• Tag Archives SquareSoft

  • Final Fantasy Tactics (PlayStation)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Final Fantasy Tactics (PlayStation)

    http://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/172322695013/retrogamingblog-final-fantasy-tactics-was

    Is it a role playing game with strategic elements or a strategy game with role playing elements? Yes, yes it is. Final Fantasy Tactics brought the sub-genre of tactical role playing games to the masses on the PlayStation in 1998. It wasn’t the first but it was definitely the most successful and well known example to that point. It was a great game for Final Fantasy fans (assuming you don’t mind lots of combat) and strategy fans alike.

    While the title makes it sound like more of a strategy game (and it is), the role-playing elements are much more than just superficial. This is really a true Final Fantasy style RPG, just with lots of of combat and much more detailed control over the combat than your typical Final Fantasy game. Final Fantasy Tactics is an excellent game and is really one of those must have games for the PlayStation.

    Unlike other Final Fantasy games up to that point, battles occurred on a 3D isometric battlefield. Battles are turn-based and things like range, damage, and speed are all determined by individual unit stats as you would expect. Units gain experience, level up and increase their abilities as they participate in battles.

    Final Fantasy Tactics has been re-released a few times over the years. It was re-released as part of the Sony Greatest Hits line four years after its original release. An updated PlayStation Portable version titled Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of The Lions was released in 2007. There was also a Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. It had essentially the same game play, graphics and locations but the story was somewhat different and it was a bit shorter though it had more side missions. A sequel to the GBA version titled Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift was released in 2008. If you prefer to play the original on a modern system, Final Fantasy Tactics was released via the PlayStation Network for the PS3 , PSM and PS Vita in 2009 and I believe it is still available.





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  • Parasite Eve (PlayStation)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Parasite Eve (PlayStation)

    Square’s first Mature-rated game that blended Japanese RPG and survival horror elements.

    http://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/167409922486/rpgsitenet-parasite-eve-was-out-today-in-america

    Parasite Eve is a survival horror game released for the PlayStation by SquareSoft in 1998. It functioned as a sequel to a Japanese novel of the same name. Parasite Eve was SquareSoft’s first mature rated game and also their first major collaboration with American game developers. In Japan, Parasite Eve was part of the J-Horror phenomenon that included movies such as The Ring.

    The game is set in New York City and starts with an NYPD rookie attending an opera. Everyone except the NYPD rookie and the actress on stage spontaneously combusts. The actress mutates into a beast, runs to the sewers and calls herself Eve. The rest is up to you, the player, as the NYPD rookie Aya Brea.

    The game had very good graphics and cinematics for the time. Complaints included long load times and a storyline that was too linear. Still, like most SquareSoft titles it is a quality game and worth playing if you are a fan of the genre.

    Two sequels have been released, Parasite Eve II in 1999, also for the PlayStation and The 3rd Birthday in 2010 for the PlayStation Portable though this game is more of a spinoff than a true sequel. Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve II were also re-released in high definition via the PlayStation Network in 2011.





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  • Vagrant Story (PlayStation)

    Posted on by Azrael 1 Comment

    Vagrant Story (PS1)

    http://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/160026868967/tetyuzon-just-started-playing-this-and-it-is

    SquareSoft (now Square/Enix) has a well deserved reputation for developing high quality console-based role-playing games. Vagrant Story is another action RPG that validates this reputation. Released in 2000 to critical acclaim and glowing reviews, it sold 100,000 units plus during its first month of release and was later released as part of the PlayStation’s “Greatest Hits” line.

    Vagrant Story was developed by mostly the same team of developers that created Final Fantasy Tactics. Since its original release on the PS1 it has been made available on the PlayStation network for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable (PSP) though there have been no sequels.

    I like these Japanese style RPGs and there are a number of good ones in addition to this one (the Lunar Series, the Final Fantasy series, Chrono Trigger, etc.) but I don’t think I’ll ever like them as much as games like the old Gold Box D&D series, Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and others of that nature.





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