Sword of vermilion.... anyone?

[Cucollins12]

currently, Im playing this game on the good old genesis... I wasnt expecting much from this game, I mean to me has average music, average graphics but the game play OMG its sooo repetitive, at this time im just playing the game for the sake of "honor" you know just to beat the game.

So what do you think about the game guys? its a good one? a bad one?

[sheath]

I think it is borderline excellent in the graphics and sound department, it certainly has some of the most haunting and unique songs of any Genesis game and the towns are very well colored. I love the real time battles, both overhead and side scrolling, I'm just not too thrilled about the outside mazes, they are really easy to get lost in. But then, mine came with the original strategy guide, so that solves that. I have never finished this game and frequently regret not doing so.

[Cucollins12]

haha you havent finished it? so you share my opinion it is a repetitive and at time boring game?

[sheath]

No, I just put it down the last couple of times I tried to play into it, and when I got back to it I didn't know where the heck I was or what I was doing. Realizing that I would need to start over deterred me from continuing. This has happened to me with every RPG I have ever played. If I don't marathon through the whole game I never finish it.

[goldenband]

Some people on Sega-16 think highly of this game. I'm not one of them; I didn't find it much fun at all.

The tunes were decent, but otherwise I found the gameplay repetitive, the interface clunky, the encounter rate maddening*, and the maze system annoying. And the game was buggy -- at one point after a boss battle, I materialized into solid rock, and only by luck of having a teleport item in my inventory was I able to escape.

It might've been different if I'd had a strategy guide, but should a genuinely good game -- especially this kind of game -- really need a strategy guide to be fun?

*To forestall the usual comments about people who aren't "man enough" (?!) to handle grinding: Grinding is one thing. Grinding while trying to navigate a confusing and poorly-implemented maze is like trying to solve a crossword puzzle while someone punches you in the face every ten seconds.

[QuickSciFi]

To say this game has "average music" is to say A Link to the Past has average graphics. That's just absurd.

As for me, the music is the most attractive aspect of this game. The graphics are also very attractive, imo, at least in the range of colors used. The gameplay, however, is not for everyone. It's not your average action RPG, so this might deter some fans of the sub-genre. The writing is the only place where this game lacks (but only lacks, not that it has bad writing, just very little of it to carry-out a full-blown story). Sword of Vermilion remains one of my all-time favorite RPGs.

[StarMist]

Dismal. It's like a mix of all the worst elements from Traysia, Virtual Hydlide, and Ax Battler. The combat is entirely reminiscent of poking at jarred olives with a pickle-spear.

[SEGA.GENESIS1989]

In one way, I was glad that this game was one of the more expensive titles on the shelf. And even though the box art and game shots looked amazing, I could not justify the cost!

When I did finally get the game, I discovered that it was quite repetitive and at times boring. You really have to be in the right mood to get through this game: possibly completely bored out of your mind!

[sheath]

That is usually the reason I play RPGs, plus the grind puts me in a splendid meditative state.

[Black_Tiger]

It's a cool game that came out at the perfect time. It was a good arcadey Genesis-style take on RPG. The uniqueness of the gameplay helps it age gracefully, but it's definitely not for everybody. But neither are more traditional RPGs.

[djshok]

I'm playing it too. Actually I expected nothing special from it, I thought the graphics looked like crap, especially in the towns. However once I started playing I couldn't put it down. I'm really enjoying it. The graphics aren't very good, but the music kicks ass, especially the uber grim tune in the first town. The combat is pretty cool, I like the different magic spells. Also, I really like that this game doesn't require hours upon hours of level grinding.

[Curryman123]

Never played this game, but read mixed reviews about it.
Based on that, I don't think I'll be playing this anytime soon.

[eddiespruce]

I tested this game out for about 5 minutes several years ago, and it seemed boring. Perhaps I'll give it another try, as it might be one of those games that gets more interesting the farther you get through it.

[Black_Tiger]

I tested this game out for about 5 minutes several years ago, and it seemed boring. Perhaps I'll give it another try, as it might be one of those games that gets more interesting the farther you get through it.

It's one of the very first 16-bit RPGs and doesn't have some of the features taken for granted in later RPGs. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're into more than the most famous games in the genre.

[old man]

It's too damn slow.