I really love SoulBlazer. I especially love the fact that it was called Soul Blader in Japan and that Enix reportedly changed the name for localization for fear that people would read it as “Soul Bladder.” Which is kind of cool, in a faux medieval science sort of way. It sounds like one of those body parts that monks made up because they couldn’t man up and admit they didn’t understand the first thing about the human body — you know, like the four humours.
After you read this, I exhort you to check out some of this week’s interesting 1UP pieces. I mused briefly on why I keep playing Skyrim; Marty contemplated ways to freshen up Mario Kart (I provided illustrations, but the service bureau that scanned the art made it look terrible); and Matt Leone is saving Japan by selling video game sketches. Also, I can’t remember if I pimped my Rocket Slime 3DS preview here, but even if I did you should read it again anyway. I love that game.
If I ever made a ‘top 5 games’ list, this would be in it. I wish this game and its faux-sequels would make it to Virtual Console. Anyone have any insight to if that’ll ever happen or why it never will?
Never played it; now I’m going to have to put it with Gunman’s Proof on my list of LttP-alikes I should check out.
I think LttP is my all-time favorite game.
(I should really finish Crystalis, too. I bought the cartridge on eBay and may as well use it.)
Wow, nice article. I recently purchased and played through this game and really enjoyed it, especially the peculiar narrative and how it affected the game design.
I thought that was your art – you’ve got a distinctive style.
(Don’t read that in a pejorative way; I like that you’ve been providing more art to 1up of late.)
Nice to see an adoring article on the game here. It’d be my first choice if I could magically add something to the Virtual Console on Wii.
Were those caramel turtles on yesterday’s entry? Clever.
Soul Blazer was great, but even for back then, a little too short and easy for a $65-70 RPG. Heck, EGM criticized it for this in their review.
But it would be just right as an $8 VC rerelease. Enough with the empty weeks of shovelWare, Nintendo! Get on it!
Why hasn’t the human race created a mash-up of Soul Blazer, Gauntlet, and Secret of Mana, i.e. a four player action RPG where in the course of adventuring you rescue people, plants, snails and furniture in the neighboring town? I won’t care if we get smashed into paste by Apophis if we can just make that happen first.
“The poor creature that repeats transmigration of the soul and cannot die. I will put you in a deep sleep. Some people believe being constantly reincarnated means everlasting suffering. Being alive is suffering for some creatures. You will find out what I mean.” -Deathtoll
Definitely like the MK article and its illustrations, as well as the points it makes. Regarding the multiple pathways, I was hoping that the new glider/underwater attachments would lead to that. Alas…
One other thing I think they should look at is the balance and the method of unlocking new stuff in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. Mario Kart 7 is fun, but I still prefer ASR.