
You
see, people? That's what video games are all about. Giant aliens with
clearly visible weakspots that glow red. And you have to fight them off
with a bone. A bone.
I was too busy playing Earthbound when Secret of Evermore
was released, and thanks to the magic of emulation, I'm able to catch
up on what I missed back when I was eleven. Playing through this game
makes me wonder why nearly all other JRPG's haven't copped to its
simple formula of real time battles, blending Lengend of Zelda
action and traditional JRPG battle mechanics. Fighting is much more
interesting and intense than most JRPG's, and the genre is just now
catching up to it with the Tales of...series. Thing is, Evermore does it much better. Today's RPG makers should really take note, especially those who think that Paper Mario-style timed attacks counts for engagement.
The
other thing that really stand out to me is the ambient music, which is
far and away better than just about any Super Nintendo game I've ever
played, outside of maybe Donkey Kong Country (Just talking ambience,
folks). Canyons echo, deserts swirl with wind, and dank caves drip.
Of course its the little things as well. The menu system is so compact and useful, the boss battles are so gripping, and the pacing is superb. Two thumbs, way up.
Awesome vintage commercial after the jump:Read More...