Back when I was a teen during the 16-bit days, I loved RPGs.  And with games like Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger, who could blame me?  I just couldn’t get enough of them.  Nowadays I’m not really into modern RPGs, but I’ll take notice anytime someone makes a throwback 16-bit style RPG.  Such is the case with Starlight Legacy.  As the story goes, many years ago a kingdom was at war and the sky people were forbidden to use magic after it was over.  But many years have passed and the sky people think that they should use magic again, so a separatist group sets out to attack the life giving Eternal Tree.  But are the separatists taking things too far, and is the king really doing the right thing by continuing to uphold that anti magic law?  That’s what you and two other warriors will find out in this 16-bit styled RPG adventure.  It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

The game is your typical turn based RPG fare.  You’ll gather clues and items in towns, as well as buy weapons and magic spells.  Then you’ll venture off into roads, caves, and dungeons and fight monsters in random encounters.  The world map is actually styled more like a Pokémon game, with routes, or roads connecting the towns and caves and dungeons together.  I do like that you can save at any time, but if you fall in battle you’ll start over at the last inn you slept in, so that’s a little weird.  I also wish the game included other modern RPG features, like a journal to tell you where to go next if you forget after not playing for a while.  The game’s not bad, but it is decidedly average.  Not near as good as Final Fantasy 6 or 4 or even Lufia 2.  It reminds me most of Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, except this one is harder and lacks that rocking soundtrack.  But it definitely would’ve been something I would’ve rented back in the day.

Kid Factor:

Starlight Legacy is rated E-10 with ESRB descriptors of Alcohol Reference and Fantasy Violence.  You can visit pubs in the game and you can swing weapons and fire magic at enemies, but defeated characters either just disappear or fall over when defeated.  Reading skill is a must with all the text.  I played games like this all the time as a kid and I turned out OK, though.

Tags: Game Reviews