Radiata

Any fan of the RPG genre (role playing game) knows that captivating characters and a catchy story line are some of the most important factors that make a good RPG.  That is why all of you RPG lovers should take a crack at Radiata stories.  Radiata Stories has an intriguing story line that will leave you laughing right at the beginning.  In fact, I have almost wet my pants laughing at the quirky comments and events that take place throughout the game!

You begin as a young hero who oddly enough is named Jack Russell.  Jack has a smart mouth that often gets him into trouble. He dreams of joining the legendary Radiata Knights.  Unfortunately, he is not very good and is only allowed into the Radiata Knights because his father was once a member.  The story then moves on to a much bigger picture, that you will just have to see for yourself. The main storyline does take a bit to get to, but once it does, you will be pleasantly surprised.

This game has a huge list of 177 playable characters.  If you ever played Suikoden, you will find that this game is quite similar… except that it Suikoden only has 108 playable characters.  Each character has its own schedule that changes throughout the day.  An example:  a shopkeeper may be open from noon to 4 pm.  Then he goes to the church to pray from 4 to 6.  Next he’s off to the bar for a drink, later to return home.  Then he’s off to the shop again!

Interaction with the world is quite amusing as time never stops.  You can kick almost any object, including people!  This can often lead Jack into getting beat up!  It is quite amusing.  Kicking objects also helps you find items…but that is not as fun as kicking people!  This game is free style.  You can go any where and do anything at random.  This does make it difficult to figure out the objective and to progress throughout the story.  But the free style does allow you a broader sense of playability that doesn’t let you get bored.  If you want a game that moves along quickly, then this is not the game for you.

The replay value of this game is quite high.  Once you beat the game, you can play again to get some characters you may have missed.  You also get to play with the skills and money you already have.  The best benefit is that there are two completely different endings.  The ending you get depends on what path you take during the game.  You have to play twice to see the two endings.  Who wouldn’t?  Kicking people and objects never gets old!

This game has an ESRB rating of “teen”.  So sorry kids…you can’t buy it without mommy and daddies help.  It has a teen rating because of violence, language, suggestive themes, and use of drugs and alcohol.  It is available on Playstation 2.

Radiata Stories is probably one of the most comical RPG’s I have played in a long time.  I must say that I was highly entertained throughout the entire game.  I honestly wasn’t expecting so much from it.  Overall, I give it a 9 out of 10.