Breath of Fire
Graphics
I happen to like Breath of Fire's graphics quite a lot. For the most part, they look very much like other RPG's on the Super Nintendo. I guess I should say right in the beginning that if yevou don't like traditional RPG's or 2D graphics in general, this game is probably not for you.
As you're exploring, you see everything from the traditional overhead view. This applies to towns, dungeons, and even the overworld map. There are some notable exceptions, but the graphics are also generally bright and colorful, particularly the towns and battles. These battles look a little different than the standard RPG. The view is allows you to see more depth than in most games. Rather than have you characters on the far right and enemies on the far left, like in the Final Fantasy series, this game shows your characters and enemies on angle. This allows for higher detail in both enemies and your characters. After you kill a certain kind of enemy, every time you encounter an enemy, you will see a bar that represents their HP. This is a good way to know how you're doing in a battle, and a good way to estimate how long a battle will take with your current method of attacking.
Gameplay
The gameplay is also like the typical RPG of the time, and like many RPG's of today. You move from area to area as the story progresses, gaining levels and getting better equipment along the way. You meet different characters and come across varying obstacles and story situations as you progress.
One thing that's notable about this game is that it shifts between day and night as time passes. This isn't just an irrelevant detail thrown in, though. Even early in the game, these sequences of light and dark are worth paying attention to in order to get through certain areas. While I think something similar was done with one or two of the Dragon Warrior games, I did like the way it was implemented in this game very much. It's not often that you see something like that in games made so many years ago.
For most gamers, this one won't be much of a challenge to get through. Of course, there will be some difficult fights or puzzles that may confuse you, but very few people will have much trouble reaching the end. This can be both good and bad depending on how you look at it. On one hand, the game can get a little dull without a serious challenge. You won't really need that much strategy to get through it. But on the other hand, you won't get frustrated because of battles that are too difficult or unfairly balanced against the player.
Story
The story really isn't that complicated, or well translated for that matter, but I enjoyed much of it. It involves Dragons, Winged Creatures, and other fantasy themed characters and places. I prefer this to games that feature technology-themed worlds, for example. There are some interesting plot twists and events, but there probably could have been more. Unfortunately, the majority of the stories in RPG's of the time seem a little simplistic at times, especially after playing some more modern titles. If nothing else, I think the stories in these games actually have improved a lot over the years. So, if you have an open mind and aren't expecting an incredible amount of detail, you should be able to still like this game's story and characters.
Music
Well, I did like the game's music. In an RPG, especially one on an older system, the sound can really add a lot to a game. This one really doesn't disappoint, though it really doesn't compare to the amazing music found in games such as FF3(6j). Unfortunately, I haven't played this one in a little while, so I can't really recall the names of any of the songs I found to be exceptional.
Conclusion
This was a really enjoyable game, pretty much tied with BOF2 as far as fun goes. It is my belief that the first two games in the series are far superior to BOF3 and BOF4. If you've played the newer games in the series and enjoyed them even a little, I strongly suggest you check out this game and it's sequel. While the graphics may not appeal to you as much as in those games, I feel the games are simply more interesting and better to play.
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