__Hello.🙂 If this is your first time on my blog, I always post these compilations of mini reviews (which are copied and pasted from my Twitter) on the first Saturday of the month, and it's not often that that happens to be the first day of the month.😀 Today's post will mostly be a long string of video games, since that's what I've been focusing on for the past month. Before we get into that, though, let me start with my brief comments on four movies that I watched during a quick detour.
The plot completely stagnates once Grace is accused of witchcraft, because the rest is nothing but their efforts to force her to confess. It's more mean-spirited than anything, as her resolve just seems like an excuse to extend the torture.
My rating: 40%.
It hinges on a hefty decision, but it's dulled because neither the narrative nor the characters are all that spectacular, so even the climax feels rather lacking. It does nail the atmosphere of space, though, like when they first lose gravity.
My rating: 60%.
It makes some clever use of all thoughts being out loud, but it gets pretty annoying hearing "I am Todd Hewitt" about a hundred times as he tries not to think of anything. The story itself is pretty bland; the books sound much better.
My rating: 50%.
It's better than King of the Monsters, but not by much. The main problem is the pacing: it's almost two hours, yet it still feels rushed. Some of the characters are pretty annoying, too. Still, the climax makes it all worthwhile.
__Now for the long, long list of games. I mentioned last time that I was just about to start on the titles from 1996, which I view as a big turning point, the true beginning of the 3D era. But first, I had to backtrack and go over several pre-'96 games whose ratings on my list were still blank for various reasons. Many were ones that I'd tried playing but hadn't been able to finish, and some were complete newcomers. For the most prominent example of the latter, I'd just bought the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and the third game includes the original Metal Gear and its sequel, which were Japan-only releases on the MSX2 home computer. (With that said, though, there is one '96 game at the end of the list: Crash Bandicoot.)
__For most of these games, the pattern was the same: I started playing it, but got sick of making mistakes and dying repeatedly, so I deferred to watching a longplay on YouTube to see the rest of the game. That may seem like cheating, but I suck at old games, and I have so many titles to get through that I felt no desire to get hung up on each one for days or even weeks.
__There were a couple I played (or rather watched) that I decided not to review because there's not much to say about them. Contra is the prototypical run-and-gun, and Double Dragon is the prototypical beat-'em-up. There's also Shinobi one to three, which, from what I've seen, look like side-scrolling action at its finest. In fact, I'd say The Revenge of Shinobi is one of the best games on the Sega Mega Drive.
__By contrast, I found I had a lot to say about Asterix and the Great Rescue, since it's tied to a franchise I'm very passionate about, so I've decided to give that game a full review at the end. It even turned out to be a much longer review than my usual 250-word limit! The last time that happened was with Artemis Fowl back on my Wordpress blog. (I'm sure you'll take that as a good sign!🙂)
__So, without further ado, let's get comfortable for my brief thoughts on all the others.🙂
The game that invented the stealth genre. Obviously, the mechanics have come a long way (field of vision, anyone?), but it's still a blast trying to avoid danger as you discover your goals. The atmosphere is unique, and I love the music.
My rating: 85%.
The original Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2. Not much to say about this one. It's basically like if you took the first Super Mario Bros. and ramped up the difficulty. Some neat additions are poison mushrooms and wind.
My rating: 70%.
It's what you'd expect of a hero in a fantasy setting beating up monsters. I love the hero's disproportionately muscular final form before the beast stage, and Neff saying, "Welcome to your doom!" before the final battle in each level.🙂
My rating: 70%.
The opening screen declares, "This battle will make your blood boil," and it's right! Expect heavy resistance on your mission to rescue POWs. The music is great, especially the first level and the victory fanfare after completing each stage.
My rating: 85%.
Nothing special about its fantasy setting except for a couple of areas being mounted on giant animals. In general, I'm not a fan of the vertical plane in these beat-'em-up games: you can't tell where to stand in order to hit an enemy.
My rating: 55%.
Most people might point to Mega Man 2, but for me, this is where the series hit its stride. Not only is the music better and the bosses more interesting, but it includes two huge innovations: the slide move and the canine companion, Rush.
My rating: 80%.
The stealth has evolved significantly from the first game, including the addition of a radar and the need to be silent. But I don't like the music very much, so the atmosphere isn't as compelling, which also hinders the story.
My rating: 70%.
It has a distinctive design and an awesome soundtrack, but it's not the most fun racing game to play. I found the directional controls so overly sensitive that I could barely steer, let alone shift weight as required, all at breakneck speed.
My rating: 70%.
After a great opening that explains Mega Man's origin, it offers little innovation aside from the New Mega Buster. It has its share of memorable obstacles and minibosses, like Moby the whale, but the series is starting to feel formulaic by now.
My rating: 65%.
Essentially more of the same, but it excels thanks to its music, bosses and level design. One thing I hate about all these games is how, in the castle, the screen often flashes white against a black background: it hurts my eyes looking at it.
My rating: 75%.
It's loaded with fun moves and so many familiar enemies that it's a Turtles fan's dream come true. But it all falls apart when the actual time travel starts. Why are the Foot Soldiers in the past with you?
My rating: 70%.
A mediocre beat-'em-up. The animations and sound effects are lacklustre, which makes me wonder how much better the arcade version was. Not to mention, I don't read the comics, so I had to look up who the bosses were.
My rating: 45%.
Another good one. The menus get a makeover in every game, and this one carries the very relevant theme of a tournament. I also love how Rush is implemented: he combines with Mega Man, and the energy refills so you can use the power unlimitedly.
My rating: 75%.
A decent start to a new series. It really highlights the leap to 16-bit, especially the enhanced boss select theme and the detail in X's upgrades. I also like how the bosses are animal-themed instead of all their names ending in "Man".
My rating: 70%.
The graphics are highly ambitious for the time, but really haven't aged well. On the other hand, the soundtrack is among the Super Nintendo's best – not just the music, but the full mix. I grew to despise the squadmates, especially Slippy.
My rating: 75%.
The music is awesome, but the fun is diminished by stiff character animations. The story holds your interest well because of the mystery of why you're being sent to each area. It's okay, but much like the movies, the second one is far superior.
My rating: 65%.
It's just like playing the Animated Series on Super Nintendo, right down to the title cards for the levels.🙂 Each stage offers something unique, and many of them are based on specific episodes, like the Riddler's maze.
My rating: 85%.
As a platformer, it's very well designed and fun (except for that damn escort mission). But it's one of the strangest games I've ever played! Where else can you ride giant hamsters and have a bungee battle with a blob of mucous?
My rating: 60%.
The basic gameplay is as fun as ever, but the bosses aren't as interesting as the first X game, so once again, the formula feels stale. Some things do shake it up, like the "X-Hunters" trio and the fluctuating dimness in the weather level.
My rating: 60%.
While the Super Nintendo version was a faithful depiction of the show, this is more like a beat-'em-up that uses it as a skin. The graphics really shine at times, like the sense of height in the overhead flying level.
My rating: 70%.
Much more faithful to its source material than the Sega game Asterix and the Great Rescue!🙂 The music is brilliant, and as you journey across the Roman Empire, each of the countries you visit is based on a specific Asterix comic.
My rating: 85%.
Just like the two prior games, the respawning enemies can often be the death of you. Even without the PlayStation version's anime cutscenes, thanks to its soundtrack and awesome cast of villains, it's my favourite of the X series so far.
My rating: 75%.
Not one of my favourites overall, but pretty solid for the classic Mega Man's first venture outside of 8-bit. Some of the music reminds me of Sonic 3, especially the Cloud Man stage. I love the Shade Man level for its classic horror theme.
My rating: 70%.
Its challenge is often so relentless that it's more arduous than fun, but its charm comes from its art style, especially the personality portrayed in the faces. Rayman's beaming smile whenever he jumps makes it clear how much he loves being a hero.
My rating: 65%.
It's a good showcase of the 3D technology, especially the levels that are navigated in all directions, and I like the blend of elements from other games, but the stages are repetitive and the core concept just never clicked with me.
My rating: 65%.
__Before we move on to the feature presentation, I have a couple of extra comments to make.
__In the Sega version of The Adventures of Batman & Robin, the boss of the first level is some kind of Joker tank, so I couldn't help but respond with a famous Joker quote: "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
__Other highlights of Mega Man 7 include the Slash Man stage, which is very obviously inspired by Jurassic Park, and Gamerizer, a turtle boss that deploys its shells like the pods on Thunderbird 2.🙂
Asterix and the Great Rescue (Sega MD)
__So, with that said, how does the game hold up today?
__The plot is that Getafix the druid has been taken to Rome as a prisoner, and you're on a mission to rescue him. There are six levels, though each consists of around ten sections, or "rooms". In each room, you have the option to play as either Asterix or Obelix; I like to alternate between them.
__At first, it seems like a decent platformer, especially combined with the fun music in the first few stages. However, back in the day, I got about four or five rooms into level one before I got completely stuck. I think what stumped me was a locked door for which I couldn't find the key. Now, finally after all these years, watching the longplay has revealed that the key was under a patch of floor that I was supposed to bomb with an explosive pellet. I can safely say I never would have thought of that, but that turned out to be the least of this game's problems! As it progressed, it got so nonsensical that it defied comprehension!
__Even early on, the power-ups are kind of weird. One of the pellets you can throw forms a cloud that you use as a platform to reach higher places, and there's another power-up that allows you freely float like a balloon! I know the Asterix comics were goofy, but I don’t recall anyone ever doing anything like that. Aside from the magic potion, the comics were mostly pretty grounded.
__Then, later on, you’re doing things like riding giant washing-up bubbles! Like, what?!
__But level three, the forest, is when I really started to question my sanity! Not only are there giant beetles and giant baby birds, but one of the rooms is made of coloured blocks like Lego bricks, which actually made me say out loud, "What the hell am I looking at?!"
__Level four, Germany, just straight-up broke me. You pass by women who explode for no apparent reason (yes, you read that right!), and there’s one room where you’re walking on giant strings of sausages! I was so flabbergasted by that that one of my favourite Linkara quotes seemed very appropriate: "I… I think I broke something in my thinking thingy!"
__I've heard plenty of people comment on how hard the game is, and I can see why. The worst part is the time limit, which is often so brutal that it gives you just barely enough time to get through the whole room. It certainly doesn't help that many of the rooms are mazelike, so expect to run out of time several times before you find the right way to go.
__In conclusion, it plays okay just as a game, but I'm not sure whether the hardest part is beating the clock or staying sane through the off-the-rails visuals it keeps throwing at you! Seriously, what kind of crack were they smoking when they came up with this?!
__My rating: 50%.
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