Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Snorb wrote:Recently downloaded the MS-DOS version of Ultima III: Exodus. It's... uh, unique for a game made in 1983.

I've played that on the NES... What's that version like?

Tsunami wrote:I've played [Ultima III] on the NES... What's that version like?

The DOS version of Ultima III is, like I said, interesting. You have to make a party before you venture forth, just like in the NES version, but it doesn't have any premade characters.

The same eleven base classes (Alchemist, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Illusionist, Lark, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, and Wizard) exist, as do the five races (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Fuzzy, and Bobit), but you can actively choose their gender (Male, Female, or Other). In the NES version, every Paladin, Cleric, Illusionist, and Lark was female- the other seven classes were male.

Once you're done with chargen, you're dumped into Sosaria. Things get different right off the bat- the NES version let you gain levels up to 5 (unless you had The Mark of Kings on your characters, in which case 25 was the max level). In the DOS version, the caps are 10/50. (Just in case anyone's wondering, levelling in Ultima III only improves your Max HP- to boost stats, you have to visit Shrines in Ambrosia.)

Another difference is what happens if you lost in combat. In the NES version, your party's leader is revived and is at Castle Britannia (often minus your ship. Don't worry, ships are easy to come by.) The DOS version, if your party dies.... well, make four new characters and play the game again, only without the stupid part where you all got killed by Daemons. Or you could make a party of one new character, three of your old ones, pay to have the old ones revived, then remake your old party and revive the fourth guy.

And the big difference... graphics. The NES version had... well, it has like, 64 colors or so? I dunno, but the DOS version of Ultima III had four colors: Cyan, Magenta, White, and Black. And we liked it.

Coming up soon: The differences between Ultima IV NES/DOS!

(Edit: Townspeople are a lot more articulate in the NES version- they even mention Mondain (from Ultima I) and Minax (from Ultima II)!)

I finally got a copy of Skies of Arcadia Legends, after looking for it forever, so I've been playing that lately. It's just as fun as the original, which I played years ago but don't really remember very well now.

i got skies of arcadia legends a long time ago.. i think i got it when nightshade came out, anyways i'm goin back and playin oldies for the PSX.. currently playin Threads of Fate.

Ah, Skies was one of my favourite RPGs! The world was the biggest and grandest of any game I've played and after years of playing, (Dream Cast version) I've still yet to find all of the "Discoveries" that you find while flying about. I actually heard that the Gamecube version suffered from terrible music and strange graphical glitches, I guess it's because they took the two-disc DC version and condensed it into one mini-disc for the GC.

As for Threads of Fate... Never heard of it; I'll do a search for it later and learn something new!

Right now I'm playing Advance Wars: Dual Strike, I love the 'Wars' series, but unfortunatley haven't gotten a chance to own the new one, (Days of Ruin) yet... Had a run-through with the first mission from a friend's game, and found that they completely revised the art/story from the previous installments; interesting choice, can't wait to see how it plays out!

I haven't heard any problems with the Game Cube version's music (but I am really bad at noticing that kind of thing), but there are a few minor graphical glitches here and there. But it's nothing major or really noticeable to me. Certainly it's better in that department than most other games of the era. I've found most of the discoveries in this version, but there are a few that are very elusive. I always have trouble finding the ones that can move around across large areas.

It's a pity that they couldn't find some way to port over Pinta's Quest, though. I never played the original because I didn't have a VMU with a screen, but that was a really unique thing the DC version had going for it.

Hmm... Lots of games! Star Ocean: The Second Story on the PS2 (as my PS1 ish broke...), and I've been playing Kirby Superstar and Super Mario World with a few online friends with netplay. ^_^ Really fun, too! Even if my keyboard isn't as good as using an actual controller.

And I've also played a bit of an RM2k (RPG Maker 2000) game called cRaZy_gUy's Journey. It's really funny and has movie and video game references, and does parodies of many things. It's good for a laugh, and the many many minigames keeps me occupied.

Playing through Destroy All Humans! 2 again, for a couple reasons. For one, this game is just fun and really funny, as there are so many random references that I keep catching, some I get and some I don't. Last night, I caught a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey that I hadn't heard before. Destroy All Humans! is like the Family Guy of video games since there are so many of these, except the plot's much more coherent. Plus, this game is a giant satire of the '60s (the first is a giant satire of the 50's.) The other reason I'm replaying it is because I'm writing about one of the characters for my paper for that gender conference.

But once my boyfriend comes up to visit tomorrow, I'll be playing Brawl.

Still playing through a bunch of oldies. Currently running through Breath of Fire 3 right now. I just got about midway through.

Lately, been playing through Earthbound. I decided it was time to actually appreciate where Ness comes from since I play him in a Brawl a lot. So far, I'm enjoying it a lot...though, I would like to know what drugs the makers were taking while making the game. In what other game do you have to end the 'Happy Happy Cult' that worships the color blue, random enemies include Cranky Old Ladies and New-age Retro Hippies, and the source of your main quest is in alien bee named Buzz-buzz?