Actraiser 2 - SNES

Normally, I play the game first and start typing, but I just had to say this first:  The intro scene is awesome, and I'm super interested to see how this game compares to the first.  Admittedly, I don't remember the late-game in Actraiser, but here, I'm seeing multiple hit directions, double jump, floating, diving.  Way more interesting fighting.  And the music is awesome again, if not actually just the same.  Let's see how it goes!

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Played for:  20 minutes

Nevermind, screw this game.  I'm so frustrated and disappointed.  The opening scene looked so awesome, and it turns out that yes, you do get to start as buffed as it seems.  And the controls aren't quite as sticky as the first.  And the music is awesome and the graphics are seemingly better than the first.  Past that, get ready for a golden shower, because this game just pisses on you and expects you to like it.  After wandering the overworld map  for a few minutes trying to figure out where I was supposed to go, I found what I assumed was the "first level".

Enemies are taking multiple hits to kill, they are taking 4 of my 12 dots in one hit, WTF!  The double jump and glide are cool, but end up gliding you right into enemies.  Attacking from the air seems stronger, but harder to land the hit.  Up and down attacks are useful, except enemies are jumping at you from all sides all the time, and the attack just isn't built to handle that.  And the game is pumping me full of MP, but I don't have magic yet.

Finally make it through to the boss, who just wipes you out in two hits.

I was almost frustrated enough to just stop there, but thought "maybe this isn't the first level", so I found another.  Okay, cool, these enemies aren't hitting as hard, though they still take as too many hits to kill them.  Still dying several times.  Make it to the boss, find the pattern, take it out, after a few runs.  Oh, turns out it's not even the boss.  Just a mid-boss.  The next section is full of stupid platforming above liquid that take two hits to kill you.  Screw this, I'm out.

Maybe I still didn't pick the right level first, but considering I'm only planning on playing this for so long, the game not leading me to at least the proper first level has left a sour impression.  I want the game to be good, and perhaps it is, but it just isn't for what I want to play right now.  Like I mentioned of the first one, the two parts of the game aren't as good as a game built solely on either part, but this is just dumb.  Oh well.

Hit it or Quit it?
Hit it when I'm feeling bad about myself and want to be spanked and told what to do, otherwise quit it.  I really wanted to get to the world-builder.  Maybe another time just to see if I can find a better starting level.  Also, the font sucks.