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Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest review

Game: Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
Platform: SNES
Genre: Turn-Based RPG (Fantasy)
Developer: Square
AKA: Mystic Quest Legend (EU), Final Fantasy USA: Mystic Quest (JP)

Reader review by sgreenwell

Date unavailable

Bobo The Clown's Hobo Soup Recipe

Start with rusty pail of sewer water. Make sure it is relatively free of chunks, otherwise they will conflict with later ingrediants. Add one dirty shoelace, three toenail clippings (excluding the big toe), and fifteen copies of Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, well-mashed. Serve hot. Stays good for several weeks.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was a somewhat novel attempt by Square; try to introduce the role playing genre to the American audience by producing an easy game, with an angle towards younger gamers. This concept might have worked, if not for the uncharacteristically awful execution by Square.

First, the simplistic story. You play the role of a young adventurer, as in seven thousand other role playing games. You have to save the world, as in eight thousand other role playing games. You do this with some fellow adventurers, as in nine thousand other role playing games.

However, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest differs from other role playing games out there. No other game offers just a party of two players at a time. No other game offers an experience that can be beaten in nine hours. No other game manages to kill off every remotely interesting plot development with overly simplistic resolutions.

Perhaps the most disturbing thing about Mystic Quest is that it really offers nothing in comparision to other role playing games. Any novice gamer who thinks Mystic Quest will prepare him for later role playing games is severely mistaken. It's equivalent to thinking that a Fisher Price basketball hoop will prepare you for the NBA.

The gameplay is somewhat traditional role playing, except that almost all enemies can be defeated with one hit from various weapons. It's such a sad state of affairs that the end boss of the game, the evil evil ruler set to conquer all, can be defeated by two spells. Never is there a sense of danger in the game, as heal and cure spells completely cure all damage.

Some adventure gaming elements are thrown into the mix. You have the ability to jump and chop down things on the screen. However, while they play a factor in the game, they could have just as easily been cut out. They don't require any special skill to accomplish.

Graphically, Mystic Quest is actually impressive. There's very bright and colorful graphics, not too loud, appealing to the eye. Some majestic fog effects are also present in the game, some of the best seen for the Super Nintendo.

Musically, Mystic Quest can't compete with the real Final Fantasy games on the Super Nintendo, but it still beats ninety percent of what's out there. The graphic and sound areas of the game keep Mystic Quest from earning a one.

Overall, Mystic Quest is a commendable effort from Square, but it really doesn't hold any practical value. It's too novice to be useful, and any role playing veteran will scoff at the hideous storyline and gameplay. Skip this one, and keep with the true classic, Chrono Trigger, Lufia 2, and Final Fantasy 2 and 3.

Rating: 2/10

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