Super Nintendo Sunday

This is the game I choose to follow up my last "Super Nintendo Sunday:" E.V.O. Search for Eden. This game was Spore before Spore was Spore. But, far from the critical acclaim of Will Wright's evolutionary epic lies E.V.O., and I can only hope that not everyone has played this game so my review of it will make some kind of impact on people. For those who have played it, comparing it to Spore may seem undeserving.

E.V.O. Search for Eden is a surprisingly addicting game. It may be that just the most simple of games are always the most addicting (look at Peggle) but that wouldn't be giving enough credit to the game itself. The point of the game is to grow and evolve. This is done by attacking - eating, I guess - other organisms. The spirit of the Earth has contacted you and hopes for you to grow into the best you can be. She seems like a nice lady, which makes me wonder what was so unimportant about all the creatures you'll spend your time eating. The game starts like you would expect a game about evolution to start: in the ocean as a small fish thing. You begin by eating what you can and running from what you can't, earning points which you use to upgrade yourself. The best bet is usually to buy something to help you attack stronger things, which earns you more points quicker.

Soon enough, you'll be on land with the rest of the more evolved races and you'll be using things your little fish guy never even dreamed of - like feet. From the small, four-legged, cat-from-hell like thing you'll become on land, you continue to find more souls to devour in order to feed your lust for evolution. Always the point is to grow, which I guess makes sense. Do the best you can with what you got, until you can get something better. That can maybe be related to all games, but with the evolution theme of this game, it rings even more truly. I have a feeling that if this game came out today, there would be an uprising among "the right" on account of the unfair presentation (or lack) of the argument for "intelligent design." Anyway, that's neither here nor there, but the fact that this game relies so heavily on something many people see as a hot-button topic remains interesting.

The actual gameplay, however, is not. Like I said, you go around attacking people in order to gain "EVO points" which you use to buy teeth which you use to eat other animals which gain points etc., etc. It's pretty monotonous, but it has its ups and downs. For instance, the process of going from sea, earth, and eventually air and beyond is a lot of fun. There's a sense of satisfaction from evolving into something that can eat bigger and bigger things. I think it's akin to the same feeling one gets in an RPG after you level-up and are finally able the beat that next big boss. What's more than that is how compelled you'll be to keep on going. The task never changes, but you'll always want to do it. Even when it's not fun anymore, you feel a strange urge to keep playing and eating others who aren't as evolved as you. Survival of the fittest in full effect. Maybe it stands as a testament to the major theme of evolution that E.V.O. is not a recognizable title to many people, but there are countless others who know exactly what Spore is.

With E.V.O., the question is, "Is it ok that the game loses its appeal after a while, even though it continues to be played?" The answer is No. Videogames are meant to be enjoyable and no one creates a game in hope that it won't be. I'm sure many people don't expect much from such a dated game, but it's on the SNES, not the Atari 7800. There isn't any dialog worth reading, the soundtrack is easily forgettable and the gameplay never changes. What does change is how you decide to form your own body, which has potential in that there can be many different and creative body types, but loses some ground when you realize that the best weapons (teeth) are still the most helpful. I like the premise, I do, but the game gets tedious. I'm not asking for a non-stop action game or an in-depth RPG with a little humor tossed in. But I am asking for more to a game than just moving and eating, over and over.

3/5 Average Score! Not Too Bad! Not Too Good!

Super Nintendo Sunday

I know, I know, another Nintendo review, and one that's on an even older system than all the others. But, what you're missing is that there won't be a big name Nintendo release until Metroid: Other M on August 31st, which means, until then, I'll need something to tie over my Nintendo needs. So I've come to this conclusion: review classic titles on what could be the best home console ever - the Super Nintendo Entertainment System - because... well, "Super Nintendo Sunday" has a nice ring to it. Not to mention that many of the games I love are on this system and, at the very least, it will be a source for good ol' nostalgia if not someone's inspiration to go out and try the spotlighted game. The first game to grace our "Super Nintendo Sunday" is an odd little thing that not everyone has played before, but still many people are in love with. If you haven't already guessed by the box art and title above, that game is Earthbound (1995). Now don't get confused, but this game's also known as Mother 2 in Japan and was a sequel to Mother, a released-only-in-Japan game that really has no connection whatsoever to Earthbound.

To start, I have to say that this game is quirky and humorous, which not everyone will appreciate. Some won't even tolerate it. If you're like me, then the silly jokes will be wasted on you. But fret not! The fun gameplay and story more than make up for the odd battles and off-the-wall humor. Earthbound is a turn-based RPG, in which you play as a young boy, Ness, who was born with psychic powers. The game starts off with a meteorite crashing on top of a hill right next to Ness' house. Ness quickly gets lured into helping his neighbor, Pokey, who has lost his little brother (who of course has to be at the meteorite). Once Ness gets to the meteorite and finds the wayward child, another (unusual) character appears and tells Ness he is the "boy of prohecy" and that he, along with three other friends, will save the future from the evil Giygas. This of course starts the grand adventure of travelling across the world, finding and recording "Your Sanctuary" spots, and, like any other RPG, assembling a team.

If you're expecting some run-of-the-mill JRPG experience, you'll be pleasantly surprised by all the little things that make Earthbound stand out among the rest. For one, every battle takes you to a screen with a crazy moving background that has the enemy in the forefront, the battle options on the top, and party member's status on the bottom. You don't see Ness or anyone else except the enemy and weird designs swirling around behind it. Even the attacks are just strange looking designs being aimed at the opponent. At first this is all ridiculous and, personally, I was turned off by it, but I kept playing because I was assured it would get better and boy did it ever. The battle system may be unnerving at first but that's part of this game's charm. Every aspect of the weirdness and little peculiarities are what make Earthbound great. The broad range of enemies are also very distinct when compared to other RPGs. Ness starts by fighting dogs and birds, but moves up through ants, moles, teenage punks, zombies, dinosaurs, mummies, stop signs, robots, aliens, and taxis. Not to mention at one point you even get to fight your own inner demons. Where else can you get all that?

I've already mentioned the quirky sense of humor present throughout this game and I hope people will come to see it as endearing, as I have, instead of annoying. If you really have no sense of humor at all then this probably isn't the game for you since it's pretty much a non-stop thing. This game is funny. Even better than that is this game is fun. The experience you get while playing this game is not one of frustration from too-difficult puzzles or boredom from grinding in order to beat that tough next boss. Rather, you're bombarded with the silly mood of it all. Things happen and you have no idea why sometimes (but you'll find out). Nearly every moment in this game is meant to be seen as a fun, simple, enjoyable time. I use "simple" meaning that the gameplay never gets overly complex, not to refer to the games difficulty level. There are some enemies you will run from and some bosses you'll probably have to play a few times to understand how to beat them, but the gameplay always remains the same. Each character has the same amount of inventory space and only certain items can be used by certain party members. This involves the player more by making space-management (what to keep and where to keep it) a must.

I never worried about where the game was going. I was involved with the characters and the story, which means Earthbound succeeds at being compelling, and I never stopped to question just what the hell is going on. With a game like this, you can't. It's not cerebral, but there are many things happening and many places to keep straight. Do you remember that guy in the very beginning of the game, standing outside of his house? No? Well go find him, he has something to show you children. Down in his underground caves. Apparently 1995 was a much more innocent time. Or maybe you can chalk it up to Japan being Japan. I don't know, but I'm sure I love it. But I love many things about this game.

The soundtrack even. Being on the SNES doesn't allow for an orchestra like today's Nintendo games, but that doesn't make the effects any less memorable. I've sat on the couch watching a movie, heard my friend load this up on his computer, and rushed over to watch him play instead. Even to watch, it's a fantastic game. The visuals are dated and there are likely a few who won't be able to stand the low quality, but to those few I say, "stop it." The Super Nintendo looked great and still does. If you want a game to look totally realistic, then Nintendo games on the whole aren't for you. Besides, Earthbound is proud of it's unrealistic temperament. The story progresses naturally but does get a little out of hand by the time you meet up with your last team member. The genius of this game is that it never makes you stop and think, "this is stupid nonsense" - it's just too much fun.

4.5/5 Near Perfect Score! Classic Dope!