| Hydlide 1-2-3 [J] | T&E Soft | 2001 | |
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A PC compilation disc that includes the PC-88 versions of all three Hydlide games, an early Japanese RPG series first started in 1984, as well as the remakes of the first and third game. It also includes a museum with various data and interviews. Incidentally, this version uses the cover art from the third game rather than the first game. It seems like the package for the first game bared too much resemblance to a scene from the movie The Neverending Story (minus the gigantic tower). Loosely inspired by the original Ultima games, it’s a simple action RPG where a lone player character runs around a game world, ramming into enemies to attack, finding items, and gaining levels. While it’s well regarded in Japanese circles as a true classic, it’s largely been deemed a joke by the English speaking audience. The original Hydlide features a hero named Jim, who inhabits the magical world of Fairyland, the setting of all future Hydlide games. It’s his job to rescue the fair princess Anne, who was split into three fairies by the demon Varalys/Boralis, who shows as a major villain in all of the other games. You must rescue the fairies, then defeat the evil demon. There’s not much text or story, other than what’s listed in the manual. The player has to explore vast wilderness areas, descending into dungeons and eliminating enemies on the way. Combat system is similar to the one implemented in Ys series: attacking enemies requires the player to "bump" into them, at the same time preventing them from attacking the playable character from the sides and the back. The player can change between defensive and offensive stances by pressing a single button. Magic spells can also be used to dispose of the enemies. The player character grows stronger and gains better parameters as he advances in the game. Hydlide II In a different space a wonderful world existed, called Fairy Land, which was dominated by swords and magic after the times of domination by monsters and evil had ended. The people of Fairy Land were intoxicated with peace. At that time an incident occurred. A Consciousness filled with evil awoke and it created new monsters, brought the dead back to life, and wanted to dominate Fairy Land again. The monks were one of the first who noticed this and warned the people about it but they didn't listen and left the monks disappointed. The monks prayed to God and asked Him if there was a Savior. God, impressed by the monks prayers warped the space-time of Fairy Land with the human world and selected an innocent boy who lived there. The player controls the innocent boy, who must roam the lands of Fairy Land and free it from evil. The player has to create a character before beginning the quest, customizing his parameters - life, strength, and magic. As in the previous game, the player slays enemies by "bumping" into them or using magical spells. It is possible to change between attacking and defensive stances on the fly. The hero can become stronger and gain additional powers. In the villages there are shops where the protagonist can buy and sell weapons, armor, and items. Hydlide 3 Character creation allows the player to choose one of the four character classes: Warrior, Thief, Priest, and Monk. In combat, the protagonist uses melee or long-ranged weapons or casts magic spells. Unlike the previous games in the series, the player is required to press the attack button during melee combat, instead of simply "bumping" into the enemies. There is an internal clock in the game, which makes it necessary for the protagonist to sleep periodically and regain his strength. The main character also has to eat from time to time, otherwise his hit points will gradually decrease. The morality system from the previous game returns: killing friendly creatures will reduce the player's morality level, which will eventually have an effect on one of the game's most decisive battles. | ||
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