The Great Chronicle of Console RPGs Thread

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 128

Spoiler

Title: Breath of Fire IV
Developer: Capcom
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: April 27, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: A prequel to the previous installments in the series, Breath of Fire IV, although not as commercially successful as III, appears to have garnered a markedly more positive critical reception over time than its immediate predecessor. However, certain plot elements were subjected to censorship prior to the international release outside of Japan. The cut content included a decapitation, a number of scenes that were perceived to contain sexual implications, and manifestations of alcoholism in one of the party members were instead depicted as symptoms of a speech impediment.

Taking place an undisclosed number of years before the first game, the plot relates the tale of two war-torn continents. At the beginning of the game proper, Nina, princess of the Kingdom of Wyndia, and Cray, leader of the Woren clan are out searching for Elina, Nina's older sister and an envoy dispatched on a diplomatic mission, who's been missing for some time. Traveling by aircraft, they are attacked by a dragon, causing them to crash. While Cray guards their flier, Nina sets out for the nearby town of Sarai to look for spare parts. Before reaching the town, she stumbles upon a crater wherein she is confronted by a dragon. Before either have time to act, the dragon transforms into a human man. Remembering nothing but his name, Ryu, he is persuaded by Nina to lend his aid in finding her sister. Meanwhile, Fou-lu, former ruler of the western continent and a divine being who constitutes one half of a deity called Yorae who was summoned by mortals in ancient times, has reawakened after more than six centuries of slumber. Although his powers are weakened by his long dormancy, he is still intent on regaining his position as emperor of the Western Fou Empire, and on reclaiming his godhood by finding his counterpart somewhere in the realms.

Once again, the game is presented from a rotatable isometric projection perspective, although it cannot be tilted this time around. Character models are yet again rendered using two-dimensional sprites while environments are presented in three-dimensional graphics. Most gameplay staples of the franchise are apparently still present, but many have undergone overhauls, and others are completely new to the series. First off, the Dragon Gene System has been scrapped. Instead, there are a number of dragon forms one can transform into that are unlocked progressively as one advances through the main quest. Some of these forms can be upgraded, but as the player character rise through experience levels and upgrade said forms, they require an increasingly high amount of ability points to summon and maintain. The Master system introduced in the previous entry has been retained, but abilities are now learned by fulfilling certain criteria rather than attaining a predetermined experience level. Once more, players may engage in the construction of a fairy village and thereby gain access to further benefits of various kinds, but players must apparently devote themselves to an increased amount of micro management in order to reap the rewards. The series' signature fishing feature returns and certain sources I've perused would indicate that the learning curve of this particular facet of gameplay has been increased sharply due to more technically demanding mechanics. The battle system has been revised with two major additions and one (unconfirmed) jettison. To begin with, a combo system has been integrated into combat. If a player manages to pull off certain abilities or spells in a specific predefined order, they will unleash attacks more potent than standard ones or grant their team members other beneficial effects. Also introduced is a new "back row" mechanic. Essentially working as a reserve pool, this feature allows one to switch party members in and out of battles at will. While unable to contribute to fights directly, characters placed in the back row will regain hit points and mana each round. Finally, I've found no references to the Examine command introduced in III, and I will therefore assume it has been discarded.

The PlayStation version of Breath of Fire IV mustered just over half the sales of those of its immediate predecessor, peaking at roughly 550,000 copies sold. On the other hand, professional reviews appear decidedly more favourable when compared to those of III. Having said that, I ought to emphasize that the greater majority of those I've found are of the retrospective variety. There seems to be a wide consensus among critics that, in terms of gameplay, the game offers nothing that hasn't been done before. But at the same time, they frequently maintain that what it has to offer is impeccably executed. Yoshino Aoki's soundtrack appears to be the most recurrently praised feature, but the audio department as a whole has received positive remarks. Furthermore, the revisions made to the battle system seem to have been met with approval. Yet, reviewers' sentiments towards the graphics appears to range from indifference to outright dissatisfaction, and the rotatable camera might very well be the most repeatedly criticized feature of the game. Lastly, while writers for various publications seem to agree that the title has ample amounts of content to offer, some has argued that it lacks incentives for multiple playthroughs.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 129

Spoiler

Title: Evergrace
Developer: FromSoftware
Platform: PlayStation 2
Release Date: April 27, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: Released on the same day as the previous entry, Evergrace was an early role-playing game for the PlayStation 2 and a launch title for the system in North America and Europe.

The story is set in a fictional world on a continent called Edinbury, once harbouring a vast assembly of nations known as the Rieubane Empire. Morpheus, a Rieubane magician, sought to learn more of the Crest, markings on the hands of certain individuals that are thought to bring misfortune to those who bear them. He eventually linked a group of people who worshipped the Crest to the village of Toledo beyond the Rieubane border and launched a military campaign with the goal of studying its inhabitants. However, shortly after the village had been subjugated, both the Rieubane Empire and Toledo vanished off the face of Edinbury, instead becoming overgrown with the so called Billiana Forest. A hundred years later, the collective memory of these events has faded and four villages have sprung up in the realms of the former Rieubane Empire. In one of these villages, Solta, lives a young man named Darius who bears the Crest. Solta is also the home of Sharline, a young woman and a friend of Darius. For years, Solta has been engaged in a political dispute with Morea, one of the other three villages, over the Billiana Forest. While the inhabitants of Morea worship the trees of the forest, the Solteans fear that the forest is slowly but surely bereaving Edinbury of life. At the start of the game proper, this dispute has escalated into full-scale war, separating Darius and Sharline while linking their fates to events that transpired a century prior.

Gameplay is viewed from a third-person perspective and features two main quests, one for Darius and one for Sharline. Players can switch between the two protagonists once they reach save points. While the game reportedly adheres to conventions commonly found in various action role-playing games, there's apparently no traditional experience points system present. Instead, character progression relies on the so called Palmira system, which focuses upon acquiring increasingly powerful gear in order to improve character stats, whilst also further bolstering pieces of equipment by combining them with assorted crystals found throughout the game. The Palmira system also governs what special abilities a given piece of gear grants the user, and how these are affected should said item be upgraded. Also of note is that equipment degrades with use and thus needs to be repaired at certain intervals. Battles play out in real-time and how quickly one moves directly affects a percentage value which indicates how much damage one deals upon a successful hit, with slower movement increasing damage percentage. Furthermore, when the player character is low on hit points this value rises at a quicker pace. Bear in mind that attacks exhaust the player character. Powerful attacks demand more of the above mentioned percentage value than standard ones, and special abilities granted by the Palmira system completely empties this value. Upon defeat, enemies drop gems and other treasures used to purchase more potent gear.

Evergrace has sold approximately 350,000 copies worldwide. Critical reception appears to have been mixed and displays a relatively high degree of consensus concerning how the product was perceived in an overall sense among the various publications. Reviewers commonly point out that the game was originally intended for the first PlayStation system and proceed to base their observations in regards to its graphics and audio department on this information. These critics often argue that, because of these circumstances, the title doesn't fully take advantage of the second PlayStation's more powerful GPU and audio hardware. The actual gameplay, on the other hand, seems to have met a lukewarm response. While the reviews I've perused do not necessarily find any major faults with the game mechanics, writers do not appear to show enthusiasm towards any particular facet of gameplay either. To summarize, critics seem to find Evergrace a serviceable product that offers little replay value once players have finished their first playthrough.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 130

Spoiler

Title: Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Developer: Atlus
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: June 29, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: Released just over a year after Innocent Sin, Eternal Punishment constitutes a direct sequel to that title. Conceived during the development of the former, the key gameplay mechanics of the latter were lifted from its immediate predecessor whilst undergoing tweaking. Consequently, the thematic contents of Innocent Sin were also reused. Additionally, this installment marked the return of the Persona series to the American market.

Featuring the same setting as Innocent Sin but taking place in an alternate timeline, the main protagonist of Eternal Punishment is Maya Amano, a reporter who takes interest in the Joker phenomenon. Her investigation leads her to the Seven Sisters high school, where she, accompanied by her close friend Ulala Serizawa and older brother Katsuya Suou who is also a police sergeant, discovers that the school principal has met an untimely demise. Little do they know that the Joker lies in wait for them.

Gameplay mechanics and presentation are reportedly virtually identical to that of Innocent Sin, save for two details. Firstly, the conversation system has been tweaked so that individual party members now only have one single conversation skill which they can employ whilst talking to various demons. On the other hand, these skills can be combined by selecting two party members, thus yielding further techniques to choose from during such encounters. Secondly, there are two story branches present. Which one you get depends on which of two particular characters you recruit to your party.

The original PlayStation release of Eternal Punishment has sold roughly 350,000 copies. Reviews are generally favourable, although those I've found are nearly all retrospective. Critics have repeatedly praised the sheer amount of content the title has on offer, its plot, the mechanics surrounding demon conversation, and the character customization system. As for the latter, reviewers appear especially enthusiastic about the various ways one can enhance one's party members' stats through Persona creation. However, the game's aural facets seem to have met a more mixed response, with laudations directed at the soundtrack (composed by Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, and Masaki Kurokawa), while the sound effects have been deemed as sub-par when compared to other PlayStation titles in the genre. There are also areas where critics appear to have been more uniformly unenthusiastic. The game's graphics have been criticized for lagging behind its contemporaries, and the combat system, wherein players distribute commands to all their party members at the same time during their turn, has received disapproval for its perceived necessitation of frequent interruptions in order to revise group tactics and individual actions as battles proceed. Yet, the most recurrently disliked feature seems to be the English translation. While not an outright mistranslation, reviewers have raised objections to the style in which dialogue is written, referring to parts of it as stiff.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 131

Spoiler

Title: Record of Lodoss War: Advent of Cardice
Developer: Neverland Co.
Platform: Dreamcast
Release Date: June 29, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: Emerging on the Japanese market the same day as the previous entry in this chronicle, Record of Lodoss War: Advent of Cardice is an action role-playing game loosely based on an anime series, in turn based on a series of fantasy novels written by Ryo Mizuno.

The plot relates the tale of a champion who has been restored to life by a sorcerer named Wart in order to combat a malevolent goddess called Cardice.

The game is viewed from an isometric projection perspective and features fully three-dimensional graphics. Gameplay appears to exhibit similarities to the first Diablo. Players explores their surroundings from a central hub called the Goblin fortress, wherein they can interact with a wizard, a blacksmith, buy health potions, and save their game. Battles play out in real-time, allowing players to engage enemies in close combat using various weapons and by use of assorted magical spells. While the title features an experience points system, raising levels only nets an increase in hit points. In order to raise stats, players have to acquire increasingly better equipment. By delivering mithril and plaques to the resident blacksmith it is possible to meld these with various types of gear in order to enhance stats. Mithril is usually dropped by various enemies, while Plaques are obtained by finding stone tablets scattered throughout the assorted environments. Plaques are imbued with various magic spells, which improve stats, while mithril further strengthens the given effect of a Plaque in accordance with how many pieces of the mineral one chooses to imbue a particular piece of equipment with. Moreover, it is also possible to re-forge the underlying piece of gear into another of the same type whilst keeping its enhancements, given that one can bring a copy of the object in question to the blacksmith.

I regret to inform that I have been unable to find any sales statistics for this title. Reviews, on the other hand, I have been able to locate in numbers I deem sufficient in order to give an estimation of how the game was received in a more general perspective. I will begin with stating that examiners, both contemporary and retrospective, have considered the game derivative of the first Diablo, and have often accompanied these sentiments with suppositions that one's eventual enjoyment of it will likely be consistent with one's enjoyment of Blizzard North's creation. Initial critical response appears to have been mixed. While reviewers seem to have liked the character customization system, the plot appears to have received fairly equal amounts of praise and dismissal, some referring to it as a primary incentive to plough on through the game, while others seems to have regarded it as one of the title's least noteworthy features. Having said that, the repetitive nature of gameplay appears to be the one facet of gameplay that has attracted the most severe criticism from these early writers. However, reviews dating from years following the discontinued production of the Dreamcast seem to indicate a marked shift of opinions among critics in this game's favour. These latter day critics echo the sentiments expressed by their above mentioned colleges regarding the character customization system, while also lauding the plot and the many nook and corners to explore. Yet, even though these retrospective assessments seem positive in an overall sense, disapproving remarks aren't completely absent. The frame rate has been cited as suffering from slowdowns at points, and the saving system, which only lets one save in the aforementioned goblin fortress, has been called into question. Finally, certain reviewers have pointed to the title's lack of online and co-op support as a missed opportunity.

 

[Bad Jim]

You are keeping backups of all this stuff aren't you? With the Escapist shedding staff I'd hate it if the site disappeared and took this epic thread with them.

 

[broadbandmink]

^Hmm, that's a sound piece of advice. I'll make backups as soon as I've got some time to spare.

To be honest, I haven't exactly been keeping myself up-to-date regarding the state of the Escapist as an employer. Have the staff mentioned anything that might have implications for the future of this forum?

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 132

Spoiler

Title: Final Fantasy IX
Developer: Square
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: July 7, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: The ninth main entry in the Final Fantasy franchise constituted the series' adieu to the fifth generation of consoles. Developed simultaneously with VIII, IX contrasted that title in that it formed a conscious attempt at bringing back several elements present in the early installments of the franchise. For starters, the developers sought to evoke the predominantly fantasy based setting of the very first game. Secondly, the character designs were reverted to the relatively disproportionate shapes of titles past. Thirdly, the systems for character progression and customization appear to have taken a cue from IV, whilst also blending these with mechanics hailing from other entries.

The plot follows Zidane Tribal, a teenage thief who has been tasked by Regent Cid of Lindblum with kidnapping Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII of Alexandria. Masquerading as a theatre troupe, Zidane and his collaborators are surprised to find that Garnet has been planning to seek refuge with Cid when an opportunity presents itself. The princess is worried about the recently unpredictable behaviour of Brahne, her mother and queen of Alexandria, and willingly accompanies Zidane as he and the rest of the troupe make their escape out of the capital. While doing so, they are joined by Vivi Ornitier, a black mage seeking adventure, and Adelbert Steiner, a knight sworn to protect princess Garnet. Upon reaching Cid, the party learns that he shares Garnet's concern for her mother. It seems their disquiet is not unfounded, as soon thereafter the armed forces of Alexandria launches an assault on the city-state of Burmecia. Realizing that they must somehow intervene in order to prevent this conflict from escalating any further, the party splits into two groups in order to concurrently confront Brahne and assess the situation in Burmecia.

The gameplay core of preceding installments is kept in a mostly unaltered state. A new feature of exploration is the so called Field Icon, which indicates that a point of importance is nearby. However, the arguably most significant addition to the exploration mechanics would probably be the so called Active Time Events, which come in multiple varieties. These may let players watch events unfold elsewhere, provide plot-based character development, yield special items, present players with important plot-related decisions, or give one simultaneous control of two teams in order to overcome certain obstacles. As in VIII, a collectible card mini-game is present, although now it is called "Tetra Master" and features a revised ruleset.

It appears the system for character customization present in IV has been reinstated, although with certain modifications. All playable characters come with preset classes and feature unique special abilities. As a result, the Junction system has been discarded in favour of mechanics revolving around the accumulation of Ability Points, which fuel the acquisition of new special abilities. Such abilities now come in two types: action and support abilities. Action abilities deplete magic points and include spells as well as other one-time powers that are activated by executing specific commands. Support abilities, on the other hand, provide boosts and other beneficial effects that last indefinitely, but require magic stones to function. The amount of stones that can be assigned to a particular Support ability increase as one climb through experience levels.

The battle system has yet again been subjected to alterations. Reintroduced from the earlier entries in the series is the ability to bring up to four party members into combat. Purchasable weapons and armor have been brought back and individual pieces of gear now come with unique special abilities, which can be utilized once equipped by a character of the appropriate class. But, should a party member amass a sufficient amount of Ability Points by repeatedly winning battles, the special ability in question remains available even without having whatever piece of gear it was tied to equipped. This process can be sped up further by equipping multiple items endowed with the same special ability. Limit Breaks have been replaced with the so called Trance mode. Though, like the Limit Breaks in VII, Trance mode features a meter which fills as party members suffer damage. Once filled, Trance mode is activated and bestows a given character with improved stats and unlocks special abilities otherwise unavailable. Summons are still present, but are restricted to two specific party members.

The levelling system has been reverted to a state where players are required to acquire increasing quantities of experience points in order to raise levels. Additionally, level-scaling among enemies has been scrapped. Like in VIII, boss battles do not yield experience points, but they do grant Ability Points. Also, what equipment party members are currently using determines the growth rate of their stats.

The original PlayStation release of Final Fantasy IX has amassed international sales in excess of 5 million copies. Reviewers seem to have been positively captivated by what the game has on offer, with the most recurrent praise going to the graphics and plot, the latter receiving particular commendations for what several critics has deemed to be a satisfying ending. Further laudations have been directed at the title's various characters, with writers oft referring to these as a lively and humorous departure from the numerous serious individuals permeating VII and VIII. Additionally, the cinematics and sheer amount of content present have met with approval from reviewers, the former for rounding out the overall visual presentation, the latter for providing persevering players with an estimated 80 hours of time investment before they've finished the main story, the side quests, and the assorted mini-games. Yet, even though most critics do not appear to express outright disapproval of any given feature present in the title, it seems one of the more explicit design decisions was, at least at the time of IX's original release, regularly perceived as a cause for concern. While many examiners both recognized and even exhibited approbation towards IX's intended synthesis of various gameplay elements featured in the series up until this point, others opined that the game's reliance on proven gameplay mechanics was its chief shortcoming, arguing that it constituted a rehash that, if replicated with future installments, might contribute to a waning popular interest in the franchise as a whole. Nevertheless, this particular dispute does not appear to have affected a seemingly greater consensus among professional reviewers, which cites IX as a worthy conclusion to the Final Fantasy series' run on the original PlayStation.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 133

Spoiler

Title: Grandia II
Developer: Game Arts
Platform: Dreamcast
Release Date: August 3, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: The second installment in the Grandia series is commonly ranked as one of the Dreamcast's lead role-playing games. Perhaps serving as an indication of its enduring reputation as such, the title has been ported several times to various platforms, the latest of which was an enhanced version released on PCs by way of Steam and GOG.com called Grandia II Anniversary Edition.

The plot is yet again set in a fictional world. Thousands of years prior to the events depicted during gameplay, a battle was fought between Granas, the god of light, and Valmar, the god of darkness. Though emerging victorious, Granas was unable to completely annihilate Valmar and instead split the dark god into fragments which were dispersed across the lands. After the conflict, mortals founded a church dedicated to the worship of Granas and initiated missionary activities with the goal of spreading their word of benevolence amongst humans. Players are cast in the role of Ryudo, who supports himself by offering his services as a so called Geohound; a mercenary of sorts. Employed by the church of Granas, Ryudo is tasked with escorting a songstress named Elena to a ceremony at a location called Garmia tower. Upon arrival, Ryudo is requested to wait outside while the ceremony is performed. Hearing somebody cry out, he rushes inside and finds that many attendees have somehow perished. He manages to rescue Elena and they decide to seek refuge in the village of Carbo, where Elena grew up. But as it turns out, this was but the first of many similarly fateful encounters.

Once more, the game is presented from an overhead perspective, but graphics are completely three-dimensional this time around. The character progression system has undergone some alterations. In addition to general experience points, one now earns Special Coins through battle which can be invested into the development of character-specific abilities and secondary skills, the latter of which boost assorted character attributes. Secondary skills can only be attained by first finding Skill Books. Mana Eggs are still present, but their mechanics have been subjected to a series of overhauls. Eggs are yet again tied to different categories of magic, but instead of trading in the Eggs themselves for new spells, party members now gain Magic Coins through combat, which can be used to bestow a particular Egg with additional spells or improve existing ones. Furthermore, since spells are tied to specific Eggs rather than characters, they can now be utilized by any party member as long as the Egg in question is in their personal possession. The battle system of the first game remains intact, but now contains a more prominent real-time element. One still has to physically collide with enemies in order to initiate combat and the order by which each combatant take their turns is once again dictated by a bar at the bottom of the screen. However, the range between one's party members and the various opponents is now a factor to take into consideration. Consequently, the battle system now supports limited real-time movement in order to allow one to close the distance to enemies that are to be struck with melee attacks, and to escape area-of-effect spells. Also returning is the possibility to cancel or delay attacks still waiting to get executed. Though, bear in mind that opponents are also able to move around, thereby preemptively striking party members or evading incoming attacks.

Sales for Grandia II have proven surprisingly hard to gauge, as I've only been able to find partial sales statistics. Those belonging to the original Dreamcast release are restricted to the Japanese market and amount to roughly 200,000 copies. However, figures pertaining to the version released for the PlayStation 2 only encompass commercial areas outside of Japan and fall just short of the 300,000 mark. Thusly, a conservative lower estimate for multi-platform sales could reasonably reach totals exceeding 500,000 copies. Both contemporary and retrospective reviews appear generally favourable, and early as well as latter day critics share enthusiastic remarks concerning the game's assorted characters, graphics and voice acting. Contemporary reviewers have directed especial praise towards the battle system, oft maintaining that the inclusion of limited real-time movement adds a need to repeatedly reassess the tactical situation in a manner they consider well-executed. Other facets these early writers found to their liking include the English translation, the sound effects, and the revamped character customization system for the numerous options it provides. Retrospective examiners have further mentioned Noriyuki Iwadare's soundtrack as a strong point. Yet, these latter day critics seem to differ on whether the title's estimated 35-40 hours worth of content could be deemed sufficient when compared to its contemporaries in the genre. In contrast, while neither contemporary nor retrospective reviewers explicitly pan the plot, a greater majority of them seems to regard it as predictable and protracted, recurrently citing it as the game's least compelling feature. As a final note, latter day writers have expressed dislike for the relatively linear design of the game, arguing that most of it might very well be covered on the first playthrough and thus reduce incentives for further replays.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 134

Spoiler

Title: Paper Mario
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Platform: Nintendo 64
Release Date: August 11, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: Originally designated Super Mario RPG 2, Paper Mario instead became the first installment in a separate spin-off series within the Mario franchise. Developed by Intelligent Systems, the game derives certain gameplay mechanics from Super Mario RPG while featuring a distinct art design.

Receiving a party invitation from Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi head off to her castle to participate in the festivities. However, Bowser, up to his usual antics, decides to make a grand entrance at the party by first hoisting Peach's castle into the sky on top of his own, followed by inviting himself to the event. Naturally, Mario makes an attempt to stop him but fails, as the king of Koopas has enhanced his powers with the aid of a magical rod. Knocked out cold, Mario is ejected from the party through a window, plummeting back to the soil of the Mushroom Kingdom. Having hit the ground, a group of enigmatic stars arrives and help Mario recover from his fall. One of them tries to communicate, and introduces itself as Eldstar, a Star Spirit. Implying that it has vital information concerning the Princess and the Mushroom Kingdom, Eldstar requests that Mario head for a location called Shooting Star Summit, where he will receive further details. Never one to be deterred by temporary setbacks, our moustachioed plumber sets out to rendezvous with Eldstar and the other Star Spirits.

The game is viewed from a side-scrolling perspective and utilizes two-dimensional characters resembling flat paper figurines projected against three-dimensional environments. Gameplay once again features a mix of exploration, platforming, and turn-based battles, while plot progression is divided into chapters. At the end of each chapter, the game provides players with a short interlude in which one play as Princess Peach. Some of these episodes reportedly feature a prominent stealth element.

Early on in the game, Mario obtains a trusty hammer which can be used both to overcome various obstacles in the exploration segments and against assorted foes during battles. Scattered throughout the various locations are NPCs, which may provide clues and purchasable equipment. Also dispersed throughout the game are Badges, which bestow Mario with assorted enhancements, such as new attacks and stat boosts. But these require Badge Points in order to function, thus restricting the number of Badges that can be equipped simultaneously. Additionally, there are various mini-games to pursue, many of which reward the player with so called Star Pieces, which may be exchanged for Badges.

As was the case with Super Mario RPG, Mario is the sole party member in the beginning of the game, but as one progresses through the main quest he is joined by additional characters comprised of various enemy types lifted from the main games, each of whom comes with an unique special ability which can be used to solve assorted puzzles. Only one of these can accompany Mario at a time, but players may switch between party members as they see fit.

Battles are turn-based, initiates when one collides with enemies in the field, and allow for usage of standard attacks, items, and special techniques granted by Star Spirits or Badges. Depending on which side first came into contact with the other in the field, the player or the opponent may be granted a first strike advantage. Mario's standard attacks come in two varieties: Jump or hammer attacks. Jump attacks have long range and can hit airborne enemies, but can also backfire if the opponent comes with a spiked shell or the like. On the other hand, hammer attacks can only attack the closest ground targets, but also lets Mario evade hazards of the above mentioned type. The Timed Hits system makes a return, allowing players to boost the effects of various commands, although it has been renamed Action Commands. Flower Points are still present, and are consumed when players execute special techniques. Although the aforementioned party members assist Mario during battles with their own unique set of battle commands, they have no Hit Points of their own and are thus only paralyzed when struck by enemy attacks.

Defeating enemies in battle earns Mario Star Points (i.e. Experience Points). The game features a fixed levelling system wherein Mario is consistently granted a higher level every one hundred Star Point. Once he reaches a higher level, Mario can choose to increase his Hit Points, Flower Points or Badge Points. The other party members have ranks that can be increased by finding and smashing so called Super Blocks, thereby strengthening their attack power and letting them learn new commands. In order to increase their rank a second time, players must first find a certain upgrade item and then locate another Super Block.

The N64 version of Paper Mario has accumulated worldwide sales nearing 1.4 million copies. Contemporary critical reception appears to have been generally favourable, and latter day reviews seem to exhibit roughly comparable enthusiasm. Both contemporary and retrospective reviews direct praise towards the graphics, and several display sentiments arguing that the game could serve as a fine introduction to the genre for newcomers, while also providing enough depth in its mechanics to maintain interest amongst more seasoned players. Additionally, contemporary critics have delivered laudations towards the audio department, citing both sound effects and soundtrack (composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko and Taishi Senda) as fitting complements to the title's overall presentation, as well as the mix of platforming and role-playing mechanics, while latter day writers have expressed approval for the timing based Action Commands feature of the battle system. Having said that, neither reviews hailing from the time of the game's original release nor those conducted in later years are completely exempt of disapproval. Contemporary examiners seem particularly dissatisfied with the relatively linear main quest, contending that it discourages multiple playthroughs. Further, they have aimed criticism towards the side quests, referring to them as tedious, explicitly pointing to one wherein Mario help one of his party members... deliver mail. Also, these early reviewers have perceived the various puzzles as too easy to provide any worthwhile challenge. Finally, retrospective critics appear to regard the plot as one of the game's weaker facets, deeming it predictable.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 135

Spoiler

Title: Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Developer: Heartbeat
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: August 26, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: Released after a five year absence, the seventh installment in the main Dragon Quest series could be argued to have been released in a markedly different video game landscape than that which greeted its immediate predecessor. When Realms of Revelation had hit the market, the Super Famicom still accounted for the majority of role-playing games released on the console market. But in the ensuing years, Sony's PlayStation platform came to attract enough developers to eventually attain commercial dominance in the genre over its competitors. Reflecting this development, Fragments of the Forgotten Past was initially intended for the Nintendo 64DD peripheral, but in early 1997 Enix announced that the game would instead be exclusively tailored to Sony's console. The sole entry in the main series to be released during the fifth generation of consoles, VII would also signal the return of these titles to the North American market.

The game takes place in a world covered by vast oceans with a lone island named Estard serving as the sole habitat for humans. You play as a male protagonist who bears the name of your choosing. As the game begins, the father of the protagonist returns from a fishing trip, bringing with him what appears to be a map fragment. The map seems to point to some ancient ruins located nearby, and so the protagonist departs to investigate. Upon closer examination, the ruins prove to function as a gateway of sorts, leading to what appears to be different locations in ages past.

Most gameplay mechanics found in preceding entries in the series apparently remain, but the game does nevertheless feature a series of additions and alterations. First off, the title introduces three-dimensional graphics and a rotatable camera to smaller locations, while the overworld is presented from an isometric projection perspective and character models are rendered using two-dimensional sprites. Secondly, players may now initiate conversations with their party members. Apart from providing character development, this feature provides players with battle strategies and plot-related clues. However, it is commonly the revamped class system that has been perceived as the game's most significant feature. While each party member initially gains character specific abilities and spells, these cease to develop once a given character reaches level 15. After that point has been reached, players will have to advance to a location called Dharma Temple in order to bestow the player characters with specific classes. These classes influence stat development and come in multiple tiers; in order to gain access to more advanced classes, one or more lower-tier classes must first be mastered. As in VI, class levels are gained by winning a preset number of battles against various enemies. Also carried over from the class system of Realms of Revelation are class-specific abilities and spells, but there are now also unique abilities that only become available once one has mastered specific combinations of classes. Various mini-games are still present and now include a town-building element in the form of the Immigrant Town, to which players can draft assorted NPCs, who in turn add facilities of different kinds to the community. Monster recruiting is yet again possible, but once they've been recruited, all one can do is to put them on display at a location called the Monster Park. The dedicated battle screen is retained and maintains the first-person perspective as well as the two-dimensional graphics of earlier installments.

Sales figures for the PlayStation version of Fragments of the Forgotten Past stop just short of 4.5 million copies, including 150,000 units sold in Europe, where the game didn't see an official release until sixteen years later, on the 3DS. All reviews I have found are retrospective to a greater or lesser degree, but they still appear generally favourable. Even though critics have repeatedly noted the overall lack of changes in the battle system, they still seem to have regarded it as effective in its intended purpose. The title's lasting value has also recurrently been referred to as one of its prime assets, being estimated to require over 130 hours of time investment for full completion. Furthermore, Koichi Sugiyama's soundtrack has received positive remarks. But the same cannot be said about the rest of the audio department, with the sound effects in particular being frequently criticized for not taking advantage of the more powerful hardware the original PlayStation provides. However, the recipient of the most severe criticism appears to have been the graphics, which reviewers repeatedly considered inferior to those of other offerings in the genre on the platform. Finally, a number of writers have expressed concern that the developers' choice to mainly rely on genre and series staples in favour of novel ideas might have served to inhibit the title's commercial appeal beyond the already established clientele.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 136

Spoiler

Title: Skies of Arcadia
Developer: Overworks
Platform: Dreamcast
Release Date: October 5, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: Considered by critics as one of the finest titles in the Dreamcast catalogue, Skies of Arcadia has oft been noted for its distinct setting.

The game is set in the titular world of Arcadia, a collection of floating continents orbited by six moons. Players are cast in the role of a teen air pirate named Vyse, who, along with his childhood friend Aika, is a member of a faction called the Blue Rogues, a group which regularly raid vessels belonging to the Valuan Empire. Upon boarding a Valuan ship, the party comes across a captive named Fina, one of the few remaining members of the so called Silver Civilization. Although initially unwilling to divulge her intentions to her rescuers, Fina eventually reveals that she is searching for a collection of relics known as the Moon Crystals, which grant their users control over ancient weapons of mass destruction called the Gigas, in order to prevent them from falling into Valuan hands. Realizing the threat these artifacts constitute, Vyse and Aika agree to aid Fina in her quest.

The game features fully three-dimensional graphics and regardless of whether exploration is performed on the overworld by airship or in the various towns and dungeons on foot, it is viewed from a third-person perspective. At first, the extent to which players may explore the overworld is restricted by so called sky rifts. Later on, however, players are granted means by which they can bypass these rifts. When players begin exploring the overworld, the majority of it is uncharted. As new locations are found, they are recorded onto the world map. Further encouraging the discovery of new sites is the Sailor's Guild, an organization to which players can sell information about their findings for a price.

During their travels, the party will eventually come across assorted NPCs, which can be recruited as crew members on the airship, thus further enhancing its abilities. At a certain point in the game, one will also obtain a base of operations to which additional NPCs may be recruited in order to set up shops and provide other benefits to the party.

Dungeon exploration apparently forms an important part of game progression, as these must be traversed in order to advance the plot. Apart from the usual enemy encounters, dungeons also contain puzzles to be solved, and treasure chests to loot.

Unique to the original Dreamcast release is Pinta Quest, a mini-RPG which can be downloaded onto the Visual Memory Unit peripheral. Gameplay focuses completely on random encounters, and any items or cash earned in this mini-game can be transferred into the main game inventory.

Party battles occur through random encounters, may arise both on the overworld and in dungeons, are turn-based, and feature dynamic camera angles. It is possible to bring up to four party members into combat. Most aspects of the battle system appear relatively conventional, including such common staples such as standard attacks, a spell system divided into categories which interact according to a rock-paper-scissors relationship, and character-specific special abilities. But it also differs from many titles in that magic points are shared between party members, thereby facilitating use of more powerful special abilities. But this mechanic also puts comparatively heavier emphasis on keeping all player characters alive, as the combined pool of magic is reduced should anyone perish.

Ship-to-ship battles may also occur, but these reportedly predominantly ensues at predetermined points such as boss battles and only rarely through random encounters. These encounters work according to a colour coded grid which indicates whether the player party or the opponent has gained any significant combat advantage, thereby influencing what course of action is advisable to pursue. Each turn is divided into three or four sub-turns, depending on your party size. Each character operates one of the ship's cannons, further enhancing its damage potential in accordance to their stats. Beyond this, most combat commands and mechanics were carried over from the party battles, including the shared magic pool.

As a final note, this title is reportedly one of the earliest console role-playing games to be endowed with DLC. A total of three downloads were released via the Dreamcast's SegaNet/Dreamarena online service, featuring a new ship battle, an additional island, and a pair of otherwise unavailable weapons.

Surprisingly, I have only found Japanese sales statistics for Skies of Arcadia, and those only amount to 90,000 copies. As I'm not keen on speculating, I'll leave it at that until I locate more detailed figures. Professional reviews, on the other hand, are readily available. At the time of its original release, the game appears to have been the subject of rave critique. Reviewers directed especial praise towards the graphics, the various characterizations, the plot, and the ship-to-ship battles, the last of which was oft referred to as one of the title's more innovative features. Additional recipients of laudations were Yutaka Minobe's and Tatsuyuki Maeda's soundtrack, the setting and its emphasis on exploration, and the amount of content on offer, estimated to require roughly 50 hours of time investment in order to run through in its entirety. Yet even though the aforementioned ship-to-ship battles repeatedly met with enthusiastic remarks, the party battles seem to have been a more divisive affair, as their adherence to largely conventional mechanics have garnered both commendations and disapproval among writers. A recurrent target of distinctly sharper criticism is the rate at which random encounters occur, which has oft been perceived as excessively frequent; a common assertion is that it constitutes a hindrance to overall game progression. While still generally favourable, retrospective reviews appear slightly less ardent in their praise of this game. Having said that, these latter day critics largely echo both the plaudits as well as the displeasures of earlier assessments. Nevertheless, they do occasionally shift focus toward other aspects: Additional praise has been levelled at the options available for character and ship customization throughout the game, but certain writers have called what they consider a comparatively low level of difficulty into question, arguing that it does not provide sufficient challenge to maintain interest among more seasoned players in the long term.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 137

Spoiler

Title: Summoner
Developer: Volition, Inc.
Platform: PlayStation 2
Release Date: October 26, 2000 (North America)

Comment: In hindsight, Summoner could be perceived to have foreshadowed a development during the sixth generation of consoles wherein Western studios would make increasingly more frequent forays into a market dominated by Japanese companies. While role-playing games developed specifically with consoles in mind was hardly a novel concept among Occidental game designers at the time, Summoner held the distinction of being a launch title for the PlayStation 2 in North America and Europe.

The plot takes place in the fictional kingdom of Medeva and follows a man named Joseph, who was born with the so-called mark of the summoner on his hand. In his childhood, he made a failed attempt to use his abilities to protect the people who resided in the village in which he grew up. However, the demon he summoned instead proceeded to slay his family and lay waste to the village and its inhabitants. After the dust had settled, the surviving villagers forced Joseph into exile as punishment for his actions. Recognizing his own guilt in the matter, Joseph vowed to never exercise his powers of summoning again. Yet, circumstances dictate otherwise, as barely a decade later King Murod of the neighbouring kingdom of Orenia launches a military invasion of Medeva with the intent of hunting down the man born with the mark of the summoner. Thus, Joseph is forced to once again bring his abilities to bear in order to have any chance of thwarting Murod and his minions.

The game is viewed from a third-person perspective and features fully three-dimensional player models with a mixture of two and three-dimensional backgrounds. There is an overworld dotted with towns and other smaller locations to explore. Towns feature NPCs that may offer side quests to pursue. Including Joseph, the active party may hold four characters, which can be expanded to five by utilizing Joseph's summoning ability. Battles occur through random encounters and feature a mix of real-time and turn-based elements, as they on the one hand are divided into turns, but on the other hand allow for players to chain together attacks by executing well-timed presses of the appropriate button. One may switch between individual party members in the midst of confrontations in order to give them more specific commands; those characters that are currently not under direct control by the player have their combat decisions dictated by the computer. Other important factors in combat are the different weapon types, their varying magical affinities, terrain elevation, and summons. While summons come with certain perks such as their own spells and skills, players are advised to ensure that Joseph isn't rendered unconscious by enemy attacks, or these creatures may turn on one's party. The game reportedly gives players relatively free reins over character development, as upon levelling, stat and skill point can be distributed as they see fit.

Sales figures for Summoner have settled just above 500,000 copies. The game appears to have been met with mixed critical opinion. Most praise appears to have been directed towards the estimated 30 hours of content the title has to offer, which has been thought to lend it a fair amount of lasting value. Other lauded features include the soundtrack and the cut-scenes, the latter of which with its mix of still frames, animated sequences, and voice-over narration has been called cinematic in their presentation. Although it has its detractors, the plot seems to mostly have garnered positive remarks from critics. However, the same cannot be said about the characterizations, which examiners oft considered lacking in ability to generate any worthwhile interest. More recurrently, writers appear to have disapproved of the game's load times due to their length, and the sound effects, frequently citing these as underdeveloped. Nevertheless, the most severe criticism seems to have revolved around the battle system, which reviewers repeatedly referred to as muddled due to an unwieldy camera system and the need to constantly switch back and forth between party members in order to compensate for what they deemed to be a poor party-A.I..

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 138

Spoiler

Title: Tales of Eternia
Developer: Wolfteam
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: November 30, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: The third entry in the Tales series was renamed Tales of Destiny II upon its North American release, apparently due to factors relating to name recognition. This decision would cause some confusion two years later, when a nigh identically titled installment hit the market. The North American localized version of Eternia was reportedly shipped in minute numbers and has as time has passed seemingly become a collector's item, with prices ranging from $60 for the discs alone to close to $350 for sealed copies. It is unclear whether the re-release for the PlayStation Portable in 2005 has affected prices in any regard.

The game's protagonist is a hunter named Reid Hershel, who, along with his friend Farah Oersted, a martial artist, encounter an enigmatic teen girl who speaks a language unknown to them. Intent on investigating the origin of their fellow adolescent, the two decide to pay a visit to another friend named Keele Zeibel, a student of magic. Keele concludes that the girl speaks Melnics, the language of a civilization of yore. Seeking a means to communicate with the girl, the three set out on a journey which will take them across dimensional boundaries.

The game is viewed from an overhead perspective against three-dimensional environments whilst traversing the overworld, an isometric projection perspective against pre-rendered backgrounds in towns and other smaller locations, and a side-scrolling perspective against multiple layers of two-dimensional backdrops during battles. Character models are consistently rendered using two-dimensional sprites. Gameplay apparently remains similar to the first two titles in the franchise. In fact, the only alteration of note I have been able to find concerns The Linear Motion Battle System, this time labelled the Aggressive Linear Motion Battle System. Spells no longer freeze battles. Instead, they are executed in real-time, can be incorporated into combos, and feature smaller area-of-effect, thus enabling combatants to dodge them. However, this overhaul also allows for only one spell to be cast at any given time by either side, leaving other spellcasters on hold until the most recently unleashed spell has dissipated.

Tales of Eternia has sold in excess of 800,000 copies, the bulk of which were turned over in the Japanese market. Professional reviews appear generally favourable. Most praise seems to have been directed at the modified battle system, with critics giving its mechanics favourable comparisons to those present in fighting games. Other recipients of approval include the English translation and the amount of content present in the game, estimated to keep players occupied for roughly 40 hours before they run out of things to discover. As was the case with its immediate predecessor, graphics and sound effects doesn't appear to have met with outright negative sentiments, yet along with the plot, they were repeatedly cited as featuring nothing that had not already been done elsewhere. Reviewers do, however, seem to have generally disliked the performances of the various voice actors who portrayed the game's cast, referring to these as second-rate.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 139

Spoiler

Title: Dark Cloud
Developer: Level-5
Platform: PlayStation 2
Release Date: December 14, 2000 (Japan)

Comment: The debut title of Level-5, who would later go on to develop the eighth and ninth installments in the Dragon Quest series. Dark Cloud is an action role-playing game which incorporates elements commonly associated with City-building games.

The game takes place on two continents in a fictional world called Terra. On the eastern landmass, a colonel named Flag Gilgister has set free a malevolent being called the Dark Genie from a long imprisonment. The colonel then orders the genie to lay waste to the western continent, but this prompts an intervention from a benevolent spirit called the Fairy King. Before the genie begins its assault, the Fairy King encloses all buildings, objects, and people in so called Atla, magical spheres that serves to protect from harm. Yet this does not fully thwart the genie's onslaught, as its destructive powers instead send these spheres hurling in all conceivable directions across the western landmass. Amidst these shambles, a boy named Toan is contacted by the Fairy King, who bestows upon him the Atlamillia, a magical stone with the ability to restore the various Atla to their original state. Tasked with mending the settlements of the western continent, Toan sets out to first rebuild his home, the decimated village of Norune.

The game is viewed from a third-person perspective and graphics are entirely three-dimensional. In addition to Toan, there are five recruitable characters to find. One is only able to control one single party member at a time, but it is possible to switch between them whenever one see fit. Party members come with predefined combat capabilities, half of them being melee fighters, while the rest specialize in ranged techniques. Each character also comes with unique special abilities which are required to advance through the game.

The title appears to feature a major dungeon crawling element, as this is where the assorted Atla can be found. The dungeons consist of procedurally generated floors and feature a thirst mechanic. As players explore these underground complexes, battle enemies, and collect Atla as well as other items, a thirst meter gradually drains. Once depleted, the player character's hit points will start to decrease. Therefore, players must periodically consume bottles of water or locate wellsprings in order to fill up the aforementioned thirst meter. Keys must also be found in order to proceed to deeper levels, eventually reaching a boss battle at the bottom.

Once an Atla has been collected, its contents can be applied to a given location using the so called Georama mode, where these objects are converted into environmental features, buildings, and villagers. When a sufficient number of Atla has been applied to a given location, a necessary percentage of the given settlement has been rebuilt, and an adequate amount of villager tasks has been completed, new dungeons open up, thus advancing the plot while also giving players access to additional Atla and new locations to rebuild. Furthermore, should a player complete all there is to accomplish at a certain settlement, they will receive special awards.

Battles occur in real-time and seem to have taken a cue from the three-dimensional Zelda titles, replete with a targeting system that allows one to lock on to a particular enemy. That said, there are other mechanics thrown into this particular facet of gameplay as well. On occasion, players will enter duels with assorted opponents. These reportedly revolve around quick time events, where players must enter the correct sequence of buttons in order to emerge victorious.

The game eschews the otherwise commonplace character levelling of the genre, instead featuring a weapon levelling system. With each kill, weapons absorb points which will cause them to level up once a sufficient quantity of these has been attained. Armaments may also be upgraded by endowing them with various attachments that enhance their stats in different ways. Each weapon can only carry a fixed number of attachments, but once levelled up, the attachments currently applied to a given armament will be absorbed by it, thereby opening up slots for additional attachments. Once a weapon has gained five levels, it can be converted into a so called SynthSphere, essentially turning it into an attachment containing the bulk of the former armament's stats which then can be absorbed by other weapons. Player characters, on the other hand, are restricted to raising their hit points, water meters, and defense attributes by consuming special items.

Worldwide sales for Dark Cloud exceed 1.5 million copies, with the lion's share having been acquired by consumers outside of Japan. Critical reception appears to have been generally favourable, with the most recurrent praise apparently levelled at the game's lasting value, estimated to provide approximately 35 hours of content to those who choose to explore beyond the main quest. Overall, reviewers seem to exhibit consensus in that they regard the title's blend of gameplay elements and how they work together as a whole one of its chief strengths, rather than any individual feature, although they still give the weapon levelling system and the Georama mode approving nods. That said, the design decision to incorporate procedurally generated dungeons appears to have divided writers, with some arguing that it provides a welcome measure of unpredictability to the exploration segments, while others maintain that it only serves to highlight the repetitiveness of the tasks performed during these sections. However, critics seem more unanimously negative toward the duels and their reliance on entering various button combinations, oft contending that they constitute a superfluous addition to the standard combat system. Nevertheless, the most frequent target of criticism appears to have been the plot and characterizations, which both have been referred to as uninvolving on multiple occasions.

 

[Cap'nPipsqueak]

The second Dark Cloud is better.

 

[broadbandmink]

^We will get to that one... eventually.

Btw, I got a slight sense of deje vu whilst writing that particular entry. The various descriptions of the gameplay formula reminded me quite a bit about Soul Blazer (entry No. 33). But I could use input from someone who has played both titles to discuss potential similarities any further.

Anyhow, here's our next entry...

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 140

Spoiler

Title: Tsugunai: Atonement
Developer: Cattle Call
Platform: PlayStation 2
Release Date: February 22, 2001 (Japan)

Comment: Published by SCEI in Japan and Atlus in North America, Tsugunai: Atonement is a role-playing game revolving around a central theme of making amends for prior transgressions.

Players are cast in the role of Reise, a mercenary who has incurred the wrath of the gods in his attempt to recover a sacred relic called the Treasure Orb. As punishment, the gods has separated Reise's body and soul, leaving him in a ghostlike state. However, they also offer him a chance to redeem himself by helping the inhabitants of a fishing village.

The game is viewed from a third-person perspective and graphics are completely three-dimensional. The plot is divided into thirty five different quests, some having you play as Reise, while others have the protagonist possess various townspeople. Each character comes with preset weapon specializations, but magic and other items are carried over as Reise move from host to host. Battles are turn-based and occur by physically colliding with enemies roaming the various environments. Combat does, however, contain a real-time element in the form of Guards. When an enemy strikes, the player may choose to execute one of a number of different guard commands. With the right timing, these can block, evade, counter, or absorb incoming attacks. Absorbed strikes add to one's so called Strage Meter (no, that's not a typo), which when filled allows players to unleash the currently possessed character's special attack. As with Guards, Strage attacks must be executed with proper timing or they will simply revert to standard attacks. Successful battles net players with experience points, money, and items.

Sales figures for Tsugunai: Atonement amount to roughly 50,000 copies spread across the Japanese and North American markets. Professional reviews appear mixed. Many critics seem to share the opinion that while the game runs on solid mechanics, the perceived lack of stand-out features keep them from recommending it to anyone but the most committed role-playing enthusiasts. Having said that, most praise appears to have been directed towards Yasunori Mitsuda's soundtrack, while the various quests seem to be recipients of the most frequent criticism, the latter oft described as a collection of fetch-quests and repetitive, combat-oriented grinds.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 141

Spoiler

Spoiler

Title: Dragon Warrior Monsters 2
Developer: Tose Co., Ltd.
Platform: Game Boy Color
Release Date: March 9, 2001 (Japan)

Comment: The second entry in the Dragon Warrior Monsters series took further cues from the Pokemon franchise in the sense that the game now came in two different versions, each sporting a different protagonist and a slightly different assortment of monsters to capture, thus necessitating trade in order to obtain all available creatures. While it reportedly was the last Game Boy Color title released in North America to be backward-compatible with the original Game Boy and to receive a Super Game Boy-enhancement, it was also forward-compatible with the Game Boy Advance.

Regardless of whether one plays as Cobi or Tara, the plot remains the same. The protagonists are both members of a family of monster breeders who have migrated to the Kingdom of Greatlog. They haven't had much time to make themselves at home before a pair of individuals steals a Nut Pie from their Vault. As such a blatant display of lack of manners cannot go unheeded, the protagonist set off in pursuit of the burglars. The thieves, a prince and a fellow called Warubou, make their escape to a cave underneath the kingdom, where they quarrel on how to split the pie. In an attempt to get it back, the protagonists inadvertently knock a plug out of a hole. As this occurs, the Prince flees. Warubou, however, decides to plug up the hole using his own body. He explains to the protagonists that the plug keeps the island of GreatLog from sinking and that they must find a monster master in order to resolve the situation.

Gameplay is once again viewed from a top-down perspective and most key elements that made up the core of the original reportedly return here. Arenas, farms, and breeding grounds are still central mechanics. However, fighting in the arena is no longer the sole means by which one advances through the game. Instead, one will obtain keys to other worlds, either through the aforementioned arenas or by exploring the world. These keys in turn lead to other worlds that can be accessed from Greatlog, which serves as a central hub for the player. While some keys allow one to progress the main quest, others unlocks randomized worlds, which may feature rare monsters to catch and Foreign Masters to battle. Battles are still turn-based, occur through random encounters, and active parties still accommodates up to three monsters. Finally, a new type of monsters is introduced, tied to the element of water.

As was the case with its predecessor, I have only found partial sales figures for the original Game Boy Color release of Dragon Warrior Monsters 2. Yet again, these statistics are restricted to Japan, where the game's sales exceed 1.5 million copies. Professional reviews appear generally favourable. Overall, critics seem to have regarded the game as a solid, if derivative, product, whose chief lasting value comes with the two player battle and trading aspects enabled by the link cable accessory.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 142

Spoiler

Title: Okage: Shadow King
Developer: Zener Works & SCEI
Platform: PlayStation 2
Release Date: March 15, 2001 (Japan)

Comment: While perhaps largely forgotten today, Okage: Shadow King has been noted by editors of various video game publications for its stylized aesthetics.

The plot follows a teenager named Ari whose sister has been cursed with speaking in Pig Latin after an encounter with a ghost. In an attempt to cure the young girl, Ari's family call upon the aid of a shadowy figure called Stanley Hihat Trinidad XVI. Or Stan, whichever you prefer. As Stan claims to be a reincarnation of the Great Evil King Gohma, he's fully capable of lifting the curse. His help does not come without a price, however, as he takes possession of Ari's shadow and demands that the lad lends his assistance in reclaiming powers stolen from him by so called false Evil Kings.

The game is viewed from an overhead perspective and graphics are entirely three-dimensional. Gameplay reportedly features many staples of the genre, including a traversable overworld divided into smaller sections, dotted with towns and dungeons to explore, as well as NPCs to interact with in order to advance the main quest. Battles are turn-based, occur when the player physically collides with enemies on the overworld, and support active parties of up to three friendly combatants. Taking a cue from the Final Fantasy series, the battle system incorporates character specific gauges similar to those of the Active Time Battle System. Certain modifications have been made, however, as players may issue a "wait" command in order to have their party members attack a single target simultaneously. Another alteration of note is that once a gauge is filled, time pauses until a command has been chosen. The title incorporates a magic system divided into elemental categories which interact with each other according to a rock-paper-scissor pattern, and each character comes with a preset elemental affinity. Offensive spells depletes hit points, while spells with other functions reduce magic points, which are shared by all party members in a mutual pool. Players are advised to pay special attention to Ari's hit points, as should he perish in combat whilst other party members are still alive one is apparently forced to revert to the latest save.

The original PlayStation 2 version of Okage: Shadow King has sold in excess of 350,000 copies, out of which over 100,000 were turned over as imports in the European market, where the game didn't see an official release until March 24 in 2016 on PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 4. The game appears to have been met with a mixed reception. Having said that, critics seem to have approved of its sense of humour, its perceived accessibility for players unfamiliar with the genre, and the visual design, oft likened to that of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Yet, reviewers appear divided on the merits of the title's soundtrack. Most do not appear to find fault with the compositions themselves. Rather, some cite the relatively short length of individual tracks as the main problem, insomuch as they argue that it leads to a significant amount of melodic repetition. Writers seem to exhibit decidedly more negative sentiments toward the core game mechanics, which they have considered generally derivative of other games within the genre. Furthermore, the English translation reportedly comes up short in places. But the perhaps most recurrent criticism has been directed towards the battle system, which has been referred to as simplistic and repetitive, chiefly because it has been deemed to feature fairly basic mechanics and often has players duke it out against massed ranks of similar enemy types.

 

[broadbandmink]

Game No. 143

Spoiler

Title: Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis
Developer: Quest
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Release Date: June 21, 2001 (Japan)

Comment: After having experienced a relative drought of third-party developed role-playing games for their fifth generation systems, Nintendo began their climb back to reestablish themselves as a leading RPG distributor and publisher with the launch of the Game Boy Advance. Arriving early in the handheld's lifespan was The Knight of Lodis, the second entry in the Tactics Ogre sub-series and the to date last chapter in the Ogre franchise, as Quest was acquired by Square the following year.

Taking place prior to the events of all the previously released titles in the series, the plot relates the plight of the people of the kingdom of Ovis, who live under a military occupation maintained by the Holy Lodis Empire. Players are cast in the role of Alphonse Loeher, a member of the titular knights of Lodis. At the start of the game, Alphonse is assigned to the Order of the Sacred Flame, a military unit commanded by his friend Rictor Lasanti, and embarks on a mission to Ovis to assist the Lodis forces there. During the voyage, the task force is attacked by pirates and Alphonse is struck by a crossbow bolt, flinging him into the sea. When he regains consciousness, he finds himself nursed back to health by a young woman named Eleanor Olato. Also present is a knight named Ivanna Batraal, who offers to accompany him to the port of Scabellum, rumored to currently house a contingent of Lodis troops. Once reunited with Rictor and his unit, Alphonse finds that his old friend's accounts of current events in Ovis conflict with those he receives from Eleanor and Ivanna, leading him to suspect his commander of withholding key information from him.

The game is once again viewed from an isometric projection perspective and, as before, gameplay is divided into two primary modes: The world map and the tactical map. In addition to choosing what stage will be tackled next, the world map also provides players with army management options, a shop from which they can purchase equipment, and training sessions in which one's own units fight each other in order to gain experience. Alphonse starts out with a band of six units, which can be expanded into an army of thirty two units throughout the course of the game. An active party brought onto a tactical map may consist of up to eight units if the stage in question is tied to the main quest, while stages related to the new Quest mode only allow for five units in an active party. Quest mode is a side quest of sorts that present players with bonus stages if they are able to find ancient texts hidden throughout the main quest. Tactical maps reportedly feature largely unchanged underlying mechanics to those in Let Us Cling Together: battles are turn-based, movement is performed upon a grid of squares, each scenario comes with certain victory conditions, and the various battlefields contain both elevation and terrain differences. Though, this time around, players must also take weather into consideration, as this may alter movement possibilities for either side. Yet again, players are treated to a wide assortment of character classes, some gender specific, others unique to particular characters. The ability to change class once an individual unit has met certain requirements makes a return. However, only human units can class change; units belonging to other creature types come with preset classes that either cannot be altered or feature alignment based upgrades activated by reaching certain stat requirements. Another new mechanic comes in the form of Emblems, which are bestowed upon an individual unit once they have met certain criteria. Emblems may alter stats, both positively and negatively, and serve as prerequisites for class changing. While the sources I've perused have briefly mentioned the series' signature alignment system, none of them have elaborated upon the particulars and therefore I will assume that this particular facet of gameplay has been left generally untouched. There are five different endings. Which one a player will receive depends on several factors, including key decisions made at certain points throughout the main quest and the time taken to complete it. Finally, this particular installment takes advantage of the handheld format by utilization of the link cable accessory, which allows players to trade units and items as well as stage battles against each other's armies. This multiplayer component also comes with unique Emblems for participants to earn.

The Knight of Lodis has sold approximately 500,000 copies worldwide. Reviews appear generally favourable, with critics praising the English translation, the graphics, the possibilities for character customization offered by the class system, and the sound effects. Most laudations, however, seem to have been directed towards the game's perceived lasting value, attributed to its multi-branched storyline, the Quest mode stages, and the multiplayer feature. Having said that, reviewers appear more divided on the quality of the soundtrack, some giving it approving nods, others finding the tunes outside of the battle music bland. Yet, the one facet that seems to have elicited the most recurrent criticism is the absence of an option to speed up enemy turns during combat, as examiners have oft found the mandatory wait for the computer opponents to finish their turns a tedious exercise.