I cannot express how fantastic this game is. It would be easy to complain about the difficulties of the controls, or the "running into the walls" annoyance, but those very annoyances are what made the game the unique experience it was. So, instead, let me tell you all the reasons this game deserve 6 stars instead of 5. First and foremost, is the storyline. The storyline in inherently dark, with a dictator governing the whole planet, manufactured mutants, censorship, and random imprisonment. However, it is set in this cartoonish atmosphere that turns down all this darkness while not ever actually escaping it. It is easy to hate Funfrock, as you hear about people getting thrown in prison for sneezing in public or whatever it may be. It is easy to love to work against him, with a globetropping legend to guide you along the way. It is just so easy to engage with. Way, way ahead of its time. Another added element is the free roaming aspect. Though not 100% free roaming, as certain areas can only be accessed after you discover different items, there are going to be many instances in which you're hopping from island to island just trying to figure out who will give you the next clue. The world is pretty vast, and everyone seems to have something to contribute. I encourage talking to everyone and using that memory of yours. The game has action, with unique weapons that behave unlike any weapons in any other games. However, it is by no means an action game. There are some sequences of intense battling, as once you get hit by an enemy it can be difficult to escape them. However, the game is a puzzle quest, and all along the way you've got to figure out a) what is going on, b) how to stop it, c) what you need to find in order to stop it, and d) how to actually get whatever it is; making every "quest" a multi-step one. This means hours of gameplay, this coming from a guy who has beaten them game 100+ times (which I did around the time I was 12, let's just say I was obsessed). People rant about this game as a retro experience, but it is just as relevant today as it ever was, gaming-wise. I go back to retro games all the time, and it is not only the platform that is retro for them, but also the gameplay (platforms, overheads, space shooters, etc). However, LBA was a different game unto itself, meaning that it can never truly be retro in the way that Raptor can. It may have memories of nostalgia, but it is unlike any DOS game ever produced. So, though the platform may be retro, I hesitate to say the game is retro. I encourage one and all to play this game. It is a gem. Before the "revival" began, I bought an original copy on eBay for $80 bucks before. Now we can get it for 6? It's a blazing hot deal. Everyone should play this, whether you have childhood memories with it or not. And the sequel only gets better...
