Episode 3: AD&D Eye of The Beholder

What a steaming pile of shit this game was.  I'm sorry, I meant "Official AD&D Computer Product (TM)" Gadzooks!

The best part of this game was "Steve."

Check out the video review below:

AD&D Eye of the Beholder
Capcom
1994
1/5

Episode 2: ABC Monday Night Football

You remember the first time you played Tecmo Bowl for the NES?  Man, what a good time!  It wasn't exactly a simulation, but it had the same feel for football as NES Ice Hockey had, well, for hockey.  This is to say that it was a very simple, but rewarding experience.  Both games were cartoon-y as hell, featured great music, and were thoroughly Japanese.  It should be pointed out, that neither ice hockey nor football are particularly popular in Japan, ie: the developers had no real grasp of either game.  ABC MNF is cut of the very same cloth.  Data East, best known for it's NES Double Dragon port and it's obese Russian fireball spouting here, Karnov, developed ABC MNF.  

Let's talk about Data East's dramatic opening cinema sequences.  This again reminds of Tecmo's classic, Tecmo Bowl, which uncommon to a sports game, featured cinematic sequences kind of like another famous Tecmo game...NINJA GAIDEN!  I applaud Tecmo for bringing something fun and new to the table with football cinematic sequences.  Heck, they were well done, funny, and entertaining.  ABC MNF's opening sequence more or less directly rips off Tecmo Bowl's famous sequences, and manages to do a worse job, despite having been developed with far better technology.  

This title follows in the time honored video game tradition of acquiring a license, slapping it onto a sub-par product, and taking a fierce dump on the consumer.  In this, ABC MNF excels admirably.  The game makes use of the music, logos, and likeness of the famed football broadcast package, painting a thin, shiny veneer over a pile of steaming dung.  Once you get past the opening trademark MNF "Dun dun dun dun!" music, you are in for a world of pain.

This game is more 10-yard Fight than Madden: the playbook is minuscule; there are no penalties; there are no rosters; there are no trick plays that I could find...  it's just sort of an arcade game that is vaguely football flavored.  Which, would be fine if this game had been released in the NES heyday of it's spiritual ancestors, 10 Yard Fight and Tecmo Bowl.  The problem with that:  Madden had already been released by 1993, was by then in its second iteration, and was already the gold standard of video game football that it is today.  

The most memorable part of the game, even more memorable than the "awesome" opening cinematics, is the presentation.  I'm not even going to attempt to describe this trainwreck; just watch the video.

ABC Monday Night Football

Data East

1993

1/5

Every SNES Game Video Review, episode 1

OK, so it's been a looong time.

But, it has been productive time.  Since my last post, I have built a new PC that's pretty badass.  As a result, I'm happy to announce that Every SNES Game is now switching to a video review format.  Yussss!

Today's review is of the excellent ActRaiser. This is the first installment of hopefully many QUICK reviews of SNES games.

Typically, these videos will be between 5 and 10 minutes long, and I will play each game for either as long as I can stand or until one game over.

This game is called "ActRaiser," and it was released for the SNES in the U.S. in November of 1991.  It is a hybrid game of sorts: a hack and slash RPG with a Sim-City-esque town building simulator tacked onto it.

Video here:


ActRaiser
Enix
November 1991
4/5