My first role playing experience on the Genesis. Not the best on the platform but will appeal to some players.
Most RPG’s at the time mostly had cartoonish style graphics since they were developed by Japanese companies. Sword of Vermilion seemed to have more of a grown up look with more artistic style graphics. The enemies looked more foreboding than other RPGs and the worlds looked more authentic. The music blew me away. It sounded like an orchestra composed some of the music instead of it being synthesized. Music is an important part of a game that helps develop atmosphere and the music in Sword of Vermilion is an integral part.
Most RPGs pretty much play the same way with some elements staying the same. Sword of Vermilion plays like most with just subtle differences. Instead of wandering an open landscape like most RPGs, Sword has you navigate through maze like maps. You do have the standard random enemy encounters which instead of a turn based battle set up, it switches to an overhead view and the battles occur in real time. When fighting major enemies, the action goes to a side view like a fighting game. Sword came with a hint guide that greatly helped me through the game, but it wouldn’t be impossible without it; it would be more difficult to find the secrets.
Sword of Vermilion is an acquired taste that not all people will appreciate. If I had played any other of the great RPGs on the Genesis before I played Sword, then I might not have had the same amount of appreciation. It isn’t the best RPG out there, but a better than average adventure that has a few things to offer.