|
Post by toei on Nov 20, 2018 14:07:24 GMT -5
if you like these sorts of menu-driven adventure games That's the problem I have with old Japanese adventure games. They almost exclusively use the menu based system. I understand why they do - the legacy reasons. But still, it's not an ideal interface. As annoying as retro western-styled pixel-hunt adventure games can be, cycling through menus choosing options randomly/repetitively just trying to trigger the next plot-advancement is equally asinine. We should do a thread someday about -good- classic Japanese adventure games though. Surely there are a few diamonds in the poop pile. I like the genre overall. There's a few point-n-click games on consoles, but it's not the best interface when you're using a controller. There are also a few that just let you walk around in a top-down view, like RPGs without battles. Personally I think the menu-driven interface is fine. I like those games, though I prefer when they include some of action gameplay, even it's only occasional. I thought I'd already started a thread about them, actually.
|
|
|
Post by toei on Nov 20, 2018 17:15:55 GMT -5
I'm up against the last boss in Mitsume ga Tooru, got pretty annoyed so I had to take a break. I rarely died until the last level, but I did noticed that the checkpoint system was basically fair... except, stupidly, for the final boss, where you have to re-do the last section of the preceding level when you lose a continue.
Disappointed no one played Gear Senshi Dendoh or Hokuto no Ken. Come on, get past that NES stuff and give PSX Natsume a chance!
|
|
|
Post by Ex on Nov 20, 2018 18:01:51 GMT -5
I'm up against the last boss in Mitsume ga Tooru, got pretty annoyed so I had to take a break. Yeah I remember being annoyed when when one died one had to refight that pre-boss boss again before the final boss. The final boss is actually not too hard, once you learn his pattern, and to just let him be when he's all electrified. But it will take a few lives to learn his patterns. Then it just becomes a war of attrition like any other pattern-based boss. I do agree the checkpoint for the final boss is troll city though.
|
|
|
Post by toei on Nov 20, 2018 18:07:49 GMT -5
Yeah, the boss itself wasn't so bad. I think what had me confused is the difference in the dive kick he does when electrified (where it's better to walk under him) and when he's not (where you have to jump over him cause he keeps running).
Very quick review / impressions:
This is a polished, late NES action platformer which, as has been noted before, takes after Mega Man, though with a linear structure and no permanent upgrades. There are 3 different types of weapon upgrades, but you have to buy them in shops, many of which are somewhat hidden or a bit out of the way. You can also heal yourself there, or buy an item that will catch you once if you fall down a cliff. The problem is, you lose all your items when you die, which diminishes the usefulness of the whole system quite a bit, especially since you typically can't access another shop until the next level. I don't know if Ex or Sarge mentioned it, but there are invisible birds hidden in a few spots in this game, usually in dead ends. Attack that space repeatedly and the bird will appear and shower you with gold. It's a nice little secret. When I tried the game before, I struggled with the timing of throwing your ankh and using it as a platform, which had me stuck in Level 3, but I practiced a bit this time and it went smoothly. The levels and bosses are pretty well-designed, with some variety in enemies and obstacles, and the game is generally pretty easy, but not to the point that it's a problem. Despite all this, though, I felt something was missing throughout, and even felt like taking a break midway, though the game isn't particularly long. Thinking back, my issue was the pacing. Enemies take too many hits to die, so there isn't any sense of momentum. Plus you're usually fighting them one-by-one, sometimes two-by-two, which isn't enough to be exciting. So despite being well-made, the game was also a little boring to me. I would enjoy it a lot more with more enemies and more speed, but I guess that's the arcade / Genesis habit talking. So I'd give it **1/2, though I recognize it does what it does well.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Nov 20, 2018 20:34:27 GMT -5
I actually did grab Gear Senshi Dendoh and give it a go. It seemed alright to me, although I only go through the first stage, and was having issues with the emulator I was using. I can't even get newer versions of ePSXe to run on my laptop, for whatever reason.
|
|
|
Post by Ex on Nov 20, 2018 22:18:06 GMT -5
Disappointed no one played Gear Senshi Dendoh or Hokuto no Ken. Come on, get past that NES stuff and give PSX Natsume a chance! I have played both of those games in the past. Gear Senshi Dendoh is good, but it got to be monotonous for me. I would love to finish Hokuto no Ken - if it were in English. I hate missing the story in a game that's story driven like that beater is. I'm hoping it gets a fan translation someday. Meanwhile you and Xeogred still need to check out...
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Nov 20, 2018 22:33:29 GMT -5
Played some of that one way back in the day via emulation... one of the only good things to come out of Wing.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Nov 21, 2018 0:32:12 GMT -5
Welp, guess what, toei ? I finished Gear Senshi Dendoh. I liked it, although it did get a bit monotonous at points. I probably shouldn't have gone at it all in one go. The fighting engine is super solid, however, at least for the side-scrolling bits. I figured out most of the moveset just goofing around. I didn't know how to guard for a long time, but then figured out you have to hold the attack button. That can also trigger a dash attack that can get you out of a jam. The various throws can also be very useful both for breaking guards and getting rid of the smaller enemies that can swarm you. Don't get me started on that stage with all the mines. Every stage has a mini-boss you have to take down, and that usually just takes some cheese tactics like timing a jump-in attack, and following up with a combo. Sometimes, throws are better, however, especially against enemies that stay airborne. Grab 'em out of the sky! I had to refight a couple of bosses toward the end, but the checkpoints are pretty forgiving. It pretty much gives you each section you clear, so there's a minimum of frustration. For six of the stages, you'll fight a recurring boss at the end of it. He's always outfitted with a different weapon, which changes his fighting style. After you beat him, though, you can snag that weapon for yourself. (I tended to stick to the default moveset, however, as the punch combo has some excellent interrupt potential.) These are all presented in 3D, arena-style combat. It's definitely a change of pace, and while the combat isn't amazing, it's a lot better than I'd have expected for a game doing a multi-genre thing. There's also a "shooter" stage, except you kick across the screen instead of shooting. The controls here take some getting used to, and honestly, this was my least favorite part of the game. Overall, I think it was a fun time. I think it qualifies for hidden gem status; it might not be top-tier stuff but certainly worth playing if you enjoy brawlers. I'll give it a 7/10. EDIT: As an aside, I got ePSXe working on my machine. Turns out I had to go into the overclock settings and make sure it was set to 1x. Somehow, on default, it didn't come with any setting enabled at all, which was making it crash out. Fun times! I also had to swap to the software renderer, as it tended to not handle the UI elements properly in the game otherwise.
|
|
|
Post by toei on Nov 21, 2018 5:34:01 GMT -5
Sarge Yeah, I'd definitely recommend doing Gear Senshi in at least two sessions! I would have made the levels shorter and a little harder, but I still like the game. My favorite part of the 3D battles was the spinning slide thing. I haven't really seen that anywhere else. Ex I do get that, especially since the story sequences are so long (for that type of game, anyway). It's all a retelling of the original saga, and since I already read the manga and watched a lot of the anime, I knew what was happening, but the game's appeal for gamers would definitely increase with a fan-translation. As for that Gundam fighter, it keeps slipping my mind. I don't like fighting games with robots, and I've tried many, but I enjoyed the VS. aspects of Gear Senshi so I'll be sure to give it a try before the month is over.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Nov 30, 2018 0:36:21 GMT -5
Welp, this month is almost up, and I probably won't be playing any more Natsume games unless I decide to take a stab at Ninja Warriors or Wild Guns. I played twelve Natsume games, all of them on NES except for Gear Senshi Dendoh. The worst of the bunch was Power Blazer, which I considered quite terrible (3.5), and the best is Shatterhand, which I'm no stranger to and clocks in at 9.0. All of the games outside of Power Blazer were above average; in fact, even with that included, the average score I gave was a smidge over 7.0. Definitely the mark of a high B-tier developer!
|
|