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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Vagrant Story
Universal acclaim
Based on 19 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 33 votes
Read user comments
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Game Info
Publisher: Square Electronic Arts
Developer: SquareSoft
Genre(s): Role-Playing Game
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Release Date: May 16, 2000
Summary
Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central Game Revolution GamePro GameSpot Happy Puppy IGN
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Gaming Maxx
From the second you put this game in; you will not want to stop playing. It might consume your life until you finish it, or until you get stuck that you can't deal with the stress anymore.
Read Full Review >GamePro
It's large, it's intense, it's huge, and it looks and sounds great. Vagrant Story is a true classic action/RPG in every sense that will hook you in from the start and never let go.
Read Full Review >IGN
Simply put, Vagrant Story is a true work of art and is one of the most cinematic experiences you'll find on PlayStation. It's not only one of this year's best games -- it's one of the greatest of all-time.
Read Full Review >Game Fan
Vagrant Story is that PlayStation title, the one all gamers have been waiting for, and one that's caused me to lose sleep, eat poorly (back to Chicken In A Bisket for me!) and shower on an irregular basis...all in the pursuit of gaming enlightenment.
GameSpot
A melange of the action, adventure and RPG genres, Square has truly beaten all odds and produced an engaging, seamless epic unlike any other. Despite a few interface and complexity issues, Vagrant Story is a rare and nearly perfected game.
Read Full Review >PSX Nation
A higher recommendation than "Vagrant Story" we can only give to "Chrono Cross", but coming second behind that masterpiece is like being the second child of a wealthy family: your older brother/sister will likely inherit the business, but you're guaranteed a sweet and cushy life.
Read Full Review >Antagonist
The videogame equivalent of a stained-glass window. Beautiful in composition, masterful in design, inspiring, magical, and yet sometimes distant and cold. It's a wonderful game, but it's hard to love.
Gamezilla!
If I wasn't afraid of the weight of the statement, I would definitely call this the greatest game ever made. Instead, I'll just say it's quite possibly and probably the greatest.
Read Full Review >Electronic Gaming Monthly
A strategy role-playing game where the timing and placement of attacks means everything. [Jan 2004, p.189]
Game Revolution
After all, it's still just the gunblade attack wearing a new dress. But what a pretty dress it is - curvy customizations, tight chain attacks, and sparkly exploration. Despite its somewhat limited action elements, VS presents a unique RPG with terrific storytelling.
Read Full Review >Gaming Age
Besides the sometimes crazy amount of time spent in inventory management, and the distinct lack of non-player characters to interact with and real towns, Vagrant Story is a Top Notch, Grade A, Action RPG.
Read Full Review >All Game Guide
There's plenty of exploration and discovery here along with large and nasty looking boss creatures, and it caters nicely to the explorers out there.
Read Full Review >GameCritics
Just about perfect for what it is: an old-fashioned, action RPG with loads of gameplay, a strong narrative and unparalleled presentation.
Read Full Review >CNET Gamecenter
It can get a little too technical and difficult at times, but the various systems in the game, such as Break Arts, chaining attacks, and the weapon creation system, are simply revolutionary for an RPG.
Hot Games
A great medieval romp that plays just like the espionage thrillers "Syphon Filther 2" or "Metal Gear Solid." It's a welcome reprieve from traditional role playing games like "Secret of Mana."
Read Full Review >CheckOut
Despite all the disparate elements crammed into it, they all manage to complement each other and function as if Square has been secretly planning and polishing this gem for years now.
Daily Radar
With its gorgeous graphics, brilliant storyline and perhaps the best combat interface ever designed, Vagrant Story is one of the greatest dungeon crawls ever to be unleashed on the gaming public.
Happy Puppy
Vagrant Story is, quite simply, a shard of excellence in terms of gameplay, emotion, storytelling, and cinematography.
Read Full Review >Spank!
Due to the initial difficulty and a slight repetitiveness on part of the gameplay, it will make you wonder what the fuss is about, but once you do get in and begin to understand the level of customisation the game allows, it'll have you hooked.
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 33 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
R. V. gave it a9:
Some people my not like it, but you can´t deny it is oe of the best games ever! the plot, storyline and mistery to be solved is all just amazingly addictive.
Chris P. gave it a9:
What a brilliant game. The combat mechanics can be a bit clunky at times (basically, you have to hold down L1 at all times when you are fighting so the combat menu popups whenever your turn is allowed), but the story, music, and art design more than compensate. The dialogue, blocking, and story pacing are all near perfect, and the ending is one of the best in videogame history. The accomplishments, bonus dungeon, and extra bosses can also prolong the otherwise 20 hour game if you want more to do.
Mithyus gave it a10:
The one game you'll be crying for a sequel for the rest of your life.
[Anonymous] gave it a9:
Original and outstanding. Try it. I had any real complaints about this game.
Isaac gave it a10:
Greatest game ever. not nearly long enough.
Justin F. gave it a10:
Vagrant Story is to me and a few of my friends, one of the best games ever! However I hope if a sequel is made it stays true to the story and the battle system. Continue the story where it left off, use the new better graphics available, but change nothing else. I still have nightmares about the difference between the system in Chrono Trigger, and the one in Chrono Cross.
Vid M. gave it a 1:
Yuck...This game is ridiculously poor. I can't believe how hyped it is. The game is a dismal attempt at fast-paced, heavily stylized, comic-book fashion RPG. The developers had a worthy ambition, but a piss-poor execution of that ambition. The graphics are the only thing about this game that are not total crap. The battle engine is tedious and simplistic. The "world" (or one dungeon, more appropriately) is not so much dark and mysterious as it is bland. The story attempts to be engaging and profound, but is really just crack-brained nonsenese.
