This review perfectly demonstrates why you are my favorite reviewer. You took a game that's highly regarded by many and didn't shy away from pointing out the flaws and personal issues you had with it while still highlighting what you enjoyed about the title and understanding why other people enjoy it more than you do. And all in a respectful and methodical manner. Excellent job Johnny, excellent job.
+no face At least he does admit he won't pretend to understand what makes Earthbound a cult classic to some, not helped by him still needing to cover Mother 3, so it's not like that leaves him with much else to talk about at this time. Besides, many of you have played Mother 3, which likely helped make some of the previous games better in your eyes in hindsight, but what about Johnny? I don't think he has and that game covers many of his gripes with the previous installments, as many other commenters already pointed out to him. We dunno how that one may change his views on the previous ones.
no name I don't feel it needs explain, I said it just doesn't seem necessary. I don't need him criticizing on why he hates "silent protagonists" or how Earthbound uses them; he doesn't like the trope, its a personal preference. That all I need
Nitro Rad I recently subscribed to your channel good to know we have a similar taste in youtubers (that can easily be taken into the wrong context i'm sorry)
This is the first Earthbound video I've seen that doesn't lob endless praise to the game. In that way, it's really refreshing to hear some actual criticism of the game, and I can see where you are coming from. I played the game as a kid and love it, but you bring up a lot points I hadn't thought about until now. Thank you for expanding my viewpoint on this game.
> Actual criticism of the game. He did not even mention fucking Giygas or how often he even kind of lied about some of the issues in the game. It's his weakest review ever.
+The Wild Card In The Wind Mine as well. I reviewed it on my channel not too long ago, and while I understand Johnny's issues with it, I don't feel like it's something that most people would feel when playing it. I think most people would love it.
My favorite thing about Johnny is that he never asks you to like, comment, or subscribe. He's just a down to earth guy who is happy that you watched his video, and just tells you to have a good day at the end.
Hey Johnny! It turns out Earthbound and Earthbound beginnings are related. You see when you defeat Gigyas in Earthbound beginnings this basically halts his plans for destroying Earth for many years, but when he decides to do it again this is when Earthbound begins. That's how it is linked in the timeline.
Geigue foresaw a child defeating him 10 years into the future, he decide to strike early and ends up halting his plan by Ninten, who was not the kid he foresaw, but leaves because he remembers the melody from George and Maria. 10 years later comes in with Ness and Geigue, or Gyigas at this point has undergone massive change that Pokey began to take control of him and activate a devil machine. Losing control and all that. I've always had a theory that Mother 3 is where Pokey being stuck in "that" machine as he stays there forever and finally reaches the time he evolves into Geigue in Earthbound Beginnings. Meaning Mother 3 is a prequel to all of it. Reason why I make this claim is because Gyigas in Earthbound is fond of Ness at the boss battle.
Nice theory, but that is definitely wrong due to Nintendo pretty much already confirming that the timeline goes Earthbound beginnings, Earthbound, and Earthbound 2. Also I believe the reason why Gyigas is found of Ness is because Ness is the great grandson of his adoptive mother.
+Tyrese Young Ninten is the Grandson of George and Maria. Not Ness; nothing's confirmed between Ninten and Ness in any relation. Ness just resembles him by coincidence hence the final battle having Ness's face.
You summed it up right there. Earthbound is a game based around experiences and how you react to them. But it's a game that has grown because it symbolizes growing up in so many ways. The story is simple but it's interesting how it's undertones conpliment the style of the world your in. It's a unique game that I think was structured very well in all respects. It's a strange game but it's not supposed to be a gag, only a step out of normal conventions. It just enunciates that better than most
In all technicality, Jeff gets a lot of action. He's the partner who gets talked to the most. Like when you save Tony from the Human Capsules and whenever his father talks to him. As well as whenever something needs fixing (The broken down Submarine inside the Dungeon Man for example). Poo being 2nd, as he's taken away from the 3 to learn PK (Or PSI) Starstorm. So, in the end, Partner interaction DOES HAPPEN, but it's very rarely throughout the game.
I think a lot of what you didn't really gravitate towards in Earthbound will be in Mother 3. The characters in Mother 3 aren't the most fleshed out characters in a videogame but Lucas especially goes through some powerful character arcs, and the world itself becomes a character in how it develops throughout the story. The story itself is a LOT better than it is in Earthbound for those reasons plus how it's much more traditional but very emotional, especially the ending of Chapter 4 which tugs at my heartstrings every time.
The reason that this is my favorite game is not because of the rpg mechanics, or the story, or even the overall experience. It's because the developers had so much care for their players and knew that they were making a game for them. That ending with your name at the end of the credits was the first time a game thanked me personally for playing through till the end. Games like that hold a different meaning and show that sometimes, it feels nice to be kind to others.
I noticed that you were complaining about the control scheme, and the reason it's like that is because it makes it so you can literally play through the entire game with just your left hand.
the reason that it took this long is because iwata himself absolutely refused to let anyone outside of Japan have it. no rereleases, no collections, no anthology, nothing. keep in mind this digital release was the first time anyone in Europe saw either mother game at all.
Honestly happy that you pointed out all the problems this game had. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely a good game and I'd encourage Wii U owners to download it if they haven't already, but I feel like some people are just overly generous with the game because it was so unknown for such a long time. It might just be me, personally, but I've always had bad luck with this game so a grinding session for me here was always about as long as a grinding session in Beginnings; enemy sets can drain my character's PP really quickly by the third room of a dungeon. It also seems to me like roaming enemies were really hard to avoid because of how much faster they move and how you can only really dodge them with a lucky foreground obstruction. Still, getting to use the L button for every basic command, rolling HP, and still keeping your exp if you die until you turn the game off, these are great mechanics and I think that by the time they got to mother 3 they fixed most of what I've had a problem with.
+Thunder Ryu I whole heartedly agree gameplay wise this game is lacking. The thing is, the atmosphere is just so mysterious and adventurous and while people like Johnny may not enjoy that and find it lacking in focus, I find it sets my imagination flying and lets me make the whole story myself sending me off in the arcs of it's choosing. Earthbound is more than a game to me it's a feeling, and I go back to it whenever I want to feel that way. It's vague and hard to describe. That may sound pretentious I suppose, but Earthbound a certain..I forget that French word people use for "a certain something".
I can understand liking the game's atmosphere; as far as SNES RPGs go the world is definitely varied and you actually accomplish quite a bit in the game considering a lot of segments and areas are only visited for an hour or less. Part of my problem might be because I first played this game when I was 12 and I had been playing other games around the time period which I just found more interetsing, so it just never captivated me the way it did a lot of other people. Still a good game though; I have no problem playing it every few years.
A game reviewer who DOES NOT like a cult classic like EarthBound??? And doesn't seem to care for the Mother series despite playing it??? Soooo...... I'm not alone; they are more of us who don't like the quirky weirdness of EarthBound (Mother 2) and that's great!!!
+LightlySaltedNuts I'll defend Undertale to the death. A lot of detractors say it's just Earthbound but worse, and I don't see how. Mother puts me to sleep (no joke intended), while I feel that Undertale mixes quirkiness and character and world building very nicely.
The best thing abouth Mother 3 is that the characters are well worked. In Mother 1 and 2 they are good but they almost never spoke. Is that the reason why Lucas have more personality than Ness in Super Smash Brawl
+erk prower Same here. My co-author never understood that, and that's why he hates these (although he did admit that he found Mother 3 a little better). I love all three of these games, the first two for the experience you have, and the third one because of the feels. And all three of them have amazing music, and as an upcoming music major, I'm a huge sucker for good video game music.
Thank you. I was beginning to feel like the only person who enjoyed Earthbound, but didn't think it was the timeless masterpiece everyone else says it is.
+MasterEnex Johnny is all like "Meh...if the game is in a case I can throw it to the side disrespectfully.". SomecallmeJohnny?More like SomecallmeSavage.;)
i'm currently playing fallout2 and its much more difficult than the first game. i'm trying my best not to use a walkthrough, but i fear i might be too late to find the geck
There isn't actually a time limit on the GECK if I recall correctly. Though if a character leaves your party for some reason, it's usually a good idea to follow them as it means a side quest.
@@demi-femme4821 it's one of the more famous parts of that game. Some people use it as a negative example of the game's dialogue system while others praise things like that and say future games paled in comparison when similar things were attempted. Example: Colonel Autumn in 3, same premise of conving someone their plans have failed and they should give up but Autumn only requires charisma but The Master requires Charisma and evidence for the claims.
10:54 - The reason the L button was assigned as an all purpose button was so you could play the game with one hand, since the game was originally packaged with a strategy guide.
One of the reasons why I love EarthBound is the music, the entire soundtrack really. This is yet another game that, for me, is made by an incredible soundtrack. Just hearing "Your Name Please" at the credits brings me right back into the world of EarthBound. Also, EB might have simple gameplay, but real talk, it's not like there are that many turn-based JRPGs with deep battle systems, especially during the SNES era.
+Shy boo I get it, but some old games did come with strategy guides. Dragon Warrior did the same thing. Many NES RPG's had zero direction. So, the Hint guide in-game is a luxury. It also had a ton of fun content and clay figures to look at in its pages. It details what you have to do, but not in a boring form nor giving away too much. I promise you that Twoson was probably the part with the least direction, but it will become easier once you get Paula. Good luck. Earthbound is a game that takes a bit of patience. (There is no shame in looking at guides friend). If you are stuck, and it's frustrating enough to take away from the game, just use it.
Earthbound is held in high regard because of its philosophical implications. Earthbound is a social commentary. It talks about issues like prostitutes, gangs, terrorists, and more. Even though character development is lacking, the plot is still emotionally moving. Look at the final boss (Giygas). It's an intense and terrifying fight, but it is also very somber, and almost sad in a way. Even though the game starts off cheery, by the time your reach the third town, Eagleland had taken a huge turn for the worse. If you look at Earthbound not as a commentary and a work of art in RPG form, you'll see a basic RPG with weak graphics and way too limited inventory space. Because as a game, it isn't all that amazing or groundbreaking (although there are plenty of exceptions). You have to look at Earthbound not as a game, but as an experience. I respect your opinion, Johnny, but that's the way I see Earthbound, and I will respect the opinion of anyone else who disagrees with me.
You hit the nail on the mark, Johnny. Every time that I bring up that this games characters are dull and shallow, people always just say "it was a product of its time" (which is bullshit since several of my favorite RPGs were made around the time as Earthbound). Still, I can't hate the game. the soundtrack is great and its certainly unique.
+Chaoz Rush Which is probably why I don´t like Earthound that much. I have never been able to "put"myself in a character,it feels wrong and stupid tome. I have seen some LPers do it and have fun with it,but I just can´t do it.
one of my favorite things about this game was watching the programming. i'm working on my degree and because this game is so simple i was actually able to see how they designed the code for things like talking, menus, inventory, it was really fun, i was like, "OH! i did that in my rpg!" it was nice to see how a game programmed that simply could become so beloved.
While I disagree with a lot of your points on this one I completely understand why some people dislike this game. Its kind of like when I say I dislike the Halo series.
+EyesofNova - Halo. A decent, playable shooter with breath-taking visuals. But it's heavily indecisive when it comes to its tone. Is it supposed to be a serious military shooter? Is it supposed to be campy? Is it supposed to be scary? Is is supposed to be a Saturday morning cartoon? Who knows? It's a hard game to take seriously. Especially when you're not sure if it's supposed to be.
@@nOT_sURE08 That's mainly because of the shift in development teams. I thought Halo 4's campaign was a masterpiece story-wise, but definitely was tonally inconsistent with the rest of the series. Halo 5 on the other hand was just a tedious, repetitive mess.
A mysterious old man follows around a young boy talking about "fuzzy pickles" No sir.. I do not want to see your fuzzy pickle... what are you doing with that camera?
I have a feeling the main reason why it's considered such an amazing game has to do with the overarching themes. It's basically a journey into the psyche, regress to a child, fight your evil PSI, the baby in the womb imagery in the final boss fight, the father that's not around and just gives you money, the name of the game is Mother, etc. All seems to be rooted in psychology, trying to teach something (teach what? I don't know, I'm not a psychologist), all the while staying in the framework of a fun little kid friendly JRPG.
I personally don't like the first two Mother games for similar reasons that you have, but Mother 3 left a major impression on me. It basically fixes most of the issues you have with Earthbound: less randomness for the sake of it while maintaining quirky humor, playable characters with actual characterization, recurring villains. It is an amazing game.
That outro nailed it for me, especially since you hadn't mentioned music once in the entire review. This theme is one I completely forgot about for years in favor of Onett's, Foursides, Threed's, Twoson's, eight melodies etcetera, until I heard it again about a year ago, and it's grown on me so much since then, that at this point it's probably my favorite in the game. Which is something considering how much I love Earthbound's ost.
My feelings towards Earthbound were very similar to yours, and I was reluctant to check out the sequel. But boy is that game a humongous step up. I can't assure you that you will love it, too, but from the complaints you've made here, well... many of them are addressed, it's overall just a much more conventianally "solid" game.
+timmifutz I'd say their appeal are pretty close. It's all a matter of wether or not you manage to get immersed into the game or not. Earthbound is quite passive about it, while Mother 3 actively tries to make you feel things, which can work... or not. Honestly they're both amazing in my book. I'd probably give Mother 3 an edge if it wasn't for the second half of the game being a bit weaker in my opinion.
It was much easier to get into for me because it's a much more generally solid game, as well. Many of the gameplay related complaints that Johnny had are addressed.
+timmifutz Well actually, may I ask for you to tell me about the improvements you're thinking of? You can dash, and I guess there's a stronger narrative, but that's kind of all I can think of honestly...
CyclonSilver Battle system is smoother and more unique with the rythm interaction system (which I hope Johnny will learn and talk about about...), the gameplay is generally less slow, the characters, while still not being incredibly deep, have more defined three-dimensional personalities and character arcs. And the graphics are much nicer - on an objective level, too, there is less cutoff and other things of the sort. Also prefer the soundtrack personally
I was about to complain about you not mentioning the music, while thinking "well, I suppose saying the game is bizarrre and unique covers that point, but...", then came the last bit of the video :P... The music and sound design of this game in general are awesome!
Why is it the best game of the series that hasn't been released internationally yet? Also...yes, Earthbound has incredible music and I haven't even played it! All three games have great music (although...I have a hard time listening to GBA soundtracks due to the GBA's sound quality......alllllllthough, the sounds in Mother 3 sound better than in most GBA games).
6:58 - 7:03 and THAT is why I never truly got into Earthbound hardcore. It felt like it was trying to hard in the “I’m unique because I’m random lol” department
As one of the fans that believes EarthBound is one of the best games ever made, I think you pretty much nailed the reason. But it's a combination of two main things for me. The fact that it's comedically self-aware combined with all the ways it breaks RPG tradition.
+Donutgames00 Like all games he gets asked to review the answer is yes...eventually. He's said a couple of times he's wanted to touch on the M&L series for Brainscratch. When he does cover Paper Mario I imagine it wouldn't be a PM marathon, but a Mario RPG marathon.
I feel like the Mother series has a lot of parallels to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Both have ‘bizarre’ locales and characters, and both took forever to become easily accessible in America. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me.
I find it kinda funny really. Giygas (or rather, Giegue) heard with the apple of enlightenment that he was gonna get his ass kicked by Ness, so he went and attacked 50 years earlier. Instead, he got his ass kicked by his adopted parents' grandchildren, and then 50 years later, Ness. Comma
Yeah, almost everything you might have had problems with in this game is fixed in Mother 3. There's far more character interaction throughout the game--even among the playable protagonists, the story is more involved and less about a series of moments as you reach the end goal (in fact it's one of the darkest stories Nintendo games have had, no joke), the combat system is faster and more involved by letting you deal extra damage via a rhythm system. The only difference is that the setting is more...traditional for RPGs. It's not as focused in having quirky and modern settings.
I think you got it spot on. Mother 3 is much more involved and streamlined then it's previous 2 titles. Personally I like the involvement and settings of the Mario & Luigi games and Paper Mario games (still waiting for one like TTYD) over Mother 3, but the game itself is pretty dang good, not the best, but still a pretty good RPG
You have got to be kidding me! You finished the Metal Gear marathon at this point and right before this one! Should've made a pun about how there's a DIAMOND DOG!
***** I am omnipotent. I am eternal. You probably see many people everywhere, it's just that my name and my profile picture stand out a bit more than others.
+The Drunken Coward "You probably see many people everywhere, it's just that my name and my profile picture *stand* out a bit more than others." Oh you. But I don't think he'll be doing Lisa. I know he's doing Undertale since he said so at the end of 2015 in a BSC video. Lisa is very... yeah. It has "the painful" in its name for a reason. Not really my cup of tea, don't think Johnny will like it too much either.
+The Drunken Coward John said during the Sonic Send-Off Stream he's had requests to review Lisa and said he cant since he is booked up with Mother 3/Undertale then E3. He did say he would review it later on during this or next year...
As a humble purchaser of a reproduction cartridge of Earthbound that uses some of the OG sprites, names and dialogue... I had a ton of fun playing it on the SNES. The best part is that I got into the control scheme quickly and it can be played with one hand! Leaving the other open for pizza! I kid you not, ordering delivery pizza and eating it while playing earthbound is a joy I won’t tire of.
This review perfectly demonstrates why you are my favorite reviewer. You took a game that's highly regarded by many and didn't shy away from pointing out the flaws and personal issues you had with it while still highlighting what you enjoyed about the title and understanding why other people enjoy it more than you do. And all in a respectful and methodical manner.
Excellent job Johnny, excellent job.
+no face I've played the games, I can say beyond the shadow of a doubt they have relatively the same problems
+no face That's a unnecessary thing to talk about and a dumb complaint
+no face At least he does admit he won't pretend to understand what makes Earthbound a cult classic to some, not helped by him still needing to cover Mother 3, so it's not like that leaves him with much else to talk about at this time.
Besides, many of you have played Mother 3, which likely helped make some of the previous games better in your eyes in hindsight, but what about Johnny? I don't think he has and that game covers many of his gripes with the previous installments, as many other commenters already pointed out to him. We dunno how that one may change his views on the previous ones.
no name I don't feel it needs explain, I said it just doesn't seem necessary. I don't need him criticizing on why he hates "silent protagonists" or how Earthbound uses them; he doesn't like the trope, its a personal preference. That all I need
idk I found this incredibly wandering.
I definitely feel that Mother 3 is very strong in all of those points you gave criticism. Really think you'll love it over Earthbound.
As do I, especially the characters. Quite a pleasant surprise, they were.
Nitro Rad
I recently subscribed to your channel
good to know we have a similar taste in youtubers (that can easily be taken into the wrong context i'm sorry)
Try using www.retrogames
com
Try retrogames.
cz
Hey Nitro, i read it your voice :D
Seems I have a lot of reasons to look forward to Mother 3 according to you guys! I'll get on that as soon as I can.
hope so, that's the only one I never played and I would like to hear what you have to say about it
+SomecallmeJohnny Assuming you are a huge fan of Earthbound, Mother 3 is going to be one of those huge memorable gaming experiences.
+SomecallmeJohnny I only recently played it and I haven't been a huge fan of the series. But I loved this game both for the mechanics and the story!
If you ever do a Review on Donkey Kong County 2 Put a Picture of you with The Completionist
+SomecallmeJohnny Do not go in expecting the same feel as the other games
yeah, earthbound is alright , but i doesn't even come close to the perfection, that is the greatest game of all time : sonic 06
GTFO
+Spassti BYE XD
+Spassti cocaine is a hell of a drug.
guys calm down, this kid is just trolling
+Revenant Z no shit....
This is the first Earthbound video I've seen that doesn't lob endless praise to the game. In that way, it's really refreshing to hear some actual criticism of the game, and I can see where you are coming from. I played the game as a kid and love it, but you bring up a lot points I hadn't thought about until now. Thank you for expanding my viewpoint on this game.
The Video Game Nerd did a video recently were he points out at the flaws this game has...but still praised the shit out of it.
Yeah, Johnny and AVGN's vids are the best. They give it the praise it deserves, but they also give it shit where it deserves it.
> Actual criticism of the game.
He did not even mention fucking Giygas or how often he even kind of lied about some of the issues in the game. It's his weakest review ever.
Lied with what...?
The endless praise of one of the most flawed games I've ever played
Maybe it's not for everyone but it's still my favorite RPG.
same
It's my super fav too.
It's my super fav as well.
I prefer the Quest for Glory series.
+The Wild Card In The Wind Mine as well. I reviewed it on my channel not too long ago, and while I understand Johnny's issues with it, I don't feel like it's something that most people would feel when playing it. I think most people would love it.
Oh man. That appearence by Chuggaa was amazing. He made me think about this game in a different way and he makes this video great.
Any Chuggaaconroy is good Chuggaaconroy.
Truth
Am I a Conroy XD
Amen
YES
True true
You forgot to put Feat. Chuggaaconroy in the title...
My favorite thing about Johnny is that he never asks you to like, comment, or subscribe. He's just a down to earth guy who is happy that you watched his video, and just tells you to have a good day at the end.
+Valoe7 While also giving you his honest opinion on the game, regardless of popularity
Also thinks about the common video game player, and how he can recommend the game to them.
Ness' bizarre adventure: PSI Crusader
+Chris The MGS Fan Lucas' Bizarre Adventure: Porky is Not Dead.
Ninten's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Melodies
Ness Stando: 《S T A R - R O C K I N '》
PK WARDO - porky
Ness' Bizarre Adventure: StarStorm Crusaders
1:21 "Oh sweet Mother 2 of Jesus!" That can also apply to Ebay prices of Ness amiibos!
1:07 should have been the thumbnail.
Haha yeah.
No 2:46 is better
@@Chad_Eldridge How? It's just a funny face.
Did you just call Earthbound.....a bizarre adventure..?
"Starts posing violently"
PK Warudo?
Shane-gri La PK OH MY GAD!
+Shane-gri La PK Road Roller Da
***** PK MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!
*muffled Sono Chi no Sadame plays in the background*
i feel like literally every complaint you had today is fixed by Mother 3 (except limited inventory, that is still there)
+RSN|Bran Here's hoping!
+SomecallmeJohnny Will you ever try the 'Spectrobes' series?
Limited inventory is SUCH a pain. X_X
+SomecallmeJohnny are you ever gonna review the Paper Mario games?
You do realize that you could have the sister store key items. that clears a lot of room.
That beef stew looked friggin delicious
But Chuggaaconroy...
He could've made puns so you wouldn't have to
Quit being spoiled
It;s just a joke. He's one of my personal favorite RUclipsrs, so it's just a little disappointing. Doesn't mean I didn't like the video.
Seth Anderson When did I say you disliked the video?
KidSnivy69 You didn't. I was just saying I didn't "not like" the video. Still the same John I know and love.
DID SOMEBODY SAY BIZARRE ADVENTURE
+SM980 *Cue Roundabout*
goddammit you beat me to it
+SM980 I am just imagining Ness doing a JoJo pose!
+SM980 YOU THOUGHT IT WAS MOTHER 3, BUT IT WAS REALLY ME DIO!
I'LL BE THE ROUNDABOUT
About five minutes into the video and I suddenly notice that Johnny's avatar has changed.
His avatar already change in long time ago
Everything is chrome in the future
+Auto Cartoons FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTURE, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTURE...!
Hey Johnny! It turns out Earthbound and Earthbound beginnings are related. You see when you defeat Gigyas in Earthbound beginnings this basically halts his plans for destroying Earth for many years, but when he decides to do it again this is when Earthbound begins. That's how it is linked in the timeline.
Well pretty much everyone who plays the Mother games knows that.
Geigue foresaw a child defeating him 10 years into the future, he decide to strike early and ends up halting his plan by Ninten, who was not the kid he foresaw, but leaves because he remembers the melody from George and Maria.
10 years later comes in with Ness and Geigue, or Gyigas at this point has undergone massive change that Pokey began to take control of him and activate a devil machine. Losing control and all that.
I've always had a theory that Mother 3 is where Pokey being stuck in "that" machine as he stays there forever and finally reaches the time he evolves into Geigue in Earthbound Beginnings. Meaning Mother 3 is a prequel to all of it.
Reason why I make this claim is because Gyigas in Earthbound is fond of Ness at the boss battle.
Nice theory, but that is definitely wrong due to Nintendo pretty much already confirming that the timeline goes Earthbound beginnings, Earthbound, and Earthbound 2. Also I believe the reason why Gyigas is found of Ness is because Ness is the great grandson of his adoptive mother.
+Tyrese Young Ninten is the Grandson of George and Maria.
Not Ness; nothing's confirmed between Ninten and Ness in any relation.
Ness just resembles him by coincidence hence the final battle having Ness's face.
My bad
You summed it up right there. Earthbound is a game based around experiences and how you react to them. But it's a game that has grown because it symbolizes growing up in so many ways. The story is simple but it's interesting how it's undertones conpliment the style of the world your in. It's a unique game that I think was structured very well in all respects. It's a strange game but it's not supposed to be a gag, only a step out of normal conventions. It just enunciates that better than most
In all technicality, Jeff gets a lot of action. He's the partner who gets talked to the most. Like when you save Tony from the Human Capsules and whenever his father talks to him. As well as whenever something needs fixing (The broken down Submarine inside the Dungeon Man for example). Poo being 2nd, as he's taken away from the 3 to learn PK (Or PSI) Starstorm. So, in the end, Partner interaction DOES HAPPEN, but it's very rarely throughout the game.
2:40 Watching this bit now…it definitely hits different.
HIDE YO SHOESSSSS
Fun fact, Ness is actually a gamer.
PKProGamer 23 ikr
Almost every 13 year old is
Ness' Bizarre Adventure
NBA ftw
To be continued
yare yare
oh shit this was a year ago lol
The reason people wanted Chuggaconroy, is that his first LP was Earthbound
"You cannot grasp the true form of Johnny's shirt!"
I think a lot of what you didn't really gravitate towards in Earthbound will be in Mother 3. The characters in Mother 3 aren't the most fleshed out characters in a videogame but Lucas especially goes through some powerful character arcs, and the world itself becomes a character in how it develops throughout the story. The story itself is a LOT better than it is in Earthbound for those reasons plus how it's much more traditional but very emotional, especially the ending of Chapter 4 which tugs at my heartstrings every time.
I cannot believe that my two favorite youtubers were in a picture together. It's so beautiful....
YAY, Chuggaaconroy and Johnny did a collab! Best! Video! Ever!
The reason that this is my favorite game is not because of the rpg mechanics, or the story, or even the overall experience. It's because the developers had so much care for their players and knew that they were making a game for them. That ending with your name at the end of the credits was the first time a game thanked me personally for playing through till the end. Games like that hold a different meaning and show that sometimes, it feels nice to be kind to others.
I don't think everyone have that experience, especially if they've played hundreds of games before hand.
I play games because they are fun, not because it feels like the developer is personally stroking me off.
2:39 An Earthbound fan's quest is to have Chuggaaconroy in every Earthbound video in existence, apparently.
Okay but the fact he bought that shirt before even knowing if he would like the game
Go go
Go Johnny go
Go
Go Johnny go
Go
Go Johnny go
Go
Go Johnny go
Go
Johnny B. Goode
I noticed that you were complaining about the control scheme, and the reason it's like that is because it makes it so you can literally play through the entire game with just your left hand.
the reason that it took this long is because iwata himself absolutely refused to let anyone outside of Japan have it. no rereleases, no collections, no anthology, nothing. keep in mind this digital release was the first time anyone in Europe saw either mother game at all.
Honestly happy that you pointed out all the problems this game had. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely a good game and I'd encourage Wii U owners to download it if they haven't already, but I feel like some people are just overly generous with the game because it was so unknown for such a long time.
It might just be me, personally, but I've always had bad luck with this game so a grinding session for me here was always about as long as a grinding session in Beginnings; enemy sets can drain my character's PP really quickly by the third room of a dungeon. It also seems to me like roaming enemies were really hard to avoid because of how much faster they move and how you can only really dodge them with a lucky foreground obstruction.
Still, getting to use the L button for every basic command, rolling HP, and still keeping your exp if you die until you turn the game off, these are great mechanics and I think that by the time they got to mother 3 they fixed most of what I've had a problem with.
+Thunder Ryu I whole heartedly agree gameplay wise this game is lacking. The thing is, the atmosphere is just so mysterious and adventurous and while people like Johnny may not enjoy that and find it lacking in focus, I find it sets my imagination flying and lets me make the whole story myself sending me off in the arcs of it's choosing. Earthbound is more than a game to me it's a feeling, and I go back to it whenever I want to feel that way. It's vague and hard to describe.
That may sound pretentious I suppose, but Earthbound a certain..I forget that French word people use for "a certain something".
I can understand liking the game's atmosphere; as far as SNES RPGs go the world is definitely varied and you actually accomplish quite a bit in the game considering a lot of segments and areas are only visited for an hour or less. Part of my problem might be because I first played this game when I was 12 and I had been playing other games around the time period which I just found more interetsing, so it just never captivated me the way it did a lot of other people. Still a good game though; I have no problem playing it every few years.
+Thunder Ryu I got stuck at the halfway point once. Now I'm gonna play it again to try & beat it. I actually got it for free from Club Nintendo.
tim5fl Define "Halfway point". I remember there being some annoying spots between Threed and Summers, so anywhere in that general ballpark?
Thunder Ryu After Paula gets kidnapped.
Im so glad at the VERY last second you complimented the music, Earthbounds music is SO funky
A game reviewer who DOES NOT like a cult classic like EarthBound??? And doesn't seem to care for the Mother series despite playing it??? Soooo...... I'm not alone; they are more of us who don't like the quirky weirdness of EarthBound (Mother 2) and that's great!!!
Same goes with Undertale. I don't understand all the hype. I didn't care for either of them.
+LightlySaltedNuts I'll defend Undertale to the death. A lot of detractors say it's just Earthbound but worse, and I don't see how. Mother puts me to sleep (no joke intended), while I feel that Undertale mixes quirkiness and character and world building very nicely.
Yeah because it is. It's Earthbound with LSL:Magna cum Laude
Earthbound is great, Undertale is fucking awful
Watch the video mate, he liked the game, but he never said it was perfect and pointed out the flaws.
This channel used to have gags, special effects, returning characters etc. etc. ... now we just get Johnny walking out with a coffee cup
With his problems with Earthbound, I think Johnny is gonna enjoy Mother 3 a lot more.
Agreed
+StarMech Xerez they fix his issues in mother 3?
Mother 3 is big on plot, and it's a damned good one too. You'll see when he reviews it.
Funnily enough mother 3 solves all the problems you said
The best thing abouth Mother 3 is that the characters are well worked. In Mother 1 and 2 they are good but they almost never spoke. Is that the reason why Lucas have more personality than Ness in Super Smash Brawl
I like that the character of Duster was meant to be a kind of weird but normal guy. It's simple but surprisingly underused.
Ramen Bacon cute profile pic. What is it?
Cj Newman darude sands-
The story in these games always seemed more metaphorical. As Earthbound to most people is the story of growing up and hitting your teens.
The 8 melodies is the song that lulled Gigue to sleep. Thats because Giygas is an insane driven Gigue.
mother 3 has everything you said earthbound doesnt
+kai moore didnt they say that in begginings?
finally after 30 years and remember johnny during mother 3 no crying until the end
To me the Mother series has always been about the experience you have with the games rather than the game play.
+erk prower Same here. My co-author never understood that, and that's why he hates these (although he did admit that he found Mother 3 a little better). I love all three of these games, the first two for the experience you have, and the third one because of the feels. And all three of them have amazing music, and as an upcoming music major, I'm a huge sucker for good video game music.
Fun fact: if you connect a second controller, you can play the game with either controller, so you could play with another person
Thank you. I was beginning to feel like the only person who enjoyed Earthbound, but didn't think it was the timeless masterpiece everyone else says it is.
Spoiler alert: It still is.
Even if you don't want to acknowledge it.
The reason this is one of my favorite games is because it's so funny, and the quirky humor just hits me in the right spot
.....Not sure why but I want that picture of John and Chuggaaconroy to become a meme.
Get ready for one of the most depressing games you'll ever play.
Don't be afraid to cry, it's manly tears.
+Mr. MW The Feels Train is coming, where it has plenty of puppies, kittens, bunnies and tissues to help you out on some depressing moments.
Seriously. And that ending doesn't help.
+Mr. MW
"No crying until the end."
Did you enjoy the stew Johnny? I presume you made it one evening with this review in mind :)
i love how chuggaaconroy is know across the internet as earthbound guy
Man... seeing Chuggaaconroy just makes me depressed.
I try to separate art from artist, but... controversy can be really damning.
What did he do?
Who is Chuggaconroy?
16:45 WTF xD
+MasterEnex
Johnny is all like "Meh...if the game is in a case I can throw it to the side disrespectfully.".
SomecallmeJohnny?More like SomecallmeSavage.;)
i think he had something to catch it
+MasterEnex Would have been awkward if the game had broken.
"Er... sorry folks, marathon's finished earlier than expected."
It'll be cool if you reviewed fallout 1 and 2
+JamesPlaysGames95 John would probably have a lot of fun with Fallout 2.
i'm currently playing fallout2 and its much more difficult than the first game. i'm trying my best not to use a walkthrough, but i fear i might be too late to find the geck
There isn't actually a time limit on the GECK if I recall correctly. Though if a character leaves your party for some reason, it's usually a good idea to follow them as it means a side quest.
Did you know that you can convince the final boss of Fallout 1 that mutants are infertile and make him commit suicide?
@@demi-femme4821 it's one of the more famous parts of that game. Some people use it as a negative example of the game's dialogue system while others praise things like that and say future games paled in comparison when similar things were attempted.
Example: Colonel Autumn in 3, same premise of conving someone their plans have failed and they should give up but Autumn only requires charisma but The Master requires Charisma and evidence for the claims.
"Maybe a little enlightenment on it come this E3?"
Good one Johnny, you had me on the floor laughing!
I like how the angry video game nerd can find meaning in this game before Johnny it's just always at face value
10:54 - The reason the L button was assigned as an all purpose button was so you could play the game with one hand, since the game was originally packaged with a strategy guide.
One of the reasons why I love EarthBound is the music, the entire soundtrack really. This is yet another game that, for me, is made by an incredible soundtrack. Just hearing "Your Name Please" at the credits brings me right back into the world of EarthBound.
Also, EB might have simple gameplay, but real talk, it's not like there are that many turn-based JRPGs with deep battle systems, especially during the SNES era.
+Shy boo There's a hint guy in almost every town, I got stuck in Twoson for a little bit too but the hint guy really helped. Find him.
*****
Whoa nelly, 3/10's a little harsh considering you haven't even gotten Paula yet.
+Shy boo You should look up the official guide, it came with the game.
***** He's to the east of town if I remember correctly, can't miss him really.
+Shy boo I get it, but some old games did come with strategy guides. Dragon Warrior did the same thing. Many NES RPG's had zero direction. So, the Hint guide in-game is a luxury. It also had a ton of fun content and clay figures to look at in its pages. It details what you have to do, but not in a boring form nor giving away too much. I promise you that Twoson was probably the part with the least direction, but it will become easier once you get Paula. Good luck. Earthbound is a game that takes a bit of patience.
(There is no shame in looking at guides friend). If you are stuck, and it's frustrating enough to take away from the game, just use it.
4:20 Funny thing is, "Ness' Father" is a spirit in Smash Bros Ultimate, and it's just the phone.
The Mother 3 review will be the stuff of legends.
Just wait for his Undertale review
+Blackfox413 I hope that ship has sailed.
LifesGoodGaming Why? I'd love to hear his thoughts on it. Besides, intellectual discussion goes great with fanboy tears.
I've just... Had enough of Undertale. But come to think of it, Johnny vs. Undertale would be really cool. But no more after that.
***** Johnny does fair reviews, I doubt he'd say nothing but praise for it.
Love the critic reference
Earthbound is held in high regard because of its philosophical implications. Earthbound is a social commentary. It talks about issues like prostitutes, gangs, terrorists, and more. Even though character development is lacking, the plot is still emotionally moving. Look at the final boss (Giygas). It's an intense and terrifying fight, but it is also very somber, and almost sad in a way. Even though the game starts off cheery, by the time your reach the third town, Eagleland had taken a huge turn for the worse. If you look at Earthbound not as a commentary and a work of art in RPG form, you'll see a basic RPG with weak graphics and way too limited inventory space. Because as a game, it isn't all that amazing or groundbreaking (although there are plenty of exceptions). You have to look at Earthbound not as a game, but as an experience. I respect your opinion, Johnny, but that's the way I see Earthbound, and I will respect the opinion of anyone else who disagrees with me.
Jonah Snow Amen, brother
You hit the nail on the mark, Johnny. Every time that I bring up that this games characters are dull and shallow, people always just say "it was a product of its time" (which is bullshit since several of my favorite RPGs were made around the time as Earthbound). Still, I can't hate the game. the soundtrack is great and its certainly unique.
+Chaoz Rush Which is probably why I don´t like Earthound that much.
I have never been able to "put"myself in a character,it feels wrong and stupid tome.
I have seen some LPers do it and have fun with it,but I just can´t do it.
Jordan DeHart Agreed. EarthBound Beginnings was a product of its time but EarthBound? Not really.
I cry my self to sleep in every night knowing earthbound isn't on original 3ds
You can use homebrew...
You too, huh?
*****
im on latest version
If you got a computer you can emulate it, doesn't even have to that good of a computer.
What's Ness's evil side called? Dark Ness?
+Sjono Duckness
*Ba dum tss*
Sjono Goddamnit Barb
The reason why I heard so much about Earthbound was because of Giygas and its boss fight.
+Master Vidxad That is the very reason why I will never play this game.
+Master Vidxad 58
Well..why I'll never finish it all the way through.
one of my favorite things about this game was watching the programming. i'm working on my degree and because this game is so simple i was actually able to see how they designed the code for things like talking, menus, inventory, it was really fun, i was like, "OH! i did that in my rpg!" it was nice to see how a game programmed that simply could become so beloved.
While I disagree with a lot of your points on this one I completely understand why some people dislike this game. Its kind of like when I say I dislike the Halo series.
+EyesofNova - Halo. A decent, playable shooter with breath-taking visuals. But it's heavily indecisive when it comes to its tone. Is it supposed to be a serious military shooter? Is it supposed to be campy? Is it supposed to be scary? Is is supposed to be a Saturday morning cartoon? Who knows? It's a hard game to take seriously. Especially when you're not sure if it's supposed to be.
@@nOT_sURE08 That's mainly because of the shift in development teams. I thought Halo 4's campaign was a masterpiece story-wise, but definitely was tonally inconsistent with the rest of the series.
Halo 5 on the other hand was just a tedious, repetitive mess.
@@nOT_sURE08 Most people care about the multiplayer anyway.
A mysterious old man follows around a young boy talking about "fuzzy pickles" No sir.. I do not want to see your fuzzy pickle... what are you doing with that camera?
"I decided to look it up and OH SWEET MOTHER TWO OF JESUS!!"
My favorite part of the video🤣🤣🤣🤣
I have a feeling the main reason why it's considered such an amazing game has to do with the overarching themes. It's basically a journey into the psyche, regress to a child, fight your evil PSI, the baby in the womb imagery in the final boss fight, the father that's not around and just gives you money, the name of the game is Mother, etc. All seems to be rooted in psychology, trying to teach something (teach what? I don't know, I'm not a psychologist), all the while staying in the framework of a fun little kid friendly JRPG.
I personally don't like the first two Mother games for similar reasons that you have, but Mother 3 left a major impression on me. It basically fixes most of the issues you have with Earthbound: less randomness for the sake of it while maintaining quirky humor, playable characters with actual characterization, recurring villains. It is an amazing game.
That outro nailed it for me, especially since you hadn't mentioned music once in the entire review. This theme is one I completely forgot about for years in favor of Onett's, Foursides, Threed's, Twoson's, eight melodies etcetera, until I heard it again about a year ago, and it's grown on me so much since then, that at this point it's probably my favorite in the game. Which is something considering how much I love Earthbound's ost.
My feelings towards Earthbound were very similar to yours, and I was reluctant to check out the sequel.
But boy is that game a humongous step up. I can't assure you that you will love it, too, but from the complaints you've made here, well... many of them are addressed, it's overall just a much more conventianally "solid" game.
+timmifutz I'd say their appeal are pretty close. It's all a matter of wether or not you manage to get immersed into the game or not. Earthbound is quite passive about it, while Mother 3 actively tries to make you feel things, which can work... or not.
Honestly they're both amazing in my book. I'd probably give Mother 3 an edge if it wasn't for the second half of the game being a bit weaker in my opinion.
It was much easier to get into for me because it's a much more generally solid game, as well. Many of the gameplay related complaints that Johnny had are addressed.
+timmifutz Well actually, may I ask for you to tell me about the improvements you're thinking of? You can dash, and I guess there's a stronger narrative, but that's kind of all I can think of honestly...
CyclonSilver Battle system is smoother and more unique with the rythm interaction system (which I hope Johnny will learn and talk about about...), the gameplay is generally less slow, the characters, while still not being incredibly deep, have more defined three-dimensional personalities and character arcs. And the graphics are much nicer - on an objective level, too, there is less cutoff and other things of the sort. Also prefer the soundtrack personally
Oh, and the item management doesn't necessarily become better, but there is less emphasis placed on it.
I was about to complain about you not mentioning the music, while thinking "well, I suppose saying the game is bizarrre and unique covers that point, but...", then came the last bit of the video :P... The music and sound design of this game in general are awesome!
so no comment on the gygas fight
happy 30th anniversary earthbound!!!(still love johnny's reactions to earthbound's price.:3)
I can't believe you got Chuggacconroy in this video!
he has changed so much he look completely different and if u think I'm being serious then wow
Why is it the best game of the series that hasn't been released internationally yet?
Also...yes, Earthbound has incredible music and I haven't even played it! All three games have great music (although...I have a hard time listening to GBA soundtracks due to the GBA's sound quality......alllllllthough, the sounds in Mother 3 sound better than in most GBA games).
6:58 - 7:03 and THAT is why I never truly got into Earthbound hardcore. It felt like it was trying to hard in the “I’m unique because I’m random lol” department
As one of the fans that believes EarthBound is one of the best games ever made, I think you pretty much nailed the reason. But it's a combination of two main things for me. The fact that it's comedically self-aware combined with all the ways it breaks RPG tradition.
Do you plan on doing a Paper Mario Marathon?
+Donutgames00 Like all games he gets asked to review the answer is yes...eventually. He's said a couple of times he's wanted to touch on the M&L series for Brainscratch. When he does cover Paper Mario I imagine it wouldn't be a PM marathon, but a Mario RPG marathon.
+William Brown maybe, but there is like 10 Mario RPGs
+Adresadini he did 5 2d games, and 6 3D two marathons
5:47 Ohhh Johnny. Wait till you play Mother 3...
I know y'all think John will like Mother 3 alot more but let's not overhype anything. Hype kills alot of things
Hype can kill like no one's business.
I feel like the Mother series has a lot of parallels to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Both have ‘bizarre’ locales and characters, and both took forever to become easily accessible in America. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me.
a bizarre adventure? hmm now where have I heard that before?
+Jordan Thomas WRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!
+omni Well, Personas are basically just weaker Stands, so I guess it counts.
The video only plays in HD? Noooooooo the steaming lag!
Damn it Johnny, I just started writing during the outro, bitching about how you didn't mention the music at all!
I find it kinda funny really. Giygas (or rather, Giegue) heard with the apple of enlightenment that he was gonna get his ass kicked by Ness, so he went and attacked 50 years earlier. Instead, he got his ass kicked by his adopted parents' grandchildren, and then 50 years later, Ness.
Comma
"The only name i didn't change because his name is fucking poo"
haha i love your reviews johnny keep them up, huge fan
Yeah, almost everything you might have had problems with in this game is fixed in Mother 3. There's far more character interaction throughout the game--even among the playable protagonists, the story is more involved and less about a series of moments as you reach the end goal (in fact it's one of the darkest stories Nintendo games have had, no joke), the combat system is faster and more involved by letting you deal extra damage via a rhythm system.
The only difference is that the setting is more...traditional for RPGs. It's not as focused in having quirky and modern settings.
I think you got it spot on. Mother 3 is much more involved and streamlined then it's previous 2 titles. Personally I like the involvement and settings of the Mario & Luigi games and Paper Mario games (still waiting for one like TTYD) over Mother 3, but the game itself is pretty dang good, not the best, but still a pretty good RPG
Thank you for being critic, and not going with the flow.
@Louise Cyphre I don't want to sound like an asshole. But I can't take THAT guy seriously without a pfp.
You have got to be kidding me! You finished the Metal Gear marathon at this point and right before this one! Should've made a pun about how there's a DIAMOND DOG!
You should've put "feat. Chuggaaconroy" in the title just to piss people off. Then again, I would've been pissed off myself, so maybe no.
Colonel Wepler There are still comments that express anger or disappointed that he didn't have chugga on, it's kinda a high standard if you ask me.
You perfectly summed it up, Johnny. It's different, but I love that it's different.
Can't wait for the LISA review, my favourite Earthbound game.
(I'm kidding)
+The Drunken Coward I swear I see you everywhere on youtube, FoTNS videos, vinesauce videos, now this too
*****
I am omnipotent. I am eternal.
You probably see many people everywhere, it's just that my name and my profile picture stand out a bit more than others.
+The Drunken Coward
"You probably see many people everywhere, it's just that my name and my profile picture *stand* out a bit more than others."
Oh you. But I don't think he'll be doing Lisa. I know he's doing Undertale since he said so at the end of 2015 in a BSC video. Lisa is very... yeah. It has "the painful" in its name for a reason. Not really my cup of tea, don't think Johnny will like it too much either.
+The Drunken Coward John said during the Sonic Send-Off Stream he's had requests to review Lisa and said he cant since he is booked up with Mother 3/Undertale then E3. He did say he would review it later on during this or next year...
Accept no Substitutions
Oh, I pray to all the known Gods and their bastards, that he will do so this year.
As a humble purchaser of a reproduction cartridge of Earthbound that uses some of the OG sprites, names and dialogue... I had a ton of fun playing it on the SNES. The best part is that I got into the control scheme quickly and it can be played with one hand! Leaving the other open for pizza!
I kid you not, ordering delivery pizza and eating it while playing earthbound is a joy I won’t tire of.