Magic Knight Rayearth review

Here's a little trivia question for you in case you need it for future use. What's the last game to have been release for the Saturn in North America? The answer: Magic Knight Rayearth. It's kinda sad that this game was release so very late in the stages of the final curtain of the Saturn that many Saturn gamers may have missed it entirely. So the release of this game was very much a big wimper instead of making alot of noise. Which can also be describe as how the Saturn died out. It is also sad how long it took Working Designs to finally finish releasing this game seeing as there's not really anything great about this game that it would take them so long to finish translating and stuff. Now just for a treat for all you Sega loyalist that may have missed this game when it first came out. Here's Rpg Dreamers review of Magic Knight Rayearth.

The story starts off on a school field trip above a tower in Japan. Here, three school girls have just met one another and are in the process of introducing one another when a voice from another world summoned them. Quickly enough the three girls named Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are wisped away into another world. Upon arriving in this new world, they are met by a magician by the name of Clef. Clef quickly informed the girls that they are in the world known as Cefiro and that Cefiro's Princess, Emerald, has been captured and held hostage by the evil priest named Zagat. The only people or person that can rescue the princess are the legendary Magic Knights. Guess who the Magic Knights are??? If you said Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu then you are correct. The girls also learned that the only way for them to get back home is to rescue the princess. With that in mind, they quickly head off on their quest to free Princess Emerald. But before they can free Princess Emerald, they must first find the three legendary elemental machines that are designed for the Magic Knights to use. This of course is the quest of the game while rescueing the princess is the story plotline. The overrall story is more of a fun, cutesy story than anything else. Since this game is base on the anime show, Magic Knights, you can pretty much bet that it also tend to gear towards younger gamers than older gamers. There's a little bit of a plot twist in the end of the story but overrall this story plays out very much like a saturday morning anime show for kids. It probably won't appeal too much to anyone older than 16.

Magic Knights has a very small cast of characters. Most of the characters are very cartoonish and somewhat kinda childish and cutesy as well. The overrall presentation of the characters are aim at young kids between 8-12 maybe and even at girls since the game main characters are all school girls. If you are a guy and an old timer like myself, none of these characters will appeal to you. They will either annoy the hell out of you with the way they talk treating us gamers as if we are 8 year olds or the way they look in some of the dialogue box making cutesy facial expressions.

The graphics are very good. It is presented to us in a rich colorful 2-D world with short sprites. Very nicely done. Probably one of the best use of graphics from a Saturn game to date. I really love the colors of this game and the background graphics. The only downside is the anime cut scene. The anime cut scene are very poor and weak in colors and artwork. I've seen many animations before and they all look better than this. The anime cut sequences doesn't compliment the beautiful graphics of this game very well. The reason why you put anime cut sequences in is to help enhance and compliment the overrall graphics of a game. Not to hurt it.

The music is like with most rpgs these days. It's not bad but it also doesn't give you that lasting impression where you say, "hey awesome music." It's a typical rpg with better than average music. The voice overs are average at best. I mean come on, it's not like you have very highly skill voice actors on the job here. They don't really hurt the anime sequences but then don't help it either. It's average. Overrall, everything is adequate enough for this game. Won't knock your socks off but won't make you scream in horror too.

Magic Knight Rayearth is an action rpg. Like with most action rpg, you go through dungeon exploring, solving the little puzzles and finding that next magic spell to help further your quest. Each of the girls comes with their very own different type of weapons and elemental spells. While exploring the dungeons and towns, you can see all three sprites girls walking side by side but you can really control only one. You can however change the lead girl by using the L1 or R1 button. The game is very straightforward and somewhat easy. The basic of it all is to explore the dungeon to get to the end to find and fight the sub bosses. If you're stuck then try and find the magic spell that you need to help you get further into the dungeon. When fighting bosses, use one fighter first until she is low on hp or mp then switch to another girl. Then repeat. Very easy and typical action rpg stuff. Nothing that you haven't seen before or anything that is innovative or cutting edge. Just basis action rpg stuff.

Extras can be found in finding gems across the world of Cefiro. Find and collecting these so called gems can give you some cool items. One of these cool items will allow you to hear blooper out-takes from the voice actors. Honestly none of these extras are really that great. The replay is only base on the enjoyment of the game. But really, this is probably a game where you only want to play it once.

Magic Knight Rayearth is a game that Saturn owners shouldn't lose any sleep over for not having to get a chance to play it. We're not talking about Shining Force 3 scenarios 2 and 3 here. It's a game that probably won't spawn a sequel if it were release in the prime days of the Saturn.

Magic Knight Rayearth: I Summon Thee Knights

Magic Knight Rayearth:
I Summon Thee Knights