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Beautiful and Immersive Achievement
jijendia- 02/23/2010 08:02 PM
- 777 views
This is my first review and yes, I don't like to take down someone's creations to the grounds when it's just garbage, so I review games that I find fairly good to amazing, and this one fits in my amazing section. Since I started with RPG Maker 2000, I played my share of games, so I've seen many in those many years.
-= STORY =-
Using Norse Mythology is cliché, old and overused. Many RPGs (including commercials (Valkyrie Profile, anyone?)) used it. Well, I'm very impressed that even though it's kinda overused in some games, Magi pulls it very well in this story. I am personally a fan of the Norse Mythology and I must admit that many of the facts were good although, as previously mentionned in a review, some flaws are there but then I come to ask myself the question, were they really flaws or adaptations to make the story a little more interesting.
The character development lacked a little bit. Sometimes I either felt swarmed in a story that didn't immediatly related to the characters, and I wanted to know more about the personalities of the characters themselves, but then I always keep in mind ONE thing... "Part I".
-= GRAPHICS =-
As soon as I started the game, I had a problem. Installing a new font. Even though I first thought it was a pain, that addon was definitely a must. I love the usage of the font in the dialogues and it fits very well with the global amosphere. Also the use of icons makes it easier to understand each parts of the game.
The maps are wonderfully designed, and that bought me right away. It has, in my opinion, a certain "Final Fantasy 6"-esque feeling that makes you either want to play Final Fantasy 6 after you are done with this game or play just an old-school RPG for the hell of it. They were very professionally designed, and while there is a lot of things happening on your screen, you don't feel drowned or cramped in those maps. You can easily know where you are and where to go next.
The characters designs were well chosen and fitted perfectly with the mood of the game. As for the backdrops in the batlte system or the story, they were wonderfully chosen and were really setting the mood making you feel like you were playing something pulled out of "Tales of" series.
-= SOUND & MUSIC =-
I cheated on that one. After playing an hour into the game, I saved and went to the audio folder and listened to all the music.. The soundtrack chosen for the game was just wonderful it's a shame they are midis or they would've ended up on my playlist.
The soundtrack is fresh, original, and makes the immersion into the game just a breeze. You definitely don't need to lower the volume or just mute the game because either the music is loud or repetitive, you feel the music as you feel the game and that is a PLUS for me.
The sound effects were perfectly used, and I maybe I am wrong but I don't think I heard much of the RTP which, again, is a plus for me.
-= GAME MECHANISM =-
The first thing I need to speak about.... THE BATTLE SYSTEM ! Man is it cool. Yes, I found the conditions a little useless at first but then, some helped me in harder battles, same with the adrenaline meter. Although it lacks of skills, I keep in mind that this is "Part 1" and I am to assume that we'll see more of those skills in the parts to come.
As for the dungeons, they were very well rendered and the puzzle aspect of some of them just kept you hooked to the game and let you not get into the repetitive fight-win-move-fight-win-move rotation that many RPGs falls into. You see that all the animations were very well polished and that is very good for a RPG Maker 2003 game.
Speaking of polished systems, there is only a little flaw I've saw in the gameplay and that are the monsters. While I do hate random encounters, I don't like those monsters rushing at me, sometimes at the speed of light either. Some of them might be a little too cramped together and it happened to come by a little group of monsters and having to fight them all back to back (but then I could play it again and it won't probably be the same) .
-= CONCLUSION =-
In conclusion, Magi is an inspiration for any RPG Makers out there. It shows up that he put a lot of work into this and it really shows and feels like it. I don't know if there will ever be any part 2, 3 or 4 of this game, but if there will be, I'm totally looking forward to them.
I give this game a 4.5 / 5 because of some unclear details with the character story and the little flaw with the monsters that I noticed, but overall this game is near perfect. Good job, Magi... You inspired me and probably many others out there who played your game.
-= STORY =-
Using Norse Mythology is cliché, old and overused. Many RPGs (including commercials (Valkyrie Profile, anyone?)) used it. Well, I'm very impressed that even though it's kinda overused in some games, Magi pulls it very well in this story. I am personally a fan of the Norse Mythology and I must admit that many of the facts were good although, as previously mentionned in a review, some flaws are there but then I come to ask myself the question, were they really flaws or adaptations to make the story a little more interesting.
The character development lacked a little bit. Sometimes I either felt swarmed in a story that didn't immediatly related to the characters, and I wanted to know more about the personalities of the characters themselves, but then I always keep in mind ONE thing... "Part I".
-= GRAPHICS =-
As soon as I started the game, I had a problem. Installing a new font. Even though I first thought it was a pain, that addon was definitely a must. I love the usage of the font in the dialogues and it fits very well with the global amosphere. Also the use of icons makes it easier to understand each parts of the game.
The maps are wonderfully designed, and that bought me right away. It has, in my opinion, a certain "Final Fantasy 6"-esque feeling that makes you either want to play Final Fantasy 6 after you are done with this game or play just an old-school RPG for the hell of it. They were very professionally designed, and while there is a lot of things happening on your screen, you don't feel drowned or cramped in those maps. You can easily know where you are and where to go next.
The characters designs were well chosen and fitted perfectly with the mood of the game. As for the backdrops in the batlte system or the story, they were wonderfully chosen and were really setting the mood making you feel like you were playing something pulled out of "Tales of" series.
-= SOUND & MUSIC =-
I cheated on that one. After playing an hour into the game, I saved and went to the audio folder and listened to all the music.. The soundtrack chosen for the game was just wonderful it's a shame they are midis or they would've ended up on my playlist.
The soundtrack is fresh, original, and makes the immersion into the game just a breeze. You definitely don't need to lower the volume or just mute the game because either the music is loud or repetitive, you feel the music as you feel the game and that is a PLUS for me.
The sound effects were perfectly used, and I maybe I am wrong but I don't think I heard much of the RTP which, again, is a plus for me.
-= GAME MECHANISM =-
The first thing I need to speak about.... THE BATTLE SYSTEM ! Man is it cool. Yes, I found the conditions a little useless at first but then, some helped me in harder battles, same with the adrenaline meter. Although it lacks of skills, I keep in mind that this is "Part 1" and I am to assume that we'll see more of those skills in the parts to come.
As for the dungeons, they were very well rendered and the puzzle aspect of some of them just kept you hooked to the game and let you not get into the repetitive fight-win-move-fight-win-move rotation that many RPGs falls into. You see that all the animations were very well polished and that is very good for a RPG Maker 2003 game.
Speaking of polished systems, there is only a little flaw I've saw in the gameplay and that are the monsters. While I do hate random encounters, I don't like those monsters rushing at me, sometimes at the speed of light either. Some of them might be a little too cramped together and it happened to come by a little group of monsters and having to fight them all back to back (but then I could play it again and it won't probably be the same) .
-= CONCLUSION =-
In conclusion, Magi is an inspiration for any RPG Makers out there. It shows up that he put a lot of work into this and it really shows and feels like it. I don't know if there will ever be any part 2, 3 or 4 of this game, but if there will be, I'm totally looking forward to them.
I give this game a 4.5 / 5 because of some unclear details with the character story and the little flaw with the monsters that I noticed, but overall this game is near perfect. Good job, Magi... You inspired me and probably many others out there who played your game.
