-
Developer: Contrail
Publisher: SCEA
Genre: RPG
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 12 May 08
User Rating
9.9 (22 votes) -
Overview
Coming from the makers of Wild Arms, the best RPG before Final Fantasy VII comes along and blew it clean, you don't know what to expect from this title. It starts off with Vahn just walking around his village, talking with other people and goind about his business. Suddently, the village is under attack by monsters that came out of the eerie mist and overwhelmed the villagers. After repelling the attacks, Vahn is intrusted to seek out the cause of the monster attacks and save the villagers.
The plot is VERY simple, hardly the storyline you'd expect from an RPG. Compared to other titles such as Final Fantasy VII and Xenogears, this doesn't qualify as a traditional RPG storyline. There's no emotions attached to the characters and the interaction between them can best be described as 'comical'.
Gameplay
Legend of Legaia employs a combo battle system, which has been burrowed and improved a bit from Xenogears. Here, each limb is assigned to a button, and pressing them in a particular sequence will produce a combo (called Arts). Battles take way to long to proceed, due to the fact that you have a press to many buttons for the combos, and then press attack to begin your offensive.
Aided by the ra-seru (special items that you wear), your characters can string together death-blow combos, which would produce quite spectacular effects. But having to watch them over and over again in random battles could easily tire you out.
The sound in legend of Legaia is pretty much non-existant and not fun at all. They all sound monotonous, like 8 bit video games of the old. It doesn't distract from the gameplay, which is a real blessing for gamers like you and me.
Graphics
Graphically, the game rates poorly in my book. There are no FMVs whatsoever, and for those accustomed to excellent FMVs like in Final Fantasy VII, they will be very disappointed. The in-game graphics are pretty average, with decent polygonal characters and 3D backgrounds. There are no outstanding features graphically, which doesn't leave much room for enjoyment.
Fun Factor
What could save this game from being rated a mediocre title is the sub-games throughout your 'adventure'. There are prize fights, dancing contests (like Bust-A-Move series), betting and get this, a fishing game!. There are important items that you can get by participating in these subgames, and they're great to pass the time.
Overall
Overall, Legend of Legaia is certainly a simple RPG that mixes gaming elements from other RPGs. If you don't mind the non-convulated storyline and lengthy battles, then I suggest that you try this one out.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
7.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
7.0
