Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, on the GameCube port's 20th anniversary, Alana is desperate to see Skies of Arcadia Legends on modern consoles...
Sega isn’t really known as an RPG developer, but it was still quietly responsible for creating some of the best of the genre in the ‘90s. Both the Phantasy Star and Shining Force series were at the helm of Sega’s RPG force, and Panzer Dragoon Saga is one of the most experimental (and expensive) games in the genre. Nowadays, when you think of Sega and RPG, Like A Dragon (formerly Yakuza) probably comes to mind. For me, my answer has always been the same and will remain the same – Skies of Arcadia.
Released on the Dreamcast in 2000, Skies of Arcadia has some of the most talented names in Sega’s history behind it. Captained by legendary producer and director of Phantasy Star IV Rieko Kodama (who sadly passed away earlier this year), the game is one of the few RPGs released worldwide for Sega’s swansong console. Poor sales and a late release on the console saw the game fail to meet sales expectations despite a rapturous critical reception. Later ported to the GameCube as Skies of Arcadia Legends – 20 years ago to the day – it’s never seen another rerelease.
Skies of Arcadia was kind of like my Breath of the Wild moment. How can you have a BOTW moment before that game even exists, you ask? Because of the way that game lets you explore. Open worlds and exploration are pretty much the norm nowadays. Sprawling Skyrim-sized landscapes or huge, over-levelled monsters roaming the world of Xenoblade Chronicles. Skies of Arcadia, while not anywhere near as open as those games, captured the essence of exploration perfectly.
It makes sense, really, given the game’s story. You’re Vyse, a plucky air pirate who is a member of the Blue Rogues, a band of Robin Hood-esque pirates who steal from the rich (aka the Valuan Armada, essentially the Spanish armada) and give the spoils to the suffering. Together with his best friend Aika, the pair rescue a mysterious girl called Fina who is trying to find the Moon Stones throughout Arcadia, crystals that can summon weapons of mass destruction. For Vyse, not only is this a chance to help the vulnerable and save the world, but it’s also his opportunity to go out and discover the world.
...being a game where you’re actually playing as pirates, exploration and discovery become the two cornerstones of the game.
Really, most of Skies of Arcadia is pretty iterative of other RPGs. Its turn-based combat is similar to others in the genre, and the characters – while all charming and lovable – are all familiar RPG tropes, just executed perfectly. Yet, being a game where you’re actually playing as pirates, exploration and discovery become the two cornerstones of the game. When you’re not wandering around towns and dungeons or participating in turn-based battles, you’re sailing the skies. And as you get further through the game, you get a new ship, get your own crew, and can upgrade your vessel to traverse the cloud sea better. You might start in a tiny little fishing boat, but you eventually end up with an army-ready ship that can sail high above or below the cloud surface and crash through stone reefs.
The game manages to tease the scope of the world so well. You end up being the same wild-eyed excited teenager that Vyse is, ready to discover new things. You’re seeing the world as Vyse does – from small things like new towns or enemies, right the way up to entire continents and discovering that the world is round. Even the world map that you have at the beginning of the game only shows part of Arcadia to you, and as you get further through the game, it expands, as if you’re sketching it out yourself, to reveal brand new areas.
The basis of Arcadia is pretty simple – it’s a world split up into six unique ‘kingdoms’ that all live under a different coloured moon. Don’t ask me how there are six moons in stationary orbit, but here we are. Under the Red Moon is Nasr, the desert kingdom, which is based on the Ottoman Empire and elements of the Middle East. Basking in the light of the Green Moon is Ixa’Taka, which is inspired by Central and South America. Under the Blue Moon is Yafutoma, which contains a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures. The Valuan Empire is under the Yellow Moon and is based on the Spanish Empire. The Purple Moon’s civilisation was wiped out thousands of years ago, while under the Silver Moon lies the humble Pirate Isle, Vyse’s home.
From the world being a reinterpretation of our own Earth’s past to the Armada airships being named after star constellations (Cygnus, Delphinus, Auriga, etc.), Skies of Arcadia stokes the flames of exploration, curiosity, and wonder. Each continent counts as a new, exciting discovery for Vyse, Aika, and Fina, and the cheerful tone and humorous dynamic between the main party keep encouraging you to lap up more. In a sea of RPGs where the modern world and darker topics became more prominent, Skies of Arcadia was a breath of fresh air. The world is colourful and the characters are vibrant, and it feels like you’re flipping through a lost Jules Verne novel.
In a sea of RPGs where the modern world and darker topics became more prominent, Skies of Arcadia was a breath of fresh air.
As exciting as it is to watch the world map unravel before your very eyes, it’s the detail that makes Arcadia as a fictional RPG world so magical to me. As any decent sailor does (and we’re ignoring the realities of actual seaborne piracy here), you’re the person charting and uncovering the world, and as you sail around the skies fighting enemies, you’ll come across hidden landmarks called ‘Discoveries’. You’ll know you’re near one because your compass will start spinning like mad, and if you’re like me, it’ll ignite a childlike glee inside of you.
Discoveries are one of the best sidequests in any RPG because no person is telling you to go out and seek them – you can just leave them or try and hunt as many of the down as you want. Things start out simple like a hidden gravestone for an ancient pirate, or the ruins of an abandoned lighthouse, but eventually, you’ll start finding things like a ghost ship above a deadly black sky rift, or a sky train that follows a particular path high above the clouds.
It’s like you’re finding little pieces of the history of Arcadia since as you discover each one, you get a tiny little blurb about what you’ve found along with an annotated sketch or two. There are 88 (89 if you finish one other GameCube-exclusive sidequest) of these to find, and each one sheds some light on the world. The Black Moon Stone expands on The Dark Rift and hints at a lost kingdom, while The Grieving Prince is a landmark representing one man’s grief. Cute animals like the Dheerse come coupled with myths and tales, while a Valuan wreck cements the idea that Arcadia is a world that’s still making history and creating mysteries.
You’re not just collecting this information for your own joy – though really, I am and I make sure I find every single Discovery every time I play the game. You call sell these little pieces of information at any Sailor’s Gild across the land. Some Discoveries are worth more than others, and the more things you find out there in the world, the more your Swashbuckler Rating goes up.
You’re also in a ‘friendly competition’ with another sailor, Domingo, to find Discoveries before him. If he finds them first, their value decreases massively. Of course, you can solve that problem by finding 30 Discoveries, after which he’ll join your motley crew once you’re the captain of the Delphinus. If money, crewmates, and reputation aren’t enough motivation to find every single discovery in the world, then I don’t know what else is.
There’s nothing quite like playing a game where you’re going places that even the protagonist doesn’t know about. Glacia is a complete mystery to both the player and Vyse, while Nasr – while always a presence in the skies thanks to its ongoing war with Valua – is much bigger than you initially expect. And while Aika wildly fantasises about the possibilities of what she can do in some of these areas, at every turn, Arcadia defies your – and the party’s – expectations.
...who would want to buy a purple lunch box-shaped console, anyway? Well, I wish more people had.
Skies of Arcadia Legends was a treat for people like me who’d played the Dreamcast version, but also those back in 2002 (or 2003 when it was released in the West) who hadn’t had the chance to discover a truly special RPG. The N64 had very few notable entries in the genre after Squaresoft jumped from Nintendo to Sony for Final Fantasy, and the GameCube also had a very limited number. So Skies of Arcadia Legends was already hitting a bit of a niche – who would want to buy a purple lunch box-shaped console, anyway? Well, I wish more people had.
What Legends brought for Skies of Arcadia fans was new discoveries, new sidequests, and super bosses. Bounties could be claimed to get money, strange creatures could be found in the sky and caught to feed a hungry little bird-like creature (who isn’t little by the end of the quest), and a bounty hunter is actually after your head. It added extra challenges and riches for anyone, old and new, to come and discover.
So, why oh why is Skies of Arcadia still stuck on the GameCube? A former developer on Skies of Arcadia, Kenji Hiruta, said “I really really want to develop the sequel” back in 2020, but also stated that it really “depends on Sega”. And Kodama herself said in a 2019 interview with Kotaku that she feels that “Skies of Arcadia Legends completed the “director’s cut” of the title”.
Yet Sega is still acknowledging the game’s existence, even today. Vyse, Aika, and Fina all appeared in 2008’s Valkyria Chronicles (which you can nab on the Switch eShop), while Vyse and a Skies of Arcadia-themed track Rogue’s Landing are available in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Vyse even has an icon in Sonic Colours Ultimate.
Outside of video games, the Skies of Arcadia cast has also appeared in Worlds Unite crossover from Archie, and if you’re really observant in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie opening, you can spot a little snippet of Skies of Arcadia in the Sega logo on the right (in the time-stamped video below).
Admittedly, a lot would need to be done to polish up Skies of Arcadia Legends — the music quality suffers and some of the textures are a little rough. Random encounter rates are extremely high, even for an RPG of that era, and battles are pretty slow. But Skies of Arcadia feels like lightning in a bottle – only a few other RPGs have managed to capture that feeling of adventure like Sega’s RPG did (Grandia, Lunar).
With open-world RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles capturing the magic of unusual worlds and dangerous discoveries, it feels like it’s time for Skies of Arcadia to come back and let everyone discover (and rediscover) the best – and my favourite – RPG world ever.
Comments 77
SoA was one of my all time favorite RPGs!! I remember I was really sick with the flu in middle school and stayed home and plowed through this game. I want to say I put ~70-80 hours into it, but never actually finished it. I'd like to come back to it one day and finish. Great game, and really interesting world to explore.
Definitely need to give this one another shot!
When looking to see what RPGs were available for the Cube, I was interested in getting Tales of Symphonia from eBay. The seller also had Arcadia, and so we decided to buy both. Tried both, and Symphonia was the clear winner, so that's the game we ended up completing to the end. Never really did give Arcadia its fair chance.
I've heard nothing but good things about Arcadia, and it's been sitting unplayed in my collection for so long.
Currently just finished Xenoblade 3 and am nearing the end of Octopath, so maybe I'll finally have time for Arcadia in the near future? Even though I was planning on playing a few more Final Fantasy games first...
there's just too many games you know.
It remains one of my all-time favorites. I have both the Dreamcast (which I played) and GC (unplayed) versions. I remember taking my VMU to the kids' soccer games and watching my little ship fly. Good times!
Good game, but if they bring it back, I hope it's as a remake, not just an HD remaster. Back when I played it in the Gamecube (2006?) I already felt that the combat system was outdated. It came after Baten Kaitos, Paper Mario TTYD and Tales of Symphonia...
Way back when, I got into buying old consoles to play a bunch of the old "classics". This was among them.
I played the game for about five or so hours, and then dropped it. For all the praise and hype, it was such a lackluster, by-the-numbers RPG that I couldn't be bothered to get past that point. I'll give the game a point for the setting, which is indeed awesome, but the rest of the game around it?
Yeah, this is one that a full remake would be for the best. I'd love to see a new studio give this some much needed TLC, because those nostalgia goggles are something magical to make one think this is anything other than a 5.5/10.
Nintendo doesn't like money sometimes. Otherwise we'd have alot of GameCube games ported
You'd think that a well-loved JRPG that has scarce availability and high prices in the second-hand market would be a dead ringer for an easy port job with sensible pricing that would make the game more available for general public and would bring money to the IP holders, but I guess Sega doesn't get those memos.
This was a great RPG, but I agree about the pace of battles and encounter frequency. It would definitely need some QOL improvements to make it more palatable.
With that said I love the characters and setting. I think there's a space for this type of game with big, colorful JRPGs like Ni no Kuni, Tales of Arise and Dragon Quest XI finding success in the West.
I just don't think Sega is interested, or has the resources, to bring certain games back or revive them. I've wanted a true Phantasy Star sequel since the Genesis and we've only been treated to PSO for the last 25 years.
Thanks for the great article! I'm not sure when I'll have the time, after being convinced to play more Final Fantasy games by all your anniversary articles, but this has piqued my interest. I'll keep an eye out to see if I can snatch up a copy somewhere for my Gamecube. I've been itching to boot it up again anyway.
In my re release top 5
One of my favourite games of all time. I’d definitely play it again.
Played it at some point years ago and frankly I just didn't get what the hubbub was about at all, to me it just felt like a bog standard early PS2 era style JRPG with all the trapping including some superbly long-winded battle animations.
I remember liking the soundtrack well enough but other than that I really didn't care for it, it didn't help that the game was already gaining at price at that point so I ended up having to pay like 80 bucks for a copy.
I saw this previewed in Nintendo Power and was blown away by it. Sadly I didn’t have a GameCube so I missed out on it. Getting a copy today is completely out of the question as it costs an arm and leg if not more on the used market. A port of this game on modern consoles is long overdue.
Got me all excited seeing skies of Arcadia on the front page.
I'd love a remaster and hopefully one that isn't entirely bungled like Chrono Cross. Graphical upgrades would be the least of my wants. It should have the superior Dreamcast audio, the extra GameCube content, and a means to access the VMU content, along with a big tweaking of the battle pace.
Such a wonderful game. I missed this game on the Dreamcast but was lucky enough to find a copy of the GC version in Gamestops bargin bin back in the day. Got for $5 C.I.B. Still have it to this day.
Pirates? Airships? Eat the rich? Open-world exploration? Why have I never heard of this before?
@GameOtaku Agreed. The easiest way to get old games nowadays is to emulate them, but of course Nintendo wants to be the only one to hoard access to emulation of their past games and believes everyone else doing it is a sin to humanity.
Skies is just plain awesome. It's got a ridiculously lovable cast and a world that begs to be explored. The encounter rate and pacing of the combat (and ship combat) lead to some pretty pokey moments, but that's really my only complaint with this adventure.
Can't a 20 year old game just be great 20 years ago?
I feel like in the "perfect world" for any gamer over the age of 40 there are basically 10 video games, and we just keep remastering them over and over for new consoles.
Nothing new, nothing interesting, just a desperate, misguided and never ending effort by the industry as a whole to recapture some feeling that someone's younger self, a self that doesn’t exist any more and never will again, had in a world and context that can never be recreated.
And we all know we can't go back, because any time the remaster DOES get made it's just endless backlash about how disappointing it was or how it didn't capture the same feeling. Every change they made was horrible, and everything they kept the same should have been changed.
I can't even imagine how much better this industry and art form would be as a whole if the vocal minority could move past demanding the most talented and innovative people in the industry stop progressing and try to make everything old new again. (although in fairness, it's hard to imagine how much better the world would be if people thought in terms of opportunity cost just in general)
Bought this on Dreamcast when it released and immediately became 1 of my favorite games. Probably helps that it's a long game but I got to play it in 2 halfs, in my apartment the first half, then bought a house so didn't play it for a month while we moved, then the 2nd half in the house. And while the game doesn't break in the middle like a sporting event there is a point where you get your own island and build that out and that was when I stopped.
I couldn't replay it again though, not as it stands, the random monster encounter is really set way to high, espcially on the water when it's just non-top fighting when you just want to go someplace. Don't recall ti being as bad on land, but even half of what it was would seem too much for me now.
Once random encounters in JRPD kind of went away there was really no going back for me. I'm ok w/ narrow paths where you are forced to fight, that' show you level up, but when you just randomly pop into fights w/ no sign or waring on the screen, I just can't anymore.
I became interested in getting SoA when Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed got a track and Vyse from this game but then I saw the prices and they were absurdly expensive (much like many other retro games) so just hoped for a remaster on modern systems but that hasn't happened yet.
I wish SEGA would realize there's more to their retro catalog than just Mega Drive and its add-ons. You can't even play the Sonic Adventure games on Switch or PS4/PS5.
I remember being heavy into the Dreamcast original, to the point where I would take the VMU to work with me every day and play the little sailing minigame on it (although I do forget the specifics of that little addition). I never played the Gamecube upgrade, but I do remember not really loving the regular combat (but highly enjoying the ship battles).
The game needs a sequel (spiritual or otherwise) but not a remaster; RPGs have come a long way since SoA. A new game with the same ideas made to keep up with modern RPGs would be a better call.
Not just Sega's best RPG, it's Sega's best game period. Unless you count F-Zero GX, but they don't own that, they just developed it.
Also, there needs to be a definitive version of this game. After all these years, there still isn't a definitive way to play Skies of Arcadia. You either play the Dreamcast version for the vastly superior audio, or you play the GCN version for the extra content and slightly upgraded character models but you're stuck with awful compressed audio.
My most desired remake/remaster/rerelease, if you don't count Xenoblade X.
I would really, REALLY, love to get a chance to play it. It's strange that there hasn't been a rerelease for it yet, in this day and age where so many pieces of media are getting rereleased.
It just kind of feels like a waste not to pull the trigger on this one, Sega.
I have never played this game, but it looks pretty epic. I would be very interested in a remaster of this.
I didn't like it. I feel like it'll need a lot more than a simple graphical update. It felt outdated already when I got it on GC.
Currently enjoying Tactics Ogre, but I'd be lying if I said it is a GREAT game. It is very much a relic of its time and needed more than what it has been given. It's slow and I remember SoA was sluggish as well.
So yeah. A remake, definitely. But a remaster? Well, not for me I suppose...
Of any potential remake/remaster, this title is highest on my wishlist. Such a great game! The airship battles were my favorite part.
What an incredible game! Can you believe the Dreamcast got this and Grandia 2 almost at the same time?!? I remember having to decide which one to play first. Memories...
This game caught my eye in Japan back in the day, I but never bought it. So earlier this year I imported a used copy of Legends for my old Jpn Gamecube. I just have to get around to hooking it up and playing!
Maybe someone could recommend an HDMI adapter I could use to hook up the GC to a modern TV?
Hmm I missed this one. Time to boot up the Dreamcast emulator on my phone.
@HeadPirate I agree so much. I have to both laugh and facepalm at the people here getting excited over yet ANOTHER cash grab re-re-whatever every week when one is announced. They have to just like buying things and not actual gameplay as it's ridiculous to want to go necromancer on every single game just for a few more pixels via AI upscaling/QoL features and shiney new $60 price tag.
I didn't play this when it's released on dreamcast back then, and I didn't have gamecube either. I hope sega release this game remaster, just gave it 4K, 60 fps, and widescreen support 😃
@wiiware Outside of 4k you can play that upscaled 60fps widescreen version right now. On your phone. And not be part of the problem as to why new games aren't new anymore!
There are so many reasons I love this game. A port or remake or remaster would be great.
Loved this game. That kid in the upper city saying something like “if the people in the lower city can’t afford bread why don’t they just eat cake?” really brought me down though when I played it and still sticks with me today as one of the saddest lines in a game
@theModestMouse
To each their own, I don't think there's a shortage in new games whatsoever
I really like getting the chance to play JRPG games I missed out on back in the day for not owning a Sega or Nintendo home console until the Switch, and having them physically in my game collection is such a joyous feeling to me. I try to avoid emulating in general; for no reason but a preference (and again, having a physical copy is what I enjoy)
Allow me to clarify, I admit that I'm definitely a part of the problem haha, I prefer remasters/rereleases over remakes, aside from a few QoL touch ups I'm happy with the game looking as authentic to the original release as possible.
I just don't think we're having a shortage of new games so that's a unfounded concern I feel, and I do believe the remasters and rereleases on the Switch caused it to have, what I consider to be, the best library in any console I ever owned, it's a freaking JRPG heaven, maaaaaaan!
Skies of Arcadia was a "once in a generation" type of game. The Gamecube Remaster was even better. It would be awesome if SEGA could re-release these, especially for the younger gamers that missed out.
this game needs a full blown remake would buy it in a heartbeat but it needs to be handle by a right dev.
This is one of a small handful of Gamecube games that I still have an old tube TV with a Gamecube hooked up to it, so I can revisit it.
This game really does need a re-release, even if it’s only a barebones port to modern hardware. It deserves to reach a wider and modern audience.
A remake/remaster really doesn't interest me, as I could just fire up the GC or DC and just enjoy the original. However, a sequel would set my heart aflutter.
Damn I'd love to play this on a switch!
Really surprised it hasn't been remade yet or even remastered. Hopefully it's on someone's list for the Switch.
I started it on the Gamecube but didn't get far into it. Looked promising and I'd like a second chance.
I'd be fine with a port, to be honest. The demand for remakes and remasters slows things down and prevents access. Modern RPGs are out there, if I want them. This one is 20 years old.
@HeadPirate Can't people who either weren't around or didn't have the means to play a 20-year-old game desire to play a great 20-year-old game that they still don't have the means to play?
There are hundreds of development studios and publishers out there, God forbid a few of them take the time to make classics available to a modern audience for the sake of QoL changes in line with modern standards, or just simply for the sake of convenience of playing on consoles compatible with modern televisions and game preservation.
It's not like Sega taking the time to remaster this game means that we'd be missing out on a potential masterpiece elsewhere.
I can't imagine being so jaded and cynical at the world that reading a few comments from a vocal minority online is enough to declare an entire industry and art form broken because of it. I can imagine how much better your life would be if you would lighten up a little.
@theModestMouse Yep, remasters and updated rereleases don't have any gameplay. Guess we should all go play modern AAA live service gacha crap full of MTX and roadmaps that never get completed. Welp, I'm off to go pour thousands of dollars into the latest game that released half broken but wants me to keep paying for a shot at getting something that's not promised to me, that sounds like a fun gameplay loop!
First off, THANK YOU for doing this article; I know I'm vocal about how little love Sega gives their non-Sonic legacy titles (especially RPGs), but I also give credit where and when it's due.
This article hit on the exploration and amazing story, characters, and locations that make Skies of Arcadia truly special (and those strategic and varied ship-to-ship/monster battles certainly deserve a mention!!!), but I also wish to mention its incredible music. From the sweeping orchestral score of the title screen to some of the most perfectly immersive area soundtracks ever, from Kingdom of Ixa Taca's acoustic guitar and whooping native howls to Yafutoma Dawn's soothing Asian motif (Kingdom of Ixa Taka is my favorite song in any videogame EVER; listen to it with headphones or surround and you'll immediately understand why), it shows just what Sega's development teams were capable of when there was actual passion behind the project.
Again, thanks for doing this write-up; this game sorely needs a remaster and/or sequel, and media attention never hurts those chances. I know it may be a stretch to ask, but if you could do a similar article on Shining Force III, Panzer Dragoon Saga, and Dragon Force for the Saturn, I would hugely appreciate it. All of these are incredible games more than deserving of a new audience to experience them.
@burninmylight
Well, a well thought out and relevant argument to your comment would be that they can play it ... the original media, ROMs and even 4k updates are all available with little to no development time. QoL changes and computability with modern TVs are built into emulators now, so simply offering an emulated copy for sale would be enough.
Another intelligent argument would be that regardless of the number of studios, every remake costs us one new game. That's how opportunity cost works under limited resources. Studios know this, which is why remakes are generally done by the most junior teams and the quality tends to be abysmal, leading to the direct and limited argument I make where people call for the best talent to be put on remakes rather then new games, like veteran teams at SEGA of poor old Tetsuya Takahashi, or complain that bad teams make bad remakes.
You seem to be replying to someone else's general argument that any update to an old rom is bad and replied to me by mistake.
I suppose if I didn't have anything intelligent to say, or had an extremely weak argument that was full of obvious holes I could just insult you personally for no reason to distract from that, but thankfully that's not the case. I can't even imagine being the type of person so scared by life and so completely insecure in my own reasoning that I would have to go on message boards and come up with fake backstories of people I didn't agree with just so they wouldn't notice I have nothing new to add to the conversation! A person like that's life would be so much better if they just ignored comments, or at least educated themselves a bit more.
As much as I love this game, it isn't as good as we think it is. There must be a load of rose tinted glasses involved here.
Insta Buy whenever they get smart about it
I would be happy for a remastered of this gem. It's quite sad when Sega doesn't give their other IP the respect treatment they deserve. This game as well as Panzer Dragoon Saga and Dragon Force should be remastered and available on Switch, Xbox, and PC.
That would require Sega to acknowledge they ever made anything besided Sonic and Yakuza games.
@Aventurier I don't think it's anymore dated than say FFVII....and people still happily play the original FFVII.
@HeadPirate That's not very well thought out at all; it's actually pretty reductionist and self-centered. Unless I'm drastically miscalculating the amount of people that happen to have working Dreamcast and/or GameCube units lying around, connected to CRT televisions in 2022, that is. And these people have enough disposable income to pay three times as much as the normal MSRP of a new Switch release for a used copy of a 20-year-old game.
And yes, there are ROMs, but:
a) piracy is the answer to everything if someone wants to go that route, and the people who simply use emulators to play games probably aren't the same people port begging for something they don't have any access to
b) not all of us have the means, know-how or desire to go that route. I personally have a laptop that could probably handle a Dreamcast or Dolphin emulator, but a lot of people don't. And why the heck would we want to use a jailbroken smartphone to play a hacked ROM of a game designed to be played with a controller from two decades ago? You really can't comprehend why someone would prefer an official release designed for modern consoles over that?
c) for many of us, piracy = stealing. It's easier to justify something like SoA where the game literally has not been made available in any manner whatsoever to legally play on a modern device in decades, but we'd prefer to have an actual, officially approved copy that is guaranteed to run on the hardware it was meant for. It can be asking a lot of a company like Sega to make a game that runs well, but others are better about pulling it off.
No, every new remake does not cost us a new game. This is another reductionist and hot-takey argument that doesn't hold up when one actually takes a moment to think about it.
M2 is a studio that specializes in remaking/remastering old games, both beloved and obscure. It's also not under the thumb of any publisher telling it what to do. How often does it make new games? All M2 does is release the definitive edition of older games, because that's all M2 wants to do. What about the port specialist Virtuos? Point me to the original game that Virtuos has put out or has in development. Remember Tantalus, the team that did the HD versions of Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword? They've made some original games like Funky Barn... and Pony Trails for the iPhone... yep, the world sure is missing out on their original efforts.
OK, maybe I was wrong on that. Games that people actually want, like HD Zeldas, RiME and Sonic Mania should take a backseat to Funky Barn and mobile games.
No I did not reply to you by mistake. As you can clearly see in my first reply, I separated my reply to the other person with another name drop. If that's the best you can come up with while ironically stating that one should just ignore opinions they don't agree with (with zero self awareness), then your argument looks pretty weak.
@Aventurier It is as good as we think it is, the game gave us that sense of exploration and discovery and put us at the forefront of airship battles. Something no other RPG (even Final Fantasy) doesn't had. It is a game that puts you in the shoes of a group of rogue sky pirates trying to rob the rich and give to the poor while unveiling the mystery about the world of Arcadia while doing so. There was never a boring moment about the game and it is 10 times better than both Evolution World and the Shenmue trilogy, the other two Dreamcast RPGs series that sucks. The more we don't talk about Time Stalkers the better, that one is just pure garbage.
This is one of those games I've always wanted to play, but just never got around to. I could emulate it easy enough, but it's more likely that I'll only get to it when it's eventually re-released or remastered in some form.
There have always been 3 games from late 90s early 2000s I always wanted modern updates for. Skjee of arcadia since I never played it, Breath of fire 3 since it's still one of the best RPGs to me (Capcom was really on another level in the 90s) and threads of fate because squaresoft was also on another level in the 90s. I could probably throw vagrant story and final fantasy tactics in there too since I remember getting them on the same day and not liking either at first but turned out to be some of the most unique experiences I've had gaming.
Always will regret not getting this for my Dreamcast. Would love an updated version. My preference would to stay away from doing a remake a la FF7 and just add some QoL and accessibility improvements and resolution and texture updates,
Starts off with "Sega isn't know as an RPG developer." Wow. Must be a young fellow.
Anyway. Yes this game is long overdue. As long over due as Ys books 1 and 2. Or at least one anyway.
@KevRin this would be great. This and Ys 1
@Bablommebite I was in the same boat. I got Grandia first. Then ended up getting the game on game cube. I thought this game was way better than Grandia.
I got a dreamcast in july 2000. That fall I was enamored by SOA,Shenmue and the 2k sports titles. Add to that with games of other systems like No Mercy & Tony Hawk 2 I was eating good in the gaming department.
I would love a new addition, a sequel or prequel.
Still have my GC copy of this game. Really enjoyed it back in the day. If they remade it I would like it to have an artstyle like Tales of Arise.
For whatever reason, SOA: Legends is the only RPG I’ve ever truly gotten into. I liked it so much I actually tracked down a copy of it a few years ago so I could play it again. I’d love to see an update!
I mean, a basic upscale wouldn't be that impressive; Got to say, improved basic resolutions would at least be as good as the FF7 enhanced version. And I liked SoA much more. Not that I would turn down a remake.
I mean, SEGA doesn't even re-release most Sonic games even after the movie craze.
It's still just the odd Genesis title and barebones Sonic games like Colors.
@EarthboundBenjy Not to give you another game but if you haven't played Baten Kaitos, it's my favourite Gamecube RPG, and was made by Monolith Soft!
Regarding Sega's "concerns" about the poor sales figures of their legacy RPGs, I offer a bit of context. It's easy for any game...even the very best...to suffer dismal or less-than-stellar sales figures when things like the following happen:
1) You outsource localizations to a third-party (Working Designs) who were limited to specialty stores like Toys R Us and GameStop instead of being allowed to share shelf space at the Big Box stores with mega-publishers like EA, Activision, etc. This kept a bunch of incredible games out of sight and out of mind for an entire generation of gamers, not just RPGs like Magic Knight RayEarth and Dragon Force but also pioneering turn-based Strategy titles like Iron Storm and excellent shooters like Silpheed and ThunderForce V.
2) Manufacturing only 3000 copies of Panzer Dragoon Saga for the entire North American market. 'Nuff said.
3) Releasing only the first of three interlocking Scenarios (and one-third of the storyline as a result) of Shining Force III. Sega was very much a Japan market-first company during the 80s and 90s, something most gamers were blissfully unaware of, and it showed not just with their often combative relations with their Western branches and third-parties (this is why Working Designs jumped ship for the PlayStation), but in how they handled their RPGs and other text-heavy games for the Western market.
4) By the time Skies of Arcadia debuted, the Dreamcast was already on its way to Sega's dustbin. It was scarcely promoted despite universally glowing reviews, and thus was largely overlooked.
The bottom line here is that the sales figures of those games didn't reflect any issue with their quality but rather Sega's own lack of interest and investment in the Western market. Time has allowed word of mouth to spread about many titles, but despite literally decades of fan requests at this point, Sega has largely turned a deaf ear. But given a fair chance, I firmly believe that remasters/remakes and/or sequels to several of those IPs would find an entirely new and eager audience for whom they would provide an entirely new experience. Some might even see a Renaissance comparable to what Fire Emblem did here in the West once Nintendo finally started localizing its entries. They deserve that chance, Sega.
@RedXIII
I managed to reach disc 2 of Baten Kaitos a few years ago - but I had to pause my playthrough due to holiday plans, and I unfortunately didn't end up picking it back up afterwards. It's been long enough that I've thoroughly lost my place in the story, and the combat system is rather slow-paced so I reallllyy don't feel like starting over. So unfortunately, Baten Kaitos is in this awkward limbo state for me.
I think if I ever do replay Baten Kaitos, I'll do it following a guide so I can fully fill out the Magnus list and get all the awkward and obscure card evolutions - I think that'll be a good enough justification to start over (since I did miss some missables when I was playing the first time)
@EarthboundBenjy That's exactly what I'm doing right now haha. I'm on Disk 2 and following a guide. Some of the Magnus are downright preposterous but I still am enjoying the combat mechanics of this game. But can't blame you for tuning out!
Sad Cruscader of Centy will never get a remaster/second chance at life.
Shining games are alright from those played of Resonance Refrain and the earlier ones in collections. Not played but heard too much about Phantasy Star Online compared to the non-MMO entries.
Never played this one but always hear about it Dreamcast or GameCube.
I believe everyone that likes RPGs should try Skies of Arcadia. It will probably remain my favorite for all time for a number of reasons.
I will say that the music is essential to the experience of the game and I'm not a huge fan of SoA Legends seriously degraded soundtrack.
If you only have access to the gamecube version make sure you listen to the full original soundtrack on YouTube, etc. It's leaps and bounds better than the more midi-ish on disc gamecube tunes.
To this day Skies is one of my all-time favorites. Great read. I really wish Sega would get somebody to do a remaster or true-to-original remake.
@Browny Only thing magical here is you thinking your opinion is an objective fact.
As much as people would want a remaster/remake, let's be honest, even if SEGA does make one and promote it, it will be silently forgotten by the gaming community already a few weeks after release, and it'll most likely be a decent number of sales if we're lucky. Then we're back at the whole "SEGA doesn't know other IP other than Sonic and Yakuza (and Persona)" again. SEGA revived a couple of IPs in the past decade and I doubt people still remember them because they're not Jet Set Radio, causing said revivals to die again, or at least be discontinued being localized.
@theModestMouse I don't want to play this on phone, touchscreen gaming for classic games are the worst way to play this tipe of games.
And no, company making remake won't prevent them from making new games, heck sega maybe making skies 2 if they remake the first one and it sells a lot. A win win for both gamers and sega I think.
This is probably on my Mt. Rushmore of games. One of the rare truly magical gaming experiences I can remember.
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