Barleybap
@barleybap.bsky.social
Scottish trans retro gamer and ooze seeking her own level. Sometimes translator, 100% completer of James Pond 3, and mostly dormant streamer over at https://www.twitch.tv/barleybap.
Even on RetroAchievements for the game! :D
November 10, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Even on RetroAchievements for the game! :D
It's propagated to every corner of the internet too. The Let's Play on LP Archive laughs at the villain's silly "name", and basically every rip of the final boss song is called "Black Curtain". It's cute how these little errors from so many years ago can ripple outwards for so many decades. :'D
November 10, 2025 at 10:48 PM
It's propagated to every corner of the internet too. The Let's Play on LP Archive laughs at the villain's silly "name", and basically every rip of the final boss song is called "Black Curtain". It's cute how these little errors from so many years ago can ripple outwards for so many decades. :'D
And between that Iwadare soundtrack, some other Lunar staffers on the team, and the general tone, it felt pleasingly like an unofficial Game Arts RPG, which I was obviously totally onboard with as a megafan of the first Grandia. Not quite a must play, but this is very worth five hours of your time.
November 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
And between that Iwadare soundtrack, some other Lunar staffers on the team, and the general tone, it felt pleasingly like an unofficial Game Arts RPG, which I was obviously totally onboard with as a megafan of the first Grandia. Not quite a must play, but this is very worth five hours of your time.
Battles are really quite well done, and there's a really nice spread of objectives and occasional combat puzzles that mean it only starts to grow stale just as it's wrapping up.
November 10, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Battles are really quite well done, and there's a really nice spread of objectives and occasional combat puzzles that mean it only starts to grow stale just as it's wrapping up.
And to the game's credit, by the time the ending rolls after five hours you feel like you've gone on a proper wee adventure, even though you'd still be in the prologue in most RPGs. Dialogue is fun, graphics are solid, and the Noriyuki Iwadare music sounds like proto-Grandia and is rad.
November 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
And to the game's credit, by the time the ending rolls after five hours you feel like you've gone on a proper wee adventure, even though you'd still be in the prologue in most RPGs. Dialogue is fun, graphics are solid, and the Noriyuki Iwadare music sounds like proto-Grandia and is rad.
74. Monstania (SNES, 5h:39m:38s, 29th Sep)
Cute little game! Very short and very easy, but I think that's the point, and it's a nice bitesize on rails SRPG experience for those who might be reluctant to dip into more hardcore offerings in the genre.
Cute little game! Very short and very easy, but I think that's the point, and it's a nice bitesize on rails SRPG experience for those who might be reluctant to dip into more hardcore offerings in the genre.
November 10, 2025 at 10:26 PM
74. Monstania (SNES, 5h:39m:38s, 29th Sep)
Cute little game! Very short and very easy, but I think that's the point, and it's a nice bitesize on rails SRPG experience for those who might be reluctant to dip into more hardcore offerings in the genre.
Cute little game! Very short and very easy, but I think that's the point, and it's a nice bitesize on rails SRPG experience for those who might be reluctant to dip into more hardcore offerings in the genre.
Could see it being too barebones a remake for some, but I found it nice that it focused on refining the original experience instead of padding it out in the name of adding more "content". Made for a very pleasant way to revisit such a beloved title from my high school years.
November 10, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Could see it being too barebones a remake for some, but I found it nice that it focused on refining the original experience instead of padding it out in the name of adding more "content". Made for a very pleasant way to revisit such a beloved title from my high school years.
Unfortunately the AI is really bad, struggling to evade even trivial attacks, and requiring you to babysit it in most boss battles. But it's not a huge roadblock to progress on normal at least, and I had a really nice time with this one.
November 10, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Unfortunately the AI is really bad, struggling to evade even trivial attacks, and requiring you to babysit it in most boss battles. But it's not a huge roadblock to progress on normal at least, and I had a really nice time with this one.
73. Seiken Densetsu 3 Remake (PS4, 19h:32m:26s, 28th Sep)
Has something of a budget feel compared to the premium original, but by no means ugly for what it is. And as a game it's a big upgrade, crafting a fun experience out of what was, for all my nostalgia goggles, a ridiculously broken title.
Has something of a budget feel compared to the premium original, but by no means ugly for what it is. And as a game it's a big upgrade, crafting a fun experience out of what was, for all my nostalgia goggles, a ridiculously broken title.
November 10, 2025 at 10:15 PM
73. Seiken Densetsu 3 Remake (PS4, 19h:32m:26s, 28th Sep)
Has something of a budget feel compared to the premium original, but by no means ugly for what it is. And as a game it's a big upgrade, crafting a fun experience out of what was, for all my nostalgia goggles, a ridiculously broken title.
Has something of a budget feel compared to the premium original, but by no means ugly for what it is. And as a game it's a big upgrade, crafting a fun experience out of what was, for all my nostalgia goggles, a ridiculously broken title.
I finished it without a guide and thought it was just cryptic enough to be really satisfying to figure out. Doesn't quite impress the way it would have on release, I suspect, but I still really enjoyed this, and it's a fantastic SNES game that I'm glad to own.
November 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
I finished it without a guide and thought it was just cryptic enough to be really satisfying to figure out. Doesn't quite impress the way it would have on release, I suspect, but I still really enjoyed this, and it's a fantastic SNES game that I'm glad to own.
But that game wouldn't exist without this. And this is a trailblazing adventure for 1991 that was still grand, polished, and great fun as a mostly first timer so many years on. Music is epic, world is full of fun secrets, and it does an amazing job of leading the player without holding their hand.
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 PM
But that game wouldn't exist without this. And this is a trailblazing adventure for 1991 that was still grand, polished, and great fun as a mostly first timer so many years on. Music is epic, world is full of fun secrets, and it does an amazing job of leading the player without holding their hand.
72. Zelda: LttP (SNES, 17h:59m:45s, 27th Sep)
A bit longer than it needed to be, and it feels a little vanilla Zelda compared to later titles. I personally think Link's Awakening improved on it in most ways, with a much more memorable world full of fun characters and tighter dungeon design.
A bit longer than it needed to be, and it feels a little vanilla Zelda compared to later titles. I personally think Link's Awakening improved on it in most ways, with a much more memorable world full of fun characters and tighter dungeon design.
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 PM
72. Zelda: LttP (SNES, 17h:59m:45s, 27th Sep)
A bit longer than it needed to be, and it feels a little vanilla Zelda compared to later titles. I personally think Link's Awakening improved on it in most ways, with a much more memorable world full of fun characters and tighter dungeon design.
A bit longer than it needed to be, and it feels a little vanilla Zelda compared to later titles. I personally think Link's Awakening improved on it in most ways, with a much more memorable world full of fun characters and tighter dungeon design.
Having played the whole quartet, I'm not sure I'd readily recommend them, as they really can be a drag in so many ways. But I don't think I'll forget the games' world and lore any time soon. And I can't say I regret the 70 hours or so I put in across the four titles. I'll play GU for sure!
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Having played the whole quartet, I'm not sure I'd readily recommend them, as they really can be a drag in so many ways. But I don't think I'll forget the games' world and lore any time soon. And I can't say I regret the 70 hours or so I put in across the four titles. I'll play GU for sure!
Still, if you've vibed with the atmosphere, music, and story enough to make it this far into the series, you'll probably find more than enough here to enjoy, and to carry you through to the finish line. I know I did!
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Still, if you've vibed with the atmosphere, music, and story enough to make it this far into the series, you'll probably find more than enough here to enjoy, and to carry you through to the finish line. I know I did!
I didn't suffer that fate, luckily, and squeezed through both on my first try. But I came very close! And the simple fact that it's a very real threat that the player has no control over is... pretty bullshit, in truth. It's very hard to defend, even as someone who likes these games.
November 10, 2025 at 10:01 PM
I didn't suffer that fate, luckily, and squeezed through both on my first try. But I came very close! And the simple fact that it's a very real threat that the player has no control over is... pretty bullshit, in truth. It's very hard to defend, even as someone who likes these games.
But it's buried beneath tons of filler, the most egregious virus core hunt yet, and two frighteningly huge final dungeons that are incredibly RNG-dependent, as they're filled with virus bugs that have to be data drained, and too many drains can cause an automatic game over.
November 10, 2025 at 10:01 PM
But it's buried beneath tons of filler, the most egregious virus core hunt yet, and two frighteningly huge final dungeons that are incredibly RNG-dependent, as they're filled with virus bugs that have to be data drained, and too many drains can cause an automatic game over.
71. .hack//Zettai Houi / Quarantine (PS2, 21h:14m:46s, 20th Sep)
Represents the best and the worst these four games have to offer. You have a properly epic ending to the first phase of the franchise, with some very memorable moments and big boss fights and the same peerless atmosphere and vibes.
Represents the best and the worst these four games have to offer. You have a properly epic ending to the first phase of the franchise, with some very memorable moments and big boss fights and the same peerless atmosphere and vibes.
November 10, 2025 at 10:01 PM
71. .hack//Zettai Houi / Quarantine (PS2, 21h:14m:46s, 20th Sep)
Represents the best and the worst these four games have to offer. You have a properly epic ending to the first phase of the franchise, with some very memorable moments and big boss fights and the same peerless atmosphere and vibes.
Represents the best and the worst these four games have to offer. You have a properly epic ending to the first phase of the franchise, with some very memorable moments and big boss fights and the same peerless atmosphere and vibes.
The sequel has music by Yasunori Mitsuda, which is why I wanted to play these games in the first place. So you know, I'm down just for that.
November 10, 2025 at 9:41 PM
The sequel has music by Yasunori Mitsuda, which is why I wanted to play these games in the first place. So you know, I'm down just for that.
Sort of sours a lot of what the game does well in truth, as most of your time not spent in cutscenes or drawing isn't much fun. But the game is still quite lovely and hard to hate, and I'm really interested to see if the action sequel can pair all that good stuff with better combat.
November 10, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Sort of sours a lot of what the game does well in truth, as most of your time not spent in cutscenes or drawing isn't much fun. But the game is still quite lovely and hard to hate, and I'm really interested to see if the action sequel can pair all that good stuff with better combat.
It feels really interesting initially, but your options are so cut down that every battle plays out the same way. And while the enemies do have recognisable patterns, there's still a huge slice of luck involved, and it's so easy for the side with even a slight statistical advantage to dictate play.
November 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
It feels really interesting initially, but your options are so cut down that every battle plays out the same way. And while the enemies do have recognisable patterns, there's still a huge slice of luck involved, and it's so easy for the side with even a slight statistical advantage to dictate play.
Tunes are the usual Zuntata greatness, and though the story is barebones and pretty all over the place, it's sort of touching and full of big Ghibli energy at points. It's just a shame that all you do is battle, and that the battle engine itself is kind of bad.
November 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Tunes are the usual Zuntata greatness, and though the story is barebones and pretty all over the place, it's sort of touching and full of big Ghibli energy at points. It's just a shame that all you do is battle, and that the battle engine itself is kind of bad.
70. Rakugaki Oukoku (PS2, 17h:06m:51s, 7th Sep)
The central gimmick is so well realised, and it's super fun drawing all sorts of nonsense and seeing it shamble into motion. So pretty too, and while the world is absolutely tiny, the idea of having the whole game unfold from first person was cute.
The central gimmick is so well realised, and it's super fun drawing all sorts of nonsense and seeing it shamble into motion. So pretty too, and while the world is absolutely tiny, the idea of having the whole game unfold from first person was cute.
November 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
70. Rakugaki Oukoku (PS2, 17h:06m:51s, 7th Sep)
The central gimmick is so well realised, and it's super fun drawing all sorts of nonsense and seeing it shamble into motion. So pretty too, and while the world is absolutely tiny, the idea of having the whole game unfold from first person was cute.
The central gimmick is so well realised, and it's super fun drawing all sorts of nonsense and seeing it shamble into motion. So pretty too, and while the world is absolutely tiny, the idea of having the whole game unfold from first person was cute.