Review
Release Date: 12.12.2001
Platform:
Game Boy AdvanceDeveloper:
Capcom Co., Ltd.Publisher:
Capcom USA, Inc.Reviewed by
Christian Kontul on 4.28.2003
| Review Rating: 5/10 | User Rating: 7.18/10 |
Since its inception, the Breath of Fire series has played second fiddle to other (oftentimes superior) RPGs. The games never do anything exceptionally good or different to distinguish themselves as better than above-average titles. Nevertheless, Capcom refuses to give up on the series, and, as a result, have ported the first Breath of Fire to the Game Boy Advance.
SquareSoft was the first to release Breath of Fire on the Super Nintendo in 1993. Under the circumstances, BoF was a welcome addition to the system's library. Remember, at the time, North America was lucky to get a couple RPGs a year. The isometric battle system and action-oriented exploration were unique enough for people to forget about BoF's shortcomings; namely, a generic plot, bland characters, and a wretched translation. To this day, some gamers will speak kindly of Breath of Fire with a nostalgic glint in their eyes. Unfortunately, people who give BoF a spin on the GBA won’t be as positive ten years down the road.
Typical of Capcom, little to nothing has been changed during the move. With the exception of a feature that lets people exchange items over the GBA’s link cable (worthless!), Breath of Fire looks, sounds, and plays the same. Even the dialogue, which is filled with awkward wording and grammatical errors, remains untouched. Part of this may stem from the fact that the game doesn’t have much of a story. Breath of Fire follows the exploits of a young member of the Light Dragon Clan named Ryu. He is forced to leave his home to become a hero, as the Dark Dragons are intent upon reviving Tyr, a goddess of destruction who has lied dormant for thousands of years. There are a few predictable twists along the way, but, for the most part, BoF has Ryu and his companions traveling across the world, performing fetch quests and righting matters in troubled territories. As dull as the plot is, the characters are much worse. Every party member lacks any semblance of a personality; their only distinguishing features are physical appearances. The villains are a disgrace, with only one pitiful attempt at development signing in. Even though the Dark Dragons are supposed to present some terrible threat, they rarely even show up to intimidate.
If Capcom would have decided to port a game like this to the PlayStation or any other console, there’s no way it would fly. However, since Breath of Fire is coming out on a handheld, a format with only a small (yet growing) library of RPGs, it’s a little easier to swallow. Why? Well, despite an inept attempt at storytelling, BoF doesn’t play all that bad. Battles are simple and turn-based, but they have a few unique features that make them a little more fun. The main character can transform into several different dragons that up his power, defense, and resistance to adverse statuses significantly. Another party member, Karn, learns how to combine with other people, ala Dragon Ball Z, to form amalgamations with different characteristics. Outside of fights, the heroes each have exclusive abilities that spice up the overworld and dungeons; Ryu can fish, Bow can hunt, Karn can detect traps and unlock doors, etc., etc. Taking advantage of each function to find various hidden talents and items adds a much-needed layer of depth to an RPG that struggles for substance.
Because, in the end, Breath of Fire isn’t a terribly engrossing game. The developers have implemented some creative ideas, but they don’t capitalize on their potential. Battles are random and turn up frequently, but you’re not going to need Ryu to turn into a vicious wyrm a lot. In addition, later dragon forms are way too powerful and end up making challenging boss confrontations an absolute cakewalk. The action elements are cool, but would be better used as solutions to puzzles instead of obvious events in marked locations. The game's mechanics are intriguing, but end up being more disappointing than anything.
The graphics follow the precedent set by the rest of Breath of Fire; they’re not terrible, but they’re not stunning. Sprites aren’t detailed, nor do they animate particularly well, but they’re recognizable and attractive in their own way. Capcom has thrown in all the cliché environments, like deserts, caves, and crypts, and their representations are adequate, if a bit overused. Fights look moderately better, with a ¾ perspective that presents larger characters and monsters. Some of the major enemies have neat looking models, but that’s about it; no sense-pounding spell effects, no eye-opening cutscenes.
The music fares slightly better than the rest of the game and is probably Breath of Fire’s best single aspect. There aren’t many songs, and what’s here is reused a lot, but some of the town themes are downright catchy. You’ll be humming them in your head for a while after switching off the Game Boy. The quality is just as high as it was on the Super Nintendo, too. Sound effects are inconsequential; it’s not that they’re nonexistent, but none of the thuds of battle really stand out.
Breath of Fire for the Game Boy Advance could have been something special had Capcom invested some more effort into the project. The creators have laid the foundation for a great game, but a lot of their ideas have been wasted. As it stands, BoF is nothing more than an average RPG that might satisfy people who enjoy Nintendo’s portable and have already consumed the rest of the GBA’s small but quality line-up of role-playing titles.
