Review: Vagrant Story

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	GALLERY

May 26, 2000
Web posted at: 10:51 a.m. EDT (1451 GMT)

by E. Coli

(IDG) -- Medieval Whodunit: A bloody siege, a heinous murder, and the disappearance of the lead suspect, the sorcerer Sydney Losstarot, are only part of the mystery that surrounds Ashley Riot, the hero in Vagrant Story. Ashley is a Riskbreaker for the VKP (Valendia Knights of the Peace) whose memories have been altered and who must now search for his real identity. Is he a valiant knight or just a pawn in a dark struggle for power? To answer this, and other questions, Ashley must chase Sydney through the creepy bowels of the abandoned city of Lea Monde and its surrounding areas in a game of cat-and-mouse, searching for the ultimate dark weapon - the Gran Grimoire.

In this battle-heavy action/RPG medieval thriller, Square has perfected the art of chain attacks that it hinted at in FFVIII. You assign chain attacks and counterattacks to buttons and unleash them during battle to aid Ashley by adding extra hits, upping defense, or dispensing status changes such as poison, numbness, or silence. Also, Ashley has at his disposal an incredible arsenal of weapons that can be combined and repaired at workshops scattered throughout Lea Monde.

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There are no shops in VS; you'll have to defeat enemies or find chests to acquire all the items.. All this fighting, however, will not increase your HP or MP. These will only go up after defeating the many bosses, or by finding elixirs and vintage wines scattered throughout Lea Monde. Making full use of your inventory is essential for survival and adds an element of strategy to the game.

The real treat, however, is the fact that you'll have to play through Vagrant Story at least three or four times before you can unlock all areas in the map. After finishing the game the first time, the player will be asked to save the Clear Game Data, which can be loaded by starting a new game. The story is the same, but Ashley will keep all the weapons, spells, and chain abilities learned the first time around. Ashley will also retain HP and MP points and any other status accumulated such as agility, strength, and intelligence.

Vagrant Story is a well-rounded game that delivers the goods in every aspect. The beautiful and stylized 3D world makes full use of lighting to evoke a sense of imminent danger. There are no voice-overs (dialogue is delivered through cartoonish balloons), but the moody incidental music, along with haunting sound effects, truly bring the game to life. The awesome controls will have the dozens of menus at your fingertips in no time at all.

Could a Sequel be Far Behind?

From the opening cinema to the climatic and twisty conclusion, Vagrant Story hits all the right notes. Action/RPG fans are in for the adventure of a lifetime with this medieval romp. Hopefully this is only the first installment of a fine saga.

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