Squarely aimed at those nostalgic for the 8-bit past of RPGs, this delivers some quick but limited fun on the cheap.

User Rating: 8 | Breath of Death VII: The Beginning PC
Breath of Death VII: The Beginning is a comedy game but one that is lovingly done w/ some serious gameplay elements as well. The plot--as much as there is one--revolves around a skeleton named Dem and his three companions who force their way into his party and go adventuring. Your main goal is to explore the ruins of human civilization and, uhhhh, save the world I guess.There are a few side quests but the main adventure is short and almost entirely linear, serving mostly as a vehicle for the designer's sense of humor and the game's cool battling and leveling systems. Battles are random but for each area the number you can get into is limited. If you want to stay close to an MP restore point, you can clear the enemies in an area relatively easily (HP is restored automatically each time you win)--though there is some challenge to be had for those who wish to push through a bit quicker. There are no auto-saves or check points so if you lose you go back to wherever you last remembered to save but there is absolutely no limit as to where, when and how often you can save so this isn't a big deal. Reallly though, if you are worried about these sort of details, you are kind of missing the point of Breath of Death. It is a game that pokes fun of old RPG tropes while being a simple but fun game in its own right. If you fondly remember the 8-bit games of decades past or simply like games that don't take themselves too seriously, you will definitely find a lot to like here.