PS2 and NDS era was so good. There's tons of these weird Japanese obscure "experimental" games that really unique among the rest. Lifeline, Disaster Report, and Gregory Horror Show to name a few
One of my favorites is a game called Road Trip. It's an open world racing game with sentient chibi cars. It sorta BOTW-esque in how it let's the player do whatever they want from the start with little restriction. Also another called Sky Odyssey which is is a flight game, but with zero combat. You go through dangerous terrain/weather conditions attempting to land at the end of the stage. So obviously not action based like Ace Combat, but a lot more gamey than Flight Simulator. Still haven't seen a single game like it.
If I remember correctly, Shadow of Destiny on PSP is a "definitive version". All of the dialogues were re-recorded with new cast. You'll also get a few new characters to interact with (although they're only there to give you hints, nothing more) and you're also able to save anytime you want. There are also small changes like different name of a Digipad, different music in some places and artwork is changed a bit on endings screens.
Digipad is Z-Pad,different ending artworks / music / different diary screen / different Z-Pad screen / different travel animation / extra NPCs (just for hints) / removed blood / different main menu / voice recast / save between chapters
I have some weird vague memories of this game... I rented it over a long weekend and didn't know what the heck I was doing (I was maybe 12 at the time) and haven't played it since. Still remember that weird sounding guy, can't believe that was Martinet, but looking back it makes so much sense!
Reminds me a lot of Ghost Trick, another game about traveling back in time to reverse people's deaths. Honestly if you haven't played Ghost Trick yet you are missing out
This game is interesting because even though it's Japanese, it plays like a western adventure game, and not a Japanese ADV game like Ace Attorney or Snatcher.
For that era especially, there's a bit more cross-pollination now for style of design. The play style combined with a focus on telling small-stakes human stories amidst the overall mystery, makes Shadow of Destiny remind me of CiNG's games. Hotel Dusk, Trace Memory, etc. Some of my favorite adventures.
I actually really like this game I remember hearing a bit about it and it just being a game were it is effectively a walking simulator, but seeing as I adore shenmue and the lulls of that game I picked up shadow of memories and to be honest I find it do interesting, the fact that the game is so unconventional in a lot of ways but amazingly engrossing
Remember owning this game on xbox. None of my friends believed me about the plot. It was so cool to play with multiple time pieces and multiple endings too.
This was the first PS2 game I owned, released back when Konami actually took risks making major games. It’s funny though I never realised it until now watching it but all the quirky bits about it is the same reason I was a big fan of Deadly Premonition, there are many things the games share which many would see as negatives that I just was so enamoured with. In any case was wonderful to see you revisit this gem!
I remember playing this game when it came out, it was a good game, just too bad it didn't get more recognition. This was the best thing about games in the past, so much more experimental and creative. I'm not sure most people realize just how important that is. How much we take for granted now, because of those risks and willingness to accept new ideas. Look at how many videos there are now, with people asking what happened to games and why aren't they fun like they remember. It's because they use the same cookie cutter templates and it's purely about making a profit. Sick of mobile games? Microtransactions? Unfinished unplayable garbage? I remember also back on the PS2, when Red Faction came out. I thought this was where games were headed, details that make it feel more alive, opening up all new ways to interact with the environment and be far less linear. But that isn't what we got. Few games now really take that sort of step to keep it interesting. As powerful as the hardware is today and they use it for 4k, same cookie cutter stuff, but just imagine what would be possible if their priorities were different.
I want a new FPS that takes after Red Faction in a way, where you can blast through doors and walls and use things from the environment in different creative ways (closer to Half Life 2) like setting traps. Maybe a bit like Might and Magic with kicking. But especially, most of all, i want more realistic damage. Where your shots hit, i want it to matter, and so you can see and get a better feel for what you're doing. The right sense of atmosphere, a story that makes you care where things are going, and environments so interactive and effected by your actions that you always feel like there's something new to try. When Zelda Link to the past came out, i was amazed at how much i was able to do at the time, i couldn't wait to see what else was possible and how to use it. I want games to feel that way again. They don't need to be 4K. Look how minecraft took off, and consider why that is. It's the farthest thing from a walking simulator. You shape the experience and play the game any way you want.
I really really appreciate the availability of subtitles when you upload your videos! Love your content as always, shame I couldn't afford to keep my Patreon subscriptions, but I will return one day!
I know that the video is old but I'd like to mention this anyway SPOILER The reason why Margarette wants to stay in the future and Dana wants to stay in the past is because that's where they belong, Homunculus switched babies and Margarette is actually Eckart's daughter, while Dana is Dr. Wagner's daughter. I believe that in one of the endings Homunculus mentions something like "Some things will want to stay in a place where they belong" (or something like that).
I remember playing the PSP release first and really loving my time with it (They even changed the voice cast for it. Yuri Lowenthal voices Eike and Laura Bailey voiced Dana, just to name a few)). It took me back to playing classic point-and-click adventure games on the PC with a time travel mechanic, and not revealing any of the big twists should hopefully encourage more people to play it. I liked it enough that I picked up the PS2 and PC versions shortly afterwards! Shame about Konami owning it, though. That just guarantees the only sequel we'd ever see for the game is a pachinko machine.
There's a PC version ? Wonder if I could get it running on modern devices but usually PS2 ports were pretty bad back then. And yeah it seems like this game would be an awesome candidate for a reboot.
@@Gatorade69 I did a stream recently where I played it. Tried a bunch of different things to get it running natively (although a few new wrappers have come out since then), even going as far as using virtual machines, and the closest I'd ever get was the title screen. I settled on a widescreen patch in PCSX2 and streamed it that way.
@@Hunari If I had to pick one, it'd probably be the PSP version. Most of the new voice acting was better (although there's a charm to the original's. It's really a matter of opinion), you could save whenever you wanted (This is a good and bad thing, as saving too close to when you die could mess up your save), new characters and interactions, new artwork, and faster load times. OF course that doesn't discredit the PS2/PC versions, which are the same game (The PC release is quite difficult to get running on modern Windows, though). You're getting the same game with both releases, but with some quality of life improvements on the PSP.
games that take risks like this are what makes gaming worthwhile. incredible what you’ll put up with in terms of controls, visuals etc. when so much creativity and heart went into something. great video.
15:12 That character was originally from the 16th century so it kind of makes sense that they wanted to stay there after being there for a bit. It can be a bit hard to follow cause a LOT of stuff is going down in this game that's hard to understand unless you play it and get all the endings, multiple times lol
I spent 2 weeks with my PS2 on to finish this game, I didn't have a memory card to save ANY progress. all my choices were final and I absolute LOOOVEEE this game thank you for covering it
There's always that whole "this game deserves a remake" for games that don't even really need it, but my goodness this game truly deserves it because there's such an incredible gem hidden behind those very long legs
I own this. Played through once. Always stuck with me with how odd and original it was. You have no idea how long I've waited for someone to make a video on Shadow of Destiny, so thank you very much man.
This was 100% my favorite game growing up, and all my friends thought I was making this game up. I had to rent it from the video store cause I could never find a copy in stores, and when I'd tell my friends about it they just thought I was making it up because they couldnt find it either. I sat down with my best friend and played it with her and to this day she says she doesn't remember that game
Ah the cold faces, that is what l call them. They look pale but still detailed with expressions and animations. Love this old style. Wished games today would return back to it. Start something original but how everything, it will be too predictable sadly. That detail in 12:48 is amazing! l doubt they would do that nowdays
I can tell most of the graphical oomph was put into the character models while the environment, and especially those cars, are incredibly low poly. It’s like a high res N64 game
i paid specific attention to the cars because of this and have noticed that the cars theyre showing are modeled after ones you genuinely would see in 2000s germany! vw polos, benz a series cars, all that. neat detail
I adore this game. It's quirky and weird and just an amazing, awful time. I highly recommend it to people looking for another David Lynch-esque game like Deadly Premonition.
Not sure if this came before or after full metal alchemist, but you can see the similarities between icke’s and edwards hair. they both have pale skinned , red eyed beings called homonculus and just the setting having this European aesthetic in general.
Shadow Of Memories was my favourite game growing up, there was no other game like it at all, as the games at the time were either action, sport or adventure. This wasn't even a typical puzzle game either, it was more of a story game with different endings, which makes me think of Life Is Strange game series. I love the music, location, characters, voice acting, the unique storyline and time travel aspect. So much fun to play as a kid when it first came out on PS2.
It's one of those games i remember super fondly! The depiction of Germany, as imagined by Japanese, is insanely surreal to me as a resident of Germany. Also what kind of a name is Eike? Never heard that one before or since. The voice acting is... well Martinet as Homunculus is actually GREAT. The rest are not. But then there's the PSP port, which has all new voice cast, which is overall much more passable, but Homunculus is ruined. But there's a secret to it. The first run which is easy is basically the tutorial. The real game is in bending the reality until you explore all the endings, and that can get ever more complex. Then you get to unlock the TRUE ending, for which you need to have known the revelations from other playthroughs. Have you heard of the Zero Escape games? I'd say those are the closest there is to spiritual sequels. The PC port was the one i played back in early 2000s. It was fine when you were playing it on era appropriate hardware, but it does have some issues, did even back then. It's identical to the Xbox port, i believe, except for lower quality audio. Nowadays, PC port of course grew a million issues so it got yucky.
Eike is a real German name, but it's not surprising you never encountered it before if you reside anywhere else than Northern Germany. Most Northern German names are very unpopular in the rest of the country.
Holy crap I actually played Time Hollow, I had no idea there was another game from the same creator, though Time Hollow is a VN, so I don't know how much there is in similarities between the two
I could never forgive this game after getting a game over and having to sit through literally half an hour of cutscenes before I could try something else.
Just want to say that there is a cinematographic style that is all about dream like and seemingly detached acting ... Examples of this is twin peaks. A series seemingly every "realistic-style" Japanese game have to be inspired by
"Is it a good... For me to... Destroy, the world...?" "Bowser means... Nothing, to me..." "Where is god when you... Need him?" Super fighter M - Evil Mario
Move back in time to prevent tree being planted and replaced with statue looking like you so assasin cannot stab you. Sephiroth's German cousin has his own way to flex I guess.
@spindletea Yup, but also name of a character is a huge difference, he literally say I am homuncul and it is more than a name, in has huge meaning in the story
You've mentioned that the girl who randomly wants to stay in the past is a writing blemish, but in reality it is not, spoiler: Babies were swapped in one event, the girl that wanted to stay was actually belonging in that timeline, she felt a connection, the same goes for the other girl too and it was also explained that time and the world likes to balance itself out~ As you saw, to find the reason why anything happens in it, the game requires allot of thinking, exploration and coming to conclusions on your own, even reaching all endings; so everything that you see makes sense~ I've played this game to full completion, there are also "deleted" scenes or unseen ones which some people only accessed via data mining it, featuring alternative endings and more context~ It's one of my fav games, it's a great game~! Your review was good besides that, but it's normal as a proper review of this particular game requires to play and explore every smallest bit of it, which most people can't or won't do~
Keep up the awesome work dude! I really love these obscure overlooked games that you do a review on. It really made me start collectiing some obscure games that didn't gain a lot of attraction. And with that being said, I highly recommend the Disaster Report games in the near future! Theirs nothing else like them! Keep on keeping on!
Playing this game nighly 10-12 years ago - it will always be a fond memory. Even if the dialogue is sometime ackward, it is a rather genuine and delightful story for anyone that can swallow the premise, and while some might catch onto the twists before they happen in-game, there is no guarantee you'll notice it all. I for one believe I didn't experience Mrs. Eckarts murder, or the aftermath of that. I might have accidently glossed over it on a first playthrough. Antagonists in the game are also totally believable and their motivations are actually driven by something so human that it breaks the awkward dialogue and transcend well-developed design. Just simply gorgeous game.
Was watching someone play 9 persons, 9 hours, 9 doors, and someone recommended Time Hollow in the comments, now I've come full circle by watching this video. I gotta at least try out both, being a fan of this "genre", if you can call it that.
as a german i have to say.. this game captures the look and feel of our small towns/cities pretty well. those names also, especially eike and eckart. they're real german first names but they're not very common. i wonder what japans fascination with germany is? you get a lot of german sounding town- and peoples names in JRPGS as well.
I adore games that have passages of time where the world changes in subtle, but noticeable, ways. I wish more inventive games like this came out more often these days. As always, thanks for the great video!
Urgh such a great game! Ngl the one in the black clothing (demon mario 😂)scared me sooooo much as a kid but this game was so interesting ! That 1 puzzle at the end with the rope took me n my bro agesssssss- a few weeks even, yes we have smooth brain 😂, kinda wished there was a sequel..
Oh shit, before even continuing: well, where's ThorHighHeels if you're covering this? Defo one of the "your favorite vidya essayist's essayist." Get em on here.
@@audiosurfarchive There are 2 videos; one from 2017 and one from 2015. Game's name is Shadow of Memories(I forgot the name at the end of this video and had to find it again, so here it is for other people)
I just played this for the first time, and couldn't get enough. It's relaxing, weird, and the story really comes together as you progress. 'Never played anything quite like it.
Holy shit, I saw the trailer for this game on a demo disc when I was around 4 years old and until I clicked on this video I had convinced myself all these years that it was a dream… it’s real
I remember playing this on my PSP back in the days. I loved the story so much I tried all the endings. Not so long ago I got the PS2 copy. It's a forgotten gem. I was so happy you made a video about it!
YOoo this was, I think (other than Putt Putt and Zoombinis) the first real game I played on PC as a kid. It had a huge influence on my taste in stories and games to this day, so I guess it's no surprise I also adored Time Hollow. Great vid, thank you!
This is absolutely probably my favorite PS2 game ever made. I remember playing this back in the day. Do not play the psp version they got different voice actors and to me it changed the charm of the PS2 version.
I bought this game back in the day really enjoyed it. I couldn't remember the name of it so thanks for the vid. Brough back memories. I used to describe it as PS2's Shen Mue to my friends.
Oh wow, Time Hollow. I played that and it's fascinating from memory. Far more linear than this game, but does explore a lot more with time travel and time lines
This unlocked a lot of memories for me! I remember having this game and I'm not really sure why I got it, maybe because I mostly enjoyed Japanese games on PS2 or it sounded interesting in an issue of Game Informer. Either way, I definitely want to find a copy and experience this again because I remember it being such a cool concept and I had a lot of fun figuring out the puzzles. I even remember the smell of the Chick Fil A chicken strips I was eating while playing this one afternoon. Thanks for such awesome videos!
I bought this game with my PS2 when it came out in France. One of my fondest memory of that time. Concerning Deaths and gameovers, if I recall correctly : if you die in the present, you're send to the 'purgatory', but if you for while in the past, you get a game over.
When you brought up the people in the town having really human problems I thought we were gonna look at the small NPCs and my mind immediately went to the old woman who just roams the street saying "Isn't life just boring?!"
I enjoyed Time Hollow but it's just a visual novel, to my memory there weren't any branching paths and no where near as complicated as Shadow of Destiny
I got this game when it came out and even though I enjoyed it, I was very disapointed because I finished it on the same day. These days I am not quite as much fussed about the length of a game and more fussed about the quality provided the story feels complete.
Man, I love hearing about these weird hidden (unpolished) gems out there. You seem to have a knack for selling them as well, if anyone else was making this video I doubt I'd be interested in actually playing it
Martinet is credited on just over 150 video games and only 31 are not Mario or a Mario related character. Of course people will associate him with Mario.
This just showed up in my Recommendeds, this is a game I haven't thought about for YEARS, but man I loved it back in the day. I remember looking at it over and over in the shop on several visits thinking it looked interesting before finally picking it up.
PS2 and NDS era was so good. There's tons of these weird Japanese obscure "experimental" games that really unique among the rest. Lifeline, Disaster Report, and Gregory Horror Show to name a few
One of my favorites is a game called Road Trip. It's an open world racing game with sentient chibi cars. It sorta BOTW-esque in how it let's the player do whatever they want from the start with little restriction.
Also another called Sky Odyssey which is is a flight game, but with zero combat. You go through dangerous terrain/weather conditions attempting to land at the end of the stage. So obviously not action based like Ace Combat, but a lot more gamey than Flight Simulator. Still haven't seen a single game like it.
Dreamcast
Check out Raw Danger it's really slept on survival game about natural disaster
That's the game i only ever saw on a magazine, thank you
Even the 360 had some of these types of weird Japanese games.
If I remember correctly, Shadow of Destiny on PSP is a "definitive version". All of the dialogues were re-recorded with new cast. You'll also get a few new characters to interact with (although they're only there to give you hints, nothing more) and you're also able to save anytime you want. There are also small changes like different name of a Digipad, different music in some places and artwork is changed a bit on endings screens.
Digipad is Z-Pad,different ending artworks / music / different diary screen / different Z-Pad screen / different travel animation / extra NPCs (just for hints) / removed blood / different main menu / voice recast / save between chapters
@@ex-e-ld4516 Yeah, exactly that. Thanks for listing every change!
@@piotr_bunkowski Thank you for noting changes!
Jesus, if not for anything else, the ambition and complete dedication to the time-travel aspect is so good.
I have some weird vague memories of this game... I rented it over a long weekend and didn't know what the heck I was doing (I was maybe 12 at the time) and haven't played it since. Still remember that weird sounding guy, can't believe that was Martinet, but looking back it makes so much sense!
I had the exact same experience! I never saw it again after I rented it and for years I was convinced I hallucinated it.
same. took me a while to find it again
I was annoyed as a kid when I got the "run over by a car" ending.
annoys me how slow he talks
I was always sad about that ending,but makes you realize how much life is fragile and how we need to appreciate it
Then he gets sent to an Isekai.
I too, got the “hit by a car” ending and was super annoyed
Reminds me a lot of Ghost Trick, another game about traveling back in time to reverse people's deaths. Honestly if you haven't played Ghost Trick yet you are missing out
Ghost Trick is one of the hidden gems of the DS library IMO. Truly one of the best.
Hell yeah, ghost trick is so underrated
I would if it weren't $140cad lmao
@@retrogamelord3763 if you arent against piracy, emulatots and roms are your friends
its created or directed or something by the same guy who did Ace Attorney and features the same dog (Missile)
This game is interesting because even though it's Japanese, it plays like a western adventure game, and not a Japanese ADV game like Ace Attorney or Snatcher.
For that era especially, there's a bit more cross-pollination now for style of design. The play style combined with a focus on telling small-stakes human stories amidst the overall mystery, makes Shadow of Destiny remind me of CiNG's games. Hotel Dusk, Trace Memory, etc. Some of my favorite adventures.
I actually really like this game I remember hearing a bit about it and it just being a game were it is effectively a walking simulator, but seeing as I adore shenmue and the lulls of that game I picked up shadow of memories and to be honest I find it do interesting, the fact that the game is so unconventional in a lot of ways but amazingly engrossing
It plays like shit.
@@sadpotato4931 Don't forget Glass Rose
@@meditalisoo7 I actually haven't played that one yet, Glass Rose and Again are the remaining two I still need to try.
Remember owning this game on xbox. None of my friends believed me about the plot. It was so cool to play with multiple time pieces and multiple endings too.
To be fair, I have to imagine your explanation of the plot sounded like an absolute fever-dream, more so the more accurate it was.
This was the first PS2 game I owned, released back when Konami actually took risks making major games. It’s funny though I never realised it until now watching it but all the quirky bits about it is the same reason I was a big fan of Deadly Premonition, there are many things the games share which many would see as negatives that I just was so enamoured with. In any case was wonderful to see you revisit this gem!
This is such an overlooked game. Yes, it's strange, but I've always loved it. It's a really good concept.
wHEN LARGE COMPANIES WERE WILLING TO TAKE MORE RISKS.
I remember playing this game when it came out, it was a good game, just too bad it didn't get more recognition. This was the best thing about games in the past, so much more experimental and creative. I'm not sure most people realize just how important that is. How much we take for granted now, because of those risks and willingness to accept new ideas.
Look at how many videos there are now, with people asking what happened to games and why aren't they fun like they remember. It's because they use the same cookie cutter templates and it's purely about making a profit. Sick of mobile games? Microtransactions? Unfinished unplayable garbage?
I remember also back on the PS2, when Red Faction came out. I thought this was where games were headed, details that make it feel more alive, opening up all new ways to interact with the environment and be far less linear. But that isn't what we got. Few games now really take that sort of step to keep it interesting. As powerful as the hardware is today and they use it for 4k, same cookie cutter stuff, but just imagine what would be possible if their priorities were different.
@@derealized797 I never agreed more! Everyone uses unreal engine now :( and that's why old video games are more unique
@@martinramirez21 I am so glad that konami created this game, even though it didn't get popular they put so much effort into the story
I want a new FPS that takes after Red Faction in a way, where you can blast through doors and walls and use things from the environment in different creative ways (closer to Half Life 2) like setting traps. Maybe a bit like Might and Magic with kicking. But especially, most of all, i want more realistic damage. Where your shots hit, i want it to matter, and so you can see and get a better feel for what you're doing. The right sense of atmosphere, a story that makes you care where things are going, and environments so interactive and effected by your actions that you always feel like there's something new to try.
When Zelda Link to the past came out, i was amazed at how much i was able to do at the time, i couldn't wait to see what else was possible and how to use it. I want games to feel that way again. They don't need to be 4K. Look how minecraft took off, and consider why that is. It's the farthest thing from a walking simulator. You shape the experience and play the game any way you want.
The main character looks like Raiden
Also published by Konami, like this game was a warning
Good call! I was looking at him as I read your comment and yeah, he totally does!
"Colonel! I've managed to avoid drowning by time travelling to the past!"
"Raiden, you can't do that! You'll cause a time paradox!"
Oh yeah...
Snake’s supposed to accompany him along with discount Rose, right?
And his green jacket also same like James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2 (also came out in 2001)
I really really appreciate the availability of subtitles when you upload your videos! Love your content as always, shame I couldn't afford to keep my Patreon subscriptions, but I will return one day!
I know that the video is old but I'd like to mention this anyway
SPOILER
The reason why Margarette wants to stay in the future and Dana wants to stay in the past is because that's where they belong, Homunculus switched babies and Margarette is actually Eckart's daughter, while Dana is Dr. Wagner's daughter. I believe that in one of the endings Homunculus mentions something like "Some things will want to stay in a place where they belong" (or something like that).
I remember playing the PSP release first and really loving my time with it (They even changed the voice cast for it. Yuri Lowenthal voices Eike and Laura Bailey voiced Dana, just to name a few)). It took me back to playing classic point-and-click adventure games on the PC with a time travel mechanic, and not revealing any of the big twists should hopefully encourage more people to play it.
I liked it enough that I picked up the PS2 and PC versions shortly afterwards! Shame about Konami owning it, though. That just guarantees the only sequel we'd ever see for the game is a pachinko machine.
There's a PC version ? Wonder if I could get it running on modern devices but usually PS2 ports were pretty bad back then. And yeah it seems like this game would be an awesome candidate for a reboot.
Which one of the versions you played you would say is the best?
Minimme said it was the PS2 version but I want to hear another person's opinion
@@Gatorade69 I did a stream recently where I played it. Tried a bunch of different things to get it running natively (although a few new wrappers have come out since then), even going as far as using virtual machines, and the closest I'd ever get was the title screen.
I settled on a widescreen patch in PCSX2 and streamed it that way.
@@HiddenGemsReviews Good to know. What would you recommend the PS2 or PSP version ? I like Yuri Lowenthal.
@@Hunari If I had to pick one, it'd probably be the PSP version. Most of the new voice acting was better (although there's a charm to the original's. It's really a matter of opinion), you could save whenever you wanted (This is a good and bad thing, as saving too close to when you die could mess up your save), new characters and interactions, new artwork, and faster load times.
OF course that doesn't discredit the PS2/PC versions, which are the same game (The PC release is quite difficult to get running on modern Windows, though). You're getting the same game with both releases, but with some quality of life improvements on the PSP.
games that take risks like this are what makes gaming worthwhile. incredible what you’ll put up with in terms of controls, visuals etc. when so much creativity and heart went into something. great video.
15:12 That character was originally from the 16th century so it kind of makes sense that they wanted to stay there after being there for a bit. It can be a bit hard to follow cause a LOT of stuff is going down in this game that's hard to understand unless you play it and get all the endings, multiple times lol
I spent 2 weeks with my PS2 on to finish this game, I didn't have a memory card to save ANY progress. all my choices were final and I absolute LOOOVEEE this game thank you for covering it
There's always that whole "this game deserves a remake" for games that don't even really need it, but my goodness this game truly deserves it because there's such an incredible gem hidden behind those very long legs
I own this. Played through once. Always stuck with me with how odd and original it was. You have no idea how long I've waited for someone to make a video on Shadow of Destiny, so thank you very much man.
Thanks to the person who annoyed him ahhaha
Chaseface covered it over a year ago, and was incredibly thorough.
This was 100% my favorite game growing up, and all my friends thought I was making this game up. I had to rent it from the video store cause I could never find a copy in stores, and when I'd tell my friends about it they just thought I was making it up because they couldnt find it either. I sat down with my best friend and played it with her and to this day she says she doesn't remember that game
Ah the cold faces, that is what l call them. They look pale but still detailed with expressions and animations. Love this old style. Wished games today would return back to it. Start something original but how everything, it will be too predictable sadly.
That detail in 12:48 is amazing! l doubt they would do that nowdays
I've loved this obscure game for at least 20 years.
Oh god it's been 20 years hasn't it?
@@TheCaptainSplatter it really has. I was just a kid when this came out, 11 I think. I'm 33 next month.
Now I need Obscure 1-2 reviews
Showing the cellphone to the god-fearing villagers is a childhood memory I hold dear. That scene was incredible.
I can tell most of the graphical oomph was put into the character models while the environment, and especially those cars, are incredibly low poly. It’s like a high res N64 game
i paid specific attention to the cars because of this and have noticed that the cars theyre showing are modeled after ones you genuinely would see in 2000s germany! vw polos, benz a series cars, all that. neat detail
I can't get over how high Icke is wearing his trousers.
I adore this game. It's quirky and weird and just an amazing, awful time. I highly recommend it to people looking for another David Lynch-esque game like Deadly Premonition.
Not sure if this came before or after full metal alchemist, but you can see the similarities between icke’s and edwards hair. they both have pale skinned , red eyed beings called homonculus and just the setting having this European aesthetic in general.
Shadow of memories was released earlier
I like how this game looks and feels like a late 90s-early 2000s anime
Looks like an N64 game lol
Wait, we can annoy you enough and you'll review a game of our choice?
This is a power we must use wisely...start with Huniepop, you'll love it
Hey now would not give that kind of advice if I was a reviewer myself! Ps love you ratchet and clank content!
Shadow Of Memories was my favourite game growing up, there was no other game like it at all, as the games at the time were either action, sport or adventure. This wasn't even a typical puzzle game either, it was more of a story game with different endings, which makes me think of Life Is Strange game series. I love the music, location, characters, voice acting, the unique storyline and time travel aspect. So much fun to play as a kid when it first came out on PS2.
It's one of those games i remember super fondly!
The depiction of Germany, as imagined by Japanese, is insanely surreal to me as a resident of Germany. Also what kind of a name is Eike? Never heard that one before or since.
The voice acting is... well Martinet as Homunculus is actually GREAT. The rest are not. But then there's the PSP port, which has all new voice cast, which is overall much more passable, but Homunculus is ruined.
But there's a secret to it. The first run which is easy is basically the tutorial. The real game is in bending the reality until you explore all the endings, and that can get ever more complex. Then you get to unlock the TRUE ending, for which you need to have known the revelations from other playthroughs. Have you heard of the Zero Escape games? I'd say those are the closest there is to spiritual sequels.
The PC port was the one i played back in early 2000s. It was fine when you were playing it on era appropriate hardware, but it does have some issues, did even back then. It's identical to the Xbox port, i believe, except for lower quality audio. Nowadays, PC port of course grew a million issues so it got yucky.
old name
Eike is a real German name, but it's not surprising you never encountered it before if you reside anywhere else than Northern Germany. Most Northern German names are very unpopular in the rest of the country.
Holy crap I actually played Time Hollow, I had no idea there was another game from the same creator, though Time Hollow is a VN, so I don't know how much there is in similarities between the two
I'm not sure which game was more aggressively mediocre, this one or Time Hollow.
@@Blayze I don't remember anything from Time Hollow, so that probably tells you enough about my experience with it
@@blckbx0 Not even the bizarrely upbeat time hole music?
@@Blayze I remember the fire and I think there was something going on with the uncle, but I promise you I didn't retain most of the game apparently
The Retsuprae playthrough on this is very very good, and what introduced me to this clusterfuck of a game.
A hidden ps2 gem im glad i finished this game several times.
I could never forgive this game after getting a game over and having to sit through literally half an hour of cutscenes before I could try something else.
Just want to say that there is a cinematographic style that is all about dream like and seemingly detached acting
... Examples of this is twin peaks. A series seemingly every "realistic-style" Japanese game have to be inspired by
PS2 allowed developers to be so creative and off-the-wall, which got us gems like these.
It's spirit lived in through Steam, DS/3DS and now Switch
"ITSA ME-SATANIO!"
"Is it a good... For me to... Destroy, the world...?"
"Bowser means... Nothing, to me..."
"Where is god when you... Need him?"
Super fighter M - Evil Mario
😂😂😂😂😂
Move back in time to prevent tree being planted and replaced with statue looking like you so assasin cannot stab you. Sephiroth's German cousin has his own way to flex I guess.
This was actually one of my first Xbox games. There also is a PSP port. That's where I played it last.
I played it back then. only my version called "shadow of destiny" and demon says that he is Homuncul in the opening
@spindletea Yup, but also name of a character is a huge difference, he literally say I am homuncul and it is more than a name, in has huge meaning in the story
0:53 click to skip ad
You've mentioned that the girl who randomly wants to stay in the past is a writing blemish, but in reality it is not, spoiler:
Babies were swapped in one event, the girl that wanted to stay was actually belonging in that timeline, she felt a connection, the same goes for the other girl too and it was also explained that time and the world likes to balance itself out~
As you saw, to find the reason why anything happens in it, the game requires allot of thinking, exploration and coming to conclusions on your own, even reaching all endings; so everything that you see makes sense~
I've played this game to full completion, there are also "deleted" scenes or unseen ones which some people only accessed via data mining it, featuring alternative endings and more context~
It's one of my fav games, it's a great game~! Your review was good besides that, but it's normal as a proper review of this particular game requires to play and explore every smallest bit of it, which most people can't or won't do~
"Bar zum Ei" is really the best name for a bar I have ever heard
What a the joke
@@Guitar-Dog it's not really a joke, just a dumb funny name
its basically callled egg bar
@@Guitar-Dog it’s German for “Bar to the Egg” or something.
Keep up the awesome work dude! I really love these obscure overlooked games that you do a review on. It really made me start collectiing some
obscure games that didn't gain a lot of attraction. And with that being said, I highly recommend the Disaster Report games in the near future! Theirs
nothing else like them! Keep on keeping on!
Playing this game nighly 10-12 years ago - it will always be a fond memory. Even if the dialogue is sometime ackward, it is a rather genuine and delightful story for anyone that can swallow the premise, and while some might catch onto the twists before they happen in-game, there is no guarantee you'll notice it all. I for one believe I didn't experience Mrs. Eckarts murder, or the aftermath of that. I might have accidently glossed over it on a first playthrough. Antagonists in the game are also totally believable and their motivations are actually driven by something so human that it breaks the awkward dialogue and transcend well-developed design. Just simply gorgeous game.
The PC version isn't that bad now as there is a "fixed" executable that allows it to run on modern day OSes.
Without going into too much detail, I noticed that Homunculus seems different at some times in this game.
Was watching someone play 9 persons, 9 hours, 9 doors, and someone recommended Time Hollow in the comments, now I've come full circle by watching this video. I gotta at least try out both, being a fan of this "genre", if you can call it that.
Bad acting? how dare you. I loved this game.
You tell em' :)
as a german i have to say.. this game captures the look and feel of our small towns/cities pretty well. those names also, especially eike and eckart. they're real german first names but they're not very common.
i wonder what japans fascination with germany is? you get a lot of german sounding town- and peoples names in JRPGS as well.
This game is amazing. I went through and did every ending because it was so weird and thought provoking
I adore games that have passages of time where the world changes in subtle, but noticeable, ways. I wish more inventive games like this came out more often these days. As always, thanks for the great video!
Hell yes, I played this game back in the day based on a recommendation from my cousin. It was certainly weird lol
Is the fortune teller Eike dressing up, like with the street performer?
It's actually Elena, Wagners wife who was sick and died.
Eike Kush is some of the best stuff around, strong but mellow enough to let you understand the plot of the movie.
Urgh such a great game! Ngl the one in the black clothing (demon mario 😂)scared me sooooo much as a kid but this game was so interesting ! That 1 puzzle at the end with the rope took me n my bro agesssssss- a few weeks even, yes we have smooth brain 😂, kinda wished there was a sequel..
I played this game way back when. I think about it fairly often
I wish they remake this game
A 3D exploration story focused game is already gone nowadays
Missed those kind of non-combat games
Always love your videos, man. Good luck with your photography journey! As a fellow photographer (and a fellow Peter), my spirit is with you! Lol
The PSP version has a "better" dub. Well, more professional.
Shit, I need to play Shadow of Memories’ PSP version on the PSP emulator!
You can put it on the PC version too as a mod
genuinely one of my favorite games! glad to see some more buzz for it
Wait a second...I just realized that this game essentially did storytelling the way that The World Ends With You on the DS did...a decade prior.
Woah.
Oh shit, before even continuing: well, where's ThorHighHeels if you're covering this?
Defo one of the "your favorite vidya essayist's essayist." Get em on here.
Yeah this seems like his kind of game
Yeah that would be neat. The willingness to embrace jank would make a nice collaboration
Yessssss thor
@@Guitar-Dog He covered it in a video a _waaaaaay_ while's back. It's come up a few times since then, methinks.
@@audiosurfarchive There are 2 videos; one from 2017 and one from 2015.
Game's name is Shadow of Memories(I forgot the name at the end of this video and had to find it again, so here it is for other people)
I just played this for the first time, and couldn't get enough. It's relaxing, weird, and the story really comes together as you progress. 'Never played anything quite like it.
One of my fav games love this
Holy shit, I saw the trailer for this game on a demo disc when I was around 4 years old and until I clicked on this video I had convinced myself all these years that it was a dream… it’s real
the dedication he had on discord makes anything possible, maybe even sims 2 ds
15:13 It makes more sense when you get the true ending.
I remember playing this on my PSP back in the days. I loved the story so much I tried all the endings. Not so long ago I got the PS2 copy. It's a forgotten gem. I was so happy you made a video about it!
Yes!! I've been wanting someone to talk about this game for ages, it seems like almost noone's heard of it!
I don't know how you continue to find these awesome off the wall games to cover. A new video from your channel is always such a treat.
Finally! I think about this game all the time! Such fond memories
I really love this game back then, the atmosphere is... hard to explain but gold, now its just a memory
This brings me back. I remember not being able to get a certain ending, and there not being many good guides at the time, that I never got it.
YOoo this was, I think (other than Putt Putt and Zoombinis) the first real game I played on PC as a kid. It had a huge influence on my taste in stories and games to this day, so I guess it's no surprise I also adored Time Hollow. Great vid, thank you!
This is absolutely probably my favorite PS2 game ever made. I remember playing this back in the day. Do not play the psp version they got different voice actors and to me it changed the charm of the PS2 version.
I bought a launch PS2 and this was one of the games I was most excited to play. The wait felt like forever.
Made so much sense when you mentioned Time hollow, it did a lot of the same cool time travel stuff!
I bought this game back in the day really enjoyed it. I couldn't remember the name of it so thanks for the vid. Brough back memories. I used to describe it as PS2's Shen Mue to my friends.
Oh wow, Time Hollow. I played that and it's fascinating from memory. Far more linear than this game, but does explore a lot more with time travel and time lines
Oh shit Mr Sunday Movies supports your patreon? That’s so sick!
Cool and underrated
this is my favorite minimme video. I come back to it so many times.
This unlocked a lot of memories for me! I remember having this game and I'm not really sure why I got it, maybe because I mostly enjoyed Japanese games on PS2 or it sounded interesting in an issue of Game Informer. Either way, I definitely want to find a copy and experience this again because I remember it being such a cool concept and I had a lot of fun figuring out the puzzles. I even remember the smell of the Chick Fil A chicken strips I was eating while playing this one afternoon. Thanks for such awesome videos!
I bought this game with my PS2 when it came out in France. One of my fondest memory of that time.
Concerning Deaths and gameovers, if I recall correctly : if you die in the present, you're send to the 'purgatory', but if you for while in the past, you get a game over.
Correct,really fun concept
When you brought up the people in the town having really human problems I thought we were gonna look at the small NPCs and my mind immediately went to the old woman who just roams the street saying "Isn't life just boring?!"
I loved this game.
I enjoyed Time Hollow but it's just a visual novel, to my memory there weren't any branching paths and no where near as complicated as Shadow of Destiny
Actually a vary interesting game loved it good story as well
This actually looks really cool, i love the concept
I got this game when it came out and even though I enjoyed it, I was very disapointed because I finished it on the same day. These days I am not quite as much fussed about the length of a game and more fussed about the quality provided the story feels complete.
You have played one ending. You must play this Game 7 times to see all the cutcenes. And this takes more than a Day!
@@Killbill1933 I can't remember if I was aware of that back then or not.
@@Killbill1933 Just watch the other endings on RUclips.
8:01 me when Preston Garvey tells me I have another settlement to clear out
Man, I love hearing about these weird hidden (unpolished) gems out there. You seem to have a knack for selling them as well, if anyone else was making this video I doubt I'd be interested in actually playing it
i didnt expect this, personal favourite, you didnt even mention the psp's port extra content
I remember this game from a Retsuprae playthrough its truely hilarious.
The guy who voices Mario also voices Alduin. He's a voice actor.
Martinet is credited on just over 150 video games and only 31 are not Mario or a Mario related character. Of course people will associate him with Mario.
Eike looks like a modern day Link.
I remember playing this game A LOT...of course, there wasnt much to play on PS2 in early 2001.
I think it was pretty good.
This just showed up in my Recommendeds, this is a game I haven't thought about for YEARS, but man I loved it back in the day. I remember looking at it over and over in the shop on several visits thinking it looked interesting before finally picking it up.