Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage

"An uninspiring RPG with numerous flaws..."

Introduction
The Nintendo 64 has always been known for not having any RPGs. Simply put, this is one of the few RPGs available for the N64, and it just doesn't put up the chips. THQ has always had a reckless history in the past of creating games. This is obviously one to add to that list. Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage, is one of the first true RPGs for the N64 that showed how a poorly tested game can end up on the market. You play the role of an orphan, Alaron, whom goes on a quest to discover his own identity. The plot is well composed, but poorly executed.

Graphics [8/10]
If anything, this is one of the few departments that Aidyn excels at. For starters, the entire game is in a 3D-rich world. All your actions and battles take place in the plush setting, and most of the objects have protruding outlines. The characters look slightly overshaped - Alaron's hair sticks out like an old Greasemonkey. Plus, many characters don't even look realistic. Despite all this, you can see rivers flowing, waterfalls, beach sequences, and even stars in the skyline. I'd definitely have to give THQ a thumbs up on this one. There are a few graphics glitches here and there, but they're hardly noticeable.

Sound/Music [3/10]
I thought my speakers broke when I was playing this game. For some odd and unexplained reason, there is hardly ANY background music during gameplay. The only time I heard actual background music was when I made it to the first town. However, after that, it's almost non-existant. There are a few ''odd-like'' tunes that'll spring up here and there, but they sound like an Indian tribal meet. It's like the composers muted their volume, and forgot to put any sound in whatsoever. Don't get me wrong, but I was expecting way more in terms of a role-playing game. Because of the lack of music, you had no feelings or emotions during battle sequences.

Sound effects are a different story. There are tons of various sounds during the game. Each of the enemies make different grunts and ughs when they get hit. You can hear bats and creatures in the background. The beach even makes that special wave sound of it crashing on the shoreline. Overall, THQ did an extremely well job in giving the environments a realistic approach. But it still doesn't cut the tongue off...

Gameplay [5/10]
One word can describe the gameplay - Mediocre. This has to be one of the worst beta-tested games ever released for the N64. For starters, the game is hugely unbalanced. Many of the battles early on can get you killed if you're not careful. Eventually, you'll reach places where you must level up, in order to get pass the boss. There are no random battles. Instead, you must encounter visible creatures on the map to engage in combat. Assuming you win the battle, you gain experience and items. So then, you must constantly fight, and fight until you can level up high enough. You can upgrade your skills, stats, or spells. It's all up to you. And this was the problem with the game. Since your battles are limited, it seemed like many of your characters get upgraded too thinly. The main characters hold too many skills, and don't become powerful enough.

Basically, you're going to have trouble with this game. Secondly, it gets even worse. It's extremely easy to get lost in this game. You rarely have a map in the overworld, instead you must use your compass. The camera views often get messed up going around objects and entering buildings. It can be very frustrating if you're looking for a hidden place, because you have no real guidance when it comes to finding it. I've also heard of confirmed reports of the game having glitches and actually crashing down. Much like Windows having an illegal operation, Aidyn Chronicles has been known to do the same.

Fun [6/10]
Despite the flaws, the game does provide entertainment. I found myself constantly going back to see if I could defeat the next ambush. With over 14 different characters, the game is bound to have tons of possibilities. You may get bored at times because you're too weak to fight a monster, or whatever. Either way, it will entertain you for the time being.

Replayability [4/10]
Even with the tons of items, spells, weapons, skills, etc... it didn't seem like it would hold its own water when the time came being. On estimation, there's about 30-40 hours of gameplay. There are no multiple endings (just different sequences), and my guess is that it'd be a bore to play through a game. There are tons of combinations that you can perform with the game, so it all comes down to how much of an avid RPG fan you are.

Difficulty [7/10]
With the imbalance early on in the game, and the ease of getting lost in the terrain, you're bound to find this game difficult. You're not going to find it an easy walk in the park. Plus, if you consider the fact that your save file can be corrupted, this will make the entire experience even more difficult.

Final Factor [6/10]
Overall, Aidyn Chronicles is just an over-hyped, uninspiring RPG made by an amateur gaming company. If you're a hardcore RPG fan, and you're looking for a challenge for the N64, I recommend getting this game. It may have flaws, but you'll find ways around them. Remember though, you're playing this game at your own risk.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 02/17/03, Updated 02/17/03