There is a wave of nostalgia and sentimentality sweeping through the gaming world as of late, evidenced by the release of titles such as Unravel, That Dragon, Cancer and Oxenfree. Games like these are giving players a chance to peak through a different kind of lens, a lens which focuses on emotional healing and resuscitates the memories …
Undertale made an impression on not only the indie scene but the entire video game world when it released last month. The result of a wildly successful campaign through Kickstarter which began two years ago, this revisionist take on the classic RPG was said to blend elements of Earthbound, Shin Megami Tensei and Touhou into an entirely originally package. The effort of over 2,000 backers and the mind of Toby Fox helped create one of the most unique and charming releases this year.
The SNES is arguably home to some of the best Japanese role-playing games ever made, but even among such revered company, Earthbound (known as Mother 2 in Japan) stands out as a brilliant satire about growing up and our fears of conformity. It’s anarchy versus conformity only conformity doesn’t stand a chance. This often funny, always poignant coming of age tale, deeply embedded in suburban mores, centers around four kids, off to save the planet by collecting melodies while en route to defeating the evil alien force known as Giygas.