Legend of Legaia | |
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![]() North American cover art | |
Developer(s) | Prokion[a] |
Publisher(s) | Sony Computer Entertainment |
Director(s) | Kazuhiro Kobayashi |
Producer(s) | Takahiro Kaneko |
Designer(s) | Natsumi Arisawa |
Composer(s) | Michiru Ōshima |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Role-playing |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Legend of Legaia (レガイア伝説, Regaia Densetsu) is a role-playing video game developed by Prokion and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. Contrail handled the production of the game. It was released in Japan in October 1998, North America in March 1999 and Europe in May 2000. A sequel, Legaia 2: Duel Saga, was released for the PlayStation 2.
Gameplay
The game has a turn-based combat system. Rather than a simple "Attack" command, the player enters a sequence of strikes ("High," "Low," "Left," or "Right") and the character will perform the corresponding attacks. Certain sequences combine into special attacks called Arts—for example, the "High, Low, High" sequence allows Vahn to perform Somersault. The ending of one sequence can be linked to the beginning of another to perform multiple Arts. Regular attacks restore AP, while Arts cost AP. Additionally, characters can summon Seru at the cost of MP, use items, and use the Spirit command which restores AP, bolsters defense, and allows for a longer attack sequence next turn.[3]
Plot
The game is set in a fantasy world, where humanity exists along strange magical creatures called Seru who aid humanity with supernatural powers. However, a mysterious Mist appears and the Seru become rampant, causing the collapse of civilization. Vahn, the resident of Rim Elm, is unaffected by the Mist outside and protected from Seru by a large wall. An enormous Seru, Juggernaut, destroys the wall and corrupts the Seru. Vahn discovers a rare kind of Seru known as a Ra-Seru named Meta, which is both intelligent and capable of merging with a human. He awakens the power of the tree in the center of the village known as a Genesis Tree, and removes the Mist and the Seru from the village. With his newfound power, he travels across the world to restore Genesis Trees and stop the Mist.
Vahn continues his journey to awaken the Genesis trees and befriends Noa, a cavegirl raised by a Ra-Seru attached to a wolf which eventually attaches itself to her. Vahn meets Gala, a monk who after finding a dead genesis tree finds a Ra-Seru egg and at another genesis tree births the Ra-Seru egg that bonds with Gala. The trio destroys the mist generator in their continent. They move to another continent and reawaken the Genesis Trees, destroy the mist generator and its defender, and come across the Juggernaut's castle. It is revealed the mist is created with Ra-Seru which is why the Ra-Seru are immune to the mist.
The three heroes reach the final continent and encounter several mist generators and Cort, the prince of a kingdom and Noa's brother. After destroying the mist generators and defeating Cort, the heroes return to Vahn's village, where Cort has fused with Juggernaut, and threatens to kill everyone and destroy the village.
The three heroes learn that Gala's rival Songi went to the land of Ra-Seru and is attempting to absorb and in effect kill the mother Genesis Tree. They arrive and defeat Songi, but are unable to save the mother Genesis Tree, and when it dies, so will all Seru. The heroes then go to Vahn's village and defeat the fused combination of Cort and Juggernaut. After Cort's defeat, the Ra-Seru bid farewell and die with the Seru, leaving humans to fend for themselves.
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
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GameRankings | 77%[4] |
Publication | Score |
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AllGame | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
CNET Gamecenter | 8/10[6] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.875/10[7] |
Famitsu | 27/40[8] |
Game Informer | 8.25/10[9] |
GameFan | 81%[10] |
GamePro | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
GameRevolution | C[12] |
GameSpot | 7.3/10[13] |
IGN | 7/10[3] |
Next Generation | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
RPGamer | (2004) 8.5/10[16] (2013) 3.5/5[17] |
RPGFan | 80%[18] |
Common Sense Media | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The game received favorable reviews on GameRankings. Next Generation said, "if you can deal with the trite, hackneyed story, the new fighting engine makes this worth checking out." Famitsu scored it 27 out of 40. It sold over 300,000 units by January 2002.[20]
During the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Legend of Legaia for "Console Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year".[21]
Notes
- ^ Additional work by Japan Studio.[2]
- ^ GamePro gave the game three 5/5 scores for graphics, control and overall fun factor, and 4.5/5 for sound.
References
- ^ GameSpot staff (March 16, 1999). "New PS RPG Released [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 3, 2000. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ "JAPANスタジオ作品一覧 1998年~1994年" [List of Japan Studio works 1998–1994] (in Japanese). Sony Interactive Entertainment. 2021. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ a b Reyes, Francesca (March 17, 1999). "Legend of Legaia". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
- ^ "Legend of Legaia for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
- ^ Romero, Joshua. "Legend of Legaia - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Guderjohn, Lisa (June 1, 1999). "Legend of Legaia". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ EGM staff (April 1999). "Legend of Legaia". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 117. Ziff Davis.
- ^ "レガイア伝説 [PS]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ "Legend of Legaia". Game Informer. No. 72. FuncoLand. April 1999.
- ^ "REVIEW for Legend of Legaia". GameFan. Shinno Media. April 6, 1999.
- ^ The Rookie (April 1999). "Legend of Legaia Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. No. 127. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Liu, Johnny (April 1999). "Legend of Legaia Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 21, 2004. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Mielke, James (January 20, 1999). "Legend of Legaia Review [Import]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ "Legend of Legaia". Next Generation. No. 54. Imagine Media. June 1999. p. 93. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Rybicki, Joe (April 1999). "Legend of Legaia". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 2, no. 7. Ziff Davis. p. 50. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Drury, Martin (November 10, 2004). "Legend of Legaia - Review". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Moehnke, Mike (2013). "Legend of Legaia - Staff Retroview". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Thomas, Damian (June 19, 2000). "Legend of Legaia". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media LLC. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Stockton, Sarah (2003). "Legend of Legaia". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ "Eidos Launches New Japanese Brand for U.S. and Europe". Business Wire. Berkshire Hathaway. January 24, 2002. Archived from the original on January 26, 2002. Retrieved June 24, 2019 – via Yahoo.com.
- ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Detail Legend of Legaia". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
External links
- Legend of Legaia Shrine at RPG Classics
- Legend of Legaia at MobyGames