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SOUL BLAZER Company: Enix Released: August 1992 Genre: Action RPG Graphics: 8.5 Control: 9.0 Sound/Music: 8.0 Storyline: 8.0 Review by: Corbie Dillard ©2008 SUPER-NES.COM

With the release of Legend of Zelda on the NES we saw a new trend popping up with console rpgs. No longer were battles confined to turn-based menu selections. Players could now take part in the battle by using their weapon(s) and have the full freedom of movement at the same time. Soul Blazer was released in 1992 and carried on this tradition. It featured very zelda-like gameplay, but also added the unique gameplay feature used in the earlier Enix hit, Actraiser. Players now not only controlled their character, but also by defeating enemies, they took part in the recreating of the gaming world itself. Couple all of this with a quirky, but very entertaining storyline, and what you get is Soul Blazer. Given that Soul Blazer was released in 1992, it has some fairly impressive visuals. Great use of bright colors, and variety in each of the 7 areas. You'll especially appreciate the psychadelic look of the last area "World of Evil". Everything about this game is just bright and colorful. Most of the bosses (other than Deathtoll himself), are not very big, but are well drawn and animated. Soul Blazer is easily one of the best looking earlier games for the Super NES and despite the lack of any real Mode-7 effects, the game looks great. It might take some rpg players awhile to get used to the really vibrant look of the game, as it definately has a unique look that's all its' own, but as I mentioned earlier, a great looking game from start to finish. Soul Blazer has a very distinctive soundtrack, but somehow it seems to fit in perfectly with what's going on around you. Once again, it's not on par with a Final Fantasy III, but it has a very endearing quality to it. One downside to the music is that most tracks aren't that long, so they repeat quite often and certain tracks tend to get a little too repetetive at times especially if you spend too much time in one particular area. Considering the overall light-hearted theme of the game, the music fits right in. If it's one thing Soul Blazer has a lot of, it's gameplay. Enix has taken one of the more well-liked aspects of their Actraiser game, and somehow implemented it into an action role-playing game. Much like you did in Actraiser, you must fight groups of enemies in order to release the captured creatures. Everytime you destroy an enemies' lair, you release a plant, an animal, or even a human being. As you free more and more living creatures, they begin to help you along in your quest to free more people and defeat Deathtoll. It may sound confusing, but as much fun as it was in Actraiser, it plays an even more important role in Soul Blazer. You wield your trusty sword, but you're also given special magic that can be used in conjunction with your sword. Magic comes in really handy, especially when it comes to fighting the area bosses. You're also gonna talk to many different living creatures in the game ranging from plants, to animals, and even gnomes and mermaids. As crazy as this sounds, it really makes for a lot of fun. Most of your time, however, is going to be spent fighting enemies and the sword-play in Soul Blazer works perfectly. It's very easy to fight and defeat enemies as long as you pay attention to their attack patterns. The same is also true for all of the boss characters in the game. Overall a great gameplay system, especially for an action rpg. To sum things up, Soul Blazer doesn't have the flashiest visuals, nor does it have a fully orchestrated soundtrack, but what it does have is one of the most enjoyable quests you'll ever find in an rpg. It's a little on the easy side, and not quite as long as I would have liked, but what it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. The slightly humorous plotline of the game, not to mention some of the off-beat characters you'll meet throughout, all come together to form an outstanding action rpg. Although Soul Blazer didn't recieve a lot of accolades or attention when it was originally released for the Super Nintendo, it's definately worth seeking out. Although it's not what I would consider a "cutting-edge" rpg, it is one of the most enjoyable rpgs I've ever played. And maybe that says it all.