I can't believe it, but I actually beat it, and I loved it. I used save states liberally because yes, there were multiple slogs, and the 90s jank is omnipresent. It was all worth it, and the ending was really impactful. It's amazing to realize how much Earthbound DNA is still echoing in modern games. I'm really glad I played it.
The comments on these threads always disappoint me. Yeah, art is subjective, but there is a world of design language that can be analyzed, compared and contextualized both in and out of the world of gaming. "The logo isn't centered" is not a valid criticism of the JP art.
The thing that jumps out the most to me is how cluttered the NA box is with irrelevant elements. "ONLY FOR" and "BONUS INSIDE" are huge eyesores and I personally hate the black frame all our SNES games got. That's not this game's fault, obviously, and with those elements removed I think the art would be pretty strong, especially the wordmark.
Earthbound has been in my backlog for literal years. My only concern is that I won't have enough time for a long RPG.
Voted for Obra Dinn next, another game that has been backlogged way too long, though I would encourage people to vote for Paradise Killer, which is one of the few games I have actually beaten this year!
On the off chance anyone scrolls all the way through the irrelevant comments...
I really like this game and have put several dozen hours into the Steam version. I recommend it to all retro game fans at $10, and all gamers period if it ever goes on sale. If you are like me and still find yourself playing the original Outrun every now and then, this game scratches that itch wonderfully, and perhaps even better with modern QOL such as rewind and tweakable difficulty. The game can feel unfair to beginners at times, but the skill ceiling in this game is deceptively high, and running a flawless race in the fastest car is really satisfying.
The complaint about the industry saturation of '80s music and visual design is not totally unfair, but one should also keep in mind that this game originally released in 2018, when perhaps this reviewer wouldn't have been quite so burned out on it.
EDIT: I'd also like to add that I was surprised to see accel/brake mapped to A and B by default, and I personally find the game much more comfortable at ZR and ZL respectively.
The game is great. The controls are tight and each car feels different. The open world style steepens the learning curve, as on long races you'll have to check your map often to plan your route. But the beauty lies there too — there is no pre-planned route, so when you play the game for a long enough time you learn the streets and shortcuts, and feel properly badass. The open world helps fight off the staleness that comes with playing the same tracks over and over in other games.
I love this game but this price point is absolutely horrible. Before I knew the price I was sweating a little bit, expecting to drop $30 on a game I already own, but $50 is completely unconscionable. I would not recommend this game to a friend at this price.
Comments 9
Re: Backlog Club: EarthBound Part Two - Bees, Backtracking, And Biscuits
I can't believe it, but I actually beat it, and I loved it. I used save states liberally because yes, there were multiple slogs, and the 90s jank is omnipresent. It was all worth it, and the ending was really impactful. It's amazing to realize how much Earthbound DNA is still echoing in modern games. I'm really glad I played it.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel #95 - Earthbound / Mother 2
The comments on these threads always disappoint me. Yeah, art is subjective, but there is a world of design language that can be analyzed, compared and contextualized both in and out of the world of gaming. "The logo isn't centered" is not a valid criticism of the JP art.
The thing that jumps out the most to me is how cluttered the NA box is with irrelevant elements. "ONLY FOR" and "BONUS INSIDE" are huge eyesores and I personally hate the black frame all our SNES games got. That's not this game's fault, obviously, and with those elements removed I think the art would be pretty strong, especially the wordmark.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel #94 - Super Castlevania IV
What is a box art? A miserable pile of paints.
Re: Backlog Club: Week Zero, May - It's Time To Play Earthbound
Earthbound has been in my backlog for literal years. My only concern is that I won't have enough time for a long RPG.
Voted for Obra Dinn next, another game that has been backlogged way too long, though I would encourage people to vote for Paradise Killer, which is one of the few games I have actually beaten this year!
Re: Review: Slipstream - A Neat, Sonic-Obsessed Homage To Sega's Super Scaler Tech
On the off chance anyone scrolls all the way through the irrelevant comments...
I really like this game and have put several dozen hours into the Steam version. I recommend it to all retro game fans at $10, and all gamers period if it ever goes on sale. If you are like me and still find yourself playing the original Outrun every now and then, this game scratches that itch wonderfully, and perhaps even better with modern QOL such as rewind and tweakable difficulty. The game can feel unfair to beginners at times, but the skill ceiling in this game is deceptively high, and running a flawless race in the fastest car is really satisfying.
The complaint about the industry saturation of '80s music and visual design is not totally unfair, but one should also keep in mind that this game originally released in 2018, when perhaps this reviewer wouldn't have been quite so burned out on it.
EDIT: I'd also like to add that I was surprised to see accel/brake mapped to A and B by default, and I personally find the game much more comfortable at ZR and ZL respectively.
Re: Yes, The House Of The Dead: Remake Does Have Gyro, And It's Getting A 'Cowboy Mode'
"Cowboy mode" sounds super fun but "part of a planned update" has me discouraged we'll have to wait too long for it.
Re: Nintendo Highlights Upcoming N64 Releases In Latest 'Switch Online + Expansion Pack - Overview Trailer'
Just give me Wave Race dangit
Re: Review: F-Zero X - The Best The Series Has To Offer
@durrdevil There's no mention of online because this review is from 2016.
Re: Video: Get Hyped For Burnout Paradise Remastered On Switch With This New Trailer
The game is great. The controls are tight and each car feels different. The open world style steepens the learning curve, as on long races you'll have to check your map often to plan your route. But the beauty lies there too — there is no pre-planned route, so when you play the game for a long enough time you learn the streets and shortcuts, and feel properly badass. The open world helps fight off the staleness that comes with playing the same tracks over and over in other games.
I love this game but this price point is absolutely horrible. Before I knew the price I was sweating a little bit, expecting to drop $30 on a game I already own, but $50 is completely unconscionable. I would not recommend this game to a friend at this price.