Illusion of Gaia

"This will always be the game I compare all others to"

This game is the most incredible thing I have ever played. Beginning to end I was glued to the screen. I wanna say this game came out when I was 10. 6 years later, writing this review. Anyway, let's get started.

Gameplay: 9/10 Didn't pay much attention to this; I suppose I was kinda wrapped in the story. But playing it again, I was very impressed. It's very simple, which I really like. Games now have this pseudo-technical, over-complicated formula of memorizing all these controls for ''new, hip, fresh supa powers'', but why? When the game's over, that's precious brain space you just don't get back. It was two button, a and b, and also uses l and r which is actually kind of rare. Will's use of telekinesis was really cool; I didn't have to travel all around to get the stuff enemies dropped. You might say it was Zeldaish, but who cares? Have you ever heard of a RPG without HP? All games copy each other. Case and point, the gameplay was simple but really fun. You get to change into two other guys, and the dungeons and story were really well integrated (instead of that town-dungeon-town-dungeon-CRAP format).

Story: 10/10 Ah, the story. I really don't care how linear a game is, that's how you tell a STORY. Open-ended games like Chrono Cross (which didn't even COMPARE to Chrono Trigger) and Legend of Mana suffer in the story department. I don't want to ruin the story for you, but basically Will's job is stop a comet which comes every 800 years from changing Earth's evolution for the worse. Will meets Kara, and the story takes off from there. Kara's character is really interesting- you can really watch her personality grow and mature throughout the game; I've never seen that before. I was really impressed with the writing, and use of real ancient history and ruins combined with a fictious world-which combine more in the ending.(you'll see)Your ''party'' is just there for storyline purposes which is really cool. My favorite storylines are (in random order): Xenogears, Terranigma, and Illusion of Gaia. That's how good it was. The ending was the most satisfying and incredible thing...There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

Graphics: 8/10 Bright and gorgeous. Great for super nintendo, especially. Petals falling, the character sprites, and the towns stick out in my mind. The programmers seem really transfixed on how Will's hair blows in the wind...

Music and sound: 10/10 The sound is pretty good, but the music is phenomenal, probably my favorite of any game. The music for the ending shows they really know how to save the best for last.

FIND THIS GAME AND PLAY IT. You will rarely find any as good as it. Also it's prequel Soulblazer and sequel Terranigma are must-haves as well. (esp. Terranigma...wow)


This game was just so good! I love it!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 09/10/00, Updated 09/10/00