Pier Solar HD was developed and published by Watermelon. It was released on November 21, 2014 for $14.99. A copy was provided for review purposes.

PS1

Here in the UK there is a superstitious theory known as “Sod’s Law,” which basically suggests that if you want something to happen really badly, you’ll inevitably get the opposite outcome. In the US, this is known as Murphy’s Law — chances are, you’ll feel like you’ve been on the receiving end of this phenomenon at least once or twice in your life. My most recent “evidence” that such a law (whatever you call it) may exist begins with an email conversation I had with XBLA Fans Managing Editor Nick Santangelo. My past three assignments have all been Xbox One reviews of re-released Xbox 360 titles, and I mentioned that it would be great to get my hands on some new IP so that I could see what the Xbox One is really capable of.

It seems only natural, then, that I now find myself writing about a game which is not only another re-release, but a Kickstarted HD remix of a fan-made, homebrew Sega Genesis game from 2010. Hopefully I can be forgiven for wondering whose pint of craft ale I spilled in a past life to deserve such a punishment, but after spending the best part of five solid days with Pier Solar HD, I can happily report that Watermelon’s it’s a real old-school gem that demands your attention.

 

PS4

Here’s what I liked:

Incredibly charming — Pier Solar HD tells the tale of Hoston, Alina and Edessot, three inseparable friends who initially embark upon a localised mission to retrieve herbs for Hoston’s dying father. They are ultimately (rather slowly) drawn into a much larger quest with significantly wider implications. This model is very common in JRPGs, but Pier Solar HD tells the story with real charm and a cast of truly likeable characters. It never takes itself too seriously and is more than happy to make in-jokes about a genre which is now largely forgotten. For fans who are returning to the 16-Bit JRPG style after many years away, Pier Solar HD is a game that retains much of the genre’s challenge, but adds to its appeal with beautiful high-resolution backdrops that pop with colour and detail. It is actually possible to play Pier Solar HD using the original 16-Bit Genesis graphics theme, but the locations look so stunning in HD that you won’t want to make that sacrifice just for the sake of nostalgia.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far… — Pier Solar HD is the kind of game that stares unashamedly into the past, longing for a time when deep and meaningful stories were told through reams and reams of conversation text instead of occasional and often-bewildering high-definition cut scenes. For many, the JRPG experienced its hayday during the 16-Bit era of the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, and certainly indie developer Watermelon has sought to replicate period heavyweights such as Final Fantasy and Phantasy Star in its charming adventure. The result is a game that pulls few punches: there is a journal that provides limited direction, but players will have to pay attention for prompts as to what to do next, and combat is tough and unforgiving. The rewards offered by this 30 hour-or-so adventure, however, are more than worth the effort.

PS5

Old-school challenge — As mentioned, Pier Solar HD‘s combat is tough, but it forms a critical part of the experience that while at first appearing inaccessible, becomes a compelling pastime once mastered. With the exception of scripted boss encounters, battles will occur randomly when the player is in a hostile environment, and the actual fight takes place between a team of player characters and a group of between four to six enemies who attack each other in turn. This is normal for a JRPG,  but Pier Solar HD adds a completely unique element via the “Gather” command. This allows a character to skip a turn to gather strength, which unlocks more powerful spells and abilities as well as increases the base damage of all attacks. Gather can be sent from one character to another and stacked up to five times. What makes Pier Solar HD so challenging is that players must effectively manage the need to power up one or more characters whilst also keeping the team in good fighting order. This mechanic is excellent and offers a tactical depth which is both fun and challenging to come to crack. Pier Solar HD is a long and challenging game that features hundreds of enemies to defeat and a myriad of incredibly tough boss enemies to face.

The sound of music — It would be totally unreasonable to review Pier Solar HD without mentioning its wonderful musical score. The game features a large and varied set of orchestral tracks that match perfectly to their respective localities in game, and whilst many feature the kind of catchy plinky-plonky-smiley themes that JRPG fans will be familiar with, there isn’t one which becomes unbearably annoying. The music in Pier Solar HD is so good (and so important in Watermelon’s view) that the original Genesis release was bundled with a companion music CD that owners of the Sega CD add-on console could use to enhance the experience.

PS2

Here’s what I didn’t like:

Lo-fi, or low budget? — Pier Solar HD is a largely excellent adventure that is only hampered by a few relatively minor issues, most of which are likely related to the game’s transition from 16-Bit Genesis release to its full-fledged HD Xbox One release. The main oddity is the fact that whilst each location is beautifully drawn to a very high standard, the original character and detail sprites have been retained and appear slightly at odds with the rest of the world. The depth and detail of the HD maps also causes some navigational issues, as the minimap appears to show paths through the undergrowth that actually don’t exist. Thankfully, this isn’t an issue when using the original 16-Bit graphics theme. There are a few other things — control is not as precise as it might be and so on — but nothing game breaking.

It is what it is — Unfortunately there are quite a few reasons why the 16-Bit JRPG has largely been consigned to the forgotten archives of gaming for much of the last 15 years now. Pier Solar HD is an excellent example of the archetype and a real labour of love, but a leapord can’t change its spots, and not everyone is likely to find themselves as enamoured with this nostalgic treat as me. Pier Solar HD is tough, and it’s long, and it features an awful lot of text and very, very little handholding. There are no quest markers and players will quickly have to learn that the focus is on them to explore every location, open every chest and seek every possible advantage to succeed. Pier Solar HD is the kind of game that GameFAQs was made for.

PS3

You’ve probably made up your mind by now. If you’re looking for a stiff challenge, feel happy reading through an unprecedented amount of text and you enjoy the meandering pace of a JRPG, then undoubtedly Pier Solar HD isn’t just your only option; even if there were, say, three alternatives, it would almost certainly still be the best. If, however, you like action-packed shooters, or you prefer western RPGs that provide a lot of direction, then you’ll be bored and frustrated by Pier Solar HD. For me, it presents a wonderful opportunity to stare through the looking glass at a bygone genre that was once extremely relevant, whilst at the same time, it serves as a reminder that I am still capable of overcoming a challenge and of thinking for myself. I can’t see myself thanking my editor for passing me too many more remakes in the near future, but if I find myself playing just a few more games like Pier Solar HD throughout the lifetime of this generation, I’d be one happy gamer.

Score: Try It