Vagrant Story

Released in 2000 for the Playstation, Vagrant Story is a promising RPG that introduced many interesting concepts to the world of RPG gaming, and as such, became engraved in history as a very important step that Squaresoft had made towards success, just before finally changing their name to Square-Enix.



Perhaps the greatest asset of this game are the graphics, with nearly no PS1 game containing as good of a graphic as Vagrant Story's. There are a few framedrops when too much stuff is happening, but such is to be expected. Even though the game looks like it was definitely made for the PS2, the PS1 can handle it just fine.



The main key elements of Vagrant Story are the gameplay and the story. A man named Ashley is an agent titled a "Riskbreaker", sent to Leá Monde to investigate a connection between a cultist organization and a member of the main government, Duke Bardorba. However, things go terribly wrong, and Ashley is framed for murdering Duke. From there on, he has to un-frame himself by acquiring proof that he didn't do it, all the while avoiding the forces of a powerful mysterious character who has some connection to Ashley himself.



The game plays just like any typical RPG, but leveling up is a luxury, and as such you must rely on equipment and clever tactics to defeat opponents. A new system is introduced in this game, where you can hit any part of an enemy's body, either to inflict more damage or hinder an opponent's movement or reaction. A well-timed strike in the right place can save you from dire situations, but don't neglect your finger skills for when you need that extra impact, or when the damage just doesn't cut it.



Among the best RPGs both on the Playstation AND ever released, there is no reason not to at least try Vagrant Story. Just the story and rogue-like exploration is enough to grasp one's attention.

FINAL RATING: 8.9

Kirby's Adventure

Looking at the boxart, it just seems like a children's game, but don't underestimate Kirby's Adventure, as it is a game that should be played by people of all ages. Released in 1993, it was one of the last games published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Think of this as a farewell gift to the NES.

Sporting some pretty impressive graphics, Kirby's Adventure almost looks like a Super Nintendo game. A lot of effort was put into the game, and it shows. Every place is filled with colors, and the animations are vivid and full of details. This was also the first Kirby game where Kirby could copy enemy abilities and use them in a variety of ways.

Being a platformer, many challenges must be overcomed, and the intelligent use of Kirby's abilities are what will get you through each stage. The bosses may be challenging depending on how prepared you are, but fear not, there will always be a chance to rack up more abilities and extra lifes by playing some mini-games that are scattered across the worlds.

All in all, Kirby's Adventure is a game that every person should experience at least once. It's easy enough so that it's suited for all ages, regardless of how experienced they are with games.

FINAL RATING : 8.7

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

As time went by, Castlevania games became more and more complex. No longer were they simply considered platformers, but more of a full-fledged action/rpg titles, complete with exploration and epic bosses. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow was released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, and it was certainly a nod to the old times we spent playing Symphony of the Night on our Playstations.

The game tells the story of a man named Soma Cruz and his romantic interest, Mina Hakuba, when they happen to stumble into Dracula's Castle. With no idea of how he got there or why he is there, Soma is then helped by a man named Genya Arikado, who tells Soma of his "Power of Dominance", and that everything will become clear if he goes to the "Master's Chamber". Soma then embarks on a journey to discover the truth of everything, including his own fate.

Mixing RPG and Platforming elements, Aria of Sorrow is the perfect pick for the newcomer into the Castlevania series, as it offers a tolerable difficulty, and doesn't require you to play past games in the series to understand the storyline. There is a lot of customization in the form of Souls, which are acquired whenever you kill an enemy, as long as you're lucky, you can build up fearful combos for every gaming taste; the fireball spammer, the iron wall, the reckless offensive, you name it, and chances are the game got you covered.



Not only do you have customization, but the game is beautiful to look and exciting to hear. Every piece of music has been masterfully composed to the extent that sometimes, you doubt that the sound is coming from a GBA. And the graphics include some pseudo-3D scenery like the ones seen in Symphony of the Night, once again proving that the GBA is very capable of producing impressive imagery.



Add in the fact that the game also features another playable character and some extra modes after completion, and you have a game for the long run whenever you feel like playing something. Don't miss this game, it is just as amazing as it sounds.

FINAL RATING : 9.1