overdrive's ActRaiser review

Ah ha! I wondered when this would get reviewed by you, Rob (in fact I was thinking about it in the shower this morning—don't ask). I'd like to think I had a small part in inspiring this to happen. I'm pleased to see that we also agree on the game and have written fairly identical reviews (though I like how you handled the "kill all religion" aspect better).

You know, Zipp, your review probably made me delay playing through this game completely for a while. Because I'd done the centaur stage and the first sim level and was like "Man, this sim stuff can get kind of dull with it being an automatic win and all!" and then read your review where you made that a specific focal point. So I knew I'd have to wait a while, so your review wasn't fresh in my mind and I'd wind up unintentionally copying points.

It was hard to keep that point out of my mind though, as the only sim stage that's remotely challenging is the very last one, since Northwall has two skull lairs and you have to wait until the dullards have invented the bridge-building ability to get to the second of them.

Oh, also, I just re-read your review and I seemed to remember we had different feelings on the part involving Vishnu-dude. The way I looked at it (going from the text, particularly at the end when the angel is telling you little stories about each land) was that the people were lured from you to the other god by a stranger who made promises. The angel said at the end that people are known for taking the easy-seeming path at times, which led me to believe that deity was more of a "tempter" who would trick them into abandoning you due to believing he was on their side, but would then prey on them or somehow make their lives worse. Or at least watch as their civilization falls into ruin because he's not gonna take the same active interest in their growth.

I think you kind've hit it on the head with the "false gods" thing. The American version makes it seem like a definite evil entity tricking people. But the original version was pretty much straight up "thou shalt not have false gods (AKA gods other than me)."