Terranigma

"This One Has It All"

Terranigma is one of the most unique games I have ever played. I don't think I could give it justice to sit here and describe it to you. Terranigma was not released in the US, to my knowledge, anyway. This fact is a shame. It is too bad that most people did not get an opportunity to play this game. However, for those who would like to play it, then I would absolutely recommend it. This game, strange and unusual as it is, is considered by me to be one of the best games for the SNES system. And here are some of the reasons why.

Graphics(9/10): Some of the crispest, sharpest graphics I have seen on an SNES title. The characters and artwork are all greatly drawn, and you can tell that the creators of the game really took their time with this one. Oh, and Ark's spikey hair looks ultra cool.

Sound(10/10): Another great thing about this one is the dynamic sound. The music never gets old, and you could burn it onto a CD and listen to it in your car if you wanted to. I loved each and every ''song'' in this game, and think the creators and composers of the music did a bang up job, especially considering the platform on which they were working.

Battle System(9/10): Ark and a spear. That's all I have to say about that. It is a real time action RPG, with nothing too complicated to grasp...and that's exactly how I like it! Go around and whack monsters, or walk around and count the stars. It's up to you whether you fight or not.

Gameplay(8/10): Good gameplay. Some of the attack methods are a little hard to master, and it takes a bit of time to get used to the feel of the controls in your hands, but other than that, I have no complaints. It has a rather unique menu, where you go into a box...I dunno, you'll see. Like I said earlier, I can't do this game justice.

Story(10/10): One word: WOW! Just WOW! The story of this game just grips you from the very beginning and absorbs you into this strange and wonderful world. It is your mission to revive the upper world from the destruction that has been reigned upon it. The story is written on several levels, and you have to pay attention carefully, or else you will be lost. I have to say that the writers of this game came up with something truly remarkable--one of the most original plots I have ever seen!

Characters(9/10): The main character, Ark, is a very realistic character. He's interesting, funny, and a bit of a troublemaker. The other characters, such as Elle, the Elder, and the guy in the first village with the fishing pole, are all great characters as well.

Difficulty(7/10): Fairly simple game. There are no bells and whistles involved. You'll run into a few puzzles, and a few hard bosses (one in particular that's very hard), but all in all, the game is pretty elementary.

Fun(10/10): This game is loads of fun simply because there is SO MUCH TO DO! You have lots of options and secondary quests that you definitely get everything out of this game and a little more. Even the main quest is lots of fun to play. I did not get bored once when I played this game.

Terranigma is one the most unique games I have ever played. The story is a little hard to understand, but if you pay attention carefully, it all comes together at the end. I would definitely recommend this title to anyone just because it is such a wonderful gaming experience.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/08/04