Yakusoku no Chi: Riviera Even though the North American version was recently released, I purposely purchased the Japanese version to brush up on my Japanese reading skills. I had read quite a bit about the game and viewed the trailer that was set out for E3. Everything about it was amazing to me, so I risked $60 in buying the game. Let me be the one to tell you, Yakusoku no Chi is worth every penny.
Riviera has to be one of, if not THE, most beautiful game for the GBA not only in terms of graphics, but in audio. The voices are amazingly well-suited to their character counterparts. The anime-styled character art is, in my very humble opinion, absolutely jaw dropping as is the scenery. Probably nothing, however, stands out more than the mesmerizing soundtrack. The music is crisp, clear, and really sets the mood depending on what your doing. The boss songs are energy-driven make you jump up and down in place while slaying the evil demons that infest Riviera, and the laid back "fun" music makes you smile and expect a comedic performance from Ecthel and crew.
The story is unlike any I've heard. Instead of your typical human hero or the ever popular demon hero you play as Ecthel, an angel.
The gods, during a fierce war with the demons (basically the Armageddon), unleashed a secret weapon in order to turn the tide of the war in their favor...the Death Bring Angelixes. These warrior angels served the gods faithfully and gave them the momentum they needed to gain the upper hand and seal the rebellious demons away. 1,000 years later, Ecthel and his partner Ledah (both are Death Bring Angelixes)
are told to destroy the land of Riviera for it is becoming another "land of demons" as seen during the historic battle. One thing leads to another and Ecthel seemingly finds himself with the fate of Riviera in his hands.
Hands down, Riviera is a blessing for those who enjoy RPGs. For those who don't I wouldn't be surprised if Rivera was the game to change their minds on the RPG genre...that's how good it is.
