"Wonderful wonderful game"

As a collector, I found Magic Knight Rayearth for $35...about half of what it should cost. So of course I bought it. And to be honest, it would've been worth $70 if you ask me. Everything about this game is well done and displays what the Saturn is capable of. Of course the Saturn is capable of much more, but this game is just right.

Graphics- The graphics are outstanding. Colorful, well drawn, and nicely sized are the sprites. The opening screen is kind of grainy, but the in-game anime sequences are nice. Just not Lunar:SSS quality, though. Your settings are gorgeous. One of my favorite settings is in a town where you can ride up an elevator and get a look at the lake. Tres cool. Of course, since this is based on a Clamp (all female produced and drawn) anime and manga, it has a bit of a feminine quality to it. Though that is good for me.

Sound- Ok. To be honest, I didn't like the changed opening music theme. The rest of the music is well done, though, and reminds me of the soundtrack to both the Lunar remakes. The voices aren't that bad. Zagat's got that cool ''evil gentleman'' voice. Hikaru's voice suits her well also. Spells are done in the original Japanese voice track, which is also pretty cool.

Gameplay- Gameplay is similar to Zelda, but is better. First off, you can cast magic spells which won't disappoint you. You can jump. But gaining special abilities provides a cut scene with a super deformed Precia and Clef telling you how to use your new found ability. Very cute. But the thing I really love is how you gain levels. While you gain HP and MP by collecting icons, you gain attack levels by acts of maturity and selflessness. Basically, as you emotionally grow, you physically grow as well. It really offers a twist on traditional leveling up. And how can I forget the fact that you can change characters. When in towns, each girl presents their own take on objects around and offer humor and insight depending on whose point of view you want. Very cool. The only thing that lacks is the slowdown in one town. The layer of snow causes things to go a little sluggish. Its not bad, though.

Story- Story is kind of unoriginal, but progresses nicely. You are given cutscenes depicting what the badguy is doing at the moment. You also are given animated scenes throughout the game. And they are well done and well acted. Seeing Hikaru's response to a betrayal later in the game is something that touches you. In fact, you find out that each bad guy actually develops their own agendas as the story progresses. So it no longer becomes: ''Bad guy #1. Defeat the Magic Knights!'' ''Yes master.'' What it does become shall be something that I don't want to spoil for you.

Replay- Unfortunately, there really isn't much replay value. While there are extra items to obtain through searching for amulets, nothing will change each time you play.

Overall- A wonderful addition to your Saturn collection. A great game for anime, 2d, and Action/RPG fans alike.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/15/03