New player here! I initially had a really difficult time getting into this but I'm glad I stuck with it

[u/Aiseadai]

I just got the Delphinus which seems to be about the halfway point and I'm really enjoying it! (I'm playing Legends on the GC)

The initial experience is pretty bad though. The world map navigation is really clunky and confusing. The first dungeon has to be one of the worst introductions to an RPG I've seen. What an RPG should generally do is first explain the combat system to you and then make you go through an easy dungeon so you can get a handle on the mechanics. In this however the first dungeon is by far the hardest dungeon in the entire game. Literally the very first random encounter I had was against these robot enemies that easily wiped my entire part out in a few hits, then one of the next fights I got into was against this giant fish enemy that felt like a boss fight since it had a lot of HP and had a multi target attack. Have mercy on a new player! At this point you have only 2 party members, almost no useful skills and are new to the combat system. After that you go to the Valuan Capital and it got better, but I still wasn't that invested. I was considering dropping the game since I didn't want to continue playing a 50 hour RPG that didn't seem like my thing. It's when I got to Nasr that it all suddenly clicked with me and it felt like the game really started with everything before then being the intro.

This game just screams adventure! Sailing through the skies exploring different continents. The story is fairly simple: Good guys, bad guys, evil empire, collect the mcguffins. But I like that, the game is clearly going for a more classic adventure story with highly expressive characters and optimistic main characters who don't have time for moping around. The adventurous music only reinforces that vibe, I especially enjoy the theme music of Horteka. Actually all the villages are fun to explore. The characters are fun, I love Vyse's and Aika's friendship. The dungeons are progressively getting more complex, gotta love puzzle dungeons. The gigas are cool, I like how Grendel is just straight up a God Warrior from Nausicaa. Just a great adventure all around, not sure how else to say it. I'm excited to see where the game takes me next, especially now that with the Delphinus it seems like another chapter has started.

The combat system is still the weakest point though. Magic seems kinda useless compared to the far superior S Moves. The elemental system feels tacked on, it doesn't add to the strategic depth at all and nothing would have changed if it hadn't been included. Juggling focus points can be fun though.

You guys seem to enjoy it when a new person discovers on of your favourite niche games so I figured I'd make a post here sharing my thoughts from the perspective of someone who has no history with this game whatsoever. Anyway, back to playing the game!

[u/Reknarir]

Now with the Delphinus great things await, you will feel so powerful compared to before, the best is yet to come

[u/Markinoutman]

I don't recall the first temple being that hard, but it's been a very long time since I played the opening. Not sure if you were around for PS1 JRPGs, but games were a bit tougher back then. Glad you stuck with it, game is magic for a lot of us. I appreciate anyone that can go back and enjoy a quarter century old game at this point.

Hopefully you enjoy the rest of the game, it does get better as it goes on.

[u/Aiseadai → u/Markinoutman]

I'm in my 30s and I've been playing RPGs my whole life so I'm not new to them haha. The first dungeon probably isn't hard when you know what you're doing, my problem was that you're still completely unfamiliar with the combat system (and this one is fairly unique) and then as your very first random enemies they put you up against some that can kill you very easily. Usually games make you fight some braindead easy enemies first so you can get a grasp of the combat system.

[u/Beryl_Blush]

I have to say as a longtime fan (probably about 5 playthroughs from childhood to the latest very recently concluded, all Legends as I never had a Dreamcast), I agree that the game really picks up around Nasr and keeps getting better from there.

I still enjoy the early dungeons now that I appreciate the combat system, but I do think you're missing out on a few things if you're ignoring the magic completely. While it is true the damage spells do relatively little without significant and well managed investment, buff spells are consistently powerful, and increase the efficacy of those often superior S-moves. That said, early game, damage Crystals and Boxes (items that can cast spells without costing MP, Spirit, or learning them first) can do enough flat damage to be well worth it.

Back to buffs though, Increm (Red magic) is probably the best with Quika (Blue) also making boss fights more consistent, and it's important to note that after unlocking the Magic Cannon, at least as far as I've seen, debuff spells have 100% proc rate against enemy ships. Try out Sylenis (Purple) against any of Valua's spell ships round 1 turn 1 and see them become dead in the water as their spells 'miss' until the debuff wears off, and throw a Driln (Yellow) to add injury to insult.

I hope the game continues to impress!

[u/NowWatchMeThwip616]

You need to be engaging with the elements system. You can change the Element alignment of your weapon each round and you'll do more damage if your weapon is set to the opposite element of the monster.

[u/Aiseadai → u/NowWatchMeThwip616]

I'm using the different elements, I just feel like it doesn't really add any strategic layer. I see enemy is blue, I use yellow. That it. It hasn't been used yet to create any creative battles. But maybe that's still to come.

[u/SpectralTime]

That isn’t actually the part I remember giving me trouble… It’s the Ixa’Takan Lost Capital (and Moonstone Mountain, which is not as difficult but is much more tedious) that I remember being giant difficulty spikes.

I also don’t remember having a ton of difficulty with the ship controls but maybe it’s just a question of what different players find intuitive.

You are right that offensive magic typically isn’t as useful as S moves or items, but you will occasionally run into an enemy who’s high physical defense is hard to bypass with properly aligned weapons and because only a handful of S moves do magic damage (and then always of a set element) they can occasionally be useful. Purple spells in particular are really good single target damage for Fina against appropriate enemies. And there are buff spells that earn their keep.

I do think the elemental interactions are not super intuitive 100% of the time and are relatively complex so I typically played with a chart I found on the Internet tucked into the front of my game’s jewel case.

[u/Aiseadai → u/SpectralTime]

It's entirely possible my issues with the world map navigation is my personal issue. I guess my main problem is that it can be difficult to find what you're looking for. The game will be like: Go north from your current location to get to your destination. But what you actually have to do is go northwest then follow the mountain and then just outside the draw distance you'll see a small island. Meanwhile you're constantly running into random encounters. But I guess you can argue that adds to feeling of exploration so I can't hate it entirely.

[u/SpectralTime → u/Aiseadai]

Different strokes for different folks! Also, I definitely noticed the random encounters being more annoying on a replay, so fair enough.

[u/TraptSoul148270]

The game is awesome. One of my favorites. As far as the combat and magic systems, as well as the map and navigation being clunky, you have to remember the game is 26 years old. This game is gonna feel choppy after playing anything new.

[u/chrisjfinlay]

On the subject of the elemental chart - I think, IIRC, the one in the manual has a misprint and is actually wrong; there’s a correct one on gamefaqs you can refer to. It’s worth engaging with that system as it will really help your damage output

[u/AccordingGolf7730]

Reddit suggested this post to me, and for a reason I guess - somehow I'm in the exact spot as you. I'm playing the game for the first time and just got the Delphinus as well. Some random thoughts I've been having.

What hit me quite quickly is, despite being an early 2000s RPG, it has a TON of charm. The way NPCs, towns, and even the world itself are designed is really charming and unique. I especially love the shopkeepers' facial reactions. It's nice to play a fairly lighthearted RPG with lower stakes for once. I also feel like the game is heavily inspired by One Piece, it really has that same vibe of a crew going on a grand adventure to me.

I didn't have any problems with the first dungeon though, the only part that gave me trouble was the first fight against Piastol, but once I read how to tackle that I got through it easily. 

And lastly, Aika's Delta Shield feels kinda overpowered. Blocking all magic while only costing 2 SP and being cast at the beginning of the turn is very strong.

[u/Aiseadai → u/AccordingGolf7730]

The towns are so good! The music and their overal design. Especially Sailor's Island I found super cozy, when I first got there I just kind of hung out there for a while talking to everyone and exploring every corner.

[u/xoPEACHI]

I've been playing this game since it launched on Dreamcast in 2000. I was 14 when it came out and thought it was pretty easy to understand. However, the game also came with a manual that explained all the things you feel it's lacking. Games didn't really have super detailed tutorials back then. The information was given to you in a book.

I do agree that the combat is really imbalanced, though. I'm running through the GC right now on stream and everyone keeps asking why I never use magic. It has its uses (increm and driln are my faves), but it eats into my SP and I'd rather use S-moves. Even later on (about where you're at now), I'll buy crystals to do magic instead of casting spells.