Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 27 Working Designs Games

Vay (Sega CD)

#27

“From Working Designs comes another RPG that should keep fans of the genre more than happy. This one contains huge areas to explore, plenty of comrades to help you and excellent cinemas (courtesy of CD technology). However, the story just isn't that unique (rescue your love who was kidnapped when you were about to tie the knot), to catch one's attention. Gamers who aren't necessarily RPG nuts may not be drawn to this title, but it's nice to see more games like this for the system. It has excellent music.” (5.4 out of 10)

Arc the Lad Collection (PlayStation)

#26

“This is the series that fanboys everywhere have been screaming to get in the U.S. ever since the first game was released in Japan back in '95. Was it worth the wait? Unless you're a hardcore collector, no. These games just haven't aged as well as the Final Fantasy or Lunar series. Here's a quick rundown: Arc 1 chronicles the journey of the title character and it's only about 10 hours long. The whole thing is pretty uninspired, with boring characters, Super Nintendo-quality graphics and a just barely interesting, strategy-based battle engine. Arc 2 is an improvement, with prettier graphics, longer play time and a much better story. Finally, Arc 3 brings the series into the realm of 3D, but it still fails to be very interesting or exciting, since it's basically the same game for the third time.” (5.5 out of 10)

Shining Wisdom (Saturn)

#25

“I haven't seen anything new in a while in the RPG world, and Shining Wisdom keeps up the status quo. Besides having a nice color palette, this game looks like it belongs on a 16-bit system. Some of the conversations in the game are really wordy and useless. At points, I stopped talking to people just to avoid scrolling through the text. I also prefer turn-based combat versus this Zelda-style of live combat, but that's just a personal preference. The quest is linear; you access every place in a certain order. Plenty of secrets are hidden about the large maps, but besides that, there's not much to excite an RPG enthusiast.” (5.5 out of 10)

Vanguard Bandits (PlayStation)

#24

“I'm normally a fan of the games Working Designs chooses to localize, but for the life of me, I can't understand why they chose Vanguard Bandits. It's gameplay is bested by virtually any PlayStation strategy RPG – Vandal Hearts or its sequel, Final Fantasy Tactics, Kartia. Unlike those games, most battles here quickly degenerate into groups of characters hacking and slashing at close range every turn. The translation itself is great – an excellent job once again by Working Designs. But that isn't going to make what is, at its heart, an average game great. There are plenty of good PlayStation RPGs out there – skip this and go straight to Lunar 2.” (5.5 out of 10)

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III (TurboGrafx-16)

#23

“With Parasol Stars, you get a game that displays some ties to Bubble Bobble and other Taito games, gives you plenty of levels to conquer and then throws it all together in a package that does very little to create any real excitement. Stars is too repetitive and just isn't much fun.” (7 out of 10)

Sega Ages (Saturn)

#22

“C'mon ... I know there were more than three old Sega games. The three that are included are cool and all, but that's all? I never really liked Space Harrier that much anyway. Working Designs did a kickass job with what was on the disc though – even though it's straight-forward. Some background info (ala Namco Classics) would've been nice.” (6.5 out of 10)

Silpheed: The Lost Planet (PlayStation 2)

#21

“Being a big fan of the Sega CD version of Silpheed and of Treasure in general, I was really looking forward to this PlayStation 2 shooter. Unfortunately, this update does little to advance the series other than adding some gorgeous graphics to what was already a pretty stale game engine. Although there are a lot of weapons to earn as you play, there's just no depth. Not a power-up to be found, and the PS2 version of Silpheed doesn't even bother with the special weapon system from the Sega CD game. Basically, you fly and shoot. That's fun for a little while, but Silpheed just doesn't have anything that makes it worth more than a rental fee.” (6.7 out of 10)

Gungriffon Blaze (PlayStation 2)

#20

“If only Game Arts had included a decent radar this would have scored a few points higher. Gungriffon controls well and offers up some great battle action, but always searching frantically for your next objective or enemy, based solely on the tiny map you see at the beginning of each level, destroys most of the enjoyment. Besides which, each level has a time limit. Combine that with the lack of a good radar and some missions are downright annoying. As it is, this is a nice-looking game that doesn't quite recreate the experience of playing its Saturn brethren. It just needed a few tweaks and some better music. I guess there's always hope for a sequel.” (6.8 out of 10)

Cosmic Fantasy 2 (TurboGrafx-16)

#19

“Cosmic Fantasy could use a refresher course on how to make the gamer's life easier. Awkward controls and average graphics are just not going to cut it in the skeptical world of video games. A few years ago, it would have been a great title with tons of secrets and challenges. Now, it needs spunk and attitude.” (7.3 out of 10)

RayCrisis: Series Termination (PlayStation)

#18

“Starfighter isn't the PS2 killer app I was hoping for. The visuals, although slick, get choppy and mission design here is nothing special. Later sorties suffer from that chronic flaw of the space combat genre: They start out easy, last too long, become impossibly hard near the end, and thus force you to repeat them over and over. It's tedious. Still, this game does plenty right. It tosses an enormous amount of enemies at you; you really feel like you're part of a battle that's true to the epic scale of the films.” (7.3 out of 10)

Magic Knight Rayearth (Saturn)

#17

“I'm certainly going to miss the little Saturn, particularly because of all the great Capcom fighter conversions. But at least Magic Knight Rayearth is a great way for the ‘2D system that could' to go out. It's got some of the most beautiful 2D graphics I've ever seen, and the game itself is pretty darn good too, if not a bit on the easy side. It only took me about two days to beat, but I really enjoyed the time spent. Weak voices, though.” (7.1 out of 10)

Exile (TurboGrafx-16)

#16

“While this style of gaming has never been my cup of tea, it's not hard to recognize the scope of this game and appreciate it on that level. In addition, the supporting features served up courtesy of the CD are first class, although I've heard better music on CD games. Not my favorite, but still a good game for the Turbo.” (7.25 out of 10)

Exile: Wicked Phenomenon (TurboGrafx-16)

#15

“I loathe to say it, but Exile: Wicked Phenomenon is yet another good RPG for the Duo system. Why aren't more games like this available on other systems? The music is good, and the quest is an excellent addition to any RPG gamer's collection. The quest is long, but seems kind of simplistic.” (7.25 out of 10)

Growlanser: Generations (PlayStation 2)

#14

“Though the two games look even older than they are, and they're very nearly relics from a previous generation, there's something to be said for Growlanser; most of which relates directly to appealing battles and feature interesting strategic scenarios and action that's clearly visible and exciting – though sorely lacking in flair. The key is that everyone on the field moves at once, establishing a perceptible flow and bucking genre tradition by not exhibiting stubby-limbed battle-children in place and patiently waiting their turns to clock each other.” (7.3 out of 10)

Thunder Force V: Perfect System (PlayStation)

#13

“Yes, Tunder Force V is an extremely difficult game – but it's hard in a seemingly friendly way. You'll gradually earn more continues as you play and replay the game. And you can choose the order in which you play the first three levels, so you can clear some of the trickier stages first (or die trying, then reset so you don't waste a continue). It all makes for an intense shooter that gets frustrating but keeps you coming back for more.” (7.5 out of 10)

Lunar: The Silver Star (Sega CD)

#12

“Just love that title song! RPG fans will definitely want to check out this adventure game that has some absolutely beautiful music (courtesy of the CD) absent in some RPGs. The fighting sequences are a bit dull, though.” (7.6 out of 10)

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (PlayStation)

#11

“Saying the Lunar franchise is showing its age is like calling Bob Hope old: It's a vast understatement. But the game does so many things right that it's still one of the better RPGs out there. Take the battle system: A seemingly simple turn-based setup that belies remarkable strategic depth. And then there's the story: A well-balanced mix of adventure, romance and friendship – with a few weighty themes thrown in – all brilliantly enhanced by Working Designs' localization. Still, I had more fun playing the first PlayStation Lunar remake, as I found this one to be a bit buggy at times. But don't get me wrong – Lunar 2 remains a timeless game, despite its dated look.” (7.7 out of 10)

Lunar: Eternal Blue (Sega CD)

#10

“This may not be Final Fantasy III, but it's still a good game in its own right. One of its strongest points is the cool cinemas. The overall graphics are decent and the sounds are good. It has a very simplified control, using one button for pretty much everything. I kind of liked the simplicity and don't think it subtracted from the gameplay. The storyline is the usual type and the quests are typical RPG style that anyone will like. It may not be the best, but it's a good choice for Sega CD.” (7.75 out of 10)

Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure (Sega CD)

#9

“A long and involving RPG with a humorous story. Now that's original! Popful Mail plays like an action game, but also has bits and pieces of an adventure and RPG game all rolled into one sweet CD. The characters are all interesting in their own way and the voices, although very Americanized, aren't too shabby. These types of games are all too rare. Pick this one up before they're gone.” (7.75 out of 10)

Iron Storm (Saturn)

#8

“Military simulations have been overdone so much recently that I was expecting to be disappointed with Iron Storm even before I got into the action. Once the game was powered up, I found myself in control of the German forces invading France in the beginning of World War II and loving it. The unit diversity and the ability of the units to advance through gathering combat experience by winning battles adds much to this combat sim. Also, the ability to watch the outcome of the battle in a cinematic display is the feature that is so shocking that it has what it takes to grab the attention of players who can't stand military sims. Iron Storm has features that many WWII sims can only dream about. Give it a try!” (8 out of 10)

Elemental Gearbolt (PlayStation)

#7

“Although it's not a particularly long game, Elemental Gearbolt is still a beautiful – even elegant – light gun shooter that oozes atmosphere. It's also a bit revolutionary, in that it forces you to take slow, careful shots (rapid fire jamming on the trigger will get you nowhere). The graphics are stunning (despite some slowdown in two-player mode), while the excellent cinemas and moody music top off this slick package.” (8 out of 10)

Silhouette Mirage (PlayStation)

#6

“I'm all for surreal games, so Silhouette Mirage gets my vote in that department. But all of that weirdness aside, the game is extremely original and provides tons of depth. And when you couple that with the Treasure name, you get something truly special and fun. Now, I have to take issue with the sound effects and voice. My God, that stuff truly tested the limits of my sanity. If you're into anime or the Japanese scene, though, you may be able to stomach the noise.” (8 out of 10)

Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean (Saturn)

#5

“I hate having to review games like this. They suck you in, they keep you around, and before you know it, a few weeks of your life have passed. Albert Odyssey is not only beautiful (both musically and graphically), it has one of the best, most involving storylines seen in an RPG. The witty dialogue is icing on the cake. The only bad point: Combat is a drag.” (8.25 out of 10)

RayStorm (PlayStation)

#4

“I must have yelled ‘OH WOW!' at least 900 times when I first booted up RayStorm. The polygonal enemies and terrain look phenomenal, making this the most eye-catching PlayStation title yet. And although RayStorm throws hundreds of enemies at you, there's rarely a hint of slowdown. Now just keep the awesome shooters coming, Working Designs.” (8.25 out of 10)

Alundra (PlayStation)

#3

“Working Designs' first PlayStation RPG brings welcome diversity to the system's role-playing lineup. Alundra is the first action/RPG on the PlayStation, and fans of LandStalker and Zelda will love it. It's the puzzles that make the game so rewarding. They're tough, sure, and many are downright brilliant in design. Working Designs, as always, did an excellent job translating the dialogue and story, although their trademark humor is toned down a bit.” (8.6 out of 10)

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PlayStation)

#2

“For me to play an RPG all the way through, the story has to be engaging. Lunar is as engaging as it gets. At no point while playing Lunar did I feel like anything I had to do was a chore – it was all pure enjoyment. Working Designs has done a great job translating, dubbing and adding new things to Lunar to make it a better game than any of the previous Japanese versions. The bonus CDs and cloth map only make a fantastic game an even better value.” (9 out of 10)

Dragon Force (Saturn)

#1

“I have played over 300 games this year, and I have to say Dragon Force is my favorite one yet. I like it better than any Nintendo 64 or PlayStation game so far, and I came very close to giving Dragon Force a 10 (the game's interface could've used some work). I'm very behind in my work because I couldn't stop playing the damn game. The depth of Dragon Force is unbelievable, with dozens of unique characters, a rich and involving storyline and a simple, yet fun and thorough combat system. If you don't enjoy strategy games, then by all means, skip my review. But if you do like strategy games, then Dragon Force has got to go on top of your ‘must-buy' list.” (9 out of 10)