Retro Game of the Month November 2017: Soul Blazer (SNES)

Tanoomba · Nov 8, 2017

Yes, November started a while ago, but that's no reason we can't discuss this classic gem from Enix's pre-Square merger heyday!

Soul Blazer (SNES)

Wikipedia Blurb:
Soul Blazer, known in Japan as Soul Blader (ソウルブレイダー Sōru Bureidā), is an action role-playing game for the Super NES developed by Quintet and published by Enix (now Square Enix). Soul Blazer was released on January 31, 1992 in Japan, on November 27, 1992 in North America, and on January 27, 1994 in Europe. The player takes the role of The Master's servant, to destroy monsters and release the captured souls of a world's inhabitants. Soul Blazer was scored by Yukihide Takekawa.

Have at it!

Tanoomba · Nov 8, 2017

Personally, I'm looking forward to playing this again. I did beat it in my teens, but the last time I gave it a genuine effort a few years ago I got stuck in the mermaid town with no idea how to progress. I'm hoping I won't find myself in the same predicament this time.

Szlia is correct in calling the game "grindy", since the main mechanic in the game is hanging around portals, killing every enemy that emerges until it collapses. However, I never really found myself bored while playing it. The attacking is all real-time action, you get progressively stronger as you find new weapons/equipment and gain levels, and it's consistently satisfying to essentially build towns piece by piece as you destroy enemy portals. The graphics are colorful and detailed (albeit unapologetically blocky in the way many SNES games are) and the soundtrack is high-quality, although I consider some of the tunes pretty forgettable (I really like both versions of the town theme, though).

I hope those of you that haven't played it before find something to appreciate.

Ritley · Nov 8, 2017

I’ve played a bit over the last couple of weeks, cleared the first couple of dungeons. I will say that it’s not a bad game, but nostalgia made me remember it being better than it actually is

Ryanz · Nov 8, 2017

I'll boot it up later and give it a whirl.

Szlia · Nov 8, 2017

I played the japanese version back in 92 and I remember there was a number of medals with zodiacal symbols on them you could collect and it was a bit of a headache to get them all... I don't remember if it was mandatory and/or what it unlocked though. I also remember grinding on the last level to reach max xp and make very very light work of the last boss

Cartridge is working and battery seems to be ok. Here we go!

Croetec · Nov 8, 2017

I know you could grind the spike traps in a certain world's dungeon for good xp when you had the sword that let you kill metal enemies.

yimmien · Nov 8, 2017

When you save your game: EEENEY WEENEY WOP

I remember really liking the soundtrack, and finding corners to kill mobs as they spawned and came to you so that they couldnt hit you. Also using R to just leave your sword out for things to impale themselves on.

Szlia · Nov 8, 2017

Killed the bosses of the first two area. As I remembered it's a bit on the grindy side and not much of a challenge (I guess it challenges you to not be reckless). It's not unpleasant though and the town building / dream exploring is charming.

EDIT: 4 way movement feels a bit NESish though...

yimmien · Nov 9, 2017

Dialogue is good.

yimmien · Nov 9, 2017

What an idiot, he was turning the water wheel the wrong way. It only goes 2 directions! I think his brain must be only 8 bit.

Noodleface · Nov 9, 2017

Nice gonna load this up later

TJT · Nov 9, 2017

I'm going to sit this one out but I look forward to reading the thread! Hopefully we choose a game that hits my nostalgia button or something similar as we progress.

Do enjoy gang.

Tanoomba · Nov 9, 2017

yimmien said:
Dialogue is good.

"Hey, you look like you would be good at crab-walking..."

"Butt, you are just walking around doing nothing."

"I am known among my friends as something of a Gourmet Goat."

Maybe I should take pictures of my TV to post screenshots.

I have had mixed results using these as pickup lines.

Fight · Nov 9, 2017

Cool thread Toonboomba bro.

grunt · Nov 9, 2017

I'm a sucker for SNES JRPGs. But I never picked up Soul Blazer. Also, I loved other Enix games of the time, such as E.V.O.: Search for Eden and Actraiser. Actraiser was even developed by Quintet as well.

I'll give it a shot on RetroArch, see how it stands up to the test of time.

McCheese · Nov 9, 2017

Awesome, I'll load this up this weekend and give it a shot. Never played it back in the day, never even heard of it actually, so I'm going in completely blind. Should be fun.

Needless · Nov 9, 2017

extra long weekend, i'll play through this since i never got around to it back in the day. Should be cool~

Fogel · Nov 9, 2017

grunt said:
I'm a sucker for SNES JRPGs. But I never picked up Soul Blazer. Also, I loved other Enix games of the time, such as E.V.O.: Search for Eden and Actraiser. Actraiser was even developed by Quintet as well.

I'll give it a shot on RetroArch, see how it stands up to the test of time.

It's actually a spin off of act raiser, as the "master" you talk to and save at the shrine is the master from act raiser 1.

Tanoomba · Nov 9, 2017

grunt said:
I'm a sucker for SNES JRPGs. But I never picked up Soul Blazer. Also, I loved other Enix games of the time, such as E.V.O.: Search for Eden and Actraiser. Actraiser was even developed by Quintet as well.

I'll give it a shot on RetroArch, see how it stands up to the test of time.

Fogel said:
It's actually a spin off of act raiser, as the "master" you talk to and save at the shrine is the master from act raiser 1.

I was actually just wondering if the same team developed both games. I didn't realize Soul Blazer was a spinoff, but there are definite thematic connections. In both games, you go back and forth between real-time sword-slashing action and town-based segments. The actions in one mode feed into the other mode, making them feel like part of a whole where your actions have consequences (even if it's just unlocking a new spell or item). Neat!

Szlia · Nov 9, 2017

You will notice that a lot of the sound effects are identical in Actraiser, Actraiser 2 and Soul Blader/Soul Blazer (and possibly in other Quintet games). The 'ow' the character makes when getting hurt, the metallic sound of invulnerable enemies, etc... the score is not made by the same composer though.

Retro Game of the Month November 2017: Soul Blazer (SNES)

ジョーディーすれいやー

ジョーディーすれいやー

Bronze Baron of the Realm

Member

Lord Nagafen Raider

Molten Core Raider

Member

Molten Core Raider

Molten Core Raider

A Mod Real Quick

Mr. Poopybutthole

ジョーディーすれいやー

Ahn'Qiraj Raider

N00b

SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk

Toe Sucker

Mr. Poopybutthole

ジョーディーすれいやー

Member