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 eventsthe game really begins on week 2.
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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.Best Deals for Ephemeral Fantasia
Many people have steped on this game. I respect that, this game was not for them, much like some games are not for me, sports games, for instance. You will like this game if you like RPG's and fantasies and have a little patience. You will not like this game if you have a game shark and get board of games quickly. This game is not for those people. For my part, I think you should rent it and not listin to other people, see if you like it for yourself. I will leave one hint though: Without some kind of guide or gamefaqs.com, this game may take you a very, very long time to beat.Honest reviews on Ephemeral Fantasia
So that's what the guy at the store had told me when I decided I must have this game simply because it was an RPG and the cover was interesting enough. Spending [money] hasn't always been my favorite thing to do especially on PS2 games yet I must say this is probably one of the most pleasing investments I've made. The story basically is about a bard named Mouse (yeah... like those furry things with tails ^_^) who has been invited to compose and play a song at a wedding on an island. I really don't want to give any story away, but let's just say things don't go exactly as planned and Mouse ends up having to try and save the island. You can recruit up to 10 different people for your party and the graphics aren't that bad (especially for a dreamcast to ps2 conversion). The game is also in real time and certain objectives must be completed at certain times a lot like the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. There is no speaking dialogue in it, though, and the game (like all RPGs) requires patience. I gave it a 5 star because I really like it, but unless you are a hardcore RPG fan I would suggest renting it before buying just to make sure you'll like it. If you're an RPG fan, on the other hand, ...what's stopping you from trying out this newest addition Konami has produced? (..They made the Suikoden series, I think they deserve a chance on this game hands down!)Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Ephemeral Fantasia
Ephemeral Fantasia is one of the biggest games out there on the PS2. It combines all the natural elements of a great RPG, storyline, battle system, characters, music, and minigames.Right when I started this game, I knew it would be a long game. You play as a a musician, Mouse, who has been hired to play at the princess's wedding on the island of Pandule. Only when you arrive, a dark secret about the island is revealed. The game is seperated into weeks with a monday tuesday type system, with a clock as well. You have to use the clock to meet certain people at the right time or complete a certain event. Timing is EVERYTHING in this game.
The island itself is giant, with tons and tons of characters to interact with. The island has 49 different map pieces you can collect, to show you around the island. It is just huge, with about 5 towns you can visit. Try and find shortcuts. The game contains 12 characters you can recruit onto your team. It will take time, patience, and thinking to recieve each character.....
The battle system is in real time so you must choose your attacks fast to avoid being attacked yourself. There are different skills you can learn called Arts. Make your Arts grow levels and you might learn a knew attack. You can also learn different attacks from you teammates, as well as tons of magic.
I was blown away by the variety in this game. But what is a game without the proper music. Have you ever played a game with the volume on mute? Well its pretty hard to play like that. This game have the coolest music, where ever you go, battle, or outside. You can also add on replay value to the game by using your guitar, Pattimo, to play different music, that is a very fun minigame, as well as Death Hykato raising, and tons more.
But seriously, Ephemeral Fantasia is a really cool game, with endless replay value, and pure fun. I would reccomend this game to all RPG players alike, this game is definatley a must buy for the PS2
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