Amazing Sega Saturn platformers

[pakopako]

I'm totally against platformers on the Saturn. I find them all to be very generic and just average. I'm not saying they are bad, but definitely nothing worth going out of your way to play. I'll just stick with my 16 bit consoles for my platformer fix.

And I'm just talking about US releases. I'm not sure about imports.

Even Astal? Personally, yeah, it might feel a bit generic, but it is pure art in motion. I simply adore the look of it!

Call me jaded, but I bought the game and feel it was just "worth the price of purchase" (US$15) -- it looks nice, but way too zoomed in (like the N64's Goemon or Mischief Makers... or the SNES Mega Man 7).

I'd much prefer Keio 2 -- which, why hasn't it been mentioned in this topic yet?!

[final fight cd]

I'm totally against platformers on the Saturn. I find them all to be very generic and just average. I'm not saying they are bad, but definitely nothing worth going out of your way to play. I'll just stick with my 16 bit consoles for my platformer fix.

And I'm just talking about US releases. I'm not sure about imports.

Even Astal? Personally, yeah, it might feel a bit generic, but it is pure art in motion. I simply adore the look of it!

Call me jaded, but I bought the game and feel it was just "worth the price of purchase" (US$15) -- it looks nice, but way too zoomed in (like the N64's Goemon or Mischief Makers... or the SNES Mega Man 7).

I'd much prefer Keio 2 -- which, why hasn't it been mentioned in this topic yet?!

yeah, even astal. i feel the game has a TON of potential to be a great platformer. but, outside its visuals, it is just lackluster. a proper 2D sequel could be an amazing game.

i never played - or even seen much keio 2 gameplay footage - but i have always heard it wasn't that great of a game. and talk about a change in direction. shmup to a platformer.

[greg]

I'd much prefer Keio 2 -- which, why hasn't it been mentioned in this topic yet?!

It was mentioned a few times, actually. I was hoping that dreamcast4ever was going to share what his (her?) native language was and explain what was going on with the whole multiple personalities taking over the computer keyboard.

[dreamcast4ever83]

Elevator Action Returns - Best game mentioned so far. Keio 2 and Psychic Assassin Taromaru are also very good and I don't think Liquid Kids/Mizubaku Adventure was mentioned yet.

I'm not 100% on this but I've read that the GnG collection (JP) removes the slowdown from its Super GnG port so it's worth looking into.

It does, at least on the first level. I haven't played it past that. The version of Ghouls 'n Ghosts is also the best home console version available, along with the PS1 version.*


*I am not counting the X68000 version, as that was a high end gaming PC at the time. This version is actually closer to the arcade in some ways than the Saturn/PS1 port.

I have not played elevator action as of yet but i would love to.

Is it expensive? If so is it worth the price of admission?

[dreamcast4ever83]

Let me start by saying I have played alot of 2D Platformers in my life but when I was younger i missed out on this title. Now coming back and buying this game as an adult This game made me feel like I did playing all the best Platformers when I was young. There is just a certain magic in picking up a Saturn controller and playing thid beautiful 32bit plat former which is what this system did best. I could not praise this game enough so here is a mini review just for this page. (I know there is an area for reviews but this is just a mini im posting here thank's)

Astal is a Side Scrolling Arcade Action Platform Game. Play involves walking, leaping, using magic, and a trained bird, and blowing enemies down. The graphics are absolutely the finest you will see in the 2D platform genre, with every screen being beautiful. The action zooms in and out, and special effects, unique to each level, abound. The sound is magical and well done. also in terms of gameplay technique, this simple but exquisite Japanese style platformer may be just too beautiful to miss. The opening is in the tradition of sonic cd opening.

Now for the story A Goddess creates the world from a vast magical gem. From two more gems, She creates two humanoids, and gives them life and dominion over her world. Eventually trouble Come's in full force when Antowas's world is stolen, and humans are caught up in the affair. the Goddess basically cleans house, evicts, and punishes one of the humans, Astal, for getting too distraught in his defense of her world. Now Astal, free at last, must find his only lover, Leda, clear the world of the remaining minion of the Usurper, and learn how to calm down along the way so that he is not punished by Antowas again. With the help of his trusty bird this just may take place.

The gamplay on this game is amazing and fun and rather easy for anyone to pick up and play and had this game came out a few year before it would have been an huge success with many sequels made by now. Unfortunately This came out around the time of the big 3d gaming bang with Psx and Nintendo 64 so really it did not have a chance.

This is rather sad cause this was quite a game that could have evolved into so much
more. All in all I would say if your both a Sega Saturn fan and love 2D platformers you can't go wrong here. I have heard many thing about this game both good and bad and respect all opinions but since im stating mine I give this game A

9/10 Kickass

Also the usa version has gone up quite a bit in price 35+ but you can still get the import for a very fair price and watch the cut-scenes on youtube.

[ninjainspandex]

Imo get taito legends 2 on the ps2 it will save you a fistful of money it has liquid kids, elevator action 2, layer section 2, gekrinkiden, and metal black. All of which are quite pricey on the saturn.

[dreamcast4ever83]

Come on guys, Astal? Gameplay-wise, that would've been a pretty average 'later era' game on an 8-bit console. Most of the levels are uninspired and painfully linear with no secrets, control is imprecise, hit detection sometimes sloppy, and the bird mechanic has this annoying auto-select thing and makes an annoying noise when charged. Yeah, it looks great but that's the only aspect it really excels in.

Keio 2 though, solid hybrid game. And Elevator Action Returns is awesome.

Elevator action returns in my opinion is not really a traditional platform game by any mean

a platform game does not need to have tons of hidden area's and unlockables nor does it need to have a ton of moves to make it a good game.

All it need is a good imagination and this game was full of that (astal)

[greg]

I have not played elevator action as of yet but i would love to.

Elevator action returns in my opinion is not really a traditional platform game by any mean

I don't know how you gained such an educated opinion on this game overnight, but it is a platformer, and it is amazing, so therefore it is an amazing platformer. That's all you need to know.

[marurun]

Come on guys, Astal? Gameplay-wise, that would've been a pretty average 'later era' game on an 8-bit console. Most of the levels are uninspired and painfully linear with no secrets, control is imprecise, hit detection sometimes sloppy, and the bird mechanic has this annoying auto-select thing and makes an annoying noise when charged. Yeah, it looks great but that's the only aspect it really excels in.

Oh, right, sorry, Astal must not be very good because you say it's not.

Astal has attractive graphics and very good graphic design. The music is good and most of the sound effects are pretty high quality and appropriate. The bird's sound effects are obnoxious, true, but the game is otherwise fairly well-done. It's certainly a good platformer. Maybe it isn't your style, and that's fine, but don't rain on our parade, k'?

[aaron]

how is this thread mostly about Astal? it's a visually-appealing, unique, and solid title on the saturn but i don't think it'd hold up against most 16-bit 2D platformers. i think i liked playing Gex more than i liked Astal.