Threads of Fate (Sony PlayStation 1, 2000)

This is one of those hidden gem games that every video game generation has. It is an extremely charming platformer that is a mix between Zelda and Legend of Mana with Final Fantasy influences in its art and story. Zelda in that you have to use what you learn to get farther in the game and there are quite a bit of puzzles in this game that you have pass (it's like a mix of Final Fantasy/Musashi mini-games with a Zelda flare) and the battle system is similar to Legend of Mana in that they are quite simple but there are no leveling up (you just upgrade your stats). There are also some monsters in here you can find in the Final Fantasy world (the fire flan is the same one that appears in Final Fantasy X) and the story is similar in that the characters learn something at the end of their stores, FF are usually big on character development/story but are standalone stories (the only Final Fantasy game to have a direct sequel is FFX and now I apparently hear that FFXIII is too). Zelda does not really develop Link too much lol.

The two main characters, Rue and Mint, are complete foils of each other and you will fall in love with both (one who is completely selfless and the other wants to rule the world lol). It is awesome because to get the best and complete ending, you must play both characters and learn their side of the story. The ending is also quite sweet and open-ended, but not open-ended the way Shadow of the Colossus is (another good game).

I played this game as a kid and purchased it again to replay it. The graphics for its generation and time are fairly decent but it is not the CG you should be looking at it, it is the motions, one of the best for its time. The movements of the characters and monsters are more lifelike than most games of this time and you could tell that they put a lot of time into it: just carefully watch the way Mint jumps around and the way they attack. Even Rod moves smoothly across the screen and the details they put into making it more realistic and sweet (his dog attacks you randomly when you hurt Rod too much) is something that is reminiscent of good old hardwork and dedication that Square Soft had before they became lazy Square Enix. The amount of detail into this is extraordinary when compared to other last generation games.

This game will afford you quite a bit of entertainment and if you are one of those die-hard classic gamers (aka you love the classic games, despite all these new CG-whorish games that keep popping out) you will absolutely adore this game. Do not get me wrong, I love new games too, but as I am learning, the best games I ever played were the games I played as a kid (Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Tetris, Musashi...etc.)

This game can be played by anyone and is not that hard to beat (though you might become frustrated quite a bit in the beginning) but good platformers are so good to find and this is one of those dying breeds where video games were not about making money or by cocky programmers who really do not care anymore (yes, I am looking at you Square Enix.)

Threads of Fate remains to be in my top games list. You can play as two charactors, they have the same basic story line, but each has their own piece to the story as well. Personally, I like the boy's (Rue) story better then the girl's (mint). The graphics by todays modern game are poor, but for when it first came out it has very good graphics. The fighting in this game is very basic, with only a few buttons used for fighting. You can't level up like in other games, so you'll have to rely on the upgrades from the two shops in the game. At first, this game may seem nearly impossible to get your charactor any better, but once you get past that first hour, you should have the hang of it. If you beat both charactors you get a new game plus type mode, it has no more story line, but you keep whatever you had with the charactor you are playing. The music was very nice in some areas, and not-so great in other areas. Many minor charactors in the game seemed to have their own story, from little ones like running an inn, to a man trying to be greater then his father. The bad guys are even more interesting to me, with names like Psycho master, and Doll master.

I had remembered playing this game when I was younger (getting it from blockbuster or somewhere else like that), and I didn't get very far. For a while, I couldn't stop thinking about the game. It started to fade away in my memory, but it was still on mind for about 5 years. I finally had figured out the name of the game, and bought it. All the things I had remembered came back, an yet I still enjoyed it. I was satisfyed I could finish it, and see what the end result would be for both charactors.

Overall, the game is basic. But being basic is part of it being so great of a game. It's a good RPG for all types of RPG players (intermediate, basic, or expert). If your expecting a game to be like games from today, you'll find few in comparison.

Threads of Fate is a good Action/Adventure RPG that has you play one of two characters(one at a time), and engage in basically a similar story. Rue, the more serious character, has the ability to transform into monsters that he has killed, and Mint, the more comical of the two, has magic abilities. The game's plot is pretty straight-forward, and the progress through it does not take long in comparison to other RPGs.

While, even back when it was created, the graphics seem dated, the ease of the game and the characters themselves make up for it. Though there are times where you'd get frustrated (like at Mel's Atelier), the game isn't hard to beat nor is it mind boggling in any place. If you're looking for an RPG that is simple without being extremely hard, this is an option from the PS1 vault.

This game is, quite frankly, scrumdiddlyumptious. You can play as one of two characters(each with a unique plot and a few unique levels) and see the same story from two different perspectives. But where Threads of Fate(or as it's affectionately referred to by fans, "Dewprism") truly excels is in it's control. Tight platforming and fun puzzle/action sequences really make this game shine. Great graphics for the time and great art direction that stands the test of time make this one the best looking PSone games out there. Play it on a PS2 with texture smoothing enabled, and you might think it's some kind of bizzarre missing link between PSone style graphics and PS2 graphics. Great game, highly recommended.

Threads of Fate is a great platforming dungeon crawler RPG with good replay value. Made by none other then Squaresoft, This game is filled with a memorable characters and storyline. Play as Rue or Mint, both with their own unique skills and story. Beisdes the fact that theres two sides to play, you can replay the game with both characters after you beat the game with your previous stats in tact.