Post by Wildcat on Oct 5, 2010 11:13:49 GMT -5
This is my absolute favorite game. Here's what I wrote about it for the 10 year Dreamcast anniversary (it's long!), as it would be as solid as anything I could come up with now:
Eight (now nine) years ago, I bought Skies of Arcadia. I had no idea who the genius behind it was (i.e. Rieko Kodama, who has put in a lot of work on Sega’s top games throughout its early history, primarily the classic Phantasy Star RPG’s for the Master System and Genesis), nor the history behind its developer Overworks (who had developed the Shinobi, Phantasy Star and Streets of Rage titles, among others). To be frank, the talent at Sega was not a selling point. I had little personal connection to Sega outside of the Dreamcast in 2001, and outside of a bit of puttering around with a friend’s Genesis a few times, I was generally out of the loop until Sega’s swan song console became mine in 1999. I did know that, unfortunately, the DC was on its last legs when I bought Skies, and I wanted to be able to play it before the opportunity slipped away from me. The review in ODCM looked promising, and Grandia II was already conquered, so I had little to lose.
Little did I realize with my purchase that Skies would overwhelm me. Vyse, Aika and Fina quickly won my heart. Their optimism, their plucky attitudes, their happiness…it was a refreshing change of pace from Grandia II’s gloom. The thing that endeared them to me though was their desire to explore, to dream, and to achieve. Sega’s rating system for Vyse’s pirate rank helped that, but the storyline managed to showcase the tight bond between the three that couldn’t be broken. The rotating Drachma, Gilder and Enrique all were great, too. Drachma’s an old-salt who’s been around the skies for some time, hunting down the great skywhale Rhakham a la Moby Dick’s Captain Ahab. Gilder’s smooth with his words and with his actions, fitting the Don Juan motif (all the while being a badass). Lastly, Enrique is the prince of Valua, and his country’s actions are breaking him apart. His properness and chivalry stand out most, but he’s also strongly committed to stopping his mother the Empress at any cost. All of these top-notch secondary characters stand out as fresh and welcome additions to the main cast. And, since we’re speaking of pirates, Sega’s take on them was also new to me. Having two factions, one the typical “rape, pillage, plunder” type, and the other choosing to follow more in Robin Hood’s footsteps, was fantastic. I really liked that angle – robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. No matter the odds, Vyse, Aika and Fina would rise to the challenge and topple the opposition. It’s not a common occurrence to have heroes truly looking out for others – it usually feels like an afterthought (oh, we have to save the world now after all this self-gratification). But Vyse has always been out trying to better life for everyone he can, and the escalating stakes just means he has to go right alongside it. It’s rarely an issue of “Can we do it?”, it’s “How we can do it”. And it’s nice to feel that in a game.
Our fearless air pirates would probably not be quite so fascinating if Sega had not plopped them into such a cool world. Sailing around is a thrill, despite the high encounter rate. And landing and uncovering all of these neat locales – the lush jungles of Ixa’taka, the destitution of Lower Valua, the majestic Yafutoma, the mysterious Dark Rift, and the quiet still of the forgotten Ice Empire. Along with all of these great ports, there’s lots of hidden discoveries to unearth. Adding in these discoveries was ingenious – it’s so satisfying to see that compass wheel spin and uncover some sort of artifact or lost location. Being interested in both archaeology and anthropology, this naturally flipped the right switches for me. Sega may have trapped your heroes from probing out too far too soon (usually through “my ship can’t handle this!” or “we need to rescue ‘so-and-so’” story planning), but it rarely feels limiting. The game’s plot, while not 100% original (what is?), is well told and engaging. Rereading the script as I was writing this nearly distracted me from finishing this up, truth be told. Figuring out what exactly the Valuan Empire (the “Prince John” of this game) is up to, and then doing all you can to foil them, is pleasurable, and the diverse range of Valuan Generals to battle adds to the joy. From Vigoro’s disgusting lechery to Gregorio’s military protocol to De Loco’s kooky insanity, each foe is well presented and provide their own quirks to the overall story arc.
soal-6Skies of Arcadia was also gifted with two clever battle systems. The standard features Vyse, Aika, Fina and one of the aforementioned rotating allies that switch in and out as the story progresses. Your actions are gauged by a Spirit meter – your Super moves and magic drain it, and you can’t use them if you don’t have the right amount of points. Thankfully, you can Focus the meter to build up over attacking, and it refills every turn cycle by a set amount determined by your character’s level. MP is also in play for spells, but it rarely becomes a nuisance. You can also guard, use an item, run, or use standard attacks. Another factor is Elemental Moonstones that you can throw into your character’s weapon to determine its Element, which can deliver more damage to an enemy who’s weak to it. Along with that, it’ll help you level up your magic for that Element, which has six different branches. The more characters using one Element, the more EXP will be earned for that type of magic. Some enemies will cough up Moonberries, which are handy items. They will allow you to unlock new Super moves, which are all awesome to witness. I really dig Skies’ default battle system, but the ship battles embodies the spirit of air piracy perfectly.
Ship battles are packed with strategy, planning and a little daring-do…much like any good pirate flick. You outfit your ship with various styles of cannons, tornadoes and armor to best suit your preference before battle, and once you’re engaged, it’s much like a sky-faring chess match. Position and timing are absolutely key to success, and it doesn’t take too long to get a hang of when is the best time to let loose your fire. Defending translates to evasive action in ship battles – if you’re too far out or behind your foes, they can’t blast you. However, they can also pull such tactics, so observing the rival’s actions is vital for success. Torpedoes have a delay in striking your foes, so careful use of them can pile on heaps of damage as they crash into your foe as you assail them with cannon fire. The Spirit meter also plays a massive part of your battle plan, as any attack requires spirit to use. You can focus much like standard fights, and once you equip a Super Cannon, you can rail foes with a devastating Harpoon or Moonstone Cannon bombardment that will deliver serious punishment. Unfortunately, most of your enemies have similar devices to use on you, and if you leave yourself open, expect to watch the battle go sour in a hurry. Beyond combating ships, Vyse and Co. will have to tackle Gigas, God-like embodiments of the Elements you use in your weapons. These Gigas are powerful, and can shred your ship into dust unless you can figure out the best way of setting them up for your cannon assaults.
Once you get a hold of your own personal battleship, the ship battling gets even deeper thanks to the Crew system. You’ll be able to recruit many crewmen and women all over Arcadia, and there’s two options for each major position of the ship. Choosing which one to use depends on what you want – one Lookout, Domingo, gives you a “spell” that increases your Critical Hit, while TikiTika automatically increases your Torpedo hit percentage. Which you prefer is your choice, and there’s 11 positions to tinker around with to find what is perfect for your method of play. Another awesome customizable feature you can do is setting up your own Pirate base. Your crew will settle there when you’re ashore, and you can buy goods from them, talk to Pinta for VMU questing, communicate with your crew, set up the way your base looks, and more. Tracking down all 22 crewmembers is sort of like finding Discoveries. Some are easily found, wandering about the game’s various cities, but some are tricky to trace, and will test your mettle as you recap everywhere you’ve been in an attempt to recruit them all.
art01[1]Skies would not be so incredible if Sega had not tapped Yutaka Minobe and Takayuki Maeda to produce the musical score. The essence of piracy oozes from these excellent songs. Each piece rings true of its area. Sailor Island…sounds like it’s an island full of pirates looking for work. It reminds me of standing on a dock by the ocean, watching boats sail on by. The epic battle themes that shift depending on how well you’re doing. Encouraging when you’re winning, but nail-biting as you’re struggling. And the way the music changes as you sail from region to region, reflecting that area’s culture. Absolutely brilliant. Ixa’taka remains one of my favorite gaming tunes ever, thanks to its pounding tribal drums and chants. Nasrad drips heat from its Morocco-esque tune. Lower Valua is dark and loaded with impending doom. I could go on with every song on this soundtrack, but I don’t think I need to (or should…this article would be REALLY long). Kudos to these fine composers for creating a masterpiece in gaming music.
In conclusion, Skies of Arcadia ended up becoming the ideal for me. I’ve dreamed of a game having this much scope and enjoyment wrapped up inside it, and Sega delivered it to me in spades. I was genuinely surprised with its quality, and nothing else has quite hit me as profoundly as Skies has. It is this one game that I can easily say is why I love the Dreamcast, and gaming in general. Love live Skies! And a happy 10th anniversary Dreamcast! You will not be forgotten!
Eight (now nine) years ago, I bought Skies of Arcadia. I had no idea who the genius behind it was (i.e. Rieko Kodama, who has put in a lot of work on Sega’s top games throughout its early history, primarily the classic Phantasy Star RPG’s for the Master System and Genesis), nor the history behind its developer Overworks (who had developed the Shinobi, Phantasy Star and Streets of Rage titles, among others). To be frank, the talent at Sega was not a selling point. I had little personal connection to Sega outside of the Dreamcast in 2001, and outside of a bit of puttering around with a friend’s Genesis a few times, I was generally out of the loop until Sega’s swan song console became mine in 1999. I did know that, unfortunately, the DC was on its last legs when I bought Skies, and I wanted to be able to play it before the opportunity slipped away from me. The review in ODCM looked promising, and Grandia II was already conquered, so I had little to lose.
Little did I realize with my purchase that Skies would overwhelm me. Vyse, Aika and Fina quickly won my heart. Their optimism, their plucky attitudes, their happiness…it was a refreshing change of pace from Grandia II’s gloom. The thing that endeared them to me though was their desire to explore, to dream, and to achieve. Sega’s rating system for Vyse’s pirate rank helped that, but the storyline managed to showcase the tight bond between the three that couldn’t be broken. The rotating Drachma, Gilder and Enrique all were great, too. Drachma’s an old-salt who’s been around the skies for some time, hunting down the great skywhale Rhakham a la Moby Dick’s Captain Ahab. Gilder’s smooth with his words and with his actions, fitting the Don Juan motif (all the while being a badass). Lastly, Enrique is the prince of Valua, and his country’s actions are breaking him apart. His properness and chivalry stand out most, but he’s also strongly committed to stopping his mother the Empress at any cost. All of these top-notch secondary characters stand out as fresh and welcome additions to the main cast. And, since we’re speaking of pirates, Sega’s take on them was also new to me. Having two factions, one the typical “rape, pillage, plunder” type, and the other choosing to follow more in Robin Hood’s footsteps, was fantastic. I really liked that angle – robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. No matter the odds, Vyse, Aika and Fina would rise to the challenge and topple the opposition. It’s not a common occurrence to have heroes truly looking out for others – it usually feels like an afterthought (oh, we have to save the world now after all this self-gratification). But Vyse has always been out trying to better life for everyone he can, and the escalating stakes just means he has to go right alongside it. It’s rarely an issue of “Can we do it?”, it’s “How we can do it”. And it’s nice to feel that in a game.
Our fearless air pirates would probably not be quite so fascinating if Sega had not plopped them into such a cool world. Sailing around is a thrill, despite the high encounter rate. And landing and uncovering all of these neat locales – the lush jungles of Ixa’taka, the destitution of Lower Valua, the majestic Yafutoma, the mysterious Dark Rift, and the quiet still of the forgotten Ice Empire. Along with all of these great ports, there’s lots of hidden discoveries to unearth. Adding in these discoveries was ingenious – it’s so satisfying to see that compass wheel spin and uncover some sort of artifact or lost location. Being interested in both archaeology and anthropology, this naturally flipped the right switches for me. Sega may have trapped your heroes from probing out too far too soon (usually through “my ship can’t handle this!” or “we need to rescue ‘so-and-so’” story planning), but it rarely feels limiting. The game’s plot, while not 100% original (what is?), is well told and engaging. Rereading the script as I was writing this nearly distracted me from finishing this up, truth be told. Figuring out what exactly the Valuan Empire (the “Prince John” of this game) is up to, and then doing all you can to foil them, is pleasurable, and the diverse range of Valuan Generals to battle adds to the joy. From Vigoro’s disgusting lechery to Gregorio’s military protocol to De Loco’s kooky insanity, each foe is well presented and provide their own quirks to the overall story arc.
soal-6Skies of Arcadia was also gifted with two clever battle systems. The standard features Vyse, Aika, Fina and one of the aforementioned rotating allies that switch in and out as the story progresses. Your actions are gauged by a Spirit meter – your Super moves and magic drain it, and you can’t use them if you don’t have the right amount of points. Thankfully, you can Focus the meter to build up over attacking, and it refills every turn cycle by a set amount determined by your character’s level. MP is also in play for spells, but it rarely becomes a nuisance. You can also guard, use an item, run, or use standard attacks. Another factor is Elemental Moonstones that you can throw into your character’s weapon to determine its Element, which can deliver more damage to an enemy who’s weak to it. Along with that, it’ll help you level up your magic for that Element, which has six different branches. The more characters using one Element, the more EXP will be earned for that type of magic. Some enemies will cough up Moonberries, which are handy items. They will allow you to unlock new Super moves, which are all awesome to witness. I really dig Skies’ default battle system, but the ship battles embodies the spirit of air piracy perfectly.
Ship battles are packed with strategy, planning and a little daring-do…much like any good pirate flick. You outfit your ship with various styles of cannons, tornadoes and armor to best suit your preference before battle, and once you’re engaged, it’s much like a sky-faring chess match. Position and timing are absolutely key to success, and it doesn’t take too long to get a hang of when is the best time to let loose your fire. Defending translates to evasive action in ship battles – if you’re too far out or behind your foes, they can’t blast you. However, they can also pull such tactics, so observing the rival’s actions is vital for success. Torpedoes have a delay in striking your foes, so careful use of them can pile on heaps of damage as they crash into your foe as you assail them with cannon fire. The Spirit meter also plays a massive part of your battle plan, as any attack requires spirit to use. You can focus much like standard fights, and once you equip a Super Cannon, you can rail foes with a devastating Harpoon or Moonstone Cannon bombardment that will deliver serious punishment. Unfortunately, most of your enemies have similar devices to use on you, and if you leave yourself open, expect to watch the battle go sour in a hurry. Beyond combating ships, Vyse and Co. will have to tackle Gigas, God-like embodiments of the Elements you use in your weapons. These Gigas are powerful, and can shred your ship into dust unless you can figure out the best way of setting them up for your cannon assaults.
Once you get a hold of your own personal battleship, the ship battling gets even deeper thanks to the Crew system. You’ll be able to recruit many crewmen and women all over Arcadia, and there’s two options for each major position of the ship. Choosing which one to use depends on what you want – one Lookout, Domingo, gives you a “spell” that increases your Critical Hit, while TikiTika automatically increases your Torpedo hit percentage. Which you prefer is your choice, and there’s 11 positions to tinker around with to find what is perfect for your method of play. Another awesome customizable feature you can do is setting up your own Pirate base. Your crew will settle there when you’re ashore, and you can buy goods from them, talk to Pinta for VMU questing, communicate with your crew, set up the way your base looks, and more. Tracking down all 22 crewmembers is sort of like finding Discoveries. Some are easily found, wandering about the game’s various cities, but some are tricky to trace, and will test your mettle as you recap everywhere you’ve been in an attempt to recruit them all.
art01[1]Skies would not be so incredible if Sega had not tapped Yutaka Minobe and Takayuki Maeda to produce the musical score. The essence of piracy oozes from these excellent songs. Each piece rings true of its area. Sailor Island…sounds like it’s an island full of pirates looking for work. It reminds me of standing on a dock by the ocean, watching boats sail on by. The epic battle themes that shift depending on how well you’re doing. Encouraging when you’re winning, but nail-biting as you’re struggling. And the way the music changes as you sail from region to region, reflecting that area’s culture. Absolutely brilliant. Ixa’taka remains one of my favorite gaming tunes ever, thanks to its pounding tribal drums and chants. Nasrad drips heat from its Morocco-esque tune. Lower Valua is dark and loaded with impending doom. I could go on with every song on this soundtrack, but I don’t think I need to (or should…this article would be REALLY long). Kudos to these fine composers for creating a masterpiece in gaming music.
In conclusion, Skies of Arcadia ended up becoming the ideal for me. I’ve dreamed of a game having this much scope and enjoyment wrapped up inside it, and Sega delivered it to me in spades. I was genuinely surprised with its quality, and nothing else has quite hit me as profoundly as Skies has. It is this one game that I can easily say is why I love the Dreamcast, and gaming in general. Love live Skies! And a happy 10th anniversary Dreamcast! You will not be forgotten!
