Brave Fencer Musashi

This fall, it's not really Metal Gear Solid that's a challenge to Zelda 64, it's Square's amazing Brave Fencer Musashi. All of you PlayStation die-hards who have been looking at Zelda screenshots with envy over the past year have got something to start grinning about. Musashi is the first action RPG I've ever played that is actually better in some areas than the Zelda games.

I didn't really know what to expect from Square's departure from their traditional role-playing adventures but after playing Brave Fencer Musashi solidly over the last couple of weeks, I can honestly say that I've never had more fun with a Square game.

A NEW WAY TO PLAY

In the end, real-time, action based role-playing adventures will probably be where the videogame industry takes us. After all, every game nowadays offers an element of role-playing. But games like Zelda and now Brave Fencer Musashi bring role playing to the height of instant accessibility. Indeed, Brave Fencer and Zelda are the kinds of role playing games that can hook even those players who are allergic to reading. Players who found the visually peerless Final Fantasy VII too much of a chore to get through, will have no such problems hacking, slashing and figuring their way through either of these two splendid adventures.

The beauty of these kinds of open, character driven, multiple environment games is that, as a player, you're really exposed to so many different flavors. One minute you'll be negotiating moving platforms a la Mario or Sonic, the next minute you're reading heart felt dialogue between two fleshed out characters, then you may be leaping about in three dimensions as you try to fillet your opponent in a sword battle. Add to these gameplay conventions a host of crafty minigames, like fishing contests, card games, shooting galleries and various races, and you have adventures that truly offer something for everyone.

Now that the action-RPG has made the leap to 3-D in such dramatic, authoritative fashion, can the days of all-inclusive adventures brimming with perfect renditions of auto racing, air-to-air dogfights and stadium filled sporting events be far off? Isn't it conceivable that as the technical hurdles of storage and processing power become less relevant, we'll be seeing games that will allow our protagonists absolute freedom? Imagine if our hero was allowed to engage in a game of soccer, then he could hop into his fully realized Ferrari and shoot off for a racing showdown that would end in a cataclysmic wreck and a hand to hand Tekken-style battle with his nemesis?

Obviously, Brave Fencer Musashi's gameplay got me thinking. Although there is a linear through-line to the story, the freedom inherent in this game is absolutely marvelous. Although it isn't really the case, throughout the entirety of the Musashi adventure, it feels as if you can go anywhere. And when you open up new areas, it is completely logical, completely satisfying.

Some concessions had to be made for the lack of RAM and 3-D processing power of the PlayStation but Square has still created a rich, beautifully detailed game world. When you do uncover those previously hidden routes and entrances, it's as if you're finding brand new pages in your favorite novel. And what a novel it is!

A NEW HERO FOR A NEW AGE

Once upon a time, the neighboring countries of Thirstquencher and Allucaneet were at peace with each other. Thriving under the technological advances afforded them by Binchotite energy; the people of Allucaneet and Thirstquencher were able to create their own businesses and a working economy. People had jobs, went to church, to school and joined the armed forces. To the casual observer, everything looked hunky-dory.

And then it happened.

Out of nowhere a monster appeared and in mere moments seized control of the Thirstquencher Empire. This huge creature was called the Wizard of Darkness and was composed almost entirely of Binchotite. Needless to say, the people of Thirstquencher and Allucaneet were powerless against him. Something had to be done. Some magic had to be used. A hero had to be summoned.

Because of an ancient tradition, only the princess of Allucaneet had the ability to cast the Hero Summon spell. It was a spell only to be used in the direst of circumstances. Certainly the impending reign of the evil Wizard of Darkness would constitute the appropriate incentive for the princess' magic. Thankfully, the spell worked. A two-sworded hero, with the moniker of Brave Fencer Musashi answered the call.

Using the power of his magical sword, Brave Fencer Musashi fought valiantly against the giant monster. However, in the end, the best that he could do was divide the power of the mighty Wizard of Darkness into five separate elemental creatures: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky. Each of these sinister creatures was then sealed within a crest that would contain them until the end of time.

Peace was restored to the land. Brave Fencer Musashi left after a hero's farewell ceremony. The history books would be filled with stories of his courage and skill. But it would not be long before the story of Brave Fencer Musashi and his five magical crests passed into legend. Only Musashi's glorious but forgotten blade, Lumina, the Sword of Luminescence, would remain as proof that he was ever really there.

One hundred and sixty years later, it is the present. And peace between the Kingdom of Allucaneet and the Thirstquencher Empire is once again threatened. This time, however, the threat is not from some outside force but rather the fascistic, world conquering audacity of Thirstquencher's Fuhrer Flatski. In an attempt to gain control of the fabled magical powers of the crests, Flatski has ordered the Thirstquencher Army to invade the Kingdom of Allucaneet to find the lost Lumina sword. Tension mounts. A catastrophic war seems inevitable.

In this tenuous situation this generation's young princess of Allucaneet once again summons a hero. Only this time, it is a brash young boy who heeds the cry.

Is this child really the Brave Fencer Musashi? Will he be skilled enough to stop the Thirstquencher Army and defeat the evil Wizard of Darkness once and for all? Is there really any hope for peace between the people of the Thirstquencher Empire and the Allucaneet Kingdom? And what about the elemental magic encased in the crests � can this power be used for good? But most importantly, where's the best place in town to find a cool Brave Fencer Musashi action figure?

ALL IN GOOD FUN

As you can probably surmise, the story elements in Brave Fencer Musashi are extremely light hearted. This is probably Square's most frivolous adventure yet.

Characters are voiced with over the top campiness. The Princess is a high-pitched Valley girl. Scribe Shanky, one of Allucaneet's statesmen, has a cartoon lisp that veers dangerously close to an offensive caricature of a gay man. Rootrick, one of the primary villains in the game, has a hound dog, good ol' boy twang that's sure to charm gamers in the Southern US. And then there's Musashi himself, who appears to have been voiced by one of the many cocky young boys who have had parts in Spielberg's productions.

Throughout the game, you'll also be treated to lots of sneaky and subversive in-jokes and bucket loads of zaniness. For instance, in order to find one of the hit point raising Longevity Berries, you'll have to pick up a wild Minku. How do you find these Minku? Why, you spot the pink piles of dung that they leave behind.

One of the most satisfying elements of the game is Musashi's ability to assimilate the powers of his enemies. By throwing his secondary sword, called Fusion, at his enemy, he's able to suck the life force right out of his foe. This allows Musashi to do all kinds of things like fire psychic bullets, hop over dangerous obstacles or cure himself after being poisoned.

Illustrating the humor found in the game, there are also two abilities that Musashi can assimilate that are hilarious. The first is called B.O. and this is done by assimilating one of the repulsive Vambees (half vampire/half zombie), that Musashi faces. The B.O. ability creates a glowing yellow aura (complete with buzzing flies) around our hero that will protect him from harm. No doubt.

The other power that will have you chuckling is the very cool Bowl ability. Musashi picks up this skill by assimilating the giant plants that spit huge bowling balls out of their petals. Once you pick up this tremendously useful talent, you'll be able to bust through cracked walls, a la Zelda's bombs. To show you how useful the Bowl move is though, the designers have lined up a great quickie-contest. In order to open a particular door in the Restaurant's dungeon, you'll have to bowl over 10 Vambees who have been arranged to fall in place just like a rack of pins. Intelligent and novel gameplay moments like this permeate the whole adventure.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

Brave Fencer Musashi takes place primarily in and around the Kingdom of Allucaneet and the village of Grillin'. The game spokes out in a number of directions but Grillin' is the central hub. I found it quite fascinating that the game felt huge, with lots of ground to explore but there is only one town to visit. Chalk it up to Square's exemplary design.

After a lengthy first chapter that introduces our hero, Rootrick and the Lumina sword, we are whisked into an RPG universe, filled with individual quests and requests. In addition to saving the 35 Allucaneet castle workers who have been encased in Binchotite Crystals, as well as finding all of the five crests in the game, Musashi is also often called upon to help Grillin' Village. He'll have to find the stolen church bell, rescue a lost dog, help fix the broken gondola and single-handedly put out a raging town fire.

For these acts of kindness, Musashi is rewarded with helpful items and useful clues that will ultimately aid him in bringing peace to land. Eventually, Musashi is even named an honorary Mayor of the village. And over time, just as in the new Zelda, our protagonist matures.

Keeping track of time is of major importance in Brave Fencer Musashi. Not only does the lighting in the environment change from day to night, you'll also discover that certain activities cannot be pursued until the appropriate hour. There is an in-game clock on the right corner of the screen that clicks forward at the rate of 30 seconds for every hour. Because of this constant awareness of time, Musashi is prone to becoming tired during his journey. Unlike other RPGs, however, there is really only one Inn available for Musashi to rest up at. So, in order for you to defeat Musashi's sleepiness, you must toggle over to sleep mode and let him rest.

When Musashi is sleeping time is sped up by a factor of eight. One second represents 15 minutes of adventure time. This is great if you're waiting for particular events like shops to open up or specified meetings to take place.

A CLASS ACT

Square has been extremely generous with the gameplay of Musashi. Our hero is capable of so many different real-time moves and magical powers, it will boggle your mind. Using the two blades in combination attacks against you enemies is awesome (you'll learn the combos by talking to the rescued Knights in the castle) � it's like miniature Bushido Blade action.

Of course, the standard platformer actions of running, jumping and climbing have all been handled with impeccable refinement. Every move that Musashi performs is intuitive and credible. I was particularly impressed by the use of the R1 button to defend attacks and simultaneously charge up Musashi's blades.

Once Musashi picks up the powers of the crests, get ready for some seriously cool pyrotechnic, environmental and lighting effects. Swords glow, flames shoot out, water bubbles burst, earthquakes rumble the screen � this game is incredible!

Helping Brave Fencer Musashi live and breathe is the game's beautiful presentation. The anime-styled polygonal graphics are exquisite. The characters have all been created with humorously unique, identifying features, like the farmer's huge straw hat, the doctor's head-lamp or the Mayor's regal headband. The animations of all of these characters, particularly the fancy moves of Musashi himself are wonderful. I loved being able to pick up enemies, throw them up into the air and then shish kabob them with Lumina.

The various enemy creatures in the game, although understandably simplified compared to the citizens of Allucaneet and Thirstquencher, have all been artfully rendered. The vambees, particularly the enhanced versions you'll square off against in the church, are especially creepy and onerous.

Although you have limited control of the camera in Grillin' Village, for the most part, you're at the mercy of Square's own camera placement. Thankfully, the camera tracks the action perfectly and you don't have to worry at all about abbreviated perspectives or missed opportunities. However, there are definitely a few jumps in the game that could have been easier if Square had granted complete control of the camera to the user. Ah well, bygones.

The audio work in the game is as slick and tasty as the visuals. You may find that some of the voices in the game get on your nerves after a while (you can circle button right past them if they do) but I guarantee you'll be entranced by the rich and varied musical compositions throughout the adventure. The peaceful chimes of early morning in Grillin' Village will be enough to start your day off right. Likewise, the spooky notes that score your getting lost in Meandering Forest will haunt you long after you shut the game off.

In terms of sound effects, expect plenty of explosions, slicing and clanking swords, falling rocks, gloopy water splashes, ferocious fiery roars and mandatory chirping birds. Square's audio departments have always been some of the finest in the industry. With Brave Fencer Musashi, the sounds dutifully live up to that exalted heritage.

A GRAND ADVENTURE

Despite the light hearted brushstrokes throughout Brave Fencer Musashi, this disc houses one of the richest and most satisfying videogames I've ever enjoyed. I truly believe that real time action RPGs like Brave Fencer Musashi are paving the way towards complete virtual environment immersion. We may be years away from being dropped into an interactive world and left to our own devices but you can certainly taste the possibility when you sink into a game with as much to offer as this one.

One final note. You definitely won't feel like you're being forcibly pulled along through the adventure of Brave Fencer Musashi. Because of this you may feel lost or out of control at certain points, especially when you're finding stuff before you're supposed to. Your impulse may be to pick up a strategy guide to help you through. I'd hold off if I were you. Like in other RPGs, just make sure you talk to everyone and check your own internal thoughts in the inventory screen from time to time � you'll figure it out. Be brave.

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