Written: September 8th-14th, 2013
Year: 1993 | Developed by: HAL Laboratory
Published by: SquareSoft | [|O|]
Last year I made an impressions post about this game, but it only had one screenshot and three paragraphs. I wanted to express my thoughts a little more this time around, in a bit more detail.
So, before I talk about the game, I'm going to share a brief little story. Ever since I played DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no DokiDoki Daibōken on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console (the only SFC import in the American VC service) back in 2008, not to mention often visiting RVGFanatic's "Obscure SFC Hub" section of reviews (I still do sometimes), I've been inspired, curious about and wanted to play more Super Famicom games. But there was one problem: at the time I played that game, I didn't have an SNES console, and after being loaned an SNES console several months later by one of my cousins (as well as some of his games), the problem was I could not import.
I heard that it was possible to play SFC games on an SNES if you modded that console, and as enticing as that thought was I just could not bring myself to do it as I heard that the console would no longer be working if one wrong move was made. So because of that I refused to put my console in harm's way (I wouldn't have had the heart to do it anyway), but it wouldn't be until four years later (in 2012) that I would begin importing SFC games. And now the following, which is brought to you by learning things the hard way. =|
Any time I'm on eBay, there will always be descriptions pertaining to the item, what it's condition is, and what capabilities it can do. I often read that a Game Genie, aside from accessing elements that weren't in the final product or is a tool to help one play with enabled settings (ergo, cheat), was also able to play Super Famicom games. So I decided to import both it and the game on the same day, and for my first Super Famicom cartridge I wanted to start by buying something a bit cheaper, and Alcahest was the first game that came to mind (since I looked up some interesting things about it). The Game Genie arrived first, but since the cartridge for Alcahest was flying from Japan it would take a little longer for it to arrive, and once it finally came on May 22nd I was excited. =) Unfortunately, it did not last long. =<
Naturally the first thing I did was try to fit the cartridge in the Game Genie peripheral, but one of the first things I noticed about the game cartridge was how different it was in shape and size compared to the SNES games from America. The NTSC games would fit on the Game Genie, but the main issue was the flap on said peripheral cartridge which meant you had to make sure it doesn't break. It was a pretty heavy blow for me, but I learned the hard way that day that
Super Famicom games would not fit on the Game Genie, thereby dashing my hopes of importing further 16-bit Nintendo games from Japan. I would not have gotten a Game Genie if it did not have that description on eBay. Either a) there is a Game Genie peripheral cartridge I don't know of that is capable of doing such wonders and I got stuck with an inferior version; or b)
Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me at all if it was the latter, because there are some sellers that will try to con the buyers into getting what they least suspect to be an inferior product and/or it may not pull through to the promises it claims. Game Genie; it doesn't help any that I don't use it all that often, and any time I tried to access a code with it before it wouldn't work. Basically I'm a Game Genie illiterate, and while I don't regret buying it, it wasn't worth the disappointment. =(
As a result I was a little despondent about those series of events, that is, until I went to the 3D Games store a couple days later. That day I bought three SNES games (one of them being Pocky & Rocky), but I've also noticed something; something that I've never taken into consideration as much before: a Retro Duo console. Capable of playing not only NES games but SNES games as well, I remember having looked up that it allowed you to play Super Famicom games from Japan (I even got to try one of the games there before buying it). All hope was restored! =D
Buying a Retro Duo - one of the best gaming decisions I ever made! =D |
So the following Thursday I decided to pay another visit to buy the Retro Duo (mascot edition), which was being sold at a decent price in my opinion, and when I brought it home that day I fit Alcahest in the front slot; and once I turned it on, guess what? It worked!!! Yaaaaaaaay! =D I was so happy that day; May 31st will be a day I'll always remember. At the moment I've got seventeen Super Famicom games, so how has my experience been with my first ever SFC cart? Well, whatever the case; it was well worth the wait! =)
Now then, let's talk about one of HAL Laboratory's more obscure titles that sadly never hit the West even to this day: Alcahest!
A long time ago, there was a time when the people prospered greatly, until a menacing entity called Alcahest, God of Destruction, was trying to wreak havoc to the land and people that lived there. Fortunately, a hero came!
That fateful night, the legendary hero (who looks strikingly similar to bare-legged Simon Belmont from his later Castlevania games) lay Alcahest to rest once and for all with the aid of the four Guardians.
Or so it seemed! A thousand years have passed since then, and for the most part things have gone well. In time though, there have been forces that have been planning for a while to attempt the God of Destruction's resurrection, but who will stop them this time? A millennium is a pretty long time, you know.
Luckily, our savior has been summoned and found by a Guardian as he was in a tight spot. His name is Alen, and he is the last descendant of the legendary hero. It's going to be a long journey, and he'll need all the help he can get; will he be successful in stopping the evil forces and possibly accomplish what his late ancestor could one thousand years ago?
Only by defeating this Guardian boss will Alen prove his worthiness |
Garstein
This young intellectual wizard has got magic that will serve you greatly. Not only does Garstein have magic powers that homes in on enemies, but also an explosive spell that will dispel a group of enemies or cause some potent damage during boss battles.
Elikshil
The princess of the land, she agrees to join Alen when he lets her know that he may be the newest legendary warrior and after a town has been destroyed during an invasion. She shoots small projectiles straight ahead and masters the prowess of healing.
Sirius
This serious-looking relative of Dirk the Daring is a well-known knight, and one that tried to stop the forces himself. After getting stuck together, he decides to ally with Alen and bring forth justice. His special capabilities are a multi-shot technique (which makes him look as if he's using a machine gun; odd that it occurs in an alternate time period with no pistols of any kind) and he carries a powerful whip that is incredibly long that it makes the whips from the Castlevania series blush.
Magna
This advanced android is a man-like machine. He's a good helper, and his regular attacks are charging large round shots which ricochet off walls (huh, when did this suddenly become Turrican?); as for his special attack, he fires a slew of rockets as time temporarily freezes over which are either powerful enough to destroy enemies or can deal enough damage to certain bosses.
Nevis
This goddess who is literally from a different planet is the last partner that will join you in the game, but not before you challenge her first. She does roundhouse kicks which will fire up a flurry of ice attacks all above her, and she can transform into a fire-breathing dragon too! That's awesome!
Slaying a dragon then saving the princess? Screw that crap! How about slaying a dragon alongside a princess instead??? =D |
These labyrinthine-like sewers are one of the game's most atmospheric of areas |
Hey, I didn't know that the Master from ActRaiser 2 made a cameo here! =O |
You can't tell from looking at it out of motion, but the rain effects are simple yet pretty to look at |
Airship, a great place to be! =) |
If it helps, try walking in the opposite direction you're facing |
Human Enemy Soldier: "Hey, there's an intruder in this castle, get him!!!"
*walks menacingly towards intruder*
Niiiiice mecha dog...! Gooooood mecha dog...! D= |
The soundtrack, like the majority of HAL Laboratory's library of games (mostly consisting of the Kirby series), was composed by none other than the talented and underrated Jun Ishikawa. And I'm going to be right upfront with you: this is literally one of the best soundtracks I've heard from a Super Famicom game, and that says a lot! It's somewhere in my Top 5 SFC video game music list. First of all, there's his trademark sound style, so expect some great unique sound quality. Secondly, every single song matches perfectly with each area that they accompany. Thirdly and finally, the sense of atmosphere in Alcahest is very high because the music works so well! =D *nods approvingly*
I love these dialogue sequences =) |
The title music sounds both cheerful and epic (if that makes sense), and it really invites you to start your adventure. The intro is theme dark, adventurous, and sets you up for a grand adventure. The volcano theme is dark yet mysterious, the sewer theme is very slow and ambient, the castle dungeon theme is one of the best songs in the game sounding consistently heroic, the airship theme is filled with high energy and gives you a soaring feeling, the lost advanced labyrinth sounds quiet yet intriguing, and the space theme is epic. The various boss themes are all great; one of them is incredibly ominous and dark (it works best when you play the game as opposed to out of context). The theme for when you get introduced to a new Guardian is very mystical, the credits theme is wonderful, and the ending themes are truly rewarding to hear once the adventure is over (particularly the first of the two). Fun fact: the sound effects are nice, and a lot of them would eventually be recycled for Kirby Super Star.
A cool thing about Alcahest is that there is a sound test in the options screen (yes, there's an options screen in an RPG! I know, mindblown!), and if you wait a little while after the ending message "End" appears, then the soundtrack will be playing from the beginning (a couple of songs are even longer in length than the in-game moments showcase), which makes video game music lovers such as myself giddy with joy. In short, I love Alcahest's music so much, it's pleasant to listen to, and since I'm a nice blogger I'll share with you the links to some of the best the soundtrack has to offer found on YouTube: "Sewer", "Title", "Dungeon", "Cave", "Big Boss 2", "Friends", and "Alcahest (First Form)". Enjoy!!! =D
Right then, let's talk difficulty! One of the things I looked about up about this game before having played it was that aside from the fact that it was made by HAL Laboratory, it was an A-RPG that consisted of chapters and that it did not have battery back-up at all, which meant that if you wanted to pick up where you left off you had to use passwords. What kind of RPG relies on passwords anyway? I know, it sounds fairly unusual for the genre but if you're willing to stick with it to the very end it can be beaten in one sitting. Another thing that I found intriguing about this RPG in particular: Alen does not have infinite continues, there are a set amount of lives. =O Don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds... for the most part. Oh, and if for some reason you cannot bring yourself to continue, don't worry; HAL has got you covered big time!
Yyyyyyeah, want my advice? =/ Play it in one sitting, or if you don't have the time to do it, then I recommend you take a photo of the stage title's overall kanji, because chances are if you attempt to write the kanji by hand it will not appear the same (not to mention some bits of kanji appear in various increments). Some titles are shorter than others, and fortunately they can be accessed when you pause the game and any time you see the next chapter title.
Alcahest is an ARPG that's got not one, not two, not three, but four difficulty settings! If you decide to play it on Easy mode you'll start off with eight lives, if you choose Normal you'll begin with five lives, on Hard you commence with three lives, and should you accept the task of playing the Pro difficulty mode then you'll start off with zero lives. Don't worry, though, since this is an RPG you will be earning experience points by defeating enemies and bosses (reaching a certain incremental score will give you another life); the bigger the amount of lives you have the more points it will take to get new ones. Losing a life, however, will start your experience point count back to zero however, so bear that in mind. The game is linear due to its chapter system, but luckily most chapters have areas you can navigate around; thorough searching is also key if you wish to get an important item that will allow you to progress a little forward (save for one chapter, there are four special items exclusively used during the individual chapters you're playing). Examples of these vital items include boots that enable you to walk on lava without sustaining damage, keys that will unlock certain doors, hammers that break blocked caves that either conceal a treasure chest or secret entrance, and an item that makes you access an elevator.
And since this is a HAL Laboratory title, expect some enemy respawning if you left a screen portion of an area and then came back to said screen portion. A lot of the bosses have second forms, and in a few moments it can sort of feel like a boss-a-thon where you fight boss after boss. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, if you can handle the challenge. There are a few differences between each mode, boss attacks will either go faster or slower depending on the difficulty, and then there's the grail. Since Alen is the only character you're controlling he is the only character that takes damage, thus Alen is the only one that can die. On Easy you'll start off with a grail by your side if you died, and what the grail does is that it revives you after you lose all your health but it doesn't refill it whole. On Normal and Hard you have to find it in a chest (search every one of them; you never know if one will contain a health increase, health restoring, MP increase, MP restoring, SP, et al; sometimes enemies will drop one of said items). On Pro you do not have the grail at all, so be careful.
There is one room later on that will stump you for a little while (I know that it stumped me the first time I played it), with six tiles that you must step on in a certain order to gain access to the next room. I'm not telling what the answer is, but you can look up information on the items you obtained when going to the menu. Each section of each chapter takes several minutes to complete, and most times it takes over ten minutes to beat a chapter. Regardless of what you do, a little trial and error is required. Each boss has a pattern to follow, and how much damage they take depend on which Guardian you use against them or which powerfully charged sword attack you use on them. Experimenting is key, I love that! =) The last two chapters are basically a rehash of the bosses you've fought in the past, with a couple new ones in the mix.
If there's one downside to Alcahest is Alcahest himself; he takes way too much damage to kill, and his first form is more annoying because he constantly keeps moving and covering his weak spot. The second form is less annoying, but it still takes long to oust him; you must especially be careful since he (and his powers) can damage you badly. As a result of this, the final boss is the one you'll be fighting the longest in the entire game (around seven to ten minutes, if not longer); and trust me, it's going to take you several tries until you defeat him successfully. >=( None of the hardest of the bosses comes close to this entity; you must conserve and use a companion's SP and Guardian's MP wisely. But it's all worth it to see the ending, I promise, since it rewards you for your hard efforts (unlike Arcana's ending, which was absolute and complete shit). Perseverance will help you prevail. =)
So on the whole, I love Alcahest! =) Yeah the final boss does drag on for a bit, a few portions of the game are longer than they need to be, and playing on the hardest difficulty setting will prove to be quite a challenge to overcome. But overall, I think this is a highly great and well-crafted ARPG. The soundtrack is some of the best ever heard in the console, the serious-looking visuals and anime-like profiles are really good, the gameplay is mostly rock solid and intuitive, and a lot of these chapters' areas are well-designed. If there's one minor problem I have with the game is that it's rather short considering its genre, but depending on how you do (or if you feel like looking for every treasure chest) or how many lives you lose it might take about two and a half to three hours tops to beat Alcahest. And that's too bad, 'cause otherwise it would've been a better game; on the other hand, though, it's probably for the best that it ended before it would begin to drag on too long. Also how many RPGs do you know of that have actually horses in them? =)
A cool thing about Alcahest is that there is a sound test in the options screen (yes, there's an options screen in an RPG! I know, mindblown!), and if you wait a little while after the ending message "End" appears, then the soundtrack will be playing from the beginning (a couple of songs are even longer in length than the in-game moments showcase), which makes video game music lovers such as myself giddy with joy. In short, I love Alcahest's music so much, it's pleasant to listen to, and since I'm a nice blogger I'll share with you the links to some of the best the soundtrack has to offer found on YouTube: "Sewer", "Title", "Dungeon", "Cave", "Big Boss 2", "Friends", and "Alcahest (First Form)". Enjoy!!! =D
No, the solution to this puzzle is not what you think it is (as enticing as it looks) |
Yyyyyyeah, want my advice? =/ Play it in one sitting, or if you don't have the time to do it, then I recommend you take a photo of the stage title's overall kanji, because chances are if you attempt to write the kanji by hand it will not appear the same (not to mention some bits of kanji appear in various increments). Some titles are shorter than others, and fortunately they can be accessed when you pause the game and any time you see the next chapter title.
Now how many ARPGs do you know of that have at least one setting be in outer space? |
And since this is a HAL Laboratory title, expect some enemy respawning if you left a screen portion of an area and then came back to said screen portion. A lot of the bosses have second forms, and in a few moments it can sort of feel like a boss-a-thon where you fight boss after boss. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, if you can handle the challenge. There are a few differences between each mode, boss attacks will either go faster or slower depending on the difficulty, and then there's the grail. Since Alen is the only character you're controlling he is the only character that takes damage, thus Alen is the only one that can die. On Easy you'll start off with a grail by your side if you died, and what the grail does is that it revives you after you lose all your health but it doesn't refill it whole. On Normal and Hard you have to find it in a chest (search every one of them; you never know if one will contain a health increase, health restoring, MP increase, MP restoring, SP, et al; sometimes enemies will drop one of said items). On Pro you do not have the grail at all, so be careful.
There is one room later on that will stump you for a little while (I know that it stumped me the first time I played it), with six tiles that you must step on in a certain order to gain access to the next room. I'm not telling what the answer is, but you can look up information on the items you obtained when going to the menu. Each section of each chapter takes several minutes to complete, and most times it takes over ten minutes to beat a chapter. Regardless of what you do, a little trial and error is required. Each boss has a pattern to follow, and how much damage they take depend on which Guardian you use against them or which powerfully charged sword attack you use on them. Experimenting is key, I love that! =) The last two chapters are basically a rehash of the bosses you've fought in the past, with a couple new ones in the mix.
If there's one downside to Alcahest is Alcahest himself; he takes way too much damage to kill, and his first form is more annoying because he constantly keeps moving and covering his weak spot. The second form is less annoying, but it still takes long to oust him; you must especially be careful since he (and his powers) can damage you badly. As a result of this, the final boss is the one you'll be fighting the longest in the entire game (around seven to ten minutes, if not longer); and trust me, it's going to take you several tries until you defeat him successfully. >=( None of the hardest of the bosses comes close to this entity; you must conserve and use a companion's SP and Guardian's MP wisely. But it's all worth it to see the ending, I promise, since it rewards you for your hard efforts (unlike Arcana's ending, which was absolute and complete shit). Perseverance will help you prevail. =)
Go Nevis, go! |
Yes, there's actual horseback riding in an RPG, I can't think of many games in the genre that had that. In a genre that usually has dogs, cats, sheep, birds, deer, cows, and other animals, it's refreshing to see an RPG with horses in them (they're also one of my favorite animals, so I guess that makes it better). Tenchi Sōzō (Terranigma) didn't have any horses in it, and that game is the best Super Famicom title ever (in my eyes)! When I first saw it I could not believe my eyes, but it truly happened. That's just awesome! =D
Despite being entirely in Japanese, it's actually pretty manageable to play without a guide due to its linearity and arcade-like substance. The amount of challenge is good, and beating it in the hardest difficulty setting will prove to be most rewarding! I felt like I was whisked into another world entirely when playing this game; and to be fair, that same assessment could be applied to any game I played that's got Japanese dialogue in it. When I bought a Retro Duo and got to play Alcahest for the first time, the console opened up a new world of possibilities for me, and it allowed me to explore more and broaden my horizons. In retrospect, Alcahest may have been a weird choice for my first SFC cart (hey, when trying new things, you have to start slow), but I don't regret it one bit. If you're a fan of Kirby or HAL Laboratory games in general, I think you should check this game out and import it. It's full of surprises plus it offers an engaging two-plus hours of fun adventure! =)
I do think it's a shame that there are sellers on eBay that boast how Super Famicom games can be played on a Game Genie, because the truth is they can't. Had they not made the description and gave me high hopes I would've never got the peripheral cartridge to begin with. But I suppose I cannot be too mad; had I not done so, I probably would've never considered getting a Retro Duo after heading to 3D Games, and I would've never have a current collection of seventeen physical Super Famicom cartridges. With all that said, I only have one thing to say: I love you, Retro Duo, you opened up a new world that I at one point never would've thought was possible and gave me hope again when I felt despondent. =) Thank you! *hugs Retro Duo console*
(Any time I listen to this brief song it gives me chills)
I used to find Arcana better than Alcahest, but over time I've grown more fond of Alcahest and love it even more than Arcana. I must find some way to make it official! =D
Re-review Arcana.
Uh, what? o_o
Re-review Arcana!
Oh, do I have to? =(
You gave that game in your original review a 9! A freaking 9!! That's too high for that game, you know that!!!
I was young, I didn't know any better! And besides, it's not like I've changed my perception of the game drastically!
Oh, that's not true! You have changed your perception of Arcana to some degree, don't lie to yourself!
But it's a hard game to talk about, fairly under-appreciated by a bulk of the gaming crowd that's played it.
Then make it un-hard to talk about!
But...
DO IT, OR YOU'RE FIRED!!!
Fiiiiine!!!! -_- One of my future reviews will be of Arcana. Dammit, I blame myself! =(
Update: To read my current take on it made on October 23rd, 2014: click here.
( >'.')>TO EACH THEIR OWN<('.'< )
P.S.: The only games I play on my Retro Duo are NES games, Super Famicom games, and the Super Game Boy. If I decide to play an NTSC SNES game, I'll do it on my NTSC SNES console.
P.S. 2: I'd like to say that it would be nice if this game got remade for the West as a 20th anniversary present, but since 2013 is over in three months that's not likely to happen any time soon. =(
P.S. 3: The art in the cover, which is pretty good, has good qualities but there's something I'm not entirely certain about. Yes, Alen is there alongside Garstein and Nevis in dragon form (red as opposed to gold). Is the blonde woman on there supposed to be Elikshil? She looks nothing like her! I'd say that it's Nevis' human form, but then why would her dragon form be appearing as well?
P.S. 4: Alcahest is proof that a HAL Laboratory game can be awesome without the involvement of either Kirby or Lolo in the lead role... though that would probably offend them both if they were to hear me say that, so "shhhhhh"! This is between us!
P.S. 5: The Last Airbender screengrab taken from my Region 1 DVD, and the movie is the property of Paramount.
P.S. 6: I've recently seen the newest episodes of Wander Over Yonder, and I'm convinced: that newest Disney show is in the right capable hands (I'll share my thoughts on them in the next blog post)! It's very charming; a lot of the jokes work (not just for kids but for older viewers too); it's incredibly fun (nonsensical maybe, but it works because it wallows in its pure nonsensicality); the characters are likable; it's not demeaning, mean-spirited, or condescending to the viewers; it's a show with a heart; the animation, shading, and lighting is wonderful; the timing is great; watching it makes me feel like a kid again; and it just leaves me with a big smile on my face. =) I know what show I'm gonna watch any time I need cheering up. That, or I could resort to Kirby's Epic Yarn any time I feel down, which I personally feel is the best feel-good video game ever made (hey, it was made by Good-Feel after all). =)
P.S. 7: This game is very enjoyable and is not overly dark. What could possibly prevent it from leaving Japa--
HOLY, THAT IS TERRIFYING!! D=
Thank you for reading my review, please leave a comment and I hope you all have a great day! Take care! =D
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