Famitsu's Pikmin 2 review

[A Black Falcon]

ABF, you already know my opinion on most of that, so no need to add any more.

Lunar for GBA. When I know where I'm going I can tolerate the random battles, but when (like I have been for some time now since I quit playing) stuck in a confusing, mazelike dungeon where I don't know where to go, I lose that patience quickly... that's why I stopped...

That last thing, the thing about games that prevent you from going back when you reach the end, I just wanted to add I TOTALLY agree with you. Metroid 3, or Super Metroid, or whatever you feel like calling it (I tend to call it one when I'm feeling lonely, the other when feeling hungry, and both on days that end in "I'm going to sleep now, nah actually I'll stay up to watch that cool thing on the Science channel", has that very flaw. It's the ONE thing wrong with that game. Oh sure, gives ya an excuse and motivation to start a brand new game and all, but you know, I do enjoy being able to go back to the "cleared" area with all the cool powers I already have and just wreck up the joint with more ammunition than god while maybe finding some item I missed before. *uses wind scar that was just unlocked at random terrain in way that is sure to baffle scientists years later, or would if a nuclear winter wasn't being generated in the process* Oh and, generally I like having a punctuation mark in a game, even though I don't consider that the point where I am "through" or anything, it's nice to have a point where the game won't let you save any more. Generally, that's JUST before the final boss, and generally games are generous enough to let you go back and do whatever you want. Some though, such as Knights of the Old Rebublic and Metroid 3, despite being good for the most part, have this ONE flaw that makes ya want to say "but I WANT to be able to go back to that level 1 garden slug and unleash "Psychotramatic stress disorder" on it, causing 99999 damage points, which is a very large number and impressive to look at.

I know there would be no point, but I wanted to be able to go back in FFA... but no, I saved in the final area (and later right at the start of the battle against the final form of the last boss, but that's because I was already cut off and could use all the help I could get... it made me very, very happy for the game's save anywhere ability!) and it cuts you off. Great.

Oh, Skies of Arcadia does it too, I'm pretty sure, but I was warned, and I used multiple saveslots anyway.

Metroid Fusion, you kind of can but you can't be FULLY upgraded I think because I seem to remember getting the last upgrade or so at a point where you can't go back... you can just finish the game. Annoying.

Actually that's kind of a different point... why give me those super-cool abilities when I have like HALF AN HOUR OF GAME LEFT? It just leaves you frusterated for not being able to use the really cool stuff more... sure you can go back in many cases and crush level 1 slugs, but that's not quite the same...

Oh, and I somehow doubt that just about ANYTHING in d20 could ever do 99999 damage... :)