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