A unique and addictive game, complete with all the elements that make an RPG great
One of the key things that stands out about this game is its story. A bit short for my (RPG) tastes, but very engaging and mysterious. The mystery that surrounds every step of the journey just makes you thirst for more. What are the plans of the villains you chase? Why is a supposedly dead childhood friend traveling with them? So many questions that keep popping up, all they will make you want to do is continue the quest and find out the answers.
Like any great RPG, a good portion of intrigue found in the story involves the personal stories of the characters. This isn't just limited to the playable characters (Isaac, Garet, Ivan, and Mia) but also to the NPCs (Hammet, McCoy, Babi, etc.) and even the villains (Saturos, Alex, Menardi, etc.). All together, they create a complex web, full of Psynergy, mystical islands, and the elemental Lighthouses.
Speaking of characters, the group you control is quite an interesting bunch. You have the two childhood friends Isaac and Garet, as well as two pick-ups named Ivan and Mia. Isaac is the main protagonist, and much like the game Chrono Trigger, this main character is a silent one. He grew up in the Psynergy-filled town of Vale, along with his friends Jenna, Garet, and Felix. Garet, is the arrogant, hot-tempered team member. While hot-headed, he does exhibit restraint in most situations, and is a valuable asset in the chase to stop Saturos and Menardi. Their journey starts immediately with Jenna's kidnapping, and the theft of magical stones from their town.
Next is Ivan, a young assistant to the wealthy merchant Hammet. He is met while being left behind in a town searching for a special staff belonging to his master. Isaac and Garet aid his quest (and a later one), and he joins them on theirs.
Lastly is Mia. Mia is the town healer up in the northern area that makes up the Mercury clan's home. She joins the party when the nearby lighthouse comes under siege, and Isaac and the crew aid her in making her way through.
Together, this foursome of Adepts (users of Psynergy) travel in the hopes of stopping their enemies' evil plans, and saving their kidnapped comrades.
Beyond that, there's the battle system. It comprises of physical attacks, Psynergy, the use of Djinns (powerful mythical creatures), and summons. Psynergy ranges in strength and effects, as will the Djinns (anything from stat boosts to healing to powerful attacks).
Upon using Djinn, they are no longer "set" to the character, but rather are put on "standby". At that point summon options show up, and the more Djinn that get used, the more the higher ranked summons will be accessible. For example, using 1 Jupiter (Wind) Djinn will allow the summoning of the Level 1 Jupiter summon, but using 4 Jupiter Djinn will allow the summoning of the Level 4 Jupiter summon, the highest ranked (and strongest) summon in the Jupiter group. The same applies to all of the elemental groups: Mercury (Water), Mars (Fire), and Venus (Earth). After summoning, the Djinn that were put on standby will, turn by turn, be re-set to the character, to be used again.
And finally, the last aspect of an RPG that must be covered: side-quests! I found this to be a very lacking part of Golden Sun, as there weren't really too many side-quests to work on. A few non-essential dungeons dotted the map along the journey, and there was only one truly worthy extra dungeon that should even be mentioned: Crossbone Isle. It is made up of 10 basement levels, each guarded by a gradually more difficult battle, and then containing puzzles that will eventually lead to the next basement floor. It all culminates in the strongest foe of the game (yay, there's a "superboss"!) named Deadbeard. For being a "superboss", he's really not too bad. If you're on your guard he poses only a little bit of a threat.
Like I said earlier, this was a weak point in the game. I really would have enjoyed this game more if there was more to keep me busy. Instead, I had completed all side-quests and the main story in about 23 hours.
Granted this was a Gameboy Advance game, I shouldn't expect "too much", but some more side-quests or a slightly more expanded storyline would have easily boosted my overall score to a 9.0, if not higher. But, in the end, an 8.5 will have to suffice. In the end, a truly enjoyable, albeit short, experience I'd recommend to anyone who likes a good RPG.
Thanks for reading :)