In case you don’t have the February 2011 issue, here’s a link to the digital version.
Thanks Mike Rose for picking my game! And thanks to Liam Burke for finding this link.
Category: Press
Blog posts, external articles relating to my games
Famitsu 360 names Soulcaster II, Avatar Ragdolls, and Bad Golf as Indies of the Month
Special thanks to @gaspode_t for scanning and posting this page from what I think is the March issue of Famitsu 360. This is such a huge honor because the original inspiration for a lot of the look and feel of SC came from the Japanese RPG’s and adventure games I grew up with on the NES and SNES.
I invoked the Japanese language skills of comrade McCawley again, who offers this translation:
“The sequel that challenges your reflexes even more. A level of polish that exceeds the first game.”
“The 2nd installment of this action RPG, where you summon forth warriors and archers to fight for you, has just been released. The 8-bit style visuals are retained, but the overall graphics quality has been improved. Throw in the extremely atmospheric BGM, and the whole game feels more polished than its predecessor. What’s particularly notable about this game is that the difficulty has really increased. The monster spawn timing on the generators has made clearing the game a severe challenge. If you aren’t able to place your summons in optimal positions quickly, your hero will be overwhelmed.”
[screenshots captions:]
“Everything’s improved in part 2. The level of visual detail has been enhanced, without detracting from the first game’s atmosphere”
“You need to deploy summons quickly and effectively in order to shield your character. Wasting time isn’t an option. Speed is everything.”
The text is too blurry for me to fully make out on that first screenshot, but what I can see says something about difficulty, and “there’s no room for inefficiency”.
Accolades and Awards!
Soulcaster II has been blessed with some prestigious awards!
“A great price for a very well made Indie title, Soulcaster 2 is definitely worth checking out. 9.0/10”
“…if you’re looking for a retro-styled adventure game with plenty of strategy, you’ve found the motherload. It’s totally worth the price, totally worth your time and totally fantastic.”
– CrushFragDestroy Highly Recommended
“Glorious and heaps of fun, this is a breath of fresh air.”
“Some people might question why I chose to call Magical Time Bean‘s Soulcaster II an “action/adventure” game, as it’s essentially a tower-defense game. To which I reply “Nah ah!” think about for a second then add “OK… Maybe a little.””
– HiddenAudioLog Genre Awards – Best Action/Adventure Game (also nominee for Best Sequel)
The critics love the Soulcaster II soundtrack!
My roots are in video game music. It’s how I got into game development. It’s always been the majority of my music collection. (It’s also how I met my wife, but that’s another story.) So I’m really proud that the soundtrack for this game has connected with players and critics to the point where they make special mention of it in their reviews.
“Outside of the graphics, the music stands out. Way out. It’s not nearly as retro as the rest of the aesthetic, but it is excellent all-round. High-quality audio and catchy melodies reminiscent equally of Amiga SID tracker tunes and classic NES titles.”
– DIYGamer
“The soundtrack delivers even better than it did in the first one, sounding like the love-child of Castlevania and Chrono Trigger. Fans of the shopkeeper’s epic metal theme from the first game will not be disappointed.”
“… the music is fantastic.”
– Signed In Podcast (Soulcaster II discussed around 4:50)
“As a metal fan, I about fell out of my chair when I heard the opening theme, which happens to be one of the coolest epic metal songs I’ve ever heard. All of the music in Soulcaster II is incredibly well crafted, and seems to always be level appropriate.”