Just over ten years ago, I posted one of my first reviews to Steam. It was on a game called Child of Light. I'll post the link at the bottom so as not to break up the flow more than I usually do. I believe I posted it here, but I can't find it, so maybe I didn't. Or I'm confusing it with another. Recently, my boss bought me a new computer. Go play Crowns if Power! Wanting to relive and begin some new games I couldn't hope to experience with my last (two) rigs, I booted up an oldie.
Child of Light was a magical experience ten years ago. Its visuals, soundtrack, world, and gameplay all felt like a fever dream of everything I want in an RPG. I know I enjoyed the game, but it was a fever dream because I don't remember anything about it. Who are these characters I have written down in my giant Google spreadsheet? Why don't I have any villains on it? I've been listening to this Cœur de pirate album for ten years, but I don't have any mental images to get lost in when I snuggle with my stuffed animal/waifu, Lucy, outside. I need to fix that. I also want to look back at myself from ten years ago.
When I still had hope...
The first thing I notice is that I understand why I barely graduated from college. I love commas! Why didn't I use them? And those run on sentences... You know it wasn't written by a clanker, at least. But I'm not here to mock me. I do that every other day! What did I get right, change my mind on, or wish I had better knowledge of?
My first paragraph is a joke, walking the line between how bad Ubisoft is and telling people the game is too good to pass up anyway. Some things never change. I still begin with a joke, and Ubisoft just keeps getting worse...
The second paragraph is where the review begins. It's one long sentence saying that the game is similar to something from the PS2, except the main character isn't a brooding teen. In fact, she might be the weakest character in the game! Grammar aside, this is true. Aurora is such an amazing character, but her stats leave a lot to be desired. She's towards the bottom in every stat, with her only saving grace being her Light magic spells. Stuffing her full of Stardust, a consumable stat booster, helps to even her out, but maybe the min/maxers would place them on other characters. I go on to "accidentally the whole thing" setting up the plot. I mention Aurora's father, The Duke, and his depression. The story begins with Aurora dying, followed by a massive rainstorm threatening to flood their kingdom. She seeks the Sun, Moon, and Stars, saves two realms, and I'm vague about some twists. It's a decent overview of the story. I end the paragraph with a fun note about Austria's history with dukedoms. By the way, I didn't bring up Stardust once ten years ago.
I then talk about the combat. I kept this concise, so good job. I make frequent references to the timeline, mentioning the goal is to interrupt your opponent before they interrupt you, sending you back to the beginning. There are ways to constantly manipulate battle participants' roles in the timeline. I even bring up the ability to switch characters on the fly. I did get it wrong that it sends new characters to the back of the line, though. I didn't experience that my second time through. I probably should have compared it to Final Fantasy X in that fashion. I also hadn't played Grandia yet, but that would have been the best connection to make.
I continue that point by talking about the "multiplayer" aspects and the firefly Igniculus. Igy can slow down enemies and heal in battle. He also gets easier access to the restorative flower pollen. I dared player two to have fun, but I somehow forgot Igy can open several types of treasure chests. I no sold him, which was just pathetic of me.
I then poorly talked about character skill trees. I inferred some can get magical or physical skills, but that isn't true. Every tree is based around a character's "class" of sorts; what they do best and bring to the table. It would be better to have said each tree enhances a character's skills. Aurora, for example, gets a physical route, a path to boost her quick Light spell, and another to up her super Light spell. Óengus gets a branch to up his attack, his defense, or a magic spell called Quake. Robert gets attack boosts, skill boosts, and his antidote buffs. So maybe I was right, but I worded it poorly. Finn, though, only gets magic boosts. The other characters do have physical/magical splits, too. Good job, me. And better job, game devs.
I'm halfway through, and I finally talk about the "platforming." The ability to fly makes running and jumping antiquated, but the amount of hidden things is amazing. The verticality of Lemuria adds so much to the game and it's visuals, while adding some much needed whimsy. There's a word I wish I had used back then. The collectables are fun to find, even if I misspelled "as."
I then gush about the graphics. "A prodigy's watercolor dream" is still an apt way to describe it. Character sprites, portraits, and the world are all stunning. There's texture in those watercolors, mind you, so it isn't flat like Valkyria Chronicles (THIS JS CALLED FORSHADOWING), and Yoshitaka Amano can eat his heart out. I go on to say how the visuals work with Aurora's age and naivety before pinning for more games to look like it. You can tell my eyes have gotten worse because I made no mention of how hard it is to read some of the word bubbles over Aurora and Igy's heads during gameplay. They're fine during visual novel cutscenes, but being legally blind kinda sucks here.
I saved the music for last. I suggest everyone listen to the soundtrack, even if you want to play the game, before questionablely describing what I heard. It's probably the same way I'd do so now! I even posted links to the soundtrack(s), bringing up tracks not on Spotify. Even now, I still think Cœur de pirate, or Beatrice Martin, wrote one of the greatest soundtracks the industry has ever seen. I did not place it in my top ten, though, because I am a fool, a coward, and, most obviously, an idiot. I'd probably throw it at seven, between Final Fantasy VII and Bastion.
Lastly, I bring up the alleged downsides of it being a linear game. This is true, but I failed to mention how short it is. I finished my second playthrough in just under thirteen hours. I want more Child of Light and Aurora antics, and I'm kinda sad it's already over. But I'm not sure how to add to it. Answers on where the circus is and what's in the houses of all those locked doors. Those feel like side quests, though. There's no more main content to do. But it's okay to end a story when it's over. And, maybe this time, I'll keep the memory of this game in my head.
I throw more unnecessary shade at Ubisoft and those boycotting the game because of Child of Light's connection to it, but my closing thoughts are still poignant. "If you're an artist of any style, you're going find [sic] plenty to love in Child of Light. If you're a gamer of any style, you're going to find plenty to love." I said that ten years ago, and it's still the best way to describe CoL. Just, ya know, get a better editor...
That was the past, so let's talk about the now.
I can't believe I forgot about Child of Light. Everything about it is amazing, and I want more of it. The art style is stunning, in the way backgrounds showcase a massive world filled with both fear and whimsy. The music tells a tale of sorrow and triumph on its own. And the story, with all of its heavy segments about a young girl seeking her father and missing her mother, but through it all, saving a world she doesn't belong in just because it's what's best. I don't think the secondary cast holds up to Aurora, but they're all fun and lovable. In a world of rhyme, our white mage is the only one who can't. A sad jester, a thirteen-year-old man with a beard, a horny capitalist mouse, a knight with a checkered past, and a fish girl who's the last of her kind help this strange girl who can fly get home. To say nothing of the firefly who shuns his own people to see her journey through. I felt like crying several times in these thirteen hours.
The bosses can be painfully frustrating, and they definitely don't carry their weight in the plot, but the presentation and gameplay are more than adequate for anyone to enjoy Child of Light.
48/50. It's been a long time since I've played anything this good.
And here's my first review, which I'll give a D- too. https://steamcommunity.com/id/Deadaghram/recommended/256290/
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Friday, July 17, 2026
BAZOOOOOO!
Ancient Magic: Bazoo is one of those games that does something new, even by today's standards (keep in mind, I don't play modern games). And that something can be fun, is really rad, and it's wrapped in a lovely box your grandfather bought for you. But your grandpa is a bit crazy, and there's a bomb attached to the lid.
Let's start with the good! I thought the story was amazing. You play a teenager in a small town. Relatable! You choose your name, gender, and background. Gender doesn't seem to mean much, as there's no apparent romance, but your background dictates what your character says when interacting with the world. I chose priest because its skill is lore. I like to think I know about the world and want to show it off, which that does. Anyway, you quickly learn your dead dad was a heroic mage, and you want to follow in his footsteps. Your reluctant mom listens to a bard, who whisks you off to your rich uncle, where you meet your cousin. But your uncle kinda sucks and has you working as a servant until you do something cool. And then you go to wizard school to spend the next two years.
And that's one of the best things Bazoo does. It tells a long term story about how you grow as a mage and as a person and introduces you to characters and concepts slowly. It does feel like a life, but without the boring stuff. Only adventure! And from there, you save the world, but whatever. The story has neat twists about your morality, a strange history, and what happens after "happily ever after." There are even small choices along the way that slightly change the story. I'm not sure by how much, but you can 'skip' certain bosses by making the appropriate decision.
And the battle system is pretty neat too. It looks like your typical turn based affair (where speed matters), but there's a twist. There isn't just one screen all battle participants are standing on, but an entire field. You'll often have to run up to your enemy to actually stab them. It's very D&D in that manner. And sometimes a mob can't hit you because someone is standing in the way. Which is where magic comes in! Magic is very powerful, but it's also even more expensive. MP drains fast. This can be mitigated by actually buying elixir fizzes, but guess what I didn't find until too late. The lack of item descriptions is poor game design, I'll give you that. Most important, don't forget to do the ritual for learning new spells after you've bought the scroll. Your master, another choice you make, only teaches you so many.
Visually, the game is kinda NES Premium. Tile sets are reused, and every village and town feels the same. Not too much variety here, and that includes the spell animations. They try to do something while the magic travels, but it's a meager attempt.
And musically, it's much the same. A few good songs are scattered about, but there isn't much here. It's also forgettable.
But... the world! I got a kick out of seeing it live. Ships sail, and carriages travel as you leave the villages scattered throughout the world. NPCs are almost up there, but there isn't enough side content to make them matter. The game's also pretty short, so they only get so much time.
It's a shame Grandpa planted that bomb, though. The encounter rate in Bazoo is outrageous. It might be the second worst on the console, behind Arabian Nights. I wish the story was longer, but I couldn't suffer through any more encounters and had to tap out early.
I enjoyed playing Ancient Magic: Bazoo... I like games that try new things, even if they're rough around the edges. I didn't know that about myself, but this SNES RPG saga has taught me that. Ogre Battle, Metal Max, and Cyber Knight can attest to that. If I don't finish it... All in all, Bazoo gets a score higher than those games. 32/50. I'm shocked, but I'm not gonna argue with myself.
Let's start with the good! I thought the story was amazing. You play a teenager in a small town. Relatable! You choose your name, gender, and background. Gender doesn't seem to mean much, as there's no apparent romance, but your background dictates what your character says when interacting with the world. I chose priest because its skill is lore. I like to think I know about the world and want to show it off, which that does. Anyway, you quickly learn your dead dad was a heroic mage, and you want to follow in his footsteps. Your reluctant mom listens to a bard, who whisks you off to your rich uncle, where you meet your cousin. But your uncle kinda sucks and has you working as a servant until you do something cool. And then you go to wizard school to spend the next two years.
And that's one of the best things Bazoo does. It tells a long term story about how you grow as a mage and as a person and introduces you to characters and concepts slowly. It does feel like a life, but without the boring stuff. Only adventure! And from there, you save the world, but whatever. The story has neat twists about your morality, a strange history, and what happens after "happily ever after." There are even small choices along the way that slightly change the story. I'm not sure by how much, but you can 'skip' certain bosses by making the appropriate decision.
And the battle system is pretty neat too. It looks like your typical turn based affair (where speed matters), but there's a twist. There isn't just one screen all battle participants are standing on, but an entire field. You'll often have to run up to your enemy to actually stab them. It's very D&D in that manner. And sometimes a mob can't hit you because someone is standing in the way. Which is where magic comes in! Magic is very powerful, but it's also even more expensive. MP drains fast. This can be mitigated by actually buying elixir fizzes, but guess what I didn't find until too late. The lack of item descriptions is poor game design, I'll give you that. Most important, don't forget to do the ritual for learning new spells after you've bought the scroll. Your master, another choice you make, only teaches you so many.
Visually, the game is kinda NES Premium. Tile sets are reused, and every village and town feels the same. Not too much variety here, and that includes the spell animations. They try to do something while the magic travels, but it's a meager attempt.
And musically, it's much the same. A few good songs are scattered about, but there isn't much here. It's also forgettable.
But... the world! I got a kick out of seeing it live. Ships sail, and carriages travel as you leave the villages scattered throughout the world. NPCs are almost up there, but there isn't enough side content to make them matter. The game's also pretty short, so they only get so much time.
It's a shame Grandpa planted that bomb, though. The encounter rate in Bazoo is outrageous. It might be the second worst on the console, behind Arabian Nights. I wish the story was longer, but I couldn't suffer through any more encounters and had to tap out early.
I enjoyed playing Ancient Magic: Bazoo... I like games that try new things, even if they're rough around the edges. I didn't know that about myself, but this SNES RPG saga has taught me that. Ogre Battle, Metal Max, and Cyber Knight can attest to that. If I don't finish it... All in all, Bazoo gets a score higher than those games. 32/50. I'm shocked, but I'm not gonna argue with myself.
Monday, July 13, 2026
Time travel is fun.
I've been playing two games at the same time for about two months. Mediocre SNES games, man. I needed something different! I learned my phone is stronger than my (old) computer by playing some Nintendo DS games on it. Why I played this particular game instead of another Final Fantasy is beyond me, but I wanted something really different, I guess. Anyway, Radiant Historia was really fun!
And the biggest reason why is the story. Or, rather, both stories. Radiant Hiatoria tells two interweaving stories about a war, mana, and human/beastkin relationships. It focuses on Stocke, a top ranking member of Alestiel's special ops division. Or you can leave and become a commander in the primary army. Regardless of your choice, though, you'll be experiencing both. Information and items obtained in one timeline helps propel the other forward. And each side is wildly different, taking you to different areas, meeting different people, and fighting different bosses. There are even bad endings along the way to keep you on your toes.
And that's aided by the characters. Most of them have a reason to be there, grow along the way, and become their own person by the end. Their motivations are clear, they're well written, and they're easy to like. Each brings something slightly different to combat as well. They also get a pretty neat scene through side quests, too. Hell, even minor characters without a name have some vital side quests. In fact, some of those are the key to getting all the endings. You really need to explore everywhere and talk to everyone. Wanting to see what happens next was the whole reason I kept playing.
Largely because the battle system is kinda hit or miss. The idea of it is amazing. There's a manipulatable turn order of Final Fantasy X, but there's also a grid, à la Lunar, for the enemies. You can move your opponents around the grid, with the back row lowering their attack strength. Certain boss groups also get formations that enhance their skills if they ever achieve this, so keep them out of that! You can also push your opponents into each other, letting subsequent combo attacks deal bonus damage to all mobs on that square. This is rad, but this also hamstrings the usable party composition. This also might just be a me problem, though. I focused heavily on moving around the mobs, which only a handful of player actions can do, and not every member gets access to. So I never used most of the group for that reason. Sorry, Aht. There's also the problem with availability. Only Marco and Raynie are stalwarts in Stocke's party, with everyone else showing up depending on the story path or event. Eruca may have just been an NPC. But the basics of moving, comboing, and turning single target spells into AoE is a lot of fun.
The soundtrack is also up to snub. It's filled with tracks I wish were on streaming sites as they're so relaxing. City and field songs are fitting, battle themes get you focused, and story scenes hit great. However, there aren't a lot of tracks here. The OST was composed by Yoko Shimomura, so the quality is assured, but why are there only twenty five tracks? The game deserved more, which makes me want to check out the 3DS remaster. There are more tracks there, so maybe I'll give that a listen later.
Graphics, though, are the biggest dropped ball. I'm pretty sure there are only seven mobs in the entire game, each with four or more pallet swaps. I don't know how limited the DS was, but I've seen more varied games on it. Ya know, like Pokémon... It's kinda inexcusable. The sprites are high quality, mind you, there are just so few of them. And spell animations don't help either. All fire attacks look the same, regardless of caster, usage, or level.
But the charm tries to save it all with a wonderful wrapping. NPCs, even unnamed ones, are vital to the story, and the world feels like an ever changing entity. Exploration grants you strong gear, side quests, and even better (and more) endings. There isn't much replayability here, and the final boss kinda sucks.
Radiant Historia takes you back and forth across two timelines, meeting six great characters, and inviting you to play a unique battle system. In fact, the characters have the highest score of any cast I've reviewed. And the story matches that. It really is a shame about the graphic reuse, as that's the only middling issue here that prevents the game from being an all timer. That's also a personal nitpick, so maybe you're less judgmental and can see RH for its true ranking. As for me, it might be the best 78% game I've experienced. There's a lot of competition for that, though. Definitely a must play for the NDS.
And the biggest reason why is the story. Or, rather, both stories. Radiant Hiatoria tells two interweaving stories about a war, mana, and human/beastkin relationships. It focuses on Stocke, a top ranking member of Alestiel's special ops division. Or you can leave and become a commander in the primary army. Regardless of your choice, though, you'll be experiencing both. Information and items obtained in one timeline helps propel the other forward. And each side is wildly different, taking you to different areas, meeting different people, and fighting different bosses. There are even bad endings along the way to keep you on your toes.
And that's aided by the characters. Most of them have a reason to be there, grow along the way, and become their own person by the end. Their motivations are clear, they're well written, and they're easy to like. Each brings something slightly different to combat as well. They also get a pretty neat scene through side quests, too. Hell, even minor characters without a name have some vital side quests. In fact, some of those are the key to getting all the endings. You really need to explore everywhere and talk to everyone. Wanting to see what happens next was the whole reason I kept playing.
Largely because the battle system is kinda hit or miss. The idea of it is amazing. There's a manipulatable turn order of Final Fantasy X, but there's also a grid, à la Lunar, for the enemies. You can move your opponents around the grid, with the back row lowering their attack strength. Certain boss groups also get formations that enhance their skills if they ever achieve this, so keep them out of that! You can also push your opponents into each other, letting subsequent combo attacks deal bonus damage to all mobs on that square. This is rad, but this also hamstrings the usable party composition. This also might just be a me problem, though. I focused heavily on moving around the mobs, which only a handful of player actions can do, and not every member gets access to. So I never used most of the group for that reason. Sorry, Aht. There's also the problem with availability. Only Marco and Raynie are stalwarts in Stocke's party, with everyone else showing up depending on the story path or event. Eruca may have just been an NPC. But the basics of moving, comboing, and turning single target spells into AoE is a lot of fun.
The soundtrack is also up to snub. It's filled with tracks I wish were on streaming sites as they're so relaxing. City and field songs are fitting, battle themes get you focused, and story scenes hit great. However, there aren't a lot of tracks here. The OST was composed by Yoko Shimomura, so the quality is assured, but why are there only twenty five tracks? The game deserved more, which makes me want to check out the 3DS remaster. There are more tracks there, so maybe I'll give that a listen later.
Graphics, though, are the biggest dropped ball. I'm pretty sure there are only seven mobs in the entire game, each with four or more pallet swaps. I don't know how limited the DS was, but I've seen more varied games on it. Ya know, like Pokémon... It's kinda inexcusable. The sprites are high quality, mind you, there are just so few of them. And spell animations don't help either. All fire attacks look the same, regardless of caster, usage, or level.
But the charm tries to save it all with a wonderful wrapping. NPCs, even unnamed ones, are vital to the story, and the world feels like an ever changing entity. Exploration grants you strong gear, side quests, and even better (and more) endings. There isn't much replayability here, and the final boss kinda sucks.
Radiant Historia takes you back and forth across two timelines, meeting six great characters, and inviting you to play a unique battle system. In fact, the characters have the highest score of any cast I've reviewed. And the story matches that. It really is a shame about the graphic reuse, as that's the only middling issue here that prevents the game from being an all timer. That's also a personal nitpick, so maybe you're less judgmental and can see RH for its true ranking. As for me, it might be the best 78% game I've experienced. There's a lot of competition for that, though. Definitely a must play for the NDS.
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