tankMage

Selected by: Cowboy Yojimbo

Soul Blazer is an underappreciated action RPG for the Super Nintendo that’s part of a largely forgotten spiritual trilogy which also includes Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma. In Soul Blazer the world has been rendered barren and lifeless, because a greedy king sold the soul of every living being to a demon called Deathtoll. Players control a servant of a being known as the Master, who has been tasked with reviving the world. Over the course of the adventure players will visit various areas, battle monsters action RPG style with sword and sorcery, and slowly free the inhabitants of the world.

Every area has its own story and cast of characters that gradually open up as the player frees NPCs from the clutches of Deathtoll. While most of the stories are simplistic, they help bring the game to life and add an emotional dimension to the hero’s mission as he makes friends along the way. The action is what really shines as this game is something of a fusion between Gauntlet and Legend of Zelda. Every dungeon is punctuated by a climactic boss fight that makes freeing the world all the more satisfying.

Click here for more on Soul Blazer

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Leave a comment below and it will be considered for next month’s award! Each winner will be entered into a contest for Retro Game of the Year in December and announced on the third week of the month.

Selected by: Rontro

Legend of Zelda has a long and storied history as a franchise, so it is no surprise that A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo is one of the first games to be awarded Retro Game of the Month. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the first game of the year. If you are into older video games, this title is a must-play. Link to the Past has some of the best dungeons, music, and gameplay in the entire series. It’s also a good example of what is often be called “Classic Legend of Zelda” from the days when the series was 2D. It’s hard to find much to say about this game aside from it being really good. If you want more details, check out the LttP home page:

Click here for more on Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Leave a comment below and it will be considered for next month’s award! Each winner will be entered into a contest for Retro Game of the Year in December and announced on the third week of the month.

Selected by: tankMage

Grandia was the first game I reviewed for this site way back in 2015, so it’s only fitting that it’s the first to earn the title of Retro Game of the Month. To be honest, I was not terribly impressed with Grandia when I first played it, but there’s something special about the cast and story that made it grow on me. Justin’s (the main protagonist) positivity and enthusiasm is infectious. He’s also kind of flawed despite being so well meaning, which was evidenced in some of his relationships. At the same time, Justin grew as a character and the ending is probably one of my all-time favorites.

The gameplay itself is pretty good, though it’s ultimately a standard JRPG at the end of the day. There’s a few parts that drag and the inventory system sucks. In fact fiddling with the bad inventory is one of the other things that stick out in my memories of Grandia. Luckily the gameplay is good enough that its flaws are outweighed by the things that make it fun, so give this title a go if you are looking for a lesser known PS1 RPG.

Click here for more on Grandia

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Leave a comment below and it will be considered for next month’s award! Each winner will be entered into a contest for Retro Game of the Year in December and announced on the third week of the month.