Poor design, jacked-up gameplay and frustrating exploration make Sword of Vermilion a tough sell.
The story revolves around a young prince orphaned by a tragic event eighteen years in the past. He is charged in finding sixteen rings of power which supposedly have the potential of changing the world. While it's an interesting set-up, it doesn't really go anywhere, and there's absolutely no character development whatsoever. Those looking for a riveting story with memorable characters and a note-worthy plot won't find it here.
One thing you could say about Sword of Vermilion on its behalf is that it was innovative---unlike anything else on the market. But, too many problems keep it from being enjoyable and fun. Eschewing the traditional overhead world and dungeon maps, the game instead transitions itself in three-dimensionality similar in vein to the original Phantasy Star, Shining in the Darkness and Eye of the Beholder. The results are tepid at best, as movement is sluggish, and it's irritating to have to make a 90 or 360 degree turn when you're navigating complex and punishing paths. It doesn't help much either when the 3D view of the exploration is so poorly implemented and badly designed, and the world itself is put together like a long-winded, confusing dungeon, making travel between towns and caves more aggravating and disorienting than it should be. A ridiculously high monster encounter rate worsens the lot, adding insult to irritation, and the stale combat system leaves much to be desired. In real-time fashion, you run around a field and hack at monsters by repeatedly pressing the attack button, watching them explode in a puff of smoke and listening to those incessantly annoying death throes that sound like a moose with a sore throat. You can use magic, but only one spell can be equipped at a time and you're unable to switch between spells at will during battles. Boss fights, somewhat sparse as they are, shifts to a traditional side-view perspective, but hit detection is lousy on your end and you often have to deal with being hit repeatedly and rather stupidly even when you're nary an inch away from a dragon's nose. To put it simply, the combat system--be it side-view or whatever else-- is broken, thin and just flat-out uninteresting.
The only times when exploration isn't in three-dimensions are when you visit cookie-cutter towns, villages and castles. It is very much traditional role-playing standardfare--you speak with villagers with only a few lines of boring dialogue, walk around at a snail's pace, buy items from shops, gather info, and rest in inns to preserve your strength. You'll also have to talk to certain people to get maps in order to progress further, which is utterly annoying considering how messed up the 3D exploration is and how you more often must resort to staring at your map rather than taking in the "immersion" of a three-dimensional world that this game promises.
At least the music is pretty good. There aren't that many songs in the playlist, but a few of them really stand out. Others are laughably out of place in a few areas, such as when you're visiting item shops or inns. In many instances, it gets repetitive after a while, but it's a greater alternative than listening to the auditory ebola-virus that is the monster encounter chime.
I am not suggesting that Sword of Vermilion is the worst game ever made; there are far worse examples. But it is far from being a great game---much less a decent one. For 800 points, there are better choices that offer consistently engaging gameplay, reasonable exploration, and immersive storytelling. Sword of Vermilion offers none in kind, serving only as a waste of your time and money.