@@GameSack have your pants dried from the last skit? Oh, I've been abducted by aliens and have anal discharge so I'll need a refund on my sack enhancer...
"This all sounds really boring, but for some reason it is absolutely not. I enjoy it." This is a pretty solid way to explain the game to someone who has never played.
@@arioca what more could he have said about it? do a 5-hour let's play and comment on every detail, spoil the ending? and what is "thorough"? there is no objectively good or bad games. just peoples opinions. the more serious they are, like IGN, the more pathetic and meaningless their reviews are, imho. and if anyone takes any score, lists or rankings seriously, then i in turn can't take them seriously. what i do instead is listen to what like-minded people have to say about it. i probably would dismiss a review of Back 4 Blood by Joe, because idk if he even plays games like that or Left 4 Dead. but i do know he knows 200x more than i do about retro, 2D games - and i know he likes the original Actraiser, so i can't think of any other channel that i'd trust and would align with my own tastes, based off all the old videos i've seen. i think he's honest, not motivated by money or outside influence (or at least i have no reason to believe that). applying those standards rules out every single mainstream review channel/website/publication, and probably 2/3 of all "regular dude" channels. i think what i'm trying to say is Game Sack isn't about reviews, so i trust the mini-reviews over the actual reviews, and he doesn't spoil the game for you. reviews aren't what keeps this channel afloat, so he doesn't have to pull any punches. side note: reviews and public opinions have always been meaningless. the beatles and led zeppelin: considered two of the greatest rock bands of all time by many. but in their early career they were hated by critics. citizen kane was considered a terrible film. those are just some well known examples. Days Gone got poor/mediocre reviews by IGN and other critics, and i loved that game. i see them putting higher scores on games that don't deserve it. sometimes they don't actually play the games they're paid to review.
11:40-11:57 No, that's suppose to be right. They switched the music around in the western SNES releases, while in the Japanese SFC version, the Filmore act 1 theme plays in both stages.
I think he usually knows these things and drops comments like these in all his videos so he can troll and get nerdy snide comments for his own enjoyment.
@@FredMaverik in the video he mentions the composer's name and how he is a fan of him. He also mentions how he was a fan of the original. He also makes many references to his knowledge of the game and the differences and how he plays the original on the hardest level. It is safe to say that in his research of a game he knows so well he has come across the fact about the difference in soundtrack between regions
This is one of the reasons why Game Sack is the only YT channel I watch regularly. Unlike others, not every game review has to be either "URGH BEST THING EVER" or "ARGH THIS IS FUCKING DIRE", and not every game has to be a 10/10 for Joe to enjoy it. It's refreshing and honest.
Thank you always giving your honest reviews. That was my game back in the day. I’ll just have to wait and decide which format to play it in. Hopefully they’ll fix that camera issue soon. May your channel continue to flourish and gain momentum.
The second Fillmore stage playing the same music as the opening stage is a thing carried over from the Japanese original on the Super Famicom. They added the other music track only in the western releases of Actraiser on the SNES. So in this regard, the remake is more in line with the Japanese original.
And I am glad they made it more in line with the original, because more of that Fillmore funky goodness is always welcome in my eyes and ears. Goddamn, that bass just SLAPS!
@@nathanstrik weird thing is, I actually don't mind them too much. They give us a little more to do in between action stages and aren't that bad once you figure out what to do.
If I have one section that hasn't grown on me, it's the tower defense. First seige- You placed your forts, but you didn't know where the enemies would be attacking from, and they're not in the right places. The siege begins, and surprise surprise you can't move the forts during it, so you drop palisades like a madman and run your champion(s) around like crazy trying to cover the holes in your defense. So you remember where the enemies spawned, and set your forts accordingly, but guess what? Now you got flying creatures coming from a direction you don't have an arrow tower at! So you spend your sp trying to blow them away while still running your champions around. It gets very frustrating very fast.
Actually, regarding Fillmore Act 2, they actually made it more in line with the Japanese Super Famicom version. The Fillmore Act 1 song played during Fillmore Act 2 in that version, whereas in the US version the song that played during Kasandora Act 2/Maranah Act 1 played instead. Yeah, the Japanese version had it right. I am glad they rectified that issue in Actraiser Renaissance, I downloaded the mobile version of it here, since I don't do digital on consoles and seldom do big ticket purchases on mobile. I have loved it from the first moment I played it. Sure, it isn't perfect, but it is an awesome update of a classic. I love that they fleshed out the lore, and the stages do look amazing. I have no complaints here, they did a damn good job.
I don’t like the sound of fleshing out “lore” because I don’t think it mattered, but I love the idea of adding more to the sim section. The original was perfect, but it left you wanting more. And there never was any more.
@@JazGalaxy aye, they did good with the sim section I feel. I definitely enjoy it, and the raids on the villages certainly add a nice challenge to the mix. As for fleshing out the lore, I meant as in they added some more background to the land and also to certain characters, which I actually found to be cool as hell because it gives Tanzra an even more ominous presence in the game and shows how powerful he was before the Being Of Light came to assist.
Companies seem to really struggle with the graphics for new games based on old games. Maybe only Sonic Mania and the Rayman Legends/Origins games really nail it.
Yuzo Koshiro also did the soundtrack for Beyond Oasis and what's neat is that the overall style of orchestral music is very different from the one on actraiser, which has john williams-like touches. Sure it's the sega genesis fm synth but with Koshiro's sound driver (the same one from the streets of rage games) makes it sing pretty damn nicely
When I saw the direct I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I saw everything was prerendered 3D. The sidescrolling mode looks like a premium flash game.
Yeah it has that look of a retro style mobile game doesn't it? I feel like it's always a red flag when one of these HD remakes uses modern fonts with plain white letters. Like just download a pixel font and put a gradient on it guys!
I haven't checked it out but I've been told it is a mobile version ported to other systems. And given the atrocious graphics I'm willing to believe it.
@@AdrianMagni I feel like that using a modern font on pixel art is more of a Japanese thing than anything - RPG Maker has been using an even blander style ever since it got HD support, a lot of PSP JRPGS have a similar style (though the PSP's screen resolution makes it much less obvious), and although there are a lot of pixel art Japanese games, pixel fonts are really really rarely used,
Something fun about the original game: there are pretty big differences between regions. The American release was kind of unbalanced with easier action but much tighter margins for the sim section (requiring you to "game" the way the road building worked to get the highest pops and the highest level for the action stages). The Japanese release has much more challenging action stages which I really enjoyed playing through, the PAL release is also supposedly differently balanced but I haven't tried that one yet.
Interesting, I have never played anything but the NTSC NA game. So I guess I should look into the others since I got the original from my region down pretty well.
Just going to say, Actraiser Renaissance definitely has more challenging action stages compared to the original. Holy crap, I have actually died in those stages many times. Also, the siege missions can be difficult too.
I think the only thing I've really died in was siege missions and one of the monster lair sealings before I gained any levels on hard. Then I realized it wasn't fun and went back to normal.
The Japanese version gave you about 1000 fewer people to work with and since your score in the action stages meant a ton, you had a lot of work to do. The action stages also gave you like 100 fewer timer seconds, so rushing is the only way to beat most of the stages with any time remaining. You lose if you time out after beating the boss in its final few seconds.
@@AxiomofDiscord hmm I wonder if the more difficult action stages in the SFC ended up influencing the sequel, which _only_ had action stages and they were hard as rocks.
My thoughts: Interested in picking this up, but maybe I'll wait for a round or two of patching. Now bring us the rest of Quintet's titles. Especially Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma. Don't remake them, please, just put them together in a collection like Collection of Mana. And Nintendo, don't you dare pretend there's no English translation of Terranigma! I KNOW Europe got one.
Thing is, I hope (and fear) that this is Square Enix testing the waters for interest in reviving their Quintet catalogue. Such market tests are usually done with games/IPs that are more simple (so they are relatively easy to produce) while still being fondly remembered by the fanbase. The so-called Quintet Trilogy you mentioned is somewhat more involved especially because of their overarching high concepts, so how successful Actraiser Renaissance might become during the first month/s may determine how willing they are to invest in remaking the Quintet Trilogy.
@@AstonWildsteel then I think we have nothing to worry about, Actraiser Renaissance is doing quite well. Should they also release a physical print somewhere for the consoles? I will gladly buy that. It's actually an awesome game, I have been enjoying it on my mobile devices here with a controller. They did a solid job capturing what made the original a cult classic and fleshing it out. Bloodpool's scenario in particular, fleshes out Teddy, whom was originally just a background character, he becomes much more prominent here. I can overlook some imperfections and safely say this game is worth getting.
The original game proved the wise old saying “Less is more”. It would have been nice if they included an option to play the original game. The graphic and music were much better on the SNES. It’s good that they included the original music but they could have included music from the orchestra as well. The new additions to the angel portion of the game make it seem tedious, especially when a game includes a lot of mindless text to make it seem like a lengthy story. I also disliked the way the god holds the sword as opposed to the original. Great review Joe. Thanks for being honest with us.
ActRaiser Renaissance feels like the Secret Of Mana remake: it looks fine…were it made about 10-15yrs ago. If you’ve never played the originals or just not into the 16-bit art styling, then you’ll probably appreciate this “updated” version okay enough. I just wish the original SNES version was made available along with Renaissance like they did with Secret & Trails Of Mana.
I also bought it on the Switch because I also thought it was exclusive because they announced it on the Nintendo direct. I was also frustrated with the changes in the sim mode at first. I played Filmore a lot longer than 2 hours because I didn't catch on that I had to destroy houses so they would build better houses to progress. Once I figured that out I've been breezing through the other areas. I'm getting to know the game on easy mode first. I also thought it was odd that it makes me play Marahna before Northwall. I always played Northwall first on the original. It grew on me too and I've been enjoying it.
Nah, it doesn't force you to play Marahna before Northwall, it's similar to the original in that as long as you're the proper level, you can go to that region and conquer it. I was at level 12 when I got to Marahna, and chose to go there first before going to Northwall, but I could've easily gone to Northwall at any time thanks to being that recommended level. I downloaded it on mobile and have an iPega controller synced to my phone so I can enjoy it there. Once I got used to the sim mode additions and the controls, it's become an absolute joy to play. Love this game, it lives up to the legacy of the original and then some.
@@gothard5 but to get the biggest populations and best rewards, yes houses do need to be destroyed so they can be rebuilt/upgraded for a growing population. Well worth doing, trust me on that.
Joe really has good eyes...I was trying figure out what was wrong with the background layers and yep he is correct the programmers should correct the way those scroll making the intended effect to look improperly done.
Still amazing to see this classic return. Loved the music, atmosphere, world building, and character designs. Seeing it retouched, just seems unreal, plus the remastered soundtrack, and new additions sound incredible. I have not bought this yet. But good to know its pros, and cons.
My take? Get it! Once you get going on it, you end up falling in love with all aspects of the game. I am enjoying it immensely here. The remastered soundtrack is absolutely right on point. Yuzo Koshiro really brought his A game when it came to updating his compositions, especially the iconic Fillmore theme. Love how it has elements of rock, funk and orchestral all mixed into one, and that bass line by Toshiyuki Tanahashi just SLAPS! I get giddy whenever I listen to that section before the guitar solo kicks it back to the loop. Absolutely recommend this one without hesitation. I downloaded it on mobile here, and have been using an iPega controller. Highly recommended for sure, because it is a wonderful, updated take on a cult classic. I couldn’t be happier to see this series back from the dead.
@@DesertRainReads I played the original a long time ago. It wasn't my utmost favorite, but it looked amazing back then. Soundtrack was excellent though. I'm honestly on the fence about Renaissance. I might pass on this one
I remember I could never beat the games final stretch of bosses... where you have to kill them all in a row again. Only years years... 10 years later when playing it again... I finally figured out that each boss has a certain strategy to beat him without getting hit. I must have been a really bad gamer when I was young, lol.
The magic spells were the problem for me. I could easily defeat each boss using the stardust spell, never learning either one's pattern. Not even knowing there was a pattern. Then the boss rush comes around and you don't have nearly enough spells and no idea how to defeat the bosses without them. So, after many failed attempts, I also gave up. One day I'll finish the game. Not this remake, though.
@@Syreion Yeah, when you play the stages... you can cheese each boss with a combo of Magic Spells which save you a few hits. That and having a full life make them easy. However... then at the end you are expected to defeat them without spells and even your lives are limited... I was playing Actraiser like in the early 2000 on my PC again... and for some reason suddenly the patterns where clearly visible for me. I was wondering why I could not beat them, I mean I was in my late teens when the Snes was around.
Despite the bad/cheap animations, this game is pretty good. I understand why you don’t like the tower defense. I’m not a huge tower defense fan myself, but it actually kinda makes sense here. You have the parts where you protect your villagers, and the tower defense sections is where they defend themselves. So it doesn’t feel tacked on. I like the fact that they give you more to do with and in the towns. Also like the heroes as they add to and help flesh out the original simplistic story.
I agree with you. Also, graphical style choice aside, I think that this is definitely a step in the right direction for the series. I hate tower defense games, but somehow I love the implementation of it in this one. It just makes sense.
Indeed, I am not a tower defense fan here at all but in this game, it makes sense. Plus, the heroes absolutely flesh the lore out and make Tanzra's power that much more ominous. Absolutely love that. Also, I enjoy the stages, they are not cast iron copies of the SNES layouts, but rather add enough to make them stand out on their own. And the music? Simply godly. The soundtrack alone makes this game worth it.
I can't remember being so excited and then so disappointed so quickly over a game in recent memory. I just can't with the way the game looks in the action segments. I cannot believe it looks like that. Look at something like Blasphemous by an indie studio... and then look at this. What am I missing here?
Regarding the music in stage 1-2 being the same as 1-1, this is consistent with the original SFC release. This is actually a huge rabbit hole especially when comparing Famicom to NES releases, as music tracks were swapped out and moved around all the time.
i really hope the ends up doing well enough that we get a modern collection or remakes of the gaia trilogy[soul blazer/blader, illusion of gaia/time & terranigma]. the reveal of this for me came out of left field for me since it feels like anytime we hear about any pre-merger squeenix remakes/remasters it's something square related[and the few times it's pre-merger enix, it's usually dragon quest].
Yes! I felt the same way. Enix had some great games back in the day and I have been waiting for a new ActRaiser. I hope they bring back more of the old greats.
@@kiyoaki1985 Exactly, I'm shocked so many people are actually looking forward to remakes that look and run this bad and this bloated with unnecessary additions. This is as far from "renaissance" as you can get.
I beat Actraiser, but didn't play it as much as part 2. I played the heck out of Actraiser 2 during the SNES golden age. This game deserves a proper sequel or remake. Perhaps take out it of 2D and make it more open world sorta like Breath of the Wild, but with the town building.
I always thought that the original actraiser was such an underated game with beautiful graphics and music. I absolutely love the games art direction but the in-game graphics just looks weird. I really would've like to see the game in a beautiful pixel art but oh well. Also that music though. Freaking beautiful!
I definitely concur with the "it grows on you" assessment. Haven't gotten terribly far yet, but it is (so far) pretty good. I will say this, though: main title sequences are a lost art in video games, and this opening sequence is AWESOME.
@Keith Courage RX-78-2 On Steam, they usually go on sale 2-3 times a year. Although, they don't drop by like 75%+ like many others do. Best I've seen is 40%-50% off.
Having played this game for 9+ hours already and being a huge fan of the original I love it. I also like the 32-bit graphic style they used for the side-scrolling stages. Looks like a lost saturn or psx game. The expaned sim parts and story elements are also hugely enjoyable to me personally, the artstyle is cute and fun and the music rocks. Probably my goty 2021 at this point.
Spoiler Technique to beat 1st boss: 1. stay on floor height 2. face opposite to the approaching centaur. 3. perform backslide before getting hit 4. the backside of the centaur is open for hitting 5. repeat Works on hard. Centaur charges once fast, and the approaches slowly for lightning attack. Technique works for both.
I think it looks fantastic all issues aside, honestly none of that matters to me. Act Raiser is one of my most beloved games from my early teen years and I'm ecstatic to see this remake come out of nowhere as I'm not much of a "Triple A" gamer.
Same here. I just hope that if for some odd reason we get a remake of the second Actraiser, hopefully they'll be kind enough to add the god/Sim mode to it this time around.
Everytime I hear Gamesack or Happy console gamer say about an old game it's a must have, I think "oh god, the prices for these games will skyrocket on eBay"
3:05 That song (like most of the soundtrack) is burned into me but holds a special place. Somber is the word- especially given the circumstances brining it into play. Bring, but brine works. Top ten best games period.😅 My first touch made me wonder why I was a parachute flying around the world...
I feel like the reason why higher resolution pixel games often control poorly is because of the pixel grid. Design, all design, is almost always better on a grid. The smaller the grid units, the more option there is to make mistakes. The tighter snes grid FORCED the control to be tighter than a higher resolution grid.
Loved the first Actraiser on the SNES and as soon as I could I downloaded it for the Switch. About 12 hrs into the game and in all honesty, I think its a great game. Art style wasn't the best but I got over that relatively quickly because the core gameplay was just as good as I remember it. And in all actuality that's what I care most about. Arranged music isnt bad but still love the OST. Glad I bought it. Great review!
I know you really didn't like it but just bought it for PS4 as I really loved the original. Brings back good memories. Will play it when I get home from work. Thanks for the review!
Not that he didn't like it, he said the game grows on you and becomes an enjoyable experience. He's correct that it's tricky at first, but once you figure it out, it's every bit as good, if not better than the original.
I’ve been waiting for a review from a credible source, but I never thought I’d get one from one of my favorite gaming channels on RUclips! Excellent review and insights, this definitely makes me want to pick this game up after being such a big fan of the original game. I think I’ll wait for the physical release on PS4 though, or for a price drop, but it’s definitely on my wishlist.
I love so much that there are so many comments citing Joe as a credible source, even as someone who grew up understanding the value of professional critics.
Agreed on the physical console release, once that happens, I will buy it for both Switch and PS4. I did purchase it on the Android Market though, and I got an iPega controller synced to my phone, so I am good. Such an amazing game, normally I am not one to make a big ticket purchase on mobile devices, but when I saw this, I knew I had to snag it somehow. The game is worth its weight in gold dude. It's so good! Captures what made the original fantastic and amplifies it, especially the soundtrack. That Fillmore remake is something I can't get enough of, Toshiyuki Tanahashi's bass playing just SLAPS! And the whole song feels like this mix of funk, rock and orchestral elements. An absolute earworm in a damn good way.
I bought this game from a bargain bin at games stop but then called funcoland. I played and loved this game to death. It truly surprised me. I swear idk what happened to Nintendo. They used to own the third party market.
I'm having fun with the remake, I noticed all the stuff Joe mentioned but i do like the added overworld sim tower defense. Diving into the monster lairs to kill the spawners were great to prolong the game. It was something I had hoped to do back on SNES classic than just the town folk destroying it. So far I'm up to Aitos area, so we'll see how the next areas are.
I agree. The visuals are messy and got this cheap feeling to it. Like Blaster Master Overdrive for the Wii. It feels like a cheap downloadable product. There are some nice effects sometimes but overall it feels cheap and unappealing.
"Why the fans are not liking the pre rendered graphics of our remake? I thought all the Super Nintendo games were like this, i mean i just gave a cursory watch at Donkey Kong Country, but i am pretty sure!"
Shockingly enough, there are comments around RUclips unironically stating this is the typical SNES look. Even in this very video, which starts out showcasing how the original looked. There are people this confidently ignorant around.
I did the the exact same thing Joe did, making the mistake of running to download the switch version. I love the switch but it desperately needs a console upgrade not a damn new screen. So the PS4 version runs better, great. Sucks for me. Still like Joe said, the game's growing on me, although I have the exact same complaints he does. The sim aspect is too drawn out, and very difficult. But when you beat them you feel proud. I like the action stages as well, I disagree the SNES version had better control. The original had stiff controls, and the new moves you can do are cool. Worth it for sure for fans, but jeez I should've DL the PS4 version...
Nice! I was about to buy this game but had my doubts from the graphics and over all presentation. Actraiser is one of my all time favorite games from when I got it in the early 90's, but I feel like this remake might be disappointing.
@@luisdiaz1980 So unless a person can recreate something themselves they can’t comment on it? Better tell pretty much every game reviewer out there in that case…
@@luisdiaz1980 Jeez relax. You didn’t like my joke? Who cares, move on. Doesn’t it feels like I waste of your own time pointing out to internet strangers you don’t approve of their humour?!
@@Peanut.Butter.Runner I am calm. Do I seem angry to you? You be the mature one you claim to be and move on then, clown. You get butthurt over what strangers say about your lame jokes, don't try to claim the moral high ground.
Would've been awesome if it was more 2d then 2.5d, but overall I enjoyed this remix. I loved the original and did not want a 1 to 1 remake. I wanted something new, but also I didnt want them to screw it up bad by making a brand new one. This one just felt right.
Joe, you are the first person I've ever heard say they like Professional! mode in Actraiser. I think it suddenly makes sense why Actraiser 2 ended up the way it did, if there were like-minded individuals such as you populating the SNES market when I was like... 5 years old.
Very good review! I've playing for two days and reached the last area (Northwall). As mentioned on the review, the initial hour of this game can be tricky, but if the player persists, will be rewarded with a great experience overall. Thanks for the honest review, Joe and keep up the good work!
This is the review I wanted to see. Glad you covered the game ASAP, Joe. Much appreciated, dude. It's a shame they didn't approach this remake with the respect it deserved. It would have been really, really awesome if the new Actraiser had been a must have game....because the original game is one of my 5 favorite SNES titles. So disappointing. I will give Actraiser 2021 a shot at some point....but now I'm gonna wait however long it takes for the game to cost $10 or so.
I had a feeling you were gonna do a video on this game, I just wasn't expecting it so quick!! Well that's a shame that it doesn't really hold a flame to the original game. It looked interesting enough but seeing it in action, idk something just seems off. I guess between the prerendered graphics and weird parallax effects it gets your eyes going all over the place. Also 2 hours is a lot of time to spend in the sim part. I liked how in the original it was in short bursts. An intermission between playing the hack n' slash platforming parts. Without long winded speeches about game mechanics either. In the original they just gave you the main gist of how things worked and sent you on your way.
At first glance, a few things are clear, the clean, bright and colorful visuals of the original were ditched to a much more detailed, less colorful thing that my eyes only see as a mess, the darkened tone is almost like an unreal engine 2D game from the x360/PS3 era. Same applies to the character designs, also, the animation is smooth enough so that the playability is sacrificed, like you're character has more weight than it should. Remakes like these don't really bring what the original games were all about, there are good examples out there on how to do a proper remake (or simply modernization) of a classic game, specially from indies, this is not one of those.
I guess this will be one of those I'll just let pass, the 1st Actraiser was amazing and like Joe said, the balancing act of action stages and sim stages was spot on, neither side was too long, nor too short but just enough until the next section. How they've managed to make the sim section extra tedious now as well as the odd choices for the action sequence really puts me off regarding this game. I feel like this is going to be one of those future episodes of Matt McMuscles' "Wha happen?" videos...
Sorry, I disagree here. The game holds up to the original and then some, been playing for a while since I downloaded the game on mobile, and have been using an iPega controller with it. Haven't had a problem with the visuals at all, if anything they look amazing. Also, I enjoy the sim aspect, and that it has more to do between action stages. Plus having heroes to summon at will is also awesome too, especially since they did a good job fleshing out the lore of the lands to make these characters believable. One character was previously just a background name, and now he's fully integral to the Bloodpool story arc. As for the action stages? They aren't just copies of the SNES original, they add stuff to them and for me they look amazing. Plus the incredible soundtrack makes playing through them an absolute joy. I hope this game gets a physical print for consoles, I will gladly buy it on PS4/Switch once that happens. I'm happy this exists, and that it's an excellent reinterpretation of the original.
@@DesertRainReads "More" doesn't equals "better". Especially in the art direction department, this game clearly falls very short of the original across the board. The prerendered sprites look horrendous even when compared to Donkey Kong Country, which is from freaking 1994. The choppy scrolling and the messed up parallax effect are unforgivable, again from a 80's and 90's standards. We're in 2021, for fuck's sake. You should consider having some actual standards as well. It's a terrible reinterpretation of the original to the point of being disrespectful. I sincerely hope you're not involved in game design, because you're take is downright delusional.
About the music during Filmore Act 2: in the japanese version it plays the same music as in Act 1 instead of what we got in the american version, so that's why in the remake it plays the same music again.
I'd buy the soundtrack to this remake over the remake itself. Played it yesterday over at a friends' place - meh. It should not have been allowed out the door in its' current state. But what more can we expect from modern Square.
Everyone loves to talk about Yuzo Koshiro's Genesis soundtracks, but his work on the SNES proved what he was really capable of with better sound hardware.
I feel like everyone’s being too harsh on this. Sure, there are some technical issues that need fixing but aside from that you can tell that a lot of love and care went into this remake. It honestly feels like the version of the game the developers would’ve made if they hadn’t been constricted by cartridge space/console capabilities back in the day.
Game clearly needed abit longer in the oven. Especially as the game took most of us by surprise nobody would have cared if it came out in a couple of months while they ironed out some of the issues
This is not a remaster, it's a remake. And you're only supporting poorly funded remakes instead of great quality classics. This is bad take all around.
Yuzo is a legend
I admire the dedication to producing an original post-credits sketch for absolutely every video, no matter how small or simple the video may be!
Some don't have it.
@@rainbowagenda6261 got'em good 😎
@@rainbowagenda6261 Every official episode has them. Every numbered episode.
@@GameSack Oh, okay I understand. That's interesting, thanks for the clarification.
@@GameSack have your pants dried from the last skit? Oh, I've been abducted by aliens and have anal discharge so I'll need a refund on my sack enhancer...
"This all sounds really boring, but for some reason it is absolutely not. I enjoy it."
This is a pretty solid way to explain the game to someone who has never played.
This is the only person who I'd trust this review from.
Agreed
same. i might still get it on steam, when it's on sale. probably will be some time before it's on sale for a significant discount.
I like his channel. It's entertaining to me, but he is by no means a person I go to for reviews.
@@pharossymphony I agree. Game Sack isn't thorough when it comes to reviewing games.
@@arioca what more could he have said about it? do a 5-hour let's play and comment on every detail, spoil the ending? and what is "thorough"? there is no objectively good or bad games. just peoples opinions. the more serious they are, like IGN, the more pathetic and meaningless their reviews are, imho. and if anyone takes any score, lists or rankings seriously, then i in turn can't take them seriously.
what i do instead is listen to what like-minded people have to say about it. i probably would dismiss a review of Back 4 Blood by Joe, because idk if he even plays games like that or Left 4 Dead. but i do know he knows 200x more than i do about retro, 2D games - and i know he likes the original Actraiser, so i can't think of any other channel that i'd trust and would align with my own tastes, based off all the old videos i've seen.
i think he's honest, not motivated by money or outside influence (or at least i have no reason to believe that). applying those standards rules out every single mainstream review channel/website/publication, and probably 2/3 of all "regular dude" channels. i think what i'm trying to say is Game Sack isn't about reviews, so i trust the mini-reviews over the actual reviews, and he doesn't spoil the game for you. reviews aren't what keeps this channel afloat, so he doesn't have to pull any punches.
side note: reviews and public opinions have always been meaningless. the beatles and led zeppelin: considered two of the greatest rock bands of all time by many. but in their early career they were hated by critics. citizen kane was considered a terrible film. those are just some well known examples. Days Gone got poor/mediocre reviews by IGN and other critics, and i loved that game. i see them putting higher scores on games that don't deserve it. sometimes they don't actually play the games they're paid to review.
11:40-11:57
No, that's suppose to be right.
They switched the music around in the western SNES releases, while in the Japanese SFC version, the Filmore act 1 theme plays in both stages.
I think he usually knows these things and drops comments like these in all his videos so he can troll and get nerdy snide comments for his own enjoyment.
@@leonidas6682 I have seen him do it more than once.
@@heilong79 Lmao that would be funny as hell
@@leonidas6682 idk, maybe he doesn't because he just played the US release, it's not far fetched people.
@@FredMaverik in the video he mentions the composer's name and how he is a fan of him. He also mentions how he was a fan of the original. He also makes many references to his knowledge of the game and the differences and how he plays the original on the hardest level. It is safe to say that in his research of a game he knows so well he has come across the fact about the difference in soundtrack between regions
Perhaps the scrolling could be smoother on the PS5 if it had blast processing
This is one of the reasons why Game Sack is the only YT channel I watch regularly. Unlike others, not every game review has to be either "URGH BEST THING EVER" or "ARGH THIS IS FUCKING DIRE", and not every game has to be a 10/10 for Joe to enjoy it. It's refreshing and honest.
Been looking forward to this review coming from the same generation! and love for the original!
Can't wait for your video today dude!
Now if we could just get a proper sequel
Hey johnny what did think about the direct?
Thank you always giving your honest reviews. That was my game back in the day. I’ll just have to wait and decide which format to play it in. Hopefully they’ll fix that camera issue soon. May your channel continue to flourish and gain momentum.
I was curious to what you thought about this game Johnny, what your reaction to this and Castlevania and the Mario Movie reveal
That picture of John Linneman, I’m seriously still laughing after 5 minutes 😂😂😂
6:03 🤣
The second Fillmore stage playing the same music as the opening stage is a thing carried over from the Japanese original on the Super Famicom. They added the other music track only in the western releases of Actraiser on the SNES. So in this regard, the remake is more in line with the Japanese original.
Nice. Well, I may hold onto that fun fact.
What really keeps this game true to the Japanese original is the 15 new music tracks and prerendered 3D graphics.
And I am glad they made it more in line with the original, because more of that Fillmore funky goodness is always welcome in my eyes and ears. Goddamn, that bass just SLAPS!
@@bigduke5902 Yeah, and those kick-ass ‘classic’ tower defence segments. 😉
@@nathanstrik weird thing is, I actually don't mind them too much. They give us a little more to do in between action stages and aren't that bad once you figure out what to do.
In 2021, prerendering your game assets seems like more work now? Particularly in unity.
Seems like everyone agrees it grows on you. I agree. I was up until 2.55am last night playing up to Kasandora, fueled by beer and buldak ramen. 🍺🍜
If I have one section that hasn't grown on me, it's the tower defense. First seige- You placed your forts, but you didn't know where the enemies would be attacking from, and they're not in the right places. The siege begins, and surprise surprise you can't move the forts during it, so you drop palisades like a madman and run your champion(s) around like crazy trying to cover the holes in your defense. So you remember where the enemies spawned, and set your forts accordingly, but guess what? Now you got flying creatures coming from a direction you don't have an arrow tower at! So you spend your sp trying to blow them away while still running your champions around. It gets very frustrating very fast.
Joe’s the man. I’m grateful to you for getting this in depth review out to us so quickly after release.
Actually, regarding Fillmore Act 2, they actually made it more in line with the Japanese Super Famicom version. The Fillmore Act 1 song played during Fillmore Act 2 in that version, whereas in the US version the song that played during Kasandora Act 2/Maranah Act 1 played instead. Yeah, the Japanese version had it right. I am glad they rectified that issue in Actraiser Renaissance, I downloaded the mobile version of it here, since I don't do digital on consoles and seldom do big ticket purchases on mobile. I have loved it from the first moment I played it. Sure, it isn't perfect, but it is an awesome update of a classic. I love that they fleshed out the lore, and the stages do look amazing. I have no complaints here, they did a damn good job.
I don’t like the sound of fleshing out “lore” because I don’t think it mattered, but I love the idea of adding more to the sim section.
The original was perfect, but it left you wanting more. And there never was any more.
@@JazGalaxy yeah no kidding, i would've liked an endless Sim Mode, maybe they could do that as a DLC if they didnt already put that in.
@@JazGalaxy aye, they did good with the sim section I feel. I definitely enjoy it, and the raids on the villages certainly add a nice challenge to the mix. As for fleshing out the lore, I meant as in they added some more background to the land and also to certain characters, which I actually found to be cool as hell because it gives Tanzra an even more ominous presence in the game and shows how powerful he was before the Being Of Light came to assist.
You may not believe you bought it twice, but we appreciate your thoroughness, Joe!
Sounds like the original 90’s version still reigns supreme
Companies seem to really struggle with the graphics for new games based on old games. Maybe only Sonic Mania and the Rayman Legends/Origins games really nail it.
sonic mania nailed the graphics but destroyed the actual gameplay
The Blaster Master Zero trilogy.
Yuzo Koshiro also did the soundtrack for Beyond Oasis and what's neat is that the overall style of orchestral music is very different from the one on actraiser, which has john williams-like touches. Sure it's the sega genesis fm synth but with Koshiro's sound driver (the same one from the streets of rage games) makes it sing pretty damn nicely
When I saw the direct I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I saw everything was prerendered 3D. The sidescrolling mode looks like a premium flash game.
Yeah it has that look of a retro style mobile game doesn't it?
I feel like it's always a red flag when one of these HD remakes uses modern fonts with plain white letters. Like just download a pixel font and put a gradient on it guys!
I haven't checked it out but I've been told it is a mobile version ported to other systems.
And given the atrocious graphics I'm willing to believe it.
@@AdrianMagni I feel like that using a modern font on pixel art is more of a Japanese thing than anything - RPG Maker has been using an even blander style ever since it got HD support, a lot of PSP JRPGS have a similar style (though the PSP's screen resolution makes it much less obvious), and although there are a lot of pixel art Japanese games, pixel fonts are really really rarely used,
Something fun about the original game: there are pretty big differences between regions. The American release was kind of unbalanced with easier action but much tighter margins for the sim section (requiring you to "game" the way the road building worked to get the highest pops and the highest level for the action stages). The Japanese release has much more challenging action stages which I really enjoyed playing through, the PAL release is also supposedly differently balanced but I haven't tried that one yet.
Interesting, I have never played anything but the NTSC NA game. So I guess I should look into the others since I got the original from my region down pretty well.
Just going to say, Actraiser Renaissance definitely has more challenging action stages compared to the original. Holy crap, I have actually died in those stages many times. Also, the siege missions can be difficult too.
I think the only thing I've really died in was siege missions and one of the monster lair sealings before I gained any levels on hard. Then I realized it wasn't fun and went back to normal.
The Japanese version gave you about 1000 fewer people to work with and since your score in the action stages meant a ton, you had a lot of work to do. The action stages also gave you like 100 fewer timer seconds, so rushing is the only way to beat most of the stages with any time remaining. You lose if you time out after beating the boss in its final few seconds.
@@AxiomofDiscord hmm I wonder if the more difficult action stages in the SFC ended up influencing the sequel, which _only_ had action stages and they were hard as rocks.
My thoughts:
Interested in picking this up, but maybe I'll wait for a round or two of patching.
Now bring us the rest of Quintet's titles. Especially Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma. Don't remake them, please, just put them together in a collection like Collection of Mana. And Nintendo, don't you dare pretend there's no English translation of Terranigma! I KNOW Europe got one.
I might literally be willing to kill for a pixel remaster style remake of Teranigma.
Thing is, I hope (and fear) that this is Square Enix testing the waters for interest in reviving their Quintet catalogue. Such market tests are usually done with games/IPs that are more simple (so they are relatively easy to produce) while still being fondly remembered by the fanbase. The so-called Quintet Trilogy you mentioned is somewhat more involved especially because of their overarching high concepts, so how successful Actraiser Renaissance might become during the first month/s may determine how willing they are to invest in remaking the Quintet Trilogy.
Surprised they weren’t released on Gameboy Advance back in the day
Yeah Terranigma would be awesome. I would love a Soulblazer collection with all 3 of those games included.
@@AstonWildsteel then I think we have nothing to worry about, Actraiser Renaissance is doing quite well. Should they also release a physical print somewhere for the consoles? I will gladly buy that. It's actually an awesome game, I have been enjoying it on my mobile devices here with a controller. They did a solid job capturing what made the original a cult classic and fleshing it out. Bloodpool's scenario in particular, fleshes out Teddy, whom was originally just a background character, he becomes much more prominent here. I can overlook some imperfections and safely say this game is worth getting.
The original game proved the wise old saying “Less is more”. It would have been nice if they included an option to play the original game. The graphic and music were much better on the SNES. It’s good that they included the original music but they could have included music from the orchestra as well. The new additions to the angel portion of the game make it seem tedious, especially when a game includes a lot of mindless text to make it seem like a lengthy story. I also disliked the way the god holds the sword as opposed to the original.
Great review Joe. Thanks for being honest with us.
The original game is a 3 hours playtrough, this one took me like 17 hours and all the extra time was just waiting for resources in the angel sections.
@ Some Random Sounds like the 3 hour play through is the superior version.
I also didn't like how the divine soul doesn't leave the statue and rise back to heaven at the end of the stage.
ActRaiser Renaissance feels like the Secret Of Mana remake: it looks fine…were it made about 10-15yrs ago. If you’ve never played the originals or just not into the 16-bit art styling, then you’ll probably appreciate this “updated” version okay enough. I just wish the original SNES version was made available along with Renaissance like they did with Secret & Trails Of Mana.
My ex introduced me to this channel. I miss her but at least I still have Game Sack lol!
She sounds cool. Mind if I slide into her DM’s bro?
@@dauntae24 You've already got Game Sack, there's no need for her.
@@DenkyManner 😂🤣
I also bought it on the Switch because I also thought it was exclusive because they announced it on the Nintendo direct. I was also frustrated with the changes in the sim mode at first. I played Filmore a lot longer than 2 hours because I didn't catch on that I had to destroy houses so they would build better houses to progress. Once I figured that out I've been breezing through the other areas. I'm getting to know the game on easy mode first. I also thought it was odd that it makes me play Marahna before Northwall. I always played Northwall first on the original. It grew on me too and I've been enjoying it.
Nah, it doesn't force you to play Marahna before Northwall, it's similar to the original in that as long as you're the proper level, you can go to that region and conquer it. I was at level 12 when I got to Marahna, and chose to go there first before going to Northwall, but I could've easily gone to Northwall at any time thanks to being that recommended level. I downloaded it on mobile and have an iPega controller synced to my phone so I can enjoy it there. Once I got used to the sim mode additions and the controls, it's become an absolute joy to play. Love this game, it lives up to the legacy of the original and then some.
You don’t have to destroy houses to progress at all. I completed the first area without destroying any houses at all.
@@gothard5 but to get the biggest populations and best rewards, yes houses do need to be destroyed so they can be rebuilt/upgraded for a growing population. Well worth doing, trust me on that.
I have fillmore as my ringtone. The graphics on the overhead levels are too messy looking on the remake, simple works best for these IMO.
Joe, can you do the Castlevania Advance collection next? Love these reviews.
Joe really has good eyes...I was trying figure out what was wrong with the background layers and yep he is correct the programmers should correct the way those scroll making the intended effect to look improperly done.
Still amazing to see this classic return. Loved the music, atmosphere, world building, and character designs. Seeing it retouched, just seems unreal, plus the remastered soundtrack, and new additions sound incredible.
I have not bought this yet. But good to know its pros, and cons.
My take? Get it! Once you get going on it, you end up falling in love with all aspects of the game. I am enjoying it immensely here. The remastered soundtrack is absolutely right on point. Yuzo Koshiro really brought his A game when it came to updating his compositions, especially the iconic Fillmore theme. Love how it has elements of rock, funk and orchestral all mixed into one, and that bass line by Toshiyuki Tanahashi just SLAPS! I get giddy whenever I listen to that section before the guitar solo kicks it back to the loop. Absolutely recommend this one without hesitation. I downloaded it on mobile here, and have been using an iPega controller. Highly recommended for sure, because it is a wonderful, updated take on a cult classic. I couldn’t be happier to see this series back from the dead.
@@DesertRainReads I played the original a long time ago. It wasn't my utmost favorite, but it looked amazing back then. Soundtrack was excellent though. I'm honestly on the fence about Renaissance. I might pass on this one
I remember I could never beat the games final stretch of bosses... where you have to kill them all in a row again. Only years years... 10 years later when playing it again... I finally figured out that each boss has a certain strategy to beat him without getting hit. I must have been a really bad gamer when I was young, lol.
The magic spells were the problem for me. I could easily defeat each boss using the stardust spell, never learning either one's pattern. Not even knowing there was a pattern. Then the boss rush comes around and you don't have nearly enough spells and no idea how to defeat the bosses without them. So, after many failed attempts, I also gave up.
One day I'll finish the game. Not this remake, though.
@@Syreion Yeah, when you play the stages... you can cheese each boss with a combo of Magic Spells which save you a few hits. That and having a full life make them easy.
However... then at the end you are expected to defeat them without spells and even your lives are limited...
I was playing Actraiser like in the early 2000 on my PC again... and for some reason suddenly the patterns where clearly visible for me. I was wondering why I could not beat them, I mean I was in my late teens when the Snes was around.
Don't feel bad, Joe. I got this as soon as it was available on switch as well.
Oh my god, that picture of John from DF @06:02 ! 😂
The music on the original was a masterpiece
Hell YES.
That wobbly Actraiser cartridge almost dropping from the shelf is panic inducing
Despite the bad/cheap animations, this game is pretty good. I understand why you don’t like the tower defense. I’m not a huge tower defense fan myself, but it actually kinda makes sense here. You have the parts where you protect your villagers, and the tower defense sections is where they defend themselves. So it doesn’t feel tacked on. I like the fact that they give you more to do with and in the towns. Also like the heroes as they add to and help flesh out the original simplistic story.
I agree with you. Also, graphical style choice aside, I think that this is definitely a step in the right direction for the series. I hate tower defense games, but somehow I love the implementation of it in this one. It just makes sense.
Indeed, I am not a tower defense fan here at all but in this game, it makes sense. Plus, the heroes absolutely flesh the lore out and make Tanzra's power that much more ominous. Absolutely love that. Also, I enjoy the stages, they are not cast iron copies of the SNES layouts, but rather add enough to make them stand out on their own. And the music? Simply godly. The soundtrack alone makes this game worth it.
If you told me Actraiser was going to be remade in 2021, I would have never believed you.
I can't remember being so excited and then so disappointed so quickly over a game in recent memory. I just can't with the way the game looks in the action segments. I cannot believe it looks like that. Look at something like Blasphemous by an indie studio... and then look at this. What am I missing here?
You're not missing anything. The developers on this were.
Regarding the music in stage 1-2 being the same as 1-1, this is consistent with the original SFC release. This is actually a huge rabbit hole especially when comparing Famicom to NES releases, as music tracks were swapped out and moved around all the time.
i really hope the ends up doing well enough that we get a modern collection or remakes of the gaia trilogy[soul blazer/blader, illusion of gaia/time & terranigma]. the reveal of this for me came out of left field for me since it feels like anytime we hear about any pre-merger squeenix remakes/remasters it's something square related[and the few times it's pre-merger enix, it's usually dragon quest].
Yes! I felt the same way. Enix had some great games back in the day and I have been waiting for a new ActRaiser. I hope they bring back more of the old greats.
I'd like some kind of new game based on the Quintet games but not if it's going to be this kind of crappy quality
@@kiyoaki1985 Exactly, I'm shocked so many people are actually looking forward to remakes that look and run this bad and this bloated with unnecessary additions.
This is as far from "renaissance" as you can get.
I beat Actraiser, but didn't play it as much as part 2. I played the heck out of Actraiser 2 during the SNES golden age. This game deserves a proper sequel or remake. Perhaps take out it of 2D and make it more open world sorta like Breath of the Wild, but with the town building.
I always thought that the original actraiser was such an underated game with beautiful graphics and music.
I absolutely love the games art direction but the in-game graphics just looks weird.
I really would've like to see the game in a beautiful pixel art but oh well.
Also that music though.
Freaking beautiful!
What a slick closing segment. Always appreciate your wit
It looks like a low budget PSP game, which is an aesthetic I didn’t expect to ever see again.
Agreed, but its fucking Actraizer man!
@@calypsohandjack9278 The brand means nothing when the product falls short in quality, especially when you have a classic to compare it with.
I definitely concur with the "it grows on you" assessment. Haven't gotten terribly far yet, but it is (so far) pretty good.
I will say this, though: main title sequences are a lost art in video games, and this opening sequence is AWESOME.
I wanna buy this game but honestly I'm probably gonna wait for a sale price, great review btw.
@Keith Courage RX-78-2 On Steam, they usually go on sale 2-3 times a year. Although, they don't drop by like 75%+ like many others do. Best I've seen is 40%-50% off.
@Keith Courage RX-78-2 they go on sale regularly on Steam
fricking masterpiece made even better, actraiser renaissance is gods work
It's disgusting
Having played this game for 9+ hours already and being a huge fan of the original I love it. I also like the 32-bit graphic style they used for the side-scrolling stages. Looks like a lost saturn or psx game.
The expaned sim parts and story elements are also hugely enjoyable to me personally, the artstyle is cute and fun and the music rocks.
Probably my goty 2021 at this point.
Spoiler Technique to beat 1st boss:
1. stay on floor height
2. face opposite to the approaching centaur.
3. perform backslide before getting hit
4. the backside of the centaur is open for hitting
5. repeat
Works on hard. Centaur charges once fast, and the approaches slowly for lightning attack. Technique works for both.
I think it looks fantastic all issues aside, honestly none of that matters to me. Act Raiser is one of my most beloved games from my early teen years and I'm ecstatic to see this remake come out of nowhere as I'm not much of a "Triple A" gamer.
Same here. I just hope that if for some odd reason we get a remake of the second Actraiser, hopefully they'll be kind enough to add the god/Sim mode to it this time around.
Everytime I hear Gamesack or Happy console gamer say about an old game it's a must have, I think "oh god, the prices for these games will skyrocket on eBay"
Now the skits become trolling at this point
3:05 That song (like most of the soundtrack) is burned into me but holds a special place. Somber is the word- especially given the circumstances brining it into play. Bring, but brine works. Top ten best games period.😅 My first touch made me wonder why I was a parachute flying around the world...
Seems like the prerendered graphics might benefit from being played on a CRT
The fact that it’s widescreen seems like playing on most CRTs wouldn’t be as great
I feel like the reason why higher resolution pixel games often control poorly is because of the pixel grid. Design, all design, is almost always better on a grid. The smaller the grid units, the more option there is to make mistakes.
The tighter snes grid FORCED the control to be tighter than a higher resolution grid.
This looks like the way I imagine a remake of Symphony of The Night would look regarding the 2D side scrolling stages, very Castlevania-ish.
Love that Skip option for cutscenes :D
Loved the first Actraiser on the SNES and as soon as I could I downloaded it for the Switch. About 12 hrs into the game and in all honesty, I think its a great game. Art style wasn't the best but I got over that relatively quickly because the core gameplay was just as good as I remember it. And in all actuality that's what I care most about. Arranged music isnt bad but still love the OST. Glad I bought it. Great review!
I know you really didn't like it but just bought it for PS4 as I really loved the original. Brings back good memories. Will play it when I get home from work. Thanks for the review!
Not that he didn't like it, he said the game grows on you and becomes an enjoyable experience. He's correct that it's tricky at first, but once you figure it out, it's every bit as good, if not better than the original.
I’ve been waiting for a review from a credible source, but I never thought I’d get one from one of my favorite gaming channels on RUclips! Excellent review and insights, this definitely makes me want to pick this game up after being such a big fan of the original game. I think I’ll wait for the physical release on PS4 though, or for a price drop, but it’s definitely on my wishlist.
I love so much that there are so many comments citing Joe as a credible source, even as someone who grew up understanding the value of professional critics.
Agreed on the physical console release, once that happens, I will buy it for both Switch and PS4. I did purchase it on the Android Market though, and I got an iPega controller synced to my phone, so I am good. Such an amazing game, normally I am not one to make a big ticket purchase on mobile devices, but when I saw this, I knew I had to snag it somehow. The game is worth its weight in gold dude. It's so good! Captures what made the original fantastic and amplifies it, especially the soundtrack. That Fillmore remake is something I can't get enough of, Toshiyuki Tanahashi's bass playing just SLAPS! And the whole song feels like this mix of funk, rock and orchestral elements. An absolute earworm in a damn good way.
I think I'll be able to sleep a bit better knowing it's on yr wishlist.
I bought this game from a bargain bin at games stop but then called funcoland. I played and loved this game to death. It truly surprised me. I swear idk what happened to Nintendo. They used to own the third party market.
I'm having fun with the remake, I noticed all the stuff Joe mentioned but i do like the added overworld sim tower defense. Diving into the monster lairs to kill the spawners were great to prolong the game. It was something I had hoped to do back on SNES classic than just the town folk destroying it. So far I'm up to Aitos area, so we'll see how the next areas are.
ActRaiser: Renaissance looks fantastic for me to play. 😀👍🎮
The visuals are hideous. It reminds me of the CDi Zelda games… I never thought I’d be saying that about a game released in 2021.
It reminds me iron man xo manowar for the saturn tbh
I agree. The visuals are messy and got this cheap feeling to it. Like Blaster Master Overdrive for the Wii. It feels like a cheap downloadable product.
There are some nice effects sometimes but overall it feels cheap and unappealing.
Distinctly remember owning this and beating it, but it's been so long that everything else about it is forgotten...
This is my favorite game of all time. But I felt monkey's pawed.
"Why the fans are not liking the pre rendered graphics of our remake? I thought all the Super Nintendo games were like this, i mean i just gave a cursory watch at Donkey Kong Country, but i am pretty sure!"
Epic, well memed.
Shockingly enough, there are comments around RUclips unironically stating this is the typical SNES look.
Even in this very video, which starts out showcasing how the original looked. There are people this confidently ignorant around.
This looks more like a PS1 game than PS5. Thank you for this review so I know not to sell my original copy of Actraiser for this.
You should never sell it. Especially the sequel, that mfer was hard, never beat the 2nd.
I’m pretty sure the value of carts are just going to climb as time goes on. Hold onto it.
I heard so much about Actraiser on your videos that I was looking forward to this one!
I did the the exact same thing Joe did, making the mistake of running to download the switch version. I love the switch but it desperately needs a console upgrade not a damn new screen.
So the PS4 version runs better, great. Sucks for me. Still like Joe said, the game's growing on me, although I have the exact same complaints he does. The sim aspect is too drawn out, and very difficult. But when you beat them you feel proud. I like the action stages as well, I disagree the SNES version had better control. The original had stiff controls, and the new moves you can do are cool. Worth it for sure for fans, but jeez I should've DL the PS4 version...
I love the feel of this channel it feels like home ❤️
Ok.....
Nice! I was about to buy this game but had my doubts from the graphics and over all presentation. Actraiser is one of my all time favorite games from when I got it in the early 90's, but I feel like this remake might be disappointing.
Remakes usually are.
We are experiencing cultural decay from our music to our games to our movies and books....
@@Lord_of_the_Pies You summed it up so well with "cultural decay", yep pretty much everything has gone south with a few exceptions.
@@Lord_of_the_Pies And don't forget music...
@@FloridaEbikes Please go back to the loony bin, buddy. You skipped on your meds.
I like the honesty and competence of your reviews. Watching this video made me want to get the original game.
Graphically this looks like it belongs on the 3DS. The SNES version is much more visually appealing.
Hell 3ds games looked better than renaissance
This game is the most PSP looking game I've seen in years
Awesome graphics. Didn’t realise this was coming to the CD-i.
Make us all an actraiser remake, so we can point and laugh. That would actually be funny unlike your lame attempt at sarcasm.
@@luisdiaz1980 So unless a person can recreate something themselves they can’t comment on it? Better tell pretty much every game reviewer out there in that case…
@@Peanut.Butter.Runner I can comment on your lame sarcasm. That was my point.
@@luisdiaz1980 Jeez relax. You didn’t like my joke? Who cares, move on. Doesn’t it feels like I waste of your own time pointing out to internet strangers you don’t approve of their humour?!
@@Peanut.Butter.Runner I am calm. Do I seem angry to you? You be the mature one you claim to be and move on then, clown.
You get butthurt over what strangers say about your lame jokes, don't try to claim the moral high ground.
Would've been awesome if it was more 2d then 2.5d, but overall I enjoyed this remix. I loved the original and did not want a 1 to 1 remake. I wanted something new, but also I didnt want them to screw it up bad by making a brand new one. This one just felt right.
Joe, you are the first person I've ever heard say they like Professional! mode in Actraiser.
I think it suddenly makes sense why Actraiser 2 ended up the way it did, if there were like-minded individuals such as you populating the SNES market when I was like... 5 years old.
i liked Professional Mode for the challenge of it, but hated that there wasnt a similar treatment for Sim Mode.
Very good review! I've playing for two days and reached the last area (Northwall). As mentioned on the review, the initial hour of this game can be tricky, but if the player persists, will be rewarded with a great experience overall. Thanks for the honest review, Joe and keep up the good work!
I also had to immediately buy Actraiser Renaissance. I love the visuals, it looks like a hd remake of a gba game.
what a naive fool. spending money for eye candy.
Bonus Game Sack video? Yes plz.
This is the review I wanted to see. Glad you covered the game ASAP, Joe. Much appreciated, dude.
It's a shame they didn't approach this remake with the respect it deserved. It would have been really, really awesome if the new Actraiser had been a must have game....because the original game is one of my 5 favorite SNES titles.
So disappointing. I will give Actraiser 2021 a shot at some point....but now I'm gonna wait however long it takes for the game to cost $10 or so.
Thanks for buying it twice, Joe. Made the review better.
Look how they massacred my boy... with anime!
Money money money money money aghhhhh
Speaking of remakes, I’m a bit surprised you reviewed this but not the Cotton reboot.
I had a feeling you were gonna do a video on this game, I just wasn't expecting it so quick!! Well that's a shame that it doesn't really hold a flame to the original game. It looked interesting enough but seeing it in action, idk something just seems off. I guess between the prerendered graphics and weird parallax effects it gets your eyes going all over the place. Also 2 hours is a lot of time to spend in the sim part. I liked how in the original it was in short bursts. An intermission between playing the hack n' slash platforming parts. Without long winded speeches about game mechanics either. In the original they just gave you the main gist of how things worked and sent you on your way.
At first glance, a few things are clear, the clean, bright and colorful visuals of the original were ditched to a much more detailed, less colorful thing that my eyes only see as a mess, the darkened tone is almost like an unreal engine 2D game from the x360/PS3 era. Same applies to the character designs, also, the animation is smooth enough so that the playability is sacrificed, like you're character has more weight than it should. Remakes like these don't really bring what the original games were all about, there are good examples out there on how to do a proper remake (or simply modernization) of a classic game, specially from indies, this is not one of those.
I guess this will be one of those I'll just let pass, the 1st Actraiser was amazing and like Joe said, the balancing act of action stages and sim stages was spot on, neither side was too long, nor too short but just enough until the next section. How they've managed to make the sim section extra tedious now as well as the odd choices for the action sequence really puts me off regarding this game.
I feel like this is going to be one of those future episodes of Matt McMuscles' "Wha happen?" videos...
Sorry, I disagree here. The game holds up to the original and then some, been playing for a while since I downloaded the game on mobile, and have been using an iPega controller with it. Haven't had a problem with the visuals at all, if anything they look amazing. Also, I enjoy the sim aspect, and that it has more to do between action stages. Plus having heroes to summon at will is also awesome too, especially since they did a good job fleshing out the lore of the lands to make these characters believable. One character was previously just a background name, and now he's fully integral to the Bloodpool story arc. As for the action stages? They aren't just copies of the SNES original, they add stuff to them and for me they look amazing. Plus the incredible soundtrack makes playing through them an absolute joy. I hope this game gets a physical print for consoles, I will gladly buy it on PS4/Switch once that happens. I'm happy this exists, and that it's an excellent reinterpretation of the original.
@@DesertRainReads "More" doesn't equals "better".
Especially in the art direction department, this game clearly falls very short of the original across the board. The prerendered sprites look horrendous even when compared to Donkey Kong Country, which is from freaking 1994.
The choppy scrolling and the messed up parallax effect are unforgivable, again from a 80's and 90's standards. We're in 2021, for fuck's sake. You should consider having some actual standards as well.
It's a terrible reinterpretation of the original to the point of being disrespectful. I sincerely hope you're not involved in game design, because you're take is downright delusional.
About the music during Filmore Act 2: in the japanese version it plays the same music as in Act 1 instead of what we got in the american version, so that's why in the remake it plays the same music again.
Earliest I’ve ever been. Longtime fan. I’m drunk eating Jack In The Box right now.
Eyyyy nice
As soon as they announced this I knew Game Sack was gonna be all over this.
I'd buy the soundtrack to this remake over the remake itself. Played it yesterday over at a friends' place - meh. It should not have been allowed out the door in its' current state. But what more can we expect from modern Square.
Everyone loves to talk about Yuzo Koshiro's Genesis soundtracks, but his work on the SNES proved what he was really capable of with better sound hardware.
I feel like everyone’s being too harsh on this. Sure, there are some technical issues that need fixing but aside from that you can tell that a lot of love and care went into this remake. It honestly feels like the version of the game the developers would’ve made if they hadn’t been constricted by cartridge space/console capabilities back in the day.
Joe was harsh to the point I couldn't understand his verdict lol "what do you mean, you said you like it?"
I really love the original. Thanks for the honest review!
Game clearly needed abit longer in the oven. Especially as the game took most of us by surprise nobody would have cared if it came out in a couple of months while they ironed out some of the issues
Not sure how much I like the 'flash animation' cutscene graphics. Still gonna pick this up though
@Game Sack Can you do an episode on the Fire Emblem series please?
No
No.
Let's instead do those Mickey Mouse RPGs with the big yabbos.
Let's do that.
@@Boogie_the_cat No
Thanks for the quick review on this. Actraiser was one of my SNES all-time favorites! The soundtrack was cutting edge for it's time!
Wow you beat the game that fast?!
Also Actraiser is the greatest snes of all time.
I never played the original but heard good things. My cheap ass bought this day 1 on principle. I want more retro jrpgs remastered
You should still play the original...
This is not a remaster, it's a remake.
And you're only supporting poorly funded remakes instead of great quality classics.
This is bad take all around.
Im so early it says zero seconds!
The soundtrack is what makes me come back for more