Rolans Curse II Game by American Sammy Corp. Reviewed by pikamom pikamom@supernet.com Save: Battery-backed save Released: 1992 Works with: any gameboy **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: I was playing Rolans Curse so I could review it and get it off the wish list, and then decided to see what they did with the second version. Everything I didn't like about the first one they improved in the next one! Then I checked and seen there was already one review posted for Rolans Curse II, but I have some things to add. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: This edition of Rolans Curse plays more like an RPG than the first one. It's still based on mazes, but it has much more depth and incentive to continue on. Liked: There's alot to like here. For one thing, the graphics are REALLY good! Each area has it's own look, with tons of detail. Unlike in Rolans Curse, none of the areas repeat anywhere else, so you can always tell where you are. Also people join you on your adventure, up to four including the main character. You can decide if you want to take them along or not, and then when your roster is full, you decide who you want and who to send back. The system for leveling up is refreshingly different from any other RPG I've ever played before. And the music is awesome. Read on... Hated: I still don't like the mazes, just like in the first game. But at least in this one the backgrounds are fun to see, and you don't really mind having to go back over them again. You can't name the people who join your party. But at least you get to rename Rolan, even if it is only 4 letters long. I named him pmom (for pikamom, of course!) **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Wow! This game shines in the graphics department. The people are so neat! The wizard who joins you looks like he came right out of some fantasy picture book. The enemies are very cool looking, from the wadling ducks to the cute little monkeys. And the backgrounds!!! In one place there are huge spotted mushrooms, and in another you see little watering holes. I'm playing this game with my brainboy so I can use a broader color scheme than the ones included in the gameboy color. Try making the mushrooms a vibrant blue with yellow-orange spots, and your characters red. Out line everything in black (last color), with white as the first color in each section (of the brainboy). Liked: Pretty game! Hated: nothing **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: MMM...another way this game shines. Play it with headphone to really hear everything. Without them you won't notice how excellent the music is. Each area has it's own sound, and one place that really stood out to me was in the tower where you find the wizard, there are little flying books for enemies, and they are dancing in time to the music. Sound fx add to the mix. There are lots of things to hear in this game. Liked: The music is layered and lends to the atmosphere of the game. One way to describe it could be MYSTICAL. Hated: nothing to hate here. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Great layout. You can view the entire land when you call up the map. Every town or place you've been to already will be shown with an icon, and a name across the bottom, with your spot marked with a P. The people in the towns have things to say, a little more than "Help, save us from the monsters", like they say in the first Rolans Curse. You can go in pretty much any direction you choose, and interesting people with their own strenghts will join you on your journeys. As you travel along, you open up treasure chests that either contain some item, or a picture of your characters' head. As more people join your party, you should go back and collect the treasure chests that contain their heads, because you level up one for each head. As they level up, they develop stronger attacks with their weapons, and you can see this improvement as they fight in real-time. Each character also uses magic. Sometimes when you defeat an enemy they leave behind things like medicine bottles and warp wings. These are saved to your item list, and you can decide when you want to use them by calling up the menu. Liked: You have a choice of up to four characters to play with, but only one at a time. You change characters by calling up the character screen and highlighting the one you want. You can also view their status on the status screen. Hated: Well, there is still that maze thing, which I consider a mindless waste of time. I would much rather have some riddle or puzzle to figure out like in Zelda and Final Fantasy Adventure. Oh yeah, and your character only has one speed... slow, just like in the first edition. But if you use double-speed with brainboy, he goes a little faster. **************************************************************************** Improve: I like this game enough that I would probably play it if they made it in color, made even more characters to play with, had a deeper story-line, included some puzzles and less mazes, had more items to use (there are 4 in the item menu) and made a larger world. AND more than one speed for walking. How about learning to run or find a bike or something... RIYL: Rolans Curse II is similar, but not nearly as emersive as Zelda, Links Awakening and Final Fantasy Adventure. **************************************************************************** Final Words: Light on the story, above average graphics and music for a 1992 game. Average gameplay. Not a must-have.(in my books) **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: *** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: *** Personal Opinion: *** Total: 18 x 4 Final Score: 72 % **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: I don't know of any. Don't even have the book, just like many of the old games I get at Funco. I wish I had the books to all my old games. Some I order from Nintendo, but they don't have alot, and sometimes I can find them typed out on some website.