[11/20/04] Saga Frontier

[OverlordMondo]

Name: Saga Frontier

Genre: RPG

System: PS1

 

 

The game takes place in a futuristic setting. Setting it apart from most RPGs immediately. You have complete choice over whether you want ot use more modern weaponry and abilities, or if you want to stick it to the enemy old school. Right from the start you get to choose from 7 different characters, all with their own storyline.

 

You can choose from; Blue, a magician, Red, a superhero, T260, a mec, Riki, a monster, Assellus, a half-mystic, Emelia, a super model (changing her outfit allows different weapon affinities), or Lute, a not much of anything.

 

On top of your starting character, a vast amount of other characters can join you. Sometimes other protagonists (Lute will join you in every scenario).

 

Once you've got knowledge of your quest, the game lets you fly from region to region doing pretty much whatever you want. And there's plenty to explore! There's at least 25 optional dungeons, ranging from your standard cave, to a paradise created with powerful magic, or a swamp that you have to navigate...while drunk!

 

 

Battles are round based, where your party (of up to 5) selects all their moves, and then attacks, in order of speed, at the same time as the enemy. Adding a hint of realism, revival skills have been removed. Rather, your characters fall unconcious at complete loss of HP, and can be revitalized with any healing items. But every time you collapse, you lose a Life Point (LP). If your LP run out, you're dead.

 

 

Each character has 8 slots for equipment, and 8 slots for abilities. The weapons you can equip are varied, from swords, to guns, to powerful mechanical bazookas. Equipment slots and allowed skill differ from race to race. Each character belongs to one of four races;

Humans learn brawling, swordplay, and gunslinging skills, as well as the various magical schools. Humans also have the ability to learn sword and fist skills during battle. Every time the use an attack, they have a chance to learn a new ability related to the one they used.

 

Mystics get a special set of 3 mystic skills. Each skill absorbs the enemy if it delivers the final blow, giving the mystic a significant stat increase, as well as a new skill. Mystics also have access to the magical schools, as well as an automatic gift in the Mystic school of magic.

 

Monsters absorb a single enemy monster at the end of battle, replacing the skill in it's last slot (you can move skills around to keep the ones you want), raising it's WP (those are like skill points), and possibly changing it's form to raise base stats, depending on which skills you have. Monsters can only equip accessory equipment.

 

Mecs absorb enemy Mec data, much in the same way as monsters. This data either restores their vital stats, or gives them a new skill, all of which unique to the Mec classes. Mecs can equip any item, any number of times, and every item raises stats it wouldn't if it were equpped on other races. This makes mec classes very versatile and powerful (though some mecs have as many as 4 slots already occupied by unchangable equipment).

 

There are an incredible amount of magical schools for your human and mystic charcters. And each school rivals another, disallowing the use of it's spells.Also, all non-mec races have a chance to learn dodge skills. Every time you're attacked, there's a small chance that you'll learn a skill that allows you to dodge that attack, and all ones like it in the future.

 

Instead of traditional levels, you gain additional points to certain stats, based on your actions in battle. For example, using swords raises your Strength, while using magic raises your intelligence.

 

And also, a very cool aspect of the game is the ability to perform combo maneuvers with your allies. Certain skills and weapons can work in unison, and when your party members use these skills and act in a row, a combo attack is executed. All five of your party members can act in unison for an ultra powerful attack, provided you actually find the right combination.

 

The graphics are all 2D, which might turn some people away from the game immediately. The in battle backgrounds aren't always so hot, either. But overall, the graphics are fairly well done.

 

 

The music is beautiful, and varies greatly from area to area. Many areas have their own unique music track. It's the standard music for most RPGs, classical, some modern jazz style music, some Techno for the more technological areas. But nothing that would fall into the "popular" muic category.

 

Gameplay: 4

Graphics: 3

Sound: 5

Control: 3

 

Overall: 4

 

You should play this game if: you're looking for a fresh RPG.

 

 

*hic* Can you give me some *hic* information about *hic* the grail card?

 

The Grail Card? Oh you're looking for the card. Before I tell you anything you have to try our famous Yorkland wine.

*drinks wine*

Great. Ask the next cellar, they might know something.

[Agozer]

Hmm... I think it's time to test this now that I have played SaGa Frontier 2.

[OverlordMondo]

Hmm... I think it's time to test this now that I have played SaGa Frontier 2.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is my personal fave in the series. SF2 was only mediocre in my eyes. And all other volumes were crap... >.> Unlimited especially.

[Agozer]

Hmm... I think it's time to test this now that I have played SaGa Frontier 2.

This is my personal fave in the series. SF2 was only mediocre in my eyes. And all other volumes were crap... >.> Unlimited especially.

Unlimited SaGa doesn't count. It is too weird in my book.

Edited November 21, 2004 by Agozer

[Diso]

nice review bud.

 

I've been meaning to get into this series but was never interested enuf

[kaioshade]

I have to be the only person alive who likes unlimited SaGa. Then again I have liked most of the saga series.

 

2,3 and frontier 1 were my favorites.

 

Asellus is GOD.

[OverlordMondo]

I have to be the only person alive who likes unlimited SaGa. Then again I have liked most of the saga series.

 

2,3 and frontier 1 were my favorites.

 

Asellus is GOD.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Assellus IS God, I agree. And upon playing it again, Unlimited SaGa isn't really that bad. But it's still weird... And it has that reel system, which is weird.

[Agozer]

I have to be the only person alive who likes unlimited SaGa. Then again I have liked most of the saga series.

 

2,3 and frontier 1 were my favorites.

 

Asellus is GOD.

Assellus IS God, I agree. And upon playing it again, Unlimited SaGa isn't really that bad. But it's still weird... And it has that reel system, which is weird.

The wheel system is too random.

 

EDIT: Spelling, goddamn,

Edited November 30, 2004 by Agozer

[kaioshade]

I have to be the only person alive who likes unlimited SaGa. Then again I have liked most of the saga series.

 

2,3 and frontier 1 were my favorites.

 

Asellus is GOD.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Assellus IS God, I agree. And upon playing it again, Unlimited SaGa isn't really that bad. But it's still weird... And it has that reel system, which is weird.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The whell system is too random.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought so as well the first time i played it, but then the more i spent with it, the more i realized it isnt completely different than shadowhearts, where the right timing (stopping the wheel) yields different results. U.S. just takes it much much further.

[Agozer]

I have to be the only person alive who likes unlimited SaGa. Then again I have liked most of the saga series.

 

2,3 and frontier 1 were my favorites.

 

Asellus is GOD.

Assellus IS God, I agree. And upon playing it again, Unlimited SaGa isn't really that bad. But it's still weird... And it has that reel system, which is weird.

The whell system is too random.

 

I thought so as well the first time i played it, but then the more i spent with it, the more i realized it isnt completely different than shadowhearts, where the right timing (stopping the wheel) yields different results. U.S. just takes it much much further.

Who knows, I might try unlimited SaGa again just for the heck of it and see if my views have changed at all.

[kaioshade]

Dont get me wrong, you dont like, you dont like it, thats no biggie, i was just expressing how i felt about it. Hell it wasnt very popular, you can pick up the game used for like 7.99 from most places now.