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alienjesus
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June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Language

by alienjesus Sat Jun 01, 2019 3:30 am

June's Together Retro theme has been decided, and we all decided we wanted to play some fan translations.

I'm not a stickler for the rules - the idea is to play fan translated games that never came out in your region originally, but if you want to play stuff like Mother or Monster World IV that eventually got official translations years later that's fine. Same if you want to play a fan translated game without the fan translation - just stick to game that did get a translation so other can discuss if they want to play it too!

My plans are to tackle Fire Emblem: Seisen No Keifu for the Super Famicom and Mother 3 for GBA, but I hope people play lots of good stuff. Ask for recommendations - I have a whole bunch (Marvelous on Super Famicom and For The Frog The Bell Tolls on Game Boy are both excellent!).

Looking forward to discussing with all of you!
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MrPopo
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by MrPopo Sat Jun 01, 2019 9:58 am

So I'm just about done replaying Shining Force III Scenario 1 because I lost my original save years ago. Then I'll be playing through Scenarios 2 and 3 to finally experience the trilogy.
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BoneSnapDeez
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by BoneSnapDeez Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:15 am

I actually started Xak III a few days ago. This isn't some huge epic, I think I may actually be in the final dungeon!

Gameplay is markedly different compared to the first two titles. It's much more console-like with button combat. It generally works okay, albeit a little stiff. This is a super-linear ARPG. It's reminiscent of Exile, where the world map isn't explorable. Instead you simply choose icons to head to specific destinations, and the game will only make one or two areas available at a given time. If you get stuck there's also a "hint" system where the characters will talk to each other and discuss their next move; it's exactly the same thing featured in Emerald Dragon. Oh yeah, there are AI allies. They're reasonably smart, and can't get stuck on scenery, but their HP/MP isn't displayed onscreen which is a tad irritating.

There's a lot of text here. Too much, really. Interactions between individual characters can be charming, but the plot is a convoluted mess I stopped caring about several hours ago. Kudos to the fan translators though. They had a lot to work with, and did a reasonably good job...

E X C E P T
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Oh fuck me.

Yes, indeed, the unhinged ranting boomer known as "Nightwolve" was involved in this translation, and just couldn't help himself. Similar sentiments are also expressed in the Read Me file. No idea why the man's translation comrades didn't nix this nonsense. And this is the game's first NPC too! "Hilarious" first impression, dudes. Even Big Dic Vic Ireland never pulled something so... dumb.

Anyhow, great game and flawless translation, aside from this initial Hannity bit. I'm enjoying myself.
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Gunstar Green
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by Gunstar Green Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:23 am

Holy shit that's equal parts incredible and terrible.
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prfsnl_gmr
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by prfsnl_gmr Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:01 am

I’ll most certainly complete the first generation in PSIII today , and I may take a break to play PS Adventure and PS Gaiden. My big game for this month, however, will likely be Shadow Tower Abyss.
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Nemoide
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by Nemoide Sat Jun 01, 2019 12:41 pm

I've bought myself a spindle of CD-Rs for the first time in many years so I'll be ready to place Policenauts on the Sega Saturn!

I'm going to do this the hard/legit way by actually ripping my own discs and then patching them. Thankfully Ziggy587 wrote a guide for burning retro games which I'll be using and the Policenauts translation-patch readme has specific instructions. I'll figure this out!
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BoneSnapDeez
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by BoneSnapDeez Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:43 pm

Okay, I guess I was right about being close to the end. I just beat Xak III.

Very solid game. A bit on the easy side, in terms of both navigation and combat. Probably good news overall -- there's no walkthrough of the game available online (at least not in English) and I was still able to sail through this one relatively unscathed. The final dungeon was a bit too long and overindulgent (shades of Ys...) and I really don't care for block-pushing puzzles in ARPGs.

But yeah, glad I played this. Pretty fantastic. I still prefer Xak I & II with it's faster gameplay, bump combat, and catchier soundtrack, but I suspect most here would find Xak III the more pleasing option.
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Jagosaurus
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by Jagosaurus Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:27 pm

Is Sweet Home on NES/SFC realistically doable without a FAQ or will I be pulling my hair out? I seem to remember reading there were tough puzzle elements, or the need to do things in a specific sequence of events with little direction?

Nemoide wrote:I'm going to do this the hard/legit way by actually ripping my own discs and then patching them.


Kudos. Gangster on burning the patched disc. Running Pseudo Saturn or mod chip?

I was always tempted to buy the nice patched prints of the SFIII scenarios that were put out with cover & DVD art.

BoneSnapDeez wrote:Okay, I guess I was right about being close to the end. I just beat Xak III.


I was already thinking... this month has Bone written all over it... open thread for 1st time to see he's already beaten a game :lol:

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MrPopo
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by MrPopo Sun Jun 02, 2019 2:54 am

So it's interesting seeing all the little enhancements that went into Scenario 2, even though it only came out 4 months after Scenario 1. There's more detail on the textures and models, they changed up the battle sequences to make it more obvious who is on what terrain (similar to what SF1 & 2 did with the terrain under your feet in battle), they improved the animations (your caster jumps in the air and swings her staff down to cast, rather than just raising her staff), and when you level up you get a triumphant fanfare and a victory pose, rather than it just being extra text. I'm getting the sense that they made sure they had all the scenarios worked out by the time Scenario 1 shipped and then spent the extra time in between games (which they wanted to have so players could finish each one) working on polish. I wonder if Scenario 3 will have additional polish over Scenario 2.
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pierrot
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Re: June Together Retro 2019 - Now You're Talking My Languag

by pierrot Sun Jun 02, 2019 4:44 pm

How did you get through Scenario 1 so quickly, Popo? I had the all three scenarios on my summer games challenge a number of years ago, and after something like an hour of story setup that I didn't really care about, before the first bit of combat, then another hour or so of story setup, I just didn't have enough ambition left to see it through. The battles felt a bit janky, too. That couldn't have helped my motivation. Interesting note about the improvements between chapters. I've booted the other two scenarios up in the past, for testing purposes, and dinked around a little bit in their intro sequences, but not enough to really notice any differences, I guess.


I'm working on finishing up Madou Monogatari for the Saturn, but after that I'm probably going play SMT II on the SFC finally. (It has a fan translation, right?) That should also kind of work as a summer game challenge game, too. I might also go with Policenauts on the Saturn. I was thinking of finally playing it this year, even though I've been holding off for years now, waiting for a time when I could use the lightgun with it. I'll probably just play with the shuttle mouse, and call it good.

Another option, potentially, is the other three Tantei Jinguuji Saburo games on the early collection, that I still haven't gotten into yet. These were later released in the West as a collection of remakes for the DS, under the name Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles.
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