An absolutely amazing game

[Kugyince]

Today I just finished playing this amazing game. I've played it a few times before here and there but never for very long. Many of you might have heard of it before. Let me describe it.

It's a horror themed game by Capcom. You're this group of specialists who get locked in this old spooky mansion in the middle of nowhere. It has creepy music and monsters you must defeat like zombies. The game is focused on exploring the mansion as more and more rooms become open to you as you solve their puzzles using everyday items like keys, a lighter, candles, ropes and such. It's easy to get lost in this huge mansion with verandas, gardens and the mansion is littered with notes, paintings and a dairy that all slowly reveal the game's awesome, yet gruesome plot line. I wont spoil it for you. Even the little touches as the cut scene every time you open a door, watching it slowly creek open. Perfect game!

Resident Evil? Oh no, I'm talking about Sweet Home! That's right, Sweet Home is really Resident Evil for the NES. Capcom shows how deep it's RE roots go as even a note in the game reads: "...the mansion of residing evil!..."

So what are the differences between Sweet Home and Capcom's other game, Resident Evil? Sweet Home is an RPG, unlike RE. The house is littered with random encounters which pop up and are turn-based combat. In SH you control five characters forming and reforming parties of one to three characters per party. While the combat is just as easy in SH as in other turn-based combat games, SH itself is HARD! The ability to heal is limited, character death is permanent, and inventory storage its extremely limited. Each character can carry up to four items, one of which is their special tool and another is a weapon. That leaves only two empty inventory slots per character. A lot of the game's difficulty comes from having the right characters at the right place with the right items on hand. Navigation is difficult if you don't map it out. And to make matters worse there are other things that can completely screw over your game. Many status ailments will leave a character stranded until the can become cured such as needing Akiko to use his special tool "+ Kit" to heal ailments or being pulled up from a pit by another character if they have a rope. But that's not the only hurdle! Blue roaming spirits that can't be defeated can sometimes whisk a character off to a random place in the mansion as can some enemies' attacks. Seven work days it took me to finally beat this friggin' thing without a guide.

Oh the utter torture! Its a great thing this game wasn't ported to the US as it would be impossible with the censorship issues. The plot line itself is quite vile when revealed and the game features what can only be labeled as the most gruesome death cut scene possible with 8-bit graphics. Sweet Home has won a place in my heart and my top ten NES games list. You must try this game.

[TrakMastaTom]

Wasn't ported to the US? Does this mean I can't get an actual physical copy of this game?

[Kugyince]

Originally Posted by TrakMastaTom

Wasn't ported to the US? Does this mean I can't get an actual physical copy of this game?

Unless you buy the famicom cart, Suite Houmo. There was also a Japanese horror movie released the same year with the same name.

[Kong]

And the Famicom cart will require a Famicom and be in Japanese. Also might be possible to buy a pirated translated version for the NES but that would be hard to find and probably easier to figure out how to do it yourself than to buy.

[tanc24]

Nice suggestion Tenser, I'm playing this right now.

One question, though: How do you pick up an item? For instance in the first room with the fresco, there is a knife, and candle and tonic.
I can't seem to find out how to pick those items up.

Any suggestions?

[Kugyince]

Originally Posted by tanc24

Nice suggestion Tenser, I'm playing this right now.

One question, though: How do you pick up an item? For instance in the first room with the fresco, there is a knife, and candle and tonic.
I can't seem to find out how to pick those items up.

Any suggestions?

Face the item you wish to pick up. Press X and select Item from the menu. Move the curser to an empty slot and select it. Select Move from the next menu.

If you pick an occupied slot the item in your inventory will be exchanged for the one you picked up.[br]Posted on: June 27, 2008, 01:21:04 AM_________________________________________________I f anyone needs any specific hints PM me as scanning a walkthrough can somtimes spoil a plot.

[tanc24]

Thanks, I figured it out. Some items (like the knife)can only fit in certain slots.

What's the deal with Praying? Apparently it helps strengthen your attacks... any other benefits to it?

[Kugyince]

Originally Posted by tanc24

Thanks, I figured it out. Some items (like the knife)can only fit in certain slots.

What's the deal with Praying? Apparently it helps strengthen your attacks... any other benefits to it?

Praying is also used in part or as a whole to solve some of the puzzles.

Like I said, this game is very difficult in the exploration/puzzle department. With a walkthrough it would only take about 6 hours. Without it, it took me about 50.

I like my adventures like that. Most games I like a very clear direction but when I'm in the mood for an adventure game, the more obscure the objective, the better.

On a side note, I noticed someone rated this game number 78 of the 100 greatest video game soundtracks of all time. ;D

[TrakMastaTom]

I played this for a minute, and it isn't really my thing. A Japanese horror film released the same year with the same name, however...

I will be getting my hands on that soon. ;D I'll let you know if it's any good.

[Kugyince]

Originally Posted by TrakMastaTom

I played this for a minute, and it isn't really my thing. A Japanese horror film released the same year with the same name, however...

I will be getting my hands on that soon. ;D I'll let you know if it's any good.

Good luck. I don't think it was ever subbed. :P

[TrakMastaTom]

Ah well. I watch plently of non-subbed Japanese films. I know enough Japanese to get something out of it.