Pea Soup in the Valley of Doom

[grolt]

So I started playing GOLVELLIUS based on Totoro's insistence, and I'm liking it more than I remembered. This is probably due to the fact that I'm actually taking some time with it, rather than just playing a few screens and shutting the game off. So this will probably be a progress thread, of sorts.

Anyway, the first thing I notice is the great music in the game. Downloading the soundtrack, it's pretty clear that they went all out with the soundtrack, packing it with a litany of melodic music that really fits every occasion. That is, of course, for one small part. When you visit Winkle, the uh, save fairy I guess, the music sounds very familiar. Not just familiar in the "oh, it's a fairy and this sounds like fairy music" way, but more in the "I've heard this damn tune before" sort of way. So I listen to it a few more times, and I've got it, but I can't really believe it. Of all the tracks to ape, what do they pick but the theme from The Exorcist. Yep, Winkle will forever be associated now with spewed up pea soup and bells of the tubular sort.

I can't say I saw that one coming!

[Totoro]

grolt said:

So I started playing GOLVELLIUS based on Totoro's insistence, and I'm liking it more than I remembered. This is probably due to the fact that I'm actually taking some time with it, rather than just playing a few screens and shutting the game off. So this will probably be a progress thread, of sorts.

That's right. You'd do well to heed your grey and white friend's recommendations .

Never will you have as much fun trying to find holes in the ground!

[Stan]

It's quite an awesome game. Any links to the music so we can hear it?

[grolt]

stanstepanic said:

It's quite an awesome game. Any links to the music so we can hear it?

I'll make a little mix of both and throw it up on YouTube for you guys to see shortly.

[grolt]

Well, I've been too busy playing this game to make any music comparisons.

Great game - I actually liked the scrolling dungeons, it added a little variety, especially in light of better top-down games like GOLDEN AXE WARRIOR. I thought it could have been organized a little better though - that world was so massive, it was really tough remembering all the holes you've been in, and more importantly there aren't near as much shortcuts as there should be once you finally get all your gear. It still takes forever to get from your password starting point (why couldn't you start somewhere else later in the game?) to the forests near the end of the game.

The concept was great, and the ending definitely paid off, but I thought there could have been a lot more exposition throughout. Basically, you get nice long intros and extros, and then the rest is just action all the way through. Even GAW, which was really short on story, had some nice back story with all the villagers.

The one area this dominates GAW though, is in the music. So many great tracks, definitely a deep and layered score, not just a few catchy tunes on repeat. I'd say overall one of the best scores for all of the SMS games.

It's a shame the promised sequel during the extro never ever materialized. This game certainly has me wanting more! I guess next for me is to finally buckle down and finish Ys.

[grolt]

Hey now, where's all the GOLVELLIUS love. Considering the games forum is quite now as is, I thought everyone would be turning up in droves to gush love for this fine action RPG. Let's hear it, because Kelesis needs an ego boost.

[Stan]

I like it. Got to love that final stage music. You can fastforward it here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx3T3Rgi8BQ

The music was one of the things that really got me about this game, I thought it was some of the best SMS music I ever heard, though the sound effects were somewhat lacking at times. I didn't have too hard a time playing it because I used that German Sega guide with the map in it.

[grolt]

Yeah, trying to play this game without a map would be torture. Golden Axe Warrior you can navigate without any help, but this one would be a nightmare, considering there are so many variables to revealing the holes for each screen, and so many screens that look alike. You're right though, with the amazing music it wouldn't be the worst thing to just wander around lost in this game. I love the variety to it...there is something like 32 songs, compared to the 15 in Golden Axe Warrior.

[Totoro]

I didn't use a map and it did take me alot longer to complete than you Groit. Awesome game though. One screen which made me stuck for days was in one of those beachy areas and you had to hit a leaf on a palm tree to find the hole. Drove me nnnnuuuuttttttsss until I found it.

I'm now craving some RPG action. Need to get seaching Birmingham and Ebay for Y's and Phantasy Star.

[uffbulle]

Well this is one of my fav SMS games and I think it holds up quite well today. I agree with grolt about the lack of storyline within the game itself, but if you compare with Zelda (the main inspiration obviously) which had only a few basic instruction messages in very poor english I think the comments that the inhabitants make are just great.
Especially the old lady when she's mocking you in old british ^^

If you're looking for more games like it, you can try to track down the MSX version which seems to be a remake with towns and stuff in it.
Also check out Guardian Legend by the same company. The core gameplay and music is quite similar but the setting is futuristic and there is more emphasis on the auto scrolling stages in whch your character transforms into a spaceship. Unfortunately it's a NES only title

[grolt]

Not really being familiar with the NES at all other than the platformers I'd play as a kid, I'd never before heard of The Guardian Legend. Looking at the reviews now, it certainly does sound great. I'll definitely have to try it out. Thanks for the recommendation. First though, I'll have to plow through the rest of the Master System RPGs though. I'd just feel guilty if I didn't give them all a shot before moving over to Nintendo's strong arm.

Lord of the Sword or SpellCaster next?

[uffbulle]

Yeah it's one of those hidden gems I guess. It was pretty ahead of its time featuring a map system, 8 directional movement and about 20 different special weapons. Would've been even better on the SMS though of course

I think you should steer clear of Lord of the Sword altogether, it has very poor controls, dreary backgrounds and there's lots of backtracking required. Spellcaster is awesome in comparison.