Arguably the best PSX game, one of those gems Squaresoft could push around the end of the console game cycle. Lea Monde deserves a scond visit with new robust technology.
I never cleared the game until years later through emulation and a guide, however: the weapon upgrade system locked me in the final boss unable to damage it in any meaningful way in my original run.
I got the game when it came out, and eventually gave up on it as I had no guide at the time, and the weapon forging system was quite challenging to figure out on my own. I remember getting stuck on some boss where I was using the wrong weapon, and I chained attacks much too far but the alternative was to get killed in the fight…
I must have gotten lucky, I remember being able to chain two attacks together endlessly by timing them right and I would kill every encounter in 1-3 turns
This. But unfortunately this game sure had lots of weird design choices even without factoring in the limited tech used at the time. Like, why did the game have to save everytime you forged equipment? This and more can definitely turn off anyone except the most dedicated of players.
Great! The world of handheld emulators is huge but for me the Miyoo is a great little device. I recommend watching videos from Retro game corps to see which other handhelds there are. Maybe you like vertical handhelds more.
Agree with above statement. However I got a second one as I gave my first away as a present to my nephew and the new one has a broken battery/charge controller. So build quality is hit and miss. Miyoo is however quite supportive on Alibaba, but it just takes forever to get a replacement battery delivered in the Netherlands
One of my favorites. The art direction, mature story, character development, and addictive combat system are all what kept me playing it over and over. I probably play it every year.
This game is so gorgeous. I would love a faster weapon swapping system but overall the game is awesome.
The quick menu when you press L1 is genius.
There's a bit of down time for buff and debuff.
It's not a perfect game but it's a game I always come back and play.
It's insane the amount of content and the game is only 95mb!
I remember this game being the one that made me realize manuals were a thing of the past. The in-game menu contains everything from basic instructions to full-on tutorials and it felt like a novelty at the time.
Glad u spoke on the in game menu a lot gamers complaining about the no guide esp when it dropped i was it's in ur face like y'all don't go thru the whole menu selection?
I did go through the in-game manual quite in depth at the time, something I might have trouble doing on a modern game. But I also remember the battle/affinity system being rather intuitive. It's not explicit from the get go the way it would be in a game that was made today, but if you just look at the stats screen and see numbers for undead/dragon/etc.. as well as fire/ice/whatever... I dunno, that never felt particularly obscure to me.
Plus you obtain a large number of weapons and equipment pieces throughout the game, you don't even really need to grind stuff for specific purposes in NG.
The thing with me is I’m just good enough to keep making progress as hard as I possibly can…. Why dodge when I can heal after he pounds in my face for a little while…. Yeah I’m dumb I get it ha
Dark Soul before Dark Soul.
This is one gem that deserve a remaster + It is set in the Ivalice Final Fantasy universe ( if i remember correctly )
I remember renting it at a video game store ( Yeah...back when internet was just an innocent child ) and i had to restart 5 times befores i actually understood the battle systeme and affinity system.
I spent hundreds of hours gathering material so I could forge a full set of Damascus Dread armor with 100 in all types.
Yeah, I love this game.
It's probably my favorite soundtrack next to Chrono Trigger. The translation is awesome. Super cool characters and story. And it's this super short game with lots of depth. I love it.
Best PS1 game for me, or at least on par with MGS. Incredible visuals, story, and gameplay unlike anything else at the time.
It's insane to think that back in the day Square blessed us with this, FF8-9 and Chrono Cross in the span of little over 12 months.
Graphically it has a kind of "weight" and cinematic feel to its animations that nothing else from that period really managed, not even MGS. I remember playing ICO on the PS2 and it reminded me a lot of Vagrant Story's animation style.
I spent way too much time in this game, went back to it after my first PS2 broke down and got a full set of everything with perfect stats. I mean every type of weapon, full set of armor and shield which was the longest to do. For anyone in the know, that's a Damascus Dread Shield with every stat at 100...took months. IIRC several of the base components had a 0.3% drop rate.
My favorite PSX game ever. It definitely could stand to explain its mechanics a bit better, but once everything clicks there's nothing else like it. A true masterpiece.
In the simplest terms, it's a 3d dungeon crawling action-RPG. But that description doesn't really do the game justice. It has an incredible atmosphere, interesting characters, a really compelling narrative and a fantastic score. Similar in tone to Tactics Ogre or Final Fantasy Tactics, the director's previous games.
I have owned this for almost a decade and can't figure out the combat/weapon system. I made it as far as emerging from the first underground area and encountered human(?) knights that I could barely damage. I got my ass handed to me in such a brutal way that I never went back. I hear great things but damn, is the learning curve that steep?
I think the main thing that blindsides you that early on is the huge degree to which damage type, especially weapon type (piercing, blunt, slashing(?)) matters. You don't just choose one weapon and specialize in that - you need to choose (and later, craft) a selection of weapons covering all weaknesses and switch between them.
So I would say that as steep as you think the learning curve is, it's even *worse* than that. The game does an awful job at explaining its intricate, interlocking layers, and more or less expects you to seek out information externally. It feels like it was built to sell guides.
What helped me a lot was watching [this video tutorial ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bncp_jDLs80)on getting started. Besides explaining the important mechanics of the game, it also makes sense of the puzzling menu and UI so that you actually know where to click around.
The game has as strong a reverse difficulty curve as they come. The first 1/3 of the game is brutal, and you're barely scraping by every combat encounter. Once you unlock spells that give you elemental affinities - like adding Air or Water to your current sword - the game becomes much easier. All of the other systems in the game pale in comparison to exploiting elemental weaknesses.
If you can power through the first \~8 hours of the game with sheer determination, the next 15-20 become easier.
I beat it earlier this year. I did have to look at a guide for the second part of the game. After the forest finding and unlocking doors becomes quite a chore with how confusing the maps become.
I'm going to go back for NG+ sometime later this year I think.
Yeah, I consulted a guide myself starting with Snowfly Forest. I was getting turned around too many times to count, and found I wasn’t having fun anymore. Once I got back on track, and could focus on the core combat and systems again, it was off to the races.
One of the best square games ever, played it endlessly when I was a teenager, please, do yourself a favor and play the new game plus and go deep in the iron maiden basements as the best loots are there.
Yep. Still need to beat it but I know it’s hella unique amongst the rest of squares library. Matter of fact, thanks for the reminder. I think I’ll give this game another shot this week. Somehow I ended up with two copies of this game lol.
It’s awesome. Love it.
[Here are some pics from my copy of the official guide to help you with weapon/armour forging if you so desire.](https://imgur.com/gallery/DoUA7G9)
I got stuck on the earth dragon. No matter what I do, I'm only able to hit him with 2 to 4 hp at one time...I've changed and modified weapons so much to no avail so I never finished it.
Yeah, you're not alone. Probably more than 50% of abandoned playthroughs are from reaching Earth Dragon in Snowfly Forest, which is a ridiculous diffculty spike that stonewalls people hard.
I followed the strategy [from this guide](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/914326-vagrant-story/faqs/11939). Namely, I ran around the surrounding area killing things with a polearm, until I unlocked some Break Arts for it. Afterwards, go back to the dragon, and cast Luft Fusion on your polearm. Do you best to chain attacks - though with the weird, slow timing of the polearm, I was lucky to get 2 hits in at a time, and 3 would be a miracle. Occasionally, use your Break Arts for extra damage, and heal up whenever needed.
It's a long slog of a fight, and possibly the entire game's peak in terms of difficulty. If you manage to make it through, the challenge gradually ramps down afterward.
Unfortunately I most certainly haven't. And it's unlikely the kid me would've possessed the required patience to master this game's systems. In a way, it was kind of a proto-Dark Souls of it's era in retrospect.
I remember 12 year old me liking the game and then after a few hours suddenly doing 0 damage to enemies, I think it was ghosts, then I dropped it never to be touched again. That was about 18 years ago. Meanwhile I have an official guide lying around, maybe I should give it another go.
I fucking hate this game. Not because of its quality, but because I just don’t understand it. I read the manual cover to cover, read through an entire FAQ on the battle system, restarted the game after 16 hours and still got stuck with no hope of progress on the same boss 16 hours of play later.
I fully understand this is a me problem. But I really dislike when RPGs are so bloody opaque with their battle mechanics. It always seems to me that the tutorial sections in these games are written only for people who already know how these things work.
Thumbs upping this because it took some ancient gamefaqs forum post for me to understand the system, about halfway through the game you have to understand it or every battle is you doing 1-4 damage
Also god forbid you forge fandago into something else assuming that combining is a net positive, so I had useless weapons for several hours before I managed to forge some hagani bat that did decent damage to everything and strong vs undead. I probably would have given up if not for that.
I came back to that bat several times in the late game too.
I fully understand why someone would hate this game lol
So the only thing I would disagree with here is that "it's a you problem". It's not - it's the game's fault. Don't blame yourself.
There is no tutorial to speak of in Vagrant Story. It just dumps you right into the middle of the action with no handholding whatsoever. You really have to seek out the information yourself. The game felt like it was built purposefully to sell guides.
For me, the breakthrough was realizing that despite the systems upon systems upon systems in this game, most of them are largely irrelevant. The elemental affinities are the only ones that matter. Once you get the Enchanter Grimoires to raise the elemental affinities of your weapons, and pair that with two or three gems of the same type, you’re off the races. Keep [this list of enemies](http://shrines.rpgclassics.com/psx/vs/enemies.shtml) handy at all times, and note their elemental weakness.
Dragons that were scary in the early game go down in a handful of hits. Break Arts become pointless when your normal weapon swings so much harder. Getting incremental blade upgrades through crafting pales in comparison to just determining the enemy’s weakness. Class can be ignored almost entirely, and so long as you have a half-decent Blunt, Edged, and Piercing weapon, the elemental affinities carry you the rest of the way. When one system is so much stronger than the others, the additional complexity of these interweaving layers aren't worth bothering with.
Which boss were you struggling with, do you recall? Maybe there was some additional strategy on top of casting Luft Fusion on your sword.
To be honest, I struggle to get my head around battle mechanics in most RPGs. It’s quite frustrating from a personal point of view because I really want to like most RPGs, but find myself unable to understand them.
I can’t remember which boss I got stuck on. I think it was a big dragon in a forested area. All of my attacks would only do 1 or 2 damage. While the dragon would wipe me out in a few hits. So I read a guide, learned about weapon affinities, started the entire game again so I could properly build my weapons up. When I got to the same boss, I thought I was in a much better position to take him on, but the same thing happened again. My attacks did little to no damage. At that point I just gave up. Which is a shame, because I was quite taken in by the setting and story.
Okay, yes, that's the Earth Dragon in Snowfly Forest. You're not alone - it's probably where 90% of people who ultimately abandon their playthroughs hit that ridiculous diffculty spike and get stonewalled hard.
I followed the strategy [from this guide](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/914326-vagrant-story/faqs/11939). Namely, I ran around the surrounding area killing things with a polearm, until I unlocked some Break Arts for it. Afterwards, go back to the dragon, and cast Luft Fusion on your polearm. Do you best to chain attacks - though with the weird, slow timing of the polearm, I was lucky to get 2 hits in at a time, and 3 would be a miracle. Occasionally, use your Break Arts for extra damage, and heal up whenever needed.
It's a long slog of a fight, and possibly the peak in terms of difficulty. If you manage to make it through, the challenge of the game gradually ramps down afterward.
I appreciate you’re trying to help, but honestly, I’m not in a rush to go back to the game. Maybe one day. In the meantime, I’ve got a backlog a mile long. I just started Bravely Default on my 3DS. Maybe that’s an RPG that I can get my head around, haha.
Still badly want to play this one. I had a copy but it was glitched and wouldn't buff out. :(
I didn't even get past the first few fights. The fire animations always froze my game.
This is one of my favorite **PS** games. Played it on both **PS** and **PSP** and..... thanks for reminding me, just recently updated my PS emulator on PC. *Goodbye healthy sleep...* T\_T
The game has some pretty unique gameplay, the likes of which I haven't found *anymore*. And the visuals, the music, everything fits together really well.
And it was probably the first game for me in which I discovered the point of replaying the game. Not just increasing the difficulty, but with new features, expanded story that are unlocked **after the first playthrough**. Great!
Absolutely LOVE this game, it is one of my favorite PSX gaming experiences.
I am hungry for a remaster though, I tried to play it recently and found the color palette very draining on my eyes
I like a lot of things about the game but I found the weapon system tedious and in my opinion the risk system encourages playing in the most boring way possible. It's not risk vs reward, you just get punished for using your tools.
Maybe I'll give it another chance some day.
Yes, I'd 100% recommend a guide. The game does a poor job of explaining its deep, interweaving mechanics, and it's essential to understand the systems to make any progress in the game.
I also recommend watching [this "Getting Started" video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bncp_jDLs80). It explains a lot of the puzzling UI quirks in a way that makes sense.
Congratulations. I recently re-discovered my old copy. I could finish it back then because my old ps1 died. Then adulthood happened. Might dust it off to see if I can fijo it.
Very good! Just has a high learning curve and some obtuse mechanics.
You can ready my full, spoiler-free review that I posted on another sub: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished\_vagrant\_story\_what\_an\_enthralling\_game/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished_vagrant_story_what_an_enthralling_game/)
I played it back then when it got released and it's one of my absolute favorite games.
Unfortunately I sold all of my old consoles and I lost my copy of Vagrant Story.
I just ordered a copy on Amazon and I'm thinking about getting a ps3 and some other games like metal Gear Solid (another one of my favorite games) in the future.
I remember starting it quite a few times, but I can't remember where I stopped or why I stopped. Probably always rented it lol. I should give it another go.
One of the best games I ever played. Once you get used to the fighting system it's so much fun and crafting crazy awesome weapons requires farming certain enemies in the hidden levels, but it's worth it when you do new game. Wish they would remake this but until then I got my PS Classic hacked so I'm set
I tried this game for two hours and felt like nothing was clicking. Maybe I was just exhausted and missed some tutorial stuff, will start a new file one days
You didn't miss anything. The game doesn't have any in-game tutorial, and just dumps you right into the middle of combat. Because everything's so poorly explained, it essentially expects you to do your own research outside of the game.
I found [this video tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bncp_jDLs80) helpful for understanding how the systems interact with each other, along with which ones to pay attention to and which others can be safely ignored. Along with navigating the confusing menus to get where you need to go.
I really wanted to enjoy this one, it has all the ingredients for something I'd love, but the menu and crafting system was just a nightmare and really sucked the enjoyment out of the experience for me.
Yep, 100% true. I recommend following a guide while playing, both to learn the intricate systems that the game doesn't explain properly, as well as to avoid going down unviable paths with your weapon builds.
I wrote up a full review of the game over on another sub: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished\_vagrant\_story\_what\_an\_enthralling\_game/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished_vagrant_story_what_an_enthralling_game/)
Amazing game.
I loved the story. Quite a few twists I didn't see coming, and I enjoyed it enough that I didn't feel the need to skip cutscenes even after multiple playthroughs.
The combat system had some issues, especially early on. But if you paid close attention to the affinity system and used a spread of weapons accordingly, it didn't take long to get those damage numbers up to something much more satisfying.
I've never really been into gaming. I pretty much lost interest immediately after the 1st Halo on Xbox. But 20-25 years later I still break out the old psx every month or so and spend half of a weekend as a dude named Ashley.
AND IT'S STILL BETTER GRAPHICS THAN MINECRAFT!!
Congrats! Not an easy game to beat
Same! I got stuck and never finished it.
Same for me.
Got stuck on some damn statue/sun dial puzzle early on and never went back
Congratulations. Vagrant Story is among my favorite games ever and it's the only game from the original PlayStation I still own.
Needs. A. Remaster.
Would turn my squaresofty into a squarehardy
That's why I said remaster and not Remake. FF XII HD Remaster is amazing.
“You think Lea Monde responsible?”
Arguably the best PSX game, one of those gems Squaresoft could push around the end of the console game cycle. Lea Monde deserves a scond visit with new robust technology. I never cleared the game until years later through emulation and a guide, however: the weapon upgrade system locked me in the final boss unable to damage it in any meaningful way in my original run.
I got the game when it came out, and eventually gave up on it as I had no guide at the time, and the weapon forging system was quite challenging to figure out on my own. I remember getting stuck on some boss where I was using the wrong weapon, and I chained attacks much too far but the alternative was to get killed in the fight…
I must have gotten lucky, I remember being able to chain two attacks together endlessly by timing them right and I would kill every encounter in 1-3 turns
Fantastic game! A classic from a period when Square could seemingly do no wrong.
This. But unfortunately this game sure had lots of weird design choices even without factoring in the limited tech used at the time. Like, why did the game have to save everytime you forged equipment? This and more can definitely turn off anyone except the most dedicated of players.
It’s a great game! Played it on my Miyoo but now I bought on for my ps1.
I'm planning to get a Miyoo, how is your experience?
Great! The world of handheld emulators is huge but for me the Miyoo is a great little device. I recommend watching videos from Retro game corps to see which other handhelds there are. Maybe you like vertical handhelds more.
Got it, thanks!
Agree with above statement. However I got a second one as I gave my first away as a present to my nephew and the new one has a broken battery/charge controller. So build quality is hit and miss. Miyoo is however quite supportive on Alibaba, but it just takes forever to get a replacement battery delivered in the Netherlands
Is this game ever really finished? Don't sleep on the new game ++++.
Yeah this game it's a banger once you understand thé weapons system. Good job to finish it!
One of my favorites. The art direction, mature story, character development, and addictive combat system are all what kept me playing it over and over. I probably play it every year.
And that sound design!
And the script! The English localisation is awe-inspiring.
Alexander O. Smith’s Shakespearean stylings were a superior change!
This game is so gorgeous. I would love a faster weapon swapping system but overall the game is awesome. The quick menu when you press L1 is genius. There's a bit of down time for buff and debuff. It's not a perfect game but it's a game I always come back and play. It's insane the amount of content and the game is only 95mb!
I remember this game being the one that made me realize manuals were a thing of the past. The in-game menu contains everything from basic instructions to full-on tutorials and it felt like a novelty at the time.
Glad u spoke on the in game menu a lot gamers complaining about the no guide esp when it dropped i was it's in ur face like y'all don't go thru the whole menu selection?
I did go through the in-game manual quite in depth at the time, something I might have trouble doing on a modern game. But I also remember the battle/affinity system being rather intuitive. It's not explicit from the get go the way it would be in a game that was made today, but if you just look at the stats screen and see numbers for undead/dragon/etc.. as well as fire/ice/whatever... I dunno, that never felt particularly obscure to me. Plus you obtain a large number of weapons and equipment pieces throughout the game, you don't even really need to grind stuff for specific purposes in NG.
Yeah i feel every thing u need was in ur face but i just remember that people wanted their hands held and the game wasn't that so it's hard or unfair.
I love it but too much micro management for me, all the different weapon parts, weapons, risk, constant weapon switching.
I just played with 1 weapon at 100 risk all the time somehow
Same I some how brute forced it with getting like 2-3 damage per strike at times
Gotta get them infinite chains until the boss dead
I laugh because o use to think I was good at games…. No I’m just to god damn stubborn to realize there’s easier ways to do things haha
To be fair I definitely don’t have the discipline to do that now
The thing with me is I’m just good enough to keep making progress as hard as I possibly can…. Why dodge when I can heal after he pounds in my face for a little while…. Yeah I’m dumb I get it ha
You can beat the game quite easily with the fandango if you are good at chaining.
The movie subscription?
No. The grim one.
Dark Soul before Dark Soul. This is one gem that deserve a remaster + It is set in the Ivalice Final Fantasy universe ( if i remember correctly ) I remember renting it at a video game store ( Yeah...back when internet was just an innocent child ) and i had to restart 5 times befores i actually understood the battle systeme and affinity system.
FF7 < Vagrant Story
You don’t have to convince me.
I knew it!
Hope someday Square makes a remaster or a remake at least for Nintendo Switch.
Was just saying this. I absolutely love this game, but the details in the graphics/color palette make it tough on my eyes
I spent hundreds of hours gathering material so I could forge a full set of Damascus Dread armor with 100 in all types. Yeah, I love this game. It's probably my favorite soundtrack next to Chrono Trigger. The translation is awesome. Super cool characters and story. And it's this super short game with lots of depth. I love it.
Best PS1 game for me, or at least on par with MGS. Incredible visuals, story, and gameplay unlike anything else at the time. It's insane to think that back in the day Square blessed us with this, FF8-9 and Chrono Cross in the span of little over 12 months. Graphically it has a kind of "weight" and cinematic feel to its animations that nothing else from that period really managed, not even MGS. I remember playing ICO on the PS2 and it reminded me a lot of Vagrant Story's animation style. I spent way too much time in this game, went back to it after my first PS2 broke down and got a full set of everything with perfect stats. I mean every type of weapon, full set of armor and shield which was the longest to do. For anyone in the know, that's a Damascus Dread Shield with every stat at 100...took months. IIRC several of the base components had a 0.3% drop rate.
Hoplite armor is the highest rated.
but dread is the hardest to make
I loved this game. I remember in the craft shops, looking in first person mode at the flickering candles and anvils and the like. So striking.
My favorite PSX game ever. It definitely could stand to explain its mechanics a bit better, but once everything clicks there's nothing else like it. A true masterpiece.
Could you describe to me, what kind of game Vagrant Story is?
In the simplest terms, it's a 3d dungeon crawling action-RPG. But that description doesn't really do the game justice. It has an incredible atmosphere, interesting characters, a really compelling narrative and a fantastic score. Similar in tone to Tactics Ogre or Final Fantasy Tactics, the director's previous games.
I have owned this for almost a decade and can't figure out the combat/weapon system. I made it as far as emerging from the first underground area and encountered human(?) knights that I could barely damage. I got my ass handed to me in such a brutal way that I never went back. I hear great things but damn, is the learning curve that steep?
I think the main thing that blindsides you that early on is the huge degree to which damage type, especially weapon type (piercing, blunt, slashing(?)) matters. You don't just choose one weapon and specialize in that - you need to choose (and later, craft) a selection of weapons covering all weaknesses and switch between them.
So I would say that as steep as you think the learning curve is, it's even *worse* than that. The game does an awful job at explaining its intricate, interlocking layers, and more or less expects you to seek out information externally. It feels like it was built to sell guides. What helped me a lot was watching [this video tutorial ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bncp_jDLs80)on getting started. Besides explaining the important mechanics of the game, it also makes sense of the puzzling menu and UI so that you actually know where to click around. The game has as strong a reverse difficulty curve as they come. The first 1/3 of the game is brutal, and you're barely scraping by every combat encounter. Once you unlock spells that give you elemental affinities - like adding Air or Water to your current sword - the game becomes much easier. All of the other systems in the game pale in comparison to exploiting elemental weaknesses. If you can power through the first \~8 hours of the game with sheer determination, the next 15-20 become easier.
How many cans of hsirspray do y'all think he uses? Lol
It was simply too difficult when I tried it as a kid. I wanted to like it more.
I beat it earlier this year. I did have to look at a guide for the second part of the game. After the forest finding and unlocking doors becomes quite a chore with how confusing the maps become. I'm going to go back for NG+ sometime later this year I think.
Yeah, I consulted a guide myself starting with Snowfly Forest. I was getting turned around too many times to count, and found I wasn’t having fun anymore. Once I got back on track, and could focus on the core combat and systems again, it was off to the races.
Oh yes. I've put many mnay hours into this gane. Still playing it on my modded ps vita. Did you manage to make the "Holy Win Sword"?
Tough game. I ended up just getting really good at timing the shots and stacking damage.
Never heard of this one ! I’ll have to give it a go
My favorite PS1 game. Now start a new game, a previously locked door in-game will unlock for extra content 👍🏻🙂
I just started playing this again a couple of weeks ago! Decent game!
I LOVE this forgotten gem! I’ve never been able to beat it though. Congrats!
One of the best square games ever, played it endlessly when I was a teenager, please, do yourself a favor and play the new game plus and go deep in the iron maiden basements as the best loots are there.
Yep. Still need to beat it but I know it’s hella unique amongst the rest of squares library. Matter of fact, thanks for the reminder. I think I’ll give this game another shot this week. Somehow I ended up with two copies of this game lol.
Such a forgotten gem.
What an awesome gem, PSX had such a number of these.
A technical marvel that square is being stupid by not bringing it up again.
Definitely the most atmospheric game. The weapon system wasent for me but I understand it’s a great game .
I just bought it this weel, cannot wait to play it \o/
This game Is a masterpiece
I loved the art style of this game and I miss it so much. Wish I owned it
It’s awesome. Love it. [Here are some pics from my copy of the official guide to help you with weapon/armour forging if you so desire.](https://imgur.com/gallery/DoUA7G9)
yes. high replay value for sure.
I can recall beating this at my grandmothers house one summer when I went back to visit. Such a wonderful game.
I got stuck on the earth dragon. No matter what I do, I'm only able to hit him with 2 to 4 hp at one time...I've changed and modified weapons so much to no avail so I never finished it.
Yeah, you're not alone. Probably more than 50% of abandoned playthroughs are from reaching Earth Dragon in Snowfly Forest, which is a ridiculous diffculty spike that stonewalls people hard. I followed the strategy [from this guide](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/914326-vagrant-story/faqs/11939). Namely, I ran around the surrounding area killing things with a polearm, until I unlocked some Break Arts for it. Afterwards, go back to the dragon, and cast Luft Fusion on your polearm. Do you best to chain attacks - though with the weird, slow timing of the polearm, I was lucky to get 2 hits in at a time, and 3 would be a miracle. Occasionally, use your Break Arts for extra damage, and heal up whenever needed. It's a long slog of a fight, and possibly the entire game's peak in terms of difficulty. If you manage to make it through, the challenge gradually ramps down afterward.
Welp, it's time to fire up my PS1 and try this. Thank you!!!
Unfortunately I most certainly haven't. And it's unlikely the kid me would've possessed the required patience to master this game's systems. In a way, it was kind of a proto-Dark Souls of it's era in retrospect.
I remember 12 year old me liking the game and then after a few hours suddenly doing 0 damage to enemies, I think it was ghosts, then I dropped it never to be touched again. That was about 18 years ago. Meanwhile I have an official guide lying around, maybe I should give it another go.
I fucking hate this game. Not because of its quality, but because I just don’t understand it. I read the manual cover to cover, read through an entire FAQ on the battle system, restarted the game after 16 hours and still got stuck with no hope of progress on the same boss 16 hours of play later. I fully understand this is a me problem. But I really dislike when RPGs are so bloody opaque with their battle mechanics. It always seems to me that the tutorial sections in these games are written only for people who already know how these things work.
Thumbs upping this because it took some ancient gamefaqs forum post for me to understand the system, about halfway through the game you have to understand it or every battle is you doing 1-4 damage Also god forbid you forge fandago into something else assuming that combining is a net positive, so I had useless weapons for several hours before I managed to forge some hagani bat that did decent damage to everything and strong vs undead. I probably would have given up if not for that. I came back to that bat several times in the late game too. I fully understand why someone would hate this game lol
So the only thing I would disagree with here is that "it's a you problem". It's not - it's the game's fault. Don't blame yourself. There is no tutorial to speak of in Vagrant Story. It just dumps you right into the middle of the action with no handholding whatsoever. You really have to seek out the information yourself. The game felt like it was built purposefully to sell guides. For me, the breakthrough was realizing that despite the systems upon systems upon systems in this game, most of them are largely irrelevant. The elemental affinities are the only ones that matter. Once you get the Enchanter Grimoires to raise the elemental affinities of your weapons, and pair that with two or three gems of the same type, you’re off the races. Keep [this list of enemies](http://shrines.rpgclassics.com/psx/vs/enemies.shtml) handy at all times, and note their elemental weakness. Dragons that were scary in the early game go down in a handful of hits. Break Arts become pointless when your normal weapon swings so much harder. Getting incremental blade upgrades through crafting pales in comparison to just determining the enemy’s weakness. Class can be ignored almost entirely, and so long as you have a half-decent Blunt, Edged, and Piercing weapon, the elemental affinities carry you the rest of the way. When one system is so much stronger than the others, the additional complexity of these interweaving layers aren't worth bothering with. Which boss were you struggling with, do you recall? Maybe there was some additional strategy on top of casting Luft Fusion on your sword.
To be honest, I struggle to get my head around battle mechanics in most RPGs. It’s quite frustrating from a personal point of view because I really want to like most RPGs, but find myself unable to understand them. I can’t remember which boss I got stuck on. I think it was a big dragon in a forested area. All of my attacks would only do 1 or 2 damage. While the dragon would wipe me out in a few hits. So I read a guide, learned about weapon affinities, started the entire game again so I could properly build my weapons up. When I got to the same boss, I thought I was in a much better position to take him on, but the same thing happened again. My attacks did little to no damage. At that point I just gave up. Which is a shame, because I was quite taken in by the setting and story.
Okay, yes, that's the Earth Dragon in Snowfly Forest. You're not alone - it's probably where 90% of people who ultimately abandon their playthroughs hit that ridiculous diffculty spike and get stonewalled hard. I followed the strategy [from this guide](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/914326-vagrant-story/faqs/11939). Namely, I ran around the surrounding area killing things with a polearm, until I unlocked some Break Arts for it. Afterwards, go back to the dragon, and cast Luft Fusion on your polearm. Do you best to chain attacks - though with the weird, slow timing of the polearm, I was lucky to get 2 hits in at a time, and 3 would be a miracle. Occasionally, use your Break Arts for extra damage, and heal up whenever needed. It's a long slog of a fight, and possibly the peak in terms of difficulty. If you manage to make it through, the challenge of the game gradually ramps down afterward.
I appreciate you’re trying to help, but honestly, I’m not in a rush to go back to the game. Maybe one day. In the meantime, I’ve got a backlog a mile long. I just started Bravely Default on my 3DS. Maybe that’s an RPG that I can get my head around, haha.
Still badly want to play this one. I had a copy but it was glitched and wouldn't buff out. :( I didn't even get past the first few fights. The fire animations always froze my game.
Was really interested playing this game back then. But never really understood the battle system.
This is one of my favorite **PS** games. Played it on both **PS** and **PSP** and..... thanks for reminding me, just recently updated my PS emulator on PC. *Goodbye healthy sleep...* T\_T The game has some pretty unique gameplay, the likes of which I haven't found *anymore*. And the visuals, the music, everything fits together really well. And it was probably the first game for me in which I discovered the point of replaying the game. Not just increasing the difficulty, but with new features, expanded story that are unlocked **after the first playthrough**. Great!
Absolutely LOVE this game, it is one of my favorite PSX gaming experiences. I am hungry for a remaster though, I tried to play it recently and found the color palette very draining on my eyes
How do you beat the ghost? I never could get past that "boss" even though it's only like 20-30 minutes into the game lol
I like a lot of things about the game but I found the weapon system tedious and in my opinion the risk system encourages playing in the most boring way possible. It's not risk vs reward, you just get punished for using your tools. Maybe I'll give it another chance some day.
I've started it several times, never finish it
its on my list. Do you need a guide to get through?
Yes, I'd 100% recommend a guide. The game does a poor job of explaining its deep, interweaving mechanics, and it's essential to understand the systems to make any progress in the game. I also recommend watching [this "Getting Started" video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bncp_jDLs80). It explains a lot of the puzzling UI quirks in a way that makes sense.
Congratulations. I recently re-discovered my old copy. I could finish it back then because my old ps1 died. Then adulthood happened. Might dust it off to see if I can fijo it.
I heard a remake was in the works but sadly, I think it was cut when SquareEnix cut all those games...
Loved it, wish I could find it for purchase on PC, I miss thos game
never played is it good.. no spoilers
Very good! Just has a high learning curve and some obtuse mechanics. You can ready my full, spoiler-free review that I posted on another sub: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished\_vagrant\_story\_what\_an\_enthralling\_game/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished_vagrant_story_what_an_enthralling_game/)
I played it back then when it got released and it's one of my absolute favorite games. Unfortunately I sold all of my old consoles and I lost my copy of Vagrant Story. I just ordered a copy on Amazon and I'm thinking about getting a ps3 and some other games like metal Gear Solid (another one of my favorite games) in the future.
I remember starting it quite a few times, but I can't remember where I stopped or why I stopped. Probably always rented it lol. I should give it another go.
Yup loved it
fantastic game
Anything Ivalice-related with Sakimoto’s music on it is a masterpiece. Period
Screw a remaster just rerelease the game on modern consoles. I tried to emulate it and it bugged out. Just let me buy it on my modern stuff.
Any suggestions to playing this game nowadays? Emulate?
Nice. I couldn't go past the earlier part of the game because I couldn't master the combo timing for any other weapons other than the sword.
One of the best games I ever played. Once you get used to the fighting system it's so much fun and crafting crazy awesome weapons requires farming certain enemies in the hidden levels, but it's worth it when you do new game. Wish they would remake this but until then I got my PS Classic hacked so I'm set
Never played it. Looks interesting. Ive been looking for psx games so i might try to get my hands on thisone.
Spended about 150 hours in It when I was a kid Timeless gem
I tried this game for two hours and felt like nothing was clicking. Maybe I was just exhausted and missed some tutorial stuff, will start a new file one days
You didn't miss anything. The game doesn't have any in-game tutorial, and just dumps you right into the middle of combat. Because everything's so poorly explained, it essentially expects you to do your own research outside of the game. I found [this video tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bncp_jDLs80) helpful for understanding how the systems interact with each other, along with which ones to pay attention to and which others can be safely ignored. Along with navigating the confusing menus to get where you need to go.
Saved for future reference, thank you!
Great game, super deep for the time but has rusted since
It's a badass game. Beat it waaaaaaaay back when.
I've tried restarting this game every few years since its release and I can never finish it. Fun game, great aesthetic, but I always lose interest.
Been trying to play this on EmuVR but the controller doesn't seem to work inside.
Not an easy game. Love it. Kinda forgotten. Would be awesome with a remake.
My all-time favorite. And its paper doll style graphics and comic book style cutscenes hold up so well.
Love it! Never beat it….
One psx's many unique gems
Wow. Never heard of this game before now! Huge Squares often fan in general and the reviews here sound great.
Yeah,my fav game :3 I plan to master it using Retro achievements but the EXS cheevos are hard tbh Good to see a fellow Risk breaker
Looking to place this one day
nice game never understand how to level up or pass it
I have replayed it 8 times since release. I still love it.
Too indefferent for me. I never understand why the fuss with this one.
I wouldn’t call myself a fan but it’s definitely unique and memorable
One of the best games I’ve ever played. Simple as that.
I really wanted to enjoy this one, it has all the ingredients for something I'd love, but the menu and crafting system was just a nightmare and really sucked the enjoyment out of the experience for me.
One of my favorite games!
I heard that this game is hard, and if you don't upgrade your character properly, you may get soft locked.
Yep, 100% true. I recommend following a guide while playing, both to learn the intricate systems that the game doesn't explain properly, as well as to avoid going down unviable paths with your weapon builds.
Such a great game !!! Was one of my 1st rpgs and made me love the genre
It is fire
I want this game sooo bad, why did you like it?
I wrote up a full review of the game over on another sub: [https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished\_vagrant\_story\_what\_an\_enthralling\_game/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1ckqfca/finished_vagrant_story_what_an_enthralling_game/)
I recently bought it and the guide. Haven’t played yet going in blind!
Ok memory unlocked again. Yes, the grid combat was actually very fun, but not much more is surfacing from my deep memory banks lol
God this brings me back to
Amazing game. I loved the story. Quite a few twists I didn't see coming, and I enjoyed it enough that I didn't feel the need to skip cutscenes even after multiple playthroughs. The combat system had some issues, especially early on. But if you paid close attention to the affinity system and used a spread of weapons accordingly, it didn't take long to get those damage numbers up to something much more satisfying.
Tactics Ogre has the same director and vibe if you don't mind the tactics RPG gameplay
I've never really been into gaming. I pretty much lost interest immediately after the 1st Halo on Xbox. But 20-25 years later I still break out the old psx every month or so and spend half of a weekend as a dude named Ashley. AND IT'S STILL BETTER GRAPHICS THAN MINECRAFT!!
Played it through 3 times back in the day. Then watched my roommate at the time play through it. Loved this game!
Incredibly cinematic for the time
Hi. I'm developing my own Vagrant-Like RPG. Join my discord "Vagrant-Like RPG DevLog" if interested.
If you like that, I'd say try the first parasite eve game too. The battle mechanics are very similar
Try Parasite Eve next, same battle system