Ephemeral Fantasia

by Konami

Product Features

• Excellent characters
• Original gameplay
• Massive worlds
• Fast-paced battles
• One-player action

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005LIP5
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 10, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,348 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Konami made a very strange decision when it chose to release this game in the U.S. While the selection of role-playing games for the PS2 is currently limited, Konami could have selected from a number of strong RPGs it has published in Japan. Instead, the company serves up a mediocre offering in Ephemeral Fantasia, a game that's originality is negated by frustrating and difficult gameplay, making it appealing only to hard-core RPG fans.

Unlike most RPGs, you won't be controlling a warrior. Instead you follow the adventures of a bard named Mouse. Some of Mouse's occupation-related tasks include composing songs and playing rhythm games similar to Konami's Guitar Freaks. Most of the game has Mouse reliving the same day over and over (think Groundhog Day). Although he's stuck in a time loop, he retains the items and allies acquired each time he relives the day. It's an interesting twist, but the plot eventually devolves into the usual saving-the-world drivel.

The game's graphics aren't going to impress anyone--there are several PS One games that look better. Further hampering playability are several lulls in the game where you have to wait until a certain time before you can progress. This wouldn't be so bad if there were engaging side quests for you to take, but there aren't, so you're often stuck standing around town. When the action does pick up, it's often brought to a halt by extremely long load times. These frustrating aspects combined with the game's difficulty make it a poor choice for casual gamers. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Innovative combat system
• Several attempts at originality
• Cool minigames

Cons:

• Poor graphics
• Excruciating load times
• Very difficult

Product Description

The eccentric title is only the beginning of the crazy ideas that grace this German-inspired role-playing game. You play as Mouse, a poet and songwriter with a talking guitar named Pachimo. You've received an incitation to play an original song at the wedding of a princess on a distant island, and you have but five days to complete the tune. Once you arrive on the Island of Pandureu, you discover that the land has been placed under a time-loop spell that causes the same day to repeat over and over again. What's worse is that the hex has been cast by the princess' fianci, Zerphapolis. You try to defeat the evil Zerphapolis at the wedding, but you fail. Luckily, the time loop allows you to repeat the wedding day over and over again, making allies and collecting valuable items for the next time around. All of the battles take place in real time, giving the game a perfect balance of intriguing story, tough puzzles, and fast-paced action. With such original gameplay, EPHEMERAL FANTASIA is a one-of-a-kind.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Non-Linear RPG, July 17, 2001

By 

Jaimi RR McEntire "Jaimi Mcentire" (Monett, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ephemeral Fantasia (Video Game)

** Minor spoilers included in text **

In this game, you play "Mouse" (you can rename him -- I did), a thief/bard who is journeying to an island to play at the wedding of a popular ruler. But... All is not as it seems on the island. The bride is unhappy, the ruler has some secret, and there is something funny going on with time...

This game uses the same "time loop" plot device that you've seen in "Groundhog Day" and others. But here, it is a 5 days that repeat. The first "week", you are basically led by the hand to every major encounter by your beautiful, fiesty guide Rummy (the leggy redhead you see in the screenshots). After the first week, though, you are free to explore, figure things out and recruit people in whichever order you want. Didn't save whats-his-face on Day 4? Don't worry, next week he'll be alive again, and you can save him then.

Story: (8 out of 10) I won't give the main story away, but I enjoyed it. The time-loop plot device was a good twist, as you could do things differently the next week and see what happened.

Characters: (9 out of 10) I liked most of the characters, with the exception of the princess -- she seemed bored, and to complacent. Rummy and Rinna where my favorites. The characters had personalities, and for the most parts, stuck to them well. Only games I like better for characters would be Grandia 2 and Lunar 2.

Combat: (7 out of 10) Party based, like most console RPG's. This time, though, attacks are happening simultaneously, so you need to choose your options quickly. I liked the skill system, and the ability to learn skills by watching other players. Still, I would have liked for it to pause while I was choosing options.

Graphics: (6 out of 10) This is the worst part of the game. Still, they are better than PSX quality. But they could have used better lighting. The character models are good though - I especially liked Rinna and Rumi.

Enjoyability: (9 out of 10) Can't really put it into words, but I find this game very fun. Supposedly there are multiple endings, I'll try for each one. I feel I got my moneys worth on this game.

A lot of people seem to like the "guitar freaks" mini game. This is a minigame where you pluck tunes by matching colors that are scrolling up screen. Well, it wasn't my cup of tea, and to be honest I was horrible at it. But I found that it didn't really matter whether you were good at it or not. (One of my favorites: "oh, that must have been the 'progressive' style that I heard about!") So don't be put off if you can't play it. I can't, and still had fun!

Sever reviewers on the game sites seem to be bashing this game - I believe they didn't play past the first week. The first week should really be considered an intro to the events- the game really begins on week 2.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Got a bad rap, April 27, 2005

By 

H. Davidson (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Ephemeral Fantasia (Video Game)

True, I'll be the first too admit that EF has it's problems... problems that will smack you right upside the head a few times as soon as you start in fact. Example, whenever you look at a character head on, looks like they don't have a nose...okay that's not a gameplay flaw, but a graphical oddity. As to a gameplay factor, it is EXTREMELY non-linear after the first few days, so while it offers a ton of freedom to do as you please, that also means alot of chances to get lost. But still, once you getting past those inital hurdles, I think you'll found a very enjoyable story. Patience is the key in this game, and it will pay off if you can manage it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Concept For a Game..., September 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Ephemeral Fantasia (Video Game)

... Ephemeral Fantasia is an interesting and challenging game, with the time-loop concept and some really great characters in a huge setting. The main character is a young musician named Mouse who is summoned to Pandule island to perform at the Princess of Pandule Island's wedding. After he arrives, he discovers things are not as they first seemed...
Anyway, the music is wonderful (especially the battle music and when Mouse plays certain songs on his banjo), and the mini games are addicting. One mini game is finding the eggs of Death Hyokos, which can fight alongside you in battles as an extra character. But be warned, Death Hyokos can't be brought back if they fall in battle! The eggs are hidden all over Pandule Island, and searching for them can be VERY addicting. There are 100 Death Hyoko eggs in all. Another mini game is the fact you can play aquired songs anywhere on your banjo after you play the songs for the first time. Play the game to see what I mean!
The sound effects (like when Mouse hits his banjo, or other sound effects) are very good, and the game's gameplay is almost flawless as well. Ephemeral Fantasia's graphics are not top quality, unfortunately, but they serve their purpose well enough.

Here's my ratings for all of Ephemeral Fantasia's elements (out of a possible 10 points):

Graphics: 7 and a half/10
Replay Value (mini games, secrets, and such): 9/10
Gameplay: 8 and a half/10
Storyline: 8 and a half/10
Music: 9 and a half/10
Sound Effects: 8 and a half/10
Overall, I'd have to give Ephemeral Fantasia an 8 and a half.

One other thing, through, some people may grow tired of this game quickly because of the time-loop slowing down Ephemeral Fantasia's story's progress. I recommend renting this game before buying it.

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