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ActRaiser

FernandoFernando Registered User regular
edited December 2007 in Games and Technology
actraiser.png

A certain uninspired will took over me when I decided to buy this game from the VC. I saw it was made by Enix, and being the utter fan boy that I am, I picked it up in hopes for a good time. I got the good time, but also something much more. I got ActRaiser.

Game Play
This game starts out like a typical platformer, running and jumping, slicing and the mandatory boss fight at the end of the stage. When you beat the boss of the first level though, the game takes a dramatic twist, you enter sim city mode. Yeah, I'm not kidding here either. You actually play as god in this game and it's your duty to extinguish the evil from the land and make the new race of man not reliant on your divine power. So you send your villagers to do things while you watch over them. This whole time though, you play as an Angel and you have to defend them against beast man cannot tame. It's rather simple, but at the same time, the little environmental powers they give you add to the experience. After a while, I never thought the Sim City Segments were out of place and I learned them down to a wire where I could actually do the part in about 10 minutes and get more action. The action stages are pretty varied as well, going to common themes like a desert and jungle to fight off huge monsters. Each of the worlds has it's own unique little get up that separates it from the rest. Such as the amazon world has many traps, the desert world has quicksand and the ice world requires you to climb up a tree for some weird reason. It is pretty fun, nothing that you should call home about since the game would go under the radar without the next thing.

Sound
"Here be me doth monster, thou ACTRAISER!!!" "You cannot destroy me, for I am thou ACTRAISER!!!" "Humble humans, you may now live in peace...thanks to ACTRAISER!!!" were some of the various phrases that you could hear from me while I was playing this game. The music is so hard core in the stages that you just want to stand up and punch a hippie for not being more like ActRaiser. Every little sound fits perfectly, it's really an incredible soundtrack that you will be humming for weeks. Possibly in Jail if you actually think your the ACTRAISER!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qvcjyxpIs0I&feature=related

actraiser-sim.jpg
Doth people can now live in peace, from thou ACTRAISER!!!

Presentation & Style
Aww man, ActRaiser is such a pimp. If he doesn't like something, he goes down and beats it with a sword. It looks as though you are a Norse god, since ActRaiser's helmet has little wings on it, and we all know the Norse make the best gods. The graphics for the time are nothing to be wowed by, since it came out pretty early in the SNES's time line, but it has some cool effects that'll make you get pumped. The cool thing about the Sim part of the game is that people will make offerings to you, and you can use them however pointless they may be. The bosses of each of the worlds look as though the gods those people are currently worshipping. So your pretty much going around killing what people believe in. This is why if ActRaiser were any food from McDonald's, he would be the Double Quarter Pounder, the most manly, and also it physically imposes itself over the other hamburgers they may have to offer.

actraiser3.jpg
All these evil monsters, including Satan (yes Satan), are about to eat shit

Re playability
I can see myself coming back to it after a few years. The game is kind of like Megaman X in that it feels as though you must kill everything again for them to be truly dead. I didn't get the maximum god points for all the towns, so I feel also like going back to get more power and imposing it. Plus killing gods and then making people worship you is just plain awesome.

actraiser_map-f.jpg
This poster just screams awesome.

Overall
This game is about 10 hours and it costs around 8 (If I recall correctly). Any game that is longer than it costs and it fun throughout is a definite buy for me. Seriously, there is so much to like in this game that it won't feel like a waste. Well until next time, you keep on imposing your will ActRaiser.

9/10

"It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
Fernando on

Posts

  • NickTheNewbieNickTheNewbie Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Call me crazy, but I think the only good song in actraiser is filmore.

    NickTheNewbie on
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    You're crazy!

    Also: ActRaiser was a day 1 purchase for me on the VC. I remember ALWAYS wanting to go to the babysitter's house because she had this game and Lost Vikings for the SNES. This game has quality all over the place.

    urahonky on
  • MonstyMonsty Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Call me crazy, but I think the only good song in actraiser is filmore.

    CRAZY!

    Damn, I love most of the music in this game. It's a definite classic in every way. If I ever get some moolah, I'm going to snag this on the VC.

    I used to rent this and beat it every couple of months back in the day. The good old days... *Sniff*

    Monsty on
  • juice for jesusjuice for jesus Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Actraiser is awesome. Nothing else really like it, including it's sequel.

    I just realized from your screenshots that I never actually beat this game.

    juice for jesus on
  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    Xaquin on
  • FernandoFernando Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Indeed, ActRaiser loves imposing himself multiple times.

    Fernando on
    "It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
    Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Why did the sequel have to suck so much?

    The lifesim elements were what made the original shine.

    cj iwakura on
    z48g7weaopj2.png
  • SaddlerSaddler Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    They should make an Act Raiser set on Earth, where you defeat enemies on each continent and impose yourself as a god.

    Saddler on
  • rayofashrayofash Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I just got ActRaiser for the SNES a couple months ago, I beat it in one sitting on my first playthrough it was that good.

    rayofash on
  • apotheosapotheos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited December 2007
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    apotheos on


    猿も木から落ちる
  • FernandoFernando Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    It is difficult, not hard though

    Fernando on
    "It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
    Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
  • TylerbroorTylerbroor Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    The last boss battle is hard. No doubt about it. I only beat it by cheating with quicksaves on my emulator.

    Tylerbroor on
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Tylerbroor wrote: »
    The last boss battle is hard. No doubt about it. I only beat it by cheating with quicksaves on my Game Genie

    E word is a no-no 'round here.

    urahonky on
  • SmashismSmashism Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Anyone who does not like this game needs to be punched in the kidneys repeatedly.

    Smashism on
  • thepricetheprice Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I played this for the first time recently on the VC and I had a great time with it. I wish that both the sim and platforming elements were a little deeper, as both were a little too simplistic taken by themselves, but the game as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts and I haven't ever played another game quite like it. The only real negative about ActRaiser is that it made me wish desperately for a deeper and more seamlessly integrated 2-D platformer / city builder hybrid and I don't think there is such a game.

    theprice on
  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    I'm not good at video games.

    except Super Star Wars.

    Xaquin on
  • Sacred CowSacred Cow Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I would always play up to the boss gauntlet and give up.

    Its a shame ActRaiser 2 was so bad. Then again, it had a lot to live up to.

    Sacred Cow on
    SacredCowJebus.png

    SSB code- 0216-0856-6886 PM me so I can add you
  • FernandoFernando Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I'm surprised no one shouted "I am ActRaiser" at the television, maybe I'm just weird.

    Fernando on
    "It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
    Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
  • apotheosapotheos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited December 2007
    Xaquin wrote: »
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    I'm not good at video games.

    except Super Star Wars.

    Super Star Wars was fucking hard. You sell yourself short.

    And seriously this game is really really easy.

    apotheos on


    猿も木から落ちる
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    I'm not good at video games.

    except Super Star Wars.

    Super Star Wars was fucking hard. You sell yourself short.

    And seriously this game is really really easy.

    Really, really, really easy. But super fun.

    Magic Pink on
  • FernandoFernando Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    hey hey, I now have a blog, probably will update it every wednesday
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/

    Fernando on
    "It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
    Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    I'm not good at video games.

    except Super Star Wars.

    Super Star Wars was fucking hard. You sell yourself short.

    And seriously this game is really really easy.

    Fighting harder versions of all the bosses plus a new one can be a bit tricky, though. I've beaten the game on multiple occasions, but I wouldn't call that part really, really easy. It's on par with fighting all the bosses in Megaman, but without potential health refills (or can you regain health? I can't remember). It's not HARD, but you have to avoid making mistakes along the way.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Sure, it's no Kirby's Dreamland but man alive is Actraiser easy in comparison to SSW. That is a hard fucking game.

    Xenogears of Bore on
    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    apotheos wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I have this for my SNES .... good stuff

    never beat it though

    I assume it is because you never tried as, while 100% pure distillate of awesome, this game was by no means hard.

    I'm not good at video games.

    except Super Star Wars.

    Super Star Wars was fucking hard. You sell yourself short.

    And seriously this game is really really easy.

    I beat it three times in a row without dying.
    It was the only game I owned for 2 years =/

    Xaquin on
  • FernandoFernando Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Well at least it was a good game

    Fernando on
    "It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
    Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    true

    Xaquin on
  • JebralJebral The guy nobody pays attention to Down South in the land of free thinkingRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    God only knows why they took out the sim bits in part 2. Yeah, it was nothing but a straight platformer. I never bothered to play it.

    The first one, though, is a childhood favorite. Glad to see it getting props.

    Jebral on
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  • FernandoFernando Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    It's because they are communist.

    Fernando on
    "It's not that I'm lazy...It's just that I don't care."--Office Space
    http://vctreasures.blogspot.com/
    Updated Weekly, every Wednesday.
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