The Similarities Between SOM and EB
Back before I had a PC capable of internet capability, and many people didn't either, I relied upon my SNES for entertainment. Earthbound was of course something always on my birthday and Christmas wish lists, but I never got it, thus I was forced to rent it almost every weekend. However, to my horror one day at the local Blockbuster I saw that someone else had dared to rent the game in the ludicristly large box before me. In desperation I searched for my other favourite Square Soft RPG titles.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was a definite no. The only game I owned, probably because it was only $40 Canadian when it was released. Then there was Final Fantasy 2, but I had grown weary of it since my friends had ruined the story for me so there would be no enjoyment in playing it. Final Fantasy 3 always provided a good night of entertainment, but it was out too! As for Chrono Trigger, it was just released and I had no hopes of getting my hands on a copy of it.
In despair, I wondered over the Sega section to rent 'Phantasy Star' or something like that. Just then, I remembered 'Secret Of Mana' and I raced back to the SNES section just to see a 'friend' of mine (we shared a kind of Ness-Pokey relationship) grab the cart and snicker as he sauntered over to the check out counter. Hanging my head low, I began to mournfully walk out of the store empty handed until I noticed that my pudgy nemesis had knocked over the game beside Secret of Mana. This game was something called 'Secret Of Evermore'. I had heard of it before but when I heard that it was made by Square USA I was immediatly turned off, but I thought to myself, might as well give it a chance.
I must say that I was pleasantly suprised by it's style of play which was similar to Secret of Mana. It was ingenuitive in many ways, with the needlessy long number of characters for names which I took advantage of, the idea of just a boy and his dog (oh so american) and the alchemy and trading systems, which were also unique.
The similarities between Secret Of Evermore and Earthbound I only realised much later, once I had rediscovered the game through the wonder of emulation. First of all, the name of the city was Podunk (A city from Mother 1). The Square USA team must of had a copy of one of the Mother 1 carts auctioned off and decided to pay their homage with the town's name. But who knows, maybe they had gone farther and taken Ness and King from Mother 2 (Earthbound) and made them into the boy and his dog. Other similarities include the little humorous things in Secret of Evermore that are abundant in Earthbound. Things like the refernces to B movies, the moden sarcasm and talk, and some of the elements which I just can't place my finger on, but is shared by all good games.
In conclusion, I would just like to recommend this game to anyone who still owns their SNES. Go out and rent it today and hope that Square's little homage to Mother 1 and 2 will help tide you over until Earthbound 64!
Back before I had a PC capable of internet capability, and many people didn't either, I relied upon my SNES for entertainment. Earthbound was of course something always on my birthday and Christmas wish lists, but I never got it, thus I was forced to rent it almost every weekend. However, to my horror one day at the local Blockbuster I saw that someone else had dared to rent the game in the ludicristly large box before me. In desperation I searched for my other favourite Square Soft RPG titles.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was a definite no. The only game I owned, probably because it was only $40 Canadian when it was released. Then there was Final Fantasy 2, but I had grown weary of it since my friends had ruined the story for me so there would be no enjoyment in playing it. Final Fantasy 3 always provided a good night of entertainment, but it was out too! As for Chrono Trigger, it was just released and I had no hopes of getting my hands on a copy of it.
In despair, I wondered over the Sega section to rent 'Phantasy Star' or something like that. Just then, I remembered 'Secret Of Mana' and I raced back to the SNES section just to see a 'friend' of mine (we shared a kind of Ness-Pokey relationship) grab the cart and snicker as he sauntered over to the check out counter. Hanging my head low, I began to mournfully walk out of the store empty handed until I noticed that my pudgy nemesis had knocked over the game beside Secret of Mana. This game was something called 'Secret Of Evermore'. I had heard of it before but when I heard that it was made by Square USA I was immediatly turned off, but I thought to myself, might as well give it a chance.
I must say that I was pleasantly suprised by it's style of play which was similar to Secret of Mana. It was ingenuitive in many ways, with the needlessy long number of characters for names which I took advantage of, the idea of just a boy and his dog (oh so american) and the alchemy and trading systems, which were also unique.
The similarities between Secret Of Evermore and Earthbound I only realised much later, once I had rediscovered the game through the wonder of emulation. First of all, the name of the city was Podunk (A city from Mother 1). The Square USA team must of had a copy of one of the Mother 1 carts auctioned off and decided to pay their homage with the town's name. But who knows, maybe they had gone farther and taken Ness and King from Mother 2 (Earthbound) and made them into the boy and his dog. Other similarities include the little humorous things in Secret of Evermore that are abundant in Earthbound. Things like the refernces to B movies, the moden sarcasm and talk, and some of the elements which I just can't place my finger on, but is shared by all good games.
In conclusion, I would just like to recommend this game to anyone who still owns their SNES. Go out and rent it today and hope that Square's little homage to Mother 1 and 2 will help tide you over until Earthbound 64!
