Game like Brain Lord SNES?

I just spent the past few weeks drooling in a cesspool of fun and anger in my attempts to beat Brain Lord. Never got to play it as a kid but damn, this is a very fun and challenging game - also very f'n annoying at times, but I love it and recommend it to anyone looking for a game that takes 15 hours or so to beat. I need to find a new game to play that is similar. I don't know, maybe you guys could give me some suggestions? I know SNES has a lot of RPG-action games on the system. For those who aren't so familiar, Brain Lord is like Zelda Link to the Past but is more focused on puzzles such as moving rocks in the right spot or solving riddles. There's plenty of hacking and slashing and weapons, spells, and magic galore, but it's not an RPG, it's live action. Just tell me a game or two like it and I'll be one happy camper. I don't need a puzzle heavy game, but a similar format of overhead with fighting and adventure is good! I have Sega Genesis as well so if there's anything on SNES or Genesis, please lemme know. I so far only found a game from the same company called Soul Blazer. Never played it though.

Comments

  • Yes, Soul Blazer is a fantastic game (try Illusion of Gaia, the sequel, although IMO it's not as good as Soul Blazer). I still remember my friend renting Brain Lord years ago and I would always laugh my ass off whenever he'd fall into a pit and Remeer would throw his arms up in the air like he was going down a water slide and saying 'WHEEEEEE!!!'



    Also, isn't the last dungeon just great? Gotta love rooms that are complete f'ing darkness. Brain Lord is one of the few SNES games I've actually bought in recent years simply because of the great memories I had with it. The music in the first town is so catchy, too. One of those tunes I find myself humming randomly for no reason at all.



    Anyway, for top-down hacky-slashy fun on NES, try Crystalis and/or Willow.



    Edit: Oops...just realised you were looking for more SNES games, not NES.  Disregard my suggestions, then (except for the Soul Blazer one...definitely pick that one up).
  • Faria for NES is great too.



    Maybe Beyond Oasis on Genesis is a good pick as well.
  • Thanks my dear gaming buds !!



    I also take NES recommendations too!! I gotta say, I have been meaning to play Crystalis! Is Startropics and Zoda's any good? As for Willow, me and fiance played it and gave up. She liked it a lot more than me. I sucked so bad I had to quit. Heh...



    ...and Faria, ah yes



    Thanks for recommending Beyond Oasis, I have it but never played it before.
  • Man, if you never played Startropics, you must go for it when you have the chance. This is one of my favorite underdog from Nintendo.
  • StarTropics and Zoda's Revenge are good, but a different than what you're looking for I think. Town stages are kind of like a regular RPG like Final Fantasy, and the battle sections are more similar to Zelda 1. Mike is also fairly stiff to control, especially in StarTropics, so you might be put off by the controls during the battle stages, especially coming from a game that's as fluid as Brain Lord.
  • There's also Lagoon on the SNES. It has its flaws (namely the weird attacking), but once you get used to it, it's a fun game.
  • You're right about the RPG part, but they're mostly very short to go through, so it is not taking over the action orientation.



    It fits in his demand because of the puzzle style of dungeons, even if it is not structured like brain lord puzzles that are more like riddles.



    Mike is stiff to control, but you usually get the hang out of it pretty easily and it's part of the game so you have to do with it. Personally, I never been annoyed by its block per block movement, though many dislike it. I'm not too picky about control, I know how to adapt my gameplay quickly.
  • Nice to see some folks appreciating Brain Lord. I beat this one bout five years ago; had decent amount of fun with it. For rec, definitely the Quintet trilogy of Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma. Lufia II though an RPG has a few puzzle elements in it.



    And someone said Lagoon. I couldn't agree more. I beat Lagoon a couple months ago and felt it was a poor man's Brain Lord. Play it and you'll instantly understand why.
  • OK awesome replies guys! I am going to play Startropics and Crystalis first since I have those. Zoda's would be for later since it's a sequel. As for SNES, I have to acquire all the ones being suggested, but I think I'll go for Lagoon and Soul Blazer to start with. I haven't played Zelda for SNES in 15 years. I am thinking about playing that one too since it's overhead adventure too.



    Howabout Ys III, Nosferatu, Run Saber, Demon's Crest, or Paladin's Quest? I haven't looked into them, so I am unsure if they are RPG's? I know Nosferatu and Ys are side scrolling, which I also like, just wondering if they are good games?
  • double post

  • Originally posted by: madachik



    OK awesome replies guys! I am going to play Startropics and Crystalis first since I have those. Zoda's would be for later since it's a sequel. As for SNES, I have to acquire all the ones being suggested, but I think I'll go for Lagoon and Soul Blazer to start with. I haven't played Zelda for SNES in 15 years. I am thinking about playing that one too since it's overhead adventure too.



    Howabout Ys III, Nosferatu, Run Saber, Demon's Crest, or Paladin's Quest? I haven't looked into them, so I am unsure if they are RPG's? I know Nosferatu and Ys are side scrolling, which I also like, just wondering if they are good games?





    I haven't played Ys III yet but I hear some decent things about the SNES version. I'll be playing through that game sometime later this year probably. Nosferatu, Demon's Crest and Run Saber are not action RPGs in the least. Well, maybe the slightest argument could be made for DC, but they're action games. Of them, DC is the crown jewel. RS is pretty solid, and I found Nosferatu to be disappointing (but still worth a look). Paladin's Quest is a bit of a cumbersome traditional RPG experience. I do not recommend it until you've beaten every other SNES RPG. Robotrek for example is much more worth your time.
  • AFAIK, Ys III is the only game in the series that is side scrolling. It's a good series, I've only played a few of the games across platforms. Ys III specifically is an excellent action RPG. I have played both the Genesis and SNES versions, and I think the Genesis is better, not only in music but in graphics also. The Turbo-16 version might be the best. I haven't played it, but I have listened to the OST, and it still doesn't touch the Genesis, IMO.



    EDIT: Oh, yes, definitely give Arcana a shot if you haven't. It's a first-person dungeon crawler with awesome music and graphics.

  • Originally posted by: madachik



    Howabout Ys III, Nosferatu, Run Saber, Demon's Crest, or Paladin's Quest? I haven't looked into them, so I am unsure if they are RPG's? I know Nosferatu and Ys are side scrolling, which I also like, just wondering if they are good games?



    Ys III is the closest to what you are looking for, but it still veers quite a bit from Brain Lord. It's more of an action-role playing/adventure game, similar to stuff like Zelda II. Nosferatu--completely different. Think of it as a more arcade-style (stages are time-limited) Prince of Persia, with some beat 'em up elements. Run Saber, also vastly different. Awesome game that has more in common with Capcom's Strider (the arcade version, not the NES game) than anything else. It's two players at the same time, too, unlike Strider. Demon's Crest--pure awesomeness. More of a action-platformer/adventure as well. There aren't really any RPG elements here outside of backtracking and building up an inventory.
  • Excellent, thanks for the info guys. I'd like to ask another question without starting a new thread, yet deviating from my original game suggestions request:



    I have Blackthorne for SNES and found the concept to be awesome. However, the controls for me were very tacky and difficult. I want to know if games like Prince of Persia for SNES or some of these others like Nosferatu are going to have better controls or be similar to Blackthorne?



    I am always a big fan of an adventure game that involves progressing and saving, whether it's top down or platformer. Having puzzles like Brain Lord is great but I am up for trying anything that is adventurous. Just an FYI, one of my favorite games of all time is off Sega CD: Popful Mail. If that gives an idea of what I enjoy.



    And again thanks for all the recommendations and info, it means a lot!!
  • Wow!Brain Lord is a great game! I beaten this game 15 ago... I remember using the dictionary english-portuguese/portuguese english for translate some parts ... I Should play once again this game... probably I lost great part of his history...



    Another Action RGP(this I beat recently) is Secret of Mana(Seiken Densetsu 2)... I played with my brother and was fun... the game is able to play with 3 players... unfornatelly I have one brother that play video games... my other brother(older) don´t play anymore like before.



    I never play Soul Blazer is like Ilusion of Gaia??

  • Originally posted by: guillavoie



    Maybe Beyond Oasis on Genesis is a good pick as well.







    I would have to second this recommendation.  Haven't played it until about 6 months ago, but was very surprised at how addicting and fun it was to play through.
  • Soul Blazer/Illusion of Gaia/Terranigma



    I reckon the Lufia games had some puzzle aspects to them as well but I cant remember them that well (but its fighting was turn based)



    Crystalis on the nes perhaps as well



    And maybe Landstalker would fit to your liking (genesis)

  • Originally posted by: madachik



    I have Blackthorne for SNES and found the concept to be awesome. However, the controls for me were very tacky and difficult. I want to know if games like Prince of Persia for SNES or some of these others like Nosferatu are going to have better controls or be similar to Blackthorne?



    Prince of Persia has slightly laggy controls. Has always been a staple of that series (at least the first two games). Nosferatu--kind of the same way, but I believe it's a bit more responsive. Can't comment too much more on that, other than they both control fairly unique compared to your usual game of the era. Might take some time to get used to.



    Flashback is another one I highly recommend. Actually, I might even recommend trying that first, since it's more of a cross between Prince of Persia AND Blackthorne (much heavier emphasis on ranged weapons here).


  • I've owned Flashback for as long as I can remember, and I've never got very far in it. I find the controls a huge pain in the ass, and the gunplay is rather lackluster. I wish I could like it more than I do.
  • I recently beat Brain Lord, and was horribly disappointed in it. It felt like an uncompleted Action / Adventure game. There were 2 towns, 3 dungeons, and that was it. The closest thing to it would be ALTTP.



    As for other great games to play, the Quintet trilogy is awesome, and a lot of the others people have mentioned.
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