| Introduction:
You are sleeping in bed when suddenly you hear a loud crash. As you get out of bed and walk toward the door, Pokey and his brother Picky are at the door, two neighborhood annoyances. The three of you examine the source of the loud crash and it turns out to be a meteor. A strange insect emerges from the crater and explains he is from the future, and that you, Ness(default name) must save the world from Giygas, the terror that will take over the Earth ten years in the future. Your adventure begins.
Graphics [8/10]:
Some people who believe graphics are more important than game play (laugh), might say that this game is horrible when they first turn it on. The graphics may not be as great as Chrono Trigger or Secret of Evermore, but they are in no way bad. The characters are pretty small and simplistic, the buildings, trees, and the environment however are quite nice, very cartoon-like as if someone just drew them on the screen.
Game Play [10/10]:
This game has excellent game play in all aspects. First of all, the battle menus are clear and well laid out, there may not be much graphical action, but the strategy aspects of battle are all there. The story is excellent with a few bits of humor here and there. There are many weapons for the total of four playable characters in the game, each with their own individual set, like Ness can only use baseball bats and so on. There are also lots of magic spells, although called psychic powers in the game. Plus, a vast library of items adds to the incredible game play of this RPG.
Music and Sound [8/10]:
The music of this game is simplistic, but quite good. It may not have the incredible music of Square's games, but the songs are good enough to keep you listening. Sound effects on the other hand, are not that high quality. The game uses the usual digitized zaps, blurs, and bangs when you physically attack an enemy or use a psychic power.
Challenge and Replay [10/10]:
This game is one of the more difficult RPG's. Although not as difficult as FF3, it is generally harder than Chrono Trigger and should keep you playing for quite a while. The replay value factor is included not only because you'll want to play this game again because it is so fun, but certain items can only be gotten by chance after defeating a certain enemy. So on one file you could end up having a special weapon that no one else has gotten yet.
Conclusion/Overall [10/10]:
Earthbound is definitely an RPG that is worth your time and money, so I strongly suggest playing it. If you are looking for a solid RPG that is harder than CT but still as interesting, Earthbound is the game for you. Graphics and sound effects aside, what you have here is an excellent RPG. Any RPG fan here should definitely play Earthbound, it will be well worth it.
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