RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

The Fire Emblem series makes its triumphant return to consoles with the only entry to grace the GameCube, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. The tried-and-true mechanics return with a whole new race of characters to make one of the best RPG experiences to ever grace the console. Continue reading ‘Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance – Staff Retroview’ »

Skies of Arcadia, a game originally released for Sega’s ill-fated Dreamcast system, found new purchase late in life with a port to the Gamecube. With a handful of new additions and a slight upgrade in graphics, a game that had been lauded as one of the finest on its original system became available to a new audience. On the whole, Skies of Arcadia Legends hasn’t aged particularly well, as ideas and story elements that were unoriginal even during its original release have slid into deep cliché. The combat system has fared a little better, though the lack of any real challenge to the game doesn’t help. In the end, Skies of Arcadia Legends is a reasonably solid, highly traditional turn-based RPG, but the lack of any real originality counts very strongly against it. Continue reading ‘Skies of Arcadia Legends – Staff Retroview’ »

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is a game of gale-force winds and wide open oceans. It strays from the conventional setting of the Zelda series, but it retains the tradition of engaging puzzles and exploration that make the series enjoyable. This focus on convention isn’t all positive, however, as Wind Waker has a number of problems which are fairly commonplace to the series. It inherits inexact control and a distinct lack of originality from its brethren, as well as a few issues that are unique to this entry. The biggest of this latter category, and possibly the game’s biggest issue overall, is the boredom of sailing long distances over seemingly endless stretches of water in order to move from island to island. In the end, Wind Waker is a game that will probably appeal most to people who can get past the idea that Wind Waker isn’t a ground breaking or revolutionary entry in the series. Continue reading ‘Blurring the Line: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker’ »

Last week I finally picked up Mega Man X: Command Mission (hereafter referred to as XCM) again after quite a long hiatus from the game. The last time, I’d gotten about halfway through and ran into a boss that quite literally could kick my collective Reploid butts four times over. I restarted it due to losing the story after so much time, still not sure if I could enjoy it enough to make it all the way through. Continue reading ‘Mega Man X: Command Mission – Staff Review’ »