Game Club 199X #11 - Crystalis (NES, GBC)

[Scylla]

I find that when I hit level 16, I'm so close to the end that I don't really care that fighting the normal enemies is worthless. And at least you can still collect money if you theoretically need it (probably not, though). Plus there's value in killing enemies just to get them out of the way. I mean, there's no value to killing enemies other than that in the average action game that doesn't give you EXP or anything else upon an enemy's defeat.

I actually really like when games will naturally bring you to the maximum level by the end. It's pretty stupid having a ton of levels that players will never need or see, unless they want to waste hours of their time tediously grinding for level ups for no other reason than to see the number increase. And since I'm often an OCD completionist about games, yes, I'll do moronic shit like that, so I appreciate when a game spares me from such nonsense, haha. Having a level limit that the player will hit is also a good way to control the difficulty level. Screw players who want to grind their way out of every challenge.

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2012 14:20:56 GMT -5 Scylla said:

I find that when I hit level 16, I'm so close to the end that I don't really care that fighting the normal enemies is worthless. And at least you can still collect money if you theoretically need it (probably not, though). Plus there's value in killing enemies just to get them out of the way. I mean, there's no value to killing enemies other than that in the average action game that doesn't give you EXP or anything else upon an enemy's defeat.

I actually really like when games will naturally bring you to the maximum level by the end. It's pretty stupid having a ton of levels that players will never need or see, unless they want to waste hours of their time tediously grinding for level ups for no other reason than to see the number increase. And since I'm often an OCD completionist about games, yes, I'll do moronic shit like that, so I appreciate when a game spares me from such nonsense, haha. Having a level limit that the player will hit is also a good way to control the difficulty level. Screw players who want to grind their way out of every challenge.

That's a reasonable way to look at it. I guess one thing that I was happy about was that I didn't have to grind much by the end (or for any of the bosses for that matter) because of my OCD-fueled rampage through the caverns. I guess part of it was that I was burned out, and the other part was that the enemies toward the end (I'm thinking mostly of those four-armed, curse-slinging baddies in the pyramid basement) were a pain to kill relative to running away. I'm not sure how many hits it took, but it sure felt like a lot.

And you bring up a good point, in games like Zelda: Link to the Past or whatever you have no stats or levels, so fighting could be seen as arbitrary there as well. I think it bothers me more in Crystalis because of how you're fighting guys that take 4-16 hits as opposed to guys that can be wasted in one or two.

[lanceboyle94]

Sept 24, 2012 14:11:48 GMT -5 Joseph Joestar said:

EDIT: Thanks Lance .

You're welcome, dude

A while ago I was playing the Monster World XBLA collection and it reminded me of the GC9X thread and your two drawings. Good times...

[Deleted]

I still need to beat the XBLA collection games. That was a really awesome retro release! I love how those allow you to play the different roms for the games as well. I really hope they do a Fantasy Zone collection someday!

[lanceboyle94]

Yup. I would pay top dollar if they also did a 32X collection as well. Or a Sega CD collection too (although that one would be pretty heavy)

Also I seriously gotta find out how to rip the menu music from each collection, since they're some pretty good compositions (and strangely enough for a game developed by M2, they weren't done by Manabu Namiki; they were done by a Jane Evelyn-Nisperos from some company named CHIBI-TECH, if the credits are to be believed)

[Snarboo]

Now that's a spot on parody if I've ever seen one! For a second I thought that map you drew was an actual dungeon, Jojo.

Edit: I think the dungeons are confusing so that you naturally level up as you explore them. If you knew exactly where the exit was, you'd probably skip every battle and thus be underleveled. I got lost in most of the dungeons the first time I entered them, only to gain a few levels by the time I found my way out it.

[Snarboo]

Finally beat the game! I'll write a little bit more about it later as I'm pretty fed up with it right now, as well as a few tips I have for the final battle that should make it easier.

[Snarboo]

As the month draws to the close, here are my final parting tips before the podcast:

• Once you get the ability to fly, a lot of new areas open up to you. You will need to use the flight power to find the Bow of Sun in the mountains west of Goa, and then use it again in the desert south of Goa to find the entrance to Sahara, the final town. There are also a number of hidden items to find, one of which is in the oasis dungeon.
  
• Before reaching Sahara, you should be in a field with a bunch of rabbits. Most of them will say "Let's play" when you bump into them, but one of them has unique dialogue. Use the Change ability and select the first dude, the one with the tunic, and talk to him again. He will then give you Deo's Pendant, which allows you to recharge your magic while standing still! This comes in very handy for the last few dungeons, and is a must for the final one if you run out of Magic Rings.
  
• Speaking of which, be sure to stock up on Magic Rings in Sahara before heading to the final dungeon! Once you reach the floating tower, there is absolutely no going back.
  
• You will need to have the Power Ring equipped in order to damage enemies in the final dungeon!
  
• The best way to clear out the robots on the floating tower is to abuse Level 3 Thunder Magic. The lightning strikes do a ridiculous amount of damage and will kill most enemies in single volley.
  
• If you run low on health or magic on the floating tower, you can rest on the escalators between floors. No robots will spawn here, and if you have the Psycho Armor and Deo's Pendant, you can recharge both health and magic if you are patient enough.

[Deleted]

I really wish I would have thought to use LV3 Thunder on the robots the first time. Snarboo's right, it's a snap if you do that. Same goes for Emperor Draygonia's second form - I ended up hitting him a ton of times with the level 2 charge shot.

I'm looking forward to this month's final product. It's going to be a dark masterpiece or something.

[Deleted]

Shit. I forgot, according to Crystalis we all died 15 years ago Monday.

[Deleted]

That's true; I didn't know about that until I checked the Japanese wikipedia article a week ago. I thought that was interesting...

[Allie]

It's odd. All the times I played the game when I was younger, I never had problems with getting lost (the closest would have been in the lead-up to the giant insect boss), even though in general I have a terrible sense of direction.

I didn't go through it again this time, but I wonder how I would have fared, as far as that goes.

[kal]

Crystalis

[Ace Whatever]

Oh God that's just perfect. It only needs a keychain of rings hanging off his side

[Allie]

Oct 8, 2012 1:28:21 GMT -5 Ace Whatever said:

Oh God that's just perfect. It only needs a keychain of rings hanging off his side

Or Sie Kensou fouling things up again in the background.