You have to be able to go out on a limb if you want to add something new to the RPG video game genre. Setting and characters always change, but the core mechanics pretty much stay the same. In 1999, developer Prokion decided that the action menu could use some changes. Legend of Legaia had a unique fighting system that made players think about not when, but how they would attack.
The world used to be peaceful. The magical Seru untied the people with magic. One day, a strange mist appeared and the Seru turned against the people. A decade later, Vahn and his friends embark on a quest to destroy the generators that have produced the mist. Standing in their way are the monsters of the land and Prince Cort, a royal prince who is the brother to the party’s own Noa.
The battle system is turn based like many RPG of the time. What made this game stand out was when you selected attack, you had to select the direction you would attack and if you would attack high or low. Putting the right series of moves together would make the characters perform a special move. This made a player want to test out different combinations in order to deliver the most devastating combo. A player could nnot just spam the attack button, they would have to think about what types of attack to deliver.
There was also a magic system, but like the attack menu it was different then other RPG’s. Spells were not just learned by leveling up. The Serus would have to be defeated in battle in order to learn a spell. There was an added condition. The last character to kill a Seru had the chance to gain the ability to summon it in battle. Vahn might be the strongest in your party, but Noa might need to learn a spell. You would have to judge and make sure the person who needed the spell got the last hit. Sometimes, this still would not work as the character did not get the ability ever time.
Legend of Legaia was made up of different RPGs that came before, but it also added it’s own distinct character to the genre. The game would get one sequel, but it was not as well received as the original. The first game was only released on the Playstation and has not gotten a re-release. It should be played as it’s battle system is truly something different.
