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Post by Ex on Dec 30, 2021 1:45:07 GMT -5
Yeah no big deal. I tend to create the next month's thread a few days ahead of time. That way there's no waiting once the month starts proper.
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Post by toei on Dec 30, 2021 19:16:07 GMT -5
I didn't remember ActRaiser 2 being this terrible. What is it with SNES action platformers and awful early '80s stiff controls? I went back and read the HG101 articles about Yuji Horii's two other text adventures more attentively (I'd only skimmed through before). The second one sounds like an improvement in every way, and it did get a Famicom port as well. I wish it were translated. It takes place in Hokkaido, and the article links to a series of pictures comparing the real-life locations to the game's 8-bit computer art. It's pretty cool to look at. I kind of wish an adventure game had been made in my city in the '80s. The third game had ecchi elements and remained on computers, and while it doesn't sound as good due to how progress functions, it has a short Ultima-inspired RPG sequence at the end. This is right before he made Dragon Quest, so that's pretty intriguing.
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Post by Ex on Dec 30, 2021 23:22:47 GMT -5
toei - I always bounce off ActRraiser 2 as well. I think it's got really nice graphics, but I don't like the way it plays at all. The controls and physics just rub me wrong. Not saying it's a bad game, but it's never made me want to stick around long enough to find out.
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Post by toei on Dec 31, 2021 0:28:32 GMT -5
I played it a bit more. Made it to the 4th level, I think. I got used enough to the controls that I don't think it's completely awful anymore, but I still don't like it all that much, so I'll probably drop it. It's still better than, say, Musya.
Also, I didn't know any of this until now: "According to developer Quintet, ActRaiser 2 was made at the request of Enix of America, and designed according to their specifications." (So did Enix of America ask that the sim segments be taken out cause "Americans want action"?) The game sold about 180,000 copies worldwide, with 40,000 copies sold in Japan and Europe respectively and 100,000 sold in the US. (The original sold 400,000 in Japan, so that's a 90% drop! The US sales also went from 180,000 to 100,000, so bad move all around.) "...In 1996, Sega announced that they would be publishing a Quintet-developed remake of ActRaiser 1 and 2, tentatively titled Act Remix, for the Sega Saturn. However, roughly halfway through development Quintet concluded that the ActRaiser series was outmoded, and they drastically reworked the game, which was ultimately titled Solo Crisis."
Solo Crisis is some kind of simulation game.
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Post by Sarge on Dec 31, 2021 13:23:25 GMT -5
From an interview with Robert Jerauld: The rest of the interview is very interesting, too. Apparently they had Dragon Quest VI practically ready to roll (as Dragon Warrior V), but Enix of America closed. gaming.moe/?p=331
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Post by Xeogred on Dec 31, 2021 14:19:08 GMT -5
If there's one great thing about the modern era of gaming, I'm glad we don't miss out on half the Japanese library like we did in some of the earlier generations.
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Post by toei on Dec 31, 2021 14:55:05 GMT -5
Sarge So my guess was right. The same exact thing happened with Tenchu 2 just a few years later. The sequel was commissioned by the US publisher; they demanded specific changes for the US audience; the game was somewhat poorly-received and sold fewer copies in the US as a result (Actraiser 2 was the bigger flop though, cause those Japanese sales dropped dramatically too). There were lots of action platformers out already; the sim part is what made Actraiser stand out in the first place. As an action platformer, it was just okay. That decision was super stereotypical and dumb. I have no ill will towards the guy, though. People are allowed to be wrong. I'm gonna read that interview tomorrow when I have some time.
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Post by paulofthewest on Dec 31, 2021 20:06:54 GMT -5
I'm interested in Dark Half as well, but now is a good time for FFIX.
That is interesting about the sequels and somewhat sad about actraiser. I really want more sim and same amount of action. O-well.
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Post by anayo on Jan 3, 2022 8:30:54 GMT -5
I got my Final Fantasy VII CDs out of my closet and booted it up again on my 20 year old PC. At first it refused to work, telling me "Insert Final Fantasy VII disc 1, 2, or 3" even though I tried all three of those in my CD-ROM drive. Thankfully I was able to make a copy of my save file from my original install, uninstall the game, reinstall it, then get it working again with my old save file intact.
According to my save file from last year, I made about 8 hours of progress. This figure made me curious how long this game lasts. Google tells me it's 36 hours for a "bare minimum" run and upwards of 80 hours for more thorough players. Yikes. I'm definitely feeling this game was designed for young people with tons of spare time back in the days when people didn't have as many video games as we do now, so players wanted to wring as much value as possible from their games. But I'm determined to finish this anyway.
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Post by Ex on Jan 3, 2022 11:42:30 GMT -5
I'm interested in Dark Half as well I'm very interested in Dark Half. Also interested in some non-RPG games developed/published by Square and Enix. >but now is a good time for FFIXPersonally, I finished FF9 back in 2009. Unlike the majority of those who played FF9, I was not fond of it. Graphically, FF9 is an impressive accomplishment. But I did not enjoy the scenario design, world design, plot/writing, nor any of the characters. (The protagonist in particular is visually a strange amalgamation of David Bowie and a monkey.) IIRC I gave FF9 a 6/10 after finishing it. That said, I am definitely in the minority with my low opinion of FF9. You may love it? Google tells me it's 36 hours for a "bare minimum" run and upwards of 80 hours for more thorough players. 35-40 hours sounds right for a basic first run of the original FF7. Perhaps you will greatly enjoy FF7 as most do.
I have finished FF7. About a decade or so ago I finally got around to it. I certainly enjoyed the "Midgar" portion of FF7, but after that portion the scenario/world design dwindled quickly for my tastes. If I had been between the ages of 11-13 and played FF7 when it first released in 1997, I likely would have a much higher opinion of it today - as most nostalgic FF7 lovers do. But in 1997 I was 18 and playing Fallout instead. I was still very much into PC gaming at that time. Many years later when I finally played through FF7, I understood what the big deal was from a technological perspective given its release year and platform. Technically FF7 was impressive. That said, the game's writing and plot were fairly awful for my tastes. I was unable to get into FF7's plot at all, despite the game having four writers listed in the credits. That said, I ended up giving the game a 7/10, so it has other merits. Perhaps you will come away from the experience with a laudatory disposition.
And if anyone is wondering, yes there are mainline FF entries I loved. Those would be FF6 and FF12.
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