Ample rewards from La-Mulana 1 & 2

La-Mulana 1 & 2
Nintendo Switch/Sony PlayStation 4/Microsoft Xbox One

There was once a time when MSX systems ruled Japan. A joint venture of Microsoft and ASCII, the standardized home computer architecture was released in 1983 and subsequently wound up being produced by no less than 22 hardware manufacturers in the country. Personal-computer trailblazer Kazuhiko Nishi, then holding key positions in the companies behind the project, argued the need for unified standards in the industry, and thus pushed for its adoption. As popular as it became locally, however, it failed to penetrate the United States and other key markets. Notwithstanding the involvement of the Redmond, Washington-based technology firm, it found its influence limited to continental Europe and the likes of Brazil, Argentina, and South Korea.

The end of the decade saw the MSX slowly fading into oblivion. By then on its fourth iteration, it proved unable to claim the mass base it needed to meet its objectives. That said, its significant following, particularly in the gaming community, could not be denied. In fact, it became the launching point for a number of highly regarded franchises (among them Metal Gear, Bomberman, Puyo Puyo, and Parodius), as well as an invaluable breeding ground for other long-running series (including Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Ys, Dragon Quest, and Gradius). For all its issues (particularly regarding scrolling), it boasted of technical benefits that highlighted the relative superiority of titles it released.

One such title was The Maze of Galious: Knightmare II, released in 1987 as a followup to the previous year’s Knightmare: Majou Densetsu. Even as a version was also developed for the Nintendo Family Computer, it proved superior on the MSX — so much so that Japan-based GR3 Project used it as a source of inspiration for La-Mulana, which made its appearance on store shelves 18 years later. The latter was a passion project of Takayuki Ebihara, Takumi Naramura, and Houryu Samejima, made for the PC but as an homage to the realized hardware of Nishi’s vision. Indeed, it made no bones about its purpose; it featured a load screen that mimicked that of the MSX, down to the logo and amount of video random access memory available, not to mention a central character that used, in-game, an MSX and MSX cartridges.

Significantly, Nigoro, the company GR3 Project would become, remade La-Mulana from scratch for the Wii in 2011, the PC the following year, and then the Sony PlayStation Vita three years after. The work took half a decade and was notable for changes, relative to the original version, designed to reach a wider audience — with more reasonable difficulty spikes and an updated audio-visual presentation. Its debut in the West was not without hitches; would-be publisher Nicalis bailed, requiring Playism Games, EnjoyUp Games, and Rising Star Games to come in and take over distribution.

At around the same time, Playism took advantage of the interest generated by the La-Mulana remake to launch a Kickstarter initiative aimed at producing a sequel for the Switch. The $200,000 target was exceeded in a week, enabling the developers to add to the stated goals a story bridge and, no joke, a “curry party” they hosted on Twitch. The latter underscored the importance of the dish in the game — referred to, in fact, as its “soul” on fund-raising notes and the main course of director Naramura three times a day for three days “to make him stronger, allowing him the ability to make an even better game!”

These days, La-Mulana and its sequel have homes on the Switch, PS4, and Microsoft Xbox One via the compilation release of La-Mulana 1 & 2. In both titles, players take control of an intrepid explorer out in search of treasure. While initially armed with nothing more than a simple whip, the secrets buried within the tomb of La-Mulana will enable them to progress, gifting them with weapons, items, and rare finds. En route, they strive to overcome the traps, terrors, and troubles that lie in wait — all for the ultimate goal of finding out what lies inside the tomb.

Creditably, La-Mulana 1 & 2 manages to transcend standard Metroidvania fare and highlight its rich history. Starting with pretty much nothing, players soon get their hands on such notables as hand scanners, gloves, and grapple claws, with each key item affecting how they deal with obstacles coming their way. They wind up opening newer paths for exploration, leading to even more items to be put to good use. And so on and so forth, in a seemingly relentless cycle. At times, the outcomes can prove frustrating; trial and error are inevitable given the lack of tutorials, and, in some cases, may well leave first-time players at a loss on what to do.

Needless to say, the development shines the spotlight on La-Mulana 1 & 2’s greatest flaw. Both games therein have simplistic premises, but their cryptic puzzles are at odds with the minimalistic design, and can be quite frustrating to those not used to the genre. True to their MSX roots, they encourage players to explore and experiment. At the same time, however the notably hands-off approach to gameplay can result in confusion. While not normally a problem for Metroidvania offerings, their emphasis on freedom of choice can be more detrimental than advantageous, especially when there’s no real starting area to get acquainted with the controls and abilities.

There’s also the problem of how little feedback La-Mulana 1 & 2 can give. Its artstyle is fantastic, yes, but it can clash, and hard, with how it actually unfolds. Both titles in the compilation sport difficult puzzles, and seemingly in abundance. That said, and despite how things seem, frustration is an integral part of appreciating their finest points. Blindly rushing in can lead to missing subtle hints in their design. They were never meant to be easy and fast-paced. Rather, they’re best appreciated as slow burns, during which players take the time to slow down and evaluate each room as they should. Each tends to give subtle hints; what initially seems like bad game design turns out to be deliberately placed to fool you.

And with the epiphany comes a sense of triumph and understanding that ultimately makes La-Mulana 1 & 2 so appealing. The games in the compilation are admittedly hard. Nonetheless, keeping a deliberate pace is half the battle won; what initially looked to be immensely cryptic, almost-unfair platformers aren’t, after all. They just compel players to engage with them in a manner that’s different from the usual dregs in the genre. And, once done, their best parts start to rise to the surface and shine, giving taste after taste of their intended experience.

It bears noting that La-Mulana 1 & 2 don’t need to be played in order. The sequel is better, and not simply because of its more focused presentation laced with Norse mythology; gamers can head straight to it sans any loss of appreciation for the overarching narrative. Controls are decidedly smooth in any of the platforms, although the graphics and sounds stand out on the Xbox One and the PS4. Because of the added benefit of portability, however, the Switch figures to provide the best value.

In any case, La-Mulana 1 & 2 earns its keep. It can be a source of irritation, especially when played without hints, but it stands out all the same because of its unabashed desire to be different. Those looking for a cookie-cutter Metroidvania platformer would do well to look elsewhere. The rest will likely appreciate its pacing and puzzle designs. It tries the patience of even the most determined, but provides ample rewards to make the time worthwhile. It pays off in the end, and in spades.

THE GOOD:

• Sleek retro look and feel
• Smooth controls 
• Fairly lengthy campaigns
• Nice, unique pacing

THE BAD:

• Cryptic and confusing map designs
• Convoluted puzzles galore
• Hands-off approach to gameplay
• Zero tutorials and poor initial feedback with regards to mechanics
•  Can prove frustrating for those new to the genre in general and the series in particular

RATING: 8.5/10

POSTSCRIPT: SNK Gals Fighters looks to be coming to the Switch. The Korean Game Rating and Administration Committee has given the game, which originally appeared on the Neo Geo Pocket Color at the turn of the millennium, a rating and points to Inplay Interactive as the publisher. The 2D fighting game features female characters from various SNK franchises and has them compete in a “Queen of Fighters” tournament organized by “Miss X.” Defeating her in the end will yield a talisman capable of granting the owner any wish.

THE LAST WORD: Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition will be heading to the Nintendo eShop on April 23. At $19.99, the gothic horror role-playing title is slated to include the base game and the underwater expansion pack. As announced by publisher Digerati (noted for the likes of Oniken, Shikhondo, and Slain: Back to Hell), Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition, the sequel, is also expected to be released for the Switch.