Game:

Earthbound (1994)

Category:

Let's Play

Duration: 52:19

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Here is the final world & Boss battle for my playthrough of Earthbound done live on IGTV

Follow me on instagram @CabinSNES_fever to join me live or via my reviews and uploads to witness me take down all the games currently in my SNES colleciton, following on from having already beaten all 234 licenced UK releases for the NES. I only use original carts, no cheats & no save states.

REVIEW:
-Though almost entirely ignored upon its initial release, time has only been kind to this hidden diamond, aging it like the finest of wines. Whilst being a 'must play' title might be common knowledge nowadays, it wasnt always the case and with prices for original carts hitting astronomical figures over a decade ago, I hate to think what hole it would burn in a collectors pocket today! Is it worth the investment? Are you mental? I guess I am, but thankfully for the sane, Nintendo have released this on virtual console including English translation of the previously never Western released predecessor 'Mother', yes Earthbound is actually a sequel! Infact it has its own sequel; Mother 3, which sadly remains unreleased & untranslated even today.

Besides a huge & beautifully crafted world to explore, full of a wonderfully eccentric cast to interact with, the overall charm & creativity running through the spine of the games core is its unquestionable strength. Though the SNES library is overrun with excellent RPGs, it's rare to see things stray too far from the comforts usually associated with the genres mix of traditional Japanese freudal & fantasy storytelling elements. Earthbound challenges this normality in every way. Tho theres familarity in gameplay mechanics, nearly everything else feels refreshingly original and while a story demanding saving the world from galactic evil via a collective of child misfits may sound familiar, HOW its told is where both plaudits for originality and creatively are awarded by the bucket load. The comedy woven into almost every strand of the games fibre is incredible, it never cheapens the story, instead playing a vital role, yet the harder story elements are still delivered with a punch when required.

It's a long game but it never comes remotely close to being a chore. Each new area brings with it a wealth of identity & charm proving to be more like reading the next chapter of a thrilling book than repeating the processes of previous levels. Its not an easy RPG, far from it, there's alot to learn, plenty of tough fights and the unfamiliar aesthetic only deepens the challenge however it's only ever a joy to play.

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