CUTE RPGS FOREVER

It's not really fair to me (or really possible) to pick just one, since I played so many good games last year. But here's a list of games that may or may not qualify to be on such a list, except that I just so happened to play them during 2010!

( Yes, this is basically just cheating so I can talk about games I like okay )

I probably forgot about a bunch of other fun games I played, but I think I covered the essentials... looking back, 2010 wasn't so bad, gaming-wise. I keep thinking video games are doomed or something, but then I realize how many genuinely great games come out each year. And we always have those classics we never played to fall back on, right?

Between finishing up FFIVDS and before DQIVDS comes out, I've been doing homework like a good little boy, but also playing around with roms on my breaks. Considering a new translation was released for it a little while ago, I loaded up Live A Live again and had another go at it.

Although Square had quite a few offbeat 16-bit RPGs, I don't think any quite come close to this. Basically you choose from one of seven characters to play as, each one coming from a different time period like old west, future, prehistoric times, etc. Each chapter has a different focus of gameplay and its own battle music (done by Yoko Shimomura), which helps keep things fresh and interesting. I like what the translation team did with the 2.0 patch as well - each scenario has its own font now as well, which even the Japanese version didn't have.

Currently I'm playing through Oboro's ninja chapter, which is about as close to a SNES Metal Gear Solid it gets. Basically your goal is to sneak into the castle without being seen and killing as few people as you can. It's actually possible to beat the chapter with zero people killed (Big Boss rank?) and the castle has a bunch of traps and puzzles to get through. For example, you overhear a password you can use to get through checkpoints fairly early on, but that password changes depending on what time it is (denoted by Oboro remarking that he hears a bell ringing in the distance), which is a really neat, innovative thing to do considering the time period when the game was released.

Basically, this game is pretty unique and awesome. It's really a great feeling to have a 16-bit game impress you even after all these years.