The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion

"Charming, enjoyable and emotional....But not groundbreaking."

Introduction

As a PSP owner and a big RPG fan, Legend of Heroes was an eagerly awaited title for me, what with the initial shortage of games from the genre on my fabulous new console. As there was not a wealth of information available about the game, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was excited all the same when Tear of Vermillion first loaded onto my handheld. I soon discovered that, despite a few flaws, the game is well worth a playthrough for any RPG fan.

Graphics

Some PSP games look as though they wouldn't be out of place on a PS2. Legend of Heroes isn't one of those games, although the graphics aren't a let-down. The field screen does indeed contain some gorgeous animations, with simple things like water looking highly effective. The characters themselves - both in and out of battle - also look pretty nifty, but are cartoonish at times. The menus are also sleek and easy to use. These touches, along with many more, are very nice, but despite doing little wrong in the department, the graphics hardly set new boundaries for handheld RPGs in the future. They surpass GBA titles like Golden Sun but don't take huge strides forward as that did several years ago. In conclusion, the game has good graphics which won't put you off. We all know that RPGs rely on much more than graphics, anyway.

8/10

Story

A key element of every RPG is its plot. You take the role of Avin, a young man separated from his sister many years ago in the cruelest of circumstances. He and his best friend Mile decide to journey together in search of Eimelle (Avin's sister) and to explore the world. Naturally, the youngsters get caught up in a plot much bigger and meet several new friends and enemies in the process. Unfortunately, they may actually meet a few people too many, as you tend to lose track of all the characters and who they are, because so many are coming and going on a regular basis - a few characters also have very little distinction, reducing character development and adding a tad of confusion (at one point, a character from earlier in the game was mentioned, and I had absolutely no idea of who she was). The plot is involving and is constantly developing, including the odd twist, and eventually winds up as a slightly cliched battle between what is ultimately good and evil. Don't let this fool you though, the friendship and love shown between certain characters sees you really care about what happens come the end of the game, and the story contains several emotional moments. The plot isn't perfect, and is a bit predictable at times but - like the graphics - is also a strong point of the game, and should keep you interested until the end.

8/10

Sound

One of the necessaries of a good RPG is also a good soundtrack. In games like Legend of Heroes, there are several moments where emotion plays a big part, and some top quality music can really make a big difference. Good music and sound is certainly required here, and it doesn't disappoint at all. The several battle musics and general field tunes are catchy and enjoyable. These are mixed perfectly with good sound effects and most importantly, emotional music to go with certain sad (and happy) moments in the story. The game contains some awesome boss music, and some great stuff in towns and castles which you'll find yourself humming along to. This area is possibly the strongest in the game, and doesn't let Legend of Heroes down at all.

9/10

Gameplay

Having good graphics, sound, and story is all very well, but the gameplay also needs to be enjoyable to keep the player coming back and continuing the journey. Legend of Heroes does just that, with a good battle system and a generally fun feel to the game. Avin's party can contain a maximum of four people to fight in battle. You encounter monsters on the field, and you initiate a fight by walking into enemies who are wandering around. Each character has a movement and attack range, meaning you can only walk as far as your movement range allows and only attack an enemy when it falls within your attack range. This makes the battles slightly tactical, as you sometimes are required to attack a certain enemy in the battle in order for the next one to be in your range for the next turn. You choose each character's action at the start of the party's turn, and the speed attribute then comes into play when deciding what order everyone (including the enemies) act. Characters can use normal attacks, magic, skills, deadly attacks, items, or they can merely move and not do anything else. Deadly attacks are available when a character's power bar becomes full - this happens when you attack or are attacked.

EXP is awarded at the end of each battle, and new skills are learned as you level up. Unfortunately, the higher level you are, the less EXP you get for the defeat of the same monster (so if you beat a monster on level 5, you get less than you would have got for beating it on level 4). Characters also get EXP when they are dead, which can be useful, and all status ailments wear off at the end of every battle.

Dungeons are generally fun, but are a little repetitive - same goes for towns. However, the regular changes in the party's personnel adds a touch of freshness to counter this, and keeps the game from feeling stale, even if you do tend to get confused from time to time. The gameplay on a whole is very good, being easy to understand and learn, whilst offering enough challenge to not make the game feel like a joke. That said, the game is relatively easy, and aside from the last boss, you'll find yourself getting very few game overs, particularly if you are an experienced RPG player.

8/10

Replay Value

Legend of Heroes offers a long and enjoyable quest, but I don't think it's the sort of game you want to pick up and play all the time. After beating it, there is a feeling of contentment, and I am unlikely to venture into Avin's world for a fairly long time. You can expect your first playthrough to last you over 30 hours, even if it may well be your last.

4/10

Graphics - 8/10
Story - 8/10
Sound - 9/10
Gameplay - 8/10
Replay Value - 4/10

Overall (NOT AN AVERAGE) - 8/10

As the title says, this game can be enjoyed but it won't re-write the history books as far as RPGs are concerned. The charm of the game is - unfortunately - lessened by the odd glitch and (very) poor translation. Instead of saying 'Avin mastered Strike Sword', the game will say 'Avin was Strike Sword mastered'. This goes for whenever a character learns a new skill of any kind.

As a final word, this game is certainly worth picking up for any RPG fan, and is definitely worth its name as the PSP's first top quality game of the genre. It isn't perfect by any means, but has enough going for it to come together into an excellent game. If you enjoyed Golden Sun, you shouldn't hesitate for a moment - get this game.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/26/05