Castlevania Dungeon Forums
The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => Hardcore Gaming 101 => Topic started by: Slayer on June 09, 2008, 01:06:54 AM
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Payed $25 (3 times less than I did for Crono Trigger). Comes with the box and discs, but has rental stickers on it (I'll just take those off...hopefully). This game is apparently a what-if scenario: a Zelda game made for the Playstation (some even claim that it is better than any existing Zelda game). When I get my hands on the game (mail order, should be at my place on Friday), I'll give my impressions of the game.
Any opinions on my decision or the game?
Youtube clips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skKScoOA3YA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v00WAm8CeWM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWTid4I4H8&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHJkAimtW-A&feature=related (First Dungeon)
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In Reply To #1
ahhh very good game. a diamond in the rough... had many good memories with Alundra, bought it as soon as it hit the shelves back in the day.
**going to sum this up in a vague non-spoiler way**
The gameplay is great in my opinion, has a great atmosphere of uncertainty throughout, nice soundtrack I guess and you'll be surprised at some of the events that happen. (not to mention the things you'll learn later on in the game) The story builds nicely with a few stagnant areas, sparse at that.
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In Reply To #1
One of the best games that ever came out for psx! Very nice controls, 2D graphics, awesome soundtrack, great opening movie and one of the best scenarios for game. You'll be surprised! The only thing is that it has some of the toughest puzzles they ever made for a game and.......i think that i talked too much!! :-X
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In Reply To #1
I love Alundra. It's the spiritual successor to Landstalker which is one of my favourite Genesis games ever. But Alundra is arguably less frustrating (Even though I never quite understood why some people were struggling so hard with Landstalker.. it's not that difficult really).
Anyway, I hope you enjoy Alundra, it's rather excellent.
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the view in landstalker makes things hard to see, so it gets frustrating as hell when you miss a jump and have to climb back up 2 floors to try it again.
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I have played Land Stalker and i was on final stages, when i gave up playing it!!
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Alundra's main anthem is perhaps the only adventuristic hero song that can rival Zelda's (unless you count Star Wars or Indiana Jones). Fantastic soundtrack throughout, and the story really keeps your attention.
The puzzles grow mercilessly hard, though; so be prepared to get mentally stuck a few times. Lots of great exploration and nothing ever seems outta place.
It is truly one of PSX's finest gems, and $25 for this masterpiece -- you should be doing a little dance. :)
I have yet to play Alundra 2, but I heard it did not live up to the standards the first game set; even deliberately going against them.
Someday, somehow I hope the series is carried on faithfully.
Also, I need to finally followup on Landstalker with it's spinoffs, Time Stalker and Lady Stalker, which I still haven't played.
Also of mention, Working Designs did an absolutely outstanding job bringing Alundra over. There is hardly a smudge to find on their amazing localization. As such it is also one of the last truly great games they took part in translating before they shut down.
We will miss you, Working Designs :(
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In Reply To #7
Alundra 2 was a piece of crap!! It was having nothing to do with the first one, except from the name. A totally different game!!
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In Reply To #7
Alundra 2 was a piece of crap!! It was having nothing to do with the first one, except from the name. A totally different game!!
The second one wasn't very good, I agree. It was a cash-in on name alone. Different setting, different characters, different art style, much, much, MUCH easier, forgettable music, and crappy 3D graphics. Horrible. It did nothing but end the series.
As for the first game. It's awesome. The music is amazing and the story is really touching (the farther you get in, the more depressing and sad it gets, but it's really very interesting, touching, and original). I think you'll enjoy it. I do remember it being hard as all get out, but I felt that sticking with it was always worth it.
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Haha... I actually didn't mind Alundra 2. I thought it was fun enough, though yea... it wasn't very good.
I didn't beat it though, I beat the final boss and failed to escape the dungeon before I was owned by explosion.
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From Wikipedia:
Alundra 2's story is set in the kingdom of Varuna. A powerful sorcerer Mephisto is using magical wind-up keys to control humans and turn animals into powerful killing machines. You play Flint, a young hero and Pirate Hunter who is wanted for treason, and is after the pirates that caused his parents' death.
What. The. Fuck. What the flying fuck is this?! This is like some crazy concoction of overactive imagination and A.D.D. -- something my 4-year old nephew could come up with.
For one: 'magical windy keys'?
For two: Why the hell wouldn't Flint go after said magic windy key maker instead of pirates?
Three: Animals are already 'powerful killing machines.' Piss them off enough and reap that reward.
This story absolutely fails.
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From Wikipedia:
What. The. Fuck. What the flying fuck is this?! This is like some crazy concoction of overactive imagination and A.D.D. -- something my 4-year old nephew could come up with.
I have ADD, and somewhat of an overreactive imagination, but I would never even think of something that stupid..unless I was on LSD, or something.
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Also, I need to finally followup on Landstalker with it's spinoffs, Time Stalker and Lady Stalker, which I still haven't played.
Time Stalker is unfortunately not a very good game :( It lacks that special atmosphere that both Alundra and Landstalker have, and the dungeons are randomly generated which is almost always a bad thing (Dark Cloud 2 is the exception)
I actually own Lady Stalker, complete with box and instructions. Too bad I can't
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In Reply To #13
Yeah, Dark Cloud 2 is great.
I still gotta try those games, to see for myself.
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i personally never found time stalkers to be anywhere near as terrible as people claim. the major complaint is coming back out of dungeons at level 1(though you can go up in rank which increases your level 1 stats). this is offset by a trick in which you can climb some floors, break out tough monster companions, and gain major levels by taking on a bunch of tough enemies and surviving.
another is the weak story. which is basically NOT the reason to play it. the side missions, and unfolding the npc stories would be. there's a lot to do in the game, and a lot of fun to be had if you're willing it to give it a fair chance.
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In Reply To #15
Yeah if I can find it, I definitely wanna check it out. I remember seeing the preview screens for that so long ago in EGM.
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What was that one game that was like Landstalker but it was made by Enix. I remember that the main character looked ... Arabian like, was short and chubby (more superdeformed) and for his attack, threw daggers. Just cannot remember what it was called (or if it was any good ...). I remember throwing daggers in a cave at slimes. You were also able to jump on multi level platforms and the view was isometric and the environments were really grid like ...
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i think you're thinking of "equinox". had a nes prequel called "solstice" as well.
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i think you're thinking of "equinox". had a nes prequel called "solstice" as well.
Yeah also the Legend of Oasis series is very similar to Landstalker/Alundra.
But yeah Equinox and Solstice have not aged well.
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Yeah Alundra was pretty cool, I remember renting it from Blockbuster back in the day. That, along with Kartia.
Never played the sequel so I can't comment on it.
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So, Alundra came in the mail today. Had some rental stickers on the case and disc; I got the one on the disc off, but it was pretty frustrating getting it off, as it left multiple "void" stickers on the disc when I peeled the initial one off. After scratching off those stickers, I pretty much have a near perfect disc (very little scratches on the top and bottom), and I can say that working designs really outdid themselves with the coloring of the disc. I didn't bother getting all of the stickers off the case, but nonetheless, it looks well-designed: there are crystals in the box art that have a shine to them, and on the back, the description uses shiny-gold lettering. The package unfortunately didn't come with the map, but that's fine.
Now the game itself: I love it. This is pretty much shaping up to be everything I imagined. It's like playing a Zelda game made exclusively for more mature audiences with its darker storyline. Additionally, the dungeons vary greatly in artistic design and are challenging to the bone, with puzzles that will really make you think hard, or go over to gamefaqs very shortly, depending on your taste. The controls are simplistic but also appropriate; two buttons for items (weapons, potions, etc.), a button for jumping, and a button for sprinting. Also, not having to buy bombs and instead having an infinite supply is a nice touch, making it so one doesn't necesarily have to go to a shop before each dungeon or blow up a cave entrance.
It is not all sunshine and roses, though: bosses are pretty inspired, but unfortunately easy, at least up to the point of the game where I am (just passed the cemetery, btw). Movement is also another issue; more specifically, the movement of Alundra when he enters certain bodies of water is somewhat annoying, especially the halving of his normal jumping hieght. There is also one character in particular who I find somewhat annoying; he speaks in one of those surfer boy tounges (gnarly, duuuuudes), and I don't think it really matches the European fantasy setting of the game. I understand Working Design often takes much more artistic liberties in their games story than I have encountered (at least there are no 90's pop culture references), but still, I can understand players loathing of such methods.
These complaints, though, are greatly overshadowed by the games positive features, and I can only hope that these features are expanded, at least maintained, as I progress through Alundra. It is a fantastic game for anyone with a love of action rpg's, especially those of the Zelda franchise.
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There is also one character in particular who I find somewhat annoying; he speaks in one of those surfer boy tounges (gnarly, duuuuudes), and I don't think it really matches the European fantasy setting of the game.
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In Reply To #21
Alundra > j00