Most definitely agreed!
I like the fact that neither the plot nor the dialogue have that cringe-inducing cheesiness that most other Square games seem to get heavily mired in. It's a straight-faced, movie-quality game. I love a game that can treat me like an intelligent adult and still be fun. Even things that could have very easily turned out ridiculous - and likely would have, in any other Square game - hit all the appropriate creepy notes. (Quicksilver comes to mind - those freaky sounds they make! *shudder*)
That, of course, on top of the fact that the gameplay is original and entertaining (certainly can't say that for most RPGs), the graphics are beautiful, the spell effects are beautiful, the music is beautiful, and even the sound effects are beautiful and don't sound blatantly like cheap stock noise from other games. And, in spite of the number of people who've complained that the game should have had voiceovers, I actually prefer it with the comic-style word bubbles. There's something about being able to hear everything but the dialogue that makes it perfectly fitting to the eerieness of the game.
It truly is a shame it never received more notice. It is, by far, the best game Square ever released.
And to think, I bought it when it came out based solely on the cover art - and nearly sold it not long after, because I just couldn't get the hang of it.
Thank God I gave it a second chance!
Science IS fiction.
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electric_pet_mice
18 years ago
Definitely. This game is in a league of its own. It's so perfectly balanced gameplay-wise and presentation-wise, it's a shame it's virtually unnoticed. It's brief but totally focused, and you HAVE to play through it several times to master the weaponry, complete the map, and thus improve your riskbreaker skill. And it's rewarding and fun. I've yet to see such mastery and management depth from Square since.
I also like the fact that Matsuno left this masterpiece on a lone pedestal, by not capitalizing on it by releasing sequels or any other off-shoot mediums. Just like other great games like Sega's NiGHTS Into Dreams and Blizzard's StarCraft, making a sequel would only tarnish the single game's legacy.
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Camillus_Fly
18 years ago
Something tells me we would have seen those sequels, if VS had been as popular and well-received as it should have been - if, for no other reason, than the game company's desire to capitalize a good thing to death. I think, in that respect alone, I'm kind of glad it didn't sell well.
Otherwise, yeah, it is kind of irritating that one of the best games out there is pretty much unknown. It certainly deserves far better.
Science IS fiction.
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kblumreich
18 years ago
Unfortunately I think the weapon-smithing system was so daunting that it scared people away, too bad because I can't say enough good things about this game. Amazing localization and graphics, and while quite complex at times I really felt like I'd accomplished something when I beat the game. The main character is also super-cool.
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dokyotrift
17 years ago
"The main character is also super-cool."
ahh but as so often is the case, movies and games are only as cool as their villain
thankfully VS has cool villains in spades
Guildenstern, Rosancrantz, Sydney, Hardin, Grissom et al
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Camillus_Fly
17 years ago
Too true! And Duane, and the unseen Cardinal Batista. For some reason, I liked Grissom more than any of them - the villains, I mean.
Science IS fiction.
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dokyotrift
17 years ago
Duane wasn't a big deal his character wasn't really given time to develop.
His brother Grissom was much better, the memorable battle in the Snowfly Forest, where he summons that Dark Crusader and you think it's 3 against 1, then Sydney starts helping you - that was great
And the whole storyline where Grissom doesn't realise he is dead lol
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BigMac8000
17 years ago
I'm really, really hoping with FFXII - Final Fantasy Tactics 2 and the remake, they establish Vagrant Story firmly in the Ivalice Alliance Project.
The whole thing is actually heating up and I'm sensing a bit of a revival for this game - since it's getting new press. I hope they remake it, it really deserves to be done. I just hope they either tone down the weapon crafting or at least make the game have more depth so you NEED to make such powerful weapons that are all encompassing death machines (Like having multiple characters share weapons).
Also if they took some of the heavy puzzle elements out (and streamlined them) and made the combo thing less ridiculous (99 hit combo!) then the game would be truly end all be all amazingness.
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dokyotrift
17 years ago
Yeh lets hope so!
I thought the idea of the 'risk meter' was great, the more you bash away at something the more rage you have and less you can concentrate so you are more likely to miss - then you need to take a break and calm down, then attack again with a clear head
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Camillus_Fly
17 years ago
His brother Grissom was much better, the memorable battle in the Snowfly Forest, where he summons that Dark Crusader and you think it's 3 against 1, then Sydney starts helping you - that was great
Heck yeah! The forest battle was one of the best
WTF?!! moments I've had in a game in quite a long time. It was just awesome!
Science
IS fiction.
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Leon_Asian
17 years ago
Vagrant Story is great, yeah, is very, VERY cool videogame.
What about Parasite Eve 1?, i loved, oh... yes...
Hail to Squaresoft XD
“i will do what i must”
“you will try...”
Obi-Wan & Anakin
shadow from VENEZUELA
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Camillus_Fly
17 years ago
I've honestly only played about half of Parasite Eve. It's pretty good. I just seem to get halfway through most games anymore and go off and start another.
I need to get back to it and start over, so that I won't be lost in the middle of the storyline somewhere.
Science IS fiction
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