Radical Dreamers

"Surprisingly good Text RPG from Squaresoft"

Released in 1996, Radical Dreamers is a great text-based RPG by Squaresoft that unfortunately never came out in the United States. Known in Japan as BS Radical Dreamers, it was one of the games distributed via Nintendo's Satellaview peripheral for the SNES. Thankfully, there is a translation patch for the game so non-Japanese speakers can enjoy it as well.

Gameplay-wise, there isn't an awful lot to say, as it's a text-only game for the most part. The game takes place primarily in a mansion, where you are given choices on what to do and where to go during various events. Being an RPG (somewhat, at least), there are random battles to fight, though once you figure out the correct way to defeat an enemy, it will work most of the time. There are some parts I can see people wondering what to do, but for the most part the game can be figured out without the use of a walkthrough (except for getting the different scenarios, which I'll get to in a bit.)

Radical Dreamers is a sidestory of sorts to Chrono Cross, so you'll notice some familiar names if you've played it. The three main characters are Serge, Kid, and Magil, and their goal is to steal the Frozen Flame from the evil Lynx. I won't delve too much into the story too much as not to spoil anything, but I found it thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining.

In terms of graphics, it's difficult to give a score because there aren't many graphics to speak of. You'll see the occasional picture and animation (mostly in battles) but that's pretty much it. I came into the game thinking that it might be less enjoyable because of the lack of graphics but I'm happy to say that I was wrong. The sound/music in the game is good for its time and creates a good atmosphere.

Though it isn't a terribly long game, there are seven scenarios to play through, which increase the replay value substantially. You unlock them based on your decisions after you play through the game for the first time. They start out the same but get vastly different very soon. The scenarios range from funny to just plain insane, which is why they all deserve to be played.

In closing, I recommend Radical Dreamers to all fans of the Chrono series. Some people may be turned off by the text-based nature of the game, but that only encourages you to use your imagination and it makes the game exciting. If you can find it, I definately recommend playing it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/25/03