Vagrant Story is a 2000 action role-playing game created and released by Square for the PlayStation. The game was later released again by Square Enix through the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita. The game was mainly developed by the team that made Final Fantasy Tactics, with Yasumi Matsuno working as the director, producer, designer, and writer.
The story takes place in the world of Ivalice, in a kingdom named Valendia and a ruined city called Leá Monde. The game follows Ashley Riot, an elite agent known as a Riskbreaker, who must go to Leá Monde to find out the connection between a cult leader and a high-ranking member of the Valendian Parliament, Duke Bardorba. In the prologue, Ashley is accused of killing the duke, and the game shows what happened one week before the murder.
Vagrant Story is special because it is a console action role-playing game that does not include shops or interactions with other players. Instead, the game focuses on creating and changing weapons, as well as solving puzzles and using strategy. The game was highly praised by gaming magazines, with some calling it one of the best games ever made.
Gameplay
Vagrant Story is a game where one player controls a character named Ashley Riot. The player views Ashley from the side, not from inside his body, as he explores a world called Leá Monde and the caves beneath it. The player can also switch to a view where they see everything around Ashley by pressing the START button or using the right controller stick. Characters and images in the game are the correct size compared to each other, and Ashley moves on a 3D map. Movement happens as it happens, and areas the player visits are saved in a map menu.
Ashley can run, jump, and push boxes to move around obstacles, which adds puzzle and platform challenges. At times, the player must solve block puzzles to continue the story. If the player returns to a completed puzzle room, a time challenge called "Evolve, or Die!!" begins. Players must reach the end of the room as quickly as possible, and their performance is ranked. This challenge is optional and can be turned off in the game menu.
In the 3D map, players can fight enemies as soon as they enter Battle Mode, which uses a combat system that can be paused, similar to a game called Parasite Eve. In Battle Mode, when the player presses the attack button, a circular grid appears around Ashley. Parts of Ashley’s body within this grid can be targeted. The battle system lets the player combine different attacks called Chain Abilities to create powerful combos and damage enemies. This is done by pressing buttons in order, making combat similar to a rhythm game. Defensive Abilities help Ashley avoid or reduce damage or prevent harmful effects. Ashley also gains Break Arts, which use his health points (HP) to deal more damage.
Magic in Vagrant Story is learned later in the game using books called Grimoires, which enemies drop. Once a Grimoire is used, its magic spell stays in the menu, and players only need to spend magic points (MP) to cast it. Magic can attack enemies, heal Ashley, cause effects like poison, or change how Ashley and enemies react to different elements. Some magic spells can target multiple enemies using a small sphere in the Battle Mode grid. Unlike physical attacks, magic spells cannot be combined.
Risk is an important part of the battle system. A Risk bar appears below the HP and MP bars, showing Risk Points the player has earned. Risk Points affect Ashley’s focus; the longer Ashley attacks an enemy, the more Risk Points he gains, which lowers his accuracy and defenses. Chain and Defensive Abilities increase Risk faster than regular attacks, while Break Arts do not add to Risk. Enemies deal more damage if the player has high Risk, but players have a better chance to land critical hits and restore more HP.
Vagrant Story’s crafting system lets players create and customize weapons and armor in special "workshop" areas. Players input details like strength and stats to build items. Weapons are divided into three types: blunt (like hammers), piercing (like arrows), and edged (like swords). Equipment is influenced by the materials used and how well it works against certain enemy types or elements. Changing one type of affinity might reduce another. Weapons and armor can be combined, merging their affinities and sometimes creating new types of weapons or armor. Different weapons have different ranges, such as crossbows having a longer range than close-range weapons like maces.
Like some other games by Square, Vagrant Story includes a "New Game+" option after completing the game. Selecting "New Game+" lets players replay the story using their final weapons, items, and stats instead of starting over. This option also gives access to a hidden level with stronger enemies and better equipment. The story remains the same, and enemy stats return to their original values.
Plot
Vagrant Story takes place in the fictional city of Leá Monde, which is located in the kingdom of Valendia. Valendia is in the middle of a civil war. Leá Monde is an old town with a history that spans more than 2,000 years. It is situated on an island surrounded by reefs, and its walls have witnessed many battles. These walls are stronger than the strongest forts in Valendia. In its best years, Leá Monde was a busy and prosperous community until an earthquake destroyed the city 25 years before the game began. This earthquake made the ground unstable and damaged the city.
The Grand Cathedral and the Temple of Kiltia are in the center of the city. This area is surrounded by the west and east districts, both of which are in relatively good condition. Nearby are the massive, fortress-like City Walls. Beneath the ground are an abandoned mineshaft and limestone quarry, the dark and maze-like "Undercity," and the shadowy Iron Maiden dungeon. The Snowfly Forest, named for the small insects called snowflies that live there, covers part of the city. Other locations include the Graylands, where the game's prologue takes place, and Valnain, the city where the Valendia Knights of Peace's headquarters is located. While Valendia and Leá Monde are fictional, the game's scenery is inspired by real-life landscapes in the southwest of France, including the city of Saint-Émilion.
The main character is Ashley Riot, a male member of the Valendia Knights of the Peace (VKP). He is searching for a cult leader named Sydney Losstarot. Sydney is the leader of the religious cult Müllenkamp, which attacked Duke Bardorba's manor to find a key and kidnapped the duke's son, Joshua. Ashley's partner is Callo Merlose, an agent of the VKP Inquisitors. Another group, the Crimson Blades, is also trying to capture Sydney. Their leader, Romeo Guildenstern, is acting without the approval of the VKP.
Ashley is a Riskbreaker, a group of soldiers in the VKP responsible for protecting the kingdom and enforcing laws. Although Callo travels with him, Ashley does not consider her a combat partner because she lacks experience in fighting. Callo is later captured by Sydney and learns about Müllenkamp's activities. Another Riskbreaker, Rosencrantz, appears during Ashley's battles in Leá Monde. He gives Ashley information about the VKP, Sydney, and the Cardinal. This causes others to question Ashley, as Riskbreakers are usually not allowed to work with others.
The Crimson Blades, who follow orders from Cardinal Batistum, are part of the Cardinal's Knights of the Cross. Their mission is to find heretics and stop cults. Romeo Guildenstern, their leader, is a deeply religious man who is not affected by the powers of Darkness. He leads a small army with his captains: Samantha, Duane, Grissom, Tieger, and Neesa.
Müllenkamp is a cult based in Leá Monde. The city suffered a disaster when an earthquake killed many people. Now, the city is filled with corpses controlled by Darkness, and it is the cult's main base. Sydney and his helper, Hardin, survive an attack by the Crimson Blades, though Hardin sometimes questions Sydney's plans.
The story of Vagrant Story, titled "The Phantom Pain," is the beginning of the "story of the wanderer." It starts in the Graylands, where Ashley and Callo are sent by the VKP to investigate Duke Bardorba's connection to Müllenkamp and the Cardinal's interest in Sydney. Ashley enters the duke's manor and sees Sydney's powers firsthand. Sydney escapes with Hardin and Joshua, leaving Ashley with a clue about their location. This event is called the "Graylands Incident."
Ashley and Callo arrive in Leá Monde. Ashley enters the city through underground wine cellars and learns about magical objects called Grimoires and the city's ability to create undead and mythical creatures. He meets Guildenstern and his lover Samantha, who explain a condition called "incomplete death" and the Cardinal's goal of achieving immortality. The Crimson Blades confront Ashley and reveal his presence to Guildenstern.
After escaping, Ashley meets Rosencrantz, who wants to join him but is refused. Rosencrantz tells Ashley about the VKP and the Parliaments' knowledge of Leá Monde's dark powers. He explains that hidden powers within people can be unlocked with the help of Darkness. During encounters with Sydney, Ashley sees visions of his past, where his wife Tia and son Marco were killed by rogues. Rosencrantz later tells Ashley that Tia and Marco were not his family but people he mistakenly killed during a mission. Ashley's guilt over their deaths was used by the VKP to make him a loyal Riskbreaker. Ashley remembers his hidden battle skills and experiences "clairvoyance," seeing the progress of the Crimson Blades, which leads him to the Grand Cathedral.
Sydney had captured Callo earlier and brought her with him. Callo learns that Hardin is unsure about Sydney's plans. She begins to develop the power of "heart-seeing," a form of telepathy, as they escape deeper into Leá Monde. With her powers, she discovers Sydney's intentions and Hardin's reasons for joining Müllenkamp and his connection to Joshua. Sydney leaves them to stop others from advancing, taunting Guildenstern and Samantha and challenging Ashley to follow him. Ashley is not interested in gaining Darkness's powers but wants to rescue Callo.
While discussing the Gran Grimoire, a powerful source of magic, Guildenstern and Samantha find ancient Kildean writings carved into the city walls. Rosencrantz reveals that the city itself is the Gran Grimoire, and its power is located at the Grand Cathedral. Guildenstern goes to the cathedral, while Rosencrantz searches for Ashley and Sydney. Finding them, Rosencrantz, confident in his immunity to Darkness, tries to force Sydney to surrender his powers. He also attacks Ashley to prove he is not a suitable candidate for Darkness's powers. Sydney refuses and kills Rosencrantz using a
Development
Yasumi Matsuno, the game's producer and director, wanted to make a new game from the beginning. He used ideas from the team's work instead of using popular characters and designs from other games. Vagrant Story combines different types of games. It has role-playing elements during battles and platform-style gameplay when moving through the world. Matsuno said the team did not want to put the game into one category. They wanted it to have its own unique style.
During the design process, Matsuno saw pictures of France, especially Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux region. A colleague who liked wine had visited there and was inspired by the town's buildings. The team was captivated by the architecture and went to France to study it. In September 1998, a group of five people, including Matsuno and key designers, was formed to create the game's setting.
The game started in January 1998 and took two years to develop. The number of workers grew from 20 to 50 during the busiest time. The story follows Ashley Riot, who was a government agent before becoming a "vagrant" involved in many incidents after events in Leá Monde. The plot was inspired by Hollywood films, European films, and Asian films. The gameplay was designed for experienced players who do not need hints or strategy guides. However, over half of the story was cut due to time and space limits. Memory problems were the biggest challenge. The team had to change the game's interface, textures, and models. They also removed some features, like AI-controlled characters.
Vagrant Story was made when most games used 3D graphics. Real-time 3D games were popular, so the team decided to follow this trend. Murata, the main programmer, worried about making a large 3D game for the first time. To avoid slow frame rates, the modeling team focused on specific parts of each character. Art director Minagawa said each character model was made with great care, even those that only appear briefly. The same models were used in cutscenes and gameplay to keep the game smooth. The sound effects were created by Minoru Akao and Tomohiro Yajima.
A demo disc of Vagrant Story was included with Seiken Densetsu: Legend of Mana in Japan. At the Square Millennium Event, videos of the game, like the opening sequence and weapon crafting system, were shown. Matsuno said a normal playthrough would take five to six hours.
In Japan, the game was released on February 10, 2000. In North America, it was part of Square's "Summer of Adventure" from May to September 2000. The game came with two discs: one for the main game and another with a demo of seven titles. In Canada, the game was delayed because it needed French and English instructions. The European version
Reception
In May 2000, Vagrant Story was the fifth most popular PlayStation game of the month. It sold 100,000 copies in the first 20 days after its release, even though it competed with other Square games like Final Fantasy IX and Chrono Cross.
Vagrant Story was the third of 30 games made so far and the only PlayStation game to receive a perfect score of 40 from Famitsu magazine. Review websites said the game received "universal acclaim," and it was ranked as the 15th best PlayStation game. Websites like IGN and GameSpot praised its story, gameplay, and graphics. IGN called the story "deep and intuitive," and said the battle system added "strategy and balance." The game’s graphics were different from other Square games of that time. Backgrounds and character expressions were detailed, and the sound effects were described as "well done and impressive," helping create a believable world.
However, the battle system was too complex for new players, and even experienced players needed "thorough knowledge" of weapon customization. IGN noted that some enemy encounters were harder than boss battles. 1UP.com said the inventory was too small for the many customization options, which made some boss battles difficult because players needed specific weapons.
Eric Bratcher from Next Generation gave the game four stars out of five, praising its story, graphics, and combat system.
Alexander O. Smith translated the English version of Vagrant Story, using old-fashioned English instead of the simple Japanese version. His work was called "unusual and never done before" by IGN, even though there were some small mistakes. Vagrant Story won "Best PlayStation Game" at the E3 2000 IGN Awards and was nominated for "Console Action/Adventure" at the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. It was also a runner-up for GameSpot’s "Best Game Story," "Best Role-Playing Game," and "Best Graphics, Artistic" awards.
Three years after its 2000 release, Vagrant Story was added to Sony’s "Greatest Hits" collection, which sold games at lower prices. It is also part of Square Enix’s "Ultimate Hits" budget range. The game was later available on the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 through online stores in Japan, Europe, and North America.
The 2006 game Final Fantasy XII includes references to Vagrant Story, such as terms like Riskbreaker, Leámonde, and Kildea. According to an interview with a French gaming magazine, Yasumi Matsuno, the creator of the Ivalice world, said that Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy XII take place in the same world. However, Matsuno added that Vagrant Story was not originally planned to be part of the Ivalice universe. He also said that Final Fantasy Tactics’ story elements in Vagrant Story were meant to connect to Ivalice as a way to please fans. Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood (2017) included more references, such as alternate versions of Valnain and Leá Monde. A later story, Shadowbringers, used ideas from an unused sequel.
Vagrant Story became very popular outside Japan eight years after its release. In 2007, Akitoshi Kawazu, an executive producer, said that Final Fantasy Tactics might be remade for the PlayStation Portable, but it would be hard because the original game pushed the PlayStation’s limits. He also said it would be difficult to include Vagrant Story’s character Ashley Riot in other Ivalice games because not much was known about her in Vagrant Story.