![]() I prefer my magic effects to be of the short and sweet variety. The effects are rather simplistic and the spell animations are rather short. Polygons are also used during battles for spell effects. I’ve always found fondness in mixed environments, where the dichotomy of nature and technology weave a tapestry of something more interesting than either element alone. I describe it as steampunk without the punk. One thing I loved about Thousand Arms’ world was that it made use of industrial-revolution style steam technology alongside the traditional fantasy trappings. Like the sprites, the locales have a very cartoony look to them, to complement the feel of the game. There are some seams here and there, but overall a believable world is presented. The polygonal backdrops in towns and dungeons have a clean, smooth look to them. Oftentimes, the animations of the sprites (both on the field and in battle) are quite comical to watch with their overly exaggerated expressions. Both character and enemy sprites are crisply detailed and animate smoothly and fluidly during battles. The sprites are presented in an SD (Super Deformed) style on the field but are full-sized during battles. They animate fluidly and have very little pixilation. These sprites are among the crispest, sharpest, and cleanest I’ve seen in a PlayStation RPG. Like such games as Grandia and Xenogears, Thousand Arms uses 2D sprites on 3D polygon backdrops. Thousand Arms is a very cartoony RPG, as evidenced by its visuals. However, for many, Thousand Arms is an acquired taste. Of course, I’m a fan of almost anything offbeat, unique, and quirky, and I found Thousand Arms quite an enjoyable experience. Therefore, a quirky, offbeat RPG such as Thousand Arms would not be welcomed warmly by the masses because it is a wholly different flavor than the RPGs they are used to. ![]() ![]() Many gamers slammed Final Fantasy VIII for its minor deviation from the comfortable norm set by its predecessor. RPGs were still a fledgling genre in the US back then, and neophytes to the genre were still seeking comfort in familiarity. It was released in 1999 in the wake of Final Fantasy VIII’s looming shadow. Thousand Arms’ biggest selling point was its inclusion of a Japanese-style dating simulator in it. Due to that stigma, the dating simulator is a genre of game the US is not quite ready for. Extolling Tokimeki Memorial in a US locker room will likely brand you a pathetic loser with poor social skills who cannot interact with real women. You’re less likely to get beaten up in the locker room if you admit to playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater as opposed to Tokimeki Memorial. Unfortunately, it’s a genre of video game that would garner you much ridicule in the US. The dating simulator is one of the most prolific and popular genres of video game in Japan. ![]()
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February 2023
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