The Great Chronicle of Console RPGs Thread

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 91

Spoiler

Title: Front Mission 2
Developer: G-Craft
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: September 25, 1997 (Japan)

Comment: The series debut on the PlayStation, Front Mission 2 utilized the more powerful hardware by introducing three-dimensional graphics to the various battlefields, whilst also building on the gameplay mechanics of the first game.

The game takes place a decade after the first title during the span of a month in a country called Alordesh (ostensibly based on Bangladesh), a member state of the Oceania Cooperative Union (OCU). The story follows three OCU officers whose paths intertwine as they get caught up in a civil war where the Alordeshi military seek to establish national independence from the OCU.

As in the first game, plot progression is presented through cut-scenes and a linear campaign. The world map returns and is yet again divided between cities and towns, where players can prepare and outfit their troops, and battle zones, where missions are carried out. Mission objectives reportedly remain much the same as those present in the first title, but the scope of individual missions has apparently been significantly expanded. Arenas, in which players can combat A.I. controlled opponents to earn cash rewards, also make a return, but this time they allow for players to bring teams of wanzers into assorted matches. The game is viewed from both an overhead perspective, whilst overseeing the grid-based unit movement, and a more close-up ground level perspective, during wanzer confrontations. The system for unit customization with various modules has been retained, and there are reportedly even more modules to take into account this time around. The different weapons systems make a return, but they have apparently been subjected to numerous tweaks in order to improve game balance. Due to the three-dimensional graphics, players must now also take terrain differences into consideration when planning assaults and defensive maneuvers. Flanking is now a viable tactic, as the game now grants attackers accuracy bonuses according to what direction they strike from. Introduced in this installment are Action Points, which dictates the amount of actions that can be performed in any one turn by a given unit. These points are refilled after each turn and increase as units rise through experience levels. Related to Action Points are so called Honor Points, which are gained by annihilating enemy targets. Also, the Honor system can exercise a boosting effect on Action Points when groups of allied units are kept close together, and reversely, a declining influence when units become separated by enemy troops. Amassing sufficient amounts of Honor Points allow a given unit to learn special abilities which can enhance their battle performance. Another new feature is armor coating, which bestow units with assorted resistances. Finally, the game also incorporates a pseudo-World Wide Web called the Network, which present players with a means to improve their understanding on the universe the title takes place in.

Front Mission 2 has sold in excess of 500,000 copies in its original PlayStation release. I've been able to locate but two professional reviews, an in my humble estimation insufficient number to evaluate the critical reception of this game in a wider perspective. Nevertheless, those two reviews appear positive.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 92

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Title: Shining Force III
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
Platform: Sega Saturn
Release Date #1: December 11, 1997 (Japan) - Scenario 1
Release Date #2: April 29, 1998 (Japan) - Scenario 2
Release Date #3: September 23, 1998 (Japan) - Scenario 3

Comment: In a fashion similar to Blizzard's treatment of StarCraft II, Shining Force III was split into three separately released campaigns, called Scenarios. However, only the first scenario reached Western shores, while the second and third scenarios have remained Japanese exclusives to this day.

The first scenario follows Synbios, a lord and swordsman hailing from the Aspinian Republic, which has recently seceded from the Destonian Empire. Diplomatic relations between the two states are glacial, but a peace conference has been arranged on neutral ground in the city of Saraband. However, the negotiations go awry and the two realms are plunged into an armed conflict. The second scenario depicts the same war, but this time from the perspective of Medion, the youngest son of the Destonian emperor. The third scenario centers on Julian, a soldier and originally a native of the Kingdom of Enrich (a region previously featured in Shining the Holy Ark, wherein Julian reportedly made a minor appearance), in his search for Galm, a member of a group of ancient beings called Vandals and the killer of Julian's father. His hunt eventually leads him to partake in the larger conflict between Aspinia and Destonia, to which a sect with connections to the Vandals has recently been linked.

Graphics are three-dimensional in this installment but the view is apparently locked to an isometric projection perspective. The little information relating to actual gameplay I've managed to find seems to suggest that the mechanics of prior Shining Force entries remains largely unaltered. That said, should anyone possess knowledge that contradicts such a statement, feel free to share your insights.

Once more, only partial sales figures are available for the first scenario of Shining Force III. These are, yet again, Japanese, where sales exceeded 100,000 copies. The second scenario appears to have been markedly less commercially successful, selling roughly 50,000 copies. I'm afraid my search for sales statistics for the third scenario has yielded no results. As for reviews, I will focus on the first scenario, since I've found less than ten reviews for the second and third scenarios combined. The first scenario seems to have been met by a generally favourable reception at the time of its original release. Critics praised the game's graphics and what they perceived to be forgiving level of difficulty, arguing that the title should appeal to players otherwise unfamiliar with tactical role-playing games. Nonetheless, reviewers expressed disapproval of the voice acting in the game, referring to it as amateurish. Yet, the one aspect that received the most repeated criticism was arguably the developer's decision to split the game into three parts, with several writers maintaining that consumers were essentially paying for but a third of a larger product. Although retrospective assessments appear even more enthusiastic in an overall perspective, they still echo the sentiments directed at the decision to divide the game into three portions.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 93

Spoiler

Title: Grandia
Developer: Game Arts
Platform: Sega Saturn
Release Date: December 18, 1997 (Japan)

Comment: Initially intended for the Sega CD platform, Grandia was eventually released for the Saturn and was later ported to the PlayStation, where it subsequently would reach the hands of Western consumers. Reportedly developed by largely the same team that had previously worked on the Lunar series, Grandia and its sequels have oft been noted for their combat systems.

The game's story takes place in a fictional world and follows Justin, a boy who inherits a stone with magical properties which is somehow connected to an ancient civilization that collapsed centuries ago. Setting out to investigate this matter further, Justin meets up with various likeminded adventurers who accompany him on his journeys. However, Justin and his companions aren't the only ones with archaeological interests. A military force led by a man entitled General Baal is paying particular attention to the group's activities, yet their motives are dubious.

The game is presented from an overhead perspective; utilizing three-dimensional environments, a rotatable camera, and two-dimensional character sprites. It does not feature a freely traversable overworld, instead individual areas are represented by interconnected points on the world map. While character progression adheres to the common gameplay formula of accumulation of experience points and leveling through fighting, the potency of assorted weapons and magic spells are improved separately through repeated usage and tracked by corresponding skill levels. As individual party members raise the level of a given skill they will eventually attain related abilities and stat boosts. Also, certain weapons and spells have combinable abilities that require one to level up both skills in question to obtain. According to the sources I've perused, all party members start without any spells. In order to acquire these, players must find so called Mana Eggs, which come in four varieties based on the classical elements, and bestow them upon an individual character. The player controlled party may consist of up to four characters at any given time. Battles occur when players physically collide with enemies that roam the various areas. Depending on the direction by which the party and a given enemy make contact, either side may gain a preemptive strike at the beginning of a confrontation. The order by which each participant take their turns is dictated by a bar at the bottom of the screen. Along this bar, icons representing each combatant in a given battle slides from left to right. When an icon reaches a specific point along the bar, the player or the computer can issue a command to the corresponding participant. When an icon has reached the rightmost position on the bar, the command is executed. However, if a combatant successfully delivers a blow onto another that has issued a command but is still waiting for it to execute, that command gets cancelled.

Upon its original release for the Saturn, Grandia sold in excess of 400,000 copies. Reviews for this particular version appear quite scarce, however, and therefore I will refrain from making any comments on how this title was received in a more general perspective. Nevertheless, the few reviews I've found seem decidedly positive.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 94

Spoiler

Title: Tales of Destiny
Developer: Wolf Team
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: December 23, 1997 (Japan)

Comment: The second installment in the Tales series was the first entry in the franchise to be developed for a PlayStation console; a platform where the series has retained its presence to this day. Tales of Destiny was also the first title in the franchise to receive an official English translation and subsequent release in the American market.

The plot follows Stahn Aileron, an aspiring adventurer, who has impermissibly crept aboard an air ship called Draconis. When discovered by the crew, they enforce him into service as a deckhand. When the ship comes under attack by hostiles Stahn seizes the opportunity to escape. Retrieving a sword from the ship's cargo hold in order to facilitate his flight, it turns out to be rather talkative. Referring to itself as Dymlos, the blade soon thrusts Stahn into events that will put him onto the trail of an ancient, lost civilization.

The game is viewed from a top-down perspective (although the battle system retains the side-scrolling perspective established in its predecessor) and graphics are almost entirely two-dimensional, with one exception: the world map. The world map is a three-dimensional, spherical overworld which can be traversed by land in a free roaming fashion, by sea along preset routes, and by air with even less restrictions than ground travel. Scattered across the overworld are towns, where one can interact with NPCs, and dungeons to explore. Battles occur through random encounters, but the chances of evading these confrontations ca be improved with the use of certain items. The Linear Motion Battle System has seen a number of new developments in this entry, and so it has been dubbed the Enhanced Linear Motion Battle System. First off, players can now assign special attacks to directional buttons, allowing for quick access without activating the pause menu. The perhaps most noted addition to the system, however, has often been compared to mechanics more commonly associated with fighting and beat'em up games. Characters are now able to string together special attacks in combos, and there are also specific items present which allows one to draw upon an even wider array of attacks for this particular purpose, along with other items that enhance the experience rewards for using such tactics. Finally, this particular installment introduced a cooperative multiplayer element in that up to four players could participate in battle sequences.

The sales figures for the PlayStation version of Tales of Destiny exceed the one million mark. The game appears to have met a mixed critical reception at the time of its original release. While most critics praised the real-time approach to combat, the plot seems to have divided journalists in terms of whether or not they found it engaging enough to follow. Furthermore, while graphics and sound effects generally weren't panned, writers more often than not appear to have regarded them as more fit for hardware with capabilities similar to the SNES. Also, certain critics considered the various side-quests to be of uneven entertainment value. Finally, the quality of the English translation has recurrently been referred to as sub-par.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 95

Spoiler

Title: Panzer Dragoon Saga
Developer: Team Andromeda
Platform: Sega Saturn
Release Date: January 29, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: The first two installments in the Panzer Dragoon series are rail shooters and thus lie beyond the scope of this thread. But with the third entry, Team Andromeda sought to fuse the franchise's trademark shooting mechanics with gameplay elements more commonly associated with role-playing games. Development was reportedly troubled in various ways, with the arguably most severe adversity being that not one but two members of the development team perished before its completion, which may or may not have contributed to the team's disbandment in the wake of the title's release. Panzer Dragoon Saga would also mark the last time a game in the series was issued for a Sega platform, as the fourth and to date final installment in the franchise would instead be released for Microsoft's original Xbox console.

Like its predecessors, the game is set in a fictional world and the story follows a man named Edge, an imperial soldier who has been stationed at an archaeological excavation site to stave off assaults from mutants and other hostiles. After one such skirmish, Edge discovers the body of a young woman interred in a wall. Soon thereafter, the site is attacked yet again, but this time by renegade imperial troops. In the ensuing carnage, the aggressors seize the aforementioned woman while Edge plummets into an underground reservoir. Later, he is found by a benevolent dragon, with which he enters a partnership to retaliate against the mutinous imperial soldiers.

Graphics are three-dimensional and the game is viewed from a third-person perspective, both during on-foot segments in towns and whilst riding one's dragon above the overworld and in assorted dungeons. During exploration of towns and other locations, players can lock on to NPCs and other points of interest using a cursor to interact with them. Battles occur through random encounters and appear to work according to mechanics similar to the Active Time Battle system. There are three charging meters, which deplete when players perform various actions. The dragon under one's control comes equipped with an assortment of ranged weaponry, which can be upgraded with different attachments, and it is possible to circle around targets to identify weak points to exploit. However, circling around opponents does not come without risks, as battlefields are divided into contrasting zones in which foes can execute attacks of varying ferocity. Therefore players would do well in paying close attention to the radar situated at the lower center of the screen, which displays the different zones by way of colour coded markings, where green zones are least dangerous, black ones present a moderate threat, and red zones represent the most perilous position. Since there are no party members to recruit, players may instead adapt their dragon to various battle conditions utilizing so called "morphs", which alter its attributes in different ways. There are also items called "D-units" to be found, that can be used to achieve an even wider range of morphs. Battles are the player's primary source of experience points and thus one's chief method of raising the stats of the dragon and gaining new abilities.

I've only been able to locate partial sales figures for Panzer Dragoon Saga. These are restricted to the Japanese market where the title sold in excess of 100,000 copies. While I have found reviews, I ought to inform that they are predominantly retrospective. Having said that, the game's reputation among critics appears to have been elevated to a state of universal acclaim. Its storyline, battle system, graphics, and soundtrack (composed by Saori Kobayashi and Mariko Nanba) have repeatedly been mentioned as strong points. Further reinforcing the game's renown is the seemingly commonplace perception of it, among video game journalists, as one of the last standout releases for the Saturn before Sega chose to focus their commercial attention on the upcoming launch of the Dreamcast. Years after its release, the title has recurrently been featured on top games lists in assorted publications.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 96

Spoiler

Title: Xenogears
Developer: Square Product Development Division 3
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: February 11, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: Originally conceived as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series, Xenogears came to grow into a separate project. Utilizing a sci-fi setting while tackling concepts associated with Nietzschean philosophy, Freudian and Jungian psychology, as well as numerous ideas culled from various religions, the game was intended as the fifth entry in a six-part suite. Released to positive reviews, it eventually came to spawn several spiritual sequels, collectively forming the so called Xeno series.

The game is set in a fictional world and the plot follows a man named Fei Fong Wong, an amnesiac living in a village named Lahan on the continent of Ignas. This landmass has been wracked by an ongoing armed conflict for several centuries, and as the story begins war has reached Lahan. A military organization called Gebler launches an assault on the village, prompting Fei to search for a means to defend it. He discovers a so called "Gear", an ancient mecha-like creation, and proceeds to strike back at the attackers. While successful in routing the Gebler forces, his lack of knowledge in regards to handling his newfound piece of machinery leaves Lahan in a less than desirable condition. Therefore, Fei and Citan, the village doctor, opt to put some distance between the Gear and their village. And so, they embark on a journey that will come to shed light on, among other things, Fei's past and the origin of the Gears.

The game is viewed from an overhead perspective and environments are presented using three-dimensional graphics while characters are rendered with two-dimensional sprites. The game features an overworld dotted with towns and assorted other locations to explore. There's reportedly a platforming element present which manifests itself when one ventures into dungeons. Each party member comes with a set of attributes, which can be boosted by purchase of weapons and accessories. Battles occur through random encounters and utilize a variant of the Active Time Battle system. Combat is apparently built around martial arts moves which can be strung together with magical attacks and special attacks called "Deathblows" into different combos. By executing such attacks players deplete so called "Action Points" in accordance with how powerful a given move is. However, Action Points can also be amassed for later turns in order to employ even more potent combos. As characters raise their experience levels, they will get an increased amount of Action Points to distribute each turn. Magic spells come in both offensive and defensive varieties and deplete so called "Ether Points" when used. In contrast to Action Points, Ether Points do not replenish each turn. Instead, players need to rely on restorative items to refill such points. There are also Gears battles, which work according to separate yet similar mechanics. Every action in Gears confrontations (except magic attacks) depletes fuel, which can be bought in various shops. In this battle mode, players can perform standard attacks by different degrees of forcefulness, activate "Boosters" which let them act with greater frequency at an increased fuel cost, use a variety of Gear-specific special abilities, and cast spells with amplified strength. Deathblows are also present in these fights, but can only be attained by raising one's "Attack Level", which is done by executing standard attacks. There are three standards Attack Levels and a fourth called "Infinity Mode" that, when achieved, allows for deployment of otherwise unavailable Deathblows. Also available in certain stores are parts and upgrades, which can be applied onto Gears to improve their combat performance.

The original PlayStation release of Xenogears has sold nearly 1.5 million copies. Contemporary critical reception appears to have been generally favourable, with reviewers praising Yasunori Mitsuda's soundtrack and the two battle systems, which were repeatedly considered to be sufficiently distinct from one another to maintain players' interest. However, the plot, while lauded for its handling of the multitude of themes incorporated, has also been criticized for what certain examiners deemed to be a heavy reliance on cut-scenes, while other critics described it as convoluted in the sense that they found the many story threads hard to keep track of. Also, reviewers seem to have been less enthusiastic about the game's rotatable camera system and its graphics, the former of which has been regarded as ill-suited for the platforming segments while the latter has been perceived as inferior to other console role-playing games released around the same time. Such criticism doesn't appear to have affected the title's reputation among players though, as it has recurrently been voted onto reader's choice lists in assorted publications.

As a final anecdote, the game's second disk has spawned speculation regarding whether or not the final released product was actually finished. Adherents of this hypothesis point to that particular disk's pacing; featuring sections which apparently consist mainly of narration interspersed with short exploration segments and boss battles. Furthermore, certain sub-plots have, according to these sources, been left unfinished, and there have been reports of unused assets in the game's code. No member of the development team has reportedly made any comments on the matter, so whether this supposition is justified or not still remains to be seen.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 97

Spoiler

Title: Rebus / Kartia: The Word of Fate / Legend of Kartia
Developer: Atlus
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: March 26, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: A tactical role-playing game, Rebus, which would be released under different monikers in North America and Europe, featured character designs by Yoshitaka Amano, who had previously worked with such motifs on the early Final Fantasy titles.

The game takes place in a fictional world called Rebus and the plot is divided into two linked campaigns each featuring a different protagonist. One tells the story of Toxa, a knight in the service of a count, who rescues a woman named Mona from a band of thieves and who subsequently accompanies her on a quest. The second relates the narrative of Lacryma, a warrior tasked with upholding the law in an ostensibly theocratic society. As the campaign begins, her commanding officer has departed from the fort she is stationed at and left her in charge of its management. However, events will soon lead her outside the confines of the fortifications.

Both campaigns are divided into chapters. Gameplay is depicted from an isometric projection perspective utilizing a camera which can be rotated at 90 degree intervals. The graphics for the environments are three-dimensional while units are rendered using two-dimensional sprites. Each chapter presents the player with a different battlefield, where events unfold in a turn-based fashion. Human combatants must be kept alive at all costs; otherwise the chapter is automatically lost. Thus players must rely on collectible magic cards called "Kartia". These cards can be used alone or in various combinations to cast spells, create weapons, and bring forth summons called Phantoms. Depending on what cards were used in their creation, these Phantoms come with certain strengths and weaknesses, which work according to a rock/paper/scissor mechanic. However, should a given phantom perish in battle, the cards that were utilized in its summoning will be lost. Human combatants gain experience points through executing successful attacks, be they weapon or spell based. There are also predetermined points throughout the game where players can purchase weapons and armour for their units. There's also a multiplayer mode in which two players may battle out against each other using saved unit data from the campaigns. This mode comes with six premade maps and a number of different victory conditions.

The original PlayStation version of Rebus has sold in excess of 200,000 copies. The game appears to have been released to generally favourable reviews, with critics praising its plot and the portrayal of its characters. Furthermore, the gameplay mechanics were repeatedly deemed to be comparatively forgiving for players unfamiliar with the genre. That said, it seems reviewers considered the title's graphics and audio to be competent but fairly unremarkable.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 98

Spoiler

Title: Parasite Eve
Developer: Square USA, Inc.
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: March 29, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: A joint effort by Square's American and Japanese departments, Parasite Eve constituted an attempt by the developers to fuse action role-playing game mechanics with elements commonly associated with survival horror games.

The game's plot takes place over a six-day period and is a sequel to a novel bearing the same name, written by Hideaki Sena. Beginning on the 24th of December, you play as a NYPD officer named Aya Brea, who's attending an opera performance at Carnegie Hall. During the show, people start to spontaneously combust, leaving only Aya and an actress named Melissa Pearce left alive. As Aya attempts to confront Melissa, who identifies herself as Eve, the latter mutates into a beast and makes her escape into the sewers. Intent on tracking Eve down, Aya initiates a police investigation the following day.

The game is viewed from a series of fixed points and environments are presented using pre-rendered backgrounds while various characters utilize three-dimensional models. The "world map" is delimited to Manhattan, which is divided into smaller locations which the player can visit. Firearms and melee weapons are reportedly the sole weapon categories present in this title. Each firearm comes with a set of attributes, which can be enhanced by applying different weapon mods. There are no shops available, so players must resort to scavenging from assorted containers and stealing from enemies in order to resupply themselves with ammunition and items. Battles occur through random encounters at designated areas. However, the chance of a confrontation arising in the same spot apparently decreases with each occurrence. Combat plays out in real-time, but commands must be charged via a gauge called the "Active Time Bar" (a sort of real-time variant of the Active Time Battle mechanic). As this gauge charges, all a player can do is dodge incoming attacks. When the time comes to act, a number of options becomes available. Should the player choose to attack, the game pauses and a visual representation of the chosen weapon's range becomes visible. An enemy outside of this extent may still be hit, but at reduced damage. Another alternative comes in the form of "Parasite Energy", the game's equivalent of magical abilities. Parasite Energy is divided into specific skills of both defensive and offensive nature, and while usage of such skills depletes its energy, it slowly regenerates with time. Other commands include using items, changing armour and weapons, and escaping. Bear in mind though that escaping penalizes players with experience losses. As Aya fights various enemies and raises her experience level, her attributes increase, she is occasionally granted new Parasite Energy skills, and she is also bestowed with so called Bonus Points. These points can be distributed to increase the velocity of the Active Time Bar, expand item capacity, or improve the attributes of armours and weapons. Also available after a first completion of the game is a New Game Plus feature, called EX-game, in which the player gain access to the armour and weapon they had equipped upon finishing the main game, an extra handout of Bonus Points, and unrestricted access to all items in the police HQ. Though the perhaps most notable addition comes in the form of an optional endurance "dungeon" in the form of the Chrysler Building. By ascending all 77 floors of the skyscraper, battling increasingly tough enemies and sub-bosses as one goes, the player can reportedly gain access to the best gear the game has to offer, culminating in a major boss battle at the top.

Sales figures for the original PlayStation release of Parasite Eve surpass the 2 million mark. Contemporary critical reception appears to have been mixed. Nevertheless, the game's visual presentation and Yoko Shimomura's soundtrack was recurrently met with praise. However, while the battle system was generally lauded, the title received repeated criticism for what writers argued constituted a de-emphasis on role-playing elements. Critics also seem to have been less enthusiastic about the sound effects, which were often described as lackluster. Yet, the most severe criticism appears to have been directed at the game's linear design, which several reviewers maintained reduced replay value. Furthermore, the plot has recurrently been described as derivative of other works of science fiction, which certain critics opined gave it an unwelcome dose of predictability. That said, retrospective assessments of the title seem to have been more forgiving, as these appear to have swayed in its favour. These latter day examinations often emphasize how well they deem the visuals to have withstood the test of time, but it seems as though opinions remain divided on the perceived qualities of the plot.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 99

Spoiler

Title: Langrisser V: The End of Legend
Developer: Career Soft
Platform: Sega Saturn
Release Date: June 18, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: Keeping up the increased release frequency, the fifth installment in the Langrisser series would also prove to be the last entry in the franchise to be developed by Career Soft until Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei, which was released in 2015.

The events depicted in the game take place after IV and reportedly feature members of the cast from that particular title. You play as Sigma, a man who has just awoken from a prolonged stasis in an underground cloning facility. Realizing that the complex is under attack, Sigma, along with another clone named Lambda, decides to escape while there's still time. While initially bent on finding Gizlof, their creator and the antagonist of the previous installment in the series, their attention soon shift towards a prince named Lainforce, whose agents are in pursuit of the two clones for reasons unknown.

Returning from its predecessor, at the start of the game one must answer a questionnaire which dictates Sigma's base stats, character class, and starting items. Battle scenarios are yet again viewed from a top-down perspective, and when troops engage in skirmishes the game switches to an isometric projection perspective. The movement system of prior entries in the franchise has been expanded; it is now possible to move diagonally and take half-steps in either direction. Also, the amount of actions one can perform per turn has apparently been increased. The Judgement system introduced in IV makes a return, but has reportedly been tweaked so that it is now centered on the various commanders, thus synchronizing their turns with the troops under their command.

The Saturn release of Langrisser V has sold roughly 90,000 copies. Once more, professional reviews appear to be but a handful and I will therefore abstain from making any further remarks concerning how this title was received in a wider critical context. Even so, the reviews that I've found seem decidedly positive.

 

[Arkliem]

You missed a couple really good SNES entries.

Treasure of the Rudras [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_of_the_Rudras]

Live A Live [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_A_Live]


Granted they weren't released outside Japan, but both did some pretty unique things for their time. Such as Rudras create your own magic words system, and Live A Live's multiple stories/battle systems/and ability to play as the villain in the final chapter.

 

[broadbandmink]

You missed a couple really good SNES entries.

Treasure of the Rudras [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_of_the_Rudras]

Live A Live [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_A_Live]


Granted they weren't released outside Japan, but both did some pretty unique things for their time. Such as Rudras create your own magic words system, and Live A Live's multiple stories/battle systems/and ability to play as the villain in the final chapter.

Tell you what, I'll include them retroactively. But it might take a while before I get to that, since I want to cover a bunch of other titles released in 1998 first.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 100

Spoiler

Title: Brave Fencer Musashi
Developer: Square
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: July 16, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: Constituting Square's first attempt at developing a game utilizing entirely three-dimensional graphics, Brave Fencer Musashi is an action role-playing game featuring an ill-tempered, yet altruistic, protagonist.

The game's plot follows Musashi, a swordsman who has been summoned from a parallel world by a princess named Fillet. The princess informs Musashi that her realm, Allucanet Kingdom, is being invaded by the Thirstquencher Empire and that she requires his aid to drive them out. While he is not amused by being whisked away to assist others against his will, Musashi nevertheless agrees to help the princess against her promise that he will be returned to his own world.

The game is viewed from an overhead perspective as one directs Musashi through various environments. The in-game world features a day and night cycle, which affect the activities of NPCs in towns and dictates what creatures one encounters in the wild. Also, Musashi has got a fatigue rating which the player must pay close attention to. As his fatigue drops, his fighting potency and athletic abilities falters. Resting at regular intervals thereby becomes an integral part of gameplay. The player can choose to sleep in Musashi's private quarters at the castle for a full recovery, at an inn against a fee with identical results, or make camp outdoors for a partial recuperation, but with the added risk of being attacked by assorted monsters. As a temporary solution, the player can purchase a variety of food products for later consumption in order to delay the resting procedure. Combat takes place in real-time and occurs when players physically encounter the various enemies that roam different areas. Musashi always carries two swords with him, Fusion and Lumina, which work as his primary armaments. Fusion can be used to chain together assorted combos, but it can also absorb enemy skills, as well as so called "Bincho", which is the game's equivalent to mana. Lumina, on the other hand, often works in tandem with Fusion, but can also be granted certain non-combative skills that can be used for exploration purposes. In order to gain such skills, players must seek out scrolls bestowed with elemental powers. Furthermore, there are additional sword techniques that can be obtained by rescuing NPCs. Other abilities can only be attained by finding pieces of Legendary Armour, which are scattered throughout the world. Besides combat, there are reportedly mini game, platforming, and puzzle elements present which the player must overcome in order to progress through the game.

The original Playstation release of Brave Fencer Musashi has sold in excess of 1.1 million copies. Contemporary reviews appear to have been favourable, with critics praising the graphics, audio, and soundtrack; the latter composed by Tsuyoshi Sekito. The decision by the developers to implement a day and night cycle and link it to player character fatigue was recurrently lauded, as was the design choice to eschew random encounters in favour of a more physical presence on behalf of the various enemies. Also, the blending of role-playing and platforming elements seems to have appealed to reviewers. However, critics appear to have been decidedly less enthusiastic in regards to the game's plot, characters, and voice acting, where the two former were oft regarded as simplistic while the latter was repeatedly considered amateurish. Furthermore, the main quest's linear structure caused certain critics to call the title's replay value into question. On the technical side, certain writers observed that the game occasionally suffered from frame rate issues. Retrospective assessments seem to have remained comparably positive, and overall they appear to largely echo the sentiments expressed in in the sentences above.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 101

Spoiler

Title: Star Ocean: The Second Story
Developer: tri-Ace
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: July 30, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: The second installment in the Star Ocean series was also the first entry in the franchise to see an official international release.

Taking place twenty years after its predecessor, the plot of The Second Story follows Claude C. Kenny, a teenager serving as an ensign for the Earth Federation, and Rena Lanford, an orphaned Nedian (A species of humanoids with pointy ears) of similar age living on the planet Expel. Tasked with surveying a peculiar energy field on the planet Milocinia, Claude discovers a device of unknown origin. Whilst trying to conduct a closer examination, the unit turns out to be operational and teleports him to the planet Expel. There he meets Rena, who believes him to be the Hero of Light, a figure foretold by local legends, and decides to bring him back to her village, Arlia, to inform him of events that have plagued the inhabitants of Expel for some time.

At the start of the game players will be presented with a choice of which character they want to control: Claude or Rena. Depending on who is picked, the storyline will unfold differently in certain instances. Also, the various decisions players will make during the course of the game will dictate which of the over 80 endings they will receive. Gameplay is viewed from an overhead perspective utilizing two-dimensional character sprites projected onto pre-rendered backgrounds. Overall, the various elements and mechanics that made up the bulk of the first title have been retained in an unaltered state, such as the Private Actions mechanic. Battles still play out in real-time and occur through random encounters, only this time they feature an overhead perspective whilst rendering battlefields in a mixture of three-dimensional and pre-rendered environments. Combat controls adhere to the same principles as before, with players directing a single party member, while the rest are supervised by the computer according to preset tactics. Finally, Symbology, Special Arts, and non-combat special abilities are all kept intact as key components of gameplay.

The original PlayStation release of The Second Story has sold roughly 1.1 million copies worldwide. Contemporary critical reception appears to have been favourable, with critics praising the various characterizations and Motoi Sakuraba's soundtrack. However, the opinions of reviewers in regards to the game's plot seem to have differed, as some pointed to it as one of the title's strong points while others considered its second half to not be on par with the earlier segments in terms of storytelling. That said, the harshest criticism appears to have been directed at the voice acting, which has recurrently been regarded as amateurish. Latter day examinations seem to remain comparably positive, with writers largely echoing the sentiments expressed in earlier assessments, while also emphasizing the game's lasting value as a primary asset; the main quest and assorted side quests have been estimated to require approximately 60 hours of time investment to complete in full.

 

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Game No. 102

Spoiler

Title: Dragon Warrior Monsters
Developer: Tose
Platform: Game Boy Color
Release Date: September 25, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: The first installment in a spin-off series to the main Dragon Quest titles, Dragon Warrior Monsters took the monster recruitment mechanic introduced in the fifth entry in the main series and expanded upon it, whilst also deriving certain gameplay elements from the Pokémon franchise. It was the first Dragon Quest related title to see an official European release, and is also a presumably rare example of a game that was released ahead of its intended platform, i.e. the Game Boy Color, although it is backward compatible with Nintendo's first handheld in the same line.

The plot serves as a prequel to Dragon Quest VI, incorporating characters from that particular title. You play as Terry, a child whose sister Milly has been kidnapped by a monster. Not long after his sibling's disappearance, Terry is contacted by yet another monster named Watabou, who informs him that Milly was kidnapped by a minion of a malevolent (wait for it..) monster known as Warubou. Watabou further argues that Terry ought to accompany him to the Kingdom of GreatTree if he is to have any chance of rescuing his sister. Terry complies, setting out for GreatTree where the king awaits him for an audience.

Gameplay is viewed from a top-down perspective and, according to the various sources I've perused, game progression goes something like this. Upon arrival at GreatTree the player will be bestowed with the first monster to train. After that, players will have to fight a succession of three battles in an arena in order to raise their rank, which will unlock so called Travelers' Gates and allow them to train more high-level monsters. These gates present the player with worlds to explore, new monsters to recruit, medals to collect, Foreign Masters to fight in exchange for assorted rewards, and boss battles. As players defeat progressively harder opponents in the arena, more such worlds will become available for exploration. Battles are turn-based and occur through random encounters as well as engagements with the aforementioned Foreign Masters. Active parties can contain up to three monsters. Excess monsters can be stored at a farm for future use. Through combat monsters gain experience points and level up, which increase their stats and grant them new abilities. Each monster can learn up to eight abilities, and in order for them to learn additional ones, older abilities must be forgotten. Initially, however, monsters won't fight freely for one's cause, and thus they must be tamed by a combination of feeding by meat and resting at the farm in order to secure their combat effectiveness. A monster which is dropped off awake at the farm will regain their wilderness level and thereby become less reliable in battle situations. Monsters come in different types, in turn belonging to larger families, and sexes, which determine their stats, abilities, and requirements for levelling. These factors are of central importance to the game's breeding mechanic. When players have attained a certain level in the arena, they can bring a female and a male monster to a shrine in order to breed a new monster, which will inherit stats and abilities from its parents. The end result of breeding will manifest itself in the form of an egg, which may be stored or hatched against a fee corresponding to the stats of the offspring. Later in the game, it is also possible to engage in sex selection of the offspring in question. Still, there are considerations pertaining to breeding one would do well to keep in mind. While bred monsters by rule have higher stats and more abilities than their wild counterparts, both parents are lost when breeding and the offspring will not carry over their experience levels. That said, there are reportedly both monsters and abilities present in the game that only become available through breeding.

I regret to inform that I've only found partial sales figures for the original Game Boy Color version of Dragon Warrior Monsters. These figures delimit themselves to the Japanese market, where the game has sold in excess of 2.3 million copies. It appears to have been met with generally favourable reviews. Critics seem to have been especially enthusiastic towards the breeding mechanic, recurrently referring to it as a distinguishing feature, as they thought the many combinations it presented provided gameplay with a measure of depth.

 

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Game No. 103

Spoiler

Title: Legend of Legaia
Developer: Prokion
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: October 29, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: Like some of its contemporaries, Legend of Legaia derived certain combat mechanics from those frequently incorporated into fighting games, yet recontextualized them for turn-based role-playing gameplay.

The story takes place in a fictional world called Legaia and follows Vahn, a hunter, Noa, a feral child, and Gala, a warrior monk. Legaia is populated by humans and creatures called Seru, who once lead a peaceful coexistence. But that relationship came to an end ten years prior to the beginning of the story when vast expanses of Legaia were blanketed in a baleful mist, which turned the Seru into hostile monsters and depopulated the majority of the human realms. Driven to hideouts in remote regions, humanity now seeks to revive the so called Genesis Trees in an attempt to dissolve the mist.

With the exception of certain two-dimensional backgrounds, graphics are entirely three-dimensional and the game is viewed from an overhead perspective. Initially, players are restricted to the town of Rim Elm, but as one progresses through the plot more locations become available for exploration. Eventually, each of the protagonists will enter a symbiotic relationship with entities called Ra-Serus, beings intimately connected to the Genesis Trees and who are immune to the mists effects. Ra-Serus amplify weapon damage and allow the protagonists to absorb hostile Serus and thus effectively utilize them as spells. Upon repeated usage, Serus will level up and increase in potency as well as gain additional abilities. Both Ra-Serus and Serus are associated with particular elements, which determine the spell effectiveness of the former and what kind of abilities can be expected by the latter. Battles are turn-based, occur through both random encounters and scripted events, and the order by which individual participants act is dictated by their speed stat and gear. When players issue attack commands they will be presented with four different strike directions, which will all have different impact depending on what opponent they face and what weapon they have equipped. Furthermore, these directions can be strung together into combos, whose lengths are dependent on the weapon used and the length of the so called "action bar", whose capacity for combo moves increases as the given character rises through experience levels. There are also certain combos, called "Arts", that are significantly more powerful than others. In order to initiate these, one needs a specific number of so called "Arts Points". Such points can be acquired by executing successful attacks against various opponents, taking damage in combat, or by taking a defensive stance using the so called "Spirit" command. Moreover, Arts combos can be chained together given that one has sufficient Arts Points and that the second combo begins with the same directional strike that the first ends with.

In an unexpected reversal, I've been able to locate sales figures for Legend of Legaia in every region except Japan. These partial statistics amount to sales of over 650,000 copies. Contemporary reviews appear generally favourable, with critics citing the game's lasting value, derived from the length of the main quest and the amount of side quests present, and audio department, including voice acting, sound effects, and soundtrack (composed by Michiru Oshima), as strong points. The graphics, however, seem to have generated a mixed reception, and the battle system, while praised for its perceived ease of learning, has received repeated criticism for what has been referred to as a heavy reliance on combos, which these detractors have argued add an unwelcome repetitiveness to combat. That said, the most recurrent and harsh disapproval appears to have been directed at the plot and characterizations, where the former has been considered as lacking in surprising twists while the latter have been described as one-dimensional. It seems retrospective assessments have been of decidedly more mixed opinions than those conducted at the time of the title's release. These latter-day examiners appear to remain without a clear consensus on whether they regard the plot as worthwhile or not. Still, they do seem to agree that neither graphics nor sound effects have aged well.

 

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Game No. 104

Spoiler

Title: Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu
Developer: Genki
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: December 3, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: Perhaps serving as an indication of the first Pokemon games' influence from a design standpoint, Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu took relatively conventional Japanese role-playing game mechanics and built them around a central monster capturing and management component.

The plot follows Levant, a man living in a village called Syrus situated in a fictional world mostly covered with thick, hazardous forests populated by chiefly insectoid creatures called Minions. Syrus and other similar settlements have come to serve as sanctuaries of sorts from the various dangers that can be encountered in the surrounding woodlands. Until now. On the day of Levant's wedding, Syrus comes under assault by demonic entities called Onibubu, who proceed to put a large percentage of the villagers in a deep sleep. However, before the Onibubu can complete their malediction, they are repulsed by an aged, magic wielding woman named Garai, thus saving a portion of the villagers from sharing the same fate. Later, Levant is appointed Cocoon Master and tasked with venturing into the forests to find a herb that supposedly is able to remedy the villagers' condition.

Gameplay is viewed from an overhead perspective utilizing three-dimensional characters projected onto pre-rendered backgrounds. As Levant explores the woodlands he will encounter Minions which he can capture. The more Minions he captures, the higher he will raise his Capture Level, which in turn allows him to capture even more formidable Minions with ease. Captured Minions must then be purified, after which they can be used in combat, spun into silk (which apparently acts as currency), or merged with other Minions in order to create more potent ones. Merged minions derive stats and abilities from their "parents", and thus players would do well to preview the effects of merging. Minions also come in different types divided by the four classical elements, which form a rock-paper-scissor relationship between them. Furthermore, when merged, Minions can inherit up to two such elemental types, thus providing an additional layer of strategical implications to take into consideration. Battles are turn-based, occur through random encounters, and play out in a fashion rather similar to those found in the first generation of Pokemon games, with the marked difference that Levant himself can participate whilst using assorted weapons. By successfully defeating adversaries in combat one's Minions raise their experience levels, thus improving their battle effectiveness. Upon completion of the main quest, players are presented with a previously unavailable area called the Eternal Corridor; randomly generated areas containing previously unavailable weapons, items, and Minions, the latter of which will reportedly become progressively tougher as one advances. These areas can ostensibly go on indefinitely, but I ought to stress that once one enters these corridors there's apparently no turning back. By using a memory card, there's also an option to bring one's Minions into battle against those of other players by way of a feature called the Battle Arena.

Curiously, this is the second time in a row that I have failed to find sales figures for the Japanese market whilst securing commercial statistics elsewhere for a given title. Even so, these numbers for the original PlayStation version of Jade Cocoon indicate sales exceeding 250,000 copies. Contemporary publications appear to have given the game a generally favourable reception, with critics recurrently praising its graphics, while also lauding the audio department, including sound effects, the soundtrack (composed by Kimitaka Matsumae), and the voice acting. Nevertheless, reviewers seem to have been less enthusiastic towards the length of the main quest, estimated to take roughly 15 hours to complete, which they repeatedly deemed too short. And although the title allowed one to merge caught creatures as well as let the player character participate in a more direct manner during battles, some critics still considered it too derivative of the Pokemon games.

 

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Game No. 105

Spoiler

Title: Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: December 17, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: The first installment in the Marl Kingdom series of tactical role-playing games, Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is the only entry in the franchise to date to see an official release outside of Japan. The series has oft been noted for its story presentation, which incorporate a substantial amount of song numbers, an element commonly associated with musicals.

The plot follows Cornet Espoir, a young woman who possess an ability to communicate with puppets, in her quest to rescue her beloved Prince Ferdinand, who has fallen under a petrification spell cast by a witch named Marjoly.

Gameplay is viewed from an overhead perspective utilizing two-dimensional sprite based characters projected onto pre-rendered backgrounds. The game does not feature an overworld, instead dividing the world into smaller locations which become available as one progress through the story, all accessible by selecting their respective icons on the world map. While the various towns are populated with the usual NPCs and shops, there are no weapons or armours to be bought, as Cornet relies on her trusty trumpet (!) in combat. There is, however, an assortment of stat-boosting accessories available for purchase. Units in this game come in the form of puppets, some of which join Cornet's party throughout the course of the plot, while others must be found by exploration. Some puppets must first be defeated in battle before they join the party. Additionally, certain monsters can be recruited, effectively converting them into puppets. Also, once recruited, puppets may provide side quests to pursue. The active party consists of Cornet flanked by up to three puppets at any given time; all other puppets which have been recruited will be put in a menu-based reserve. Battles are turn-based, occur through random encounters, and are presented in an isometric projection perspective. Movement is made upon a grid of squares, and while the puppets are the ones who engage in melee combat, Cornet takes on a support role. Puppets come equipped with certain skills and will acquire additional ones, as well as spells, as they level up. As puppets, skills, spells, and enemies are element based, deploying puppets that possess the appropriate abilities to take advantage of the elemental weaknesses of different foes becomes a key tactical component of battles. Through fighting, experience points and cash are gained, the former of which is earned collectively among party members. Furthermore, if any given puppet will deal the final blow to an adversary they will gain a skill point. The more skill points a puppet gains, the better their critical rate becomes. Cornet can provide her puppets with buffs by playing tunes on her trumpet. With each played tune, players also amass musical notes which may subsequently be expended on special attacks in the form of assorted foodstuffs, ranging from mildly damaging pieces of candy to utterly annihilating pancakes.

The unfortunate trend of failures to find sales figures for the Japanese market continues. Elsewhere, the original PlayStation release of Rhapsody accumulated sales totaling roughly 30,000 copies. Reviews appear mixed across the board. While critics generally seem to have liked the game's visual presentation, oft describing the graphics as colourful, its other features appear to have met a less favourable response. The soundtrack, with its relatively heavy emphasis on song numbers, seem to have divided reviewers, some finding that it added to the title's appeal, while others found the vocal performances amateurish. Further, the plot has repeatedly received criticism for lacking in surprises. But the arguably harshest remarks appears to have been directed at the length of the main quest, estimated to last approximately 15 hours, and the absence of major side quests; two factors that have been perceived to lend comparatively little lasting value and few incentives for multiple playthroughs to the game.

 

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Game No. 106

Spoiler

Title: Suikoden II
Developer: Konami
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: December 17, 1998 (Japan)

Comment: Released on the same day as the previous entry in this chronicle, the second installment in the Suikoden series is based on a story script penned before that of the first title came into existence.

The plot takes place three years after the first game and follows a protagonist bearing the name of one's choice. The protagonist, along with a childhood friend named Jowy Atreides, serve as members of the Youth Division of the army of the Kingdom of Highland. The kingdom has enjoyed a ceasefire with the neighbouring City States of Jowston for some time. But war is about to spark anew. When the story begins, the camp at which the protagonist and Jowy are stationed comes under attack. The two young men soon realize that the assailants are actually Highlanders and escape the camp by throwing themselves into a nearby river, effectively rendering them the sole survivors of the onslaught. Later, Luca Blight, prince and heir to the Highland Kingdom, is informed of the events at the camp. Blaming the City States of Jowston, the prince orders the army to prepare an offensive. Meanwhile, the currents have separated the protagonist and Jowy, thus putting them on different paths in the upcoming conflict.

The game retains the top-down perspective and two-dimensional graphics of its predecessor while once again featuring an overworld dotted with towns and dungeons to explore, only this time with an assortment of minigames added. Like the previous title in the franchise, Suikoden II features a sizable cast of recruitable characters; 108 in total. Additionally, those who finished the first game can transfer their save data, which will provide a number of benefits. These include various boosts to those characters who return from the first installment, items not available elsewhere throughout the game, and a hidden sidequest. This particular feature would become a staple of future entries in the series. The three battle modes return, and according to the sources I've perused, Regular battles and Duels remain unaltered. However, Army Battles have been expanded upon. The rock-paper-scissor relationship between different types of units is still present, but movement during these confrontations now takes place across square grids, and attacks can now be performed in three different ways; standard, Rune-based, and special attacks. Furthermore, players can now attach recruitable characters to individual units, thereby providing these with stat boosts or special abilities. Still, such decisions are not without risks, as should a given unit perish in battle, the character that was assigned to that particular unit will join their demise. The Rune-based magic system is at its core left largely unchanged. That said, the number of slots available to assign Runes for each character has been increased, and party members now possess varying degrees of affinities towards Runes of different elemental types, which can work to both strengthen as well as lessen the effects of spells depending on what character have been assigned a particular Rune.

The original PlayStation version of Suikoden II has sold in excess of 650,000 copies. Contemporary professional reviews appear to have been generally favourable, with reviewers referring to the game's plot and sheer amount of content as strong points. At the time, critics also seem to have been in agreement that II didn't bring any drastic changes or game changing additions to the formula established in its predecessor, but rather constituted a refinement of the assorted mechanics. Retrospective assessments appear to largely echo the sentiments expressed when the title was first released.

As a final note, I've found multiple sources which indicate that, with time, boxed copies of this game has become increasingly hard to come by due to a reportedly limited print run, thus causing the title to be considered a collector's item, with prices apparently ranging from $90 for used copies to $300 for sealed ones. However, this situation has apparently been mitigated by its release on PlayStation Network, which occurred in the tail-end of 2014/early 2015 depending on where you live. Still, these accounts are rather vague as to whether this shortage of physical copies was a worldwide phenomenon or if it only affected certain regions, such as the European or North American. Anyone with further insights in the matter would be most welcome to share them in this thread.

 

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Game No. 107

Spoiler

Title: Live A Live
Developer: Square
Platform: Super Famicom
Release Date: September 2, 1994 (Japan)

Comment: The 107th entry in this chronicle is also the first retroactive inclusion, courtesy of [URL="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Arkliem" (title,target)]Arkliem[/URL]. Live A Live is a role-playing game in which the player is presented with seven different characters, each with their own distinct story chapter, setting, and gameplay features. Since the title has never seen an official release outside of Japan, English speaking players will have to make do with a fan translation.

The story chapters can reportedly be played in any order, but I'll go through them in chronological succession for the sake of general arbitrariness. One chapter takes place in a fictionalized prehistoric setting where the player assumes the role of Pogo, a caveman, in his efforts to help a woman named Bel remain hidden from her tribe who were going to sacrifice her to a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Another chapter is set in ancient China, where an aging kung-fu master is out exact revenge on a rival dojo who killed two of his students. A third takes place during the Bakumatsu period in Japan, with players controlling Oboro-maru, a member of a ninja clan called Enma. Oboro-maru has been tasked by his clan with rescuing an individual held prisoner in a castle. A fourth chapter is set in the American Old West and revolves around an outlaw called the Sundown Kid, who upon arrival in the small community of Success Town discovers that the locals are recurrently being harassed by a group of bandits referred to as the Crazy Bunch. Teaming up with an old rival, a bounty hunter called Mad Dog, Sundown decides to lend his aid to the locals in an attempt to put an end to the bandits' grip on the town. A fifth one takes place in a roughly contemporary setting, where a man named Masaru Takahara is setting out to become the world's strongest fighter by fighting masters of various fighting disciplines. A sixth heads off into the near future and follows a young orphan endowed with psychic powers named Akira Tadokoro in his investigations into the activities of a biker gang called the Crusaders and their connection to a series of recent kidnappings. A seventh goes even further into the distant future whilst relating the story of a spherical robot named Cube (?), serving onboard the ship Cogito Ergosum (yeah, you read that right..) as it is returning to Earth, carrying a fierce alien life form known as a Behemoth in its cargo hold. All is going according to plan when a series of events including technical malfunctions, the loss of a crew member in a fatal accident, and the Behemoth escaping captivity, leaves the remaining crewmembers in a state of increased distrust for one another as they struggle to stay alive. Upon completion of the above described chapters, an eight one is unlocked, which takes place in a medieval fantasy realm where a knight named Oersted sets out to rescue a princess named Alicia. This segment is then followed by a ninth chapter, which apparently ties the previous chapters together.

The game is viewed from a top-down perspective and gameplay differ in certain aspects depending on what chapter one is currently playing. For instance, in the prehistoric segment one has to utilize Pogo's sense of smell to initiate battles, the chapter set during the Bakumatsu period incorporates elements commonly associated with stealth games, and the contemporary segment reportedly plays like a fighting game. Unifying the chapters is a common battle system, which is turn-based, takes place on a grid of squares, and allows players to bring up to four party members. The system appears to, judging by the various descriptions I've perused, to be a largely conventional affair, incorporating various offensive and defensive maneuvers, items, special abilities, stat boosts, and ailments. However, the combat system also seem to distinguish itself by eschewing a magic points mechanic in favour of an arrangement where special abilities come with varying charge times before they are unleashed. Such abilities provide assorted direct or indirect benefits to the player characters. Also, hit points automatically refills after successful battles.

The original Super Famicom version of Live A Live has sold in excess of 300,000 copies. I have only found five professional reviews and I will therefore avoid commenting any further on how this games was received upon release. Though, I will mention that most of those reviews appear positive.

 

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Game No. 108

Spoiler

Title: Treasure of the Rudras
Developer: Square
Platform: Super Famicom
Release Date: April 5, 1996 (Japan)

Comment: Another retroactive entry, also courtesy of [URL="{url}" (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Arkliem)]Arkliem[/URL]. Treasure of the Rudras is a role-playing game developed by Square and reportedly the last title that company developed for the Super Famicom. The game has been noted for two features. Firstly, its magic system, which gave players a wide assortment of options to adjust the effects of spells. Secondly, the plot incorporates concepts lifted from Indian religions, such as the notion of time as a cyclical entity characterized by repeating ages. While the game has never seen an official release outside of Japan, an English language fan translation exists.

The game takes place in a fictional world during the fifteen last days before an approaching apocalypse. The plot is divided into four segments, out of which the first three can be played in any order. One of these segments follows Sion, a soldier who aspires to become the strongest fighter in the land. Another narrates the endeavours of a priestess named Riza, who sets out to fulfill a prophecy that involves purifying the Earth. A third relates an episode involving an archaeologist named Surlent, who has initiated an investigation into a possible link between a recently unearthed relic called the Lago Stone and the upcoming cataclysm. The fourth segment apparently binds these three story threads together.

The game is viewed from a top-down perspective and has players explore an overworld dotted with towns and dungeons. The world is populated with various NPCs to interact with and shops to purchase gear from. Battles occur through random encounters and are turn-based. The perhaps most distinguished feature of this combat system is its word-based spell mechanics. These words are called Mantras and are constructed using a prefix, an elemental core, and a suffix. The elemental core consists of a root word which, as the name suggests, is elementally charged. There are eight magical elements plus healing spells. When combined with prefixes and suffixes, a root word's power, magic point depletion, and range will alter to some degree. Prefixes and Suffixes may also endow a given root word with status effects of different kinds. Mantras are spelled out when cast and thus players can replicate those used by enemies by writing down the words in question and enter them into their spell books. Outside of such skirmishes, Mantras and their components are acquired through talking to NPCs and reading books. There are also unique Mantras, found through exploration, consisting solely of an elemental core, that are designed to perform at optimal capacity without the use of prefixes and suffixes.

The Super Famicom release of Treasure of the Rudras has sold approximately 150,000 copies. I regret to inform that I've only found three professional reviews, which I hardly find to be a solid basis for further statements on how this game was received. That said, all three examinations appear to be more or less positive.