Dreamcast

Skies of Arcadia

Rieko "Phoenix Rie" Kodama and company, of Phantasy Star fame, have done it again with the first true must-have Dreamcast RPG. Stumbling only slightly in its relatively pedestrian combat mechanics, Skies of Arcadia otherwise hits on all cylinders. With highly-regarded new sequels to Lunar, Grandia, and Final Fantasy also beckoning from store shelves, it's a great time to be an RPG fan, but be sure you don't miss this undermarketed gem.

Simply put, Skies of Arcadia is a first-rate game. Terrific gameplay with a terrific plot, an epic musical score, and enough customization to keep players coming back for more. It also has a wonderful sense of style, and some highly amusing dialog. All games should be like this.

This is (hands down) the number one straight RPG for Dreamcast. If you consider yourself an RPG fan, then don't deprive yourself the wonderful experience Sega and Overworks have created. A sequel is already in development -- hopefully it arrives by the end of 2001...

Quite honestly I have not enjoyed an RPG title since the Y's Collection. I still hold a special place for this series on my old Turbo16. I think the reason why I like Skies of Arcadia is that it reminds me of the old classics. There really is no substitute for a great story that Skies of Arcadia delivers, big time. Oversoft has blended this with great graphics giving DC owners exactly what they have been craving. If you thought about skipping this title in favor of Phantasy Star or Grandia II, don't! This game is truly enjoyable, from beginning to end, and warrants a joystick up from this reviewer and Da Gameboyz Players Choice Award.

It's traditional, and it rocks. Skies of Arcadia is a fantastic little (big) RPG for the Dreamcast, and something us RPG-starved Dreamy fans have been waiting for. The too-high random encounter rate is a bother, and a knock on the game, but it doesn't keep Skies of Arcadia from being an excellent role-playing game. Fans of the genre, or those looking to get into the genre, should buy this title immediately. It's got more gameplay than you can shake a stick at, interesting characters, intriguing plot, and fantastic action. What more can you ask for?

If you’re looking for one adventure game, or RPG, to buy, then my friends, this is it. Skies of Arcadia is the best piece of non-arcade’ish software you can buy on your Dreamcast. Don’t buy Shenmue instead, or I will hunt you down and put gum in your hair.

I am very happy; Skies of Arcadia is not just one of the most beautiful Dreamcast games to play, but one of the most addicting RPG I've played in years. Of course, to talk about a sequel right now is pretty ridiculous, since we don't know how well the title will sell in the U.S. And many fear that a masterpiece like Skies of Arcadia will be ignore by thousands of Dreamcast owners because they don't play RPG's. And to those non-RPG playing Dreamcast owners, I have one thing to say... start playing. Because I sincerely believe that this is not the first voyage into the Skies of Arcadia, but the beginning of an enchanting flight that no gamer, should miss. And who know's how long the next time we'll have to wait.

So, from its humble beginnings, across 2 disks, to its huge, heart pounding, planet-spanning fleet battle conclusion, Skies of Arcadia is a must have. Regardless of your affinity for RPGs.

In the midst of the steady supply of high-quality games for the Dreamcast, there hasn't been a great role-playing game until now. There hasn't been anything on the order of Final Fantasy for the Dreamcast until Skies of Arcadia.

It's been a long time waiting, and I definitely think it was worth it. While not a flawless game, and even though I have given an overall lower score for this game than I had given in my review of Shining Force 3, Skies of Arcadia is no doubt, THE BEST game I have EVER played. Numerical scores aren't a good factor to go by as always, because there is more to this RPG than what a few numbers, or even words, can depict. If you don't play this game, you will be missing out on what will forever be one of the greatest game experiences of the end of this millenium.

So whether you're a classic RPG gamer or a newbie to the genre, you're bound to have some fun with Skies of Arcadia. With a great presentation and a well-developed story, this is definitely not a game to miss.

In the end, the sum of Skies of Arcadia's succeeds as being a grand RPG, but certainly not perfect. Graphic, character depth, and the battle system warrant as being a great package for newcomers and hardcore RPG fans alike, a great testimony to demonstrate Sega's future of will be teeming with RPG excellence. Players seeking a new RPG should opt to check into thit title as its quality and uniquness is quite refreshing amongst the lot of lackluster RPGs to play this game, as its basic nature is refreshing these days.

While I definitely admit the random battles and the few other rough edges are offputting at times, the overall game is truly the first next generation experience in RPGs since Final Fantasy VII. A leap in the overall quality and presentation this significant hasn't been made since Square left 2-D, sprite-based graphics behind and made the jump to the third dimension. To me, RPGs are all about taking the player and immersing them in another world, and making that world as real as possible—playing the role, as it were. While that lofty goal shared by Sega's more publicized title Shenmue, I'd say that Skies Of Arcadia eclipses its level of immersion easily and truly transports the player to a place that looks and feels like no other before it. This game is one that qualifies as an "experience" and should be played by anyone who calls themselves a fan of console role-playing games. As a final note to players and game developers everywhere—consider the bar raised.

Though there are many errors that would spell certain doom for any other RPG, Skies of Arcadia’s appeal pulls it through and makes it one of the best RPGs released during the Dreamcast’s lifespan. Now go buy it. Now. Dammit, I said now!

I came into this game with modest expectations, and was rewarded with the most enjoyable RPG experience I've had in years. OverWorks has broken away from the pack with this one, and should be commended for breathing some originality into what is well on its way to becoming a tired genre. If you're hungering for a story-driven RPG, Skies is everything you would hope it to be, and probably more. Best console RPG of the year? I wouldn't rule it out.

Simply put, the Dreamcast has never had a well-done, fun role-playing game in its entire tenure-until now. Skies of Arcadia mixes several unique styles of gameplay with traditional RPG elements, creating an immersive adventure that no Dreamcast owner should miss.

Una vez visto lo bien que ha quedado el juego, nos queda la duda de si se convertirá en uno de los "buques insignia" de SEGA, pero eso lo dirá la aceptación final que haga el público de él. Y no nos paramos de preguntar si SEGA, una vez visto el filón no habrá encontrado por fin su propio Final Fantasy.

For RPG fans with a Dreamcast Skies of Arcadia couldn’t come soon enough. Now with it available there’ll be many DC owners seeing a lot of their time eaten up by this excellent title.

Un titre incontournable sur Dreamcast. L'aventure avec un grand A, soutenue par une réalisation impeccable et un gameplay aussi novateur qu'efficace. Seul problème, il vous faudra du temps, beaucoup de temps, pour terminer l'aventure.

All in all, Skies of Arcadia is a triumph for Sega. It shows not only what the Dreamcast can do, but also that the likes of SquareSoft have some serious competition in the RPG arena. There are so many side quests and little extras in the game (like the VMU minigame and Internet downloads) that I simply don't have time to mention them all. There are some flaws, but nothing that ever gets too annoying, and certainly not bad enough to prevent Skies of Arcadia from being one of the best RPGs ever to be released.

Skies of Arcadia is a game full of fun, personality, and great times, made all the better by the commitment of the game's staff to high-detail in both the development and believability of the game's characters and the world they inhabit. This game can only come as highly recommended.

Skies of Arcadia es el mejor RPG de Dreamcast y uno de los mejores de la historia, gracias a sus más que buenos gráficos, una banda sonora de ensueño y una aventura que te atrapará hasta que la finalices (lo que puede llevarte entre 50 y 60 horas de juego). Hubiera sido todavía mejor si se hubieran pulido algunos pequeños fallos en la jugabilidad y si los combates fueran más dinámicos, pero el conjunto es excelente gracias a la absorbente historia, el carisma de los personajes, las pequeñas dosis de estrategia y la gran importancia que adquiere la exploración de los cielos de Arcadia.

Skies of Arcadia is an excellent RPG with only a few things standing between it and becoming an instant classic. First, as RPG’s go, its gameplay is nothing to write home about. Traditional and somewhat boring even by modern standards, this is the foremost thing holding Skies of Arcadia from being an outstanding title. That, combined with repetitive gameplay and a seeming lack of quality on the part of the voice acting, knocks this title down just enough to only qualify it for the ‘really good’ label.

Ya sólo resta decir que estamos ante uno de los mejores juegos del catálogo Dreamcast, así que si te gustan los RPG más vale que no desaproveches la oportunidad de jugar a él, ya que además desde SEGA España nos brindaron una estupenda traducción al español, cosa muy de agradecer en estos tiempos. Todo esto unido a la calidad que desprende este juego, lo hacen un imprescindible en tu ludoteca.

Skies of Arcadia är faktiskt ett av de bättre rollspelen jag har spelat. Det har vacker musik, storslagna miljöer, lagom medryckande story och dessutom ett litet minispel vid namn Pinta Quest till Dreamcast-maskinens lilla VMU. Har du klarat Phantasy Star Online och Grandia 2 är detta nästa självklara val.

Eternal Arcadia, alias Skies of Arcadia aux Etats-Unis, était attendu par beaucoup comme l'un des jeux qui remettrait la Dreamcast en position dans la course aux jeux de rôles. Par bonheur, il fait plus que ça : il la propulse directement dans le peloton de tête. Aussi beau que long, et aussi intéressant qu'original, ce jeu mérite de figurer dans toute bonne logithèque de possesseur de Dreamcast. OverWorks et Sega, quant à eux, méritent une bonne salve d'applaudissements.

In conclusione SOA non è quel capolavoro che in molti si aspettavano dal team responsabile di pietre miliari del calibro di Phantasy Star IV e Streets of Rage 2, ne tanto meno riesce da solo a sopperire alla cronica mancanza di giochi di ruolo per la macchina Sega. Nonostante ciò il titolo Overworks si dimostra comunque un buon prodotto, grazie ad un impianto di base molto solido e ad una storia in grado di affascinare e coinvolgere fino all’ultima scena; che alla fin dei conti è tutto ciò che veramente serve ad un gioco di questo genere.

Other than that I have nothing bad to say about this title. It’s a great entry into what I hope will be a long and steady wave of good RPGs on the Dreamcast. Also, Skies of Arcadia gives breaks from the more serious RPG and gives a fun game to play that seems more like a cartoon than something you’d find in the fantasy section at the supermarket. If I were you, I’d add this to your RPG catalog and play through it at least once. Replay value ain’t too great, but, hey, it’s an RPG.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that this is yet another derivative RPG loved only due to the dearth of Dreamcast games of that genre; its simplistic battle system, its tried-and-true story, its N64-style bold colors, and even its central gimmick of airships have all been done by other games. Skies of Arcadia, however, doesn't try to be different, instead molding and enhancing everybody else's ideas into one mean final product that still manages to stand out thanks to its uniquely upbeat atmosphere. And while the random battles on them pissed me off to no end, I still can't get over how awesome it is that the whole world is built around flying boats. Flying boats kick ass.

Voilà donc mon avis, Skies est un grand jeu. Mais j'attends avec impatience une éventuelle suite qui corrigerait tous ses menus défauts qui entachent le plaisir de jeu. Du reste, il est amusant de voir une chose, sur Dreamcast nous avons deux grands RPG. Grandia II principalement grâce à son système de combat, et Skies of Arcadia grâce à son scénario. Quoi qu'il en soit, si vous avez une Dreamcast, il serait dommage de passer à côté de ce jeu (de même pour les possesseurs ou futurs possesseurs d'une Game Cube, car il va être adapté sur cette console). Et même si le système de combat est mauvais, il n'est pas indigeste pour autant et au bout de quelques heures de jeu, vous n'y ferez plus gaffe.

With the slim choice of RPGs on the Dreamcast, you think it’d be easy to create a decent RPG. But then again, I wish I told the developers of Time Stalkers and the Evolution series that before their lackluster (at best) games were released. Skies of Arcadia initially seemed to be a game for the ages made the mighty Sega themselves. The back of the box boasts a “highly imaginative storyline, beautifully detailed graphics and immersive gameplay.” While the first two features come off as slight exaggerations, the last is a bold-faced lie.