I have been a fan of the Star Ocean series since Star Ocean (2): The Second Story on the PlayStation 1. Since then, I have played a few more entries, as the series has lost some of its appeal lately (at least to me). I have Star Ocean: The Last Hope to blame for my […]
Throwback Bit Thursday
Throwback Bit Thursday: Final Fantasy VIII
In my lifetime, there have only been two game releases that had me more hyped up about them than I was back in 1999 for Final Fantasy VIII. Those games were Super Mario 64, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. That I expected Final Fantasy VIII to stand proudly with those two masterpieces […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: Grandia
1997’s Grandia, touted to be the Sega Saturn’s answer to Final Fantasy VII, is a legitimately great Japanese Role-Playing game in its own right. The Saturn version holds an 87% GameRankings meta score. As a spiritual sequel to GameArts’ own Lunar Series, Grandia had some big boots to fill. Not Quite the “Final Fantasy VII […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: Resident Evil 4
This week we are celebrating Shinji Mikami’s 30th year birthday in the industry. As such, it seems like an opportune time to look back and reflect on Resident Evil 4. The GameCube release of the series’ 4th entry is Mikami’s highest rated game, and a bona fide masterpiece. The GameCube Needed a Mega Hit Keeping […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, was Nintendo GameCube’s Swan Song, and the Wii’s launch killer app for the Nintendo core gamer. While I ranked the game as the 4th best Legend of Zelda game in our “Top Ten All Time Zelda List“, Twilight Princess is my personal second favorite Zelda game, after Ocarina of […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia, was a much a needed gift from the RPG gods on Nintendo’s Gamecube back in 2003. Nintendo’s console was somewhat devoid of traditional Japanese RPGs, as Sony’s PlayStation 2 had inherited the genre’s top titles from its forbearer. Namco’s fantastic fifth entry in the series would quench the JRPG thirst for Gamecube […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: Suikoden
Released in 1996 on the original PlayStation, Suikoden found commercial (on a small scale), and critical success nearly a year before Final Fantasy VII opened the mainstream market for games in the genre. For many PlayStation owners, Suikoden was their first RPG on the system. To others, their first good RPG on the systems as Beyond […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The 23rd of November (three days ago), marked The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time‘s 22nd birthday. Yes, it has been a whooping 22 years since we first got our hands on what in my opinion remains – to this day – Nintendo’s finest gaming moment. It is only natural that today’s throwback section takes […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
Arc The Lad: Twilight of the Spirits, might just be the best PlayStation 2 JRPG that almost no one ever played. In fact, in terms of its plot, it might just be one of the best JRPGs ever, period. The 2003 game, is the sixth installment in the legendary Arc the Lad series. The series […]
Throwback Bit Thursday: Dragon Warrior VII
Let’s get this out of the way: Dragon Warrior VII, by far, is the worst Japanese Role-Playing Game that I have ever played. In some ‘throwback bit’ sessions I have remembered the great, but today, it is time to look back at the other end of the spectrum. Now, Dragon Warrior/Quest (Quest in Japan, and […]