Skies of Arcadia Legends (Nintendo GameCube, 2003)

RPGS simply do not get any better than Skies of Arcadia on the Dreamcast, and Legends gave the game a minor (though noticeable) facelift, added a couple new sidequests, reduced random enconuters, increased battle experience, and increased the number of discoveries in the game.

This game is a completionist's dream game with several different things to collect:
CHAMS: Power up a party member's weapon by collecting all of these (usually hiding in weird, out of the way places in port towns and dungeons) and feeding them to her pet.

DISCOVERIES: As you explore the skies, you can discover new lands, creatures, myths, and people. Some of the discoveries cannot be missed (they are story-based), but many of them require some time and skill to find. You are not the only one looking for them, however, so you have to act fast if you want to be paid for what you've found!

CREW MEMBERS: Your main party consists of three set party members with a rotating spot for the fourth, but your ship still needs a crew! Crew members may be recruited from all over the map and each add a different power up or ability to your ship or party. Collecting all of the crew members opens up a "Blue Rogues" attack that can be used by the main party in battle.

CAPTAIN'S STRIPES: This item is earned as a reward for being awesome an awesome sky pirate (generally after long ship battles). They are used to power-up your ship.

BOUNTIES: Like the discoveries, some of the bounties are very easy to encounter, others must be sought out. These are tough, optional battles for an advanced player that add a great deal of challenge to the game.

MOONFISH: Also found in towns and dungeons, collecting these feeds a bird... which earns you rare items. Quirky new sidequest for the GC version.

Battle is one of the areas where Skies of Arcadia shines. There are two types of battles you will encounter:
ON-FOOT: These battles occur in dungeons or while sailing the skies in the form of random encounters. These are fairly standard turn-based RPG style battles with a twist - your party is limited to a certain number of "action points," so you need to strategically choose how you want to use them.

SHIP BATTLES: Ship battles are slightly more strategic, though they also use the AP system mentioned above. Ship battles, especially early in the game, are more of a puzzle than a battle, looking for an opening to use your strongest weapon to take the other ship down.

The story of Skies of Arcadia is a tried-and-true RPG trope at first glance, but the further you go into the game, the deeper you will dive into the characters and their stories. This game is one of the few where I was caught completely wrong-footed by a plot twist - more than once.

Finally, the graphics - the graphics are actually one of the strongest parts of this game, dated as it is. The world is brightly colored and alive - there are never parts of the game where I get sick of looking at dull, coffee-colored map for hours on end. This is a nice break from the "realistic" WWII shooters that saturate the game market, these days.

Skies of Arcadia on the Dreamcast was a perfect game. Legends brought it into a new generation and it remains relevant today. This is a must-play for RPG fans, completionists, or just anyone looking for a good, solid game.

This game is absolutly AMAZING! I love it to every extent i can! it has a great storyline, great turn based battles, airship battles(my favourite :D) and a HUGE area to explore! In the game you take control of Vyse, son of the Leader of the Air Pirates group called the Blue Rogues. this game offers many hours of awe-inspiring gameplay! If you love RPGs then this game will make your life complete! If you see it in a store BY GOD BUY IT! It is one of the most difficult games to find in stores. Buy it now or you may miss out on the amazing game!

Skies of Arcadia Legends is the Gamecube remake of the Dreamcast game Skies of Arcadia. Legends includes a few new in game items and characters, a few graphical enhancements, much better load times, and less random battles (but more experience).


Game Play
This is a turn based RPG (think original Final Fantasy). To keep the battles from getting overly monotonous the game has you fighting both on foot and using your powerful air ship. These ship-to-ship battles are extremely fun and one of the best parts of the game.


Story
The story is fairly common amongst RPGs and SciFi. A rare mineral (moon stones) are highly sought after. Our hero, Vyse an air pirate, encounters a mysterious person who has lost their memory. The story gets much more involved as the player becomes emotionally attached to the characters and the secrets of the world are revealed.

Graphics
The graphics show their age, since this game is basically a port from the Dreamcast. Characters are very blocky, and look even more so on modern day HD TVs. Older gamers will appreciate the retro look of the game, while younger gamers will associate the graphics with something on their phone which might turn some off.

Audio
The sound track for SoAL is top notch! Very dramatic full orchestral songs keep the game fresh through the entire game. I would highly recommend buying the OST. Unfortunately, the album, Eternal Arcadia, was only release in Japan, but you can find it to buy on Ebay.

I highly recommend this game for anyone who enjoys turn based RPGs. The enhancements to Legends over the original, and the fact that Legends can be played on the Gamecube or Wii, make it the obvious choice.

This purchase was initiated by my fifteen-year-old son, who wanted it desperately. He had really liked playing this game on the Sega Dreamcast system and is enamored by pirates. He loves the GameCube version because the story line is extended beyond that of its Dreamcast predecessor. The "WANTED" list,he says, "is an extremely cool addition" to the features of play. He also likes the additional 'discovery' tasks in the game. Added side-quests make it even more exciting and fun. He dislikes the increase of 'Swash-Buckler' rankings needed to achieve the title of 'Vyse: The Legend.' Nonetheless, it was he who chose the title for this review, and affirms again that this is "the best game I ever played."

The best RPG of all time was..... can you guess? Final Fantasy 3 (US, XI in japan) because not for it's graphic engine, but because of it's immersive story and wonderful sound. I still play it to the day. The same goes for Skies of Arcadia. The graphics may not be up to par with Gamecube standards, but this is the best RPG to date in my mind for Gamecube. The story is incredible, the battle system is neat, and the special effects are awesome. The air battles break traditional ground, and you just may scream at the television for Vyse to kiss the girl already! You become such a part of the game, it's hard to put down. The mini-games are a neat feature as well. Don't miss this RPG.