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Dom Robinson reviews
For
Distributed by
Sega
One question – do you like theFinal Fantasy series?,
If the answer’s yes then this game may interest you, but you’d really have tobe a devotee if you’re going to get a lot of enjoyment out of Skies ofArcadia which has a bizarre premise of flying about in airshipsisland-hopping in the skies and looking for land to claim, while shaking offthe Sky Pirates (don’t mention that to Rupert Murdoch 🙂
According to the blurb there are six enormous 3D lands to explore: desert,quaint villages, sky, and space with up to 80 sky-ships that you cancustomize to your liking, carrying up to 15 crew members to fend off attackersand, when not battling opponents, you can run about the place a la Mario 64.
Alas, when it comes to actually playing the game I found there was barely anyskill involved. You run around, you encounter another ship, a battle ensuesin the same manner asFinal Fantasy 7et al, you choose to attack because it’s the quickest way of killing thebaddies, they usually die before you do, you move on, then random battlesoccur for no reason and to serve no particular purpose which just serve toirritate rather than thrill.
Ok, so I’m normally more of a fan of first-person shooters likeUnreal Tournament and Half-Life, which has apparently now hadits Dreamcast release cancelled, than RPGs (role-playing games) but I hugelyenjoyedPhantasy Star Onlinewhich features much running about and repetitive fighting, but the way thatwas presented was to include an online element that allowed you to front upto other people and converse in a way that seemed realistic and natural, butwhile this game does have some online functions it’s nothing like the same.
Graphically and sonically, it’s pleasing to the eyes and ears but identicalto… yes, you guessed it.
Since the game’s about as taxing as pressing the’A’ button every so often, the fact that it’s all been done before andit’s about as entertaining as watching a Party Political Broadcast and it’stime to catch some Zzzzzzzs.
SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC
PLAYABILITY
ORIGINALITY
ENJOYMENT
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Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.