Full Games List
Featured Games
New Games
Reviews
Images
Blogs
Game Updates
Images Feedback Summary
Game Design Highlights
Tutorials
Articles
Scripts
Utilities / Plugins
Resources
Engines
Engine Bulletins
What is Makerscore?
Past Events
Achievements
Forums
Post History
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
Add Review
Subscribe
Nominate
Submit Media
RSS
Back to the darkest future!
TheRpgmakerAddict- 04/29/2023 07:13 AM
- 362 views
Hello!
We're back with an old classic: Alter Aila Genesis, the remake of one of my favourite games made by Neok with Rpgmaker2003: Alter Aila (click HERE to read my 2020 review!). I admit that I was a bit dishearted when this game was released in 2010, because the remake is a linear story and removes the FOUR different routes of the original game (that was techically linear too but had these four different variants of the story, whose fourth one was the "golden path" or the best outcome, at least for the protagonist since different characters died depending on the side he chose). Anyway I can understand that most players do not want to replay a game just to witness different event and I can also understand that a single well done path is also easier to make and the the developer can concentrate to make it better than ever (well it's surely longer and more complex for example!).
In Alter Aila exploration is done with a side view perspective, like in the old sidescrolling arcade platforms (or like Sainth!). But who's Ryan? Play and see!
The story is more or less the same even if the beginning is a little different: we start playing as Leon (Blue in the first game), the gun wielding redhead protagonist sent to the Styx prison arena, all alone (in the first game we immediately started with a party of three, together with Green and Indigo that also appear in this game as Erin and Indy) that encounters some goons and also allies (Scott and Violet, know as Yellow and... Violet in the first game!)in the dark future of the post-apocalyptic world of Ceres ruled by Emperor Kugar.
The story (divided into 8 chapters) is clearly a bit different from the old Alter Aila, even if there is the return of many characters, and not just the main cast but also some secondary ones. Compared to the first game there are some more comedy moments, but it's not really different, the good thing is that this time, unlike in the first in which we had to choose sides, we will experience the perspective from different characters as the event unfolds (so Leon this time is a sort of supporting protagonist, unlike in the first game where it had a role of the leader, especially during the golden, Innovator path).
If the story is slightly different, for what concern the visuals you will immediately notice some differences. The game in fact uses the same side-view sidescrolling exploration sistem already seen in another game by Neok, Sainth, the sequel of Wraith that I reviewed some weeks ago. Anyway that game was quite different since it was a sort of horror visual novel without battles.
In Alter Aila Genesis we play as different characters that form a party of three.
Alter Aila Genesis has lots of battles, including boss encounters that sometimes make little sense (I mean EVERY dungeon should have a final boss, so these were added to give some sort of final confrontation but have no real reason from the point of view of the storyline), and here is the only problem I had with this game: battles are tough, really tougher than in Alter Aila. Character are also not very balanced (but there are many of playable combatants), Leon is a sort of jack of all trades like a couple of others, then there are some that are really useful and others that are useless. Each character in the game has set abilities, strengths and weaknesses, but the player is able to modify each the skills with Syncs and Gear. Anyway to unleash special skills you do not need just AP points but also EX points, but some damage can nullify them, and at the same time you have to check your Hps to avoid dying, so it's not a simple system, but for sure it's one that requires a strategic approach. You've been warned!
The graphics compared to the first game are really better: the developer clearly improved the drawing skills, now there aren't just better facesets but also cool cutscenes that have a sort of comic-book style and sometimes the point of view is really suggestive. The style of the menus and the interface are also well made. Battlers and monsters are also improved compared to the ones of the first game, locations are well designed and the custom assets are used well (even if the runnin animation is a bit stiff). The music is ripped from various uncommon sources so it's unlikely you've heard these themes before, and in any case they fit the game perfectly.
Tinder has nothing to do with the online dating app! He's a good guy but he obviously needs our help!
Final Verdict
Ok, I admit I prefer the old Alter Aila because it's a more traditional and classic sci-fi Rpgmaker2003 game, but it's impossible to deny that Alter Aila Genesis is a game that made everyting better, and my preference of the old (more classic and less refined) gameplay is a matter of taste. The story is excellent and the visuals are very good, this game is clearly a classic for some really good reasons. This is a polished gsme with really nice custom hand drawn graphics and lots of battles. Very good.
We're back with an old classic: Alter Aila Genesis, the remake of one of my favourite games made by Neok with Rpgmaker2003: Alter Aila (click HERE to read my 2020 review!). I admit that I was a bit dishearted when this game was released in 2010, because the remake is a linear story and removes the FOUR different routes of the original game (that was techically linear too but had these four different variants of the story, whose fourth one was the "golden path" or the best outcome, at least for the protagonist since different characters died depending on the side he chose). Anyway I can understand that most players do not want to replay a game just to witness different event and I can also understand that a single well done path is also easier to make and the the developer can concentrate to make it better than ever (well it's surely longer and more complex for example!).
In Alter Aila exploration is done with a side view perspective, like in the old sidescrolling arcade platforms (or like Sainth!). But who's Ryan? Play and see!
The story is more or less the same even if the beginning is a little different: we start playing as Leon (Blue in the first game), the gun wielding redhead protagonist sent to the Styx prison arena, all alone (in the first game we immediately started with a party of three, together with Green and Indigo that also appear in this game as Erin and Indy) that encounters some goons and also allies (Scott and Violet, know as Yellow and... Violet in the first game!)in the dark future of the post-apocalyptic world of Ceres ruled by Emperor Kugar.
The story (divided into 8 chapters) is clearly a bit different from the old Alter Aila, even if there is the return of many characters, and not just the main cast but also some secondary ones. Compared to the first game there are some more comedy moments, but it's not really different, the good thing is that this time, unlike in the first in which we had to choose sides, we will experience the perspective from different characters as the event unfolds (so Leon this time is a sort of supporting protagonist, unlike in the first game where it had a role of the leader, especially during the golden, Innovator path).
If the story is slightly different, for what concern the visuals you will immediately notice some differences. The game in fact uses the same side-view sidescrolling exploration sistem already seen in another game by Neok, Sainth, the sequel of Wraith that I reviewed some weeks ago. Anyway that game was quite different since it was a sort of horror visual novel without battles.
In Alter Aila Genesis we play as different characters that form a party of three.
Alter Aila Genesis has lots of battles, including boss encounters that sometimes make little sense (I mean EVERY dungeon should have a final boss, so these were added to give some sort of final confrontation but have no real reason from the point of view of the storyline), and here is the only problem I had with this game: battles are tough, really tougher than in Alter Aila. Character are also not very balanced (but there are many of playable combatants), Leon is a sort of jack of all trades like a couple of others, then there are some that are really useful and others that are useless. Each character in the game has set abilities, strengths and weaknesses, but the player is able to modify each the skills with Syncs and Gear. Anyway to unleash special skills you do not need just AP points but also EX points, but some damage can nullify them, and at the same time you have to check your Hps to avoid dying, so it's not a simple system, but for sure it's one that requires a strategic approach. You've been warned!
The graphics compared to the first game are really better: the developer clearly improved the drawing skills, now there aren't just better facesets but also cool cutscenes that have a sort of comic-book style and sometimes the point of view is really suggestive. The style of the menus and the interface are also well made. Battlers and monsters are also improved compared to the ones of the first game, locations are well designed and the custom assets are used well (even if the runnin animation is a bit stiff). The music is ripped from various uncommon sources so it's unlikely you've heard these themes before, and in any case they fit the game perfectly.
Tinder has nothing to do with the online dating app! He's a good guy but he obviously needs our help!
Final Verdict
Ok, I admit I prefer the old Alter Aila because it's a more traditional and classic sci-fi Rpgmaker2003 game, but it's impossible to deny that Alter Aila Genesis is a game that made everyting better, and my preference of the old (more classic and less refined) gameplay is a matter of taste. The story is excellent and the visuals are very good, this game is clearly a classic for some really good reasons. This is a polished gsme with really nice custom hand drawn graphics and lots of battles. Very good.
