MiSTer FPGA - Alcahest (アルカエスト) / Super Famicom (SNES)
0I first heard about this game from a SNESdrunk video (link below), and have found this to be a pretty enjoyable ARPG. It almost plays like a top-down perspective evolution of the Capcom arcade classic Magic Sword. Alcahest isn't a very deep game, but what's there is certainly enough to keep you on your toes with puzzle-like stage design, and many varied boss battles to learn.
Weapons are upgradeable throughout the game, giving you new charge attacks to use. Companions are recruited to follow your character and spam attacks in the same direction the main character is facing, and have an alternate magic attack that is often very powerful/useful. The guardians that upgrade your weapon also allow you to summon them via a refillable meter, expanding your attacks with their powerful magic. Dungeons seem somewhat mazelike, with secret doors and passageways containing loot that you can easily miss if you don't search thoroughly. The best of these extra items is the Holy Cup, which will revive your character upon death one time.
For an action RPG, you could certainly do much worse than Alcahest. It isn't the most unique or imaginative game, but is a fun experience for fans of the genre. RPG elements are very light in this one, with the experience you gain simply giving you extra credits. It's more of a top-down hack and slash romp through a bunch of dungeons/stages. Stages unfold through the discovery of various items that let you progress through previously impassible obstacles/areas, in a somewhat metroid-like way.
Alcahest never left Japan, so you'll have to use a patch to translate it. This English translation by romhacker "F.H." was never completed, and has an issue where the stage titles (which are also the game's passwords) are illegible, so continuing is broken. Luckily fellow romhacker KingMike made a fix for this small remaining issue with the translation, so once you apply this second patch to the translated rom, everything is good to go.
Translation: http://www.romhacking.net/translations/278/
Stage title / Password Fix: http://www.romhacking.net/translations/2286/
SNESdrunk video for Alcahest: https://youtu.be/JdHpaLgStuQ
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SNES core 10-28-2020 build - Alcahest (アルカエスト)
Filter: SNES_110_85_Soft // Gamma: 2.3
Played using an NTT Data SNES controller via BlisSTer/LLAPI
Settings: Integer Scaled to 1080p // HDMI to Datapath e1s capture card
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|:=-Timestamps-=:|
00:00 - Settings
00:30 - Title/Intro
06:45 - Gameplay
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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/WalrusFPGA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WalrusFPGA
=---------------CONTRIBUTE---------------=
None of this would be possible without the constant hard work of Sorgelig. It cannot be overstated how much he has done and continues to do for this project, since its beginning. You can support him either at his Patreon in the link below, or on Paypal, depending on your preference. MiSTer is a paradigm shift in how we can experience these classic games. This is a long-term preservation project that will continue to grow so that gamers today and in the future can experience these excellent systems as accurately and lag-free as possible. Donating what you can will help keep the updates coming. Thank you.
Patreon: https://patreon.com/FPGAMiSTer
PayPal: https://paypal.me/FPGAMiSTer
NOTE: I am not affiliated with Sorgelig and am only sharing these links as a fan of the project who wishes to see it continue to grow rapidly.
=-----------------INFORM-----------------=
SmokeMonster's overview video of this core: https://youtu.be/8DF8UPSNYys
Github link for this core: https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/SNES_MiSTer
MiSTer Forum/Wiki/Github (source, guides and info): http://MiSTerFPGA.org
Classic Gaming Discord for live chat/help: https://discord.gg/UDu5ztY
(go to the rules-faq-roles channel for info on how to see the MiSTer channels in there, etc)
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Worldwide list of sellers for MiSTer expansion boards: https://misterfpga.org/viewforum.php?f=34&sid=74e1c5e7dae1b99284789d93194cfa0b
I have personally ordered all my parts from https://www.MiSTerAddons.com and have been 100% satisfied with the quality and service there. (North American seller. If in a different region, check list linked above for best local shipping rates.)