Retro Game Friday: The Falsebound Kingdom

This week for Retro Game Friday I’m covering a rather obscure game in a series that was a huge fad back in the 2000’s. It’s Yu-Gi-Oh: The Falsebound Kingdom!

Plot Synopsis: Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Téa being invited to the testing of the virtual reality game “Kingdom,” created by the company SIC. When they enter the game they soon find themselves trapped within it, and they must summon the help of the game’s characters and monsters in order to defeat the game’s villain, Emperor Heishin, and ultimately stop the plans of the game’s designer, Scott Irvine…

Plot: The plot is pretty freaking terrible, although it serves as a reminder that the “trapped in game” plot device has been around for ages.

Gameplay: This plays mostly like an RPG, although there are some Turn-Based Strategy elements as well. Frankly the game wasn’t that great and the fact you’ve probably never heard of the game is a good indication of how bad it was.

Art: The art is really dated, but given that it’s almost purely 3D on a console that wasn’t known for it’s power compared to it’s competitors is another sign that this game wasn’t all that big.

Music: I don’t remember it at all, sorry.

Overall: Skip this game, it’s definitely not worth your time playing, unless you are incredibly bored. However there are better games out there that are free.

For those who like: Yu-Gi-Oh, RPGs, Turn Based Strategy.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, terrible plots, or Konami in general.

 

Retro Game Friday: Ogre Battle 64

This week for Retro Game Friday I’m covering a really obscure title most probably forgot even existed. It’s Ogre Battle 64!

Plot Synopsis:  The story follows Magnus Gallant, a recent graduate of the Ischka Military Academy and fledgling captain in Palatinus’ Southern region Alba, as civil war erupts in the country.

Plot: It was pretty good and one of the first console games to have multiple endings that I played.

Gameplay: This was a RTS, instead of a turn based strategy game like Final Fantasy Tactics, which made it a bit more hectic. Frankly at the time I preferred turn based combat, and for strategy games I would say that still holds true for me. That said this was one of the more obscure games and getting a copy to play wasn’t exactly easy. I only played it a couple of times.

Art: The art is mostly 3d in an isometric perspective, so while it hasn’t aged very well, it’s aged better than more fully 3D games like Perfect Dark or the like.

Music: Don’t remember a whit of it, sorry.

Overall: If you get the chance to play it, go for it. It’s pretty interesting, although the gameplay may seem somewhat simplistic now.

For those who like: RTS, Strategy Games, Good Plot, Decent Gameplay.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Retro Game Friday: Mega Man Battle Network 2

This week for Retro Game Friday I’m covering the sequel to a favorite game of mine. It’s Mega Man Battle Network 2!

Plot Synopsis: Three months following the events of Mega Man Battle Network the story opens with the world in a time of peace following the defeat of the organization known as the WWW. However, NetCrime, as perpetrated by a NetMafia organization known as Gospel, is on the rise.

Plot: The plot isn’t super amazing, but that was never the draw of the games.

Gameplay: This game took what was great about the first game and improved it with the Style system, a system that allowed Mega Man to take on different forms in combat based on your actions in game. Otherwise this was a lot like the first game, which was excellent.

Art: Thankfully this is a 2D game so the art is pretty awesome, even now.

Music: A lot like the first game’s music.

Overall: If you’ve never played it, you really ought to if you get the chance.

For those who like: Mega Man, Battle Network, Action, Adventure, Strategy, Excellent Gameplay, Fun Cast of Characters, Great Artwork.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

TNT: Transcending the Nine Heavens Chapters 1-40 by Fenglin Tianxia

This week for Translation Necessary Thursday I’m back with a new series! It’s Transcending the Nine Heavens Chapters 1-40 by Fenglin Tianxia!

Plot Synopsis: Chu Yang, the Ninth Master of the Nine Tribulations Sword, sacrificed almost everything he had for the sake of improving his martial arts, including the love of his life. After spending three years locating the fifth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword, he was ambushed by all sides at that very place. Mortally injured with no means of escape, Chu Yang executed a sacrificial technique by plunging the Nine Tribulations Sword into his very own heart. “With the blood of my heart, ten thousand tribulations will collapse!”

After witnessing the death of all his ambushers, Chu Yang’s vision began to darken. At a distance, moments before his death, he saw the mastermind who had plotted his downfall — Mo Tian Ji, the elder brother of his beloved. With that, his eyes finally closed.

However, with a start, Chu Yang once again awoke to find that he had returned to when he was sixteen years of age!

Plot: The plot is pretty great, and it doesn’t follow the “Might makes Right” core concept that many other Xianxia and Wuxia follow. It’s more in line with Tales of Demons and Gods than something like Martial God Asura. I enjoy it quite a bit and it’s probably one of the top 10 series I’ve enjoyed reading in Chinese Fiction.

Characters: Chu Yang is a blast, right up there with Nie Li, and Lin Feng in being a brainy and awesome guy. The rest of the cast is pretty small in these first 40 chapters, but it’s the foundation for the rest of the series.

Overall: If you enjoy a badass lead character who is utterly shameless and brainy to boot, you’ll love Transcending the Nine Heavens.

For those who like: Xianxia, Wuxia, Action, Drama, Martial Arts, Awesome Plot, Amazing Cast of Characters.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Retro Game Friday: Advance Wars

This week for Retro Game Friday I’m covering a game that I really enjoyed back in the day. It’s Advance Wars!

Plot Synopsis: The story of the Advance Wars begins in the “Field Training” tutorial mode, with the nation of Orange Star in a war against the neighbouring nation of Blue Moon, with Olaf as the Blue Moon Army commanding officer (CO). Olaf suddenly ordered an invasion of the Orange Star nation, and is in battle with the Orange Star Army. The campaign continues the story that started in the tutorial. Nell, the de facto leader of the Orange Star COs, gives the player the duty of a tactical adviser for the Orange Star Army.

Plot: The plot’s not amazing, but that wasn’t the draw of the game. It was always about the gameplay.

Gameplay: The gameplay is a lot like other strategy games, with Fog of War and various units that do well against certain units and are terrible against others. I particularly enjoyed using aircraft, but I could use pretty much anything to beat the game, as long as I had time. Missions with a time limit were my biggest headache, as I’m sure it was for other players, but I didn’t really mind them too much. That being said the game was turn based and wasn’t real time like Starcraft or Warcraft RTS games.

Art: The game’s artwork was done in pixels which means that it still looks as good as the day it was made. Anyone who has been reading this column knows I have a soft spot for pixel based art.

Music: Like most portable games I never listened to the music, so I don’t remember a thing about it.

Overall: This is a great game and well worth the trouble of finding a copy.

For those who like: Strategy Games, Turn Based Strategy, Great Gameplay, Excellent Artwork.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.