RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Reviews > Legend of Legaia
The plot in Legend of Legaia is not all that groundbreaking. Save each of the lands, the ruler of each land, and eventually the world. The evil mist envelopes Legaia, causing hideous monsters to attack the inhabitants. By reviving the Genesis Trees, the mist is destroyed.
While the plot isn't that original, the battle system is. Instead of the normal turn-based random 'fight' ; 'magic' ; 'item' ; the game implores a Tactical Arts System. In a Tekken-type setting, the player can enter in any sequence of attacks the character is capable of. For example, instead of just 'punch' and 'kick,' choose from 'High Kick' ; 'Low Kick' ; 'Left Punch' ; & 'Right Punch.' But it goes even further. Enter a specific combination ('Left' 'Left' 'Right') to execute an 'Art' (Power Punch). As your characters level up, the number of attacks you can use in a battle grow. The combination get more complex, and the Arts you can execute get very advanced and powerful.
Another difference in Legaia and your normal RPG is the magic system. Normally, characters gain magic randomly when gaining levels, or bu purchasing their magic. In this game, magic can only be 'drawn' from an enemy. To do this, the character who wants to learn the magic must be the one who delivers the fatal blow to the monster, and the monster must have a magic element (not all monsters have magic). You can't draw out the magic every time. Sometimes it is random, which can make learning magic for all three characters tiresome and time-consuming. But it makes more sense than randomly learning magic as levels increase. Also, you have to gain magic levels. All new magic defaults to level 1. The more the character uses a magic spell, the more powerful it gets (similar to Paladin's Quest on SNES). But instead of just getting more powerful, magic actually gains levels. A nice aspect, I found (even if it is tiresome sometimes leveling up).
As usual, there are weapons and armor to buy/equip, and items to find and use.
The game play is quite nice. I had a relatively easy time moving around, and noticing things (unlike Xenogears). The game is limited 3d (full 3D on the outside world map, limited in towns).
I found the music disappointing. While it is very upbeat at the right times, I just didn't get anything out of most of it. In a review I wrote to Game Music Online, I said, "The only real reason to buy this soundtrack is for nostalgia." The sound effects, on the other hand, fit quite nicely.
Visuals. The graphics for this game did impress me. It has *very* nice FMVs (though very short) located throughout the game, and in the 'normal' view, things look quite nice. (I.E. I didn't have to squint to see things, and the characters' detail is good. He isn't just a blue blob on the screen.) One notable aspect is that in battles, the characters are highly detailed. For instance, if you equip the hero with claws, you see claws in battle. If you equip a sword, he carries a sword. The same for armor, as well.
The replay value, in my opinion, is low, except for going back and learning the magic you didn't the first time. Other than that, everything else plays out the same.
Legend of Legaia was also a pretty easy game to finish. While you may spend a little time gaining levels, you won't spend a lot (unless you're a perfectionist, like me). Overall, I found this to be a pleasant gaming experience, and would recommend it to any RPG fan who is looking for a fun time, rather than a challenging one.
| Game Stats | |
|---|---|
| Genre | RPG |
| Platform | PlayStation |
| Format | CD-ROM |
| # of Players | 1 |
| Released Jap | 10.29.1998 |
| Released US | 03.17.1999 |
| Released EU | 05.27.2000 |
| Aprox. Length | 15-30hrs. |
| Reviewer Rankings | |
| Battle System | 8.0 |
| Gameplay | 8.0 |
| Music | 5.0 |
| Originality | 6.0 |
| Plot | 7.0 |
| Replay Value | 5.0 |
| Sound | 7.0 |
| Visuals | 9.0 |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Overall | |
| 6.9 | |
Legend of Legaia
By: SCEAReviewed By: BAMAToNE
I found this a very hard game to review because some aspects of it were very good, and some were very bad.The plot in Legend of Legaia is not all that groundbreaking. Save each of the lands, the ruler of each land, and eventually the world. The evil mist envelopes Legaia, causing hideous monsters to attack the inhabitants. By reviving the Genesis Trees, the mist is destroyed.
While the plot isn't that original, the battle system is. Instead of the normal turn-based random 'fight' ; 'magic' ; 'item' ; the game implores a Tactical Arts System. In a Tekken-type setting, the player can enter in any sequence of attacks the character is capable of. For example, instead of just 'punch' and 'kick,' choose from 'High Kick' ; 'Low Kick' ; 'Left Punch' ; & 'Right Punch.' But it goes even further. Enter a specific combination ('Left' 'Left' 'Right') to execute an 'Art' (Power Punch). As your characters level up, the number of attacks you can use in a battle grow. The combination get more complex, and the Arts you can execute get very advanced and powerful.
Another difference in Legaia and your normal RPG is the magic system. Normally, characters gain magic randomly when gaining levels, or bu purchasing their magic. In this game, magic can only be 'drawn' from an enemy. To do this, the character who wants to learn the magic must be the one who delivers the fatal blow to the monster, and the monster must have a magic element (not all monsters have magic). You can't draw out the magic every time. Sometimes it is random, which can make learning magic for all three characters tiresome and time-consuming. But it makes more sense than randomly learning magic as levels increase. Also, you have to gain magic levels. All new magic defaults to level 1. The more the character uses a magic spell, the more powerful it gets (similar to Paladin's Quest on SNES). But instead of just getting more powerful, magic actually gains levels. A nice aspect, I found (even if it is tiresome sometimes leveling up).
As usual, there are weapons and armor to buy/equip, and items to find and use.
The game play is quite nice. I had a relatively easy time moving around, and noticing things (unlike Xenogears). The game is limited 3d (full 3D on the outside world map, limited in towns).
I found the music disappointing. While it is very upbeat at the right times, I just didn't get anything out of most of it. In a review I wrote to Game Music Online, I said, "The only real reason to buy this soundtrack is for nostalgia." The sound effects, on the other hand, fit quite nicely.
Visuals. The graphics for this game did impress me. It has *very* nice FMVs (though very short) located throughout the game, and in the 'normal' view, things look quite nice. (I.E. I didn't have to squint to see things, and the characters' detail is good. He isn't just a blue blob on the screen.) One notable aspect is that in battles, the characters are highly detailed. For instance, if you equip the hero with claws, you see claws in battle. If you equip a sword, he carries a sword. The same for armor, as well.
The replay value, in my opinion, is low, except for going back and learning the magic you didn't the first time. Other than that, everything else plays out the same.
Legend of Legaia was also a pretty easy game to finish. While you may spend a little time gaining levels, you won't spend a lot (unless you're a perfectionist, like me). Overall, I found this to be a pleasant gaming experience, and would recommend it to any RPG fan who is looking for a fun time, rather than a challenging one.
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