The Legend of Legacy (Nintendo 3DS) Review

One of the first things most will notice about The Legend of Legacy is how similar it is in a few aspects (but mostly visually) to Bravely Default. The character models and painted-looking environments are strikingly similar. Legacy, however, employs a field-of-view system where objects that enter the characters’ field of vision will leap out of the ground like a pop-up book and shrink back down when they get too far away. It’s an eye-catching visual system and works wonders with the 3DS’ 3D functionality. The music is beautiful, floating gracefully and speeding up to reflect battles, which are turn-based, but don’t follow the formula of most RPGs. Characters have no overall level, and instead skills are levelled up based on use. If a character doesn’t participate or use particular skills, those skills don’t level up. There are also no consumable items required for healing or revival; the entire party heals after every battle (although fainted characters will revive with their total HP docked a few points until a visit to the inn resets all stats).

Hardcore RPG fans will probably love this system, but almost everyone else is going to be frustrated. It makes for a lot of grinding – wandering the same area over and over, looking for random enemies to fight in hopes of finally becoming strong enough to face the area’s boss. Some random battles (which are engaged by touching dark figures on the map) are normal, others are mobs of enemies or mini-bosses, and it’s a good thing the game features a quicksave option, since some of these are inescapable and could easily lead to a lot of lost progress. On the story side of things, players choose one of seven characters and are assigned two others at the start, but will quickly find other members they can swap out at the inn. StreetPass functionality comes in the form of trading ships that can be sent between players, carrying goodies to help the main party, each of whom has come to the mysterious continent of Avalon for different reasons, and ends up caught in a battle between various elementals. It relies too heavily on archetypes (like the gruff bounty hunter or the girl with amnesia) but it’s a solid enough foundation to carry anyone willing to stick with the adventure.