"In a Word - Brilliant"

Leave it to Enix to pull a quick one on ya.

I'll bet most of you missed this game. Oh, sure, you might have seen a word or two about it in a magazine or some such... but it was probably quickly forgotten, never even considered for import. Terranigma was never an overly popular game, though it did have its followers. Let me just tell you now, it's a hell of a ride.

Bred from the same mold as its prequels Soulblazer, Illusion of Gaia, and to a degree, Actraiser, Terranigma is yet another overhead action game where you get swords and the like, have to beat up evil little enemies, gain experience, yah-dah yah-dah.. if you've played Secret of Mana or Illusion of Gaia, you probably know what I'm talking about. But the game takes it a bit further -- I'd even risk my neck to say this game outdoes Seiken Dentetsu 3 as far as funfactor goes.

Sure, I talked it up.. but why?

First of all, the controls are exquisite. You've only got one character to worry about, but in his journey he learns all sorts of new moves and gets all sorts of new gizmos to help him out -- somewhat akin to Illusion of Gaia. But compared to its predecessor, the control is tighter, and you get more to fight with than a stupid flute.

The music is also great -- though nothing too fabulous, the tunes are memorable and set the mood well.

The graphics range from what you'd expect to a little beyond that. Special Effects that can only be considered spectacular on 16-bit litter the game. Large colorful graphics which depict certain plot points are placed in crucial spots.

But there's where the game strays from others of the genre -- in its plot. Not to spoil too much, but the game takes after its predecessor, Soulblazer, in that you're trying to ressurect the world. However, the game goes surprisingly far beyond this initial suggestion. As you rebuild the world, you make new friends, until at last the world is a modern day wonder. The game has a zillion things to do, many of them surprisingly innovative, and the difficulty level is nestled just right between easy and hard.

I can't say enough about this game. It was a pleasant surprise, and its worth every cent to import -- because, if you weren't aware, the game came out in England, which means its already fully translated into English.

Ain't life grand. ;)

So, if you're itchin for a classic, I suggest you go out of your way to pick this game up. You won't regret it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99