TBT - Paving The Way

Nostalgia is a ponderous, depressing feeling, and I often sense its presence when playing modern video games. That’s how I’ve felt recently while playing through Vagrant Story: a game which appears to judge my contemporary sensibilities such as immediate gratification, lowered difficulty, streamlined design, and bloated/delicious production values. Moreover, I feel it has enabled modern Cinderella Stories Demon’s and Dark Souls to not only thrive in this industry, but to have been born at all.  

“Iron"

Directed by Yasumi Matsuno (of Final Fantasy Tactics fame), Vagrant Story is a PS1 action RPG set in a dilapidated city called Leá Monde, which plays host to all manner of supernatural monstrosities. Protagonist Ashley Riot has been sent to Leá Monde to investigate the dealings of a cult and its affiliation with a senior Valendian Parliamentary figure.

Interesting, the game employs an archaic English (localized by Alexander O. Smith, who also worked on translating Final Fantasy XII) which, complimented nicely by the oppressive, dark fantasy world, compares nicely to what would later become popularized through Demon’s and Dark Souls.

Other similarities between both IPs include obtuse gameplay mechanics, an often rich and moving soundtrack, and a level of difficulty unfit for many softened and contemporary gaming palates. It is in these moments that I enjoyed Demon’s and Dark Souls: and the same holds true for Vagrant Story. 

“The Golden Age”

Where both the Souls’ series and Vagrant Story differ however, is with respects to storytelling and core gameplay. Vagrant Story is slightly more verbose, and doesn’t shy away from incorporating several theological, supernatural and fantastical themes into an initially intimidating amount of world-building. After a strong start, the game’s pacing doesn’t relent, with moderate stretches of dungeon-crawling interspersed by vague allusions as to what exactly is happening. It’s all good stuff, and saddens me increasingly to think that powerfully mature storytelling is enormously rare in today’s video game landscape.

Demon’s and Dark Souls accomplishes its world-building and storytelling using far greater subtlety. The player is given far more autonomy to seek and digest as much of the game’s world as s/he wants, instead of passively donning the role of an established hero, as with Vagrant Story. This difference in narrative construction helps differentiate both IPs. Both styles are also effective in different areas, with Vagrant Story coming across as proud in its sophisticated story; whereas Demon’s and Darks Souls is more humble and covert.  

“Run Boy Run”

Vagrant Story’s core gameplay is divided between rudimentary puzzle-solving and pseudo real-time action (whereas Demon’s and Dark Souls opts for entirely real-time combat). Whenever Ashley engages a foe, the player is given the option as to which part of the enemy’s body he wishes to strike. Particular enemies are weak in certain regions of their body, to certain weapon types, and against certain elements.

It is in these moments that both the Souls’ series and Vagrant Story are truly alike: the player must consciously choose which arms s/he uses against which foe, least s/he come across an insurmountable wall of crushing defeat. And it is in these moments of defeat that I am reminded of the often flawed and systemic ways that games used to be produced.

Older RPGs in particular felt stuffed with mechanics, only half of which were brilliant. The other mechanics just sort of existed in the game’s code, and could be explored by the player if s/he chose. What resulted were often rough gems that felt distinct and forward-thinking.  

Final Thoughts

Perhaps I’m getting to that stage in my life when I’ll begin feeding birds, and screaming at kids when they complain about how difficult their lives are. Age itself is miraculous in its ability to fold over your memories and senses. I appreciate older RPGs and games more now than I had ever before, and owe nostalgia a great deal of credit for its machinations. I think I need more cardigans to help round off my saddened and sober worldviews.