117) Sword of Vermilion (1990)

As the first console exclusive developed by Sega's AM2 division, Sword of Vermilion is an ambitious addition to the Genesis library. While ostensibly an action-RPG, I feel such a classification does little justice to the myriad of gameplay styles on display and sells short just how unique the experience is. Seamlessly blending the top down action found in the Zelda series along with first person dungeon crawling you'd expect to find in Wizardry, along with a dash of side scrolling style combat, the game takes some pretty big swings that, for the most part, pay off well.

We begin our story as a young man raised for the better part of 18 years in a small village called Wyclif. Blade, the man who raised us, is on his deathbed, and thus tells us the true story of our heritage. We are the lone, forgotten son of the late King Erik. King Erik had once been close friends with a man named Tsarkon, and together they sought the eight rings of good and evil in order to bring peace and balance to the land. Tsarkon, corrupted by the rings of evil, betrayed Erik, killing him for the throne and scattering the rings of good to prevent them being used. As he dies, Blade gives us the Ring of Wisdom, setting us on the path to collect the rings and vanquish evil.

As we leave the village to set off on our quest, we're introduced to a few of the different ways in which we'll play the game. While in town, we have a fairly standard top down view as we explore and talk to NPCs. While they don't always have something useful to say, it's still worth talking to everyone to get hints as to where to go or to hear the insane ramblings they sometimes go on. While few of the characters have a distinct look, it's still incredibly easy to remember them just from what they have to say. My favorite is a lonely old man who practically begs you to introduce him to nice people. This doesn't result in a quest or an option to help him, just a sad old man who feels comfortable enough pestering a stranger.

Outside of town, we have a first person dungeon crawling mode. As we progress, we'll encounter enemies, which will then take us to a separate combat section that is equal parts bare bones yet surprisingly varied in how enemies behave and what tactics work well against them. Accompanying our first person view is a window that shows the map of the area, so long as we have actually acquired the map for it. Otherwise, we get a small highlighted section for where we are, and not much else. It can be frustrating to navigate the overworld without the map, though it's almost painfully easy once you have it. We can also enter dungeons, which stick to the same format, though you'll need to have a light source in order to even see.

Boss battles, which are fairly uncommon, see yet another style of gameplay in which we get a sidescrolling view that limits us to only moving left and right. Magic, which can trivialize lesser enemies, is completely sealed off in these sections, and the gmae never bothers to explain why that is. To make up for it, the bosses have large, impressive, and imposing sprites. Unfortunately, combat in these sections is largely devoid of skill or tactics, merely moving forward to slap the enemy with our sword while hopefully dodging attacks. It's a shame that the combat for lesser enemies is more fun and engaging, and bosses seem more like minor obstacles to engage in better parts of the experience.

What impressed me the most with this title is simply how easy it was to follow and how well it telegraphed where the player is supposed to go without being overbearing with holding your hand. Generally, with older RPGs such as this, I tend to have a guide or walkthrough on hand just in case I getted stumped. Absolutely not a problem I encountered here, though I admit to consulting a guide in order to know which weapons and armor were better and what spells did. That information is glaringly missing in game, though often times you can kind of infer it. Still, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the game handles its narrative.

As someone who grew up in a strictly Nintendo only home, the classics from Sega are a regrettable blindspot in my play history. So, as someone playing the game for the first time over 35 years later with no rose tinted glasses, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed Sword of Vermilion. It's unique and charming while also remaining accessible and genuinely fun. The few downsides are notable, but don't truly detract from the game in any meaningful way. Oftentimes, I would view them with a genuine fascination, more impressed with how the team approached different problems in unconventional ways. While the game is fairly linear with little in the way of true replay value, I can honestly say that I sometimes yearn to return to this odd but truly enjoyable gem.