Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator

"An unexpectedly good RPG"

I was browsing the PC games at the store and suddenly I came across Septerra Core. What caught my eye was that the cover art looked like that of an Rpg's. Also the price was a mere $10. Since I am an Rpg fan I decided to take a closer look. I realized it was a pretty good looking game.
So naturally I bought it. Took it home popped it into my PC and Wow! It's pretty good. Nothing great enough to deserve a 10 in my book but a good game for a good deal. Imagine a world of seven floating continents, rotating one above the other. At the core resides an immersive bio-computer, altering the laws of nature to support each continental shell.

Story: 8/10

The story to me was average for an Rpg these days. It borrows enough from the standard formula to be just that.
The world of Septerra is a fantastic conception. Of the seven shells each is unique. Something unique about the story is that it is about two forces of good competing with each other.

Graphics: 8/10

Good 16-bit 640x480 graphics. Reminded me of the Sims.
Nothing extraordinary here but the graphics seem to work.
The environments and sprites look good enough. Since this is an Rpg let's not focus on the graphics.

Sound: 9/10

Sound effects are fairly good. Voice acting is okay.
The music is excellent. The music seems to fit the game with the moody themes.

Gameplay: 9/10

Just point and click, point and click it's that simple. You scan through menus by clicking on icons. Although the battles are not random which I prefer in an Rpg, the enemies are hard to evade. The enemies have lines of sight similar to that of Rpgs like Chrono Cross or Grandia 2. You can interact with hundreds of Non-Player Characters (NPCs), each with their own personalities and agendas. Something unique is that you can mix and match ''Fate cards'' for a variety of spells. You also can recruit new allies to aid you on you quest. Like standard Rpgs you control and swap a team of three choosing from a pool of nine charachters.
Something interesting is that you can customize your weapons. Each addition is another attack with varying affects.

Replay Value: 6/10

The replay value of almost any Rpg is nada. Same thing with this one. It is the same quest over again. There always is only one reason to play it over again are the secret items and accessories.

My recommendation

If your into Rpgs like FF7 it is worth it. Oh, heck if you're into Rpgs period it is well worth the $10. So if you can find it and you have around 10 bucks it's worth it indeed.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/27/02, Updated 05/27/02