Savedyou
16 reviews liked by Savedyou
This is an incredible and ambitious Tactics/RPG. For starters, this game has an extensive tutorial and the ability to recap the story and rewatch cutscenes. All are first that I’ve seen in a PS1 game. It also has a vast amount of lore leading up to its story. The world of Ivalice truly feels alive and great care went into its history and world building.
By far the best thing about this game is it’s job system. There are 20 jobs (classes) and unlocking them is a thrill in and of itself. You can assign a job to a character and equip them with skills from other jobs. The result is near endless experimentation by mixing jobs and skills. I could easily see myself making a team of Summoning Archers or Time Mage Ninjas in the a future playthrough. There are many possibilities. As glorious as the job system is, it can become quite overwhelming. To prevent wasting job points, I often felt forced to change jobs once I mastered one. Doing this for 5+ characters felt like a hassle. This becomes more apparent the longer you play. Thankfully, your primary job’s set of skills can be used as secondary, preventing you from starting from scratch when changing to a new job.
I loved playing this game, but there were a few flaws. Some attacks/abilities are unclear as to what attributes are important for their power/success rate. There is guide online but it is extremely complicated. During boss fights, the game suffers from difficulty spikes and/or scripted battles. You’ll learn quickly that these battles need to be done ASAP, as the boss and their minions will slaughter your party, but it diminishes the strategic element of the game. These fights usually end when the boss is in critical condition, making them seem anticlimactic as they vanish off the screen, only to fight them later. This happens often. There are also times where you’ll have consecutive battles. If you aren’t properly leveled up and save in between these battles, you could be stuck in a fight that you can’t win.
I didn’t find the story outstanding, but it is unpredictable and complex, with drama and mystical elements that I always find appealing. The strategic battles can create some unforgettable moments. One battle, I stole a bosses’ sword, so he was forced to punch me instead of using his regular attacks lol. In another battle, a boss and his minions nearly wiped my party but I killed him with what would’ve been my final attack.
This game has an insane amount of detail, a nice soundtrack, and the job system is addictive. I can’t imagine that there are many PS1 games better than this.
By far the best thing about this game is it’s job system. There are 20 jobs (classes) and unlocking them is a thrill in and of itself. You can assign a job to a character and equip them with skills from other jobs. The result is near endless experimentation by mixing jobs and skills. I could easily see myself making a team of Summoning Archers or Time Mage Ninjas in the a future playthrough. There are many possibilities. As glorious as the job system is, it can become quite overwhelming. To prevent wasting job points, I often felt forced to change jobs once I mastered one. Doing this for 5+ characters felt like a hassle. This becomes more apparent the longer you play. Thankfully, your primary job’s set of skills can be used as secondary, preventing you from starting from scratch when changing to a new job.
I loved playing this game, but there were a few flaws. Some attacks/abilities are unclear as to what attributes are important for their power/success rate. There is guide online but it is extremely complicated. During boss fights, the game suffers from difficulty spikes and/or scripted battles. You’ll learn quickly that these battles need to be done ASAP, as the boss and their minions will slaughter your party, but it diminishes the strategic element of the game. These fights usually end when the boss is in critical condition, making them seem anticlimactic as they vanish off the screen, only to fight them later. This happens often. There are also times where you’ll have consecutive battles. If you aren’t properly leveled up and save in between these battles, you could be stuck in a fight that you can’t win.
I didn’t find the story outstanding, but it is unpredictable and complex, with drama and mystical elements that I always find appealing. The strategic battles can create some unforgettable moments. One battle, I stole a bosses’ sword, so he was forced to punch me instead of using his regular attacks lol. In another battle, a boss and his minions nearly wiped my party but I killed him with what would’ve been my final attack.
This game has an insane amount of detail, a nice soundtrack, and the job system is addictive. I can’t imagine that there are many PS1 games better than this.
Super Metroid
1994
I mean, yeah, this game is a masterpiece. Everyone knows that. I'm a bit more critical of it than most, I think, mostly because I don't think age has been particularly kind to it. The controls feel a little stiff and clunky, and the critical path is occasionally a little too obtuse for me to consider it good design. For example, the part towards the end where you have to just walk through a completely solid-looking wall. But any criticisms I could level at this game are tiny in comparison to its triumphs. It's a very good game.
Super Metroid
1994
Not only is this a nearly perfect metroidvania even today, but I think it's a great step forward in atmospheric storytelling that I think is still very compelling even today.
Super Metroid
1994
Certified classic. The best atmosphere and music of any metroid games and pretty much set the blueprint for most of them going forward. Probably not my favourite 2d metroid but a great game nonetheless.
Tales of Xillia
2011
First Tales game I ever played and it has a good main cast. Only issue I have is you have to play it twice as Jude and Milla to fully finish the story and personally I wish they combined both campaigns something Xillia 2 fixed greatly.
Wild Arms 2
1999
Honestly, the US instrumental version of the main theme is way better than the Japanese vocal theme. Fits the whole space western motif way better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkI2-r7PkLY
My first foray into this series and it was a good time. The flow of combat is slower than more modern turn-based games, but the built-in turbo button helps make that easier to deal with.
What really impressed me was the effort put into world-building and story. This setting is vast and very detailed. There is a library filled to the brim with books that just go into detail of this world. As for the actual story, it's solid. It's biggest issue though is it's game 1 out of 4 and pacing feels like that. The constant twists help keep it going though.
What really impressed me was the effort put into world-building and story. This setting is vast and very detailed. There is a library filled to the brim with books that just go into detail of this world. As for the actual story, it's solid. It's biggest issue though is it's game 1 out of 4 and pacing feels like that. The constant twists help keep it going though.
Chrono Trigger
1995
This review contains spoilers
I played the Steam version of Chrono Trigger. I've tried getting into old-school JRPG several times, but it's the first time I enjoy one of those.
Despite my distaste of turn-based combat, I had fun fighting enemies in that game. It's snappy and it never lasts for too long. The animations are quick and the music is dynamic.
As the party members level up, each of them unlocks more techs. And the more techs each character has, the more double & triple techs your team will have access to.
It was so satisfying to experiment new attacks as the game progresses, triple techs especially. They went out of their way to give these ones spectacular animations.
I also want to point out that I had the "active" mode enabled in combat, not the "wait" mode. So I had to make decisions as quickly as possible.
It's not entirely turn-based now that I think about it. It's kinda weird, like a mix of turn-based & real time combat.
Outside of combat, your character is fast aswell. And I appreciate that you can run away from most regular fights. It makes the random encounters more bearable.
You can trigger side quests by doing specific actions in the Past, and then seeing NPCs behaviors changing entirely once you go back in the Present.
Taking the time to talk to every NPC gives you valuable informations, such as specific enemies weaknesses, and locations of bonus items, which felt really rewarding. They can offer you consumables too, if you come talk to them later in the story.
The game had several events that were moving or wholesome. The moment when Robo is getting bullied by all his old friends in the underground facility was touching.
I also remember when the characters were partying with Ayla in the prehistoric era. It made the game much more lively & spirited.
Or sometimes, I just had to wait and watch silently as the event unfolds, for example when Bosch & Lucca were repairing Grandleon, which made those moments more enthralling.
The music never goes unnoticed, whether it's upbeat, melancholic or mysterious. I could name so many tracks that I kept listening to after I was done playing the game.
It really enhanced the events of the story, and put your adventure on a bigger scale. The soundtrack is grand.
Bosses weren't just damage sponges, and you need to perform specific actions on some of them to be able to damage them efficiently. It made the combat really engaging.
For example against the jugglers, you need to alternate physical & magic attacks; against Nizbel you have to figure out that you need to shock him with Chrono's Lightning to reduce his defense; or against Magus where you need to alternate the elements of your spells.
My favorite moment in the game has to be when Frog opens the path to the Magic Cave. His theme is so epic. He is my favorite character in Chrono Trigger!
The side quest where he finds Cyrus grave and gives him one final goodbye was also really touching.
Another noteworthy moment is when the party manages to resurrect Chrono. The scene leading up to it, with the beautiful background & music made it unforgettable. The game has some beautiful landscapes.
It was interesting to see the effects the party's accomplishments had on the different time periods. You witness the changes you make in each timeline as the game progresses, and it's really satisfying.
After Robo is done replanting the forest, we witness Lucca's Past in one of her dreams, and we understand what caused her to become a scientist. It taught us more about her motive, and it gave her more personality. It was a really nice moment, and the shot of the party resting around the camp fire was quite memorable.
The quests at the Lost Sanctum were AWFUL. Never again.
It took me 6 hours going up & down the Mount Emerald dozens of times to finish this optional content. I'll try erasing this part of the game from my memory because it's the complete opposite of the rest of the game in terms of fun. Please, just ignore that section of the game altogether, it's not worth the hassle.
It's crazy to think this wasn't in the original game, they decided to add it in later versions (DS & Steam). What a terrible decision!
All the endgame quests leading up to the encounter with Lavos delivered nice bits of story, while also giving you the best gear possible to deal with the final Boss.
Whether it's Robo and the encounters with Atropos & Mother brain; Glenn saying goodbye to his old friend Cyrus; or Marle making up with her father. All those quests were interesting and also had fun boss fights.
I really appreciate that I didn't have to grind at any point in the game. Every fight was manageable with my current gear, and I never got stuck against an impossibly hard Boss that forced me to come back after leveling up a bit.
Mind you, some Bosses were still challenging.
The ending was really moving, it almost made me cry. From the moment you defeat Lavos till the last second of the game was absolutely amazing.
The scene where they all have to say goodbye to each other before going back in their respective timeline, with the really sad music ("Epilogue ~ To Good Friends"); then you have the cutscene with Chrono & Marle's wedding; Glenn being made knight by the King; and then you can watch the characters flying the Epoch as the credits are rolling (with the music "To Far Away Times" playing in the background)... Everything just feels right. We really couldn't have a more perfect ending to this game.
In conclusion, this JRPG has aged incredibly well. If some of you are like me and have trouble getting into old-school JRPG, please trust me. What makes this one special is its combat system that is unique & truly enjoyable. Other aspects of the game are great aswell, but it's the gameplay that sets him apart from the rest.
----------Playtime & Completion----------
[Played in late May 2023]
Playtime: 40 hours
I got the "Beyond Time" ending. It's the main ending.
I didn't restart the game in ng+ yet, but I will probably try to complete a few more endings in the future!
Despite my distaste of turn-based combat, I had fun fighting enemies in that game. It's snappy and it never lasts for too long. The animations are quick and the music is dynamic.
As the party members level up, each of them unlocks more techs. And the more techs each character has, the more double & triple techs your team will have access to.
It was so satisfying to experiment new attacks as the game progresses, triple techs especially. They went out of their way to give these ones spectacular animations.
I also want to point out that I had the "active" mode enabled in combat, not the "wait" mode. So I had to make decisions as quickly as possible.
It's not entirely turn-based now that I think about it. It's kinda weird, like a mix of turn-based & real time combat.
Outside of combat, your character is fast aswell. And I appreciate that you can run away from most regular fights. It makes the random encounters more bearable.
You can trigger side quests by doing specific actions in the Past, and then seeing NPCs behaviors changing entirely once you go back in the Present.
Taking the time to talk to every NPC gives you valuable informations, such as specific enemies weaknesses, and locations of bonus items, which felt really rewarding. They can offer you consumables too, if you come talk to them later in the story.
The game had several events that were moving or wholesome. The moment when Robo is getting bullied by all his old friends in the underground facility was touching.
I also remember when the characters were partying with Ayla in the prehistoric era. It made the game much more lively & spirited.
Or sometimes, I just had to wait and watch silently as the event unfolds, for example when Bosch & Lucca were repairing Grandleon, which made those moments more enthralling.
The music never goes unnoticed, whether it's upbeat, melancholic or mysterious. I could name so many tracks that I kept listening to after I was done playing the game.
It really enhanced the events of the story, and put your adventure on a bigger scale. The soundtrack is grand.
Bosses weren't just damage sponges, and you need to perform specific actions on some of them to be able to damage them efficiently. It made the combat really engaging.
For example against the jugglers, you need to alternate physical & magic attacks; against Nizbel you have to figure out that you need to shock him with Chrono's Lightning to reduce his defense; or against Magus where you need to alternate the elements of your spells.
My favorite moment in the game has to be when Frog opens the path to the Magic Cave. His theme is so epic. He is my favorite character in Chrono Trigger!
The side quest where he finds Cyrus grave and gives him one final goodbye was also really touching.
Another noteworthy moment is when the party manages to resurrect Chrono. The scene leading up to it, with the beautiful background & music made it unforgettable. The game has some beautiful landscapes.
It was interesting to see the effects the party's accomplishments had on the different time periods. You witness the changes you make in each timeline as the game progresses, and it's really satisfying.
After Robo is done replanting the forest, we witness Lucca's Past in one of her dreams, and we understand what caused her to become a scientist. It taught us more about her motive, and it gave her more personality. It was a really nice moment, and the shot of the party resting around the camp fire was quite memorable.
The quests at the Lost Sanctum were AWFUL. Never again.
It took me 6 hours going up & down the Mount Emerald dozens of times to finish this optional content. I'll try erasing this part of the game from my memory because it's the complete opposite of the rest of the game in terms of fun. Please, just ignore that section of the game altogether, it's not worth the hassle.
It's crazy to think this wasn't in the original game, they decided to add it in later versions (DS & Steam). What a terrible decision!
All the endgame quests leading up to the encounter with Lavos delivered nice bits of story, while also giving you the best gear possible to deal with the final Boss.
Whether it's Robo and the encounters with Atropos & Mother brain; Glenn saying goodbye to his old friend Cyrus; or Marle making up with her father. All those quests were interesting and also had fun boss fights.
I really appreciate that I didn't have to grind at any point in the game. Every fight was manageable with my current gear, and I never got stuck against an impossibly hard Boss that forced me to come back after leveling up a bit.
Mind you, some Bosses were still challenging.
The ending was really moving, it almost made me cry. From the moment you defeat Lavos till the last second of the game was absolutely amazing.
The scene where they all have to say goodbye to each other before going back in their respective timeline, with the really sad music ("Epilogue ~ To Good Friends"); then you have the cutscene with Chrono & Marle's wedding; Glenn being made knight by the King; and then you can watch the characters flying the Epoch as the credits are rolling (with the music "To Far Away Times" playing in the background)... Everything just feels right. We really couldn't have a more perfect ending to this game.
In conclusion, this JRPG has aged incredibly well. If some of you are like me and have trouble getting into old-school JRPG, please trust me. What makes this one special is its combat system that is unique & truly enjoyable. Other aspects of the game are great aswell, but it's the gameplay that sets him apart from the rest.
----------Playtime & Completion----------
[Played in late May 2023]
Playtime: 40 hours
I got the "Beyond Time" ending. It's the main ending.
I didn't restart the game in ng+ yet, but I will probably try to complete a few more endings in the future!
Chrono Trigger
1995
I suppose Squaresoft managed to trap programmers in a dimension out of time and space so they could take the centuries needed to realise this masterpiece. One of the best JRPG I ever played.
Chrono Trigger
1995
For all the many things worthy of praise in Chrono Trigger, I think the simplest and most important is just how elegant of a game it is. There's no overcomplicated min-maxy system, no super-esoteric lore, all of its many elements are polished to a sheen and service the game's greater themes perfectly. One game in a thousand is this well-realized, and it's Chrono Trigger.