*Spoilers for the game Brave Fencer Musashi*

First Target: Brave Fencer Musashi(den)

Entry the First:

Most gamers know Brave Fencer Musashi as the free game that came with their purchased copy of the Final Fantasy 8 demo. As a birthday present, a friend of mine gave me a copy of the game. I recall that there was one thing strange about the one I received: it was missing the FF8 demo disc. And of course the game wasn't shrinkwrapped when I received it, so I have a sneaking suspicion that the one who gifted me this took that demo for himself.

Anyways, onto the game itself, I have to admit right here and now that I have already finished the game. But that was years ago (estimated to be around the late ‘90s). As of now, I have forgotten almost everything about the game except that I was ridiculously addicted to it when I first played it. Seriously, for a month straight, it was the only thing I would talk about with my friend. In fact, I’m pretty that this game consumed the entirety of my summer break. Well, it has since then been gathering dust in my garage. I think it’s about time I boot this game up again.

Onwards to actual backlog destruction, starting with BFM!

The game boots up and right after the Square (this brings back memories… back when that logo didn’t have an extra 2 syllables attached to it) logo and a series of sword clashing sound effects, the title screen finally reveals itself, this is followed by a woman (attempting to sound like a young boy) saying the name of the game. Wait a minute… this voice sounds familiar!

*Checks IMDB*

Hmm, turns out that the actress also voices Sheila Broflovski aka Kyle’s mother. “wat…”

*Starts a new game.*

“Let’s do it!”

The game opens up with a scene taking place in Allucaneet Castle. Five people, apparently in a hurry, run down a spiraling staircase before stopping in front of a giant green rupee. The princess “summons” Musashi using the rupee and her powers. Everyone seems to be surprised at Musashi’s small stature, but are confident that he is able to do whatever they want him to do. They coerce Musashi into doing their bidding by convincing him into thinking that he cannot go back to his own world unless he helps them. Musashi agrees and his then given a blue glowing sword that can assimilate the power of an enemy. Stuff happens and Musashi runs off to the tower that they want to him to go to.

“Oh and was there a guy with a triangular face among the group of people?”

Look at him! The guy in the blue has a triangle for a face!

After that, I get control of Musashi and begin what is essentially a tutorial. I have to run along a path in some forest while killing pig-like things and potted plants. The tutorial teaches me how to steal the enemies’ powers and use them. Soon enough, I end up at some kind of area with a big hole in the middle. Musashi suggests that I run around and stomp on buttons. I do so and the Spiral Tower reveals itself. I climb the tower all the while dodging rolling discs and logs. Once I get inside, I have to do a simple puzzle that involves shooting the rope of a bell that hovers above a giant torch in order to put out the lights. Doing so opens up a door that leads to the outside. Another puzzle is presented to me, this time I have to stun one of the pig baddies while they are on top of a depression in order to leave Lumina, the weapon I am sent here to retrieve, wide open for me to run over and pick it up. Musashi picks up the shiny red sword and the Moai head that was shooting lasers on top of that tower goes bat **** insane and starts rolling towards Musashi.

Musashi runs down the face of the tower and tells me to press the jump button a couple of times. The Moai head chases him all the way to the entrance of Allucaneet Castle. There, Musashi is greeted by some guy wearing an elephant helmet (at least I think so) with the princess as hostage. More game play tutorial, with the baddie teleporting god knows where and then BAM boss fight with a four-legged Steam Knight Tank thing.

The fight is fairly easy, being that the boss has some obvious weak spots (with one of them a giant glowing light bulb coming out of his crotch). The fight starts inside the castle and ends right outside of town on a nearby cliff. The tank trips and falls off the cliff, and Musashi finishes it off by throwing the iron ball that was once a piece of it onto his crotch. “Somehow I’m convinced that the developers are doing this crotch business on purpose….”

End of the first chapter. “Save?” Hell yeah son!

Phew, I hope I don’t need to do any write-ups this big after the initial story stuff…