"Mediocre...."

If I was told to describe 7th Saga in one word, the word would be mediocre. This game is very average in almost every respect. Not that I hated the game, but it could have been better. It was very tedious in parts and I wish some things were better explained.

Story:
An interesting start to the game! I kind of expected a lot from the get go. But the story kind of fell flat. You'd think with eight different characters, there would be plenty of character development. But that just isn't the case. The characters are all bland and apathetic. There really isn't that much diversity beyond appearance. I liked the rivalry between characters though. Fighting for your runes was a good idea! You'll always find some belligerent character who will try and take everything from you.
6/10

Gameplay:
A lot of people said they spent a lot of time leveling up. Frankly, I don't remember spending hours outside of towns. I ended the game on level 54 and probably could have leveled up MORE! The controls are real easy to learn. Standard rpg fare with one innovation: That little crystal ball that tells you where enemies are. Still, avoiding them is tough, especially when there are twenty on screen who move two times as fast as you. You will faced with a plethora of battles in this game.
8/10

Graphics:
As expected for a 1993 game. It can't compare to some of the classic such as Secret of Mana, but its not an eye sore. I liked the enemy graphics.
7/10

Audio:
Nothing memorable...The music was adequate, but not great. I can stand hearing the town music the first few times, but after a while, you'll be turning the volume down and cranking the volume on your stereo. For a game that has so many random fights, I think a little more effort could have been put into the monster battle music. I do recall there being two tracks...But they both kind of rankle me. On a plus note, I like the boss music. The sound was again, average. Just don't play as Lux :).
6/10

Replay:
I guess you can replay this to see the characters story, try new recruits and look for a few secrets. But after I beat this for the first time, I was happy to put my controller down and let the game collect dust. Maybe I'll replay it someday...
4/10

Buy/rent
I highly doubt this game can be rented anymore. If you see 7th saga at funcoland or on ebay, and its priced under 15 dollars, take a chance and buy the game. its good for one play through.

Overall:
7th saga is under rated. A lot of people think it is tough and depend on codes. But really, this game isn't that tough. Sure, it can be monotonous, with all the battles, but a lot of rpgs are like that! No rpg is really that tough, except for Paladins Quest. If you have B Powers, a lot of bosses will die faster. You can also buy defensive items and items that boost your speed. use them to your advantage! It makes fighting bosses so much easier. On a scale from one to ten, ten being hardest, this game would get a 6.5 for difficulty. You will die in this game, that is inevitable.

Hours to complete: 35

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/20/01, Updated 08/02/01