[Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana

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Offline minmay

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[Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« on: August 04, 2009, 17:35:36 »
Lately I was contemplating existence, my infatuation with a friend's sister, why I suck so bad at music composition, and stuff like that.

But then I realized that nobody has posted La-Mulana here yet.

La-Mulana is best described as "a retro game, except it's actually retro."

The focus of the game is its puzzles, which are, for the most part, very clever and well-crafted, and many of them like to screw with modern gaming conventions.
It is probably the longest game I've ever played, and that includes commercial titles; it took me 25 hours to play through it the first time (which seems to be a fairly standard figure), and the current speedrun record is about 3 hours.
It may seem daunting at first, ironic because it will also seem fairly small at first (hint: it isn't).  My advice: don't give up!

The boss battles are awesome.  This is a game where you get to beat up a giant lizard with shuriken while riding a minecart.  (And I say that's not really a spoiler.)
And the music...wow.  If you were wondering where the La-Mulana Jukebox is, here.  (And don't ask for the password in this thread.  Please.)

This post is going to become completely incoherent soon, so I'll wrap it up with screenshots and a download link, in addition to the entirely necessary English translation patch.


« Last Edit: August 05, 2009, 23:05:18 by minmay »

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Offline TheoX

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2009, 17:48:03 »
I noticed it wasn't here yet too, but I was too lazy to post it.  You've wrapped it up nicely, I agree that the boss battles and music are awesome.  It's one of my favorite PC games, for sure!

This game has both driven me insane and made me love it to death.
PLAY THIS GAME, EVERYONE!

EDIT: I had given up on this game once, but fairly recently I went back and played it some more.  The final boss is so fun to fight, I did it twice more after I had finished.  :crazy:  Then I went and recorded all the songs off of the jukebox with audacity and converted them to mp3, only to find out that the chiptune versions of the songs are already uploaded here. Curses!!!

EDIT2: Also, everyone who is stuck should watch DeceasedCrab's LP (the first one) of this game.  He's so fun to listen to.  xD I shouted "LA-MULANA!!!" with him at the last mantra. :P
« Last Edit: August 04, 2009, 18:05:49 by TheoX »
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Offline googoogjoob

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2009, 18:08:28 »
I can't say anything about this game not already said.

Anyway, it's made of win. Play it.
good bye

Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2009, 20:16:10 »
Well, its going to be on theWii ;)...

EDIT:
(And don't ask for the password in this thread.  Please.)
But what is the password for?  :huh:(can I ask that at least?) :P
« Last Edit: August 04, 2009, 20:19:10 by Mathexpert »


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Offline minmay

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2009, 20:54:48 »
(And don't ask for the password in this thread.  Please.)
But what is the password for?  :huh:(can I ask that at least?) :P

The La-Mulana Jukebox password.

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Offline Pumpkinbot

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2009, 07:12:48 »
Fine, I've been convinced. *downloads*
Edit: If I say that I didn't enjoy this game, would I be hurt?
« Last Edit: August 05, 2009, 07:37:10 by Pumpkinbot »
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Offline minmay

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2009, 20:09:47 »
Edit: If I say that I didn't enjoy this game, would I be hurt?


Yes.

Why didn't you enjoy it, anyhow?

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Offline Gorfinhofin

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2009, 21:46:15 »
It looks like he played it for less than 25 minutes, so I can take a guess at why he didn't like it. The lack of any obvious goals or guidance probably got him fed up and he quit. I admit, I've been put off from the game by that as well.


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Offline victor12

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2009, 22:40:09 »
OH MY GOD!!!!! Thank you minmay. thank you. really. DOWNLOADING NAO!!!!!
EDIT:damn. i can't install the translation.
EDIT:wth. i almost get killd on the surface.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2009, 23:20:33 by victor12 »
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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2009, 22:48:13 »
I guess I will try it too... I hope it is as epic as you guys say it will be...

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Offline TechnoGeek

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2009, 22:50:56 »
for some reason it doesn't work. trying without the patch now, but i don't read japanese...

EDIT: still doesn't work. It blacks the screen and then quits. lamulana.ini exists after first start.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2009, 22:53:25 by TechnoGeek »
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Offline Pumpkinbot

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2009, 00:19:37 »
Edit: If I say that I didn't enjoy this game, would I be hurt?


Yes.

Why didn't you enjoy it, anyhow?
*cough* I really enjoyed this game. :|

...Seriously, though, I can't hear the music, but I can hear the sound effects. Two, the character seems really slow. Three, why do walls that are behind me block me? Look at the attached picture to see what I mean (though it's an example I made in KS. Bear with me. :P). Four, his jumps are hard to control. :/

@ TechnoGeek: Try it again. That's what I had to do.
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Offline googoogjoob

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2009, 01:23:56 »
...Seriously, though, I can't hear the music, but I can hear the sound effects.

If you have Windows Vista, I know SP1 breaks La-Mulana's music. (You can still listen to like the MIDI music but it's awful in comparison.)

Two, the character seems really slow. Three, why do walls that are behind me block me? Look at the attached picture to see what I mean (though it's an example I made in KS. Bear with me. :P). Four, his jumps are hard to control. :/

All of this is deliberate. It's meant to be like old awful MSX games.
good bye

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Offline minmay

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Re: [Puzzle/Platformer] La-Mulana
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2009, 01:27:04 »
If you can't hear the music, either your computer's sound system sucks, or the music is off.  Try switching to SC88 music - if it works, then it's probably your computer.  (Remember that the SC88 music won't sound nearly as good as the normal music, since it's MIDI.)
As far as character movement, you can get the Boots quite early in the game, which will help with that a lot.  At the very least, you can jump constantly (which is a good deal faster than walking).
As far as wall masking, that happens on the Surface and nowhere else.  This implies that you didn't even go into the ruins, which means that you haven't really played the game.
The physics are indeed difficult to get used to at first, but stay with it.  La-Mulana's physics are retro but almost disgustingly realistic; you have very little control over your mid-air movement.

also old msx games arent awful