Terranigma

"A personal favorite, worth a playthrough regardless of one's preferred genre. Yes, it's that good."

First, a little exposition. For those with time constraints/short attention spans, skip the first two paragraphs.

This is the first of a series of reviews I'm doing for SNES games out of sheer lack of anything else to do over break, and my teacher insists I write analyses to better my skills. I'd review later consoles, but in my opinion, the era of the SNES was the golden age of RPG gaming. So......yeah. Of course, I'd review my favorite RPG (for all consoles) first, and that is, obviously, Terranigma.

Released as Tenchi Souzou in Japan, this gem never hit American shores, unfortunately; it certainly would've been well received. In spite of this, the game gained a cult following, and is seems to be of the most famous of games that were not brought to this side of the pacific. Now, on to the actual review.

- Audio -
Terranigma's soundtrack is fairly well known considering its limited release, and for a good reason. Many tracks are well-composed and fitting, notably Crysta's theme, the overworld themes, Evergreen, and Zue/Zoo (a seamless flow of the strangest time signature I've ever seen, if I'm right - 7/8 alternating with 6/8 in a 3-1-3-3 pattern! Sorry, music buff). A few, though were a little grating (Dragoon Castle). The real grievance, though, is that there simply aren't enough tracks.
Sounds were fitting. Nothing grating; jabs and slashes sound as they should, sounds for landing and sliding, etc.
Audio: 9/10

- Graphics -
Good for its system. On par with Chrono Trigger; the latter had more movements and color, but Terranigma makes up for that with its subtleties and animations. Palette-swapping of enemies was kept to a minimum, with about two per sprite. Environments were appropriate, and localization was done well. Animations were smooth.
Graphics: 9.5/10

- Story -
In short, original and deep - a boy is entrusted with the task to resurrect the world. Twists and turns make the story enthralling, and is concluded with a beautiful, original ending. However, not to everyone's tastes.

Now, to elaborate. Though arguably the best aspect of Terranigma, the story appears to be hit-or-miss, likely due to the fact that not everything is presented outright; the player is left to do some thinking and contemplating, which some seem to dislike doing. It presents events objectively, instead of actively narrating. Due to the complexity, presentation, and nature of the subject, it may take multiple playthroughs to grasp the story. Terranigma stuns with its depth. Most video games plots can be summed up adequately in one sentence - village boy gets sword, saves the world. It would be a travesty to Terranigma to reduce it to that, though that is part of it. However, the plot is convoluted in a good way, with several points of intrigue. That, and one major twist that other reviews have alluded to, which, though not wholly unexpected, will send one into deep thought nonetheless. And, of course, the ending, beautiful in its emotive presentation. It is the best ending I've seen, regardless of platform. Depending on the player's views, it will be somewhat depressing, but its good for that reason. Play it to see. Minor point deduction is only based on the fact that not everyone can enjoy its depth and objective method of presentation.

Forgot to mention - certain scenes carry great emotion and depth. Eklemata comes to mind. Also, the overworld is literally Earth, with regions and geography mostly intact.
Story: 19.5/20

- Characterization -
Terranigma is one of the games that prove quality is better than quantity. The cast of major characters is not large, but each is interesting, and carves a niche for him or herself. For once, random NPC's are not bland in their dialogue; many have humorous lines that make them worth talking to. Also, some side characters are based off of historical figures, such as Columbus, Bell, etc.

Ark gets his own subsection. Why? Because he is the single most charming protagonist in video gaming. Forgive me a little gushing here. Ark is not a bishonen. He is not an angst-bucket. He doesn't have a turbulent past. He's not a bland, generic hero. Unlike most video game main characters in recent (and not so recent) history, he isn't a girl's guy; he's a guy's guy. Somewhat mischievous, he's spunky and arrogant, but in a fun, non-bastardly way, laced with more than a little sarcasm and cynicism. If he were transposed into real life, he'd be the class clown with a slight streak of juvenile delinquency, but is congenial to all and fairly well-liked, as opposed to the average bland hero or the brooding loners that populate RPGs. His lines are humorous, and some caused even me to laugh out loud at times, with gems like, “What would I want with a flower? It's not like I can eat it or anything!” “Rescuing people feels good!” (when asked why he rescued a certain person) and “Dammit, I'm gonna sulk!”. However, his reactions to grave events are equally good, realistic and believable. His interchanges with Yomi and Elle were interesting, humorous or serious. The way he handles events in his come-what-may, nonchalant, since-I-have-no-choice-so-to-hell-with-this manner is refreshing and relatable. He develops in a realistic manner as he gets a better understanding of the world. Okay, end gush. At least I'm not the only reviewer who holds this opinion.
Characterization: 10/10

- Gameplay -
Terranigma is an action RPG/adventure game, same as the Zelda and Mana games. It handles smoothly, and is not just button mashing. One presses directional buttons along with A to use a small, but fun assortment of attacks. It is simple, but convenient and fun. In most senses, it is a mesh of Mana and Zelda styles, using a spear. Movements are fluid, and there is no wait time between attacks, so Ark can unleash a chain of strikes, which is very engaging. Different enemies require different attacks to inflict adequate damage. Also, Ark can defend with X-Guard, which is easy to use. He can swim, crawl, chuck pots and rocks, shatter boulders, climb vines, scale cliffs, and jump. Overall, an extremely satisfying system.

Terranigma uses hit points and gold, for life and to purchase things, respectively. Simple enough.

The menu is accessed by jumping into a box. Inside are instructions on gameplay, equipment, and items. It may require a brief adjustment curve, but is efficient once you've got the hang of it. An item can be equipped, one group at a time, for Ark to use, some being the obvious healing items, others being things such as cameras, whistles, bells, and so forth.

Another point to mention is the sub-quests; the player is to expand cities through various means. How much one enjoys this depends on taste, but it should appeal enough to most.

The only complaints that register are that the magic system is usually unwieldy and obsolete, and that the stat system is bizarre, in that the difference in damage being dealt from one level to the next is considerable. Still, it's how fun it is that matters, and Terranigma far exceeds expectations.
Gameplay: 24/25

- Difficulty -
Note: Difficulty is rated by how fitting its difficulty was, not its degree of difficulty. Only if a game is unjustifiably tedious or easy are points deducted.
Veterans of the Mana, Zelda, previous Soul Blazer, and other such games would easily adapt to Terranigma, but the game isn't without challenge; it is not geared toward beginning gamers.
Difficulty: 10/10

- Replay -
Note: This is in comparison to other RPGs.
Terranigma deserves two playthroughs for sufficient understanding of the plot, and for seeing the possible choices and their ramifications (if you aren't using a FAQ, or save-states, you will, I guarantee it, mess up in expanding the towns somewhere). Also, there are plenty of hidden areas. As with all RPGs, though, it is not a game that one would replay often, a stipulation of the genre rather than a reflection on the game.
Replay: 9/10

- Tilt -
As I've admitted, it is my personal favorite, even though it hold no nostalgic value; I'd played the classics before Terranigma. It holds the greatest appeal to people who enjoy an intriguing, engrossing story that will make one go into contemplation, fans of the style of gameplay, and those who value engaging characters, which I am on all accounts. However, few would be unable to enjoy this gem.
Tilt: 5/5

To wrap up, Terranigma is a rewarding experience, and if the one is willing, will enrich one's mind and soul. Buy it if possible, but I suppose a little downloading isn't wholly harmful, especially for a game of this caliber. A classic worth every gamer and story-lover's time.

Audio: 9/10
Graphics: 9.5/10
Story: 19.5/20
Characterization: 10/10
Gameplay: 24/25
Difficulty: 10/10
Replay: 9/10
Tilt: 5/5
Final Score: 96/100 (10)

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/28/05