Riviera: The Promised Land

[MorwenLaicoriel]

Has anyone else played this new RPG for the Gameboy Advance? I just beat it, and I was wondering what fellow Christian gamers are thinking about it.

To save this from turning into a long rant, I'll discribe more about what I felt about the game later, but--to sum it up, I'm a little torn. The game itself is a GREAT game, but I think it's dragged down a bit by a 'religion soup' plot. It particularly got bad near the end, so now I'm not even sure if I can recommend it to other Christians because of it. :\

[mastersquirrel]

Well then... I guess I won't be getting it then....

I was actually hoping this was going to be a good RPG for the GBA, but with your description of a "religion soup plot" I think I'm gonna pass. I don't want to wade through one of those things.... Too bad...

[Fireproof]

I think I'll get it. If I can handle Shaman King, and FFX, this won't be particularly daunting.

[Lyren]

I have beaten it somewhat recently. The only content I had a problem with were the bath scenes and suggestive comments. As far as the religion goes, it is nothing uncommon. It's just the standard Norse mythology. It's nothing worse than Tales of Symphonia or any other RPG derived from Norse myth.

[Myoti]

I have beaten it somewhat recently. The only content I had a problem with were the bath scenes and suggestive comments. As far as the religion goes, it is nothing uncommon. It's just the standard Norse mythology. It's nothing worse than Tales of Symphonia or any other RPG derived from Norse myth.

How's the gameplay? I've heard alot about this and I liked the artwork, but how does it play out?

[Fireproof]

I have beaten it somewhat recently. The only content I had a problem with were the bath scenes and suggestive comments. As far as the religion goes, it is nothing uncommon. It's just the standard Norse mythology. It's nothing worse than Tales of Symphonia or any other RPG derived from Norse myth.

Bath scenes? No detailed nudity, right?

[Tommy]

Has anyone else played this new RPG for the Gameboy Advance? I just beat it, and I was wondering what fellow Christian gamers are thinking about it.

To save this from turning into a long rant, I'll discribe more about what I felt about the game later, but--to sum it up, I'm a little torn. The game itself is a GREAT game, but I think it's dragged down a bit by a 'religion soup' plot. It particularly got bad near the end, so now I'm not even sure if I can recommend it to other Christians because of it. :\

Welcome to the world of RPGs. Honestly, I`ve played and beaten a lot and I`ve only played like 3 that didin`t have stupid religious themes.

Compare the spiritual problums to Grandia 2 and FF10. Then tell me how bad it is.

If it had detailed nudity, it would`ve been rated M....plus, the cover itself, threw me off. It looked like Reader Rabbit goes RPG. Are there even any humans in your party?

[Nate]

Bath scenes? No detailed nudity, right?

Considering on IGN.com I saw a thread where someone posted the scenes that were cut out of the American version of the game from the bath scenes, I'd say no.

And honestly, even the scenes cut out didn't even have nudity...weird.

[Tommy]

^ Aren`t they like rabbits with swords anyways? Someone explain further.

Can I have a link for that Nate? I mean.....yeah.

[Myoti]

If it had detailed nudity, it would`ve been rated M....plus, the cover itself, threw me off. It looked like Reader Rabbit goes RPG. Are there even any humans in your party?

^ Aren`t they like rabbits with swords anyways? Someone explain further.

????

Are you even referring to the same game? I believe your party is suppose to consist of mostly human and some "elf" and "angel" characters (haven't played, so I'm not sure).

I'll admit that the graphics may seem a bit "cutesy" and all, but it still seems to be kinda dark (is it?). So how in the world did you get "rabbits" from it? O_o

[Tommy]

Can someone pull up a screenshot of the cover then? I could`ve sworn I remember seeing rabbits in tress and crap charging at each other.

[Myoti]

I see no rabbits. :/

[Lyren]

The bath scenes were not cut out. There is no detailed nudity, but it was much more than I would have liked to see. Basically, it has two CG screens of girls standing in a hot spring coverred by nothing but hair and hands.

Honestly, the religion is not that bad by RPG standards. I haven't played FFX or Grandia, but all Riviera has is a variant of Norse mythology with angels of destruction thrown in. I would say more, but I would end up spoiling the intriguing plot of the game.

The gameplay is very interesting and creatively designed. It's a very passive and streamlined experience, with fun and strategic battles and loads of replay value. With one male character and four females, it also has a significant relationship system. The artwork is excellent and overall its a very satisfying RPG. However, it falls short of both the Fire Emblem and the Golden Sun games in my opinion.

[Fireproof]

Eep. Saw the bath scenes in an IGN board. I clicked back like a second later, but it looked like they contained a fair amount of undetailed nudity.

[Nate]

Eep. Saw the bath scenes in an IGN board. I clicked back like a second later, but it looked like they contained a fair amount of undetailed nudity.

No, it's pretty much all covered by hair or hands. And to quote the post, "These are artwork pics from the bath scenes which are uncut in the Japanese version of the game." Which implies they are cut (or edited) in the American version.

[Lyren]

The developers said on the official Atlus Riviera forums that the bath scenes were uncut in the American version of the game. Anyway, they are best avoided. Just don't go to the hot spring when it presents you with the oppurtunity to follow the girls. You won't 100% the game, but its probably better skipping them.

[Tommy]

I see no rabbits. :/

I see people with bunny ears which is just as bleh.

[Myoti]

I see people with bunny ears which is just as bleh.

Can you point them out? I have this same pic as an ad in my NP mag and I see no rabbits. If you mean the orange-haired girl, those are pigtails, and on the monster side, I see something that looks like an armadillo with tall ears and some of the monsters have pointed ears. That's it.

Does anyone else see rabbits? :/

[Tommy]

Those are pigtails....ok maybe not Rabiits but pigtails like that...about that art style:

Can someone say: Final Fantasy Tactics?

[Nate]

Doesn't look like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance to me, but then again, I have kind of an eye for similar art styles, so it's not surprising I wouldn't see the similarities. ^^;;

[Tommy]

Well, i do.

[Myoti]

Those are pigtails....ok maybe not Rabiits but pigtails like that...about that art style:

Can someone say: Final Fantasy Tactics?

It doesn't look like it to me either. FFT had a sort of "softer" style to it, I think. I actually prefer Riviera's style more.

[Chosen Raven]

Honestly, the religion is not that bad by RPG standards. I haven't played FFX or Grandia, but all Riviera has is a variant of Norse mythology with angels of destruction thrown in. I would say more, but I would end up spoiling the intriguing plot of the game.

One question. How is the religion of the game portrayed(in a good or bad light)?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Tom Dincht who CARES about BUNNY EARS OR WHATEVER! Graphics don't make game, game make game. WHAT DID BUNNIES EVER DO TO YOU? Seriously stop judging and whining about a game because of "bunnies" or whatever. Wether a game has bunnies or not doesn't make a game better or worse. And also STOP comparing to games that somewhat look like an FF or Chrono Game... you make it seem that every other RPG has to live in to their standards. There are plenty of games that are even better than many final fantasy/chrono games not even madeby squaresoft/squareenix. So please quit your whining

this game looks fun, and i think I shall go buy it

[mastersquirrel]

Mr. Smartypants seems to have snapped....

Though I do agree with him, please stop comparing everything to one standard. It gets annoying sometimes as the previous post points out.

Do I need to ask everyone to take a deep breath and relax? ...Um I guess I just did. Let a smile be your umbrella! ... wait, wouldn't that mean that your umbrella is inside out?

Anyway, it seems like a good game with all this input. I might just give it a try, and avoid the hot springs at all cost.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

yeah, i guess I did overreact a bit ^^;;

[Myoti]

Tom Dincht who CARES about BUNNY EARS OR WHATEVER! Graphics don't make game, game make game. WHAT DID BUNNIES EVER DO TO YOU? Seriously stop judging and whining about a game because of "bunnies" or whatever. Wether a game has bunnies or not doesn't make a game better or worse. And also STOP comparing to games that somewhat look like an FF or Chrono Game... you make it seem that every other RPG has to live in to their standards. There are plenty of games that are even better than many final fantasy/chrono games not even madeby squaresoft/squareenix. So please quit your whining

Sono toori desu!

[Gypsy]

Yes, yes, breathe deeply and let it out slowly. All better now.

I've yet to play this game (but no rpg escapes me for long) but I've come to expect a medly of religious themes in any rpg. And probably at the end of most, you'll end up fighting the diety anyway ...

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I think the religious theme won't trouble me. I mean Tales of Symphonia has a MAJOR religious theme, and I was cool with that

[Myoti]

I think the religious theme won't trouble me. I mean Tales of Symphonia has a MAJOR religious theme, and I was cool with that

They use to for me, but I got over it. And in all reality, the whole "religious" stuff turns out to be fake (hope that wasn't a real spoiler or anything...).

Actually, what's kinda funny is that FF has hardly any religious themes in it. FF6 had the "Goddesses", and in FF7 Sephy claimed he was a god, but that's all I really remember.