Is Soul Blazer Worth Playing Today? - SNESdrunk

[@Trixiethegoldenwitch]

Soul Blazer is one of my personal favorite SNES games~ One attribute you didn't mention that is a huge part of what makes the game addictive for me besides being able to save a lot, is that all of the levels frequently loop back in on themselves, so that when you die, you can easily make it back to where you were before; similar to the level design in the Souls games.

[@bubbob0]

Well wasn't expecting to see digi here.

[@Peter_1986]

I love these kinds of games, where you run around like in Zelda and where you also gain Levels by fighting enemies. Level-grinding alone can be very addictive, even with the ATB system, but it's even more fun when you can actually run around like normal.

[@sonicmario64]

I actually love playing action-style RPGs like "Soul Blazer" a lot more than certain strategy-style RPGs like the "Final Fantasy" series, though exceptions would include "Chrono Trigger" and "EarthBound" because of how unique the gameplay is for those games.

[@Peter_1986]

-Casey Decker Leveling can be really fun in platformer games as well. I recently discovered the NES title "Kickmaster", which is a platformer where you gain Experience Points from the enemies and gain Levels - and just like in an RPG, you can also find special attacks on the stages (and get them after beating the bosses), and you also gain new attacks as you level up. It's a really addictive game, it's a little bit similar to Castlevania and "feels" like Double Dragon a little bit as well, just because of all the punch and kick attacks. I highly recommend it, it's one of the best "obscure" NES titles that I have found in a while.

[@drake128]

I completed this on a jap import with no translation when I was about 9 . It took repetition alone to figure out how to save and months on some sections ( I just memorised the characters and see who else used them )

[@CSGraves]

So many Soul Blazer fans... I am among my people at last! I played it back in '93, and I've had the baroque-sounding "Lonely Town" track stuck in my head ever since... love it!

[@SlikkTim]

Lovely take on Haendel's Passacaille indeed !

[@CSGraves]

@@SlikkTim I knew I should have done my Handel homework... thanks!

[@RavenheartIndustries]

I remember playing this from start to finish on a drive to Dallas from Minneapolis in a conversion van(remember those)as a little kid... Good times, good times.

[@ElfHostage]

Sounds fun as hell.

[@UncleSilverGaming]

I like to think this world is the world you first created in Actraiser, and your character is actually the angel that would do your bidding in that game.

[@SNESdrunk]

+UncleSilver Gaming That's a cool idea, never would've thought of that

[@Red88Rex]

One of my favorite games!!! I used to call the Nintendo Power helpline and run up my parents' phone bills to get tips. I was 7 when it came out and I remember this one being the first one I really got through on my own, while my mom and I both played RPGs of the time, this was my thing. Fantastic game. Really unique and compelling story, awesome music as well.

[@FizzleFX]

My first and only US snes game, found it by chance in a store, but I LOVE IT! The sound is amazing, the graphics great, the "building the town" element is unique and overall its a fun world. It is very action oriented but i dont feel like riddling all day and running back n forth. It works. What it does it does well and doesnt overstay its welcome :D ps. I literally got the soundtrack on my phone still. Its just so gud to listen to!

[@odudi]

I love this rpg. i thought it was great how you unlocked and freed parts of the town no matter how big or small, and if it was animal, plant, or some sort on furniture, each had it's own soul to talk to and some would help you or give advice. And it made you take a break from the fighting and you lookd forward to seeing the progress you made and look around at the town to get items and info on how to face and beat the troubles ahead. You didn't see that many rpg's with that formula at that time and that made it unique and fun. Heck it's still fun to pull out on the game library blow the dust odd and revisit the adventure. I liked it alot better than the follow up that Nintendo claimed would be a sequal to this great game, but to me if fell flat and didn't feel like the same game at all.

[@darthboxOriginal]

Sorry to necropost on a five year old video, but no matter what I'm looking for, I'm always happy to first click on a SNES Drunk video recommended by the Algorithm (unfortunately not the band!). I love the format and tone, and learning about games I never had the chance to play back in the day is great! Thanks for the awesome content.

[@JohnathanMonkey]

This is one of the few games that I would like to see remastered. It is one of my all time favorite games and it is definitely still worth playing today.

[@TheCaffeineKid]

Installed this on my Snes Classic and so far have been ignoring the original games in favour of this. SO GOOD. :)

[@ladistar]

wait how do you install games on an snes classic? that is so cool

[@TheCaffeineKid]

@@ladistar search for Hackchi. It's pretty straightforward but you will need a pc to do it.

[@TheCaffeineKid]

@Jack Fox why u no make sense??

[@palatinus712]

One of my all-time favorite games. I loved this when I was a kid and still do today. Sometimes I just put it on for the music.

[@johanlequellec2194]

+SNES drunk just a comment to thank you for these great reviews : you're one if not the best reviewer to listen, calm voice, interesting point of view and little bit of humor that doesn't get old, AND great intro. I just finished Soul Blazer, wanted to do it for a long time, and your review always made me wanting to play it. Great game !

[@P.Convenience]

yes, it is. the gameplay, story, and music make it worth it. highly recommend

[@Lamsaturn]

Video's 4:20 in length-- Soul Blaze it

[@obsdark]

Don't get It, is there a meme there or something?

[@magnusquercu9905]

@@obsdark 420 & blaze are both terms connected to marijuana. Drunk ~ Intoxicated....

[@ix8750]

💗

[@AnInfiniteArc]

If by "Odd" you mean "insanely memorable and great" then you are right about the music.

[@cgrooney9945]

I actually love this game. Gives me warm memories. Cheers for all the great reviews you do!

[@mondomoleno.3404]

Two things: 1) Iron armor looks like it was made for someone with DDs 2) Dr. Leo's lab track. One of the best tracks on the SNES.

[@AJHyoton]

I loved that creepy, inside the painting and model towns music.

[@CLOYO]

Dungeons & Dragons?

[@WarMachine_Studios]

5 years later, and without watching ANY of the videos content yet... Yes Yes it is worth playing today. And every day. Forever lol. Such a great and underrated/fairly unknown game.

[@dontquit8337]

Still my favorite SNES RPG. I love Soulblazer!

[@PbH22a]

I remember when I first got this!!! This game was sick to me, especially when you get that buff ass sword, and it was throwing fire birds or something.

[@Terranigma23]

Love the Soul Blazer trilogy, the story and theme from these games fit perfectly our era!

[@JazzPaladin]

Yup, I play it at least once a year. Love it enough to make my own VGM cover songs for it

[@Llukario]

Cool video! I really like the in depth look you give in these videos! You gave some great information and I remember playing soul blazer at like 14 but never finished it! Blast from the past on this one!

[@sithlord1051]

One of the most fantastic games on the SNES! An underappreciated gem! If you haven't played this, and have a chance to, stop reading this now and GO PLAY IT!

[@TerriblyAwesomeGames]

I don't know if you portrayed just how well this game pulls you in. I know you said it's addictive but it is something you must see to believe. I watched your video and was like meh, then I played it and fell in love immediately! I don't know why, but the story the gameplay, everything just works in perfect harmony. Had to add it to my collection! And personally I think this game is way better than Illusion of Gaia, but not better than Terranigma.

[@kenh3757]

I agree, but terranigmas ending can do a number on you,

[@serkansen0190]

Somehow it hat the same effect on me this weekend. I'm not in to this kind of games and it kind of feels like a cheap zelda at the beginning but then I couldn't stop playing and completed it today. Like you said, all parts are simple but in great harmony and the game just gets addicting. Just one more monster lair ;)

[@AnubisDark]

One of my favorite SNES game (along with the other classics) Still got the game, box, map, etc.

[@SNESdrunk]

+Fantomas612 It's become one of my favorites over the past couple years, I like it a lot more than Illusion of Gaia

[@AnubisDark]

+SNES drunk yeah i wont even put Illusion in my top 20 i think. U ever play EVO or Wanderers from YS 3 ?

[@SNESdrunk]

Fantomas612 Yeah I did videos on both. I like EVO but the SNES Ys 3 hasn't aged that great

[@SaNToLoKo7]

26 years ago was when i 1st played game still one of my top favorites they should definitely make a new one or at least remake it in hd

[@AJHyoton]

A few weeks ago I paid over $100 for a copy of this, which is cheap compared to some other prices, and just a little while ago I smashed Deathtoll on my first try. Yes, this game was a bit addictive, so I was only playing it in the mornings. At first, it was frustrating that I could not kill all the monsters in the first few levels until I got the special swords, but when I got them, man it was worth the wait to go kill all those machine monsters and ghosts! Let's face it! Quintet and Enix knew how to make some real good games. I'll see this one's replay value soon.

[@2PeteShakur]

"For Soul Blazer my main responsibility was the map graphics. Basically in Soul Blazer you have a town, and if you clear a certain scenario you can rebuild or reconstruct that town. However, we had only limited ROM memory we could use, so we had to recycle the graphics data. We had to create a foundation for a ruined house, and then we had to create the completed house for when you rebuild the town. It was quite a challenging task doing that. "There was a common thread shared among Quintet's games in terms of scenario writing, delivery of the dialogue, and so on. Starting with ActRaiser, and followed by Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia, the games are definitely connected, in Miyazaki-san's mind at least. There are resemblances among the three games because Miyazaki-san liked the idea of having a god versus a demon, in which the main character is on the side of the god and battles the demon. That is the underlying concept that he likes to adopt, which unites those three games. He liked to grapple with the themes of creation and destruction, and he was good at entwining human existence within the context of creation and destruction in order to create drama. Miyazaki-san became very popular because he was able to come up with a convincing script, incorporating pathos or a kind of sadness into it." -- Kouji Yokota, graphic artist (Soul Blazer/Soul Blader, SNES)

[@mostvishis]

R.I.P.... Turbo (the Dog in the game) He was a good boy lol

[@blzfrost]

He wasn't just a good boy, (sniffs), he was the best. 😂

[@ulanbatard]

The video lasts 4:20, and it's about soul blazer. huhu.

[@voratos5768]

thomas Dantonel Which is... good? 😅

[@kenh3757]

@@voratos5768 it's a weed joke dude

[@ix8750]

LOL I love you.

[@youri1863]

Me and my younger brother had such a good time playing this game. One of our all time favorites.

[@MikeThePsykat]

The premise here sounds somewhat similar to to the PS2 Game Dark Cloud, I wonder if the devs of that game were "inspired" by this one. Also, that effect for walking into houses reminds me of the first StarTropics or the NES Dragon Warrior/Quest games, which is something you don't often see on the SNES.

[@TheirWisecrackingUncle]

I love Soul Blazer. I try to play it through once or twice a year. I've always found its story interesting, and it's one of those games where the music fits it perfectly in almost every area.

[@Remememea]

This is the game that introduced me to the RPG genre. The game play, the story, the music...things that keep me from playing the bulk of today's games, which lack the quality of these 16-bit masterpieces.

[@j.perkins6816]

I got this game for Christmas from my best friend when it came out, and the first thing I felt when I played it was ActRaiser!! And I was hooked, awesome and fun game!! The Nostalgia is real for this game, and I would love to play it again!!!

[@mikenlob]

Playing this game in the evenings on my Chromecast after the wife falls asleep. I've been playing through it for 25 or so years.

[@nicolasdoucet32]

Agree. Soulblader is a all-time classic. Nice video (old I know!! )

[@tigerex777]

The music in this game, it is still to this day one of the few game's soundtrack that I still remember

[@Danbu1988]

I just played this again after my first and last playthrough was like probably at least 15 years or so ago and I still really like it. Those Quintet games from back then have some kind of magic and a very unique and great atmosphere in them. Especially Terranigma, the first Act Raiser and this one. I somehow alwayd had trouble to really get into Illusion of Gaia and never finished that one. But I think I will give it another attempt in the near future.

[@Danbu1988]

@@holidayinn4293 I played it as well meanwhile and I can see where you are coming from. I mean I am glad that I finished it and while it was strange the story had some interesting themes and ideas but same as I will likely not revisit that one again as the gameplay really wasn't too much fun.

[@Justforvisit]

With "Dark Cloud" and "Dark Chronicles / Dark Cloud 2" this game has found it's modern day succesors. But it really is a shame that nothing like that ever came afterwards in this kind of style....

[@lswhere40]

I rented multiple times back in the day. This was my childhood. I love this game so much!

[@StiffAftermath]

I. Love. Soul. Blazer. Thanks. For. Uploading =)

[@zachubert32]

This is a favorite of mine. The "build a city as you progress" concept is really great. It's just like Drunk said, you want to play just a little bit more to unlock the next baker/chipmunk/mermaid/whatever.

[@Eener1000]

All these early snes titles have something special in their simplicity that is lost in the newer titles. I personally love the early titles on the snes and not simply just for nostalgia.

[@UnpluggedIndividualYT]

Bruh i needed this video in my life. Thank you.

[@JoyVisionStudio]

I played this game so hard when I rented it as a kid. It's very nostalgic for me. :) Oh, and you gotta love the crabwalk!

[@PAPOWU]

lol used to crabwalk for no reason

[@olivierl.anklebab2624]

Soulblazer is by far my favorite of the trilogy.

[@monkeyball0204]

Love this channel. Just picked up dragon quest 11 again since a long time. Had fun with it. Quick video and to bed. Have a nice rest of your night👍

[@tripleraven]

I love this game so much. get the game! Get the game!

[@MyBrothersKeeper101]

Currently playing this game on a beautiful Samsung CRT HD retrovision cables and surround sound. Definitely an overlooked game 🤘

[@ChronoGearSolid]

I played this for the first time a few months ago, and I would put this in my top 20 snes games for sure. Haven't played the sequels yet, knocking out a few other games first, but if they are even close to.as good as this, I'm sure I'll like them too

[@gamesthatmatter9374]

3:17 that effect got added in OCTOPATH traveller

[@trueblueclue]

Soul Blazer was my jam. I played it much later through "independent distribution channels" but it was worth it.

[@ronaldevans4457]

Love this game.

[@cesar9058]

They should have kept this game's "simplicity" in their later games, those games would have been a lot more successful.

[@gregjames5439]

You review, I hit the like button. That's how this works 😄👍 Nice

[@pattydubss]

He said my favorite video game music was weird 😭. The bass hits haha. Great video though!

[@ConsoleWars]

I love this game. Never played the follow up games. I gotta get on that.

[@88Jazza]

What are the follow up games?

[@jimbbob2220]

Illusions of Gaia and terranigma

[@JimmyBackbeat]

I imagine that I will return to this game at some point in time. Though if I were to return to all the games I intend to, then I really need to quit work and abandon my kids. But then I wouldn't have the money to pay for the games. Oh well, our suffering in the western world truly are puny most of the time. I probably should focus on those games that us Europeans were cheated out of instead.

[@dudders___1684]

To me yes it’s worth playing. But this is one of the masterpieces I got to experience as a kid in the 90s. Along with lagoon, secret of evermore, secret of mana, illusion of Gaia, were some underrated games back then but amazing

[@thebeautifulvideogame1396]

When I played this around '95/'96 the game already felt dated, but man did I love it. The semi-sequels I've played as well and they were great fun too. I've always considered Terranigma the actual sequel to Soulblazer and while it is better in almost every single way, I still adore the original and it is the one I want to play most.

[@Zenas521]

One of my favorites on the SNES.

[@ChrisMosesMagnum]

I played this for the first time about 3 months ago. I enjoyed it enough, but decided to sell it on eBay when finished. My plan is/was to embark on the Quintet Trilogy, so I was starting at the beginning. Still haven't gotten to Illusion of Gaia though... Too much getting in the way at the moment. Hopefully over the holidays.

[@dosboot1]

The sequels may have 'improved' the Soul Blazer formula, but I think they took a step backward. Soul Blazer was just so more action packed, with more enemies to fight in the dungeons and town segments that could be completed briskly.

[@Verbalaesthet]

It is a great game. Only played it when SNES was already history and still enjoyed it very much.

[@verdman54]

I found this game many years ago when I was a freshman in high school for rent at my local grocery video rental store. I totally forgot the name of it but was able to find and play on emulator years later.

[@Reelphresh]

It's almost a casual games as the difficulty isn't to hard but it has a good storyline and the music is great. Infact the music might be the best part of the game. Totally worth playing and then replaying in the future.

[@sludgefactory241]

turning 36 very soon, I have fond memories of soul blazer when I was a kid/preteen. hell I still play it to this day, along with actraiser, super metroidvania, and final fantasy 3 (really 6). those in my opinion are some of the finest examples of what the system was capable of. rich storytelling, coupled with great scores and sound designs. in fact I'm going to fire soul blazer up right now!

[@riddleiddle]

Wow I've never touched an RPG but I've just decided to get the whole snes Soulblazer trilogy. I didn't even know action RPGs were a thing! This looks so fun!

[@Basscraft21]

This game will never lose its value and its age. This will always be my childhood 😢z

[@robertross8243]

Love this game. I want to play it now.

[@john.infinite78]

My first impressions of this game was a true sequel to Actraiser. Pretty much the same premise except a more personal approach to the Sim part of the game where you wander around and talk to actual individuals instead of being an angel in the sky you're a person on their level.

[@SlightlyOriginal]

rad video dude. really well done. been wanting to hop back on this game, but its terribly difficult to find outside of emulation. great video though!

[@TheWolfgangGrimmer]

I played this once a while ago and wasn't convinced. Maybe I'll try it again.

[@tigerex777]

The game that got me into jrpgs the music still in my head.

[@chadkimmel8957]

I just finished this, took two days, didn’t really count the hours, but I’d guess about 12. I’m not that good at gams anymore, but I felt it was the right level of challenge to keep it enjoyable.

[@davidhill8565]

Soul Blazer should be remastered for Apple iOS mobile devices, albeit for iPad, as well as PS Vita and PS4. This treatment is already being done for Romancing SaGa 2. However, it would still be in 2D with 2K resolution on iPad.

[@13macluc13]

I think the music is much better in Soul Blazer than in Illusion of Gaia.

[@lilwyvern4]

I played through this recently. A bit rough, sure, but still plenty fun. I do recommend against a retranslation hack though. I had hoped it would pretty up the dialog a little, but it just made things sort of awkwardly reworded.

[@SwordsmanOrion]

Soul Blazer is actually my favorite of the trilogy it's a part of. It's one of my favorite SNES games of all time as well.

[@michaelp4122]

I'm playing this next, I hear each Quintet game is fairly short, so I have no excuses.

[@thelife_ofBrian]

I loved this game when I was a kid. 👍🏻

[@AceAileron]

I couldn't remember if I watched this video before so...I did it again. One thing I noticed is that between when you made this video and now, your opinion on which is better: Soul Blazer vs Illusion of Gaia, has switched. For what it's worth, I agree with your current stance: that SB is better than IoG.

[@FuchsiaShocked]

This game works so well in short bursts on my 3DS.

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

God-damned Solid Arm. He was much easier during his cameo in Illusion of Gaia (although admittedly I used to cheese him by running up to his platform and Psycho-Sliding through him until he died, abusing the invincibility frames). Since the hero of Soul Blazer doesn't have that option, he's really damn tough, which is a real pain when he's only the first boss!

[@lswhere40]

Just run up the slider to left or right of him crab walk stab him to drain him. Flee before he swings his arm and lure him back to center. Rinse and repeat.

[@NecroGarfunk]

Honestly if it weren't for the weird enemy spawn points often breaking the pacing of the game, especially earlier on, I would probably put the gameplay of this one ahead of Illusion of Gaia. It's just so simple and good. If someone made a fanpatch that adjusts spawn rates, that one tweak would improve the game immensely. Of course it's still probably the weakest on presentation or "cool factor", not to mention the levels aren't quite as well designed as IoG (not sure about Terranigma, been a while). But it's definitely no slouch in either department, either.

[@UniteForgetLeftRight]

Great game. I remember coming to the lvl where you save all the living furniture and just WTFing.

[@OgCricksta]

bro the music was fire and a huge part of this game

[@kirkwalters1228]

I can't believe how much I miss "...and have a nice rest of your day"!

[@SlikkTim]

One of my favorite games. I like this much better than Illusion or Terranigma, the combat is actually super tight. The story is amazing and has a lot of Shintoism thrown in. There some especially tear jerking moments with the animal characters if you're the emotional type... I just felt that game had a mystical, serious and oh-so japanese flair to it.

[@torgogorgo1888]

Love the channel. Like the idea of the game, but it's one of few I've bought and gotten rid of as the gameplay doesn't match the idea behind the game for me. I may give it a play on emulation some day, but it didn't hold up enough for me to own a physical copy.

[@JMFSpike]

Interesting. How much of it did you play?

[@torgogorgo1888]

Maybe 5-6 hours, not sure how far I got I just remember liking the idea's (like actions in the dungeon restoring a house in the town) but overall finding it really repetitive and not liking the sword swing radius. I may have gotten rid of it too soon, but oh well, made a few bucks.

[@GenyaArikado]

Soul and Sky Blazer are awesome games!

[@Mobscene_CDN]

Definitely one of the most unique games on SNES. I consider it a must play if you havent :p

[@X7393]

Wow 1992 I didn't know this game came up 26 year's ago! But these games had originality unlike the game's today!

[@TheLaloChannel]

Soul Blazer is totally worth playing. It aged really well for how it looks on the surface.

[@ther0n1nnamed47]

This is one of the games I bought the Famicom version of

[@FallicIdol]

What do you think of Illusion of Gaia.

[@tollban]

One of my favorites. The music spells me...

[@ISoloYouRelax]

I stumbled upon this title yesterday and played it and the first thought I had after playing for about 10 mins was, this game reminds me of dark cloud. Makes me curious if dark cloud took inspiration from soul blazer.