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Dreamcast RPG of the Year
Skies of Arcadia RPG of the Year

Skies of Arcadia is clearly the Best RPG of the Year for the Dreamcast. In fact, it can easily be called the best RPG yet to grace the system, and should hold that title for quite some time. Every aspect of the game is lovingly crafted, it offers up just enough challenge to keep everyone happy, and it blends classic RPG conventions with a creative new setting to yield a refreshing yet familiar experience.

In Skies of Arcadia, players take control of Vyse the Air Pirate in a world of 1800s technology, and open air. Floating islands and continents in an endless sky comprise Arcadia's world. This allows for truly 3D explanation, and a visually stunning setting. This bizarre world is home to many secrets, a gripping story, and of course, wonderful gameplay.

The end of this year teemed over with games whose characters were designed to convey as much emotion as possible. Shenmue used almost photo realistic graphics to attain this, while Final Fantasy IX went the route of caricature. Arcadia's characters, while relatively simple in design, convey more emotion than those in any other RPG ever created. Not only does the dialog rival Working Designs and Game Arts in terms of liveliness, the characters' body language and even facial features give conversations that extra boost.

Not only is it gripping, it's also fun. Battles use a unique resource management system creating the need for a new kind of strategy. Dungeons are very creatively laid out and beautiful, resembling those from the most recent Zelda titles. The world is packed full of things to discover and charming NPCs. Simply put, Skies of Arcadia is an unblemished gem of a game, undeniably deserving it's title as Dreamcast RPG of the Year.


  · Skies of Arcadia
  · Review Page

  · Grandia II
  · Review Page

  · Shenmue
  · Review Page

  · Time Stalkers
  · Review Page

 
Runner-Ups
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Grandia II Shenmue Time Stalkers
 
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