Skies of Arcadia Legends
A long time ago, back when JRPG protagonists weren’t whiny girly boys wielding oversized weapons and talking about their feelings, there was Skies of Arcadia. Set in a fantastic world where islands floated high in the sky, above the mysterious world below. Players took the role of the aspiring Blue Rogue pirate, Vyse. Armed with twin cutlasses and a handy clear eyepatch, Vyse was the epitome of everything I wanted to be. Skilled, charismatic, and terrible with women. I could blather on and on about this game, and I’d love to, but let’s just nail down the best darn parts of this game.
The Ship Battles
Man, I can’t begin to tell you how freaking awesome the Ship battles in SoAL were. Customizing your ship with different weapons, parts, and crew mates was half the fun. Putting them into action was the other half. Hitting the enemy with magic cannonballs, launching torpedoes, and eventually opening up with your biggest baddest gun, the Moon Stone Cannon, was exhilarating.
The Cast
No zipper wearing, emo haircut pansies here, no sir. Vyse was a boy with a dream, and a heart full of adventure. Accompanied by his best friend Aika, and a mysterious girl named Fina, they traveled the world to help Fina on her quest and have fun along the way. They met with other cool party members. Drachma, the whaler with a dark past. Enrique, the prince of a tyrannical nation. And my personal favorite, Gilder, the chivalrous Sky Pirate with a heart of gold and a thing for the ladies.
That smooth bastard.
The over the top crazy special attacks
Whether it’s summoning the spirit of a dead pirate to bring swift revenge to your enemies, calling the ship to fire on the foe, or the ridiculously long and powerful crew summon, Skies of Arcadia had it in spades. Every party member felt awesome, and their specials even more so. Ground combat was a blast with spells and weapons flying.
So there you have it. My favorite game of all time. I hope you enjoyed the read, and if you haven’t played this game yet, get out there and do it! I doubt you’ll be disappointed, if you can get your hands on a copy.
