TGS 2002: Hands-onSkies of Arcadia Legends

We had a chance to finally try out Skies of Arcadia Legends for the GameCube at the ongoing Tokyo Game Show. The game is an enhanced version of Skies of Arcadia, the critically acclaimed RPG released on the Dreamcast in 2000, and it will feature new characters and gameplay elements. While the build of the game on display at the show was still early, we were able to check out various aspects of its gameplay to get a feel for how the game is coming together on the GameCube.

The first aspect we examined was the basic combat. We tried our hand at a fight pitting the main characters--Vyse, Aika, Fina, and Drachma--against some pirates. The turn-based combat worked exactly as it did in the original Dreamcast game. You'll have the option to perform regular attacks and super moves, cast spells, defend, or charge up your party's action meter. The action meter is a common pool of points your party will draw from to perform spells and super moves, and managing your use of it is one of the keys to success in the game.

We also tried a ship battle. You'll make your way through the various floating islands in the game by navigating through the skies on a number of different airships. You'll encounter a variety of foes to contend with in your travels, and while you'll deal with some of them in basic combat sequences set on the deck of your ship, some of them will have to be dealt with by actually engaging their airships in battle. The ship battle we tried pitted us against some more sky pirates--a thorn in your side throughout the game--in a turn-based battle that used the same system as the original game. You'll have roughly the same combat options in a ship battle as you do in normal combat, but your part members will use the ship's cannons rather than their own weapons to attack your enemies.

The final bit of the game we tried let us go through what appeared to be Shrine Island, one of the first areas you explore in the Dreamcast game. The goal for the area is to access the interior of the shrine, which has been flooded. In order to drain the shrine, we had to open floodgates to release the water. During our search for them, we engaged in random battles with assorted enemies. As with the previous bits of the game we played, the exploration portion was faithful to that of the original game.

Graphically, the game is coming together pretty well. The build of the game we played was a bit early and had some rough edges--while the graphics do an admirable job of re-creating the look of the Dreamcast version of the game, there are some awkward textures and colors that look a bit sketchy right now. However, the GameCube version is very close to matching one of the most eye-catching elements of the Dreamcast game--its rich color depth--so we're hopeful that everything will come together before its release.

Judging from what we've seen so far, Skies of Arcadia Legends is coming along nicely on the GameCube. The solid graphics and additional content Overworks is aiming to include should make for a tasty offering. We'll be keeping an eye on Skies of Arcadia Legends' progress in the coming weeks. The game is currently slated to ship in Japan this November, and a US release will follow early next year. Look for more on the game soon.