Oh yeah! When I played this, I did a trick that made the early-mid game harder but the end game easier. Your summons scale to your Hope. So when you increase your hope, it buffs all of your summons. ...However, this doesn't happen retroactively. In other words, if you pick up a summon at Hope Level 10, that summon will be the same as if you picked it up at Hope Level 1. From that, I'm sure you can imagine the tactic. Basically, keep your Hope level low for most of the game. Then, when you get most of the summons, go back and collect all the Hope. Now, you have some ridiculously powerful summons, and the end game is a lot more tolerable.
Ohhhh this is really interesting! I had no idea where anything was the first time through the game here, but that's a neat tactic to make the end game a lot easier. Huh! Thank you for telling me this. I hope you don't mind if I pin your comment so others reading might save themselves some of the trouble of having weaker summons.
@@hungrygoriya You can absolutely pin my comment, and I'm honored! :) I remember renting this when I was a teenager. I actually made it to the final boss but never beat it, and I had a score to settle when I was in my late 20s. I discovered that trick then.
... this is amazing. No wonder I had such a hard time with this game and never beat it. This makes SO much more sense. Maybe some day I'll pull this back out some day and try it again.
Goriya is hungry; but sick of bread. I appreciate your videos. Your delivery, fair honesty, and humor, along with your screen effects, edits, and the bits you film (like setting up the NES at the start), all make for an effectively informative and enjoyable viewing. Thank you, and well done!
Thanks so much! I've been really happy with the extra photography stuff my husband's been doing for these videos. He's been setting up shots of different things for me and the intro was all his idea. I'll pass the feedback along to him!
@@hungrygoriyaI guess in keeping with this game: we get a lot farther when we have good helpers. Kudos to your husband! Give yourself a victory 'wink' for your professional efforts, too. And thanks for delving into this game. It always looked appealing in that NES JRPG way, and was a promising concept. Shame the actual gameplay had no excuse for being such a slog by that time.
@@hungrygoriya I enjoy the mystique of not seeing your face. Many RUclips channels are over focused on the host. Your tone and game insights are more than enough and knowing more could spoil it at this point. Plus anonymity for you is priceless
Having random battles in a game where you don't gain XP from them is a bizarre choice, but I'll chalk it up to being fairly early in the history of console RPGs.
@@jonothanthrace1530 Who knows why they chose to do it that way, but it's no fun doing all that work for such little reward. I've played other games like this, but the battles are usually escapable and don't take several minutes each to complete.
@@hungrygoriya Making battles not escapable that aren't boss fights also annoys the hell out of me, fortunately I think that's another thing that's gone by the wayside in the modern era.
Does seem rough when there's so little reward to it. In comparison, games like Dragon Warrior and Mother are tougher on the surface, but at least you can grind and eventually overcome it. Not having grind is an OK some concept, many games over the decades have done it in some form, like Final Fantasy XIII's level cap per chapter, or Onimusha Tactics and Ogre Battle simply not having much in the way of repeatable encounters you could grind on, but those games are more reasonably balanced so you don't actually need that grind.
Yo, that cinematic intro was awesome! And the other cool, artistically framed shots scattered throughout, too. You've really stepped up your game! So cool to see! This is a game I've only heard of, and never really heard particularly good things about, so it was interesting seeing your review of it. This was probably the most positive I've ever heard anyone be about this game, and I really appreciate that perspective. Your reviews always seem to excel at finding the potential in even deeply flawed games, which is something I also strive to do whenever possible (but usually fail at!). Always happy when I see a new HungryGoriya video!
@@Wyrdwad Thanks about the intro and the other photos and videos. My husband's been working hard at conceptualizing some script parts into something other than gameplay and I think he's doing a great job. I always try to find the good in games since there's always something good in there somewhere. This one was good until the combat started to get way too annoying for my tastes. It's too bad.
I'm glad you enjoyed! I only have my husband to blame for it. He did all the filming/lighting and developed all the sound for it too. He's been enjoying filming with old lenses on a new camera.
Such fancy direction! The opening shots are so moody, and the stuff sprinkled throughout (I like the shot at 24:25 where the lighting changes to highlight the different NES carts) show that you've gotten a WHOLE lot better at producing these videos. Great job! Also, gotta say it's nice to see KEMCO show up here. They pump out so many JRPGs for consoles and mobile nowadays, it's interesting to me to see what may be their first JRPG. Really neat to see so many unique ideas here, even if they didn't work out. I like the JRPGs from this era that really experimented with the DQ formula; this reminds me of titles like Magic of Scherazade or the Esper Dreams games. Thanks for taking the bullet on this one just to show it off.
Thank you very much! My husband's been doing some extra camera work for the videos so all of you have something more to look at than game footage for most of the video, so he's the one to blame for the uptick in quality. I'm very grateful! I do enjoy the experimental ways of the NES. I find more gems than duds, and I think with a little more refining, this one could've been really great. I need to try Esper Dreams sometime. It looks really cool!
This game intrigued me a lot back in the late 90s when I was just discovering Japanese RPGs and emulation. I only recently found out that it was actually based on a movie called Beyond the Pyramids: Legend of the White Lion
There's a mix of Ghost Lion and Shadowgate music here. The Ghost Lion music's pretty slow and ominous, which doesn't really make for an exciting review backdrop.
@17:17 - Way to jam that pun in there. Could almost say that left me a bit toasty. Every time I see an HG review on my feed, I get super excited! Thanks for making chat your part time job. Always a pleasure =)
10:43 your "misread of Gohma from The Legend of Zelda as a bucktooth crab rather than a giant eyeball spider" lol it took me a minute to see it, but now that's what I'll be trying hard to see from now on 🤣
I'm glad they only made Gohma sort-of spideresque.... for the most part. Literally couldn't finish Twilight Princess because that thing is just a giant spider and I have intense arachnophobia. Probably down to hardware limitations, but the earlier incarnations just had a more general "weird eyeball-bug thing" vibe than being an actual arachnid (thankfully). I think OoT strikes a nice balance between "weird-spideresque thing" yet isn't so realistic (at least imo) that it would put off arachnophobes; it only looks like it has 2 legs for the most part and doesn't really scurry like a spider does, but still gives that spideresque vibe.
I was listening to the background music in the first half of the video and was like “This music is familiar”. After 10 minutes, I thought “Oh this is Shadowgate’s soundtrack”. then you come up and explain the game’s music was made by the same people who did Shadowgate’s. Makes perfect sense.
I love all the bread jokes. Perhaps she should be your new mascot, Hungry Maria. I learn about so many interesting games through this channel. I have never heard of this, but one of my sister’s all time favorite games was Shadow Gate, so it makes me interested in the soundtrack. If this was easily available on a modern console or even steam, I would check this out.
@@Varizen87 Hungry Maria is actually hilarious! Love it! I hope you enjoy the soundtrack if you give it a listen. I snuck some Shadowgate tunes into this video since so much of the Ghost Lion music is slower and lacking momentum for a review.
It’s amazing what you can still learn about an old console like the NES even years later in accordance with its vast library of games, as this was the first time that I heard of the game Ghost Lion. Also, when Maria gets hit in the game, here eyes kinda look those heavily shaded eyes design that seem to be commonplace in 80s shojo manga, which I suppose it’s kind of a given as the game came out in Japan in 1989 as you had mentioned.
6:01 this reminds me of when I tried to find Umaro in FF6 after seeing him poke his head out of his cave. I pressed the A button on every single square in Narsh before giving up 🤣 imagine my relief when I inevitably rediscovered him in the World of Ruin. Life was a lot different before the Internet
Fun to see you cover this, and you’ve hit the nail on the head. I was fascinated by this game, but it is just not the beginner RPG it wants to pretend to be. When I began researching for my own review several years ago of this, I discovered the companion movie and ho boy, it is rough but a fun “cheese watch.” Really appreciate the cool fades and shadows you do with the manual and poster for effect, and think you pace this review extremely well - it’s in-depth and doesn’t drag the game for no reason just because it’s different or strange. Thanks for taking the time to share the review!
I don't know anything about the movie, but I'm curious to see what it's like. And I'm generally a person who feels every game has some good in it. It's just a matter of finding it, and choosing where to put your focus.
@ it’s the right mindset to have, absolutely! people still worked and put effort into what especially in the NES days was an emerging medium - some things don’t work, but it’s fun to consider the time and the intention of the creators.
Fun fact. When people argue on "What Is And What Is Not an RPG", and assert that an RPG has to have an experience/leveling system, I always think of Ghost Lion where you actually 'find' your levels in treasure chests. To argue Ghost Lion isn't an RPG would be farcical. :D
I think the existence of a levelling system implies an RPG, but everyone's definition will vary. It's usually safe to say "RPG elements" at the very least, but this one has a clear levelling system with stat upgrades.
I played this as a rental when I was like 10. For years afterwards, I was half-convinced it was some kind of fever dream. Really nice to see you cover it!
It's crazy that a year ago I had never heard of this game, and like some kind of forgotten specter it is now making its presence known to us all again. This is the kind of game I wish Nintendo would put on their online shops.
I really appreciate your detailed and thorough explorations of these relics. You don’t crank one of these videos out every week, and the quality of your videos really sets them apart from other channels that do similar content. Thank you for bringing us along on your explorations!!
This game has HUGE dragon warrior vibes to it. From the graphics to the menu system. So much so, that I thought it was a rom hack of dragon warrior from the NES.
So many games were influenced by Dragon Warrior/Quest, and often made it to the US about the same time as the original. Lots of baseball games like Baseball, and well... everything uses A to jump. Some games really define their genres.
@@jorymil I was actually a little shocked just how few Dragon Quest-likes we got back in the day. There's *so many* on the Famicom that it's overwhelming, and we can now play a pretty decent chunk of them via fan translations. I still don't think many (any?) of them have the same magic that Dragon Quest does, though.
@@hungrygoriya Faria is a masterpiece. I also loved Ghost Lion too (I didn't grow up with these games I was a gamecube and wii kid) but I found in the modern day that going back to Faria as a zoomer the game is still absolutely fantastic.
The movie this game was (loosely) based on would be very interesting to make a modern game on. I've long been thinking of a tactical RPG remake in which Maria summons her squad, and it's very risky (but potentially tide-turning) to involve her in the battle itself. The movie and game are a premise I find fascinating and filled with potential, but the Kemco-level execution just breaks my heart.
One of my favorite RPGS of all time. I love the emotional story and depiction of a lion as a mystical being almost like a godlike creature from a magical girl show or something. This feels very ahead of its time for 1989 and I find its bizzare North American cover art contrasting with the anime esque sprites to be awesome. I really wish this game got a Nintendo Switch rerelease somehow. I never grew up with this game (I grew up with Gamecube and Wii LOL) but I still love this game!! I fell in love with it over emulator it is one of the coolest NES gams I have seen.
This game made me think that a dream RPG that uses courage as a health bar could be really cool. Like the monsters start off looking like normal fantasy enemies but as your courage depletes they gradually morph into more nightmarish forms while the music begins to distort. It would fit well with a happy veneer that has sinister undertones. Honestly it’s a shame this RPG isn’t better. It has such potential.
For years I couldn't place who the girl on the American box cover looked like, she seemed so familiar and it just hit me watching this video. She resembles the younger sister Jennifer on Family Ties. 😅
I recently heard of this game and learned it even had a tie-in movie, wild. I only saw a small sample of it on another channel so I was pretty curious about it just cause of the novelty of the characters. Thanks for shedding some light on it.
Another interesting review, thank you! I like how the retro shojo manga character design is mixed with fairly realistic monsters, reminds me of Umezu Kazuo horror manga.
Ghost Lion certainly was marching to its own tune. I'm glad you got to play it, though, even though it does have its flaws. I imagine using the Defender summons more often would have made the journey less painful; though to what degree I'm not sure, I only remember very much needing a team of meat shields when I played this in my youth -- with the encounter rate so high, it's possible the attrition would just pivot to Dreams/Tears instead of Courage/Bread. I'm hoping some day someone mods this game to change out the battle music -- then it might be worth a second go.
I knew that music sounded familiar! Great intro, and yet another great review. I appreciate the articulate, balanced, and thorough exploration of every game's high and low points.
Thank you for playing this one, so I don't have to. I'm a sucker for older games, but in truth it's an ocean of poorly aged ones with the occasionnal fine wine. Retro collectors are mostly here for the ''gotta catch em all'' urge, very few titles are meant to pass the test of time
It's a pretty big ocean though. And the good ones are still more than enough. In fact they are a lot more than anyone can handle if you start let's say from 1985 to 2005 on cosnoles and DOS to Windows XP on PC. It's at least a few hundrend of really good and fantastic games in those 20 years
@@volfi123 Yeah, you're right. There is plenty of good stuff, that's why we're all here. Nonetheless, I'm more than happy to skip a bad one instead of throwing the towel after hours of bitter gameplay.
I've found that the collecting urge doesn't mean I _play_ the games more often. I now have 3 or 4 boxes of games I need to sell: they're more of a burden than a joy. Just going to emulate most things except for the small handful I love.
@@jorymil It can be a problerm when you don't have space to properly store them. And it's true that you can't play all of them. I think most people say to themselves '' I'll buy this now that i've found it so i can play it whenever i get the urge.'' And that time rarely comes because theres just too many things to do and not enough free time I do that with books for some reason. I'm always reading some book but there's no way i'm ever going to read them all unless i turn myself into a lich. i probably have enough books to last me a couple more lifetimes
@@volfi123sure, if you cast your net that wide. However many games that were good for their time are garbage now because their graphics are barely above stick figures or blocky rectangles. Looking at you Atari and N64 😂
All the bread jokes were hilarious. I remember trying this game and being underwhelmed by not being able to grind. I think I maybe played about a hour or two.
Thank you very much! I've been working with my husband and borrowing a lot of his photography hobby for the last few videos. He took the reigns on all of the videography. I'm really happy with how it all came out.
After decades of collecting RPGs, I've come to realize that a lot of these obscure and or expensive games are just not very good. Very few are truly hidden gems. I spend much more of my free time now playing the ones that I'm really excited for and have learned to just stop playing the ones that I'm not really enjoying. It's too bad that you didn't have a lot of fun with this one, and based on your review, I don't think I'll be seeking this one out any time soon. Still, good job grinding through this one, and thanks for the review.
This game is just so odd... originally released in 1989, but they waited a few years to localize it, and released it when NES was basically already on its last legs. Few JRPGs at that point were being localized, but somehow this one - based on an obscure movie, kinda - got localized. Very unusual for the time. It has some interesting elements for sure, it's just an oddball release for sure. Gotta say though, I like (most of) the music; has that Shadowgate vibe Kemco's good at. (I played through some of it in Japanese a year back... the script is quite vague either way. Guess that's just part and parcel of RPGs in the 80s...)
yea i've noticed that with the script as well. I was playing Metal Max returns a few months back. Didn't finish the game but i put plenty of hours into it. I still don't know what the h.. i'm supposed to be doing exactly lol.
Just finished! That "b roll footage" or whatever you call it, is amazing, that part where the light alternately lit up the other cartridge at 24:26 really stood out to me. You clearly put a lot of work into this. As a side note, I hope we get a face reveal some day, you have such a calming tone of voice.
If it makes you feel any better, I just now (while watching your video) found out Gohma is a not bucktooth crab.... I've somehow never heard of this game, but I now totally need to play it..... Thanks!
Hahaha are you serious? I'm glad I'm not the only one that always say him that way! And enjoy Ghost Lion if yo play it. It's not terrible by a long stretch, just frustrating towards the end with how long the battles drag out.
Nice choice! I vaguely remember seeing this on the rental shelves, but never played it. I honestly really like the presentation of the game. Ghost Lion is the Digital Devil Saga of the NES/Famicom.
Great opening HG & Hubs! As for the game, I bought it on name, art, and being told it was a dw clone alone (bought it before dw, actually), I found out about it being quirky later. Some strange decisions, I wonder if it could work with QoL improvements. Its certainly different tho.
I totally agree with you on this one; the final stretch was absolutely brutal, and because you were already at the level cap, there wasn't a thing you could do about it, and when every single encounter is an absolute FIGHT FOR YOUR *LIFE*, it turned into Drag-on Quest long before I even reached the final dungeon. Also, the soundtrack! While I played entirely too much Birthday Blowout and Crazy Castle for the overworld music not to sound like the most Bugs-Bunny-ass thing on the NES, I love the music that comes in around 6:30 of this video. It's easily my favorite track in the entire game for how solemn and lonely it feels; perfect for wandering all alone on the brightest summer day. I put this on as "lobby music" for an online movie night where a few of my friends and I got together to watch the movie it's (very loosely) based on, and it was a pretty enjoyable time.
I had no idea this game existed. But it still somehow feels familiar. Like a game I may have come home one day from school and my brother had rented and I only saw it once. Thank you for sharing!
I'm glad you found me. Thanks for taking a chance on a new channel, and about the intro. My husband's been enjoying doing some photography and videography with vintage lenses on a modern camera body. It's been neat seeing him put some of these things together.
Thanks very much! I'm glad you're enjoying the photography stuff. My husband's been experimenting with a few new visuals for these videos so there's a bit more diversity rather than just game footage and my photos all the time! Shadowgate's music is great. I love the whole soundtrack in that game, even the low torch music!
Really liked the video. It's funny you mentioned this as a beginner RPG. They kept trying to make RPGs that would introduce players to the genre and they either felt indistinguishable from other RPGs, or they were lacking in challenge - Mystic Quest comes to mind, even though I enjoy it. There are probably people who could correct me, but I don't think they got the concept of a introductory RPG right until Super Mario RPG, followed by Paper Mario. Beloved characters that immediately peak interest for those not plugged into the genre, a fun but simplified battle system, and hidden battles that veteran players could find (thinking of Culex) and sink their teeth into, as well as people who enjoyed the game to see something with increased challenge that other RPGs offer.
I didn't get to play Ghost Lion back in the day but I do have a strong memory of reading about it in magazine articles. From your review here, this is exactly the kind of game that I think should be getting a modern day remake. It's fine and good when an old, popular game gets a remake, like fabulous Resident Evil 2 remake. But that was already a good game. Ghost Lion seems like a game that has really good ideas behind it but suffered the misfortune of having those ideas poorly executed. A remake could clean up those issues and turn it into something really great. Sadly, the way the game industry works, it's usually only the already popular games that get remakes and remasters since the company already knows they are high selling games.
I enjoy your voice, cadence, and attention to detail. I look forward to more vids. I'm into retro gaming. I played this game a bit back in the day thinking it would be like dragon warrior, but I didn't like it. Glad to see your review/walkthrough.
Cool video opening! Your video editing skills are getting better and better! I haven't played this game, but it doesn't look like I'll ever do; it seems like a hack would be able to make it better, probably just lowering the encounter rate by 80% or so would make it much nicer given the lack of experience. Is the 23:30 top list accurate for you? I truly love Crystalis, but I definitely thought that Faxanadu would be your top pick or close to it. Have a good day!
I was wondering the same thing, is it really _that_ high up on the list and is the list actually accurate? Crystalis is an absolute gem that too many people missed out on in the 90's. Glad to see it getting the attention and praise it deserves 30yrs later.
I very much enjoy your laid back thorough reviews, Goriya. I discovered this game and played through several years ago, but admittedly used an Everdrive with saves states because I wanted to play through the whole game, but knew that I was extremely unlikely to grind enough to do so. What I found was not quite a "hidden gem" but sort of like a "what if" game that, in an alternate universe where more playtesting and care/balancing was implemented, it could've been a suitable NES RPG for more people to enjoy.
Wow, this looks like another jrpg that had such a solid idea but fell down in execution, like an NES 7th Saga or something. I love the idea of summoning your friends and a dream like story that opens as you go. Kind of Valkyrie Profile vibes, really
I haven't tried Valkyrie Profile before, but I do love the premise of this game. Experiencing it in another title that's more fleshed out than this would probably be a lot of fun.
Incredible video! This is one of those games I remember when it was a bit cheaper than it is now. Over time I wish I had picked it up. But after watching your review, I ask myself when the heck would I even have time to play this. It definitely seems like an interesting concept. But if I feel like if I have to choose between this and other RPGs this would be a tough sell for me. This video reminded me that I need to go back and play the magic of Scheherazade. Excellent review!
Good choice for this video. I didn't know this game existed. I definitely would have remembered that box cover! Those monster designs are really scary. I wonder if the final boss is scary too.
I think it was a pretty late release and a lot of people missed it. The final boss is pretty scary in the fight, but his little sprite you walk up to in the dungeon is adorable, so much so that I busted out laughing when I saw him. He looks like a little puppy.
I've had a passing interest in this game for years luckily yours and aulds playthroughs have done all the exploration with this game I need to be satisfied.
I'm sorry you won't be trying it out for yourself, but I honestly think there's better stuff to enjoy. If this had a patch or two to get rid of some of the monotony, I think it'd be a much better experience.
Was so happy to see you post a GL video! I never got to play this back when it came out. Stupid me story tho- it was my own fault. There was a semi-local store/grocery chain here who's electronics dept I worked in. They had a 'bargain bin' of cheap games they would clearance off. They had DOZENS of copies of this game for $20 each, which for the time WAS still good money. I forever regret not buying a few copies to just sit on a shelf with how much new copies of this go for on Ebay LOL. But after seeing this video, I don't feel bad I missed playing it, looks like way more of a slog than I could handle. Thanks as always miss!
It's funny, I've always said that no other NES game has an OST that sounds anything similar to Shadowgate, Deja Vu and Uninvited yet for the first part of this video I couldn't help but think the music sounded somewhat familiar. So it made all of the sense when you brought up that the composer was the same. I dunno exactly what it is that guy did with the NES' sound capabilities but the games he worked on really sounds nothing like any other on the system. The tunes are instantly iconic. A little off-topic but seeing as we are talking NES RPGs here, have you heard of this new upcoming homebrew called Former Dawn? Apparently it's using a new type of NES mapper that allows for never before seen visuals on the system. It should even have a good chunk of FMVs. I've seen a couple of videoes of it and it's really pushing above and beyond what I thought was possible on the old 8-bit hardware. At times it looks closer to 16-bit like the TurboGraFX or Genesis. Whether the gameplay will be fun I have no idea of but the game is certainly ambitious and technically impressive as hell O_o Figured it might be up your alley with all the retro RPGs you've covered. Would love to hear your thought on the project.
I know I'm late replying, but I saw that Former Dawn got funded! It looks like it's going to be a really cool game and I'm excited to see more of its progress over the next many months. I haven't tried the demo or anything, but it seems like it'll be really enjoyable when it comes out.
I did like this game when I played it 7-ish years ago. The leveling system of not having to grind was appealing to me since grinding is sometimes necessary in a lot of games from this era and is not something I enjoy. I don't really recall getting frustrated by the menu-y combat at the time, but I feel like it was a pretty quick playthrough for me at around 8 hours total in 2-3 play sessions and being a bit startled on how quickly I got through it. Maybe because of the overall time spent, I wasn't as bothered by this aspect? I enjoyed the review and bringing back memories of my playthrough of this game!
I'm glad you had a nicer time with it than I did. I feel like I have endless patience for games unless they make me feel like they're wasting my time, and the battles towards the end of the game started doing that to me. I don't think I spent more than 3 or 4 streams on this one either.
I would love seeing an interview with the original creators of the game being presented with the Western cover art. We really had some terribly hilarious ports in the 80s and even 90s.
If you like alternative character statistics, may I recommend taking a peek at The Faery Tale Adventure? The primary stats there were Bravery (combat ability), Kindness (key to some NPC interactions), and Luck. It's... an interesting title, although I never got very far in it myself.
I played every jrpg I could get my hands on back then, feasting on titles like Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. I saw this title in the stores and immediately thought “Is this some stupid button mashing family work out game”? The redone box art, meant to make it more palatable for western tastes, immediately made me dismiss it instead. Wish I knew what it really was.
Me too! I was a massive RPG fan. Played every single one I could get my hands on. I saw Ghost Lion and the box art made me think it was some basic dime a dozen low budget no name platformer or shooter of which there was a million on the NES. I had no idea it was an RPG and was really surprised 20 years later when I learned it was.
Oh yeah! When I played this, I did a trick that made the early-mid game harder but the end game easier.
Your summons scale to your Hope. So when you increase your hope, it buffs all of your summons.
...However, this doesn't happen retroactively. In other words, if you pick up a summon at Hope Level 10, that summon will be the same as if you picked it up at Hope Level 1.
From that, I'm sure you can imagine the tactic.
Basically, keep your Hope level low for most of the game. Then, when you get most of the summons, go back and collect all the Hope. Now, you have some ridiculously powerful summons, and the end game is a lot more tolerable.
Ohhhh this is really interesting! I had no idea where anything was the first time through the game here, but that's a neat tactic to make the end game a lot easier. Huh! Thank you for telling me this. I hope you don't mind if I pin your comment so others reading might save themselves some of the trouble of having weaker summons.
@@hungrygoriya You can absolutely pin my comment, and I'm honored! :)
I remember renting this when I was a teenager. I actually made it to the final boss but never beat it, and I had a score to settle when I was in my late 20s. I discovered that trick then.
... this is amazing. No wonder I had such a hard time with this game and never beat it. This makes SO much more sense.
Maybe some day I'll pull this back out some day and try it again.
Now, I know why I made it almost impossible fighting the White Lion😅
"A single loaf doesn't really slice it."
That's some gentle comedy, dude.
I was just about to say that, tres perfectio
@@MrZarupta I try, I try.
Also 'the mountains peaked my interest'
@@hungrygoriyaare you planning on becoming a mom by any chance or has the "mom humor" always been this bad? 😅
Goriya is hungry; but sick of bread.
I appreciate your videos. Your delivery, fair honesty, and humor, along with your screen effects, edits, and the bits you film (like setting up the NES at the start), all make for an effectively informative and enjoyable viewing. Thank you, and well done!
Thanks so much! I've been really happy with the extra photography stuff my husband's been doing for these videos. He's been setting up shots of different things for me and the intro was all his idea. I'll pass the feedback along to him!
@@hungrygoriyaI guess in keeping with this game: we get a lot farther when we have good helpers. Kudos to your husband! Give yourself a victory 'wink' for your professional efforts, too.
And thanks for delving into this game. It always looked appealing in that NES JRPG way, and was a promising concept. Shame the actual gameplay had no excuse for being such a slog by that time.
Nice profile pic, my friend 😉
@@hungrygoriya I enjoy the mystique of not seeing your face. Many RUclips channels are over focused on the host. Your tone and game insights are more than enough and knowing more could spoil it at this point. Plus anonymity for you is priceless
Having random battles in a game where you don't gain XP from them is a bizarre choice, but I'll chalk it up to being fairly early in the history of console RPGs.
Paper Mario Sticker Star did the same thing in 2012.
@@jonothanthrace1530 Who knows why they chose to do it that way, but it's no fun doing all that work for such little reward. I've played other games like this, but the battles are usually escapable and don't take several minutes each to complete.
@@hungrygoriya Making battles not escapable that aren't boss fights also annoys the hell out of me, fortunately I think that's another thing that's gone by the wayside in the modern era.
Does seem rough when there's so little reward to it. In comparison, games like Dragon Warrior and Mother are tougher on the surface, but at least you can grind and eventually overcome it.
Not having grind is an OK some concept, many games over the decades have done it in some form, like Final Fantasy XIII's level cap per chapter, or Onimusha Tactics and Ogre Battle simply not having much in the way of repeatable encounters you could grind on, but those games are more reasonably balanced so you don't actually need that grind.
Yo, that cinematic intro was awesome! And the other cool, artistically framed shots scattered throughout, too. You've really stepped up your game! So cool to see!
This is a game I've only heard of, and never really heard particularly good things about, so it was interesting seeing your review of it. This was probably the most positive I've ever heard anyone be about this game, and I really appreciate that perspective. Your reviews always seem to excel at finding the potential in even deeply flawed games, which is something I also strive to do whenever possible (but usually fail at!).
Always happy when I see a new HungryGoriya video!
@@Wyrdwad Thanks about the intro and the other photos and videos. My husband's been working hard at conceptualizing some script parts into something other than gameplay and I think he's doing a great job.
I always try to find the good in games since there's always something good in there somewhere. This one was good until the combat started to get way too annoying for my tastes. It's too bad.
yo that intro was incredible
I'm glad you enjoyed! I only have my husband to blame for it. He did all the filming/lighting and developed all the sound for it too. He's been enjoying filming with old lenses on a new camera.
Facts.
Such fancy direction! The opening shots are so moody, and the stuff sprinkled throughout (I like the shot at 24:25 where the lighting changes to highlight the different NES carts) show that you've gotten a WHOLE lot better at producing these videos. Great job!
Also, gotta say it's nice to see KEMCO show up here. They pump out so many JRPGs for consoles and mobile nowadays, it's interesting to me to see what may be their first JRPG. Really neat to see so many unique ideas here, even if they didn't work out. I like the JRPGs from this era that really experimented with the DQ formula; this reminds me of titles like Magic of Scherazade or the Esper Dreams games. Thanks for taking the bullet on this one just to show it off.
Thank you very much! My husband's been doing some extra camera work for the videos so all of you have something more to look at than game footage for most of the video, so he's the one to blame for the uptick in quality. I'm very grateful!
I do enjoy the experimental ways of the NES. I find more gems than duds, and I think with a little more refining, this one could've been really great. I need to try Esper Dreams sometime. It looks really cool!
This game intrigued me a lot back in the late 90s when I was just discovering Japanese RPGs and emulation. I only recently found out that it was actually based on a movie called Beyond the Pyramids: Legend of the White Lion
@@Mystemo I haven't seen the movie but I'm curious to see what it's about.
Loved the sinister red power light coming on at the beginning 😆
@@Arisilde I thought it was a nice touch too. This isn't quite a Halloween video but the intro definitely captures that vibe.
something about that shadowgate-ish instrumentation though. gets me every time.
I thought that was shadow gate music. I wondered why it was chosen. 🤣
There's a mix of Ghost Lion and Shadowgate music here. The Ghost Lion music's pretty slow and ominous, which doesn't really make for an exciting review backdrop.
I love the bubbly sound of a lot of the more upbeat tunes.
@17:17 - Way to jam that pun in there. Could almost say that left me a bit toasty. Every time I see an HG review on my feed, I get super excited! Thanks for making chat your part time job. Always a pleasure =)
This sounds almost like a guide for "How not to make a JRPG."
Slick video and I love the deadpan humour.
@@bunnybreaker Thanks! Deadpan is my natural demeanour so it works well when I'm telling jokes too.
@@hungrygoriya More like "breadpan" amirite...
The way this episode is shot is really fun. Nice work!
That was a pretty creepy intro, perfect for this time of year!
@@NeufAtora So glad you liked it! This isn't quite a Halloween video, but the closest I could come to one this year.
All Hail Hungry Goriya!
Hope one day to see your Alundra review
With that intro, the "hungry" finally makes sense.
10:43 your "misread of Gohma from The Legend of Zelda as a bucktooth crab rather than a giant eyeball spider" lol it took me a minute to see it, but now that's what I'll be trying hard to see from now on 🤣
I'm glad they only made Gohma sort-of spideresque.... for the most part. Literally couldn't finish Twilight Princess because that thing is just a giant spider and I have intense arachnophobia. Probably down to hardware limitations, but the earlier incarnations just had a more general "weird eyeball-bug thing" vibe than being an actual arachnid (thankfully). I think OoT strikes a nice balance between "weird-spideresque thing" yet isn't so realistic (at least imo) that it would put off arachnophobes; it only looks like it has 2 legs for the most part and doesn't really scurry like a spider does, but still gives that spideresque vibe.
The original gohma is a crab
I was listening to the background music in the first half of the video and was like “This music is familiar”. After 10 minutes, I thought “Oh this is Shadowgate’s soundtrack”. then you come up and explain the game’s music was made by the same people who did Shadowgate’s. Makes perfect sense.
Yeah! I threw in some Shadowgate music as well because while the Ghost Lion music's great, it doesn't have a lot of momentum sometimes.
been a while since I've watched one of your vids - the production quality on that intro was quite a step up - kudos!
Thank you very much! I have my husband and his love of taking photos/videos to thank.
I love all the bread jokes. Perhaps she should be your new mascot, Hungry Maria.
I learn about so many interesting games through this channel. I have never heard of this, but one of my sister’s all time favorite games was Shadow Gate, so it makes me interested in the soundtrack. If this was easily available on a modern console or even steam, I would check this out.
@@Varizen87 Hungry Maria is actually hilarious! Love it! I hope you enjoy the soundtrack if you give it a listen. I snuck some Shadowgate tunes into this video since so much of the Ghost Lion music is slower and lacking momentum for a review.
It’s amazing what you can still learn about an old console like the NES even years later in accordance with its vast library of games, as this was the first time that I heard of the game Ghost Lion.
Also, when Maria gets hit in the game, here eyes kinda look those heavily shaded eyes design that seem to be commonplace in 80s shojo manga, which I suppose it’s kind of a given as the game came out in Japan in 1989 as you had mentioned.
6:01 this reminds me of when I tried to find Umaro in FF6 after seeing him poke his head out of his cave. I pressed the A button on every single square in Narsh before giving up 🤣 imagine my relief when I inevitably rediscovered him in the World of Ruin. Life was a lot different before the Internet
Fun to see you cover this, and you’ve hit the nail on the head. I was fascinated by this game, but it is just not the beginner RPG it wants to pretend to be.
When I began researching for my own review several years ago of this, I discovered the companion movie and ho boy, it is rough but a fun “cheese watch.”
Really appreciate the cool fades and shadows you do with the manual and poster for effect, and think you pace this review extremely well - it’s in-depth and doesn’t drag the game for no reason just because it’s different or strange. Thanks for taking the time to share the review!
I don't know anything about the movie, but I'm curious to see what it's like. And I'm generally a person who feels every game has some good in it. It's just a matter of finding it, and choosing where to put your focus.
@ it’s the right mindset to have, absolutely! people still worked and put effort into what especially in the NES days was an emerging medium - some things don’t work, but it’s fun to consider the time and the intention of the creators.
Fun fact. When people argue on "What Is And What Is Not an RPG", and assert that an RPG has to have an experience/leveling system, I always think of Ghost Lion where you actually 'find' your levels in treasure chests. To argue Ghost Lion isn't an RPG would be farcical. :D
I think the existence of a levelling system implies an RPG, but everyone's definition will vary. It's usually safe to say "RPG elements" at the very least, but this one has a clear levelling system with stat upgrades.
I played this as a rental when I was like 10. For years afterwards, I was half-convinced it was some kind of fever dream.
Really nice to see you cover it!
It's crazy that a year ago I had never heard of this game, and like some kind of forgotten specter it is now making its presence known to us all again. This is the kind of game I wish Nintendo would put on their online shops.
I really appreciate your detailed and thorough explorations of these relics. You don’t crank one of these videos out every week, and the quality of your videos really sets them apart from other channels that do similar content. Thank you for bringing us along on your explorations!!
This game has HUGE dragon warrior vibes to it. From the graphics to the menu system. So much so, that I thought it was a rom hack of dragon warrior from the NES.
If you haven't already, check out Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger too. It has a similar style to this in the overworld parts.
So many games were influenced by Dragon Warrior/Quest, and often made it to the US about the same time as the original. Lots of baseball games like Baseball, and well... everything uses A to jump. Some games really define their genres.
@@jorymil I was actually a little shocked just how few Dragon Quest-likes we got back in the day. There's *so many* on the Famicom that it's overwhelming, and we can now play a pretty decent chunk of them via fan translations. I still don't think many (any?) of them have the same magic that Dragon Quest does, though.
@@hungrygoriya Faria is a masterpiece. I also loved Ghost Lion too (I didn't grow up with these games I was a gamecube and wii kid) but I found in the modern day that going back to Faria as a zoomer the game is still absolutely fantastic.
The movie this game was (loosely) based on would be very interesting to make a modern game on. I've long been thinking of a tactical RPG remake in which Maria summons her squad, and it's very risky (but potentially tide-turning) to involve her in the battle itself. The movie and game are a premise I find fascinating and filled with potential, but the Kemco-level execution just breaks my heart.
Ooooh i loved the spooky intro. very well done!
One of my favorite RPGS of all time. I love the emotional story and depiction of a lion as a mystical being almost like a godlike creature from a magical girl show or something. This feels very ahead of its time for 1989 and I find its bizzare North American cover art contrasting with the anime esque sprites to be awesome. I really wish this game got a Nintendo Switch rerelease somehow. I never grew up with this game (I grew up with Gamecube and Wii LOL) but I still love this game!! I fell in love with it over emulator it is one of the coolest NES gams I have seen.
This game made me think that a dream RPG that uses courage as a health bar could be really cool.
Like the monsters start off looking like normal fantasy enemies but as your courage depletes they gradually morph into more nightmarish forms while the music begins to distort.
It would fit well with a happy veneer that has sinister undertones.
Honestly it’s a shame this RPG isn’t better. It has such potential.
Madou Monogatari used Arle's emotional state as the only way to tell you her HP, sounds kind of like courage in a way...
@@Dwedit , yeah, we're talking about something that isn't limited to 10 people in Japan on one of the numerous runners-up to the FDS.
For years I couldn't place who the girl on the American box cover looked like, she seemed so familiar and it just hit me watching this video. She resembles the younger sister Jennifer on Family Ties. 😅
I recently heard of this game and learned it even had a tie-in movie, wild. I only saw a small sample of it on another channel so I was pretty curious about it just cause of the novelty of the characters. Thanks for shedding some light on it.
Another interesting review, thank you!
I like how the retro shojo manga character design is mixed with fairly realistic monsters, reminds me of Umezu Kazuo horror manga.
Ghost Lion certainly was marching to its own tune. I'm glad you got to play it, though, even though it does have its flaws. I imagine using the Defender summons more often would have made the journey less painful; though to what degree I'm not sure, I only remember very much needing a team of meat shields when I played this in my youth -- with the encounter rate so high, it's possible the attrition would just pivot to Dreams/Tears instead of Courage/Bread. I'm hoping some day someone mods this game to change out the battle music -- then it might be worth a second go.
I knew that music sounded familiar! Great intro, and yet another great review. I appreciate the articulate, balanced, and thorough exploration of every game's high and low points.
Too kind! That's very nice of you to say. Thank you :)
Goriya knows when we're hungry, and that time is Halloween
There's nothing as terrifying as an RF Switch...other than realizing you're old enough to remember a time when you had to use one as a kid.
Thank you for playing this one, so I don't have to. I'm a sucker for older games, but in truth it's an ocean of poorly aged ones with the occasionnal fine wine. Retro collectors are mostly here for the ''gotta catch em all'' urge, very few titles are meant to pass the test of time
It's a pretty big ocean though. And the good ones are still more than enough. In fact they are a lot more than anyone can handle if you start let's say from 1985 to 2005 on cosnoles and DOS to Windows XP on PC. It's at least a few hundrend of really good and fantastic games in those 20 years
@@volfi123 Yeah, you're right. There is plenty of good stuff, that's why we're all here.
Nonetheless, I'm more than happy to skip a bad one instead of throwing the towel after hours of bitter gameplay.
I've found that the collecting urge doesn't mean I _play_ the games more often. I now have 3 or 4 boxes of games I need to sell: they're more of a burden than a joy. Just going to emulate most things except for the small handful I love.
@@jorymil It can be a problerm when you don't have space to properly store them. And it's true that you can't play all of them. I think most people say to themselves '' I'll buy this now that i've found it so i can play it whenever i get the urge.'' And that time rarely comes because theres just too many things to do and not enough free time I do that with books for some reason. I'm always reading some book but there's no way i'm ever going to read them all unless i turn myself into a lich. i probably have enough books to last me a couple more lifetimes
@@volfi123sure, if you cast your net that wide. However many games that were good for their time are garbage now because their graphics are barely above stick figures or blocky rectangles. Looking at you Atari and N64 😂
All the bread jokes were hilarious. I remember trying this game and being underwhelmed by not being able to grind. I think I maybe played about a hour or two.
Gohma is now a bucktooth crab going forward
I love your videos. I always get excited to see a new one. Your honest genuine reviews are so refreshing.
The art direction for this episode was wonderful!
Thank you very much! I've been working with my husband and borrowing a lot of his photography hobby for the last few videos. He took the reigns on all of the videography. I'm really happy with how it all came out.
After decades of collecting RPGs, I've come to realize that a lot of these obscure and or expensive games are just not very good. Very few are truly hidden gems. I spend much more of my free time now playing the ones that I'm really excited for and have learned to just stop playing the ones that I'm not really enjoying. It's too bad that you didn't have a lot of fun with this one, and based on your review, I don't think I'll be seeking this one out any time soon. Still, good job grinding through this one, and thanks for the review.
That poster screams 80s kid's movie to me.
Totally. I can see that girl riding on the back of The Never-Ending Story's monster or something.
This game is just so odd... originally released in 1989, but they waited a few years to localize it, and released it when NES was basically already on its last legs. Few JRPGs at that point were being localized, but somehow this one - based on an obscure movie, kinda - got localized. Very unusual for the time. It has some interesting elements for sure, it's just an oddball release for sure. Gotta say though, I like (most of) the music; has that Shadowgate vibe Kemco's good at. (I played through some of it in Japanese a year back... the script is quite vague either way. Guess that's just part and parcel of RPGs in the 80s...)
yea i've noticed that with the script as well. I was playing Metal Max returns a few months back. Didn't finish the game but i put plenty of hours into it. I still don't know what the h.. i'm supposed to be doing exactly lol.
I've tried to play this game sooo many times but could never get started, thanks for the video!
The camera work is so gooood in this one tooo
Just finished! That "b roll footage" or whatever you call it, is amazing, that part where the light alternately lit up the other cartridge at 24:26 really stood out to me. You clearly put a lot of work into this. As a side note, I hope we get a face reveal some day, you have such a calming tone of voice.
"Call on your friends as much as you need them" is good life advice.
It's something I wish I did more often. Maybe I'll take my own advice.
Just want to say that the manual for this game looks *gorgeous* 😍
Another great review! I'd had not heard of this game before, so its cool to see your impartial take on it
If it makes you feel any better, I just now (while watching your video) found out Gohma is a not bucktooth crab.... I've somehow never heard of this game, but I now totally need to play it..... Thanks!
Hahaha are you serious? I'm glad I'm not the only one that always say him that way! And enjoy Ghost Lion if yo play it. It's not terrible by a long stretch, just frustrating towards the end with how long the battles drag out.
Nice choice! I vaguely remember seeing this on the rental shelves, but never played it. I honestly really like the presentation of the game. Ghost Lion is the Digital Devil Saga of the NES/Famicom.
Thank you for helping us experience these games!
as soon as I saw that box art, I went, "Oh yeah! I always wondered.. Maybe I should...."
Thank you for saving me! ^_^ *Hugs*
Great opening HG & Hubs!
As for the game, I bought it on name, art, and being told it was a dw clone alone (bought it before dw, actually), I found out about it being quirky later. Some strange decisions, I wonder if it could work with QoL improvements. Its certainly different tho.
I totally agree with you on this one; the final stretch was absolutely brutal, and because you were already at the level cap, there wasn't a thing you could do about it, and when every single encounter is an absolute FIGHT FOR YOUR *LIFE*, it turned into Drag-on Quest long before I even reached the final dungeon. Also, the soundtrack! While I played entirely too much Birthday Blowout and Crazy Castle for the overworld music not to sound like the most Bugs-Bunny-ass thing on the NES, I love the music that comes in around 6:30 of this video. It's easily my favorite track in the entire game for how solemn and lonely it feels; perfect for wandering all alone on the brightest summer day. I put this on as "lobby music" for an online movie night where a few of my friends and I got together to watch the movie it's (very loosely) based on, and it was a pretty enjoyable time.
Yeah, the music in this game says more "Crazy Castle" to me than "Shadowgate" _especially_ the overworld theme
The Shadowgate music ❤
Ghost Lion and Shadowgate music are interchangeable in my mind.
@@hungrygoriyaSome of the tracks are nearly identical! Hard to be mad about it, though.
I had no idea this game existed. But it still somehow feels familiar. Like a game I may have come home one day from school and my brother had rented and I only saw it once.
Thank you for sharing!
It was my pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to check this out!
Hey this is cool. This is my first video I've watched on this channel and I love it. Oh and that intro. 👍🏻
I'm glad you found me. Thanks for taking a chance on a new channel, and about the intro. My husband's been enjoying doing some photography and videography with vintage lenses on a modern camera body. It's been neat seeing him put some of these things together.
That opening went so hard! Awesome work!
Great video, as usual. I'm especially digging the cinematography. :)
Thank you very much! I'll pass on the regards to SG.
Love the intro! It was so freakin cool! Also its so nice to hear the Shadowgate music 👌
One of the best NES soundtracks
Thanks very much! I'm glad you're enjoying the photography stuff. My husband's been experimenting with a few new visuals for these videos so there's a bit more diversity rather than just game footage and my photos all the time!
Shadowgate's music is great. I love the whole soundtrack in that game, even the low torch music!
two minutes into the video and I'm seeing the Startropics sprite style....This should be interesting.
one NPC is just a straight-up Red Mage from FF
This intro was top notch. 🤌🏼
Thank you very much! It's my husband's handy camera work and sound design here, so I'll let him know you enjoyed it!
Ok, the production value on the introduction is starting to get pretty outrageous.
Really liked the video. It's funny you mentioned this as a beginner RPG. They kept trying to make RPGs that would introduce players to the genre and they either felt indistinguishable from other RPGs, or they were lacking in challenge - Mystic Quest comes to mind, even though I enjoy it. There are probably people who could correct me, but I don't think they got the concept of a introductory RPG right until Super Mario RPG, followed by Paper Mario. Beloved characters that immediately peak interest for those not plugged into the genre, a fun but simplified battle system, and hidden battles that veteran players could find (thinking of Culex) and sink their teeth into, as well as people who enjoyed the game to see something with increased challenge that other RPGs offer.
I've always been curious about this game.
Heck yeah new Hungry Goriya vid, keep up the great work!
Wow the cinematic intro is cool
Thanks very much! We had a fun time making it.
I didn't get to play Ghost Lion back in the day but I do have a strong memory of reading about it in magazine articles. From your review here, this is exactly the kind of game that I think should be getting a modern day remake. It's fine and good when an old, popular game gets a remake, like fabulous Resident Evil 2 remake. But that was already a good game. Ghost Lion seems like a game that has really good ideas behind it but suffered the misfortune of having those ideas poorly executed. A remake could clean up those issues and turn it into something really great. Sadly, the way the game industry works, it's usually only the already popular games that get remakes and remasters since the company already knows they are high selling games.
I enjoy your voice, cadence, and attention to detail. I look forward to more vids. I'm into retro gaming. I played this game a bit back in the day thinking it would be like dragon warrior, but I didn't like it. Glad to see your review/walkthrough.
Cool video opening! Your video editing skills are getting better and better! I haven't played this game, but it doesn't look like I'll ever do; it seems like a hack would be able to make it better, probably just lowering the encounter rate by 80% or so would make it much nicer given the lack of experience.
Is the 23:30 top list accurate for you? I truly love Crystalis, but I definitely thought that Faxanadu would be your top pick or close to it.
Have a good day!
I was wondering the same thing, is it really _that_ high up on the list and is the list actually accurate? Crystalis is an absolute gem that too many people missed out on in the 90's. Glad to see it getting the attention and praise it deserves 30yrs later.
I very much enjoy your laid back thorough reviews, Goriya. I discovered this game and played through several years ago, but admittedly used an Everdrive with saves states because I wanted to play through the whole game, but knew that I was extremely unlikely to grind enough to do so. What I found was not quite a "hidden gem" but sort of like a "what if" game that, in an alternate universe where more playtesting and care/balancing was implemented, it could've been a suitable NES RPG for more people to enjoy.
Wow, this looks like another jrpg that had such a solid idea but fell down in execution, like an NES 7th Saga or something. I love the idea of summoning your friends and a dream like story that opens as you go. Kind of Valkyrie Profile vibes, really
I haven't tried Valkyrie Profile before, but I do love the premise of this game. Experiencing it in another title that's more fleshed out than this would probably be a lot of fun.
Incredible video! This is one of those games I remember when it was a bit cheaper than it is now. Over time I wish I had picked it up. But after watching your review, I ask myself when the heck would I even have time to play this. It definitely seems like an interesting concept. But if I feel like if I have to choose between this and other RPGs this would be a tough sell for me. This video reminded me that I need to go back and play the magic of Scheherazade.
Excellent review!
Really loving the intro to this episode!
Thank you! My husband had some good ideas to make it nice and creepy since so much of this game also felt unsettling.
Especially the part where you pull the NES into the dark, and you see the red light turn on
This is am example of a game that could use a good update patch.
Good choice for this video. I didn't know this game existed. I definitely would have remembered that box cover! Those monster designs are really scary. I wonder if the final boss is scary too.
I think it was a pretty late release and a lot of people missed it. The final boss is pretty scary in the fight, but his little sprite you walk up to in the dungeon is adorable, so much so that I busted out laughing when I saw him. He looks like a little puppy.
Yay. After a long-ass day of work this is needed. 😀 This is a very interesting game
wait, you mean to tell me that THE lord hiroyuki masuno composed ghost lion? now i have to listen to it
I was waiting for this one... Great review!!!
I usually skip intros, but this one was baked to perfection
This is a great game. You inspired me to play again.
I've had a passing interest in this game for years luckily yours and aulds playthroughs have done all the exploration with this game I need to be satisfied.
I'm sorry you won't be trying it out for yourself, but I honestly think there's better stuff to enjoy. If this had a patch or two to get rid of some of the monotony, I think it'd be a much better experience.
Artwork for this game was wild 🤣🤣. Never experienced this one myself. I enjoyed your take on it.
Thanks for the calming retro fun!
Loving the RF look of the game footage!
"Press onward and try to find fragments of hope." Such is life.
Was so happy to see you post a GL video! I never got to play this back when it came out. Stupid me story tho- it was my own fault. There was a semi-local store/grocery chain here who's electronics dept I worked in. They had a 'bargain bin' of cheap games they would clearance off. They had DOZENS of copies of this game for $20 each, which for the time WAS still good money. I forever regret not buying a few copies to just sit on a shelf with how much new copies of this go for on Ebay LOL. But after seeing this video, I don't feel bad I missed playing it, looks like way more of a slog than I could handle. Thanks as always miss!
It's funny,
I've always said that no other NES game has an OST that sounds anything similar to Shadowgate, Deja Vu and Uninvited yet for the first part of this video I couldn't help but think the music sounded somewhat familiar.
So it made all of the sense when you brought up that the composer was the same.
I dunno exactly what it is that guy did with the NES' sound capabilities but the games he worked on really sounds nothing like any other on the system. The tunes are instantly iconic.
A little off-topic but seeing as we are talking NES RPGs here, have you heard of this new upcoming homebrew called Former Dawn?
Apparently it's using a new type of NES mapper that allows for never before seen visuals on the system. It should even have a good chunk of FMVs. I've seen a couple of videoes of it and it's really pushing above and beyond what I thought was possible on the old 8-bit hardware. At times it looks closer to 16-bit like the TurboGraFX or Genesis.
Whether the gameplay will be fun I have no idea of but the game is certainly ambitious and technically impressive as hell O_o
Figured it might be up your alley with all the retro RPGs you've covered.
Would love to hear your thought on the project.
I know I'm late replying, but I saw that Former Dawn got funded! It looks like it's going to be a really cool game and I'm excited to see more of its progress over the next many months. I haven't tried the demo or anything, but it seems like it'll be really enjoyable when it comes out.
I did like this game when I played it 7-ish years ago. The leveling system of not having to grind was appealing to me since grinding is sometimes necessary in a lot of games from this era and is not something I enjoy. I don't really recall getting frustrated by the menu-y combat at the time, but I feel like it was a pretty quick playthrough for me at around 8 hours total in 2-3 play sessions and being a bit startled on how quickly I got through it. Maybe because of the overall time spent, I wasn't as bothered by this aspect? I enjoyed the review and bringing back memories of my playthrough of this game!
I'm glad you had a nicer time with it than I did. I feel like I have endless patience for games unless they make me feel like they're wasting my time, and the battles towards the end of the game started doing that to me. I don't think I spent more than 3 or 4 streams on this one either.
I remember wanting to play this as a kid but could never find it anywhere. It looks like I would have enjoyed it.
It's fun until the battles start taking several minutes each and you can't escape no matter how hard you try.
Wonderful review, as always! 😍
Thank you so much for all your kindness and support. It means a lot!
I would love seeing an interview with the original creators of the game being presented with the Western cover art. We really had some terribly hilarious ports in the 80s and even 90s.
I would like to see that as well! I'm curious to know if they would've ever seen the Western art since the release happened so many years later.
If you like alternative character statistics, may I recommend taking a peek at The Faery Tale Adventure? The primary stats there were Bravery (combat ability), Kindness (key to some NPC interactions), and Luck. It's... an interesting title, although I never got very far in it myself.
Have a happy new year Hungry Goriya
Thanks very much! Same to you!
I played every jrpg I could get my hands on back then, feasting on titles like Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. I saw this title in the stores and immediately thought “Is this some stupid button mashing family work out game”? The redone box art, meant to make it more palatable for western tastes, immediately made me dismiss it instead. Wish I knew what it really was.
Me too! I was a massive RPG fan. Played every single one I could get my hands on. I saw Ghost Lion and the box art made me think it was some basic dime a dozen low budget no name platformer or shooter of which there was a million on the NES. I had no idea it was an RPG and was really surprised 20 years later when I learned it was.
*Insert Phalanx box-art here*
Well i was just about to go to bed, but there's always time for a new Goriya vid =)