I finished it. I clocked in around 10 hours. Short for an RPG. The last time I finished it was probably during the Clinton Administration.
I pretty much agree with his points. Some other observations:
The game is most fun during two areas. That would be at the beginning and at the very end. The very beginning is because of HOW FAST the game flows. The game becomes an uncomfortable grind when you get to the Ice Pyramid but especially during the Fire areas. By the time you reach the final dungeon, you are filled with dread about the long boring battles to fight. But, in a huge surprise, Doom Castle is incredibly enjoyable. I’d say Doom Castle is one of the best final dungeons ever made in a video game. There is much variety throughout Doom Castle (it goes through the themes of the game), each floor has a gimmick that makes it interesting, you have multiple bosses, the treasure item comes early in it so you get over the dread of thinking you might have missed it, and the music of Doom Castle is divine.
I actually liked how you could use your weapons on the map. You could use the axe to chop down trees or bombs to blow holes in walls. And there is the hookshot.
Other things I liked was mentioned in the video such as SAVE ANYWHERE, even anywhere in dungeons (God, this is wonderful. I hate those stupid ‘save points’ in Final Fantasy). There is no pages of text, no ‘character development’, and no random battles. I like how if you die, you can restart at that battle.
Here is what is extremely annoying about the game: effects like stone and confusion. If both characters get stoned, it is game over (this happens frequently). If a character gets confused, he or she may be casting your expensive spells (that you are saving for the boss) at the low enemies or even at your ally. Losing control of my characters is the most annoying thing of the game. That, and the incredibly boring battles through the dungeons of the Fire and Wind areas. I never seemed to notice any benefit to ‘leveling up’. The ‘battlefields’ seem like a lazy ass way to add in more monster fights.
Maybe I’ll play this game again in 20 years. The music is great, but I really dig the cheerful and clean graphics. The game is all happy. I like happy.
I’ll be starting four white mages in Final Fantasy 1 next (and oh boy, that will drive me insane). Most people refuse to even play the NES version of Final Fantasy 1 because ‘it is too hard’, most people don’t have the balls to play on four white mages. I keep telling myself to do it, so now I’ll finally do it. Final Fantasy I NES takes a while to beat (and boy is it grindy). With four white mages, it will take forever. So I will play another game along with it to keep myself sane.
It will be Gameboy’s Gargoyle’s Quest. I always find gems that I have been meaning to go back to but haven’t had the chance. Been meaning to play the Firebrand games, and now I will. I recall playing Gargoyle’s Quest in 1990 on the Gameboy (this was 23 years ago). I remember myself, and others, being blown away by how massive this game seemed. Gargoyle’s Quest is a slick action game with an overhead map, random battles, where you get better items. It is a weird fusion of an action game and a RPG.
Gargoyle’s Quest II I never got into because it came out in 1992. In 1992, I was “OMG, SNES time! Super Mario Brothers 4!” and couldn’t bother with NES games then. I probably left console gaming when Demon’s Quest came out on the SNES. So the Firebrand games will be interesting to go through.
Look at this and tell me you’re not at least curious about these games. Ahhhhhh, that classic Capcom quality graphics and music! This is going to be great!
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