mospina
As cool as this was, and I don’t blame anyone for completely disagreeing with me… I’d rather just play the most basic Tetris possible. The spectacle is fun to look at but it kind of gets in the way. Even the classic mode has some extra flair to it which is fine, but just doesn’t do it for me like the simple presentation of the Game Boy version. I might also just be coping because I suck at this, but I was able to beat the Journey and I’ll be playing the online modes for a while because I see myself slowly improving. I also played some couch co-op and the boss fight mode was neat, specially how all your boards connect (boards? fields? grids?). Anyway, I’ll play this if I want a tactile, immersive experience, but I’d pick up my Analogue Pocket if I just want to play Tetris.
1987
(Played Chaos Rush translation with bug fixes)
You know, I think that missing attacks if you target a dead enemy is a good thing. Not generally, obviously, but in this specific game it adds some nuance to an otherwise stale combat experience. At least in the first half of the game, I felt motivated to strategize in order to finish the battles in as few turns as possible. This made level-ups really rewarding, like when my weak mages could finally take out enemies with one hit, which made large encounters more bearable. Of course, this fizzles out when you get strong spells later on, but combat isn’t all there is to this game.
In fact, I think what really makes this one stand out is how charming it is. The biggest contributor is probably its soundtrack, which is no surprise, but I also found its world interesting to think about. Not because it’s unique, but more because I think it does a good job at selling you on the high stakes. You see all corners of the world and meet different communities/tribes that are all being affected by the evil force you’re prepping to face, despite having little contact with each other. For such a text-limited game, I think it presents its world really well and it kept me wanting to see the next area (airship was a great moment because of this!).
Still, charming as it is, it can be a slog at times. Those early dungeons had me concerned about the amount of grinding I’d be doing, but it eventually became no problem. Some obtuse level design choices and a few simply evil fake treasure rooms kept things mildly annoying throughout. Overall? I didn’t have a great time, but definitely not a bad one either. Its charm keeps it above water for me.
You know, I think that missing attacks if you target a dead enemy is a good thing. Not generally, obviously, but in this specific game it adds some nuance to an otherwise stale combat experience. At least in the first half of the game, I felt motivated to strategize in order to finish the battles in as few turns as possible. This made level-ups really rewarding, like when my weak mages could finally take out enemies with one hit, which made large encounters more bearable. Of course, this fizzles out when you get strong spells later on, but combat isn’t all there is to this game.
In fact, I think what really makes this one stand out is how charming it is. The biggest contributor is probably its soundtrack, which is no surprise, but I also found its world interesting to think about. Not because it’s unique, but more because I think it does a good job at selling you on the high stakes. You see all corners of the world and meet different communities/tribes that are all being affected by the evil force you’re prepping to face, despite having little contact with each other. For such a text-limited game, I think it presents its world really well and it kept me wanting to see the next area (airship was a great moment because of this!).
Still, charming as it is, it can be a slog at times. Those early dungeons had me concerned about the amount of grinding I’d be doing, but it eventually became no problem. Some obtuse level design choices and a few simply evil fake treasure rooms kept things mildly annoying throughout. Overall? I didn’t have a great time, but definitely not a bad one either. Its charm keeps it above water for me.
1998
Being able to save your high scores already makes this my preferred version over the original. The additional game modes are also nice, specially ultra. However, I think this lacks the charm of that Game Boy version, at least its simplicity and iconic music. I honestly prefer the way it looked there too. Overall, some pros, some cons, just about lukewarm on it overall.
1989
The only reason I dislike this version of the game is the lack of a save feature. Sure, it’s incredibly replayable, but that just made it more and more frustrating to lose my high scores whenever I achieved them. (Yeah I could use save states, and I did for a bit, but that’s just not my thing for… reasons). Other than that, the few songs in here are iconic and its presentation fits the game boy’s screen like a glove. Might try out a mod to get saves if I can’t find a version that I like better… but as for the game as it released, I just can’t enjoy it with that one big flaw.
2007
Definitely takes a hit after playing the latter games in the series. There’s just nothing significant to the Tour mode aside from playing through all of the songs. Speaking of which, not the greatest selection; a lot of dated throwaways, some painfully obvious classic picks (not always a bad thing), and only a few standouts that I’d choose to play for fun. Of course, this is a little better on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions but there’s no way I’m buying instruments for those consoles.
The presentation in general is lacking too. I’m not sure if this is exclusive to the Wii version, but the background FMVs were noticeably low quality regardless of the display I used. The mo-capped animations are cool though at least. The audio mixing was also very weird, specially going into overdrive. Half of the experience is enjoying the music you’re playing and I think the intrusive effects break the immersion instead of increasing it.
Anyway, the point of it all is the gameplay, which is fun even if rudimentary. For all its flaws, I can’t dislike the game when it gets the job done… just feels pretty good to get a high score or nail a difficult run of notes.
The presentation in general is lacking too. I’m not sure if this is exclusive to the Wii version, but the background FMVs were noticeably low quality regardless of the display I used. The mo-capped animations are cool though at least. The audio mixing was also very weird, specially going into overdrive. Half of the experience is enjoying the music you’re playing and I think the intrusive effects break the immersion instead of increasing it.
Anyway, the point of it all is the gameplay, which is fun even if rudimentary. For all its flaws, I can’t dislike the game when it gets the job done… just feels pretty good to get a high score or nail a difficult run of notes.
2024
This review contains spoilers
So this game has a calendar system in which you live out the day to day, seeing time pass, and trying to manage your time effectively between the different options available to you. I went about using my time pretty casually, not concerning myself with optimization. This goes on for most of an in-game year, but near the end of the game, the protagonist and party become aware of the imminent end of the world which is just a month away. Usually I wouldn’t react very strongly to this (we see it all the time in media), but here, the calendar you saw every day practically becomes a countdown timer. Suddenly, all the little activities I went about performing had a whole new level of meaning to them.
I knew from the start that I wouldn’t be able to max out all the social links on my first playthrough, but when the countdown began I became much more concerned with who I wanted to rank up in the time I had left. I began to take into account when certain characters could hang out and how many ranks we had to go, making sure to plan things out carefully. In the last couple of weeks, I began to realize that this would be the last time my character went to school, sang karaoke, ate ramen or spent time in art club. What got to me most was realizing that it was the last time I‘d get to spend time with characters I grew attached to. I even made time to hang out with my favorite characters one last time, even though I’d already maxed them out and had nothing to gain from it aside from the role-play.
Point is, even if it’s just a tiny, safe, and watered-down fraction of the anxiety that real looming death can cause, this game brings the abstract idea of facing death into a more tangible, concrete experience. This is the kind of storytelling that videogames seem to be made for; direct, personal interaction with abstract concepts or ideas, more than simply learning about them or seeing fictional characters experience them.
I knew from the start that I wouldn’t be able to max out all the social links on my first playthrough, but when the countdown began I became much more concerned with who I wanted to rank up in the time I had left. I began to take into account when certain characters could hang out and how many ranks we had to go, making sure to plan things out carefully. In the last couple of weeks, I began to realize that this would be the last time my character went to school, sang karaoke, ate ramen or spent time in art club. What got to me most was realizing that it was the last time I‘d get to spend time with characters I grew attached to. I even made time to hang out with my favorite characters one last time, even though I’d already maxed them out and had nothing to gain from it aside from the role-play.
Point is, even if it’s just a tiny, safe, and watered-down fraction of the anxiety that real looming death can cause, this game brings the abstract idea of facing death into a more tangible, concrete experience. This is the kind of storytelling that videogames seem to be made for; direct, personal interaction with abstract concepts or ideas, more than simply learning about them or seeing fictional characters experience them.
2024
I’ve played a few fighting games before, but none of them have felt as rewarding to learn as this one. Yes, there is a ludicrous amount of knowledge and an equally vast practice investment required to be considered “good”, but I don’t think that should really mean much to the average player. If anything, it’s thrilling to learn even one small thing with every play-session and see yourself apply it consistently over time.
The best part is that you get simple but deep training tools to immediately figure out what you’re doing wrong and learn how to fix it. Losing to an annoying character online? Just fight their replay/ghost, learn some simple punishes, and wipe the floor with them on your next encounter (on lower ranks at least). It’s really satisfying.
It also has an awesome story mode that I did not expect to be as good as it was. Perfectly brief, over-the-top, Fast and Furious style action with genuine heart and care for the legacy behind it. I’m glad I caught up on the series’ history beforehand.
AND THE MUSIC. MY GOD, THE MUSIC.
The best part is that you get simple but deep training tools to immediately figure out what you’re doing wrong and learn how to fix it. Losing to an annoying character online? Just fight their replay/ghost, learn some simple punishes, and wipe the floor with them on your next encounter (on lower ranks at least). It’s really satisfying.
It also has an awesome story mode that I did not expect to be as good as it was. Perfectly brief, over-the-top, Fast and Furious style action with genuine heart and care for the legacy behind it. I’m glad I caught up on the series’ history beforehand.
AND THE MUSIC. MY GOD, THE MUSIC.
1990
These nutjobs are driving at nearly 500km/h on a racetrack in the sky, plummeting to their deaths with a single slip-up. This was the vision the game wanted to sell me, but I didn’t bite until I reached Master difficulty.
At that point the game expected nearly flawless driving and a pinch of good luck. Maneuvering through tricky courses already feels like threading a needle. Add to that managing boost, dodging slow back-markers, hoping the AI plays nice, and praying an explosive car doesn’t stall right in front of you on the last lap. The rubber-banding is practically holding you at gunpoint, ensuring that you’ll lose position as soon as you mess up.
Sure, it has a serious lack of content, but it’s so fun and thrilling to return to that it doesn’t really bother me. The tracks and music are incredibly memorable, the difficulty is still there after hundreds of runs, and there’s always a story of upsetting defeat and narrow victory emerging from the unpredictable situations it puts you in. Gonna be replaying this one for a long time.
At that point the game expected nearly flawless driving and a pinch of good luck. Maneuvering through tricky courses already feels like threading a needle. Add to that managing boost, dodging slow back-markers, hoping the AI plays nice, and praying an explosive car doesn’t stall right in front of you on the last lap. The rubber-banding is practically holding you at gunpoint, ensuring that you’ll lose position as soon as you mess up.
Sure, it has a serious lack of content, but it’s so fun and thrilling to return to that it doesn’t really bother me. The tracks and music are incredibly memorable, the difficulty is still there after hundreds of runs, and there’s always a story of upsetting defeat and narrow victory emerging from the unpredictable situations it puts you in. Gonna be replaying this one for a long time.