A Low Poly Robot

Mostly it's just in the fun scope of things, where in Infinite Space, I really like that Yuri is a participant in a lot of things but he's not necessarily pivotal to every major action in the universe, it makes it feel much larger, and Zill O'll just has a very similar feeling in a fantasy universe

There have been funnily at least two other distinct parties going through the world that feel like they are engaging with their own personal JRPG storylines that intersect with ours, one a major one, and one a far more minor one, and it's just cool!!!!

I just like a series where there are many nations all doing their own shit and sometimes making dumb or selfish decisions in the face of world/galaxy ending evil, and where you, as a protagonist, while still having a large role, are not someone who can bend everything to a good end necessarily.

- not present is so cool. Apparently this is a more RPG oriented version of a series of Koei games that meld RPG mechanics with grand strategy elements, and the way the world goes, you can really feel that coming through even though this game subtracts the more complex strategy elements.

- but still, generally, to a small degree. It's interesting because sometimes a thing will play out the same way regardless of your presence, and sometimes you end up completely altering the way the story goes, and it just depends on what the event is. The thing where stuff happens even if you're -

Stopped posting it but man. Zill O'll is so fucking cool, even with this janky translation I'm very much enjoying how the story unfolds. It might sound weird but it kinda has the same thing going for it that I like in Infinite Space, only way way bigger, where you're active in events in the world -

Ahh yeah it was weird, I was digging around and trying to find into and while they've apparently been around a while they just kinda disappeared after this one...

And then it feels like i'm being presumptuous saying that but! Like, that's the issue with translations that end up wonky, isn't it? Especially in a story based lots of proper nouns RPG like this, maybe the game itself IS obtuse but a translation like this multiplies that feeling

Sorry to harp on it I think I've been spoiled, after playing a lot of older titles that I wanted translations of, such as Iru, Mizzurna Falls, Super Robot Wars W, etc, running into a kind of messy translation like this is just kinda deflating and I am pretty sure this is not the game's fault

Like, there's no real context that I can add here, we saw this stranger teleporting, Sera went 'That must be a demon that teleported, let's investigate,' we found this cabin, and this is the conversation

I think that the translation just stilted and awkward

Yeah this translation I really hope gets either a 2.0 or like, just gets a new one in general. I know a different person is working on the PSP version but like. If you want an example of how the translation is kinda wonky, well...

Clock tower. "The symbol of this city is the clock tower. It's majestic."

Standing at the top of stairs, mansion both in the foreground and background.

Market districtm with several different establishments

The outer area of Riverdam, looking a bit more run down, river running through the center of it.

Anyway I continue liking the prerendered visuals

(Technically they played the PS1 version but after comparing it they are honestly very similar to one another at least in the introductory scenario, and while I know the PS2 remake adds even more possible endings, still!!! still...)

Character fates tied to character events, whether you are saving them or even killing them, lots of various endings based on relationships with said characters...

I want to pick apart their brains, and like, figure out what they meant. What did their words mean. Did they play a different game??

Combat system: No ATB, gear with customization, both in terms of stats and look, with a custom class system based on proficiencies and affect growth

Story: Nonlinear, measured time matters a lot between areas, less directly active participation in major events, lots of specific character events

The reason I bring this up, is that I am truly trying to be a wee bit nice about the whole 'Ugh final fantasy clone' comparison the rando writers from 2000 made, and I am only finding more and more things that make this its own game that isn't really super derivative lmao. It's truly baffling.

So from what I am gathering from playing and also looking around at stuff, this game is a nonlinear story, that seemingly changes depending on where you are, who you are allied with, etc, with lots of different scenarios and whatnot that can go very differently, while you're open world exploring

Wizardry art by Jun Suemi

Brandish 3 promo art by Jun Suemi

Asuncia (PS1) cover art by Jun Suemi

Wizardry promo art, Jun Suemi

That being said a shaky translation can still be more helpful than no translation so I'm gonna power through it but I am just a bit like 'hrm' looking at this...

Anyway on a higher note, the game's art is by Jun Suemi, who has provided art for many other things as well, good artist imo

I caught a few misspellings earlier and tbh just thought that might be it but it seems this translation is... a bit iffy which is disappointing. It was released in 2023 and definitely is reminiscent of like, earlier kinds of translation jobs I remember for older titles which is not a good thing lol

Lottie, Merchant, Human, born October 1. A weapon dealer stationed at Riverdam. He has a daughter named Crois. He has been making a great deal of money with his friend Antino by selling weapons to Dingal and the eastern nations.

Reig, Sword Saint, Boldan, Born May 15th. He's the strongest warrior of the arena who holds the title of Sword Saint. He uses a pair of swords which were once used by a legendary hero.

Tartuba, Useless Noble, Human, Born August 30th. A useless nobleman from Rostor. He's from the Ryuga family and is Remon's cousin. He likes to bully the week and will use any means to obtain what he wants. He's been seen lately buying monsters from Riverdam.

Zinga, Dwarf King, Dwarf, Born October 30 He's the King of Dwarves and is also the champion of the arena at Riverdam. He dug a tunnel that passes though his kindom to the north and south. His kingdom is neutral and no troops are allowed to pass through.

Going through the character profiles, idk when it adds specific ones but it's not super filled out yet. I love the titles because in between some straightforward ones we also have "Sword Saint" and "Useless Noble," though this section is showing that the translation for this game is a bit shaky

If built around the keyboard rotation speed sensitivity then imo that'll feel better than forcing mouse controls in a game that was never meant to have mouse! It's the same way that right stick analog feels 'wrong' to me in AC Nexus/LR, bc unlike 4/5/etc it's clearly a thing that was more modded in

My brain is maybe a bit tainted by playing so many emulated games on keyboard but I feel like omitting mouse controls altogether and just forcing keyboard ones would be the way to go, but I also recognize this is possibly controversial and maybe even sacrilegious to some.

The environments are interesting because it feels like there's a mix of 2D and 3D going on with more than just the character models, maybe it's just bc it's been a bit since I played one on the PS2 but in motion the backgrounds are kinda weird looking, but neat

Random citizen's house, with a bed, chair, some short dressers, lots of little knick knacks

The upper floor of the smithy, lots of weapons, armor, shields, etc on display

A more decrepit house

Tavern

anyway time to explore prerendered environments bc I just always like when prerendered background games just let you go into lots of houses and whatnot...

They do use entirely new renders, it was one of those things where I was like 'well the remake wasn't THAT long afterwards so I wonder if they'd rerender using the same models' but there's a lot of small changes so seemingly it's just entirely new models and renders

Just as a kind of funny aside because I was curious, given the prerendered backgrounds, what the PS1 version looked like, so I played until the same scene just to compare, kinda interesting seeing how similar yet different they are

Yeah lol, I was a bit confused because I kinda assumed given the name 'Sera' but he's been referred to with male pronouns in game and on the Koei wiki

Sera, Zill O'll

Albel, Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

I want Sera and Albel to hang out mostly just as weirdo midriff warrior guys.

Vega, the youth we are guiding across the map

Sera, the warrior we met after losing our friend Roy, definitely knows more than he's letting on. Apparently he only joins a female protagonist, no clue who the alternate character on the male route is.

Oh interesting, the guy we're traveling with that we have to guide for the adventurer guild mission is actually in the party just hanging out, also you can look at the 3D models of the characters here.

Look maybe I'm being a bit bitter and too much mechanical thinking first but thus far, other than the very broad story beat of 'ancient evil is awake and causing problems' nothing mechanically has resembled a final fantasy game!!!!!