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Actraiser Renaissance |OT| The Lord of Light Returns to Switch, Steam, PS4, iOS, and Android

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SpongebobSquaredance

Unconfirmed Member
the art style feels a bit more generic
no way, AR2 is among the prettiest SNES games out there. The animation alone is leagues above AR1, which is understandable as it was an early SNES game.

and I totally get why AR1 is more popular. The sim part made it unique and it's a far easier to digest than AR2. AR2 is an acquired taste and can be pretty overwhelming at first, but once it clicks it turns out to be one of the most mechanically satisfying side scrollers of the SNES era.

Angels are cute girls, perhaps I should reconsider my atheism lol.
you basically play god in ActRaiser.
 
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S0ULZB0URNE

Member
Even the mention of Actraiser in 2021 by SE makes me happy let alone a remaster.

How much new content?
What is the visual/performance differences between the consoles?
 

Lunarorbit

Member
Fuck.... Being a mobile game makes sense with the gameplay I saw. It looked bad in the side scrolling zones; it was kinda choppy and the death animation is super lame.

Maybe when it goes on sale for 75% off on psn?

Edit: argh, I read more posts here and I'll get it. I just bought castlevania last night so it's gonna be a future purchase
 
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Thaedolus

Member
Fuck.... Being a mobile game makes sense with the gameplay I saw. It looked bad in the side scrolling zones; it was kinda choppy and the death animation is super lame.

Maybe when it goes on sale for 75% off on psn?

Edit: argh, I read more posts here and I'll get it. I just bought castlevania last night so it's gonna be a future purchase
Side scrolling sections play better than the original IMO. And the graphics are kinda interesting, they remind me of a Saturn or late SNES title with sprites based on pre rendered assets a la Donkey Kong Country or something. There are a lot of boiler plate effects you’d see in a mobile game or something but it’s not all mobile looking. And once you’re playing it really feels like a non issue.
 

MrA

Banned
$30 for a mobile game? lol
yeah but it costs 20 dollars on mobile, which might as well be 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 dollars in mobile space

anyway man those cuts scenes
fortunately, the game itself looks fine

also, anyone that likes actraiser , sakuna of rice and ruin is similar as a farming sim/action game
 
So how do you build blockhouses in Fillmore? I guess I'm stuck until I figure that out.

EDIT: I figured it out. When building a new fort, hit L to change the building types. Blockhouses are the archery forts, FYI.
 
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eNT1TY

Member
Hate the way the character looks in the side-scrolling sections but its FUCKING ACTRAISER. Music was the best part of the trailer for me and the overworld/sim sections looked decent. Yeah, ill give it a buy on Steam.
 
Cant believe I'm saying this but the visuals have grown on me. I like how weird and stiff looking the main character is. Makes him seem a little supernatural like the statues he emerged from at the start of the combat levels. I like the color silhouettes that follow the character after you power up attack. Reminds me of old effects from Symphony of the Night.

Awkward and dating looking, but I'm somehow kinda into it. On Fillmore Act 2 and the combat is getting a little more interesting.
 
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Erdrick

Member
Bought this just now. PS4 version for my PS5. Really liking it so far. Very nostalgic for me as I very much enjoyed the original SNES version back when it came out. Just coming to grips with the Sim stuff now. (My favourite aspect of the original game.)

The music is fucking Godly. Appropriate, considering whom you portray and represent in-game.

$39.99 well spent, IMO. Wanted mostly to show Square Enix that there is a reason to do more Actraiser. Could they maybe remake the 2nd but add Sim parts in? I'd like it a hell of a lot more if they did that.

Anyway, very solid game so far. Visuals give me a PSP vibe Ala Dracula X or Ghosts & Goblins remakes.
 

Hardensoul

Member
Cant believe I'm saying this but the visuals have grown on me. I like how weird and stiff looking the main character is. Makes him seem a little supernatural like the statues he emerged from at the start of the combat levels. I like the color silhouettes that follow the character after you power up attack. Reminds me of old effects from Symphony of the Night.

Awkward and dating looking, but I'm somehow kinda into it. On Fillmore Act 2 and the combat is getting a little more interesting.
I always thought the gameplay of original Actraiser was stiff. This remaster looking stiff kind of a plus for me! that nostalgia kicking in. lol

And bought....
 

bronk

Banned
I want this but im hesitant at $30. I love the original and have beat it many times. Hmmmm I want to support so they can do this to other Super Nintendo games. We'll see. Im leaning towards grabbing it.
 

Bullet Club

Member
Here's DF's look at it:




A surprise 'drop' at last week's Nintendo Direct, Actraiser Renaissance aims to re-imagine and enhance a stone-cold SNES classic... but the results are mixed to say the least. John Linneman and Audi Sorlie compare notes and take a look at the game across platforms. Note: we've now confirmed conclusively that this is developed on Unity.
 

Erdrick

Member

I think his complaints on the frame rates and other visual issues are kind of overreactions, but I also know how obsessive Joe is on such seemingly-minor things as a whole. I'm also playing it on the PS5 and not the Switch, so I don't know, maybe it does run like a dog's breakfast on that? I think the best way to sum the game is that it initially leaves a tepid or lukewarm impression, on visuals for sure, but the little changes and control additions somewhat mitigate things and add some flavour and depth to the game overall. I'm midway into Bloodpool's sim act and I'm honestly forgetting at times that I'm playing a remake, since my muscle memory is returning for some of the parts of the game. It's like Joe said, it gets better as you play.

I also cannot stress enough how good the music is. It was amazing in it's original form, but the new arrangements elevate it even further now. Yeah, it's a bit more expensive than I'd like, but I want to make a point to SE that people still give a damn about this game and series, so I bought it at full price. This game literally came out of nowhere for me, and it's been a very pleasant surprise.

Actraiser 2 remake with sim elements put in plz. Also I'd take remakes like this of Soul Blazer, Illusion Of Gaia and Terranigma. I miss Quintet's style of games.
 
The game looks odd in general visually. I honestly didn't notice anything wrong with Switch version after playing it all day yesterday.

If you really want it on Switch for some reason just get that. I honestly haven't cared for this particular game.
 

tsumake

Member
DF’s opinion is spot on: it gives an awful first impression. The graphics feel like a 32-bit “update.” However it controls well and the gameplay additions are welcome.

You should play the SNES version first, but this seems like a worthwhile title.
 

CGiRanger

Banned
Finally got a chance to play. I got it on the Switch and went in with low expectations for the visuals. Thankfully that made it bearable since it just isn't a good looking game sadly. I mean, some of the environments are nice, but I feel a lot gets washed out by different effects and such.

And the death animations have to be the biggest joke ever. Like, seriously it's just a step above the sprite blinking out of existence. Even the original at least gave an explosion fx to it. It's frustrating because I can't imagine it'd take a proper fx/environment artist long to come up with better flourishes here and there.

On the positive, of course the remixed music is sublime and so glad Yuzo Koshiro came back to do it. The gameplay additions are also very nice and definitely add a lot more depth than was there in the original which was quite a barebones game.

So I'm generally satisfied, but also annoyed because a little more visual polish would have made a big difference.
 
Finally got a chance to play. I got it on the Switch and went in with low expectations for the visuals. Thankfully that made it bearable since it just isn't a good looking game sadly. I mean, some of the environments are nice, but I feel a lot gets washed out by different effects and such.

And the death animations have to be the biggest joke ever. Like, seriously it's just a step above the sprite blinking out of existence. Even the original at least gave an explosion fx to it. It's frustrating because I can't imagine it'd take a proper fx/environment artist long to come up with better flourishes here and there.

On the positive, of course the remixed music is sublime and so glad Yuzo Koshiro came back to do it. The gameplay additions are also very nice and definitely add a lot more depth than was there in the original which was quite a barebones game.

So I'm generally satisfied, but also annoyed because a little more visual polish would have made a big difference.
Pretty much. But by the time you start completing Fillmore, the game's tutorials have all been completed and the pace picks up. I was surprised how much I'm enjoying it. Finished all of Fillmore in 1 sitting. Going to start level 2 tonight maybe.
 
20 hrs in. Almost 100% on everything but Northwall which I havent started yet.

Tips:
  • There's two hidden sword moves. Hold forward on the third hit of your 3 hit combo to dash forward. After backdating hit forward + attack.
  • Most enemies don't damage you when touching them (some do) so you can dash strike through them and flank them over and over.
  • Enemies during raids will show an up or down arrow if they are weak or resistant to certain miracles when you select miracle and then hover over them.
  • Raid descriptions will give you obvious hints on how to win. If it says a loss condition is all workshops smashed, then reposition your gates and towers near the paths to get to the workshops. This telegraphs what they're going to attack.
  • Don't forget to pick the right towers for the correct enemy. If they have the magic resistance bubble go with blockhouses for archery. If they don't, go for magic towers. If they're flying then palisades won't do anything so use bells. Position towers near your gates to hit stalled enemies, and put bells near towers so they sit and get shot.
  • Last ditch effort if ambushed, tornado miracle can pull enemies away towards to the center of the miracle. Some heroes are also significantly faster at movement or can stop enemies from advancing.
 
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Gotta do the last two combat quests for Northwall and find 2 power ups in the last level then I'm ready for the final showdown. At about 22 hrs now.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Really getting tired of all the tower defense stuff. It'd be different if it were decent tower defense - but the location you can put the fortifications is basically random and always leaves at least one or two paths that cannot be guarded except by your heroes. Placing the towers is nice and all but they seem to do almost no damage to most enemies (even when upgraded). The fail conditions always change too - so it's required a lot of trial and error on my part which means I'm typically playing these sections two or three times each.

I wish you could skip over this stuff completely. It really feels like it doesn't belong here.
 

BadBurger

Is 'That Pure Potato'
Really getting tired of all the tower defense stuff. It'd be different if it were decent tower defense - but the location you can put the fortifications is basically random and always leaves at least one or two paths that cannot be guarded except by your heroes. Placing the towers is nice and all but they seem to do almost no damage to most enemies (even when upgraded). The fail conditions always change too - so it's required a lot of trial and error on my part which means I'm typically playing these sections two or three times each.

I wish you could skip over this stuff completely. It really feels like it doesn't belong here.

Which area are you in? It has been pretty easy going for so far playing on normal - not sure if that matters for the over world stuff. I just wish they'd ease up with the tutorial-minded gameplay. I realize it's a Japanese game and on mobile as well but damn, almost two hours in and it feels like one long tutorial.

I am still having fun though.
 
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