I don’t know what it is about the play Brigadoon that appeals to me. In case you didn’t know, it is a musical about a man traveling around Ireland with his best friend, and they stumble upon a village that only appears once every 100 years. As one can guess, he falls in love with a young lady. Maybe it’s the mystical element of the story. Or maybe it’s the overwhelmingly nauseating love story. I’m not really certain. But in my mind, it sets up the stage perfectly for Cladun: This is an RPG!
Cladun initially follows a young woman by the name of Pudding and her friend Souma looking for adventure. Well, it’s more accurate to say Pudding is the adventurous one and Souma is looking to protect her from all harm. Anyway, they quickly come to small piece of land that has a door connecting many interesting locales. It is the perfect excuse for an adventure.
If this sounds like every other Nippon Ichi game, you would be correct. They play with every single role-playing game troupe known to man. A princess in cursed form, a dying girl who will eventually die from laughing too hard, two warriors who are searching for their own “ultimate” weapon and shield (respectively), and a magician who is a hairstylist. It’s hard not to laugh at all the silliness that ensues.
Gameplay is actually rather simple and, at the same time, rather complex. The simplicity lies in its hack-’n-slash gameplay. You only have to worry about one character on screen exploring the environments. The game usually requires you to kill either one particular monster or a group of monsters. Treasure chests are scattered about and release treasure when opened. Plus, your characters gain some experience after killing monsters.
Then things get complex. Each class (warrior, magician, dragoon, merchant, guardian) has its own techniques and magic circle styles. Magic circles are required in this game to get anywhere. Each circle has its own properties and boosts the center character’s power by using the other party members to protect him/her. Furthermore, the characters chosen can be placed on nodes that might double experience gained, boost attack power, defense or even HP. What is interesting is that characters who play the “lead” character become the “best” support characters (suited for the nodes), while the support characters grow into the best “heroes.” You can create your own and change anyone’s class once you reach a certain place in the story. Thus, while your ragtag party of heroes “grows” in a predetermined order, each character is completely customizable.
Graphically, the game takes its cues from the old NES games of yore. It’s pixelated and built upon little dots. Unlike the old NES games, it has a broad color palette. It doesn’t restrict itself but will mix and match colors in its own logical take. There are several areas, and they’re well-done. A basic forest with overgrown trees, grasses and puddles are scattered around the area. Lava and fires dominate a fire cave. A temple is full of stone blocks. Monsters move around rather well even though there is only a few different types. It’s neat to see which monsters live where, and each new area typically adds something new to the monster roster.
Sound wise, everything is a pleasant experience. The traditional fantasy sounds are all present. Insects buzz around, some crash through blocks, some give off a “sticky” sound of shooting out a web ... and the list goes on. Musically, Cladun is solid. The theme song could be considered baroque-inspired with its grandiose bell tones, intertwining vocals and almost over-the-top instrumentation. The town song is a drumming song mixed with guitars. And the stage selection is an Eastern-inspired adventure tune. If this sounds a bit too technological for you, you can always switch to the 8-bit sounds.
Overall, Cladun: This is an RPG! is a solid addition into any gamer’s catalog. This is a game that is meant to take only 10 minutes of your time (maybe more, if you can spare it) and let you go. It’s well-made on every solitary level, and it is another perfect example of the “retro chic” trend that has been gaining steam over the past year. For $20 of your hard-earned cash, this PSN-only download is definitely worth your time. So who’s up to searching the countryside and having some fun?
