F A N F I C T I O N R E V I E W
S
Thanks for stopping by. This is an area for readers who are new to
“EarthBound” fanfiction and those who’ve long been familiar with it (and a big
thank-you to a lot of visitors for making this a fairly popular one). Please
keep in mind that none of the reviews here should be taken as the last word on
anything; these are all merely the opinions of one reader. As always, click on
a title to check out a tale for yourself. Story links are from Starmen.Net and
Fanfiction.Net.
199X Was 10 Years
Ago -
Chapter 1
Author: DarthBelch Status: On Hiatus Rating: Fair
"Who am I? My name is Jeff
Andonuts."
Openings like that tend
to immediately capture one’s attention in a fanfic. Any story told in first-person
form has to be a little interesting, right? The answer to that in the case of
this one is...perhaps it’s too soon to tell.
Accordingly, 199X Was 10 Years
Ago continues via flashback after this point. Jeff is supposedly giving the
reader an account of a rematch of sorts between Giygas and the world—with the
current state of things left unrevealed.
Sound interesting yet? Perhaps, but
it’d probably read a little better as a detailed account. It’s somewhat
hard to know where to put the blame for this: the format itself (each installment,
or revelation, will supposedly focus on one character—which makes one wonder if
the writer is "holding back"), or the way the story seems a bit
rushed (for such a brief installment, it’s surprising to see a few easily
avoidable typos).
We get a series of opening events with barely any dialogue and little in the
way of plot connection, so making all of that sound engaging is
something of a necessary last resort here. But it just isn’t happening. As a
result, things come off as flat and sometimes hard to believe (the Chosen Four
beat a group of Stamen DXs with, "very little trouble"? You sure?).
Also (and this is probably nit-picking), the .txt format, though barely a
problem here, makes for a little annoyance every few seconds. Go HTML.
The installment ends with the group
having an unexpected confrontation in the most unexpected of places. This leads
to a surprising and brief moment of emotional expression that actually works,
and of course, eventually leaves the door open for the continuation.
Hopefully this installment
was just a path for something lurking behind that door, but even if that’s the
case, I’d (modestly) suggest a makeover here (meaning a rewrite) once we see
the full picture.
Reviewed: An “EarthBound” story driven by first-person narratives.
The Basic Idea: “EarthBound” characters recall events of the past during a shady
future.
Opening: “199X was 10 years ago.”
Features: First-person narrative.
EarthBound Retold
- Chapter 1
Author: DathBelch Status: In Progress Rating: Good
The beginning—as told by DarthBelch.
Adding a prelude and a few new spins to the game’s opening events, EarthBound
Retold is a charmer which, right away, uses familiarity to hold the
reader’s attention. The characterization of Ness is very much in
character...and we all know that means pretty much no character at all.
Instead, he’s given a somewhat low-key personality, made all the more
"normal" by his reactions to the abnormal personalities of
others. This is, perhaps, a classic method of gaining sympathy for a lead
player and, with the help of a little humor, works just fine here.
Anything wrong? Same as the story
above. Now maybe it’s because you’ve got a load of homework; maybe it’s because
you’ve got a significant other, or maybe it’s because you’re just feeling lazy,
but unlike the game, an "EarthBound" story with a focus on adventure
will almost always be sub-par without SOME effort at detail. Here we’re not
being told a story, we’re being told what’s happening.
By the end, or, the beginning of it
all, Ness gets that knock on the door and the news that Picky’s missing. You
know what’s going to happen next, but stay tuned. The style of this one hints
at intriguing things to come.
Reviewed: A story offering
an alternate take on “EarthBound.”
The Basic Idea: Um…a story offering an alternate take on “EarthBound.”
Opening: “He is outside playing baseball.”
Features: Further detail surrounding some of the game’s opening events.
Author: PSI322
Status: On Hiatus Rating: Great
All right you probably already know
about the girl behind this work so I’m not even going to waste time telling you
stuff like how good it is. Just answer a few questions.
Have you ever wanted
something that you knew you probably couldn’t have? If the answer is yes (and
it probably is), read this fanfic.
Have you ever found yourself
debating with your own conscience over something? If the answer is yes (and it
probably is), read this fanfic.
Have you ever tried to convince
yourself you weren’t tempted by something when you really were? If the
answer is yes (and it probably is), read this fanfic.
Ever—just for a moment
maybe—pictured or considered Paula with one of the guys besides Ness? If the
answer is yes (and it probably is)...read, this, fanfic.
Reviewed: The opening chapters of a semi-songfic.
The Basic Idea: The lives and times of the “EarthBound” characters during their
college years.
Opening: “They were sitting by the Summers shore, her head on his
shoulder, just watching the waves roll in . . .”
Features: Possibly an alternate universe scenario (which is interesting
and works perfectly fine); wonderfully selected rhymes.
The World Device Predicted All Of This
Mother Alternate - “Ellay Saga“ - Chapter 9 (25)
Author: Giampi Status: Complete Rating: Great
Still recovering
physically and emotionally from the surprising and vicious battle a few
chapters back, the group has been forced to put the search for Ninten on hold.
Taking advantage of an opening created by this situation, one of the most
powerful soldiers from the other side resorts to an age-old philosophy: take a
hostage and they’ll give you what you want.
Fans in this community who spare
time from their daily grinds and their own private work to get down wit' o.p.p.
(other people’s projects) probably know at least one thing about Mother
Alternate: since the first day they hung out at her urban apartment, the
bond between Julian and Peel has certainly been one of the more entertaining
relationships in "EarthBound" fanfiction. It’s naturally,
accordingly—whichever term you find most agreeable—had its downs as well as
ups, particularly after one character’s turning point many installments ago,
but it’s never been completely forgotten.
After reading this chapter,
"Singing Somewhere Silently," one might think that it’s what
this aspect of the story has been building to all along. Though somewhat
similar to an earlier situation in the story, here things are a bit more
gripping, as the unstable atmosphere between members of the original cast and
this tale’s leads returns right around the beginning (" . . .So if you
want to go and get killed, then go ahead. . . .I’ll go get Ana and Teddy. If
this doesn’t work out we’ll take over, got it?"), effectively setting that
moody aura Mother Alternate will come to be known for by whoever reads
it.
Naturally, or eventually—whichever
term you find most agreeable—Julian and friends (the martial artist Maria, or
Vee as she’s called, and the young nature boy Joshua) confront the soldier
holding their comrade, and we find out whether or not the non-PSI-gifted Peel
will make it any further on this journey. The scene is well-detailed (again),
tense, and ultimately satisfying. Though it’s clear Julian has a lot of power,
it’s also clear that that’s not what was motivating him on this one. (What’s
become interestingly unclear at this point is if there’s been a triangle
developing—with Vee).
The result of the aforementioned
moment is of course, combat. Mother Alternate generally favors
complexity above all else when it comes to battle, and here we get martial arts,
ground-manipulating PSI effects, and another confrontation or two in what’s
probably the best fight scene so far.
As the smoke clears, the winning
side escapes—but not before getting an intriguing bit of information.
Overall, an emotional, well written, action-packed chapter.
Reviewed: The 25th
installment of what’s probably the greatest “EarthBound Zero” fanfic of
all time—and not because there are few.
The Basic Idea: Author Characters search for a lost chosen one while
occasionally forming an uneasy alliance with the originals.
Opening: “The scene in front of the Vasconceros household was a sad one.”
Features: 3 story arcs, new PSI powers, romantic undertones, emotional
drama, and mean Starmen—very mean Starmen.
EarthBound:
- Chapters 1-5
Author:
Dark Ness Status: On Hiatus Rating: Fair
"Paula: What I’m about to say isn’t easy . . ."
Word that. I wanted to do cartwheels
over this fanfic. I really did. I mean, from the well-written opening to those
cool chapter titles, how could this not be something to make a lot of noise
about? If I were in a really bad mood, I could waste a lot of time mentioning
in detail all the things I thought were currently wrong with EarthBound:
(that’s EarthBound: "A Second Journey," "Darkening Sky," "Body & Soul," "Destruction Awaits," and "Poo’s Horror")…such as…dialogue
bordering on corny, an all-too familiar overall conflict, strangely
inappropriate character reactions (no really, Ness, the town was just destroyed),
and the story’s constant swaying between comedy and drama—which leads back into
that third issue. Instead, I’m going to mention what I honestly did like
about it.
"Jeff: . . .I guess I will if I must . . . "
Intrigue. That’s what pops up
every now and then to help save the story. Here we’ve got a series of thought-provoking concepts, such as an emotionally unstable Paula suddenly breaking
contact in the middle of a new threat to go off and train her own-darn-self
(wicked!); further insight into one of the more questionable personalities from
the game, and another thing or two that probably shouldn’t be mentioned here.
"Ness: This ain’t exactly a holiday inn . . . "
You see, more often than not there’s
a sense that this story isn’t really trying to take itself too seriously. It’s
not trying to win fanfic of the year. It’s not trying to be the subject of
reviews such as this. It’s just (apparently) trying to have a good time and
bring the audience along for the ride. This is certainly a good enough reason
for one to start writing, but sometimes results in few reasons for another to
keep reading—particularly during the ever-important beginning.
Is this one of those times? As
mentioned earlier, the amount of intrigue barely keeps the answer from being a
full-fledged yes. Future installments are where EarthBound: will define
itself.
Reviewed: The first five installments of a Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: There are serious changes ahead for everyone following a big
surprise on Ness’s birthday.
Opening: “Streamer everywhere. Half-eaten cake. Unwrapped presents and
gifts strewn about.”
Features: Script format.
EarthBound Stars – Chapters 1-3
Author: Cecil Status: On Hiatus Rating: Fair
Once upon a time—a long, long time
ago, in an area far from Earth—three tyrannical, powerful beings known as the
Serpent Riders wreaked havoc. Eventually, they fell at the hands of great
heroes and everything was cool. End of story.
That is, until someone starts it up
again. In this case, that someone happens to be a sorcerer who successfully
revives two of them. As it turns out, they’ll need the magical properties
emanating from a certain planet (guess which one?) to revive the last Rider.
You know how "EarthBound"
is somewhat notorious for its constant string of battles in most areas? That
tradition continues in EarthBound Stars, one of the most action-packed
fanfics of all time (but not exactly in a pleasant way if you follow what I’m
saying). As stated before, I’m sorry to start a review I’ve been asked to do
with this sort of criticism, but after reading through a fight scene every five
minutes or so it nearly got to the point where I could just predict what would
happen next. While a few of the battles are actually entertaining, it almost
feels like combat is being used as a replacement for character, or as
the main means of developing character. Or even worse: as filler. These
heroes aren’t so much adventuring as they are fighting. All of which is
a shame because when the emotional aspects of this story do arrive, they’re
short…and quite sweet indeed. But more on that later.
Regarding those heroes, EarthBound
Stars is of a "separate dimension," meaning characters from
stories other than "EarthBound" are invited to this party as well.
Their background stories form an integral part of the whole here, but aside
from that, I feel this is not exactly something that should be
critiqued. You’ll either like it, you won’t, or you really won’t care one way
or the other. It’s probably safe to say that one’s feelings on this will be
somewhat derived from one’s familiarity with the "guests."
The background plot of EarthBound
Stars is often entertaining and well written when revealed. It’s just
unfortunate that moments such as that are somewhat rare in this story. For the
most part, there are several reoccurring issues regarding presentation—the
biggest (and that’s an appropriate term for what I’m about to mention) of which
being the lack of sophisticated formatting. As I myself was informed when I
started on fanfics, writing huge blocks of text which lack spaces between
dialogue is a no-no.
One of the lesser constants is the
presence of redundancy:
"However their thoughts were
interrupted when a gout of fire suddenly formed right in Artemis' face.
‘What the?!’ he jumped around, but the fire was still on his face.
Strangely enough, there was no pain or burning sensation, but it wouldn't get
off his face."
This is probably an easy thing to
overlook when one is particularly passionate about the scene at hand. However,
it’s nothing that a careful bit of proofreading shouldn’t be able to handle,
which brings up the presence of typos as well. They’re the enemy. Fight
them.
I often print certain installments
of fanfics out and read them elsewhere. If I were to take a highlighter and
cross out anything that didn’t really need to be in one, it would likely be
nothing of the story itself but something similar to the end of this line:" ‘Six of you, eh? Where's the prince?’ he asked, referring to their
friend Poo, who they had not met yet." Simply because there’s no
need to tell us something we already know.
"‘There's always a way.’ Ness assured her.
‘Yes, but everyone's luck can't last
forever either.’
‘Paula, you've changed a lot since I
first met you . . ."
Remember that emotional detail I was
praising before? This is a part of the scene I was largely referring to.
What’s difficult about it, however, is that it arrives waaaay late in what
currently exists of the story, making one wonder where this talent has been
earlier if the writer has had it all along.
The heart of EarthBound Stars
is an enticing mix of epic proportions with decent (if frequent) fight
scenes delivering on one end, but little emotional or involving substance
fulfilling the promise on the other.
A good plot is nice. A good
presentation will make things even better.
Reviewed: A tale featuring characters from several stories.
The Basic Idea: Some of these characters come on an “EarthBound” quest with
members of the Chosen Four.
Opening: “It would start as an average day in the life of Ness Franklin .
. .”
Features: Two prologues; several “guest appearances.”
EB Radio
- Chapter 1
Author: Jeff’s Radio Status: On Hiatus Rating: Good
About a year has passed since the
defeat of Giygas. Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo have barely been in contact since
and plan to reunite for the anniversary. But with a mysterious box in Onett
City Hall, the cops running wilder than ever, and Tracy missing, the Chosen
Four decide they have more important things to do than celebrate.
If you’re familiar with the above
plot then you’re likely familiar with EB Radio, a fanfic scripted as a
radio play, with Jeff also serving as narrator. The story’s beginning—which
attends to a somewhat questionable aspect of the game—is well written and
carried smoothly. A bit later, however, the dialogue feels rather plain
(although there are efforts to avoid this) and the plot revelation just a bit
rushed:
"Frank: They must be going after you Ness because they know you have the
power to stop them.
Ness: Yeah, that’s what we figured."
Thing is neither the characters or
the reader at that point have come across any clear and obvious threat that
needs stopping.
As the installment ends, an
interesting possibility is presented, and the Chosen Four head out on a late
night mission with a decent cliffhanger.
The "production" details
may put some people off, but as a story so far, Radio is worthy of a
look.
Reviewed: A story intended as a radio play.
The Basic Idea: The Chosen Four reunite after a year and begin discovering some
strange occurrences in Onett.
Opening: “It’s been a year since our four heroes defeated the universal
cosmic destroyer known as Giygas.”
Features: Script format; narration by Jeff.
Fall of the Pig
King
Author: Cracked Bat Status: Complete Rating: Great
Day One:
I click on this fanfic—Mother 3:
Fall of the Pig King by Cracked Bat. As the first chapter begins, I’m a
little turned off by the narrative’s manner of commenting on the
characters and situations it presents, but soon realize that’s not so much a
minus as it is this story’s individual style, so I let myself get used
to it. As the chapter progresses, I’m charmed by how immediately convincing the
two lead characters are, and as it continues, I’m treated to a bit of
well-detailed intrigue—so often a good sign in the beginning.
Day Two:
The second chapter picks up right
where the first left off. Things are still tense, intriguing, and cool.
Actually, as it draws to an end—with the boys and their dog using the family
truck to escape into the night—things are so cool that I’m not just being
entertained, I’m already at that point where I’m interested in this story.
I put my VCR plans on hold and begin the next installment.
The humor’s been pretty good so far,
but now I find myself actually chuckling at some of the genuinely funny lines
in this chapter:
("Why do I always have to do this stuff?"
"Because…you’re special.")
As it ends, a natural
"EarthBound"-related question on my mind has even been answered. Nice
timing.
Day Three:
One can tell the story is still trying,
but the excitement seems to have calmed a bit as the focus switches elsewhere.
Things don’t really change much afterwards either. I wonder: Is the tale
starting to lag a bit now? Possibly. But that’s probably due to the plot being
unraveled and certain new characters being introduced. I wonder: Am I turned
off by new characters—who are seemingly important to the story—being introduced
a bit late? Possibly. But that’s probably just because they weren’t introduced
as interestingly as the others, which I feel, you know, sort of
shouldn’t happen if important characters must be introduced a bit late. I
wonder: Am I nitpicking on that last point? Nope.
Day Four:
I read Chapter 8 and start getting
interested again. Around half an hour after it’s over, I start on 9. And the
comical tension returns with a vengeance in Chapter 9, right along with the
sometimes-surprising nature of the action.
As the fighting ensues, our heroes
find themselves in trying situations after being momentarily separated.
Krause, facing several ruthless, vicious, and kind of funny enemies, makes a
valiant attempt to save a life
(". . . with adrenaline pumping, he withdrew his frying pan
and shouted, ‘I’m coming!’ ").
Flint, suddenly realizing his worst
nightmare could be coming true, stands up like the world-saving farmer he is:
"I’m going back for them!"
Ricky, not exactly having any
weapons present at the moment, tries pleading his way out of a
life-or-death situation: "It’s just a rumor that was spread around so the
PORK could have more than a political reason for killing me!" The woman
he’s pleading with decides he may be making some sense, but chooses to end his
life anyway. Will our young hero perish?
…I didn’t think so either.
Day Five:
Did not need to know the extensive details
of a certain character’s vomit-inducing experience.
Day Six:
It feels kind of cinematic
now, as a great chase/fight scene ensues. Sometimes bittersweet endings just
plain rock.
Okay, this is a fanfic about the
emerging conflict between an empire of vicious, smart-mouthed, highly trained
little pigs and one heroic, smart-mouthed, anything-that-works little family,
with cool stuff like destined lineage and the world’s safety seemingly
lingering in the background. It’s well written, it’s funny, and it’s
entertaining, too. Reading this, I cared a little less that the game of the
same name has yet to be released.
Reviewed: Famed story based on early information relating to the third
game in the “EarthBound” series.
The Basic Idea: A small family and their comrades end up battling an empire of
invading pigs while on an adventurous path.
Opening: “It was 9:21 and Ness was sound asleep in his very own bed for
the first time in months.”
Features: Multiple story arcs; entertaining insight into the plot.
EarthBound: - Chapter 6
Author: Dark Ness Status: On Hiatus
"Jeff: . . .Hold on. . . ! I'm coming!"
……I guess after I already said what
I did about EarthBound:—an often trying yet somehow interest-holding
tale about a very bad day in "EarthBound"-land, and some very big
changes surrounding the Chosen Four as a result—it’d be kind of mean for me to
post this review just to continue saying things like that about it.
Fortunately, that’s not what I’m here for.
"Poo: In the name of Mu..."
This installment, "New
Techniques," begins with a somewhat more engaging recap (for what that’s
worth) than previous ones, then follows up with a surprise opening which is
complemented by some intriguing dialogue. Before I start sounding too
enthusiastic about how the story is looking up, I’m going to again mention that
thing about character reactions being strange and inappropriate sometimes, as
that’s what unfortunately comes next. After receiving some of the most shocking
news of his life, Jeff shouts and questions…then gets over it one
line later to inquire about something else.
Afterwards, we’re taken to the scene
of a quiet, ravaged battlefield, and later, there’s another surprise or two
waiting. The ensuing drama in each scene is well written and more convincing
than anything yet in the story—but that’s of course, just as much a negative
issue as it is a positive one.
"I'll ask you people one more time . . ."
You see, if it’s not swaying between
humor and drama (which it thankfully isn’t here), EarthBound: is swaying
between its own strengths and weaknesses. When the chapter ended, however, I
wanted more—which hopefully means strength will prevail.
Rating: Good
Reviewed: The sixth
installment of a Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: The current states of most of those involved are explored.
Opening: “Uuurrraaagh!”
Features: Script format.
The Halloween Note Mystery
Author: GotARiverFenixEP Status: Complete Rating: Good
From the way it’s generally written
to the pretty pictures accompanying highlights, The Halloween Note Mystery
is somewhat reminiscent of classic fairy tales. But don’t start thinking that’s
not a good thing.
Presented with that
"EarthBound" charm, the story tells of strange happenings centered on
(cryptic) recovered messages, several disappearances, and rain—lots of rain.
High points include a nice scenario
revolving around Jeff, and a clever means of revealing what leads to the key
event. Lesser points feature a bit of (unimportant) confusion towards the end, and
a rather quick and tidy resolution, which is somewhat in keeping with the
nature of it perhaps.
Reviewed: A special contest entry fanfic.
The Basic Idea: A string of mysterious notes puts Ness to the test.
Opening: “It was raining again.”
Features: Images.
Another Day,
Another Miracle
Miracle
– Chapter 1
Author: bulma saturn (PSI322) Status: On Hiatus Rating: Good
It should come as no surprise to you
by now that the author of this fanfic can easily draw a reader out of the chair
and into what’s happening in the story. If, for some reason that does come as a
surprise, a word of advice: whenever your next session of fanfic reading is
scheduled, make plans to discover a few of the other offerings from this writer
as well.
It should also come as no surprise
by now that her favorite character from the game is Jeff. So when the author
here applies her signature style to her fondness for the subject matter, that
particular concentration is likely going to be a treat (with extra sprinkles)
for anyone who sits down and observes the result. PSI322, bulma saturn,
Tritone-chan—call her whatever you want; when it comes to emotional detail, Jules
rules.
If Winters has always been low on
your list when answering the "Where would you live in 'EarthBound'?"
question, prepare to think again. Reading Miracle, one is served a bit
of insight into what it’s really like there. The emphasis on the frosty
outdoors is complemented earlier by rather warm feelings between father and
son, indicating the unwritten progress in that relationship. In fact, progress
is a key word here. Just as in Musical Hearts, here the writer envisions
a life-after-"EarthBound" scenario, passionately realizes the
beginning of it…then lets things chill for a while (no pun, really).
As it concludes, with Jeff and the
reader getting quite the surprise, you may realize something about PSI322’s
"EarthBound" work. Quite often, there’s little
"excitement," little conflict, and barely even any dialogue. It’s
just about presenting the simplest things about everyday life and weaving them
into an interesting tale. Examining how she does it with such success is half
the fun. Of course, actually reading the story is the rest.
Reviewed: Opening installment of another “EarthBound” tale set in the
distant but not-too-distant future.
The Basic Idea: A day in the life of Jeff Andonuts as he hangs out in Winters
with his dad.
Opening: “Jeff, can you see if we have anymore of that quartz crystal
upstairs?”
Features: Especially nice detail of Winters.
Quick Notes
Mother Alternate – “Finality” Chapters 1-3
Author: Giampi
The conclusion of Giampi’s tribute
to "EarthBound Zero" begins with a trinket of homage to the greatest
landmark in that game and soon sways once more to the underlying romance that’s
been developed the whole time (…only I’m not supposed to tell you that!).
Will things work out there or won’t they? By this point, you should certainly
care one way or another. That, however, remains a background fixture because
soon afterwards things get serious again.
Mother Alternate is one of
the best serial dramas on Starmen.Net. It’s well written, action-packed, and
emphatically subscribes to a technique that’s becoming more and more important
in the craft of fanfiction today: "directing." (As I’ve mentioned
before on forums, this, also known as the point of view technique, refers to a
style of presenting a scene—any scene—from a specific viewpoint/angle first,
or describing a surrounding environment in detail; thus pushing an image on the
reader which is meant to convey a mood far more heartfelt than perhaps saying,
"Yo, the important character is here now.")
As SimonBob himself mentioned, the
opening of Finality truly kicks off the conclusion with a bang. With a
great two-part battle and a beautifully presented back-story, this is arguably Alternate
at its best. And look, it managed to catch up to Anthadd’s Nephew of the
Forgotten One (which last I heard, was planned for approximately 48
chapters plus another interlude) in size.
This author’s standard length
is 9 chapters. I’ve had an unspoken respect for those who care to venture into
the land of 20s and 30s.
Reviewed: The apparent beginning of the concluding arc of Mother
Alternate.
The Basic Idea: The heroes head to Mt. Itoi and finally receive a direct
challenge from arch-nemesis Lisa.
Opening: “The Treasure Chest of Secrets has the following to say
about Mt. Itoi:”
Features: Plenty of emotional
depth.
It Runs In The Family
The Silence
- Chapter 1
Author: Umi Status: On Hiatus Rating: Fair
The Silence picks a side in
a controversial matter regarding ties between the first two
"EarthBound" games. In doing so, it seems to be laying the groundwork
for the story ahead—or, what was to be the story ahead.
This—as you can become clearly aware
of by reading the last line—is something of an older fanfic which has
apparently been long abandoned (something E Bounding couldn’t stand when he ran
the section). It’s short, to the point (read: no detail), and probably
screaming to be continued if you’re familiar with both games.
From what I see on the Starmen.Net
forums, Umi seems cool and of course, the rating isn’t meant to seem harsh. But
honestly, while there are hints of intrigue and some decent lines ("Every
generation, the battle of good and evil will begin anew. Good will always
triumph, but not without its price."), I thought the presentation could
use some work.
There’s some potential here, Umi.
You should go back and do something with this.
Reviewed: A story dealing with ties between “EarthBound” and “EarthBound
Zero.”
The Basic Idea: Stricken with a mysterious affliction, Ness gets an insightful
story that may lead to answers.
Opening: “Ness closed his eyes. It had been a month since the defeat of
Giygas, and everything was back to normal.”
Features: The traditionally interesting exploration of
openings/possibilities left by the official story.
A Walk Through Winters – Chapter 1
Author: Bodger Status: Complete Rating: Great
". . .I am Paula, and I am with another friend, Ness. . . .We are
trapped somewhere in Threed. . . .We're not sure where we are, but you are our
only hope. . ."
Sound familiar? No? Oh...you
were joking. Seriously, let me begin by saying this: Elizabeth Badger (Bodger)
was the first person ever—quite some time ago—to provide feedback on my own
fanfiction (she sent me an e-mail complimenting A Mysterious Girl).
Considering that, I felt I should take a look at her work. Considering
that, I felt I should get around to offering a review of her work. And
considering that...is this review maybe going to get a bit of
favoritism? Crap no.
Now let me say this: I love this
fanfic. No bias. A Walk Through Winters chronicles (and I think it's
very nice when we see this sort of thing) a chapter of "EarthBound"
history in detail. Surely you've guessed just what chapter that is by now so
let me just skip to the compliments: It's very well written, funny, and
engaging.
Really, this is as instantly charming as DarthBelch's EarthBound Retold,
with sentences as well-structured and occasionally humorous as Cracked Bat's Fall
of the Pig King (it even takes time to mention how oxymoronic a statement
like "I am a friend whom you have
never met..." is), and an emotional scene toward the end worthy of
PSI322—as it nearly brought tears to my eyes.
Thing is, I remind you that all of
these fine attributes are available in this great offering.
Reviewed: A Jeff story.
The Basic Idea: A tale offering further detail on Jeff’s journey to Ness and
Paula.
Opening: “Her curvaceous hips swayed as she made her way down the hallway
of the Sunset Hotel in Threed.”
Features: A nice blend of just about everything.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Nephew of the Forgotten One
- Chapters 1-17
Author: Anthadd Status: On
Hiatus Rating: Great
Everybody at one point
or another has some biological family, right? Of course, there are certain
people you don’t look at and immediately figure, "That guy probably has a family." You know, types like shady government agents, circus
clowns, alien megalomaniacs who try to take over the planet…
Since its inception
into the ranks of "EarthBound" fanfiction, Nephew of the Forgotten One’s notoriety
has been nearly as interesting as its story. It’s (reportedly) gone through at
least one complete revision from the ground up. It’s been one of the longest
presentations in the Starmen.Net fanfic department. It’s been missed by its
readers (including the fanfic maintainer) since going on hiatus. It’s even
presented a contest, offering the winning reader a "part"
in the story.
So, what’s the buzz
about? Well, it’s been four years since you-know-what and it seems the titular
character (Giogas, the far-darker nephew of Giygas) is about to pose the next
threat to planet Earth. Conveniently, summer has just begun, and certain people
will be more than available to, you know, fight him and stuff…
So the Apple of
Enlightenment—that’s right, the Apple of Enlightenment—confronts a
couple of young ones, gives them the token mystical object needed to complete
the quest (rather than the Sound Stone, it’s something called the Power
Crystal), and tells them to get all those dreams of video games and late-night
Saturdays doing nothing out of their heads. Time to go to work. And no, they
won’t be working alone.
Within the past two
years, a quiet revolution has arisen in this realm of fanfiction: the "EarthBound" story meant to be carried by
ACs or anyone other than the four leads. Maybe it has to do with the innate interest
in creating something once in a while that exists in the hearts of writers.
Maybe it has to do with a subconscious resentment towards the "official" story remaining
stagnant for so long. Or maybe it’s just the result of an anime-influenced
generation that thinks angst-ridden characters and dramatic serials are the
bee’s knees (I mean, way cool).
Anyway, while the desire to create them has existed, ‘fics like
this—which include stories such as Mother Gaiden, Mother Alternate,
Fall of the Pig King, and Resurrection E (yeah, like I was going
to forget that one)—typically have more chance of being overlooked than
"EB" fanfics generally do, and writers seem aware of this (note the
game-name references in those titles). NFO happens to be such a tale, although
one where people previously recognized as the lead characters are ever-present
alongside the major players here. However, rather than just giving into
temptation, the writer keeps the Chosen Four strictly on supporting cast
status, even if he has to lock them up somewhere to do it. This is Tracy and
Picky’s story—a story with an underlying aura of conspiracy, a few harsh
battles to endure, and as I’ve been getting at, several ACs thrown in.
Having read over half of the story so far,
I’d say Lomond eventually comes off as mostly irrelevant. BJ, on the other
hand, while a little off-putting at first due to the bratty dialogue, gradually
grows on the reader as the slightly-tougher-than-everyone-else guy with a
sensitive side—perhaps having something to do with a concealed family issue.
When the story focuses on this, as well as his battles with an archrival with
cryptic ties to the overall plot, it’s rather easy to sympathize with him, but
not really when he whines about not having PSI like certain others.
Then there’s the charming-sometimes, annoying the rest of the time Ñrutas—a Mr. Saturn who tends to speak just like one. We’ve also got a
mysterious (and accordingly cool) figure discovered by Tracy in Fourside.
While the amount of people to keep up with may strike some readers as a tad overwhelming (particularly if you’re not reading on a steady basis), one can’t really deny that the concept of all these new players suddenly emerging in an "EarthBound" story to aid in the latest resistance is enticing.
Equally enticing is the presentation of the story itself. Long before
NBC’s "Boomtown" first aired, this tale offered readers a somewhat similar storytelling
format. NFO almost constantly juggles first-person narratives, conveying
a rather hard to describe feeling of believability that probably works a lot
better than traditional third-person prose in this case. This can be a
particularly entertaining method when it comes to surprises (so that’s who
he/she was with).
About the only real criticism I can launch is that sometimes it just
feels like things are lagging. It does seem like the tale is always
"active" but occasionally there’s a sense that things aren’t meeting
their potential (sort of like all the traveling some characters do is ultimately
unnecessary/an excessive measure to get certain others alone for whatever
individual event they need to go through, when there could be a slightly more
interesting way of setting that up). And the supposed conspiracy with Red Night
and however it ties into what’s going on is possibly a bit too cryptic for
my tastes (I need more hints to remain interested please!).
But overall, this is a gracefully written, well-detailed fanfic with
sympathetic characters, an intriguing quest, and a very cool format. All in
all, it’s got that something special about it that means no matter how long
it’s gone, it most certainly, won’t be forgotten.
Reviewed: Follow-up story giving the lead roles to Tracy and Picky.
The Basic Idea: Along with a few new friends, it’s up to the siblings of Ness
and Pokey to save the world from the next alien threat.
Opening: “Picky Minch and Tracy Lee were walking home from Onett
Elementary one supposedly fine summer day.”
Features: Swaying first-person perspectives.
Author: Nessdude15 Status: Complete Rating: Good
The not-so-good news
first: To be honest, the opening chapters of MoonBound—the ones that are supposed to provide some scenario, some
mystery, some relationship, some anything that makes you want to read on and
find out what will happen next, put simply, sort of, well, don’t.
We’re told that Paula’s
been kidnapped and it’s up to Ness to save her, but you can turn on the game
for about an hour and a half if you want that plot. The rest of the opening
consists of the standard surprise-attack-out-of-nowhere-foo’,
so-someone-else-has-powers-too, don’t-ask-why-but-I’m-coming-on-this-quest-with-you
kind of stuff. In short, it’s got the same issue (and this is my opinion now)
as certain other "EarthBound" stories: in an attempt to
capture the light-hearted nature of the game, it doesn’t try hard enough to
carve its own identity at the beginning.
As for the characters,
Pippi first comes off as your token excited-about-going-on-this-adventure
little sidekick. Ness is given the peppy-yet-irritable personality bestowed
upon him by so many fanfic writers. Likewise, Poo is serious yet comically odd,
etc.
Listen, what saves the
beginning of MoonBound has little to
do with presentation and a lot to do with plot. Stick around long enough to
learn just why the story was named as it is and you’ll almost surely be
intrigued.
As the second half
progresses, we learn who the main character is and finally get a little
connected with the general feel of the story (not the mostly improvised stuff
in the beginning; the real deal). It’s almost like watching a season of
"24," with a mostly constant flow of continuity between chapters and
some surprising moments regarding life and death. Something else that can be
called a little surprising is the violent nature of some battles. This is
indeed a quest where combat is abundant…and occasionally pretty good (reach
chapter 14 and the one-on-one battle a little later for the very best
examples). Obviously, occasionally
and good in the same sentence always
means for the most part, there’s a problem. Of course, some battles have to
play out a certain way for plot-related reasons, but I can’t count the number
of times on one hand characters are suddenly knocked unconscious in this story,
or something equally questionable occurs.
Towards the tale’s end, there’s a moving look into the hero’s psyche, with a clever "EarthBound"-related back-story and some nicely imaginative detail complimenting everything. As the heroes move on to the final battle, either way, you’ll have likely made up your mind about MoonBound and nothing it does from that point on will change anything. It’s not quite strong enough to make you emotional, and it’s never weak to the point where you stop caring entirely. Having to endure typos, redundancy, and a rushed climax, one again concludes that it’s a nice plot…but the presentation could be better. At just 4 or 5 pages for most chapters, it’s a fine choice if you’re looking for a fairly quick, mostly action-driven fic.
Reviewed: Tale offering an intriguing new quest.
The Basic Idea: Ness ends up recruiting some new members while attempting to
find his missing partners for another adventure.
Opening: “It was the end of another lazy summer day in Onett, and Ness
was ready to go to sleep.”
Features: A few eyebrow-raising battles; a bit of emotional depth.
Was It All Just A Dream?
Mother ::
Bloodline -
Chapter 1
Author: Sephy Status: In Progress Rating: Good
Welcome to the worst
day of Ness’s life. Quite possibly anyway. A string of nightmares, a burning
house, a difficult revelation, and, perhaps worst of all—having to spend the
night at the Minch family residence.
Picking up, as fanfics
are wont to do, several years after the events of "EarthBound,"
Mother :: Bloodline effectively conveys one of the loneliest ever
renditions of Ness—now in his late teens and struggling with a mysterious
cerebral trauma he’s apparently kept private for many months. Like the much
preferable messages he received from Paula so long ago, these new
callings—something about things not quite being as they appear and how a
certain someone in his life is tied to that—insinuate themselves into his brain
at night.
As is also common with
fanfics in this category, around the beginning you’ll see this story take a
certain opening provided by the game and run with it—offering its own
explanation, which appears to be quite integral to the plot here. Around this
time in a short review you’ll usually hear me begin offering my advice on how
things might improve, but there’s really nothing wrong with Bloodline at this point. It’s nicely written (make
that very nicely written), presents an engaging opening (you likely won’t be
hitting the back button after only a few seconds), and closes things with an
enticing occurrence (yes, that does mean you can expect either a cliffhanger or
a questionable bit of information coming into play).
This is the kind of
story—with a sort of where-are-they-now feeling about it—that gets one
interested in seeing how the writer will present certain other members of the
Chosen Four once they enter the tale…if they even enter it at all. Whether that
happens or not, I, for one, would certainly like to see what’s next.
Reviewed: A Ness story.
The Basic Idea: A tale delving into the past and present as it relates to
Ness’s family.
Opening: “The reality of it is too much for me.”
Features: First and third-person perspectives.
EarthBound: The Perpetual Adventures - Chapter 1
Author: Michael DePalma Status: In
Progress Rating: EXCELLENT
I’m going to make this
quick because in all honesty, I’m pretty much speechless. This beautifully written
tale takes things that have long become standardized—a reluctant hero, one
character’s hidden feelings for another, a brief save-the-day type of
skirmish—and makes them quite entertaining again.
Through the use of some
very engaging, very convincing dialogue, the opening chapter of EarthBound: The Perpetual Adventures presents a simple
Chosen-Four-reunite-to-try-saving-the-world-again story that feels like so much
more than a simple Chosen-Four-reunite-to-try-saving-the-world-again story.
Really, there’s just
not much I can say beyond that. It’s just one of those fanfics that tends to
make you laugh, smile, and doesn’t feel at all tedious as you read it—and read
it you should.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: Desire vs. “responsibility,” with a hint of mystery thrown in.
Opening: “One thirty-two in the morning. Hard pounding at the door.”
Features: Very good dialogue.
Cycle
Author: ImagineGal Status: Complete Rating: Great
As various psychologists, magazines,
and those of us who are actually a part of the age group at the moment can tell
you, entering one’s 20s is one of the most interesting periods of a little
journey called life. It’s often during this period that one is firmly
introduced to experiences that represent how things will basically play out for
the remainder of one’s time here—sort of like the beginning of a cycle. Perhaps
some of us, in becoming conscious of this, begin to think we know it all
a little too soon. Perhaps some of us, while experiencing an unbalanced amount
of one factor (pain, perhaps?), make the mistake of thinking what we’ve
been faced the most with represents the majority of what’s to come. And
perhaps some of us, in meeting talking insects, using psychic powers,
teleporting around the world, and heroically defeating alien invaders before
losing our memories a little while later…are just so busy that we miss the
coming-of-age process altogether.
Cycle is, simply put, the
most well-received "EarthBound" fanfic in history. As of this
writing, no other "EarthBound" entry on Fanfiction.Net has
gotten as much feedback. Picking up 10 years after the game’s events, the story
presents a spooky, shady future—the darkest part of which being the unsettling
state we find our protagonist in as it opens. Having spent a decade in an
insane asylum, the Ness we meet here will make a somewhat disturbing,
hard-to-identify-with impression on even his biggest fans, who we learn—in some
very entertaining scenes—still include the other members of the Chosen Four.
The first 10 chapters of Cycle
are as interesting and addictive as they come. During these installments, we’re
introduced to the fast-paced, well written nature of the story while slowly
recognizing the mature-themed aura that tells us we’re not exactly reading the
game’s text anymore. The opening events having done their part in that regard,
we naturally begin to learn what their purpose was as far as the plot is
concerned.
"Is it just me or is something
extremely screwed up around here?" Shortly after hearing that question,
Paula (written in a terrifically convincing manner throughout this tale)
replies, "Believe me, it's definitely not just you."
The remaining chapters—full of solid characterization and some emotional
effectiveness—begin further unraveling the cryptic conflict at hand. It’s a
creative one indeed that simply shouldn’t be too detailed here. A few times
towards the end, though, I felt it was perhaps either too complex for
its own good, or simply not presented thoroughly enough, as a small bit of
confusion arose for me during the final battle.
But still, the strengths of Cycle
far, far surpass this issue. Each chapter is beautifully presented as an
entertaining little unit in itself, and the prose is often a bit tangier than
usual. Overall, if you’re looking for a moody, complex, and might I add, far
less tame kind of "EarthBound" story that still manages some
good, mostly character-focused writing, come find out what all the fuss was
about.
Reviewed: A
life-after-“EarthBound” Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: A reunion and new adventure of Ness and co. during their 20s.
Opening: “The room was dark. No footprints lay
imprinted in the smooth layer of dust on the floor, save two.”
Features: An interesting look at a grown up Chosen Four.
One Stands Between Darkness and Light
The Coming Darkness - Chapters 1-7
Author: JamesPicard_007 Status: In Progress Rating: Great
Allen Black is an active mercenary
looking to make a buck. He’s smart, skilled, brave, and apparently, morally
sound. Shortly after he accomplishes his latest mission, he receives a phone
call that leads him into the beginning of something he doesn’t even realize
he’ll play an important part in. A very important one it seems, since according
to Paula’s latest vision, Allen may be the key to averting or triggering a
little something called The Coming Darkness.
In this well written, wonderfully
detailed story by Picard, JamesPicard, we follow Allen and a low-key yet
likable Chosen Four all across the world as they apparently head on a collision
course with each other and the matter at hand. At times it seems like dialogue
comes first too often before we know which character is actually speaking
(which can get confusing in a crowded situation)…but other than that, there’s
really no problem here.
If you like the manga/anime story X
or anything about lone wolf heroes, I’d suggest giving The Coming Darkness
a try.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four
story also starring a new character.
The Basic Idea: The exploits of a well-experienced AC and how they tie into the
Chosen Four’s new adventure.
Opening: “The old Belch base had been abandoned for years. It had rusted
and was covered in mold and moss because of years without care.”
Features: A well-presented AC.
Author:
Davy McWeasel Status: On Hiatus Rating: Great
These days it
seems like there’s always a
little string attached to a new "EarthBound" story with an interesting title that’s
followed by the words "Part/Chapter One": Just as you
highlight the link, lean back, and get ready for a good read, you find out the
fanfic you’ve just clicked on is in (gasp!) .txt format. This is the
kind of thing that can immediately turn some readers off (raises hand), but
fanfics are probably like people in this regard—they should usually be judged
by their inner qualities rather than by what first meets the eye. But all warm
and fuzzy philosophies aside, it was more like the lack of having to
scroll the screen back and forth every minute or so that allowed me to give The
Legend of Almagest a try. And right now, I’m certainly glad I
did.
The opening chapter of Almagest is just
plain cool. We’re told that it’s been two years since what happened at the
beginning of the game, and everyone’s at Ness’s house partying when Dr.
Andonuts reports that another strange object is about to collide with Onett,
and this one has to be stopped before it hits.
From there, the focus switches to hardcore action as the problem slowly reveals
itself to be (what else?) the beginnings of a new alien invasion. But this is
not just another fanfic battle. The first fight scene in Almagest
likely won’t be leaving your memory right away, as a great
air-to-ground duel ensues and Poo unveils a darker side of his character—one
that’s willing to do whatever he deems necessary to protect the Earth. Along
with some generally better-than-average dialogue, the inclusion of another
mysterious and mystical being on the scene, and—can it be?—a forgotten member
of a certain Onett family, this story quickly creates an exciting mix of
entertainment that’s well worth reading.
Reviewed: The first chapter of a Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: Two years after the meteorite hits, a new threat arrives along
with a few mysterious figures.
Opening: “Somewhere
in the dark void of space, a violent conflict was afoot.”
Features: Rather intense action scenes.
E. Revolution – 1st Revolution
Author:
Giampi Status: In Progress Rating: Great
This is not the "EarthBound" you know. Rather than adding to continuity,
E. Revolution takes a bold leap out of it, presenting a story of what
could have been had the whole legacy been introduced under different
circumstances (or, in an alternate reality).
As it begins, we learn
from Jeff that Ness has been having a very strange dream over and over again.
Here, Jeff is Ness’s best friend and they’ve both lived in Fourside essentially
their whole lives (that’s right, Onett, Winters, and Tony can kiss off). The
subject of these dreams—which are starting to seem a little too real—is a blonde-haired
girl whom Ness believes is named Paula. She keeps asking him to
"find" her, but for what purpose exactly is something she’s not
willing to share just yet (P.S. little cabins can kiss off too).
The first action scene
in E. Revolution begins when, simply put, alien life forms attack the
Earth (likely not for the first time), striking dangerously close to Ness and
Jeff’s location. As it plays out, the two are separated and Ness comes across a
member of a mysterious anti-alien organization called SANCTUARY, but there’s
little time to get acquainted as they find themselves alone while up against
some very powerful enemies.
The joy of reading this
story’s beginnings is obviously in learning just how the characters you find
most interesting have turned out here. While some aren’t too far from the
original versions, others have intriguing differences going on that range from
the subtle to the radical. Of course, the fight scene is relentlessly
entertaining, and the little mysteries will have you wondering just what to
expect regarding a certain tablet, the name Andonuts, and latent PSI abilities.
Not to mention a possible mole on the heroes’ side…
E. Revolution is
a gracefully and grittily executed breath of fresh air. You can even enjoy this
if you’re one of the people who’re just starting to read "EarthBound"
fanfics.
Reviewed: An alternate universe “EarthBound” story.
The Basic Idea: A young man is thrown into a conflict between a mysterious organization
and the aliens they’re trying to fight off.
Opening: “Who knows how they did it.”
Features: A look at “EarthBound” under a different scenario.
Quick Notes
EarthBound Retold
– Chapter 2
Author: DarthBelch
DarthBelch might be known at
this point for starting things and not finishing them, but now, more than a
year since its debut, a DB story that’s one of the most worthy of being
continued finally gets an update.
EarthBound Retold is still
charming, still interesting, and, sorry to report, still features a noticeable pattern of typos
(what happened to the apostrophes in certain spots?). But back to the good
news: Fans of works such as Well, Hi
there! and the first installment of Retold will be glad
to know that DB now writes with (drum roll please) a lot more detail. I expect
this means that when following this Ness (certainly one of the more
entertaining interpretations of the character) and the others in the future,
the stories themselves will start sharing more of the imagination duties with
the reader. Let’s just hope the third chapter of The Onett Saga arrives sooner
than 12 months.
EarthBound: - Chapter 7
Author:
Dark Ness Status: On Hiatus Rating: Good
"Ninten: Let me introduce you to my
newest Psi Attack . . ."
EarthBound:, EarthBound:, EarthBound:…now
where do I begin? No, this is not one of the most carefully detailed fanfics
out there, and as a result, some of the fight scenes can come off as a little
unconvincing. And no, this is not one of the most emotionally elaborated
fanfics out there, and as result, some of the dialogue can come off as a little
juvenile. However, there’s something about EarthBound: that transcends
all of its issues and constantly makes this story a winner at the finish
line: it’s a little too intriguing to lose interest in.
"Jeff: GET USED TO IT! HAAAAAA . . ."
When we last left our heroes it looked
as though the Chosen Four would never be the same again. Paula took off
who-knows-where and became a wildcard in the current conflict after an
explosion seemingly decimated Twoson. Jeff was also made an outsider while
being whisked away for spirit training. And after doing a little private
investigating, Ness joined with Poo to take the fight straight to the source in
Fourside…and man did that not work out. So, it now appears heroes of the past
will have to assist those of the present in order to stop this latest
threat—which is constantly on the move with the desire to do nothing but
destroy. But before it can beat anyone else in battle, it may still have an
internal conflict to sort out.
"Paula: It seems that I have gone higher
than I expected . . ."
The seventh installment of EarthBound:
is quite possibly the most exciting one yet. Because of the fighting? Of
course not. More like there’s just enough happening and just enough about to
happen, that the end feels like a cliffhanger regardless of whether or not it’s
intended as one. And ultimately, despite any issues with presentation, the job
of any serial is to get the audience interested in coming back for more. So
when all is said and done, EarthBound: gets better at its job all the
time.
Reviewed: The seventh installment of a Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: Events lead to an unlikely alliance being formed.
Opening: “*Yawn*”
Features: Script format.
E. Revolution – 2nd Revolution
Author:
Giampi Status: In Progress Rating: Good
Previously on
E. Revolution, a sudden attack by a flying saucer devastated the city of
Fourside. Ness, a young man haunted by mysterious dreams, emerged from an overturned
bus as the only one in it left relatively unharmed by the assault. While trying
to find help, he encountered a member of the anti-alien invasion organization
known as SANCTUARY, and right after a peculiar display, was taken off to an
unknown destination.
"Did I leave
the door open again?"
That’s one of the first questions Ness is asked by a certain someone after
entering a strange room—which is but one of many in the complex he finds
himself in during this chapter. "Gravity," part two of E. Revolution,
deserves special commendation for its exquisite description of the SANCTUARY
headquarters. No matter where Ness goes, we get a very clear yet complicated
layout of what his surroundings look like, all of which is presented in
smoothly convincing detail. More familiar faces from "EarthBound" are
introduced in this installment as well, and Ness himself, written of course, in
a mostly sensitive manner at this stage, begins scratching the surface of that
mystery that’s been bugging him the most lately.
The struggle towards
the end of this one begins with a very cool glimpse of what a standard drill in
the SANCTUARY building is like, and the ensuing battle is written with just the
right amount of intrigue to make one read over it a few times trying to learn
more about exactly what happened…and trying to figure out just what’s
going to happen next.
Reviewed: The second installment of an alternate universe “EarthBound”
story.
The Basic Idea: Ness learns what SANCTUARY wants from him.
Opening: “Ten years ago . . .”
Features: A look at “EarthBound” under a different scenario.
A Walk Through Winters – Chapter 2
Author:
Bodger Status: Complete Rating: Great
One of the most charming, easy-to-read
"EarthBound" fanfics of all time, A Walk Through Winters just
gets better with each installment—and each installment just gets better from
start to finish.
Chapter 2, "Monkey
Business," takes us into a quiet drugstore on a quiet night, just as a
young man on a mission stops by to gear up for his journey. It seems like all
sorts of unexpected things are going to go down before morning, starting with
him being summoned by a peddler who’s about to give him a lot more than he’ll
bargain for. In addition to being funny, this scene actually puts a sensible
spin on one of the game’s most peculiar moments. It’s writing like that, as
well as some touching insight into the things that would probably be going
through one’s head during the situation at hand—and how they specifically
relate to Jeff’s character here—that gives A Walk Through Winters a
certain style that’s quickly recognizable whenever you read it, no matter how
long you’re away (sort of like the game it’s based on).
Truly, Itoi himself
would quite possibly be moved by this one.
Reviewed: The second installment of a Jeff story.
The Basic Idea: A tale offering further detail on Jeff’s journey to Ness and
Paula.
Opening: “It was a small store, providing mainly the bare essentials and
a few odds and ends . . .”
Features: Further insight into Jeff’s feelings during the journey.
Author:
Pikachu X (a young Michael DePalma) Status:
Complete Rating: Great
EarthBound Legends has an easily noticeable issue when it
comes to dialogue: more than half the time it’s not properly spaced out; the
beginning of one character’s line is often sitting right next to the end of
another’s. Some outside HTML assistance was lent after the first chapter, and
mysteriously, this formatting problem remained overlooked. As previously
mentioned, it’s this kind of awkwardness in the presentation of an
"EarthBound" story that can, unfortunately, cause a reader to lose
interest rather soon. So why didn’t that happen in my case? I don’t know; I
guess I just figured ANY fanfic with Paula saying, "The hell is
going on?" would have
to be kind of cool, right?
The world of online
"EarthBound" storytelling is certainly varied, but not exactly vast.
Like the comic book medium, there is, sadly, a rather quiet feeling in
general that its future is sort of up in the air at the moment. There is also
a silent consensus within the circle regarding what kind of content is probably
inappropriate in an "EarthBound" story, and most tales tend to fall
in line with these beliefs. EarthBound Legends, however, represents
a different kind of tale; a rarity like Cycle, The End, and
another story or two I can recall—including a certain one recently banned from
Fanfiction.Net—that one could categorize somewhere in a mature readers
"EarthBound" line akin to the current state of the FX cable network. Legends,
indeed, has a few of those carefree elements, including some particularly
questionable moments towards the end concerning torture and life-threatening
danger. Ultimately, much like formatting, anytime we see
edgy-for-"EarthBound" content start to stand out in a fanfic, we can
often assume it’s going to do one of two things: either detract from or enhance
the overall story. I’m glad to relay that in this case it’s very much the
latter. Legends is a story that seems to know exactly what it’s doing at
all times. Right from the start the plot is engaging and the action never feels
dull or unnecessary. It doesn’t really have time to, considering this is a
rather short, well-crafted five-part package. There’s a constant sense of
energy in Legends, made all the more entertaining by some of the most
memorable and humorous dialogue in "EarthBound" fanfiction. During a
sudden confrontation with an enemy, Ness makes things very simple for him by
uttering, "Pop quiz. . .you’re facing an 18-year-old kid who knows PSI
like the back of his hand, and has mastered psychokinesis. Do you fire, or drop
the gun?" Seconds
later the guard makes his choice, which is met with, "WRONG
ANSWER, BEN STEIN."
Like the game it’s based on, EarthBound Legends leans more
towards comedy than drama, but wonderfully mixes both. When this story wants to
be taken seriously, it never tries too hard, and, as a result, either sounds
perfectly fine during those quiet moments of reflection and uncertainty, or
excels in a surprisingly effective way. A certain conversation in the third
chapter serves as a reminder of how easy it can be to forget how fragile life
is when arguing with a loved one. Speaking of that love stuff, the
Ness-and-Paula story you’ll find here is pretty similar to the subtle, underdeveloped
beginnings found in the game, and how much you like this one will probably
mirror how much you liked that one. Speaking of mirror, it should also
be noted that Legends makes some good use of the various special
abilities possessed by certain members of the Chosen Four—which often seem kind
of overlooked in most stories.
Legends, cool as
it is, may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you get past the formatting and
give it a try, you’ll likely find a very nice mix of plot, action, dialogue, humor,
and drama that stays about as faithful to the source material as a fanfic
generally can. I’ll be reading this one again soon.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: A new warning and a new challenge.
Opening: “Jack Reeves couldn't fall sleep at all, no matter how he
tried.”
Features: Better-than-average dialogue.
Author:
Heartslaught Status: In Progress Rating: Good
Finally there’s a new
story focusing on ACs. Don’t take that the wrong way; I’m as big a Chosen Four
fan as anybody, but a little variety doesn’t hurt. In EarthBound: The
Horsemen Saga, it only takes six months since the defeat of Giygas for
things to start getting strange again. Ness and Paula are on the phone
discussing a powerful aura she’s been sensing lately when he’s called
downstairs to meet one of his new next-door neighbors—a boy named Mike who’s
friendly enough, doesn’t seem at all struck by the hero’s fame or popularity,
and happens to know a little more about Ness and the current situation than
he’s letting on.
In the opening
chapters, one problem to arise becomes a series of improperly structured
sentences. Often there’s a comma missing here or there that can lead to a
little confusion when reading some dialogue. The battle has a few small issues
with believability (a "ten foot wide five foot deep crater"? A blow that "sent him
flying about two-hundred feet"?) but is simply awesome overall (I kept wondering who was
going to win). And the background plot that’s driving everything sounds very
enticing.
EarthBound: The
Horsemen Saga is worthy of the 15 minutes it’ll take to find out if you’ll
like it.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four/AC story.
The Basic Idea: Heroes new and old must unite to form a specific team.
Opening: “It has been six months since
Features: The introduction of a new group just like the Chosen Four.
Author:
Psiosman Status: On Hiatus Rating: Good
Here we have a fanfic based on two of
the most special games of all time. With constant reminders of this throughout,
it’s kind of hard not to like HyruleBound. However, there’s a
deeper meaning to the name of this story than the writer probably ever
intended—the focus seems far more on that other tale than on "EarthBound" at the beginning
(it’s, not exactly a balanced crossover).
While planning a
Summers getaway, Ness and Paula are accidentally (or so it appears) teleported
to Hyrule, where they’re attacked by a horde of zombies until a mysterious
figure in green steps in. Sure, the plotting may be standard, the eventual
outcome may be predictable, and the Eagleland crew may be along for the
ride—both literally and figuratively—but the story, familiar or not, is
surprisingly entertaining. And the characterization of Link feels quite
believable.
…I suddenly have this
drive to play "Ocarina of Time."
Reviewed: An “EarthBound”-meets-“The Legend of Zelda” fanfic.
The Basic Idea: Ness, Paula, Link, and…wait a minute…Link?!
Opening: “Man, the weather
sucks today.”
Features: “EarthBound” characters in “Zelda”-world.
Fated
Author:
Heartslaught Status: In Progress Rating: Good
If this is the story you’re following, you’re probably with me in
wondering which team is going to have the more interesting role in the coming
conflict—especially after these chapters. If you’re unfamiliar with this story
and looking for a new one focusing on ACs, you may want to give the opening
installments a try. EarthBound: The Horsemen Saga is a tale of two
factions that interprets certain parts of "EarthBound" mythology as
religious allegory.
In one corner of the
quest, we have the Chosen Ones—Ness, Paula, you know the rest—who, at the
moment, appear to be charged with presenting the more emotional aspects of the
story. It’s just too bad there isn’t much to report on that front. There’s
nothing you wouldn’t really expect from the Ness-and-Paula bond here, and Jeff
and Poo are just being Jeff and Poo. However, as in Nessdude 15’s MoonBound,
there’s a rather charming scene that hints at some disciplinary ties between
Ness and Starmaster (boy, would I like to learn more about that relationship).
Holding up the action
side of things, members of the Destined Ones—Mike, Tom, and Casie—stumble into
battle and display their formidable skills. What it would take the boys 3 hours
to do, Casie, tapping into the "Fate" variant, accomplishes in about
3 seconds. Unfortunately, things like that are about as intriguing as these
characters get during this installment. So concentrated on action is The
Horsemen Saga, that it forgets to even describe what some of the new
players look like—let alone introduce us to some of their personal
qualities—while attempting to impress with a series of new PSI abilities.
And it’s a tricky
thing, the combat in this story. The Horsemen Saga is either greatly
revolutionizing the "EarthBound" fight scene, or simply dragging it to
the limits of convolution. I can’t exactly say which one during these
particular chapters. It may realllly take a steady flow of concentration
on the reader’s part to follow these battles and keep up with the writer’s
intent. Thankfully, though, the new powers are being named. Yet with all the
complexities and grand happenings surrounding these abilities, you’d think—from
a realistic standpoint—it wouldn’t take so long for the characters using them
to collapse of exhaustion. When this sort of thing finally does happen, both
boys are down and out, leaving Casie alone on the battlefield. We still don’t
quite know what to make of her crew visually or inwardly at that point, but a
brief hint is offered: "You two are such fools you know, running head
on into an unknown opponent after being worn down like you two are. Looks like I have to wait a short while
until two idiots wake up . . . "
Idiots? Perhaps. But
they say people learn something new everyday. In the cases of the
"idiots," however, I’d rather have been applying that to every
chapter.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four/AC story.
The Basic Idea: Heroes new and old must unite to form a specific team.
Opening: “So this is Mike huh
Features: Further introduction of a new group just like the Chosen Four.
Heh, heh, heh…okay…
Author:
Jennifer Ever Zero Status:
Complete Rating: Good
Not
everyone writes stories just because they have a story to tell. Some also do it
as a means of, well…releasing a pent-up feeling inside. And with
the Internet up and running, it’s become quite easy for just about anyone who
feels like writing to share this method of expression with anyone out there who
feels like reading. Most of us have probably had those moments when we start to
wonder about the author midway through their work, those moments when
a certain vibe begins to reveal
itself. Energy. Anger. Sadness. You name it, chances are you’ve read it, and it
becomes quite obvious while reading Rocky
Madness! that there’s a
personal drive of some sort fueling this story, but what you’d call it exactly
is…kind of hard to define. I’m tempted to simply call it "insanity," but
that’d give the wrong impression—‘cause it’s a good kind of
insanity.
The plot: Picky and the
Chosen Four go looking for a missing Pokey and naturally run into a little
trouble along the way. Sounds simple, but what it’s all about begins to matter less
and less as it progresses. Humor is the star of this tale. I thought the first
fight was hilarious, and a lot of the commentary from Brick Road adds a special
touch. Speaking of commentary, there are also some notably well-written and
entertaining remarks from a sportscaster highlighting this ‘fic. If it’s all
starting to sound a bit confusing and odd, well, I guess you could call it
faithful to the nature of the game in that regard. But be advised: If you
haven’t read this story before (it made its appearance a few years ago and
attracted some popularity), you may want to approach it with a hint of caution.
This is another one of those "EarthBound" fanfics that I once
mentioned could be categorized in a "Mature Readers" line. Rocky Madness! is written with such comedic eloquence and abandon, that
at times it may actually offend some members of its audience. I’m not sure
exactly what’s up with the references to a higher power or certain other parts,
but if one lets the briefly questionable material slide long enough, it’s very
hard not to be entertained.
Maybe now I might
actually have a name for that enigmatic drive mentioned before. Perhaps this is
what happens when a writer releases the "EarthBound" pent-up inside.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: Picky needs help finding Pokey.
Opening: “What a wonderful day!”
Features: Some of that mature-for-“EarthBound” content.
Stop the Madness! (No—literally)
EarthBound 202X:
The Chosen Eight
- Prologue 1-6
Author:
INouveaux18 Status: In Progress Rating: Good
The belief that "EarthBound"
isn’t necessarily limited to the Chosen Four, and that the mythology presented in
the game can be explored with other characters in other periods, is a great
prospect in theory. In execution, however, various little issues can end up
working against a story attempting to run with this idea. Sometimes things get
off to a decent start, but the writer loses the motivation or creativity needed
to complete the tale (which was apparently the case with a certain ‘fic called Mother Gaiden). Sometimes the project
itself is progressing nicely, but the lack of familiar characters keeps some people from giving the story a
try (which is likely the case with several ‘fics of the past). And sometimes
the writer may have the characters ready beforehand, but is lacking in the area
of plot—or vice versa (which just makes you wonder how many potentially good
stories like this have never been written).
Patience can be a very
important factor when reading an "EarthBound" story of this variety,
but every now and then, one comes along that almost immediately gives the
impression that the writer knows what they’re doing and where they’re going.
Though a little on the standard side in regards to action at the beginning, EarthBound 202X: The Chosen Eight is a
well written epic that’s strong on story and definitely falls into the aforementioned category.
Here’s the deal: 30
years after the events of the game, history is about to repeat itself. A new
threat to the world will naturally be met with a new group of PSI and
non-PSI-gifted defenders destined to unite and try solving the problem. In a
commendably gutsy move, the writer has created not four, five, or six new
players to keep track of and develop, but eight. While many AC stories choose
to present new characters by introducing them to the others involved, thereby
introducing us to a relationship or two, 202X is more concerned with first
focusing on the individual. Kicking things off is a planned 8-part
prologue—each installment dedicated to a different member of the new chosen
ones. It starts with Zain, a normal kind of kid from a humble family. It progresses
to Sasha, a sensitive girl with a psychic-like anomaly. It moves on to Guy, a
mechanical wizard who’s pretty good at creating weapons. With familiarity
making its presence well known, a natural question as one reads through the
beginning of this tale might be, "How will the writer keep things
interesting?" The apparent solution is a simple, effective one: stir and
add a few loners to the mix—one a wandering, well-trained fighter, another a
resentful recluse.
Before we meet the next
Chosen Four-like character, we come across two others in the fourth and fifth
parts. First up is Deckard Petersen, a skilled, confident young man who’s
trying to make a quiet life for himself in Summers as a bouncer.
Not going to happen. At
least not yet, anyway. The fight scene during this installment is decent, but,
thanks to the villain, it’s full of the same kinda-cheesy dialogue that
intrudes upon almost every showdown leading up to it. Consequently, this tends
to make the aliens sound more like Saturday-morning morons than threats worthy
of being taken with an ounce of seriousness.
On the subject of
seriousness…a lot of the characters in 202X have something in common—a less than
desirable parental issue of sorts. Zain’s been growing up without a father; Guy’s
gone through the same. Sasha’s is never around and she’s been having all kinds
of disturbing visions. The story tries to deliver emotionally at the start, but
comes up a tad short, so these personal ordeals just lead to one feeling more
pity for the characters’ situations in life than sympathy for their situations
in the story. Things begin to improve in this area as it goes along, though.
The moment at the end of the fourth part, written with a pretty good twist,
really makes one feel for Deckard and cheer him on.
Ironically enough,
however, the most emotionally moving part of 202X so far comes
from its least emotional character. If you’re going to compare the eight parts
of the opening to one another, chances are you’re going to end up making
"Prologue Part 5" the standard by which all the others are judged.
Now don’t go skipping ahead, because the members of the Chosen Eight are varied
enough that there’s a little something for just about every type of
reader—which part of the prologue you enjoy
most will likely depend on what kind of person you are (which, of course, will
determine what kind of character you can relate to). But regardless of whether
you’re like Karen or not, the events of her introduction still prove especially
memorable. Born 15 years after The War Against Giygas, this character is the
token outcast of her environment, the story’s example of how "kids have a
terrible way of shunning people who are different." It doesn’t help that
that daily environment happens to be an orphanage, where she was apparently
dropped off at age 1 under mysterious circumstances. So now, we follow the
dark, brooding girl throughout a touching tale of secrets, friendship, and
unsettling violence as events of the past catch up with the present on one
fateful day. (Might I add I really
like what this one insinuated?)
The phrase "out of
character" has been a commonly heard one when it comes to critiques of
online fanfiction. There is, however, a certain piece of source material that one could also apply this phrase to during one
particular moment. The name of that material: "EarthBound." Not in
regards to any character, mind you—we
all know there’d be nothing to betray in the first place on that front—but more
like in regard to the light-hearted nature of the game itself. The moment I refer to is, of course, the notoriously
dark session of Mu training undergone by Poo, during which the guilty player
observes with growing unease as the ominous damage sound is heard while the
prince gets slowly dismembered (in some form or another)…gradually losing all
hit points for added effect.
When 202X returns to the introduction of Chosen Four-themed characters in
"Prologue Part 6," it’s time to focus on the one following Poo’s
legacy…and the only way this young man can hope to do such a thing is by
completing the same Mu training his mentor endured. This leads to an
effectively cringe-inducing scene that relays the sense of pain and fear a
human being would feel in The Place of Nothingness. It’s written with such a gritty
realism and accurate description that it’ll be hard to pull yourself away from
this scene while reading it—even though that’s all one would like to do.
So, all in all, as of
these offerings, 202X is just getting started, and doing
very well for itself. There are many reasons why our fellow fans out there
might not read AC stories, but if you happen to know someone who passes them up
simply for being different…to that we can only advise them that a
scenario like this one might be the next "EarthBound" someday. And
from what I’ve been reading, it looks like that would be quite a lucky day
indeed.
Reviewed: An AC story.
The Basic Idea: 30 years later, eight new heroes have become the next chosen
ones.
Opening: “In the small town of Primera, in the country of Hawkland…”
Features: New characters; an extensive prologue.
Author:
StarmanFan Status: On Hiatus Rating: Good
I’m going to paraphrase
one of my favorite lines from Ryan Phillippe’s character in Cruel Intentions: "I am just
totally screwed up."
That shouldn’t have
anything to do with the fanfic studied here. But, as mentioned before, at first
glance, this statement will always be
spoken by ANY "EarthBound" story with the nerve to be presented in
.txt format. My patience quickly ran out and I had to copy and paste this one
into a document. Having done that, it became far easier to appreciate an
enjoyable tale.
EarthBound:
Dark Futures is as
intriguing as the title implies. The beginning reads like the back of a video
box (a good thing since those are meant to build interest), while the body of
the ‘fic is written with a unique simplicity—one that avoids a heavy amount of
description but manages to remain entertaining.
The tale offers an
alternate ending to the game, briefly flashing back to the mysterious
circumstances of how it came about. What if during the battle with Giygas,
Paula had suddenly disappeared? When this possibility becomes a reality, it
means quite a lot. First of all, it means that the other three are at a serious
disadvantage and unable to win the battle. It also means that, as a result,
Giygas’ influence will continue to spread throughout the planet—in some rather
odd and surprising ways it appears. And in a few nicely written lines of
emotion, it also means that Ness is slowly coming apart on a personal level as
he searches the world for her. This is a fanfic that, without even beginning to
get romantic, successfully conveys the feeling that Ness, in a way, needs Paula
at his side. It also makes for quite a cool visual when one imagines the spot
where Ness turns up after the battle with big G, and describing the tale any
further would probably give away a few other nice little things about it.
Dark Futures is,
alas, yet another good story currently on hiatus. Here’s hoping it comes off
sometime.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: What if Giygas hadn’t lost the fight?
Opening: “I am just totally…” *ahem* “Poo is dead. So is Jeff. Paula is
nowhere to be found. Ness’ world is in shambles.”
Features: An alternate ending/new beginning.
EarthBound 202X:
The Chosen Eight
– Part 12
It’s generally well known, or at least should be, that there are all kinds of attractions that lead some writers to present an "EarthBound" story on Fanfiction.Net as opposed to Starmen.Net: Fewer creative restrictions, better chances of feedback, a lack of having to do the HTML work yourself, etc. It’s sort of like DVD vs. VHS, e-mail vs. the postal service, and so forth; while there are many who feel or at one time felt that the former was quite obviously the future, others have certain reasons for sticking with the proverbial sinking ship. In this case, those reasons could include a sense of honoring the game (what better way than by contributing something to the largest collection of fan-created material?), or a feeling of sympathy for a seemingly fading fanfic department. And of course, with only a few fanfics being posted at the moment, it’s rather easy for anything submitted to stand out and grab attention.
On that subject, it should be noted that there’s likely going to come a time for each of us when we’re all going to look back on the days we wrote these "fanfics"…and laugh…fondly remembering all the fellow authors, characters, and titles we’ve gotten to know over the years. One of the titles from this particularly slow period that’s going to be most memorable is EarthBound 202X: The Chosen Eight, but I’m pretty certain that’s going to have nothing to do with quantity and everything to do with quality.
Part 12, "And Then There Were Four," is one of those installments that leaves the audience thinking for a moment or two afterwards. This is the one packing the intriguing opening, desperate battle, and somber aftermath as a storm of mystery, rage, and character development sweeps through the beginning, middle, and end.
While it was occasionally suggested during the game that the alien invaders knew exactly who their enemies were (the "cryptic" message Monotoli relays in Fourside; the words of the Starman DX in Winters), this new force of antagonists know all too well whom they’re dealing with. So well that certain members of the Chosen Eight are already considered targets and given numerical priorities. As a result, the sinister Kaatz and the maniacal Mister P have been dispatched to handle their respective assignments, with P striking first. This turns a peaceful walk for Neil, Guy, and Karen—still the most interesting character, with certain others catching up—into an all-out battle in the streets. And it becomes slowly apparent that this isn’t really a battle, this is a stage for the defining elements of about half the saga to perform.
Makes for quite a show. During 202X, characters don’t necessarily act like heroes—they act like themselves. As the fight progresses, it’s implied that the potential of one player is simply inhibited by self-doubt, while the potential of another is quite obviously enhanced by fury. This creates a prolonged, unpredictable, deeply entertaining melee that doesn’t quite end when or how you’d generally expect (and how many times did I find myself thinking, "If only Mila was there"?). Combined with more reminders of the lost friendship between Guy and the somewhere-out-there Kyla (what happens when they reunite?), the enigmatic identity of Karen, and the newfound closeness of Sasha and Zain—and how that’s growing dangerous for both of them—this installment is simply the best yet in the story.
If EarthBound 202X is one part of a period that will be known as the swan song of "EarthBound" fanfiction—and here’s hoping that’s not the case—chances are when we all do look back, we’ll do so remembering our legacy went out on a high note.
Reviewed: 12th installment of an AC story.
The Basic Idea: The characters are tested by a surprise encounter.
Opening: “Guy scowled at the bus sign, which read, ‘Grayhand Bus Service
has been temporarily suspended.’ ”
Features: The biggest and best battle yet.
Return – Chapter 1
Author: ReploidX Status: On Hiatus Rating: Fair
Presenting a short but fairly entertaining opening, Return is one of those fanfics that doesn’t offer a formal statement as to when it’s taking place or what’s going on—instead allowing hints dropped within the story to begin explaining things. This process is presented mainly through the actions of the (supposed) two main characters.
First we meet Mike, a gutsy young man who’s experienced in the art of combat, somewhat due, it seems, to training from Poo. We also learn he’s the son of a certain "Chosen Boy" when his friend Angela, a defiant tomboy, arrives on the scene. They’ve got comrades in Winters and Dalaam, and have currently taken it upon themselves to oppose the apparently returned threat of Giygas and co.
All of this comes off as promising, but the opening is perhaps too short on explanations for its own good (maybe too short period), and I’m really hoping that the formatting issues within the initial offering (there was no proper spacing between separate lines of dialogue) are corrected in the future.
Reviewed: An AC story.
The Basic Idea: ACs verses a new alien invasion.
Opening: “Next stop, Onett.”
Features:
New
characters.
Quick Notes
Baerii: Breaking
the Mold – Story One, Part
One
Author:
Naeroon
Normally Quick Notes is reserved for an additional comment or an update, but in this case, an exception is probably in order. The reason being that the first installment of this story is so anticlimactic that it’s very hard to judge on its own, but the content is worthy of a keep-an-eye-on-it mention.
Ask any "EarthBound" fan who the most mysterious character in the game is, and a good deal of the time you’ll probably get "Giygas" as a response (if Giygas can be considered a character). Certain fanfics have attempted to dig deeper into the enigma and even present things from his/its point of view. The ones I’ve read seemed interesting, but never to the extent of really bringing about any lasting differences in my view of Giygas than before I began reading. However, Baerii may be showing some signs of, well, breaking the mold when it comes to stories in this area. Here we actually find a hybrid of Giygas, Giegue, and Gajegi—a third cosmic destroyer—brought about by experiments performed during the captivity following their defeats. Before anyone informs me of this (I expect the writer will get a few comments about it), let me state that I know there’s a commonly held belief that Giygas and Giegue are the same, but I’ll defend the story with the time-honored, "This is a fanfic; certain rules can be bent," explanation. That may be as far as I’m willing to go right now, however. To help avoid confusion, I thought that the narrative of the titular character (that’s Baerii) could’ve been distinguished with italics (or at least quotation marks), and if some of whatever’s coming up later had been presented during this part, it might’ve made for a more entertaining opening. Not that it wasn’t entertaining…I just hope it becomes more so.
Back on Track
The Chase
– Chapters 1 & 2
Author: Anticloud Status: On Hiatus Rating: Fair
Don’t take the rating the wrong way; The Chase is an interesting fanfic with a decent action scene, but to get a rating of "Good" from this humble page, a story has to at least have some significant substance in the prose. That way I don’t have to be left with little more than the plot itself to talk about, as is the case right now.
Finding himself in a strange dark land (as if there’s any other kind), Ness comes across three familiar faces and gets the news that he’s actually in Onett. It’s later revealed, in more ways than one, that things aren’t quite as they seem, and a mystery begins to unfold.
There’s an issue with dialogue not being properly spaced out, but as mentioned before, the battle and plot are kind of cool.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: A new mystery for Ness and co.
Opening: “Ness is in a strange dark land, one that he has never been to
before.”
Features: An interesting mystery.
Quick Notes
EarthBound: The
Horsemen Saga – Parts 5 & 6
Author:
Heartslaught
It’s quite the
conflict, talking about the latest offerings of EarthBound: The Horsemen Saga. The good and the not so good are
almost equally balanced between Parts 5 and 6. This is a story you want to have
faith in but, let’s face it, right now it’s growing harder with each step. If
you’ve read up to this point, you’ve learned to forgive the typos and run-ons,
so let’s not bother getting into those. I’m more concerned with the story
unfolding, particularly after the very cool flashback tale presented during
Part 5. As Dave and Ness get deeper into their discussion, we find that
"The Story of a Horseman" features quite an interesting account on
the kingdom of Avalon, how it fell, and who was present. This chapter is
preceded by another noteworthy chat held by those on the other side of the
conflict; one that, though troubled by too many instances of dialogue coming
before a name is stated, seemingly serves to get the next stages of the plot
off to an enticing start.
But as Part 6 rolled around and the next battle
began, I actually found myself asking, for the first time, how this current
knockdown, drag-out fight—between two heroes—could have much of anything to do
with the ongoing story. There is one possibility, but it could have just as
easily been presented during the last battle—making this seem like an excuse to
fill a chapter with combat. And as the festivities commenced, and Jeff and Mike
got into a struggle so complicated there will not even be an attempt to
describe it here…I began wondering again. See, we’re on the eleventh
chapter now but for some reason, Mike is still the only new character we’ve really
gotten to know. I can name three things about him (he’s confident, highly
knowledgeable, and especially vulnerable to physical attacks), but can barely
think of one in regard to any of the others. So with errors, slow character
development, and an uneven progression of the plot, the question remains: Is
decent storytelling a redeeming enough quality for The Horsemen Saga?
That, of course, is up to you. Right now though, it’s a good
enough one that I won’t be making up my mind ‘til the next read.
Author:
Flying Zamboni 2 Status: On Hiatus Rating: Good
A successful mix of
slick action and engaging comedy, EarthBound 200X tells the tale of a
new aura of mystery that’s about to stir up trouble for the Chosen
Four—including a returned Pokey, who uses Dalaam as the starting point for his
next plan while Poo’s away.
The real excitement
begins in Twoson, where certain members of the group respond to a hostage
situation—one that’s written with a cool, television-like style of action and
reaction as we get some very nice descriptions of what’s going on. Afterwards,
word of what’s happening in Dalaam gets back to the heroes, and Poo heads off
to see what he can do about it.
What’s probably most
charming about this tale is the way it easily convinces you that these
characters are pretty much the same people you met in the game. Every word and
action seems believable, which is naturally a big part of what makes the humor
a strong point.
Here’s hoping 200X comes
off hiatus sometime. Like the series behind the game it’s based on, it’ll be
nice if there’s a little longer to go before this one’s over.
Reviewed: A Chosen Four story.
The Basic Idea: Pokey makes a comeback in the middle of a mystery.
Opening: “Pokey's mangled spider mech was falling through the air over
Dalaam.”
Features: Exceptional action.
Unusual Species - Chapter 1
Author: SaturnStorm Status: In Progress Rating: Great
Well over a year ago,
SaturnStorm introduced three chapters of an "EarthBound" fanfic
called Unusual Species—a cryptic tale about aliens bringing their
troubles to Earth, and the Chosen Four winding up involved. That was then. This
is now. Embrace the now, because things just got a lot more interesting.
This well paced,
well-written new offering seems to be leaning towards the same overall idea as
the previous one in the beginning—a strange happening is drawing Ness and co.
to investigate—but feels radically different in terms of presentation. Not only
because the proceedings here aren’t entirely the same as before, but because by
putting a little more focus on the players than plot at the start, the writer
draws the audience in by making things significantly more heartfelt. SaturnStorm truly has a talent for conveying emotional description and relevance,
which makes reading even the simplest of her scenes time well spent. The moment
when we meet the girl in Threed, "someone just
generally positive and happy -- a person daring the World to give her a good
reason not to smile, to not want to get up in the morning and live a full and
active life," is a good
example of this. It also becomes evident by observing the bond between Ness and
Tracy found here, as the author’s apparent fondness for the latter is bringing
us one of the most interesting incarnations of Ness’s little sister ever
written.
"I figured
something was wrong. You always go somewhere when something’s wrong," she says to Ness during
breakfast (a perfectly excusable one, BTW).
In exploring this character, SaturnStorm is molding a somewhat quieter,
more thoughtful Tracy—one who’s wary of the potential consequences of getting
involved in the mission, but still brave and loyal enough to tag along and see
what she can do to help. Even when you take out the signature humor she provides—which
you don’t want to do because she’s got some genuinely funny moments here—this
doesn’t seem out of character at all. Tracy’s maturing, and this
spectacle makes for one of the most entertaining parts of the tale so far.
The driving force of the original Unusual Species was mystery.
Once again, this element is being well integrated. For some reason, someone’s
PSI doesn’t appear to be working at the moment. Not only that, but during a
nicely elaborated look into a certain telepath’s head—her dreams,
specifically—we find out she may have intercepted something she wasn’t supposed
to. Whether it’s personal or related to the bigger picture remains to be seen.
Then there’s the mysterious AC she spots across the street. What was so
gripping about the sight of this girl? Finding out how all of these matters
will fit in seems like something to look forward to, meaning that in one
chapter, this version of the tale succeeds where three offerings of the old one
came up a bit short.
This opening piece is a short story about everyday "EarthBound" life, and how
days like this can start off deceptively peaceful, before leading to something
more.
The tale could use a few asterisks or spaces when switching between
scenes, but other than that, well, all that’s left to say is, Welcome back, Unusual Species. You look better than ever.
Reviewed: A revised Chosen Four tale.
The Basic Idea: The heroes are out to solve a mystery or two.
Opening: “This place you see, it is not real, and yet
is the most real place I know.”
Features: A new and improved story.
Against the Pigs
Author: Cracked Bat Status: Complete Rating: Great
Continuing the legacy
of "Mother" is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it (well,
apparently not, but…). In the case of the third entry in the series, for
a long time now, it seems like that someone’s been Cracked Bat.
Against the Pigs is the second chapter of the Pig
King saga, and right away, it reminds you of why the first part was so
good, then gives the impression that this one’s every bit as fun to follow.
Kicking off like the
second season of a television show, we’re given a brief recap of what led to
the current situation, then thrown into a riveting rally of loud, angry, and
oh-so funny pig soldiers who’ve counted the news about Flint as a victory, and
are now more motivated than ever to head out and begin their advance on the
human world. When you hear lines like, "Humans are especially stupid about
train security. . .It’s a miracle they haven’t killed themselves yet and
laughable that we have to help them do it," there can be no mistake, you
just know this is pure Pig King at or near the top of its game.
Meanwhile, our heroes Ricky and Krause,
who are given an appropriately nice visual introduction here (now isn’t it cool
how so many "EarthBound" writers know just when and how to do that?),
carry on the series’ tradition of witty and engaging dialogue while coming across
a lab and a certain someone who may be able to get them back on track. As
things like this happen, it becomes clear that this fanfic, perhaps, has a
deeper ambition than originally thought. Instead of just expanding on what
is/was to be the story of "Mother 3," it may also be attempting to
create a grand (or not so grand) continuity between all the "Mother"
games ever conceived. Granted, it’s not the first to try this, but the prospect
is surprisingly interesting in this case.
Let’s not forget the humor. This tale
remains one of the funniest "EarthBound" fanfics out there. Not just
because of the dialogue, but also due to some creativity I won’t spoil here
(that scene with the Hogg family is literally something else). Time and again, this
is just quite an amusing story. "You can’t expect me to sling off my pack,
unzip it, take out the bad key machine, stick it into the lock and start it up
with my left hand before the guards bust us up?" says Krause.
"You had enough time to say
that!" Ricky informs him.
As their journey continues, the action
heats up as the inevitable battles begin again, mostly with the kids defending
themselves while on the run from the persistent pigs. Eventually the fight
moves to a base of sorts, and another highlight of the tale—good
description—surfaces once more. Despite its comedic ambience, many of the
feelings the heroes are experiencing throughout this conflict—especially the
ones revolving around tension, guilt, and desperation—are well presented and
believable.
Overall, with a
somewhat unexpected resolution and some well-made progress, Against the Pigs
is a great entry in the story.
Reviewed: Continuation of a story based on early information relating to
the third game in the “EarthBound” series.
The Basic Idea: A small family and their comrades end up battling an empire of
invading pigs while on an adventurous path.
Opening: “The darkened Great Hall was bustling with a bunch of grizzled
pigs . . .”
Features: Multiple story arcs; entertaining insight into the plot.
EarthBound Omega
– Prologue -
Chapter 2
Author: Bouvier21 Status: In Progress Rating: Good
It began with stories like Nephew of the
Forgotten One, Fall of the Pig King, and Mother Alternate.
Later, it continued with EarthBound: The Horsemen Saga, E. Revolution,
and EarthBound 202X. The fever of Neo-"EarthBound"—"EarthBound" fanfics
focusing on different heroes or scenarios than before—suddenly reached an
all-time high last year. What started as a few modest experiments by veterans
had turned into a full-fledged trend, a surge of creative passion fueled by
veterans and newcomers alike. But a trend is only as good as the people behind
it, and among the second-generation Neo- ‘fics, many lesser-knowns like Return, Onkochishin,
and EarthBound, No More, have already gone on hiatus—never really a good
sign in the early stages.
Now, there’s EarthBound Omega, a
tale that introduces its plot by tossing in staples of both the Neo- (highly
organized invaders) and the normal (Paula sensing that something’s coming),
then introduces its characters by giving them motivations that are
longtime staples of writing in general: vengeance, liberation, a sense of duty,
and naturally, a mysterious agenda.
Early on, the strength of this story can
be found in its use of each.
It’s 20 years after the events of
"EarthBound" when a group of cocky flying cyborgs—apparently the
henchmen of a sinister figure named Georg (hint, hint?)—suddenly arrive on the
scene in a small town. Two PSI-gifted young men named Brian and Trevor meet
during a related incident and learn of each other’s powers. They engage one of
the cyborgs, kill it, and intend to hunt the others down, too. Why? Because
their enemies mentioned having "terminated" some of the townspeople.
That is where the vengeance aspect of character motivation comes in, though
usually, this makes for a more convincing situation when we observe the hero
getting firsthand proof as opposed to being verbally informed. Elsewhere, we
meet Kayla, the granddaughter of a famous Fourside businessman, and another
youngster who’s going to be quite driven by the end of the morning. This is
where the liberation motivation comes in, which is something that inevitably
reveals a bit more about a character by showing just how brave they are about
it. With absolutely no hesitation and very little regard for the protests of
those around her, Kayla storms off after a lost friend, ultimately unveiling
more personality than either Brian or Trevor have thus far. But hands down, the
most intriguing player yet would have to be Robert—a 17-year-old soldier, among
several living in a remote village, trained from a young age to fight against
any further alien invasions that might come along. So now that one apparently has,
he’s forced to once again part with his girlfriend—who’s devoted to him but
weary of his devotion to work—and head into a combat situation to see what he
can do. Sort of a hybrid of Jeff and Poo (now how cool is that?), Robert’s a
weapons-expert who, at this point, doesn’t seem to have special powers, but is
highly dedicated and in top physical condition.
The first thing you’re going to notice
about this fanfic is the lack of proper formatting. Separate lines of dialogue,
in the initial offerings, were not separated as they should've been, which can make
for a trying read. Besides being annoying, it’s also unfortunate because there
are definitely some finer points to this story. Along with it being generally
well written, the characters—who are mostly in average territory right now—show
signs of getting more interesting, not less. The mysterious agenda is
provided by Trevor, who seems to have gained his powers under unnatural
circumstances, but, not having enough time to explain this "long
story" of his, simply claims he’s come looking for others who possess the
gift. Just how much can Brian trust him? And what are Ness and Paula’s roles
going to be?
Also, the plot seems very well planned, as
almost every situation hints at something left out/something more to come.
The constant state of
"EarthBound" fanfiction itself pretty much sums up the tale called EarthBound
Omega: Interesting, entertaining, and—anytime it gets a little cleaning
up—probably something to keep an eye on.
Reviewed: A Neo-“EarthBound” story.
The Basic Idea: The adventures of ACs 20 years later.
Opening: “The sun was shining and a calm breeze blew through the air of
Pikor . . .”
Features: Prologue.
Quick Notes
Unusual Species - Chapter 2
Author: SaturnStorm
Fanfiction.Net is where
"EarthBound" fans in their late teens and beyond go to find the kind
of text you’re not going to see in the game; it’s a realm where
sophisticated/mature stories like Mutation, Rocky Madness!, and EarthBound:
The Perpetual Adventures are constantly getting the most attention (…did I
just type mature and Rocky
Madness! in the same sentence?).
Meanwhile, Starmen.Net’s fanfic department is sustained—in part—by
former exclusives like the ever-formidable 202X, and the occasional
high-quality veteran contribution like E. Revolution. This is the place
where you’ll find more fanfics with deeper ties/references to the legacy of
"Mother," due to its denizens being a little more knowledgeable and
informed on the subject.
So where does a tale like Unusual
Species belong? After all, it’s mixing a little of the down-to-earth
approach popularized on one site, with hints of the deeply "Mother"
style often found on the other. Even the writer herself sounded a little
indecisive about its placement at the story’s launch, but it was always a moot
concern to begin with. As long as this growingly well done fanfic keeps on doing
what it does, then it doesn’t really matter where fans like you and I
find it—just as long as we can.
The second installment takes us to the
beach just in time for a meeting between two highly unnatural-looking youths—a
boy and a girl who have words about the imminent situation before forming an
uneasy alliance. Overall, the emotional highlight of this one is found when
observing the plight of Poo, who’s growingly confused and frustrated by living
life without PSI. Not to mention guilty, since the fighting has begun without
him, and Ness, Paula, and Tracy have engaged five seriously tough Starmen. But
the three of them have still got a little help, and the most charming thing
about their new comrade, aside from her resentful response to Ness’s distrust
("After I just tried to help you take down those chrome crazies? Some
gratitude, that!"), is finding out just who she really is. In addition,
this installment may also be offering a closer look at who Tracy really
is, in more ways than one.
Unusual Species is looking to be
one of the best things happening to "EarthBound" fanfiction at the
moment.