In 1997, nearly a year after the phenomenon that they’re now known for, GameFreak released an RPG that combined Zelda II, A Link to the Past, and Mystery Dungeon on the Super Nintendo. It kinda sucked.
Or did it? I’ve logged about ten hours into Warrior: Legend of the Blue Dragon - The Two Heroes. I’ve sworn up and down, called it awful, wondered why it has three titles, and I’m putting it down partway into chapter two. But I’ve also said it was a lot of fun, declared it had some cool mechanics, and rode a high after figuring out the combat. So what’s up?
Let’s start by talking about how those three games combine into one. There is an overworld with grass you can cut, trees to chop, and obstacles you’ll need certain items to pass. Very Link to the Past. Combat, though, involves a separate screen that resembles an action platformer game, à la Zelda II. Dungeons also follow the same style. But it isn’t a free form hack and slasher either. Every encounter has a set number of turns. If you beat the turn par, you’re rewarded. Failing results in mild pain. “But what is a turn?” you ask. A turn is any action that you take. Attacking, calling your shield, shooting your shield, moving, ordering your flying cat/dog head to attack, “jumping,” performing a special attack, or just hitting L to pass is a turn. Standing there is fine, and the mobs won’t move or attack. It is, what I believe, a side scrolling Mystery Dungeon game. It’s not really a rogue like, as death is permanent, and you’ll have to load a save to return to the world. There are also elements of a first person dungeon crawler while in town, but it’s not a big deal. It’s a lot going on, but I feel like it’s all solid.
And the story is pretty deep. I don’t know how good other Mystery Dungeons are, but Legend of the Blue Dragon feels pretty good. You’re an orphan, and your sister gets kidnapped by a giant bird. Happy birthday! You, the son of a great warrior, now need to save her. You find a floating head that looks like a cat; it talks, and it says it used to be a girl before an evil sorcerer transformed her. You now proceed from town to town, saving all of them, as you hunt down that evil bird. There’s also the backdrop story that your god, Sister Mountain, got beaten by her brother, Brother Sea, because she wouldn’t share life with him. The world has been broken ever since. I liked the twists that I spoiled for myself, and the themes are kinda neat. It is thought provoking!
The game came out in 1997, six months after the Nintendo 64 was released. The SNES still had some life left in it, but it was on its last legs. This also makes it the newest game I’m playing for a while, beating out G.O.D. by two months. Had it been translated, it would not have been a major release in the States. But, because of the lateness, the game looks stunning. I’ve never seen so many detailed cutscenes on the SNES. Sprites are top notch, even if enemy and nameless NPCs all share about eight models…
Music is less good. There’s plenty of it, much of it variations on a theme, but nothing stuck with me. Considering I am a hater, this might be a good thing.
It’s a well put together experience, but why do I hate it? I think it’s the Mystery Dungeon aspects that bog it down. I can’t wrap my head around how every enemy works. Things also feel clunky for me. Jumping isn’t actually a jump. You hold on to Waku, your cat head, and she carries you for a few turns. You need to stop, hold up, and then “jump.” It’s not fast, and that throws me off. Enemy AI is also annoying because they’re smart and don’t act how I suspect they will. Sometimes this is fine, but when I’m taking damage because I’m out of turns, and those damn bees are running from me, I’m gonna get mad.
And then there’s the grind. Currency is called gems, and you find them when you cut the grass. They’re exceedingly rare, and you’ll need a lot of them. Potions are equally hard to find, so get ready to trade. But you’ll also need a few to buy liquor for a hermit. Thirty gems is about a quarter of all that I’ve found! I’m tapping out, and I’m gonna blame the alcohol. I’m against imbibing, you see.
And so, while the game is solid and well made, I think it sucks. It doesn’t, of course, it’s just not a game I like. If this sounds like something you’d love, I’m sure you will. I mean, even I found it fun when I went back to the tutorial areas with a better understanding of how it works. There’s something here. Maybe! I dunno. I may think it’s hot garbage, but it still somehow got 30 out of 50 points. That’s gotta mean something.
My next game is a game that’s universally derided, so I already miss Brain Lord. Hell, I already miss this…
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