Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator

RPGFan (95 out of 100) (95%)

With the division between PC and Console RPGs blurring, thanks to original games such as Diablo and Baldur's Gate, and to Square's ports of some of its Final Fantasy titles, it's no surprise that Septerra Core took the form that it did. Valkyrie Studios used its creative muscle to bring this delightful title to PC gamers, a title that might interest die hard console gamers in the much maligned PC platform.

Game Revolution (A-) (91%)

In the end, Septerra Core is a very strong offering in the RPG arena. If you're not the diehard RPGer who lives for Bauldur's Gate ("AD&D is the only RPG!"), or if you ever enjoyed one of the Final Fantasy series (I know some of you Bauldur's Gaters like it. Come on, admit it!), then pick this one up right away. There are seven whole worlds waiting for you..

Game Vortex (90 out of 100) (90%)

Overall, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator is a superb game. The character graphics could definitely use some work, and because of that, it’s not perfect, but it’s as close as it’ll probably ever get on the computer. Get this game.

Electric Playground (9 out of 10) (90%)

Overall, Septerra Core plays very much like a console RPG, but it isn't an overt copy of them, and it has a few new ideas of its own. Fans of console RPGs will recognize the smooth gameplay and brilliant Final Fantasty-style graphics. It does not have the depth of character interation or development as something like Fallout or Baldur's Gate, but it is a fun ride, taking you into strange policies, and showing intriguing conspiracies and ambitions. Septerra Core is definitely well above a typical PlayStation import.

Gameplay (Benelux) (89 out of 100) (89%)

Voor de mensen die al een kramp krijgen als ze het woord "trol" of "dwerg" horen, is de sfeer in Septerra Core als een frisse bries. De omgeving in Septerra Core is nog het best te vergelijken met Fallout van Interplay, maar dan met minder bugs. Al bij al is Septerra Core een bijzonder aangenaam spel, dat elke rechtgeaarde RPG Adventure fan op zijn PC zou moeten hebben staan. Waar wacht je nog op? Op Sinterklaas misschien?

Gamezilla (87 out of 100) (87%)

Septerra Core is currently my favorite pick for RPG games -- it's one of the very few worthy titles in the genre this year. Its simpler interface doesn't offer the detailed character development options of some titles, but I like getting into the game quickly without getting bogged down in the details of character stats. The story starts out a little slow, but it gets much better fairly quickly and in the end is a lot of fun to play. I highly recommend Septerra Core to all RPG fans -- and with its rich plot it is probably worth a look for adventure fans as well.

PC Gamer (86 out of 100) (86%)

Valkyrie Studios worked long and hard on this one, and their intense effort shines through in the finished product. The game was obviously started quite some time ago, however - as beautiful as the background and characters are, the entire game has a slightly dated look to it. Once players delve into the story, though, the sense that the graphics belong to a game from two years ago disappears, and only the world of Septerra matters.

Power Unlimited (8.6 out of 10) (86%)

Fans van Final Fantasy VII kunnen zonder aarzelen in de avonturen van Maya en haar vrienden duiken. De werelden en de graphics zijn absolute beauties en het verhaal is meeslepend en heeft epische proporties. Alleen, net als in FF VIII, gaat het vechten niet geweldig. Heb jij daar minder problemen mee dan zit je meer dan goed met Septerra Core.

Hacker (85 out of 100) (85%)

I konačno zaključak, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator je iznimno zabavna igra. Istina, tvrdokorniji RPG fanovi bi mogli biti razočarani nekim njezinim aspektima, ali izuzme li se ta činjenica, Valkyrie Studiosu možamo čestitati na vrlo kvalitetnom naslovu koji bi više pozornosti pobudio da se pojavio godinu prije, kad je i bio očekivan.

GameCritics.com (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

With market trends show that more and more PC users own consoles and vice versa, the availability of both types of RPGs will only increase but, I'm afraid, this RPG argument still shows little signs of slowing. However, one need only look at more traditional games like Ultima Ascension alongside a game like Septerra Core to see that there is room for both in a gamer's library. While PC RPGs like Ultima Ascension offers an unreal amount of choice available to players, console RPGs along the lines of Septerra Core tend to cut things down and excel in the storytelling department. I would hope that this pulls PC gamers toward Septerra Core, because storytelling is definitely one of the areas that it excels in. The game does have a few flaws, but when it comes down to the overall presentation, you wont go wrong with Septerra Core.

Science Fiction Weekly (B+) (83%)

Septerra is a unique and amazing planet, designed by a mysterious Creator so that its continents are layered into World Shells. These shells orbit the planet core at varying altitudes, and once every century they align in such a way that a beam of light reaches the core, providing power for a massive computer that lies inside. In times of great need, the computer may be accessed by a savior...provided that he or she is in possession of a pair of ancient keys.

GamersWanted (8 out of 10) (80%)

Septerra Core has had a rocky history. For some time, it was unknown whether it would ever get published. Thankfully, its potential was seen, and Monolith has published it in the United States.

Glide Underground ( ) (80%)

The world of role playing games have gone back a long time in the past. From the first types of role playing games in the form of Dungeons and Dragons in pen and paper, to rolling of dice, all the way to the current Baldur's Gate Advanced Dungeons and Dragons game, role playing games have been around for a long time. The form of role playing games have evolved over time, some good have come and gone while others have suck around. One very popular style of role playing games are those or less reality and more fighting and adventuring based. Action/RPG hybrid games like Diablo and Darkstone have been hugely popular with the PC fanatics, while other, console RPG players have had one major player in the RPG genre, Squaresoft.

IGN (8 out of 10) (80%)

It's not surprising that, after the success of Final Fantasy VII, PC gamers would start seeing more console-styled RPGs being released. What is surprising is that we'd start seeing console RPGs (CRPG) that were never on any console. Recently games like Silver and Septerra Core have given CRPG fans something to make their console cousins jealous -- especially in Septerra Core's case. It's one part fantasy, one part cyberpunk; one part Fallout 2, one part Final Fantasy VII. But however you classify it, Septerra Core is one heck of a lot of fun.

Gameguru Mania (4 out of 5) (80%)

You find yourself in the body of non-ordinary student Maya who's curious enough to find out that there's something bad going on in the world. Maya lives at an 'underground' and most poor shell of seven space shells-islands forming together the Septerra planet system. And she's a fine girl btw :-) The storyline: members of highest core, so called 'Chosen' decided to enslave all other people. So here you are the poorest against the highest lords with all their technology and knowledge. But you're not alone, your friends -- Grubb, technoman who can fix any machine, makes his own robots, including another your friend robo-dog named Runner, and other ones -- form party with you. On your way you're continually visiting all the shell worlds, each of them with its own specific culture, architecture. There's a lot of adventure tasks, and the battling system doesn't require a big action. rather thinking and to strike the best way.

Da Gameboyz (4 out of 5) (80%)

Septerra Core's developmental road has been very rocky. When everything looked like it was going to fall apart Monolith grabbed the project and pulled it all back together... and thank goodness they did! Septerra Core is an anime-style game with obvious console overtones, not unlike Chronotrigger and the massively popular Final Fantasy series. Valkyrie Studios obviously decided to take an established idea and allow one aspect to grow: the storyline.

PC Games (Germany) (80 out of 100) (80%)

Für Septerra Core muss man etwas Zeit investieren. Was auf den ersten Blick wirkt wie eine Mischung aus Fallout und Final Fantasy 7, stellt sich als fesselndes Rollenspiel heraus, das gekonnt Motive aus Science-Fiction, Fantasy und japanischer Anime-Dramatik kombiniert. Lediglich der etwas umständliche, wenn auch originelle Kampfmodus zerrt stellenweise ein wenig an den Nerven.

PC Action (Germany) (79 out of 100) (79%)

Septerra Core lässt sich zunächst ein wenig zäh an, entfaltet aber dann doch außerordentliche Qualitäten. Sowohl Fans von Fallout als auch die Anhänger von Final Fantasy VII werden sich von der epischen Story und der in düsteren Tönen gehaltenen Endzeit-Rendergrafik angesprochen fühlen. Bei der technischen Realisierung setzten die Entwickler die richtigen Prioritäten: Eine funktionelle Benutzerführung scheint ihnen wichtiger gewesen zu sein als übertriebener optischer Schnickschnack. Hätte ich die Wahl zwischen Final Fantasy VII und Septerra Core, würde ich zu letzterem greifen.

GameSpy (78 out of 100) (78%)

Septerra Core brings the best qualities of console role playing games to the PC. Unfortunately it also brings a few bad qualities of its own. This anime-style epic RPG does some things extraordinarily well, and may be worth the price of admission just for that, but it is also marred by a couple of significant flaws.

Gamer's Pulse (78 out of 100) (78%)

Ok, here’s the hype. If you are looking for a new quest in your life, this is definitely a good idea for your next game purchase. Setting out with heroic tasks ahead of you, your journey as Maya and her compatriots will take many twists and turns. All your hard work pays off in the end when you’ve built your party up from scratch and obtained all the unique special weapons and awesome spells. When you face Doskias in the final showdown, you know you’re gonna beat him down. Well anyway, that’s my whole spiel about this fun and exciting game. I recommend it to those out there who need these heroic kinds of games, because being a hero is definitely what this game is all about.

Svenska PC Gamer (75 out of 100) (75%)

Septerra Core är solid och välskriven äventyrsunderhållning med intressanta förutsättningar, en icke-pinsam historia och - wow! - starka kvinnliga karaktärer.

PC Player (Germany) (75 out of 100) (75%)

Besiegte Monsterhorden tauchen in exakt der gleichen Kombination an exakt den gleichen Stellen wieder auf. Das nervt besonders, wenn ich wieder mal irgendwelche Rätselobjekte durch die Landschaft schleppen muss und dabei zwangsläufig bestimmte Gebiete mehrfach kreuze. Für solche Wiederholungen fehlt es dem Kampf-Programm einfach an Pepp, sprich taktischen Elementen. Auf der Habenseite stehen eine wunderbar abgedrehte Spielwelt, ein netter Fantasy-Plot und zahlreiche Rätsel. Letztere erfreuen mich besonders, weil sie seit langem die ersten sind, die Logik und Kniffligkeit erfolgreich verbinden.

Gamesmania.de (74 out of 100) (74%)

Pro: Der enorme Spielumfang, eine prächtige Soundkulisse und ein komfortabel-komplexes Benutzerinterface könnten ungelogen und unter fachmännischer Gutheißung auf dem Spielkarton prangen...
Contra: ... solange der Käufer auch auf den spielspaßtötenden Umstand hingewiesen wird, dass Gegner immer an der gleichen Stelle auftauchen und - Skandal! - in Kämpfen gewonnene Erfahrungspunkte vom Programm automatisch verteilt werden. Welchen Sinn hat rollenspieltypischer Charakterausbau, wenn ich gar keinen Einfluss darauf habe? Außerdem kann Septerra Core dem Grafikliebhaber keinen Kaufanreiz bieten.
Fazit: Einsteigern wird ein ausgewogenes Programm ohne besondere Höhen und Tiefen geboten, bei dem Spieldauer- und -spaß den Kauf rechtfertigen. Gegen Titel wie Fallout 2, Darkstone oder Revenant hat das Mannheimer Produkt jedoch keine Chance.

PC Joker (74 out of 100) (74%)

Schön animierte Polygonfiguren, Lichteffekte und scrollbare Renderlokationen erzeugen dabei ebenso Atmosphäre wie Begleitmusik, Umgebungsgeräusche und deutsche Sprachausgabe. Die Steuerung fanden wir zwar einen Tick zu umständlich (viel Klickerei, gewöhnungsbedürftiges Inventar-Handling), doch die Fans asiatisch angehauchter Rollis sollte das nicht abschrecken: Im Kern ist Septerra Core eine durchaus spielenswerte Alternative zur wuchtigeren „Final Fantasy“-Reihe. Und deren achter Teil lässt auf dem PC ja noch ein wenig auf sich warten.

Independent Zin (70 out of 100) (70%)

To całkiem przyjemna gra – jak dla mnie, obecnie zasługuje na takie 7/10. Kilkanaście lat temu, kiedy pierwszy raz się zetknąłem z tą produkcją, dałbym nawet 8/10, ale minęło już ponad 15 lat od tego czasu, więc emocje trochę minęły.

Jeuxvideo.com (14 out of 20) (70%)

La technique, venons-y. Graphiquement c'est beau, mais on peut trouver que Septerra Core manque d'originalité sur ce plan-là. Par ailleurs, les personnages font un peu "collage sur décor", mais rien d'alarmant. Le son se fait un peu trop discret, autre point faible du jeu ; qui plus est les paroles sont en anglais, ce qui ne facilite pas la tâche de beaucoup. Enfin, la jouabilité est bonne, puisque simple. Au finish, Septerra Core intéressera plus sûrement les néophytes de jeux de rôle ; les dur à cuir du genre, eux, le trouveront insuffisant et superficiel.

Adrenaline Vault, The (AVault) ( ) (70%)

The role-playing empire known as SquareSoft has ruled the role-playing console market for a near decade. Their juggernaut series, Final Fantasy is one of the best selling line of games of all time, and is regarded by many as the greatest role-playing epic ever brought to the digital environment. Spin offs such as Chrono Trigger and the like have helped establish the style and gameplay as solid platforms, and we knew it wouldn't be long before someone tried their hand with something similar in the PC arena. Even though last year marked the introduction of the Final Fantasy series to the PC, its release was marred by a number of problems that included a lot of bugs and quality issues, something console owners aren't too familiar with, but alas something we PC gamers know all too well. Enter Valkyrie Studios and their long-awaited anime inspired role-player, Septerra Core.

GameStar (Germany) (68 out of 100) (68%)

Septerra Core müht sich redlich, an das Flair der Final-Fantasy-Serie heranzukommen, hinkt ihr aber in fast allen Punkten hinterher. Zwar ist die Story genauso episch und fesselnd wie beim Vorbild, zahlreiche Nerv-Details wie der zu kleine Bildschirmausschnitt oder wiederauferstehende Monster dämpfen aber die Freude. Dabei sind die Rätsel durchaus einfallsreich, und auch das simple Kampfsystem macht kurzzeitig Laune. Aber zwischen den Story-Happen gibt es zuviele unnötige Gefechte und Dialoge. Wenn Sie ein Faible für Manga haben und auf Final Fantasy 8 warten, sollten Sie Septerra Core dennoch probespielen.

Power Play (67 out of 100) (67%)

„Septerra Core“ hat gute bis sehr gute Ansätze, aber leider stimmt die Ausführung nicht immer...

GameSpot (6.7 out of 10) (67%)

It's got some interesting characters, a user-friendly interface, and an intriguing magic system, but it gets bogged down by both minor and major problems.

GameSpot (Belgium/Netherlands) (66 out of 100) (66%)

Septerra Core is een adventure, die zich afspeelt op een anime-wereld in een verre toekomst. Het spel is beladen met geweld, vrouwen met poppenogen en robots, en heeft veel potentieel, alsmede enkele foutjes.

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (65 out of 100) (65%)

Забавно, не правда ли? Аниме, техномаги, игровой мир, порожденный воспаленным мозгом разработчиков. Впечатляющая длительность прохождения. Система боя, характерная исключительно для консольных, преимущественно японских игр. Очень знакомый с мелкими оригинальными вставками сюжет, если посмотреть на происходящее глобально. Баланс сил определен заранее, и сразу понятно, кто плохой, кто хороший. Все это мы уже видели в Final Fantasy, поэтому назвать игру каким-то другим словом, кроме как клон, язык не поворачивается. И все бы было в рамках дозволенного, если бы не эта отвратительная графика.

Just RPG (60 out of 100) (60%)

A world comprising seven shells joined together by a spine to a central core. Empires at war. A plot to steal ancient secrets. No end of exploration, combat and magic. And lots of characters to play around with. Yep, Septerra Core: the Legacy of the Creator has a lot going for it. It has all the ingredients of a decent RPG and a compelling enough storyline to keep one going for hours. It is therefore, somewhat tragic that its shortcomings tend to trip it up rather badly.

Imperium Gier ( ) (60%)

Podsumowując. Na pewno nie jest to jakieś odkrycie. To raczej dobrze odrobiona lekcja na temat FF7, tym niemniej (i dlatego) gorąco ją polecam wszystkim, którzy mogą poświęcić kilkadziesiąt godzin na zbawianie świata Siedmioziemia.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) ( ) (60%)

The point-and-click interface feels a little old-fashioned, although it works well enough. The battle system is satisfying and you can make it as simple or as complex as you like. Some gorgeous FMV sequences punctuate the action and the game has a complete, polished feel. While it does nothing revolutionary in terms of gameplay, Septerra Core tells an epic story that many gamers will find captivating.

Spel för Alla (6 out of 10) (60%)

Om Septerra Core hade kommit för två år sedan hade jag blivit imponerad. Nu är det visserligen ett hyfsat bra rollspel med en hel del originella idéer, men gränssnittet, grafiken och striderna känns redan gammalmodiga.

WomenGamers.com (5.1 out of 10) (51%)

I've had my eye on Septerra Core for a long time. I was first attracted to this game when I saw it in PC Gamer several years ago. This role-playing game has richly painted japanime style artwork with a strong, fully-clothed female lead character. I was excited.

Gaming Age (C) (50%)

There are always a couple games in the industry that get passed along from publisher to publisher and seem to be in development limbo for an eternity. One such RPG has been a fairly little publicized (but has maintained a strong fan base) console-style RPG for the PC from Valkyrie Studios, Septerra Core. The long development time has taken its toll on the game on the technological front, but this doesn’t stop it from being an entertaining experience.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (4 out of 10) (40%)

It seems that western developers can almost match the visual style and splendour of the Japanese old hands, but they simply can't follow it all through and provide a gripping story and intuitive play system. If Final Fantasy VII and VIII are happy memories for you, do yourself a favour and give Septerra Core a miss.

Computer Gaming World (CGW) ( ) (40%)

Although SEPTERRA CORE isn’t a bad game, it owes a lot to Square’s FINAL FANTASY console games and seems rather uninspired on its own. That — plus a number of serious design flaws — drag it down to mediocre status, despite a captivating story.

Archaic.fr N/A

Malgré un bon démarrage, Septerra Core : Legacy of the Creator s’enfonce tout doucement dans une monotonie qui va durer une cinquantaine d’heure. L'unique titre de Valkyrie Studios ne se hissera pas dans les classiques du genre avec une simple volonté, certes louable, de reprendre à sa sauce les codes du genre et de proposer davantage le genre au monde du PC, la faute à une histoire qui ne décolle finalement que trop peu, préférant enchaîner des donjons mornes, des combats pas révolutionnaires, et proposer une partie aventure poussive et incompréhensible, plutôt que de véritablement propulser son univers pourtant original et au fort potentiel. S’il y a bien pire en terme de RPG, il y en a des biens meilleurs.