the Magic of Scheherazade - NES

What is this game? Why is this worth writing about now? Why talk about this game that nobody cares about anymore? Well it's only important because it belonged to me. This game came out in 1989 and I actually went out and bought it at a Woolworths with my mother. It's odd why I picked that one, but I think it's only because I liked RPG's, and back then RPG's were few. I had a lot of fun with this one. Just look at the cover-art! Still looks inviting today. I think another reason was because my friends already had Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior. 

The game is basically one of the earliest action RPG's for Nintendo. You're a warrior that is out to save the Princess Scheherazade (I still have a hard time pronouncing that name) that is abducted by an evil wizard. Not the most original of plots, but it establishes the mission. The setting is Arabic, and pretty much as stereo-typical as it goes. You weild a scimitar, you have balloon-like pants, and heck, you even wear a turban. You walk around from place to place talking with merchants and wacking monsters. You have a health bar and a magic bar, and you had levels. 

I don't remember much about this game after that. I knew I bought it, I played the hell out of it, and it was lost in this mass jettison of old stuff that I owned in my past. I'd like to see it again, but I doubt I'd really have the patience for it now. It just reminds me of the good old days. 

Completion: Beat the game 

Hours Spent: approx. 40 hrs.

Enjoy this video from youtube! Ahh, the 8-bit graphics. 

Shining Force Neo - PS2

Shining Force Neo is an action RPG developed by SEGA as a throw-back to it's original Shining series. As the title suggests, the "Shining Force" is a sword that the hero finds to defeat the evil monsters conjured by the Clan of the Moon. Max, the hero of the story, begins at a fortress outside of the towns and is being trained by a Captain Graham.

On the first few hours of gameplay I realize that it's very similar to Diablo and Diablo 2. You run through dungeons, collect forcepoints to upgrade your skills and magicks, collect items and "identify" them for your inventory, and you are the sole person that you actually control. While there are other characters that fight with you along screen, they are pretty much NPC's. The monsters swarm on you like D2 and as you cut them down, their energy bars fall like Record of the Loddoss War (for Dreamcast). I miss games as simple as this one. The game boasts "over 90 enemies appear on a single screen", so I have yet to see this. The first boss, which is a bug, attacks with more than 30 bug minions. But still it is quite insane seeing them clobber you.

The game is ranked B+ on 1up.com. I bought it from Gamestop for 10.00 bucks, but hopefully it will be sold for a bit more as it seems rarer than rpg's out there today.

God of War - PS2

God of War is one of those games that are so hyped these days that I find myself at odds with playing it for the first time in 2009. I did not have a chance for it when it just came out, as I was in Japan at the time, and it didn't really appeal to me. "Another slasher with cinematics?" I thought. But as I started playing it, I realize there was more to it. There was a great story.

After the first scenario, the Aegean sea where you fought the Hydra, you realize that there were more to just hack and slash. You'd have to think to defeat the bosses or fulfill the scene's objectives. So it became a puzzle game for me. I did get lost in the buttons for awhile (and am still learning the plethora of moves for Kratos), but I could get by with the Square, Square, Triangle combo. Just like Dynasty Warriors right? Perhaps. 

From there I learned more about Kratos's love-hate relationship with the Gods and his Spartan history. Rushing through the Temple of Athena, he defeats goblins, minatours, and medusas. I did hate medusas, as they could stone you and destroy you with one hit afterwards. I acquired their ability to solidify people, and started my way through the sewers. There was a lot of work involved but I found it relatively enjoyable. I didn't really start liking the game until I got the Sword of Artemis (shouldn't it be the bow?). But anyway, yes, I felt that the blades that Kratos used were a bit weak against the monsters, but the Sword of Artemis really got the job done. 

There was a time when I was really into Greek mythology, but I had forgotten it as school went by. Somehow my favorite was the story of Arachnid, the story of the spider woman. Or was it the story about how Zeus turned into a swan to court (or rape) the girl. Ahh, the Gods are crazy. 

From here I am walking through the maze known  as the Temple of Pandora. More medusas awaits!