⚔️ Written: May 4th-13th, 2024 ⚔️
Alternate Title: Neutopia: Frey no Shō [ ⬤ ]
Year: 1989, 1990 | Developed by Hudson Soft | Published by: NECHello, gamers and readers alike, welcome to my blog and thank you for taking the time to tune in today, I really appreciate it!
The '80s was teeming with many games in the action-adventure genre, especially certain ones that would be created at the turn of the decade.
Chief design would be handled by Akinobu Sekiguchi, who also worked on the character design and as map editor for Hudson Soft's Jaseiken Necromancer, was a sub animation designer for AlfaSystem's Ys Book I & II and worked on the graphics for AlfaSystem's NEC PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 port of Nihon Falcom's Ys III: Wanderers from Ys, did various design work for Red Company's Tengai Makyō franchise, acted as chief designer for Birthday's Daikaijū Monogatari, designed for the first two games in Hudson Soft's Mario Party franchise, and even contributed to Hudson Soft's Bomberman franchise in 2006 with Touch! Bomberman Land/Bomberman Land Touch! and the poorly received Bomberman: Act Zero (a failed attempt at ushering the lighthearted series toward a darker direction).
Images from GameFAQs
Directed by Izumi, programmed by Kaneta, Tobisawa, and Kondo, designed by Sekiguchi, and written by Arai and Kawada, Hudson Soft would release Neutopia: Frey no Shō for the NEC PC Engine console on November 17th, 1989, with NEC localizing it to the North American counterpart the TurboGrafx-16 less than a year later in 1990 as simply Neutopia.
Left: Being greeted by the Sacred Shrine's matriarch | Right: Setting off on an adventure
In the top-down action-adventure game Neutopia you take control of the young warrior Jazeta, descendant of Murdock, whom you can move around in a square-pattern comprising of four directions whose sword is his primary weapon which you can use with the I button, the II button is reserved for the secondary item which you can select and highlight in the inventory menu whenever you access it with the Run button, and while in the menu screen should you be inside any one of the eight labyrinths you'll see a map keeping track of your current position. Throughout the course of the game you'll come across items that will be
Left: Crossing the bridge | Right: Blowing up a secret cave entrance with a bomb
beneficial to Jazeta's aid--sometimes randomly dropped by monsters you take down or found inside random chests (which you open by walking towards it from any angle) or bought inside a shop (provided you've got enough gold to spare)--like silver coins (worth 10 gold), golden coins (which are worth 50 gold), a bomb (for which you'll regain four each time), a cherry that replenishes your lost health by a one whole block, magic rings that when used will render all present onscreen monsters into weaker ones (which are one-time use only), a pair of wings that will return you to the last place you were given a password (which again are one-time use), potions that completely refill all your lost health reserved for when you need it
Left: Beware the mud monsters | Right: The arrow points in the right direction (also, there's a secret set of stairs after taking out all the monsters in this specific portion)
most (for which you can carry two a time), and lastly an hourglass where upon touching it will freeze all monster activity within the same screen for a brief period of time which gives you an advantage over them. When exploring the labyrinths you will occasionally come across treasure chests that contain a more potent piece of equipment for Jazeta (be it armor or sword or shield), a crystal ball that allows you to see the majority of the map's layout, and a key which is the only way to access the crypt where the guardian awaits battle. Once the guardian has been defeated you'll be granted entry to the back room where you can collect the
Left: Setting foot inside the first of the land sphere's labyrinths | Right: Bats 🦇
medallion it's been protecting, after which you'll be instantly teleported to the Sacred Shrine where the kind mother rewards Jazeta with an additional block's worth of health capacity. In each of the four spheres you travel in--land, subterrain, water, and sky--you will also meet up with friendly characters who will help you in any way by entering open doorways but sometimes are seemingly sealed inside closed spaces so you'll have to blow open the door
Left: Horned skeletons guarded the doorway to the crypt | Right: Said crypt which is occupied by a blue dragon of imposing size
with a bomb or in some cases make a set of stairs appear by defeating all monsters onscreen and/or push specific rocks in a direction (or they might simply be concealed by an easily flammable structure like a tree or a rock pillar). The charmed compass will point you in the right direction as far as the labyrinth's whereabout is concerned, and if you're in a spot where a secret is nearby it will alert you when accessing the menu.
Left: Here we meet up with see-through blobs and wandering scorpions | Right: Pushing specific rocks (or blocks) may reveal a secret set of stairs, keep that in mind going on ahead
The visual presentation in Neutopia is solid, with each of the four spheres having their own sense of detail, environment, culture, and atmosphere. The land sphere is for the most part comprised of green pasture with an abundance of trees (there are exceptions with the grassless orange pavement) though there are also sculptures scattered about with certain walls decorated by murals, the subterrain sphere has got a crystal-based structure that is situated above glowing hot lava, the water sphere has got an aquatic theme as it is
Left: Those are very well-designed murals by the rocks in back | Right: Anthropomorphic frill-necked lizards abound
surrounded by water in an almost Altantis-like manner (and with an intricately designed pyramid entrance to this sphere from the Sacred Shrine too), and finally there's the sky sphere which is situated above the clouds where there is a fascinating curve-like architecture when going over the middle east section of its walls, not to mention all the spheres have got their own unique floor décor that also makes them stand out from one another. On the subject of floor décor, the labyrinths' floor design is effective with the darker color schemes and I like the subtle ripple effects when it comes to the bodies of water (or lava in the case of
Left: Almost by the next labyrinth, just have to deal with these soldiers | Right: Sword trap
the subterrain sphere labyrinths), and the humble abode of a large number of NPCs are quaintly designed (especially those with a fireplace in the back and tables with a vase holding a red rose). Jazeta is decently designed with his unwaveringly determined expression and brown hair, his sword attack sprite (simple though it may be) is effectively conveyed, and I like how throughout the course of the game whenever you gather new pieces of equipment they always come in different palettes (gray, blue, purple, red, all of these color choices are pleasant for me to look at as far as the main character is concerned) for which I'm not opposed to any one of these color choices*, which is great! 👍
* I genuinely like Kemco's Nintendo 16-bit port of Zoom's Lagoon, warts and all, but I always look the least forward to coming across the second most powerful armor in that game because the brown cape that comes along with it matches the exact brown hue as the hair of Nassel/Nasir, it just does not sit well with me and makes it appear as if he's got monstrously overgrown hair whenever he faces North 😖
Left: Snakes, why'd it have to be snakes? 🐍 | Right: Stab the core so long as the body parts are separate from it
There are a colorful array of friendly characters who will help Jazeta in his quest to save Neutopia and its Princess Aurora, many of whom appear to emanate from different cultures, such as monks who appear of Buddhist disposition and wranglers with cowboy hats to name at least a couple of examples (there's even a random character type who wears an eye patch), who have all got a distinct look and feel to them (many of whom gather to celebrate Jazeta's victory upon defeating Dirth). The recurring monsters all have a good sense of
Left: Keep your eyes peeled, some of those rocks are actually monsters | Right: Hello, foreshadowing!
design about them such as mud monsters that creep up from the ground after making themselves appear scarce, red scorpions that fire off projectiles from their tails, horned skeletons, green sword-wielding anthropomorphic frill-necked lizards, blue snakes, round spiders, differing kinds of anthropomorphic insectoids equal in size to Jazeta, spooky ghosts, lethal hordes of sea anemone and sea crabs, skeletal armadillo, tiny sperm-like monsters, seashell monsters that conceal themselves and fire off a projectile once they show their face, cloaked wizards, crickets that have a tendency of hopping in random directions (which are
Left: "G", it sure is boring around here... | Right: Fighting against ghosts 👻
among my favorite enemies in this game despite sometimes being annoying), red blobs that invert themselves to reveal a blue secondary form, and tall anthropomorphic goats in druid robes, et al. The bosses are all large and imposing in design and in size, simple though their animations may be, such as the fight against a golem whom before it splits its body apart to reveal its core you get a brief glimpse of the Star of David emblazoned on its body for golems are derived from Jewish folklore, the gargoyle twins who fly about and occasionally toss
Left: Anthropomorphic ant soldiers, with a shield and everything | Right: Despite pitting against a pair of twin gargoyles, this battle's not that hard
daggers in all eight directions (I love the foreshadowing before you enter the labyrinth as there are a couple of stone statues that look exactly like them), I like the level of detail with the millipede any time it gradually crawls toward the direction that Jazeta is currently placed in relation to it, and the three-headed turtle rock which is entirely skeletal in design except for the ornately formed shell on its back, and whenever they bite the dust there's something satisfying about seeing them quickly explode when all is said and done.
Left: Jazeta the pyromaniac | Right: Treaded carefully across the lava and made my way to the entrance of the next labyrinth
Neutopia's music was composed by Tomotsune Maeno, whose other music credits comprise of AlfaSystem's NEC PC Engine port of Activision's Shanghai, Hudson Soft's Salad no Kuni no Tomato-hime/Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom, Red Company's Tengai Makyō: Ziria, and Media Rings Corportation's Spin Pair, provided the sound effects for Hudson Soft's Momotarō Densetsu II, and acted as arranger for Amusement Vision and Genki's Daytona USA 2001/Daytona USA for the Sega Dreamcast. The music is very engaging and
Left: Using the newly acquired rainbow drops to walk across that conveniently-sized gap | Right: 🎵 Don't bug me, don't mug me, I'm better left alone 🎵🕷
brings out the appropriate tone and atmosphere for the spheres and the labyrinths that you explore, I'd honestly say that it's the highlight of this game. 😀 The title cue has got a triumphantly heroic quality about it as you witness Jazeta overseeing the land brandishing out his sword, the attract mode theme heard after you remain on the title screen for too long is energetic and bouncily moody with the lite organ (unfortunately you only get to hear a fraction of it in-game before it forcefully fades out and retreats you back to the title screen), the theme for when you input the password is mysterious yet entrancing, the theme for
Left: Be careful where you step with the spiked-ball chain for it will gravitate toward the direction you are currently standing in | Right: Millipede battle, aim for the weak spot (its tail)
whenever you're in the Sacred Shrine or for when you enter the abode of a friendly character sounds melodically engaging, and the labyrinth theme is the most memorable piece of music in the game for its engrossingly atmospheric and moody nature which helps make it distinguishable from the rest of the game (and yet despite that, it is a rather calm piece of otherwise intimidating music). Each of the four spheres have got their own theme devoted to them that helps give them their sense of identity: the land sphere theme is supercharged and sets the tone for the start of Jazeta's grueling endeavor, the subterrain sphere theme has got a
Left: Next stop is the water sphere | Right: Dealing with a large quantity of deadly sea anemone
deliberately languid tempo with a somewhat disquieting disposition, the water sphere theme sounds faster-paced with an intimidating atmospheric vibe, and the sky sphere theme is my favorite out of the four for its continuously upbeat yet energetically adventurous quality as it's a good hint as any that you've reached the last of the four spheres of Neutopia. There are three boss themes in the game, the first which plays for every odd-numbered boss and the second which is reserved for every even-numbered boss, both of which are hectic and
Left: Crabs | Right: Effectively apropos entrance design
foreboding in their own right, and the theme against Dirth at the end has got an imposing do or die quality as the stakes are high with the fate of Neutopia resting in Jazeta's hands, and once you've defeated him your ears are rewarded for your efforts with a fun and bouncy credits theme. 😄 It's a shame Maeno hadn't done a lot of video game music outside of the handful music compositions mentioned, it's clear in Neutopia's case that he had a real talent.
Left: This game really does have some intriguing monster designs, like those translucent slug creatures | Right: Those ghouls are doable, but you have to wait until they diagonally glide within reach in order to land a hit on them
sound effects all serve the game decently, such as the "shing" sound for when Jazeta wields his sword, the bubble-like sound for whenever health gets replenished to a degree, the slow ticking sound whenever an hourglass is touched which completely replaces the music until you either let it run its course or proceed to the next screen, and whenever you procure the strongest shields in the game there is a ping any time a projectile lands on Jazeta's shield, and the boom sounds for when a bomb explodes or a boss is defeated is short but sweet.
Left: Careful where you step, you might trigger an arrow trap | Right: Well, the positive thing I can say about this boss is that the only thing worse than a Cancer is a Scorpio 🦀
There is a boisterous sound effect as Jazeta has been bumped backward by contact with an enemy or its projectile which is a bit annoying, but no more annoying than the continuously blaring sound effect whenever you are dangerously low on health which persists until you refill your health entirely or at least just enough blocks of health to get out of that condition.
Juuust gonna leave a refrain from my review of Tamsoft's SteamGear Mash, because... yeah... 😖
It's annoyingly intrusive as it egrgiously obfuscates Maeno's music and whenever you refill your health with your potion while close to dying it's mainly to shut that obnoxious never-ending alarm up (if you have one at your disposal, that is) which feels like it's there more out of arbitrary reasoning than because it was actually needed! 😫 The cognitive dissonance for developers to feel like it was a good idea to incorporate these annoying, nagging sounds* and never once consider that it might detract from the ear's comfort and enjoyment!!* When I think of the number of games from the '80s and the '90s that fell prey to this sadly normalized practice of seemingly not trusting gamers to pay attention with their eyes to how much health they have at all times so they have to resort to a rude awakening on an auditory level, it makes me sad... 😞
Left: Love the detail with the green moss embedded in the random set of outlines in the floor tile, it brings a level of character to this water-themed sphere | Right: Just emerging from the resting cave
Whenever you access the Sacred Shrine, or a compartment that is near the closest labyrinth, and you say "yes" to the matriarch's prompt for receiving a password, you will receive a 24-character password (which is a bit much), which will allow you to continue your progress from that point. On the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 console, provided you were given the "book of revival" at the beginning of the game, it was possible to continue and restart the game whenever you last received a password even after the system had been shut off. It's not all cumbersome, however, for in the event that Neutopia was played on the console with a CD or a Plus add-on, you could save (and override) your progress in any one of the four files in the system's RAM file cabinet. This is the version of the game that would be digitally rereleased on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console in 2007 and on the Nintendo Wii U Virtual Console in Japan in 2014 and in the West in 2017, though I'd imagine these later releases rendered the password system all but moot thanks to the suspended save (and it has).
Left: Sperm... monsters? | Right: What? This isn't Birthday's Kaijū Monogatari, get out of here! 🐚
I first learned of Neutopia in the mid-2000's online as a teenager, and during the Nintendo Wii generation I saw several screenshots and watched a brief gameplay preview of it on the website that was formerly known as "VC-Reviews". It looked a little intriguing, and I had fun with some of the TurboGrafx-16 games I played before on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console (like Red Company and Atlus' Bonk's Adventure, which was my first downloaded game, and its sequel Bonk's Revenge, for instance), so in the Summer of 2008 I decided to download it.
I love it so much, I'd eventually ask to receive the original Super Famicom cart for Christmas 2018 but would not get it until the start of 2019 (wasn't punctual with my list)
Neutopia was one of only two games I downloaded that Summer (a stark contrast from the seven I downloaded during the previous Summer in 2007), with the only other title I downloaded during that season being Hudson Soft's Super Famicom platforming classic DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no DokiDoki Daibōken which quickly grew to become one of my top favorite Nintendo 16-bit games of all time (and left a hugely positive impact on me). 😃
Left: The names I could drop from random games of enemy characters known for wearing a purple cloak... | Right: Three-headed skeletal turtle rock
Back when I first played Neutopia I found it somewhat enjoyable, but could only get as far as the water sphere which at the time I found myself getting lost in. It wasn't until a few years later that I would manage to play it through, not only surpassing the water shrine but play it through to the end (albeit with some help looking up a guide for the latter segments any time I got lost) though not without some struggle entailed. I've played through it several times since, and while I only reserve the guide for the final sphere and/or labyrinth, it is one of those games I find myself having a growing appreciation for with each playthrough, especially when sometimes playing it back-to-back with the sequel Neutopia II (which I would download on the Nintendo Wii U Virtual Console in 2017) where I get a sense of how
Left: NOOOO, not Kris Kringle's place of operation, Dirth truly is a monster! 🫢 | Right: Those crickets are so adorable and endearing to watch in motion, not so much fun to interact with... 🦗
far Hudson Soft had come with this sadly short-lived IP. It's not without issues, but I consider the first game to be largely enjoyable and a worthy game in the action-adventure genre. Since its release, Neutopia has been likened by many that had played it to Nintendo's Zelda no Densetsu/The Legend of Zelda to the point that it's been accused of being a clone of that despite being otherwise well-received (Power Play's Martin Gaksch, in his import review, remarked that an electron microscope was required to find the differences between the two games). The comparisons mainly boil down to the square-patterned four-way move cycle viewed from a similar bird's eye perspective, equal approach to swordplay (right down to reaching items at a distance with your sword), how bombs are required to blow open secret
Left: Luckily for the crickets, these perpetually bouncing purple monsters are infinitely more annoying 😒 | Right: A+ alliteration skills
entrances if not dungeon walls, the unwise decision to integrate constant alarm bells when you're dangerously low on health, how you'd gradually augment your health capacity over time any time you come across a health container, screen-by-screen layout which scrolls in the direction you've taken, and the fact that you only converse with one NPC standing in the center of the room, but to be honest all these similarities are of the superficial variety and to outright write it off as a clone completely detracts from recognizing what Hudson Soft was trying to accomplish with this game. Alas, The Legend of Zelda was one of those games that left an indelible mark on the action-adventure genre during the '80s to the point that it set a standard and precedent for upcoming games of its ilk, so comparisons to that game would've been inevitable whether intended on the developers' part or not. The reality, however, is that just like books and movies and TV shows, video games borrow from each other all the time.
Left: Just sustained damage | Right: There are a variety of insectoid enemies to deal with
This game may have borrowed elements from the 1986 game (the staff had a clear affinity for it) but suggesting that Neutopia is a clone is to insinuate that it is 100% exactly like the aforementioned hit, which is not the case. There are elements worth recognizing in Neutopia that help make it its own. It's a got a four-sphere system (where a new one is accessed each time you gather both of the matching medallions) which each have their own labyrinthine layout (where sometimes taking a different route leads to the same path) with an elemental-based look and feel to them, it's a fairly linear avenue and largely manageable to navigate (up to a point), there are subtle visual references to different cultures and religions,
Left: Behind that closed door is an upgrade room for which I must blow open the entrance with a bomb, but first let's eradicate these monsters | Right: Love the pharaonic design of those statues on either side of the entrance to the penultimate labyrinth, brings out an Egyptian flavor
and Tomotsune Maeno's music brings forth a sense of atmosphere to the various regions of Neutopia or mood in the case of the actual labyrinths themselves. The gameplay is for the most part solid, and during the course of the game there are secondary items that you'll require to not only advance further but as an alternative means of combat, one in particular is the fire rod which is an excellent piece of equipment which you can fire off in any one of eight directions despite Jazeta himself only being able to move in half of that number where its range and potency is exclusively dependent on how much health you have (if you had full health you would amass a large abundance of flames, but if you had most of your overall health intact you shoot out fireballs which would rebound back to you like a boomerang, or if you were dangerously low on health the fireballs would be shot out but vanish soon after).
Left: Inverted blob monsters | Right: That treasure chest is haunted, approach with caution
Jazeta's pacing starts out slow yet moderate, but once you acquire the falcon shoes more than halfway through his walking pace becomes brisk which not only allows you to get places quicker but is also the only way to reach a specific labyrinth. There are even moments when the room becomes so dark that you need to use the moonbeam moss to get a clear view of the layout, and there are also rainbow drops which enable you to cross tile-shaped gaps to the other side (just be sure to be properly positioned in these instances otherwise it will not let you pass). The labyrinths have got different sets of obstacles for you to overcome: like the occasional spiked-ball chain situated in the center of the room that gradually gravitates toward the direction you are currently at, floor switches where upon stepping on them will release arrows coming from the walls, certain times you will find yourself in a room that the
Left: Nothing like acquiring the strongest shield in the game as you're narrowly dodging bullet-hell levels of enemy fire compounded with the fact that you have to deal with armored skeletons as well | Right: Penultimate boss
instant you walk in will lock all doors until you've either killed all the monsters or you have to push a particular block to free yourself (sometimes you'll have to do both) but have to be weary of your surroundings because there are particular blocks that upon getting close to them will ignite a sword trap on all four of its angles (later on, there are random treasure chests that will do the same), and there are even certain moments where you have to narrowly avoid the firepower emanating from evil statues on the way to retrieve the contents of a chest (sometimes even having to contend with monsters). The crystal ball, once you acquire it, will show you a good chunk of the map layout, but it will not show every spot for there are secret rooms that can only be accessed after blowing up a wall with a bomb (for the most part, in the room neighboring a tragically imprisoned NPC). There are plenty of items that can only be accessed once you blow up a wall with a bomb, but the bad news is that it can
Left: Heading to the eastern region of the sky sphere | Right: Oh no! 😧 Goat monsters in druids, we're in occult territory now!
be easy to run out of them if you feel the need to set them up at every wall that feels suspicious (even on replays), even after you visit an NPC that will allow you to carry an extra four each time, so you do want to use those sparingly. But even then there are moments when you need something from a nearby room with no doors present but by that point you've run out, so you have to hope that upon killing monsters that they might be generous enough to leave behind bombs in their wake so you have a chance to progress further; fortunately the monsters do respawn so you'll have as much opportunity as possible without resorting to vacating the labyrinth, not immediately, but after revisiting the room after venturing roughly three or more new screens. There are moments when you have to sustain mandatory damage because of its sometimes inconsistent collision detection in regards to specific enemies, not all the time, but you are forced to try to stay careful if you want to prolong your survival. The
Left: Venturing inside the final labyrinth | Right: Where is Rick O'Connell when you need him?
bosses are fine, but most of the solutions are pretty similar: steer clear when boss attacks by launching projectiles or firepower, use sword or fire rod when the window to attack opens, rinse and repeat until the fight ends. The biggest offender is the giant crab boss, who will cwalk toward the direction you were standing in but you have to wait a while until its eyes turn white (which is when it proceeds to attack by spewing bubbles) in order to be able to inflict damage toward it (the wait can feel quite long at points, it's ridiculous). If you have your fire rod equipped and are at full health, you can easily deal a lot of damage by spamming fire toward their direction for the flames have got more range than your sword. One missed opportunity is for your health to automatically be replenished if you came across a chest with potion when you had two at your disposal, but it doesn't do that so you end up wasting a potion reducing your count to one. Whenever you lose all your health you'll be brought back
Left: Found himself in the spot where the strongest sword lies in wait | Right: The door will open only once he eradicates all those winged serpents popping out from the hole
at the last place you got a password with the amount of gold you accrued divided by half, but unless you were at the Sacred Shrine your health will only be partially replenished and not in its entirety. If you're familiar enough with the sphere's layout, you should be able to spot where an NPC will refill your health free of charge or a shop with potions, but unless you have enough gold to spare for the latter scenario you'll have to spend some time taking out monsters in the name of money farming which might either take a short time or a long time because they would only leave behind gold randomly and not all the time. It's not unreasonable, but when you got so far only to lose a life and have to resort to money farming to be better prepared, only to have to go through the sphere again to reach the particular labyrinth, and navigate said labyrinth just to reach its boss (if you had reach it the first time), it can feel a bit cumbersome (mainly for the latter labyrinths) but it is worth it in the end.
Left: Dirth, you're fired! 🔥 | Right: Is she allowed to say that? 🤨 Legally?
But despite the occasional trappings of antiquated '80s design, and what few issues I personally have with it, Neutopia is still a game I like coming back to once in a while. Maybe not as fast-paced as AlfaSystem's Ys Book I & II which came out the same year, but it is a likable action-adventure game with a fascinating sense of world-building with each of the titular world's four spheres that for being thirty-five years old is still fairly accessible and largely fun to play. It may not hold a candle to the very best iterations of the iconic action-adventure it is woefully constantly accused of being a clone of, but for the time was the closest one could play a game of the like on the NEC PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 console.
Left: "And, you know, so long as willful ignorance culture exists, evil will never truly die, ergo I shall never truly die. 😈 Even if you do kill me at this very moment, I'll just come back in the future eventually for I am the manifestation of evil itself, in a vicious never-ending cycle that will repeat itself again, and again, and again!" | Right: "Let's join the others and celebrate!"
I am happy Neutopia exists, as it does offer a competently well-made alternative to the action-adventure genre which would be massively improved upon with the sequel two years later. With neither the Nintendo Wii nor the Nintendo Wii U's Virtual Console downloadable service being in commission anymore (for those who didn't download the games during either service's lifespan), the only means to play it now would be to either seek out the very PC Engine or TurboGrafx-16 console it was made for or to look into the PC Engine Mini/TurboGrafx-16 Mini/PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini which has got a big list of NEC titles available (including the sequel, which is a very good deal). I recommend this game if you're into the action-adventure genre, it's one among a good way to cap off the '80s with this genre.
My Personal Score: 7.5/10
● I originally covered this game on June of 2016 and gave it a 7.0 out of 10, which I had since deleted for a myriad of reasons. I hate sounding like a broken record, but I honestly feel that the majority of my old reviews do not stand the test of time thereby they don't hold up well (this was before I caught up with Neutopia II the following year, I don't like looking back writing that I haven't played a certain game only to have done that in the future therefore instantly dating it; I'd rather not mention if I haven't played a certain game unless I know for a fact that there's no chance I'll ever play it--e.g. mentioning I haven't played The Warp Factory's Zool 2 in my SNES review of Gremlin Graphic's Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension back in 2022, that's still true now), I also feel like I had done a bit of a disservice to this game by loosely remarking it as a clone to Zelda (I know better now than to resort to doing something like that, but I wish I had known back then)--it may share similar qualities in the superficial sense, but Hudson Soft attempted something different within the action-adventure genre which I wanted to acknowledge. With this review I wanted to be more thorough and in-depth in articulating my thoughts as well as the sense of research, be reasonably responsible with my word choices as well as be very considerate of them (that's what growing older is all about, or it should be anyway), and be fair towards it as I cover Neutopia based on its own merit.
● No relation to this game, but on the last weekend of April I got to revisit two classics on the big screen: Stephen Sommers' The Mummy (April 26th) and Ridley Scott's Alien (April 28th), to celebrate the 25th and 45th anniversary respectively. 😄 I love these movies, it was a treat to see them on the silver screen, both of which are accompanied by unforgettable music composed by the late Jerry Goldsmith (RIP, legend). 👍
● In irrelevant news, I've lost all respect for Mark Hamill. 😞 Any celebrity who sides, acts all chummy-chummy with, and endorses undeserving recalcitrant nothing-folk in power who persistently fearmonger and gaslight people on a daily basis, believe in double standards, look down on logic and common sense, constantly set a terrible precedent for the future, always abscond themselves from accountability, and are completely devoid of basic human empathy for their constituents who are suffering and in pain (from problems said nothing-folk politicians caused but refuse to solve) was probably not that great of a person to begin with... 👎 I mean, I've lost respect for a number of celebrities these past few years for one reason or another, but this was very disappointing (no, nothing excuses ignorance). Not that I think any politician regardless of party they affiliate themselves with is innocent, but I don't feel safe with this feckless fiefdom of farceurs.
● In lighter news, also naught to do with Neutopia, I recently saw David Leitch's The Fall Guy in theatres (May 9th). What an incredible film! I loved Ryan Gosling's title character as well as his chemistry with Emily Blunt (I found the two to be the heart of the film whenever they shared the screen together), the action and stunts were incredible (especially during the third act, it was crazy), the casting is topnotch (Winston Duke and Hannah Waddingham are great, too), it was very funny when it needed to be, and Dominic Lewis' soundtrack as well as choice in music was endearing. It was a very neat insight into the occupation of stunt performing, too, it's clear that those involved in the film had a deep respect for the profession as The Fall Guy is a love letter to all things stunt work. I had a very good time with it! 😃
Happy 35th Anniversary, Neutopia,
you earned it!!!! 🥳
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