Radiata Stories

by Square Enix

Product Features

• Features real-time action with characters moving freely on the battle map while attacking
• New Link system allows players to determine formation for their characters
• Build up your strength on the Bolty meter, which allows players to execute special actions and super attacks
• An incredible 300 NPCs will be available, all with their own personalities -- more than 150 of them will be recruitable into your party

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009A4EUI
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches ; 5.3 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 8, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,971 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #12 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Strategy
  • #25 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Role-Playing
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

The kingdom of Radata lies in a world where humans and fairy creatures coexist. Jack is the son of the late hero and dragon slayer of Radiata. On his 16th birthday he tries to become a knight of Radiata, to test his strength and to be one step closer to his father who he admires. Ridley is the only daughter of a noble family, raised to be a knight from a young age. These two become knights of the kingdom, only to be faced with a terrible war that threatens to doom their world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tri-Ace returns to originality, September 20, 2005

By 

M. A Jenkins "southerndudeman" (Manhattan, KS) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Radiata Stories (Video Game)

I am a fan of the Tri-Ace company. Their games have often combined good storylines with excellent music, but most importantly, they have always given the gamer a little bit more. With Star Ocean 2, and even more so, Valkyrie Profile, the gamer was (gasp!) not bored to fight battles, as strategy played a key role in success. Furthermore, SO2 and VP had extensive bonus dungeons and multiple endings (SO2 had 97, if I'm not mistaken), which added to replay value. I was a bit disappointed in SO: Till the End of Time. Although the after-game bonus dungeons were incredible, there seemed to be little originality present (including an item creation system that can only be described as baffling - where was the simplicity of SO2 and VP?). I liked the game, but was left wanting more...

In the case of originality, Radiata Stories (hereby dubbed "RS") delivers. A role playing game in which active recruitment is a driving force (much like Suikoden), you play as Jack Russell, the son of a famous knight Cairn, as he attempts to follow in his father's footsteps by joining the Knights of Radiata. Throughout the game, you will make friends and enemies (there are two separate paths that you can follow!), and in all, you can recruit 177 new members of your party (although I'm not sure that all of them may be called on in a single game).

The graphics of this game are beautiful (I wish that the Suikoden series would take a page out of this game's book!), and the recruiting is quite fun. However, as is often the case with these types of games, the story takes a back seat (it is very difficult to get interested in the events around you when your focus is making friends). Much like Suikoden and VERY much like Suikoden IV, there really isn't much going on here. Recruit people to fight a war that seems ill-conceived (and ill-defined - it is difficult to understand the motivation of the combatants) until you realize that some overarching entity is the true puppet master, in which you stop the entity. Moreover, the ending (or one of the endings - I haven't played through both paths yet) can only be described by "guh?". It is difficult to understand why you are doing anything at all, other than making friends.

But in that respect, the game delivers. It is difficult to recruit all 177 friends, but much of the fun involved is trying! Each person moves through the day according to some schedule, and at times might need your assistance. It is up to you to find those times, however. I found the recruiting to be a blast, in general. Of course, there is a secret character (maybe more, I haven't found everyone) that can only be recruited after defeating an after-game dungeon.

All in all, RS is a compelling title, and worthy of the legacy of Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile. I would however have liked more attention to be paid to the story...

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finding a Balance, January 9, 2006

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Radiata Stories (Video Game)

Radiata Stories is a mission-oriented fantasy rpg set in Tottaus, a world which houses both humans, elves, dwarves and even orcs. They may all live there, but they don't always get along. Humans, the only mortal race are views with great suspicion and war is brewing once again. In the background the dragons charges with keeping the world's balance begin the moves that will once again signal the destruction of mankind.

In the midst of the disquiet, Jack Russell, the son of a famous knight, leaves home to find his on way to knighthood at castle Radiata. He will make friends and enemies as he follows quests, builds his powers, and on day has to make a fateful decision about whether he will play on the human sight or join Ridley Silverlake, a young woman who leaves the knights to take up the cause of the fairy world.

This is a critical decision. On the one hand Jack follows a path of duty and destiny, and on the other path he finds love and community. The choice is like a lightening strike in the middle of the story, as difficult a one for the player as it is for Jack. Whichever way you decide to go, the game will never be the same. For me this inserted an element of dissatisfaction in the tale, as one of the choices leaves you with disquieting doubts. And you really do have to play both to get the whole game.

Much of the game depends on Jack's efforts to befriend the people of Radiata and the surrounding lands. This will be how he creates his teams for the missions and to recruit the better characters he must recruit many of the others. Playing without a guide this is the real difficulty of the game. Some characters are easily recruited with a word or a quick battle, but others take an effort to discover what they want and how to satisfy their needs.

The battle system is real time, very much under Jack's control, with opportunities for him to learn skills from other characters. It takes a while to fully understand the system, but once you do it becomes fairly intuitive. Main story character interaction is primarily via cut scene, typical of mission game structures. This is compensated for by the need to talk to just about every other character of the game.

It is easy to understand the popularity of the game even though I much preferred one ending to the other. Despite a tremendous amount of leveling up needed, I never felt the battles were overly repetitive. Except when you're primed for battle level 70 team has to stop to demolish a couple of ants. Artwork, animation, and music are also well done. A worthwhile game, but one that needs the addition of a guide for complete enjoyment.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Parts of fate being played, October 24, 2005

By 

Samario C. Oliver (VA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Radiata Stories (Video Game)

is all part of destiny.
Pros:
-nice polished graphics
-nice voiceoveres
-addictive gameplay
-decent story
-175 friends to get, man those who love this kinda stuff, is gonna have a ball.
-Days that go by like grand theft auto
-2 diffrent paths along the way which makes playing a second time a near must
-This is a nice game by tri ace
Cons:
-If Jack dies, it's game over(It doesn't matter if the rest of your crew is 100% healthy, if you lose, game's over)
-You can only control Jack(Say like if I needed to be healed and my healer wouldn't do it until my HP was blinking red, it wouldn't be much help if I got struck before I was healed.)
-Too short(Even with collecting friends as a hobby, I completed the game in 31 hours. Really says much about the lenght of the game's story.)
-Too much is given away before events(Too much dromatic irony does get repetitive)
-Cutting ouy Nami Tamaki's opening song and Yuka Imaizumi's lyrics for the end making it a instrumental ain't cool.(I'm the kinda person who loves hearing a nice ending theme after beating the game. And I love Nami Tamaki, so taking her out sux)
Nutral:
-Jack is the only one you have to buy for(In a way it saves money, but yet if everyone else had a weapon to upgrade by buying, that be cool.)
-If you remember suikoden for all the good or bad reasons, collecting friends might be exciting or boring.
-Man I wish you could get Jack to get with any of all the other chicks than ridley(Like maybe Flau, Miranda, Iris, Lily, Natale, Alicia, and Rachel)

Radiata stories is a decent game, altho it's definitly similar to suikoden, but more addctive gameplay, but too short for me. For those who like RPGs or suikoden, should give this a try.

peace