XZR II - The Lost Version of Nihon Telenet's Exile (PC-88 Paradise) X-Z-R 2
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- In this episode of PC-88 Paradise I take a look at XZR II, the game that was later remade as Nihon Telenet's "Exile" on the TurboGrafX/PCE CD and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. The game was released on the Genesis under Nihon Telenet's US brand "Renovation" and localized by Working Designs on the Turbo GrafX. (The game is also often written "X-Z-R 2" instead of "XZR II")
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00:00 Opening
01:13 Packaging
03:26 The Game (XZR2)
14:04 Spoilers
18:46 Review and wrap-up
19:48 Secret Codes
21:55 PC-98 Version
22:13 MSX2 Version
22:43 Exile for TGCD
23:34 Exile for Genesis/MD
24:15 Exile 2 - Wicked Phenomenon - Ігри
Your last two videos on ZXR were absolutely fascinating dude. Thoroughly enjoyed them!!! Kudos!!!
Well, hello you. I'm really glad to hear that you enjoyed them. Thanks so much for your feedback!
@@BasementBrothers No worries, really enjoy your Neo Geo retrospectives too, but it's nice to hear about games released on Japanese exclusive computers from someone who speaks English :)
@@Larry Any new videos coming up, Larry?
Now that's what I call an improvement from the first game; better drugs. Peyote that makes you fly, and too many drugs make you die.
Cool, I remember having Exile for my PCEngine Duo Rx.
The katakana on the 'XZR' logo actually reads "Exile" (eguzairu)😊
Oh, BTW just found out Exile is getting a re-release for the Evercade if you're interested? It's the Genesis version again, but this is technically the first time it's been released on handheld (not mentioning the Sega Nomad)
Please keep making these vids, I love seeing the physical context and port history giving for these pc88 games that I only go as far to emulate out of curiosity. Didn't realize I needed something like this. Wondering if there are other channels that do MSX or Sharp or other old obscure hardware as well.
I wish I knew of any such channels. superdeadite has some interesting MSX and X68000 videos, but not long form reviews quite like mine. By the way, my brother Neo-Alec just fixed our X68000 system today which had been broken for a while, so maybe we can make some more X68000 content in the future. However our videos tend to be pretty time consuming for us to make, so can't make any promises. :)
Watching your series for the second day in a row. You have a new subscriber, sir. Thank you for the awesome job!
We`ve never had PC-88 or any other similar system in Russia. And I don`t think we were that different from other countries. So it is very interesting to get to know about this rather obscure part of world gaming history.
When you mentioned the shepherd and his sheep, all I could think of was Greg the Garlic Farmer.
PC-88 FOREVER
Обожаю эту систему!
Groovy
Thanks for your videos
I just wanted to add (in case you're unaware of) there is a hidden shop in exile 2 for pc engine (only japanese version if I remember correctly) that sales extremely powerful equipment for Kindi
That way, it is very easy to complete the game with that character (except in places where you need to do some high jumps)
Man, it's so cool to see someone covering PC-88 games in English on UA-cam -- Japanese microcomputers just don't get enough love in the English-speaking world, despite having some REALLY cool games! I'm mostly an MSX man, myself, though I do also own a PC-98 (which I sadly don't play as often as I should on account of not having a particularly great setup for it compared to my MSX TurboR, which I've got connected to my HDTV via S-video for a nearly pixel-perfect experience from the same seat and on the same 50" display I use to play Switch and PS4 games!) -- but PC-88 still fascinates me, even if I'm not a huge fan of its trademark color dithering.
Last time around, you might recall I recommended checking out Sa-Zi-Ri, but if you don't mind another recommendation, I'd also like to suggest checking out the Rune Worth games from T&E Soft (though I think only the first one is available on PC-88, with the second and third being PC-98 exclusive?). I've played through the first one on MSX, and while it's not flawless by any means, it's a pretty ambitious vaguely Ys-inspired game with some really cool ideas and a half-decent story. The most notable thing touted on the box is that there's no experience system in this game whatsoever -- stat level-ups are solely based on using items, which are exclusively found by thoroughly exploring dungeons. This, of course, encourages exploration rather than grinding, and the dungeons are large, varied, and interesting enough to make this a rather nice proposition. (The big downside to this, though, is that a few of these stat level-up items are contained in completely enclosed spaces that are literally inaccessible through normal means; the only way in is to teleport, and the only teleport ability in the game is a magic spell which teleports you to a RANDOMLY CHOSEN location in the current area... meaning you just kind of have to keep casting it over and over again and hope you get lucky. Which is just AWFUL game design!)
Another cool feature of the game, though, is that the story isn't 100% linear. There's one point, for example, where you need to find a way to sneak behind enemy lines, and there's actually more than one way to get there; it's entirely up to you which is the more appealing option, and the end result is a very different dungeon and town experience.
The thing that really sold the game for me, though, is all the pack-in stuff that comes with it... particularly the VELVET-BOUND IN-CHARACTER LORE BOOK, which is one of the coolest feelies I've ever received with any game I've purchased to date (and is also somewhat necessary to have, as there's a point in the game where you're asked a series of lore questions that you can only answer using information contained within!).
If you ever decide to check the game out, I think you'll really enjoy it -- and if you have any trouble, do note that I actually wrote a full walkthrough of the MSX version, which should apply to the PC-88 version wholesale since the games are as identical as they come from version to version.
Just a thought for a future video, though I'm sure it was on your radar already anyway, given that it's both an obviously Ys-inspired game and is also VERY common and easy to get ahold of for cheap!
So you don't like Rune Worth? Damn, that's a shame that you don't like it because of its "awful game design". I was hoping that it was popular enough for T&E SOFT to port the games over to the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. And yes, the second and third games are PC-98 exclusives.
I have only the X68000 version of Rune Worth, but regret to say I haven't played it very much. Your description does make me want to try spending some more time with it someday though.
@@jeremym9011 Huh? No, I love Rune Worth! If you read my whole comment, I'm specifically recommending it to Basement Brothers for this series because I think he'd love it, too. It has its flaws, and they're glaring enough that I'm never going to call it the BEST GAME EVER or anything -- but it's a really solid game with some ambitious ideas and reasonably good execution.
I wouldn't have written a full walkthrough of it if I didn't like it, though, that's for sure!
I'm listening to the Rune Worth PC-88 soundtrack right now, and I gotta say, this is some amazing work on the Soundboard II! The synergy between the PCM and FM is maybe the best I've heard on this system. It sounds even better than the X68000 version, actually.
@@BasementBrothers Yeah, it's a really good soundtrack on the whole, and used in some very interesting ways (for instance, there are three major nations involved in the game's plot, and the game gives each one its own town theme, so you can tell when you've crossed the border into a new country just by listening for which town theme is playing).
I'm a bit biased, but for a lot of the tracks (perhaps even a majority of them), I actually think the MSX's FM soundtrack is the best version, as it has a bit of a cooler tone that feels more fitting for the occasionally serious nature of the story -- a good example of this is the track "Elise's Tears," which just sounds much eerier and more wistful on MSX than on any other platform IMHO.
There are other tracks, though, where the MSX FM sounds a bit... cheap... as often happens with T&E Soft games (they have a very distinctive style to their music on MSX that's generally very well-composed and catchy, but sounds a bit "phoned-in" when it comes to instrumentation).
You can get an idea of the differences by checking out a video of the game's intro, which seems to be on UA-cam for pretty much every platform of its release and makes for an interesting springboard from which to compare the game's multiple versions both visually and aurally.
I’ve grown to enjoy your voice and associate it with PC-88/98. Thanks for sharing all these, it’s particularly nice for people like me who enjoy Japanese culture but can’t read or speak it. It give a lot of little nuance to the games I thoroughly enjoy. Thank you!
Another great video. This is the one and only channel I'm subbed to where I watch the second a new one is uploaded. This series is great, tons of hidden gems.
learned something new :) XZR became Exile.
"I looked desperately for a drug in my inventory."
We've all been there Basement Bro.
You've been dropping some straight bangers man
dude I fucking love your channel man. I just found it and it's so awesome to see these games.
excellent work!! I love the attention to detail on the dissimilarities in the soundtrack and totally nerd out on stuff like that!!
Great review, thank you!
I started watching your videos for your Neo-Geo reviews, but I have kept watching, because of the quality content. I have no interest in Japanese gaming PCs, but I think I would watch you give a video review of a toaster. Keep up the good work.
Super interesting. Played both the US TG16 releases - was never a huge fan, but the first one was pretty fun. Fascinating to see the origins.
Awesome! I am glad you are reviewing these lost classics. However, one game in the Exile series, Wicked Phenomenon I do not like because Nihon Telenet DID NOT develop it themselves like they did with this one and the very first game before it- They hired Alfa System, a "talented" developer to do that game.
Yeah, I noticed that too and maybe I should have mentioned it in the video. Telenet themselves had a number of different teams as well, so maybe in a way it doesn't matter, but when you play Wicked Phenomenon it feels like quite clearly not made by the same people as the previous game.
I know they might not be considered hidden gems, but nonetheless, the fact that patches and info exist on these games mean they gathered a following, which is nice to know at the very least. Thanks for the video!
Great video, super fun to learn about this series!!!
Never heard of this series before. Don't really know what to think of it but I enjoyed this video.
As a fan of Sorcerian though... I am a bit interested.
Haha. The game isn't really anything like Sorcerian, but glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!
Ha ha, was that from Pee-wee's Big Adventure? I now have a reason to watch it all the way through.
Always loved how if you replace the R with an L it makes perfect sense and sounds cool as hell.
ty for episode
Now I want to see a telnet play-through of Megami Tensei.
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I quite enjoy your pronunciation of "Magick", it really highlights the unnecessary need of swapping it from magic.😉 Oh so this is the "real" magic, looks a lot like science heh. Also I can just imagine seeing all those magic drugs from a third person perspective Ie. dude you're not actually flying.😄
Thank you for the great video on XZR II. I just finished Exile on the Genesis and I really enjoyed the playthrough. Your video made me realize how much of the drug content was censored when they remade the Genesis version.
Do you know if they only changed the names of the Drugs (now called Tonics) or did they also change the effects the drug has on the main character? I don't remember dying if I consume too many tonics in the Genesis version.
Here is the list of Tonics in the Genesis version:
Tonics for recovery of HP
Convulsants Price: 100G Effect: recovery of 10 HPs
Somnifacients Price: 200G Effect: recovery of 20 HPs
Heart poison Price: 300G Effect: recovery of 30 HPs
Herbs for recovery of MP
Coca Price: 200G Effect: recovery of 10 MPs
Kava Price: 400G Effect: recovery of 20 MPs
Piper Beetle Price: 800G Effect: recovery of 30 MPs
Potions for gain of AP (lasts for 20 seconds)
Snake Poison Price: 300G Effect: gain of 10 APs
Spider Poison Price: 600G Effect: gain of 20 APs
Cantharis Price: 1200G Effect: gain of 40 APs
Tonics for gain of AC (lasts for 20 seconds)
Ipoh Dok Price: 400G Effect: gain of 10 ACs
Kayu Price: 800G Effect: gain of 20 ACs
Aconite Price: 2400G Effect: gain of 40 ACs
Do you know what the original drug names were for the Tonics they sold in the pharmacies in the original game?
I read they had listed marijuana, heroin, opium, lsd, cocaine, hashish, mushrooms, and peyote. They sold 12 Tonics at the pharmacy, and I only listed 8 drugs so I am obviously missing 4 of them. Would you be able to tell me what Tonic names were substituted for what Drug names in the original game? I would really appreciate your help. Feel free to copy my list and repost with original drug names if possible. Thanks, again.
Like I said in the video, the Genesis and Turbografx versions are really a complete remake, so the drug system is basically gone. Very little of it is left, even in the Japanese versions. The drugs are basically just typical items as in most games. There is no 1=1 ratio of which is which when comparing with the original PC-88 version "XZR II". Thanks for watching.
This game reminds me of the PC-88 versions of Valis a Fantasm soldier(an another PC-88 game made by Telenet)the first Valis was kind of a sloppy game that was mainly enjoyable for its soundtrack,but on the other hand Valis 2 improves the gameplay a lot more similiar to XZR and XZR2
Honestly Valis II is also a very sloppy game. The computer and console versions are very different games but they're both sloppy for different reasons.
@@MagmaMKII True but i still think it is a improvement over the first Valis
Yes, if only because the second game has an actual structure and isn't just a series of sprawling platforms, but it is unfortunately still a mediocre game. The TurboGrafx version is at least playable despite being an average game. It wasn't until the third title where the games became actually good.
@@MagmaMKII Yeah sadly i have to agree at least the soundtracks to those games are great especially Vailis 2
I regret to say that I agree pretty much with Magma MK-II on this 100%. Valis became great later on with some of the console releases, but it got off to quite a weak start on Japanese PCs. I really think it probably only sold because the main character was a high school girl who was wearing revealing clothes on the cover.
21:40 Reminds me of the hidden mini game in Dark Savior.
Both games share a programmer, I wonder if they are related.
Wow. Dark Savior on Saturn. That takes me back! Yeah, that one is also kind of a "Don't touch the walls" sort of minigame, isn't it. Kind of like Irritating Maze on Neo Geo.
I recently watched a retrospective of Working Designs' releases by Game Sack. If I recall correctly, their vision of Exile II's final boss was lowered in difficulty compared to the original whilst increasing the difficulty elsewhere. I suspect the general increase in difficulty is a countermeasure to the video game rental market outside of Japan, where video game rentals are banned. Shorter games could be completed in the time of a weekend rental at a fraction of the full retail price and thus rentals were seen as an obstacle to increasing the sales of such games.
That's the idea. But have you tried Working Designs' version of Exile II? It's not reasonable. I believe it's rumored some of the difficulty settings were set incorrectly by mistake. If you have doubts go try it for yourself. I finished it as a teenager, but the amount of time required for grinding was beyond reason.
@@BasementBrothers Looks like I misremembered which game they made the final boss easier but made everything else harder; it definitely wasn't Exile II. I didn't have time to go back to Game Sack's video to confirm when I was composing my comment.
Some of Working Designs difficulty changes are not bad. Like I said in this video, The Japanese version of Exile 1 for TGCD was too easy IMO. Working Designs' version comes closer to the mark.
😎
I have it. Maybe I should play it. Mine has 2 more items. A registration card and a return label. No CD either.
Oof, I was hoping Exile 2 for pce would be just as good.
Ah yes, honestly abrupt change of music when opening the menu or map in these old games is quite jarring despite the music being good haha. Good to know they change that in the sequel.
I didn't mention it in the video, but the PC-98 version actually DOES change music for the map. There is actually a separate map BGM, and it is present in the music mode of the PC-88 version too. In fact, I even used it as BGM in this video at one point. I prefer it the way it is in the PC-88 and MSX versions though - with no music change when opening the map.
@@BasementBrothers interesting, maybe a bug or a last minute change?
Yeah could be.
i was wondering how is Youge a french name and then realized it was supposed to be Hugues.
I remember that in the console versions your're trying to find some magic relic called the Holimax, is this present in this version? I also remember the console versions leave the fates of Rumi and Jofre ambiguous after the cave-in, but here they show up in the ending?
The item that was translated to "Holimax" is in XZR II, yes. Rumi and Jofre's fate is ambiguous in the Turbo version, but it does show Sadler reuniting with his comrades including Rumi at the end, so I think actually it wasn't supposed to be ambiguous. She survived. But to confuse things more, Wicked Phenomenon seems to take place right after Exile 1, and when Sadler meets Rumi again he's surprised that she's alive.
I think in the end, I think Rumi and Jofre's death was meant to be completely a lie fabricated by Yuug.
アッシュ ASHE
QUASAR SOFT 1988
Тоже интересная игра для PC88 рекомендую
Ashe seems like an interesting game. I hope to check it out someday.
Man, I remember playing this game about 15 years ago. I don't remember the details, but I came away feeling that the developers, as a prank, somehow taught a dog a little about history and a little about programming, and then forced it to program a game about history. It was utterly bizarre and nonsensical, but I think it would probably be unplayable if it wasn't.
I know this is a PC-88 video but what i was curious about is that i think there is a PC-98 controller and i think it looks pretty cool if i could get my hands on it i would love to play PC-88 and PC-98 games with it!
There were lots of different controllers made for classic Japanese PC's, but as far as I know most or all of them for NEC PC's were made by third parties. Which specific controller are you referring to that looks pretty cool?
XZR was the OG Assassin's Creed with a pointless modern day section?
Basically, yeah. I've been waiting for this comment!
Recently played and beat Exile on the genesis and loved it. Played through about half of Wicked Phenomenon and quit, its such a worse game I was really disappointed.