/vr/ - Retro Games

Everything about it is so non-formulaic that it scares away traditional cookie cutter RPG fans.

The game does away with traditional level grind, heck it even prevents it. Battles can easily be avoided or run from (even boss battles!). There is no boring ATB or waiting; you use a stamina points system that balances your and the enemy's actions. A field system governed by cast magic influences spell effectivity and makes summons actually something special (you need to turn the battlefield completely into their corresponding element, to create an atmosphere for them so to say), not just another target-all spell that costs more MP than Fire 3.

The visual direction is unparalleled. The game takes place on small specks of land laid into a massive ocean setting. It's like a summer vacation at the sea, packed in game form. The music is one of the best, if not the best, to ever grace a game and influences the mood of the game in ways that sometimes might be perceived on a less conscious level (home/another Arny for example).

The story is multi-tiered and can be hard to follow if you don't pay attention to what characters say. It touches upon themes such as identity of the individual, self-discovery and repercussions of past deeds; what would the world be like, if only you had changed? What happened to futures that were denied their existence by your actions? What would they do if they could take revenge? It's mainly about discovering your place in the world, with a greater events as backdrop. Even with other characters around you, it's still a lonesome journey, an aspect further emphasized by the wealth of characters that joins you, but still follows their own agenda.

It's not exactly a traditional story about hero-beats-evil-with-friendship-magic, it's not even a story contained within the medium; in the end, it blurs he borders completely and tells you to learn from your journey and get a girlfriend, you sad sack of shit

>>1237590
>game preaches coexistence
>main character is joined by characters who tag along but all have their own goals unrelated to his

I also found that the disjointed party underlined that Serge's self-discovery is mostly a lonely one, as it usually is the case for most people.