Equinox

"What if you had to solve puzzles and kill monsters for no apparant reason..."

Simply labeling Equinox (Solstice II) as an action/RPG is very misleading. The game is a puzzle solving platformer first and an action/RPG second. However, with the unique blend of puzzle solving, fighting, and exploration there is plenty in this game to satisfy fans of both genres. Combine this with superb quasi-3D graphics and an interesting unobtrusive soundtrack and you have yourself one game that it would be hard not to recommend.

GRAPHICS: 9/10

It is difficult to effectively rate the graphics in this game without taking a few things into perspective. First and foremost, this is an early generation SNES title, and it still looks awesome. From the well drawn hero to the equally goodlooking baddies, the developers did not skimp on the visuals. My one concern in this department is that aside from the game's 8 bosses, there are only 6 different types of enemies you will encounter (although among the different types there are some different colored ones.) And while this isn't really a big deal game wise, I feel as if the developers could have thrown in at least a few more visual treats for the gamer.

Hero and enemies aside, the game's pseudo-3D isometrical perspective puts you in a world that feels very free and expansive. You see the world at a 45° angle, and you move according to this. The 3D feel is great, but the game uses this perspective to try and take advantage of certain optical illusions (and it succeeds very well.) In the end you end up with an SNES game that is actually enhanced almost solely by ingenious graphical design. There are titles which appeared at the end of the SNES's career and still didn't look this good.

SOUND: 10/10

There is nothing wrong with the sound in this game. Period. There is a different musical track for every dungeon which provides an ambience to each of the different settings while at the same time remaining very unobtrusive to gameplay. Sound effects are both fitting and well placed to coincide with different game events. There really isn't any instance in the game that needs different music or sound, and there is nothing that I would change about anything in this category.

CONTROL: 9/10

At first, trying to control your hero Glendaal seems like a more daunting task than trying to solve the game's numerous puzzles. He can only move in the four cardinal directions (there is no diagonal movement) and these directions are tilted at a 45° angle. However, after just a little bit of actual play you will wonder how the game could be played any differently. Now don't get me wrong, like I said before, the game takes advantage of the perspective to make certain puzzles seem like a control impossibility, but it is all a challenge of gameplay rather than a challenge of shoddy controls.

GAMEPLAY: 9/10

Who wants some puzzle solving? I hope you do, because that is what you are going to find in this puzzle/action/RPG. You start out with nothing on top of a strange-looking world map. However, once you walk into the nearest smokestack-esque building, you find yourself immersed in a world full of moving blocks, hidden doors, and strange monsters that try to prevent you from completing your objectives. Along the way you will find 8 weapons (all of which are projectile) and 8 spells that aid you in your quest to rescue your father.

The game's 8 dungeons, which feature anywhere from 16 to 106 rooms, are the real meat and potatoes of this title. Nearly every room features a puzzle or set of monsters that need to be defeated. The amazing thing that you will come to recognize is that the puzzles never seem contrived or repetitive. There is a slight to major variation in every one the game's over 300 puzzles. Whether it be pushing a block into the correct position or jumping on a hidden ledge, Equinox will test your mental capacities throughout its duration. However, the game is also very unforgiving. One touch of anything hazardous (spikes, monsters, etc...) will result in your death and cause you the opportunity to play the room over again. The number of times you may try again, though, is gauged by an ever dwindling life meter. This is replenished by items and spells, and there are plenty of both to be found throughout your quest.

As you find keys to unlock doors and further explore each dungeon, you may will probably need every item you can find. A big problem I had with this game was the sheer size of many of the dungeons, and the total lack of map the game provides you with. This will result in a lot of wandering around when you are looking for that needed key or the last of the 12 tokens needed to fight the boss. And, many times, I found myself being killed by puzzles that I had already solved earlier in the dungeon. This one oversight in development can result in a couple hours of mindless wandering if you are not careful.

Not to seem too puzzley though, there is also a heapin' healpin' of action in this title. The game features 8 unique bosses standing in between you and your father. And although you also fight smaller enemies along the way, the boss battles are where the real action can be found. The interesting thing about these fights is that the same rules apply here as in the dungeon. If you get hit once, then the hero is dead and the battle starts over. Did I mention that this is one of the hardest games that I have ever played? By the end of this title you will be a master of jumping and a whiz at action games all around.

STORY: 2/10

The story in this game is virtually non-existent. I have written for you here the story as it appears after viewing the game's intro screen three times over. It took somewhere around 5 full minutes of just sitting there to ascertain this much about the game, so enjoy.

''Since the defeat of Melkoir by the wizard Shadax, Galadonia had been a happy and peaceful kingdom. One day, soon after Shadax had left to tutor Sonia, Galadonia was ravaged by fierce storms. A plague of foul creatures descended and the land was left in chaos... This could only be the work of Sonia...

You take the role of Glendaal the only son of Shadax. Your task is to journey to Sonia's icy fortress and rescue your father from the clutches of the evil witch. Thus bringing peace to the land. As a novice wizard you begin with no magic or weapons. You must learn and find whatever you can get on your quest...''

And that is all you get until you beat the game. The only other story you in the closing sequence, so I hope that this isn't an important game element for you. Don't worry, though, the lack of story doesn't detract from the actual play in the least bit. Besides, who doesn't like solving inane puzzles for no apparent reason other than the furthering of the game?

Recap:

In the end you have a fantastically fun game with no clear story and tons of puzzles (sound like every game on the NES?) However, if you like action games and enjoy a good puzzle then you will have a blast with Equinox. If you want my advice, though, I recommend playing the game with a map. You will save yourself a lot of anguish later on. Equinox is around 20 hours the first time you play it, but I am sure you could beat it much faster a second time around.

GRAPHICS: 9/10
SOUND: 10/10
CONTROL: 9/10
GAMEPLAY: 9/10
STORY: 2/10

TOTAL: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/24/03