Archaic Dreams

By: Chaze Watkins
Reviewed by: Paladin
(Since this is my first Update review I will explain how it works, the Demo #2 Updates below are all the things added to the new version of the game, and the summary stays below and is changed if needed. Just so you don't think that the I have left out the summary)


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Ok, now the demo isn't that much longer but it is well made and some small things are changed in the game. But one thing is a little disturbing, you can enter the first crystal tower without talking to any of the people you should talk to to know what to do, there should at least be something that hinders you from going on without talking to everyone. And the airship that was in the beginning is gone. The ongoing plot is better but some things are copied, like the "Ancients". But the demo goes on from the last tower visit to a dark place where you talk to a woman and get teleported away, then you have to steal the "Vampire's Tear" to be able to get across a mountain range. After the mountain range when you try to enter the Casa de Atlantica the demo is over, but what an ending. That was really profesionally made my friends. First the 3d pic of the castle, way to go! Greatly made (now I don't know if it was you Chaze but we will let the subject go :). And the ending text is great. There is a little failed effect at the ending of the game that should make the logo fly towards the user and get bigger, but it didn't really look that way. But never mind! It is a great ending anyway. And the music in the ending is great! You really did improve it, not much but it is a beginning Chaze!
But one thing to complain about! (Isn't there always? ^_^) There is a bug! A huge one, and it wants to eat up my screen! Ahhhhhhh.... No seriously there is a bug in the game, now I don't know if it is because of my RPG maker but the in game music stops after one enemy encounter, when you have beaten the enemies all of the music dissapears, so I found a little neat trick, I clicked on the no enemies option in RPG maker 95 and saved the game after every boss. And then I would load. That means that loading helps. Well this is a little setback Chaze, but I think you will come over it.
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This game is actually not as many other ones a amateur game. The graphics are for once original and the characters melt in. The story makes you confused but at the same time it makes you want to play more, I was actually pretty dissapointed when the demo ended. It was really short but at the end of it I saw a thing that was actually pretty well made, a crystal from FF5, but it was animated. Chaze Watkins knows how to use the events function. Very original, but he did put in some other FF stuff that didin't quite fit in. Like the ice cubes from FF2 (I think they exist in FF5 too). The intro story was great, it really kicked ass and I really look forward to the next version. You really felt as if you wanted to play on. The plot was on the other hand, what is the word I am seeking for... transparent. You can almost guess what is goind to happen and the transform from zero to hero isn't described so well. The only thing you see is (and this was really well made too) the boy turn into some kind of knight. The overall graphics in the game really fit in with the characters and the enviroment so you get a good feeling playing this. But you never get the airship explained and the world map isn't looping (check the looping button in the map properties window). That makes it a real world map. The sounds are somewhat good and the music is actually remarkably good, some of the music was so familiar but I couldn't place it anywhere and other music was totally unknown, except for the airship music, 'cause that's Ryu's song from SFII and some others were from FF3 and other RPG's for snes. The SFX are gone (what a dissapopintment, just when I was going to give a grade over 90!). That was a not so good, but because this game kicks ass anyway it will get a good grade anyway. But you can really see that Chaze has put a lot of time into making this game and to make it all as perfect as it can come, with a little improvement this game can really be a kick ass game like Happy Valley. So work on it and you might even make it better! I look forward to the next review. 


The Summary:
Bugs, glitches & Crashes: The bug that is called "Post-Enemy BGM bug" read about it in the update review. Sorry but a 80% it is. 80%
In game music and SFX: Better and faster and more original. I like the music in this game and it is a raze with 5 %. 90%
Character & BG Graphics: As previously mentioned the characters melt perfectly into the comic like tilesets that Chaze is using and the tilesets itself are really good and original since he isn't using the usual tilesets. But there are some things that are disturbing. 90%
Cutscenes: Actually no cutscenes. People should really use the AVI makers out there, It would create a wonderful mood. 0%. 
The in game Plot and introduction: The intro rules and is really well done, I love the appearing text thing. And the plot is playable but it could be better plus that the ending is great a raze with 3 % so a 93% here.
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Comments to the author:

It may not seem as a big raze from the last 90% but work a little more and fix the bugs and a 100% it is! 
Score of game: 92%!

- Paladin