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Paradise Blue Review
Paradise Blue: The Cure for Boredom
Review by TwilightApostle
I really don't understand why Paradise Blue hasn't been reviewed yet. I mean, I know it's MY job, but still...I guess folks just don't like fun games or something.
Paradise Blue takes place in a Final Fantasy/Startropics-esque world in which a few guards have to escort a few heroes to a few places. Standard fare through and through, but honestly, a simple plot overview can't do this game justice. From the start the player is immersed in the game, which is the best way to approach gaming, in this reviewer's opinion. The player takes the characters through the dungeons and guides them out to the nearest town. This is where the fun REALLY starts. The player can accept different missions to earn various rewards; certain missions are actually necessary to the completion of the game; mission objectives can CHANGE during the mission; the list goes on. There is enough in the first town to keep the player busy for an hour.
The gameplay is deceptively simple. It's mostly based on Final Fantasy systems (again), but there are several innovative twists that are impressive, to say the least. For instance, characters receive bonus "support" abilities after gaining enough Battle Points. These can be equipped on the character, and produce a number of results, from increased attack to automatic regeneration. On top of that, characters may switch classes by "equipping" a different class, and may retain the skills of their previous class by "equipping" those skills in a different slot. In short, it's a perfect reproduction of both Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy V's systems, which is no mean feat. Battles are nothing special, though the enemies have levels that allow the player to gauge just how difficult a battle will be from the outset. It's also worth mentioning that nearly every crate, barrel, and shell in the game yields a treasure when explored. Excellent job here.
Unfortunately, however, it must also be noted that there is a game-freeing bug in the first town. It takes place after completing the quest in which the player must be a thief. It may simply be a consequence of finishing the quest with only one second left, but nonetheless it forces the player to restart from the last save point. Aside from this, however, the gameplay is stellar.
As mentioned earlier, the game mimics old-school NES RPGs, and the presentation follows suit. It literally looks just like an old-school game, which may deter some players, unfortunately. Everything in Paradise Blue feels like it should be there and there alone, which is a huge plus in terms of style. However, there were a few places in which presentation took priority over practicality. This is evident in clipping errors (wherein a player will be walking under a bridge only to suddenly find themselves on top of it), choppy movement speeds, and just a handful of areas that seem too large for their own good. These are just minor gripes, however, as the bulk of the game is very unified and aesthetically pleasing. The music is similar to the graphics, as the tunes have an old-school feel to them. The battle music does tend to become grating after a while, but they're generally pleasant and appropriate. The first dungeon has an especially catchy tune to it.
Paradise Blue is a remarkable game with an unremarkable guise. As mentioned earlier, some players may see the graphics as a sign of archaic systems, but beneath the presentation lies a wonderful experience. A lot of work went into the game, and it's apparent in nearly every area. Download Paradise Blue now!
Reviewer's Score: 9 / 10, Posted Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:00:29 -0700
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Game Details
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Developer:
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Oceans Dream
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Platform:
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RPG Maker 2003
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Genre:
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RPG
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Status:
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Demo |
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Last Updated:
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2008-05-26 |
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Views:
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3824 |
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Downloads:
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242 |
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User Rating:
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 4 Vote(s) |
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