Lufia: The Legend Returns

"An RPG with no puzzles? That's horrible, right? Well.. if the game didn't make up for it in every way possible, yes, it would be."

What!? No puzzles? This game is going to be one of the ''give up due to lack of enthusiasm game'' series, right? Wrong. I've played this game 4 times over, it's so great! Each time it takes me about 20 hours to complete. So, how can a game that TOTALLY lacks puzzles be this good? What can possibly be done to make a puzzle-less game appealing? Read the review to find out!

Gameplay & Control - 40/40
This game has excellent gameplay (and in an RPG without puzzles, you can just assume that ''Gameplay'' = ''Battle Mode''), which makes battling totally fun! Let me give you a breakdown. In this game, you can get 12 (or one bonus one, to make 13) characters in your party. Out of those 12 (or 13), you have to choose 9 to go on the battlefield. The battlefield is a 3 x 3 square, with 9 squares inside it. Out of those 9, you need to choose 3 to attack each round, one from each column. Positioning in the square makes a difference. Top Row = Attack goes up, Defense Goes Down Middle Row = Stats stay the same, Bottom Row = Defense goes up, Attack goes down. It's very complex and fun. You have a choice of 5 things in battle. Attack (attack with your equipped weapon), Defend (defend with your equipped shield), Magic (use MP to cast powerful magic on enemies/your party), Item (use an item on an enemy/party), or IP (channel energy from the other players and unleash a rare skill). By beating enemies, you get gold and LP. You can use LP to build up your character's IP. The higher their IP, the more rare skills they can be taught. To sum it up, gameplay is great. Now about control, it's simple. Control pad to walk, hold B to run. However, there is in fact one more element to the control. Inside dungeons, you can actually use your weapon (outside of battle) to freeze enemies in their tracks! Cool, huh? Oh yeah.. speaking of dungeons.. they are all random. =/ That's right, all random rooms and hallways and treasures, oh my! Er.. yeah, but it's still fun! Trust me!

Graphics - 30/30
I never seem to have a problem with graphics. Unless a game has graphics that look like a preschooler's uber modeling clay creation, you probably won't see me nagging about the graphics. This game has great and real graphics in the towns especially. They are very detailed. However, in battle, things get a bit more detailed. The monsters are drawn awesomely! But even more work seems to be put into the bosses, and that's nothing too surprising. The world map also is very detailed, if you can believe it. Probably the best thing about the graphics are the close ups of your characters. All 12 (or 13) are drawn really nicely and detailed. You probably will not have any grudges with the graphics.

Music & Sound - 20/20
Yay! Yay yay! I totally love the music in this game. Totally! A few of my friends have this game, and they're always telling me they like the music in this place, or that place, or whatever! There is some music, that I just stop playing and just listen too. Some outside of battle, some inside, the music is just so awesome. You will love listening to this music, and you will never turn your volume down. Usually, the music isn't that big of deal for a game. However, if this game was crappy in every other detail other than music (which it isn't), I would probably still rent it once and awhile just for the music. Yeah, it's true. The sound, nothing new here. Your average RPG, swing your sword, it makes a swoosh, go up stairs, it makes thumping. Nothing exactly new with the sound, but the music, that is something great!

Replayability & Extras - 10/10
As I said before, I have played and beat this game a total of 4 times! Heh, but I have a confession. If you beat the game once, then you have the option every time you play again to play in easy mode. Easy mode doubles the Gold and EXP and LP you get from each battle. Hehe. I've beaten the game once regular, and thrice in easy mode. Of course, easy mode is an OPTION, so if you want to replay it the normal way, you still can. As for extras, wow! There are 8 dragon eggs scattered throughout the land! To tasks to get them, and then take them to the Egg Dragon, and he'll grant you a wish. Then you'll get the dragon radar, and 8 more eggs will be scattered, but this time they will be in random places. Use the radar to help you. Take the eggs back, make a wish, and the eggs will scatter. Find, take back, make a wish, they will scatter. On the fourth time, if you find all 8, and go back to the Egg Dragon, something special will happen.. hehe. I won't spoil it! That in itself is a big enough extra to be it. Because remember, the first time, all 8 dragon eggs are in fixed locations, and you actually have to search, do tasks, and talk to people to find them. It's great.

Overall - 100/100: 10/10
Why do I always rate my games 10/10? Because I only choose to review the good ones. Believe me, I've played some bad ones, that one day, if I'm really bored, I'll review. However, this game isn't a bad game. It's a GREAT game that I absolutely cherish.

Buy, Rent, or Not Even Try? - Buy!
Buy it! If you read my review, I don't think I need to explain why! =)

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/11/03, Updated 05/11/03