremely easy to get lost in.

Updated about 2 weeks ago

A much improved sequel on the original Star Ocean. Pacing is still relatively brisk, with the main game taking only roughly 10 hours, but the story is more focused, the game doesn't suffer from the issue of crunch and rushed development, allowing the story to progress naturally and the systems and character writing to be more fine tuned for a shorter adventure. The battles are also addictive as always.