Mystic Ark for SFC

Image: MobyGames

Mystic Ark

More the like mystifying

Genre: rpg - japanese

Publisher: Enix

Year: 1995

System: SFC

Gameplay Score: 3

Gameplay Notes:

Is it a JRPG if you can't build a party? It's got all the other features like towns and NPCs and EXP and MP and all that so I suppose it is, but the lack of a party feels downright wrong. This is my single greatest complaint about the game. That and the difficulty. Prepare to go to the inn after every single fight. The gameplay is otherwise pretty standard but has a couple of noteworthy gimmicks. The first is the inclusion of puzzles which feel completely out of place. They're like Professor Layton puzzles. Kinda random but not terrible. Wind Waker had something similar although those were optional, unlike these ones. The random battles are like those in the first game (7th Saga) where enemies move toward you and can be seen on the map overlay while in a dungeon or the overworld. So, don't stop moving.

Level Design Score: 2

Level Design Notes:

Ok I lied, this is my biggest complaint. The game is very linear but the hints they give you are horribly unclear. I gave up almost.immediatwly and used a walkthrough. This is one of the most obtuse RPGs I've played. And there's no world map! Inexcusable.

Theme Score: 1

Theme Notes:

I'm so confused. You died, are resurrected by a goddess, sent on a vague mission to retrieve some "arks" for...reasons...and then wander around an abandoned mansion on a island which has items that send you to alternate worlds or dimensions or something, like a world where rival cat armies have been wagging wars for hundreds of years from their respective headquarters which are enormous sailboats that are on the side of a mountain. Uhh, what is going on? It's simultaneously devoid of any personality but full of bizarre tonal weirdness.

Art Style Score: 3

Art Style Notes:

Mixed bag. The battle scene is quite impressive, with great enemy designs and large sprites. But your sprite is boring, prominent, and will never change given the game's one member party mechanic. Ho hum. The overworld graphics are also quite good - at least in the sprite work. The backgrounds are unfortunately very drab and uninteresting. Everything is brown and boring as could be.

Audio Score: 5

Audio Notes:

Wow what a great soundtrack! Easily the best thing about this game. It's annoying that the music starts over after each battle because some of the songs in the dungeons are amazing. You just don't get to hear them because the battles.come to you and then the song starts over! But what a great soundtrack! The town themes aren't great but the dungeons are amazing. This is a low 5 since it has a few issues, but deserves a high rank of you can find the soundtrack outside of the game.

Overall Score: 57

Review ID: 1761