Sq.’s (now Sq. Enix) Tremendous Famicom RPG Stay A Stay in practically 30 years since launch, it has by no means acquired an official English translation till now! Not solely is it now obtainable for everybody, nevertheless it’s additionally the fortunate recipient of the HD-2D therapy. Over time, I’ve performed all types of SNES-era RPGs, but I by no means actually knew about Stay A Stay. It’s time to make up for misplaced time and stay Stay A Stay.
Stay A Stay isn’t a standard Sq. sport. It’s introduced as extra of an anthology with some interconnecting components. You’re initially given a selection from seven chapters representing a special essential character and time interval. The story for every chapter is completely different from the others, and utilises completely different sport types to replicate the story being advised.
For instance, there’s a stealth chapter, sneaking by way of the enemy’s stronghold with out being seen and killing enemies. There’s additionally a prehistoric period chapter, the place there isn’t a textual content dialogue, simply grunts and photos. The grasp who needs to search out and prepare his successor or the fighter who learns new strikes from having them used on them. Whereas on their very own there’s little to attach them, Sq. manages to convey all of it collectively in a neat method.
Stay A Stay’s chapters solely take just a few hours, however with seven essential chapters it provides up rapidly. Since you’re enjoying as completely different characters every chapter, you’re additionally ranging from scratch each time. At the least with the other ways the chapters are performed, each time isn’t simply grinding out ranges for a heap of fights. It’s basically all thriller, no filler as every chapter tells its story and will get out. Some can wrap up a lot quicker, relying on how briskly you’ll be able to work out the puzzle components.
No chapter feels fairly just like the others, but in all of them, you’ll utilise the turn-based grid system for fight. Some have much more fight than others, some hold you at a set degree, and a few you’ll should do some degree grinding. Even when there are ranges to be gained it’s by no means fairly the identical method. One chapter has you educating a pupil strikes, one other has you studying strikes from having them used on you. There’s the extra conventional fight and levelling in a extra condensed kind, however even then the Prehistory chapter manages to make it stand out in a surprisingly crude but humourous method.
Every chapter forces you to get used to completely different transfer units quick, as you have got restricted time to work out how every transfer/skill maps out onto the grid. Some strikes solely work up shut, placing you vulnerable to melee assaults. Ranged strikes can do extra harm, however have rather more restricted spots on the grid to make use of them. Every motion you make additionally will increase your enemies’ meter in direction of their subsequent assault. Take too lengthy shifting into place and also you give your enemy the opening to knock you out. At the least between fights Stay A Stay places you again at full well being; there aren’t any MP meters to handle for spells. It’s a streamlined system for chapters the place you don’t need to drag out the enjoying time having to maintain everybody healed.
Should you get caught or simply need to check out the completely different sport types, you’ll be able to swap out at any time to a different chapter. They by no means really feel fairly that lengthy that you just wouldn’t need to see the chapter out, however it’s a good choice to have if you happen to aren’t clicking with a chapter or having bother progressing. Going with the anthology with such completely different approaches does hold the sport recent, nevertheless it dangers placing folks off if the opposite chapters aren’t as satisfying. Some did really feel extra like I used to be simply finishing them so I might get to the final chapter.
Whereas it’s a novel method to have an RPG with a number of tales and play types like Stay A Stay, it appears like a product of its time. For instance, an added map/radar helps direct you to the subsequent goal. It’s simple to take this with no consideration because it leads you round, not realizing the place to go subsequent till you comply with the marker to set off the subsequent scene. This stood out within the Prehistory chapter and The Far Future chapters most. Each have you ever working round following the target icon as a result of it’s not all the time clear what must occur subsequent. I do get that the sport is sort of 30 years outdated now, and Stay A Stay was hardly the one sport to lack steering on the place you should poke round. It’s a wonderful addition to make the sport just a little extra user-friendly, and if you happen to don’t need the help, you’ll be able to flip it off at any time.
SquareEnix is absolutely making probably the most out of the HD-2D visible fashion, and who can blame them when it really works? This time, there aren’t any smudgy visuals, just a few good 3D environments and top-notch sprite work. It’s a disgrace there isn’t an possibility to modify between the unique visuals and the brand new, simply to focus on how they’ve managed to replace. On high of visuals, the sound has been given an improve too. It makes the sport a pleasure to take heed to and take a look at. There’s additionally voice performing all through, which you’ll have in Japanese or English – each of them sound fantastic.
It’s nice {that a} wider viewers now has the chance to play Stay A Stay, with the added bonus of getting the HD-2D improve within the course of. Its novel anthology presentation received’t be for everybody, fortunately, an added map/radar reduces some old-school frustrations. SquareEnix made the precise transfer respiration new life into Stay A Stay.
Ranking: 4/5
