Farland Saga: Toki no Michishirube (ファーランドサーガ 時の道標), launched 12/3/1998, developed by TGL
That is the followup to the primary Farland Saga sport. It was launched for computer systems in 1997, then a Saturn port adopted in 1998 and a Ps port in 1999. As common I’m enjoying the Ps port. The sport is a direct sequel to the primary sport, though there are usually not many plot connections. The primary character is Karin, who was an 8 yr previous youngster within the first sport, and is now 16. A lot of the different characters are new, and the primary plot of the brand new sport is unconnected to the primary one.
The gameplay is generally the identical, so I believed I’d look again on the criticisms I had of the first sport and see if additionally they utilized to the sequel.
My greatest grievance there was how slowly the sport performed. This isn’t as a lot of a problem within the sequel. After all now that I’m utilizing the ps emulator as a substitute I can velocity up the sport, however even when you don’t do that, the sport continues to be a lot smoother and doesn’t pause so lengthy on the enemy turns. You possibly can flip off all of the shifting and assault animations to make it even sooner.
My second problem was in regards to the 3/4 map, and how one can’t rotate the view. This additionally was not fairly as a lot of a problem. They removed the overhead map for some purpose, however on the entire it’s a lot simpler to see the place your characters are, and you’ll press a button to allow “clear mode” the place the characters who’re behind obstacles might be highlighted.
You continue to can’t transfer by means of your individual allies.
The store interface was one other enormous drawback with the primary sport. They’ve a completely totally different, however nonetheless dangerous, interface right here.
Not less than this time, the primary motion takes place in a single metropolis (or environs), so you’ll be able to usually select to go to the weapon and merchandise store, somewhat than having to solely do it after sure battles. Nonetheless, the interface continues to be extraordinarily irritating. All you’ll be able to see within the store is who can equip the merchandise; you’ll be able to’t see the way it compares to what you may have. You then need to go to the equip menu, however the one solution to see how the brand new gear compares is to take a look at the info for each gadgets, and each time you take a look at one merchandise it then kicks you again out to the character choose display screen. I simply don’t see how corporations are nonetheless unable to make one thing as fundamental as a useful store/equip interface — I believe that the pc model was most likely simpler to cope with due to the usage of level and click on mouse, and after they ported it over to the consoles they simply didn’t spend a lot time retooling it to work higher with a controller.
My feedback right here nonetheless apply:
The system includes top and dealing with this time. The peak half is slightly bit half-assed although as a result of it doesn’t have an effect on missile weapons or spells in any respect. The obstacles additionally don’t block them in any respect — the sticks and spears that hit a number of targets can undergo partitions and timber.
Spellcasters get well a little bit of MP per spherical so this enables for extra spellcasting, though the costliest spells would require some MP restore gadgets to have the ability to use them effectively. Additionally they develop in effectiveness as you stage, which is sweet
My subsequent huge grievance about FS1 was about the best way {that a} small distinction in ranges between enemy and character makes an enormous distinction in how efficient they’re. That is principally the identical in FS2; in case you are simply 2 or 3 ranges beneath the enemy you’ll be able to anticipate to deal 1 injury with every assault and take enormous injury from the enemies. At first I believed this was not as huge a problem due to the guild mission system.
The sport typically progresses by taking missions from the guild on the town. While you end the mission, you get gold and bonus XP you could distribute amongst your characters, they usually have some default choices — the “stability” choice tries to provide XP to your weaker characters to catch them as much as the stronger ones.
Due to this, I used to be able to say that the extent distinction factor wasn’t as a lot of a problem, however I used to be fallacious.
As with the final sport you simply play the levels so as, with no free battles or any non-compulsory content material. The one solution to do any form of grinding is to purposely extend battles so you’ll be able to forged buff or heal spells to construct XP. I didn’t do that, and I reached some extent close to the endgame the place I used to be not capable of proceed.
On this map, the entire enemies rush you originally, and all of them have giant AoE spells. The worst is the boss, who makes use of Vanish (very big selection) and my guys have been taking 60-80% of their HP in injury from these. I attempted the battle seven occasions and was not capable of survive previous the 4th flip.
I watched two movies of individuals enjoying the sport, they usually have been doing precisely the identical issues I used to be doing when it comes to battle technique, however their characters have been 3-4 ranges forward of mine they usually have been taking far much less injury from the enemies, and doing greater than 1 injury to the boss. I additionally noticed a number of opinions that warned gamers to do some grinding within the battles or they might find yourself unable to win the battles close to the tip.
I hoped there could be a cheat code that might enable me to maneuver up just some ranges, however I didn’t see one, so I made a decision to cease enjoying there. I might have gone again to a earlier save and accomplished some extra “grinding” however I didn’t assume it was value it.
The story is first rate. Karin has determined to depart the island that the primary sport occurred on, and go to the primary continent. There she runs into Arl, a swordsman who has fully misplaced his reminiscence. The primary 2/3 of the sport is generally character growth, as Karin builds her fame within the guild and meets the assorted characters that be part of the get together:
- Alice, the daughter of a wealthy man within the metropolis; she’s a healer
- Sara, a fist fighter who desires to marry Arl
- Radish, a winged cleric
- Sophia, a thief who had a previous relationship with T.T. (the one different returning character from the primary sport)
- Lulu, her youngster (mage)
I’m not totally positive how the story seems in the long run, however finally we be taught that Arl is the avatar of some type of god-like determine who watches to guard the timeline, and opposes the get together (we get despatched again 8 years into the previous, however it’s not clear why).
As with all the opposite Farland video games, this isn’t actually value enjoying. I’d say that of those I’ve performed, that is most likely the very best one supplied that you are able to do sufficient levelling to set yourselves up for the ultimate levels. This sport has the least awkward interface of the sequence, the story is first rate, and it’s not as sluggish shifting as all the opposite video games. There are such a lot of different good SRPGs on the market, although.
Thankfully that is the tip of the Farland sequence for me; the Farland Odyssey video games have been by no means ported to console.
