Terranigma

The Good
GAMEPLAY: Nice simple interface and controls. Addictive combat systems. Fun inventory items. Good exploration. Linear, but not too linear (ie., you generally know what needs to be done to progress, but you can choose the order). [4.5/5]

GRAPHICS: Quite colourful and detailed, mid-sized sprites. Pleasant and interesting to look at. Pretty detailed, but not hyper complex. [4/5]

AUDIO: Mellow, moody soundtrack. Very ambient, but also melodic and catchy. Pretty darned good actually, not too cheesy. Sound FX are functional, nothing to write home about. [4.5/5]

PLOTLINE: If you have played Chrono Trigger, kinda similar. Basically about the passage of time and the creation of Earth, but with a fantasy orientation, what with talking trees, lions and the like. The mood is very atmospheric, nostalgic and wistful. [5/5]

The Bad
The game is quite linear -- both good and bad. You don't often get lost and you can choose the order of what to do next, which is usually obvious. However, like traditional adventure games and films it isn't as good the second time around as there aren't as many surprises.

The Bottom Line
This game is somewhere between Zelda and Chrono Trigger, and is just as good as either. If you don't know those two, the game is an action-adventure hybrid with an easy learning curve and not overly complex. The atmosphere is strong, quite nostalgic, a bit dark and isolationist, surreal at times. Memorable. [4.5/5]