Vagrant Story

To say this is a master-peice doesnt do it justice. This is one of those games that only comes along every now and then. If you have played final fantasy on the playstation you will have a rough idea of what to expect, VERY ROUGH. While FF took alot of brain power rather then skill, VAGRANT STORY lets you choose wheather you are to become a mighty barbarian or a magical wizard. The fighting system is inspired, similar to Final Fantasy 8 you must make "links"to each strike of your sword/bow/axe/dagger/long blade and many others, each link must be timed perfectly at the moment of impact for the next one to hit, but this is where risk points come in and it gets tricky.

The more you hit, the higher your risk points go(up to one hundred), the higher your risk points go the more likely you'll miss the enemy and get hit your self. You also have the ability to make your own weapons in the many workshops scattered around the city, this can be alot of fun trying out your own creation on the enemy. This is not a ten minute game, because from once you pick it up you'll play for hours, the story is absorbing, the combat system is fantastic, and the freedom of choose is refreshing. "BUY THIS AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT GAMES FOREVER!" 10/10. {k.noone}

This is the best game ever made for the PlayStation system, and arguably the best game ever made--period. The people at Squaresoft squeezed every ounce of graphic quality they could from the aging PS One to provide incredibly detailed and deep characters and a world as real as ours. The music is without par and provides an extra dimension that elevates and subdues the soul. From the beginning, to the final moments, this game delivers on every level. And, even after it's done, there are so many questions left unanswered that the game retains its playability value and draws one in over and over, trying to sort all its mysteries out. Why a sequel was never made is a paradox.

With an intelligent, almost Shakespearean translation by Alexander O. Smith (who also did Final Fantasy IX's excellent dialogue), Vagrant Story stands as one of the finest examples of incredible storytelling in a video game. The tale of Ashley Riot is one of the best, and to find it in a Playstation game makes it all the sweeter.

An infinitely complex battle system may turn off some, or even many, but the gameplay can be mastered in time. It's possible. The game is shorter than most Square RPGs, clocking in it at just over 30 hours total. And it's well worth it to experience a story this good.

Furthermore, its realtime 3D graphics, music by composer Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII) and overall presentation is top notch, the finest to be found on the PSone.

It is a crime and heresy that this game is as underrated as it is. What's more is how a video game is perceived in this day and age, as this is hard evidence of the medium's artistic potential. It is an intense, richly-constructed masterpiece, excelling in every area they could grade a game; graphics, sound, story, game play, et cetera.

GRAPHICS: Five years after its American release, VAGRANT STORY's late-PS1's graphics still hold up (made even better if you set your PS2's PlayStation driver to "smooth") and I can say so because it wasn't until five years after its American release that I got around to playing it. VS's overall-sepia palette and stylish detail line up greatly with Alexander O. Smith's antiquated Shakespearean screenplay, and demonstrates what could be done with the console's hardware limitations better than METAL GEAR SOLID did, in the day. In fact, VS also uses the game engine alone to weave its tale, to which many gamers have piped up and denounced it as a Metal Gear Solid-"clone" in response. But in the end MGS took its style from modern cinema, as does VAGANT STORY.

Yasumi Matsuno is a better director, anyway. I cannot wait for Final Fantasy XII.

SOUND: To add even more to VS's cinematic presentation, is Hitoshi Sakimoto's epic score. Reminiscent of Final Fantasy Tactics', but with a darker tone to complement the story, it is also indicative of a great artist working within his limitations. A particularly powerful scene in the forest is made all-the-more potent by Sakimoto's music—a track that is aptly-titled "Brainwashing." From the toe-tapping jingle in the abandoned mines, to the meticulous and orchestral theme haunting the cathedral, it is a delicious soundtrack to rival real instruments (and I know how tacky it is to say that). It really is real-sounding, but more than that, it's good.

STORY: Ah, and (d'uh) here is where VS truly shines! To debunk all the marketing blurbs plastered across the game's jewel case, it is not about a murder suspect fleeing to a haunted city in order to clear his name. It is actually much more complex than, and different from, that.

Vagrant Story follows the hunt for a notorious cult leader through the literal ghost town of Leà Monde, a prosperous city that had been abruptly devastated 25 years prior, and left uninhabited since. Among the hunters are VKP (Valendia Knights of the Peace) Riskbreaker (member of a special task force of pseudo-knight/detectives with a 30% survival rate) Ashley Riot, and the bible-thumping Crimson Blade Romeo Guildenstern, captain of the Cardinal's men. What their provocatively-dressed cultist, and the game's (supposed) antagonist, Sydney Lasstarot ultimately wants from the town of Leà Monde is uncertain, but it involves Ashley and the rest of the cast, as well.

What is so compelling about the plot would spoil a game that needs to be experienced at least twice on your own, so I'll just say that there are zombies. Zombies and ghostly suits of armor. Oooohhooh! Scared, yet? YOU SHOULD BE.

game play: And so we come to what makes this game a game. A game in the sense that you participate to become more than a reader, but a player. The battle system is something that you need to fully embrace in order to enjoy. Ashley survives on fitting himself with custom-made equipment according to what he's up against. There are no "perfect" weapon + armor combinations to be found in any location, but materials are instead scattered about to build swords and shields and pole arms and leggings in any of the many functional smithies around Leà Monde. Ashley survives on what he can find, and using them in the best way he can in any given situation.

Depending on what kind (human, undead, beast, phantom) of enemy, what elemental affinity (fire, water, physical, evil) they hold, and kind of weapon (edged, blunt, piercing) they're vulnerable to, the appropriate equipment is essential. As you use that equipment in these conditions, they'll be slowly pounded on and become stronger in these areas. As such, your weapon may break after a while, and require you to repair it at the nearest smithy.

NOTES: One gripe I do have about this game, and it has absolutely nothing to with the content, is that the alarmingly important prologue is OPTIONAL. Meaning that if you start playing from "New Game" then you will miss it, so remember to wait for the music to die down after the introductory CG movie. What starts to play will continue automatically and explain everything you need to know from the start to fully enjoy this work of interactive art.

TO SUM UP: If you own a PlayStation of any kind, get this. If you're a fan of RPG's, get this. If you value story as much as anything else in a video game, get this. VAGRANT STORY is a grossly-overlooked classic, and with the latest Greatest Hits release, it should be easier to correct that. I'll just wait here and pray for a sequel.

10/10

Vagrant Story is a great game. It is one of my favorites. Squaresoft's presentation and execution is second to none. But there is something special about Vagrant Story. It uses a fully polygonal engine, instead of the pre-rendered backgrounds of Final Fantasy fame. But that's not what makes it special. It is the cinematic presentation and captivating gameplay.

The story is interesting from the first cut-scene. (Don't forget to watch them.) Thanks to Akihiko Yoshida--character design for Vagrant Story, as well as Final Fantasy Tactics--the story never runs dry. The character are entertaining from the start.

The kicker for Vagrant Story is in it's cinematic presentation. Some might call it a Metal Gear Solid clone, but MGS does not have Vagrant Story's flair or music. I belive that games like this will pop up more and more as the years go by and graphics abilities increase. As engine become more life-like, a movie-like, cinematic game world will be the next step. Just look at games like Vagrant Story, Metal Gear, the Soul Reaver Series, Half-Life and Max Payne. Games mixing a story as well written and executed as Vagrant Story's and an engine like DOOM III are the future.