Lord Spencer's Gaming (and other stuff) Blog

Of the three important TRPGs of the 16-bit era, the Langrisser series is probably the least well-known, and that's because few of its titles were ever localized in the West. Warsong is actually the first Langrisser game. With that in mind, we are discussing a game that is arguably as important as the first Fire Emblem and Shining Force games. Obviously, since the series went on to find some success, the first game in the series must have had some positive elements. It sure does, but it also has its share of obviously glaring problems . 69: Warsong:- Year: 1991. Genre: TRPG. Publisher: Treco. Developer: Masaya Games 

  The PlayStation 1 had such a massive library of games that it is impossible to do it justice with a simple top 100 games list . As such, I decided to supplement my usual review of a top 100 games list (this time, I used the top 100 PS1 games list from Retro Sanctuary) with other games picked up from different lists. This parallel "Additional List" is not numbered in any ordered way, so the quality of the titles theoretically varies from top to bottom with no rhyme or reason. This report covers 10 series, with a couple of games that obviously deserve a place in Retro Sanctuary's Top 100 list. Of these games, I fully reviewed six games, since the rest of these consist of genres that I don't usually cover in these reviews or games that have been ported elsewhere. From this report, I think that it is a huge omission   that neither of the  Lunar  games was included in Retro Sanctuary's list, and a huge travesty that Tactics Ogre: Let's Cling Together ...

As we approach the supposed pinnacle of Saturn video games, we still see the familiar issues plaguing the console in its top 20-11 games as per the Retro Sanctuary list . At this stage, it should only be natural that there are at least two obviously great games, which Dragon Force and Shining Force III are undoubtedly. Yet, for the remaining eight, three games were never released outside of Japan, and five games, whose position is arguable in the list, either because there is a better port somewhere else or simply because the game has aged badly, even if it was considered very good in the past. Usually, at the end of my console review cycle, I choose a list of my top 10 games for the console. I know that I am going to struggle to choose my list for the Saturn, and it's not going to be because of an abundance of options. Please enjoy:- 20- Hyper Duel (1996): Japan-Only Genre: Shmup Publisher: Technosoft; Developer: Technosoft. Here is another Japan-only Shmup that raised the envy...

Long-time gamers probably associate the Shining Force name with quality TRPGs. In fact, in one-sided competition between the Genesis and the SNES days, the two Shining Force games were the only games on Sega's console not to have a superior parallel for it on Nintendo's. Since the Fire Emblem series did not get localized at that time, the Shining Force games were clearly the champions of the TRPG genre then. As such, you would imagine any discussion on this series to be focused on a TRPG series. However, the Shining Force series is actually called the Shining series. While it was most well-known for its TRPGs, it actually started as a dungeon-crawling RPG, and then changed genres from Tactical to Action RPGs, and then to JRPGs. After the third Shining Force strategy game, the series started releasing ARPGs of middling quality, and the series still survives in some form today. But wait, isn't this blogging series supposed to be about dead and gone franchises? Well, tha...

The second Shining Force game, and the one that cemented the series's TRPG direction, is basically a bigger and better version of the first game. That's not to say that it's not a different game with a different story, but it does make it seem like the first one was a test run to make the sequel. Bigger in both size and scope, the game does suffer a little from length, but that's only a problem if you don't like what it gives you in the first place. Shining Force II may be the best TRPG in the 4th generation. 8: Shining Force II: Year: 1994. Genre: TRPG. Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sonic! Software Planning.

The Shining Force series is generally considered Sega's counterpart to Nintendo's own SRPG series, Fire Emblem . For as long as the two games existed together, the Shining Force series actually had more of a Western presence. Unfortunately, the series was one of the many victims of Sega's exit from the console market. However, its games can still be enjoyed today. While the series initially started as an unfortunate dungeon crawling game. It changed gears into an TRPG with the second game, and it was an excellent start to the series. 43- Shining Force: Year: 1992. Genre: SRPG. Publisher: Sega. Developer: Climax Entertainment, Sonic Software Planning.

This is one game on the Saturn I played, knowing pretty much that it would be good. After all, both Shining Force games on the Genesis were very good and are among the top 10 games on that system. Yet, it appears that Camelot Software had much higher ambitions for the game than merely being good. Years before the Tactical RPG behemoth, Fire Emblem , experimented with different storylines and perspectives with Fates and Three Houses , Camelot planned to release Shining Force II I in three parts. This ended up crafting a game with a rich and complex storyline, one that could have been seen as a great competition to the RPGs of the PS1. However, due to the decline of the Saturn, Sega of America decided they were only going to localize the first of those three games, thereby depriving Western gamers of the rest of the story and what could have been a legendary game for the system. Still, it is a testament to its quality that even with a third of its story with no possibility of continua...

While the first Vandal Hearts game was Konami's attempt at making a traditional Tactical RPG, its sequel was in many ways a complete revolution of the genre. Through its innovative "Dual-Turn" System and abandonment of fixed classes, it went out of the comfort zone of the first game. These changes could not have worked, and indeed, the new gameplay system will need some adjustments. However, thanks to a brilliant story that followed Konami's attempts at more "mature" storylines in the PS1 era, the game ended up being one of the finest Tactical RPGs on the system. #A16: Vandal Hearts II:- Year: 1999. Genre: Tactical RPG. Publisher: Konami. Developer: Konami.

In a time where every major Japanese videogame company tried to compete in every genre, Konami had a notable lack of RPGs in its portfolio. On the SNES, it did not publish a single game of that genre despite being one of that console’s best publishers. Yet, that changed on the PS1, which demanded more narrative focus in games, and the company released Suikoden in 1995. Vandal Hearts was Konami’s first foray into Tactical RPGs, and it chose to be as traditional as possible, for better or worse #A16(S): Vandal Hearts:- Year: 1995. Genre: Tactical RPG. Publisher: Konami. Developer: Konami.  

Brigandine is one of the few late 90s games that attempted to combine the Grand Strategy genre with Tactical RPGs. Oddly, all of those games, like Dragon Force on the Sega Saturn, feature a similar anime-inspired character design and story that recalled some of the classic medieval setting anime shows of the '80s. That retro look at a time where "futuristic" and "realistic" trends were all the rage may have contributed to their relative obscurity, but their undoubted quality led to some of them being cult hits. I am glad to say that Brigandine on the PS1, in all of its versions, certainly has the quality and pedigree to deserve its cult-favorite status. This is a really good game. #A55: Brigandine:- Year: 1998, 2000. Genre: Strategy & Tactical RPG. Publisher: Hearty Robin, Atlus. Developer: Hearty Robin.

The most striking thing about Kartia: The Word of Fate is immediately apparent, and it is the distinctive artwork and character design of Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy and Front Mission fame. Attempting to support Amano's art is an ambitiously unique Tactical RPG system with a mature and character-driven story. Admittedly, the gameplay and story do not consistently live up to the excellent art design, nor do the basic sprites translate the full character of the many portraits Amano drew. However, its ambitions in both story and gameplay do go beyond their minor hiccups and annoyances, and the result is a perfectly respectable hidden PS1 gem. #A59: Kartia: The Word of Fate:- Year: 1998. Genre: Tactical RPG. Publisher: Atlus. Developer: Atlus.

Saiyuki: Journey West is one of the rare titles that deserve the "hidden gem" classification since it fulfills both parts of that qualification. It is hidden in the sense that few people have heard of it, with fewer actually playing it. It is a gem because it is a really solid game. It is a Tactical RPG made by Koei, the masters behind the massive strategy series Romance of the Three Kingdoms , that is inspired by the Chinese epic, Journey to the West. With decent gameplay and a surprisingly good combination of story and characters, there is much to love about Saiyuki . Yet, despite that, the game doesn't pull as much as it should. I don't feel compelled to continue going forward and feel I have to force myself back to the game. That lack of a pulling factor ultimately keeps the game from being a particularly shiny gem, but it is a gem nonetheless. #A62: Saiyuki: Journey West: Year: 1999, 2001. Genre: Tactical RPG. Publisher: Koei. Developer: Koei.

Vanguard Bandits , known as Epica Stella in Japan, is one of those obscure quintessential Japanese games that would have never been released West if not for companies such as Working Designs which thrived on porting them. It's a Tactical RPG (already a niche genre) featuring Mechs in a medieval setting (a niche within a niche) with plenty of story and character. As a game, this is probably one of Working Designs better porting choices, but that's not the case for the localization itself which is hindered by the company's usual liberty with translation. While this doesn't irreparably ruin the game, it does hinder what otherwise could have been a solid very good game. #A65: Vanguard Bandits: Year: 1998, 2000. Genre: TRPG. Publisher: Working Designs . Developer: Human Entertainment .

The Front Mission series is one of the lesser-known Square franchises of the SNES and PS1 era. Despite releasing 4 games in 4 years, it never endeared itself to the public in the same way the Final Fantasy and Mana series managed to do, as evidenced by Front Mission 3 being the first game in the series to be localized for the West. Thankfully, Front Mission 3 does a lot to advocate for the series, with its strong and mature storyline mixed with satisfying tactical RPG gameplay mechanics in the unforgettable modern-retro Cold War setting of the 22nd century. #26: Front Mission 3:- Year: 1999, 2000. Genre: TRPG. Publisher: Square. Developer: Square.