The button pressing during the combat made it feel more immersive. This game ff8, tactics, breath of fire 3 n ff7 were some of my favorite jrpgs for ps1
BoF 3 was my first jrpg and will always be my absolutle favorite! Followed by FF VII and LotD! I remember being at EB games and being torn between choosing this game or Chrono Cross. I ended up choosing LotD and I was never before so happy with my decision. Not trying to knock Chrono Cross, I did end up getting it a few years later and enjoyed it... but it was a complicated mess that 11 year old me would not have understood or enjoyed as much as LotD
Thank you for this video. I'm already a fan of the game and it is one of my all time favorite games, but this video helped me remember why. Having a not so perfect childhood and trying to navigate my way through middle school madness, this game was and still is a home and a center for me. Much appreciated!!!
Ok now I actually finished the video, this was really great. Seeing your house was powerful even for me as an impartial viewer. I also couldn’t help but wonder what games and other stuff you left behind in that closet… Anyway, really appreciate you showing vulnerability in this and other videos, and loved your explanation of what it means for something to be a “favorite”. Cheers
29:45 I think it should be done similar in ff6, where new characters matches the lvl of the highest character. Have the spirit and addition exp gain multiplied by 2,4 or 5 until it matches the unit with the highest dragoon and addition lvl or until the unit reach the average. The new units catch up quickly and it's not unbalanced because the new units only have the multiplier until they have caught up and then it's back to normal.
My grandpa died 2 years before this game came out, and my dad had become an alcoholic because of it. I'd had over two years of living through a home life where anger was always present and a beating could come at any moment. This was the first game I can remember playing on the ps1, and helped me through a ton of hard times. LoD holds a significant place in my heart and will always be my favorite game of all time
The problem is the head producer of LOD ended up becomieng the president of sony gameing. He stepped down sometime within the past 2 years I forget when exactly but that means the chances of a remake or remaster went down the poop shoot
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 cool, thanks for the suggestions I have played all of these except the lunar and Megaten series. I’m not sure if I played suikoden 1 or 2 though it’s been a while.
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 played all of those. LoD is still one of my favorites. Oh and don't ever call someone's opinion on something misguided just because you have a different preference. At the end of the day it's just a game and if someone finds enjoyment from it, it is not okay for anyone to gatekeep or belittle their fun.
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 As a early RPG for people who aren't as enveloped in the genre, the tropes and the plot are really good for an early JRPG player. That's likely where a lot of the affection comes from. This was my 3rd JRPG so the tropes weren't so rote for me as to be unbearable. The battle system is okay, I would not call it terrible, thought it is far weaker than most especially of that era, but again an early JRPG player wouldn't know that. I fully understand that this game aged poorly, heck it was dated on release, but having only played Mario RPG and FFVII I think it is good enough for many people to have latched onto it, though I doubt many would still love it. The IP is fertile for being used further, that's what my eyes are on.
Thank you for covering one of the most impactful games of my life 🙏 LOD was the first JRPG I ever got, also my first ps1 game. It got me into fantasy games and proved that video games could mean so much more and get me invested in a world of adventure. I think the game still holds up! Whether I am five years old or just old as balls, I love the world of LOD. Thank you once again! You have a very cultured taste of videogames!
Legend of Dragoon is my all time favorite. But in my book Lost Odyssey was its successor so to speak. I'd love to be able to play these again on PC and ofcourse a remake would be amazing.
Tark this is hands down the best video you have ever done. The passion is there, the love is their, I can genuinely tell you had a fun time making this and it shows. Thanks for blasting me back to my teenage years your making me really want to replay it.
@Tarks Gauntlet it needs a remake. a,sequel be tough,because the ending answered everything. But,I would subscribe. But,ur content slow.I would think u being a,jrpg fan.you'd have retrospectives on suikoden 1,2,Xzenogears, chrono trigger,the classics. Plus,be nice to cover jrpg news.like sea of stars,elyuiden Chronicle. But,if u did more jrpg retrospectives and frequency of content, I subscribe
I won't be increasing my video output. I'm not here to please the algorithm and frankly, making videos like this as frequently as the algorithm (And some viewers) might like would literally kill me. And I didn't use "literally" wrong. I mean it would literally kill me. Its an insane ask. I work full time as it is and I make the videos I want to make when/where I find the time. I can't just force more stuff out. I don't have that time and it would rob the heart and joy from making them.
@Tarks Gauntlet I get its not ur job.just was curious. Because u seem like a jrpg fan,u have soo many good,jrpgs for retrospectives. But,no big deal,I got plenty of other channels that do them
Thank you for sharing such a raw and honest video. It made me see that game in a different light. I'm glad it helped you during a tough part of your life. Be well. 🙂
Hey man, amazing vid, really glad you put this together. This is one of my favourite games as well and holds a special place for my childhood as well. I didn't recognize its impact at the time, at least in context of the experience around me, just like you. I wouldn't say my living conditions were horrible in a physical sense, and I would say hip hop music and basketball were the things that really saved me from my internal/external troubles, but this game captured my wonder like none other. I had never played JRPGs - in fact I was really just playing sports and action games at the time. It took me years after getting this game as a gift to actually play it, and it took me about 10 years to complete it (2 incomplete playthroughs as a kid/teenager, beat it in my early 20s). I was never the same!! The way the story evolved to get bigger and bigger while keeping you invested in the characters was awesome, and Rose is still my favourite character in gaming. The addition system spoiled me as well because its been hard to get into other similar games in regards to combat as that set the standard for me. At least once a year I go down a nostalgia rabbit hole on this game, and I love finding new content and perspectives! Great vid man.
Tark I just started playing this game for the first time in 20 plus years because I neglected it as a kid to play other things. This video really built me up to play it all the way through!!
Thank you for this video man. I completely understand the escapism, as I dealed with similar circumstances in the same vein, with this game as well. This game is super important to me and this retrospective does it more justice than I was expecting. Thanks again man =)
I just replayed this game a few months ago and I still jam out to the battle outros at my age. Pulling off a full battle of successful additions makes the victory fanfares that much more thrilling. I just love how unapologetically cheesy the game is, from it's rocking soundtrack to its over-the-top attacks and heartwarming dialogue. Also, this game still has the coolest dragon designs I've ever seen in any media.
I LOVED this game back in the day. I only played it once but often I think about going for another complete playthrough. Also, it may have been a while since I last saw your videos but you have put on some muscle. Looking NICE!
Enjoyed your justification of being 'favorite'. Very sweet, and totally true, many games that are not the best of all time are held dear in the hearts of those who were affected by them in times of need.
Dang, that was a great vid. Your private story caught me off guard tho and it got really emotional. 😢 Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to the Baten Kaitos vid! 💪
What a beautiful video. Not only was your script well articulated and clever, but the sections going over your personal life and attachments to the game are something that I can relate to. It's an important game for me as well, and my childhood was also rough. Thanks for making the video, I and I'm sure many other people loved watching it.
Excellent video. Including your personal experience with the game was very moving. LoD wasn't my favorite RPG of the golden age, but we all have that special game that allows us to connect back to our past selves. Really great work on this.
I appreciate this video. LOD is quite possibly my favorite game. I've played it and beaten it 100% at least 13 times over the years. (Finally getting trophies for it in 2023 ironically enough). The effort you went to, going to your old childhood home and explaining that LOD may have been the one thing that enabled you to get through hard times is something i think alot of people have a hard time understanding. Sometimes it really is just that one show, album, movie or game that could have made the difference between persevering or falling into a very very dark mental place.
I Love that you were able to share such a personal story with us tark along with this fantastic game being part of it. nothing but love for you man. I personally hope the old team can get back together to make another game like it similar to what the suikoden team is doing along with the shadow hearts and wild arms crew with the kick starters.
Making this video not only was a deep passion for you, but also heavily emotional and sentimental. I appreciate your candidness. That takes a lot of guts no matter who you are. Even though my home life did not parallel yours, I also found this game to be a great, and my first truly immersive escape (playing this for the first time around 11/12 yo). I felt so connected to these characters. Dart and Lavitz were the friendship I always wanted, Shana was my first crush, I wanted to look through Mr. Fester's telescope at the MTNS. It may have been criticized for being a "generic story" but at the age I first played it, I didn't know anything else prior in the JRPG realm. That first playthrough was pure magic. And even now, I still replay this game every couple of years, loving it just as much. What a great video essay, extremely well done!
I associate this game with my dad and especially the music being that I was 4/ 5 years old when I’d watch him play it when I saw him on the weekends. I share very much the same feelings about this game. The music still touches my heart especially the opening song. Thank you for putting together such a great video on this.
Commenting again now that I've finished the video. and man. this hit home for me. I won't go on some long tangent about how I use gaming as therapy, but I do. and when you went back your childhood home, it touched feelings I wasn't expecting to have during this video. I truly understand what you meant, atleast as far as the escapism goes. I too hope whoever lives In that new house is having a good life, and would be pretty cool if they got into LoD too. lol great job sir. 10/10 video
Best video I've seen about the legend of dragoon, a game that I hold dear to my heart. I think through time a lot about video games has gotten lost. You articulated what it means to be a great game, through it faults, very well. This and other games like legend of legaia, star ocean 2, lunar 2 and of course the FF franchise made up my escapism. From an old gamer with kids now I say thank you for making for this video. It made me want to pull all those games out, dust them off and show my kids my childhood and teenage years. Because of this video you made yourself a subscriber out of me. Can't wait for the next video!
Tark, I'll never know what you went through in your young life, but it was heart wrenching to hear you speak of this game the way that you have, mostly because Legend of Dragoon means the same thing to me. I can't say that our experiences were even similar, but I can say that the feelings you spoke of are far too familiar. Never stop doing what you're doing.
this feels like a video HAD to put out and it's so well-made, got me all hyped for a replay, and a little bit emotional i have a game like that from the same era too (Front Mission 3) so keep doing what you're doing, this is quality content
This game was quite influential on my childhood as well, also having a bit of a difficult childhood. This is one of my top favorite games of all time, for the sheer fact that it was so immersive to me. Thanks for making a video on this game, glad this game was more than just a game for you too.
Hmmph! He didn't even equip the gauntlet for the button mashing! Pro tip: if you own a gauntlet you always equip! Especially for butter mashing. At least he's got addition game.
This game came out when I was about 8 and I would watch my dad playing it everytime he came off work I watched the entire play through and played it myself when he wasn’t home.. man that cutscene of the old dragoon wars always stuck with me it looked so amazing at the time and the music in this game was so good.. this game was awesome. I have played it every couple years on emulators and now it’s on the PlayStation store and I’m gonna be playing it again. Awesome video.
Yay thank you for not going away forever Tark. I'll try to sub to your patreon to thank you. Also I've heard like 1000 people pronounce the word plague either the way you say it or pretty close so sorry for being an Internet troll about your pronunciation because it didn't fit my experience of British and South African accents. Glad to see you looking energised and happy, hope you and the waifu are both good.
I don't have a Patreon haha. Didn't think I uploaded enough to validate one. Decided instead to just open a Kofi account for those who want to do 1-time donations. That aside, I've got the "plague" comment a few times and I swear I tried to look into it. My ears are just broken cause I can never tell what I'm doing wrong with that word haha. No worries though, and thanks for watching, commenting and enjoying!
Damn I resonated so much with this video. I never played this game as I was a nintendo kid though I never owned a system on my own having to play my brother's gamecube on secret when no one was around, so when I was on my early teens and got my first system a Wii I immediately felt in love with it. I don't want to compare my childhood with yours as I can't imagine how hard it was for you but I also was quite unhappy on this stage getting bullied not only on school but on home too I used my Wii as a form of escapism though it wasn't until a few years into the system's life when I really found that escapism with 3 games (also becoming my 3 favorite games) Monster Hunter Tri, The Last Story and Arc Rise Fantasia. Arc's has so many similarities with Legend of Dragoon I wonder if it was its main inspiration, similarly it uses CG cut-scenes that honestly are quite jarring, the story also resembles a lot being a very trope and by-the-book RPG story but with amazing characters and fine enough execution to not feel cheap. With The Last Story I can relate of having rumors of a sequel that never came true and most likely it'll never will, same goes for Arc Rise as even if Imageepoch had more games planned we all know what happened I share this 16:56 sentiment too I hate when the MC is just blank despite the main girls intentions being very clear, in this aspect The Last Story handled it better than Arc Rise Arc Rise Fantasia might be a flawed game heck it IS very flawed but it'll forever be in my top 3 RPGs. As for Legend of Dragoon it looks great honestly I might give it a try after I finish the slow and grueling grind of finishing both Baten Kaitos. Also amazing video one could feel the sheer passion and emotion you put into it.
Or on the PS4 but that still doesn't change that the 10,000 gold item to NEVER have Timed hits miss can't be equipped on the entire party and still costs too much in a game where the enemies barely drop ANY gold per battle for the entire game. So unless theirs a way to never miss the timed hits on the ENTIRE party I wouldn't even play a PS4 REMASTERED versions even if it had a infinite HP/no random battles cheat.
Brother you are a man of culture! What a LEGENDARY video??? You got me all emotional! Legend of Dragoon is my favourite game too for almost the same reasons as yours... I do get it when you say "to be my favourite doesn't mean it's the best"! Many games are our favourites because of the experiences we had with them! When I first played LOD I was 12, I'd been bullied in school for 6 years but no one would help me through it... Not even my parents... At the age of 10 my Godfather bought me my first PSX as a gift for Christmas! That was when I found my "escape" when everything was going south! When I was going through the world of LOD, I had recently experienced 4 deaths in one year, all people that I cared too much... My parents were getting divorced and the bullies were hurting me physically at that point... Depression and anxiety were taking over... I was locked in my room, away from everything and everyone, drawing my favourite anime characters, writing my own fantasy stories and playing LOD again and again! My top 3 games that I have many important memories are: 1) World of Warcraft, 2) Legend of Dragoon and 3) Pokemon Silver!!! Love your work man! Keep it up!
Bravo. I checked this video out after beating the game on PS5. My cousins had this game when we were little I would only be able to play it when I would see them. We would pretend to be Dart Lavitz and Shana. I pretty much only got to see the beginning and very end of the game but I just finished the whole game now in my adult life. My cousin passed away a few years ago I have a lot of cherished memories with them and an emotional connection to this game it's amazing to see someone else also have a connection with it too.
Legend of Dragoon was my catalyst into non Final Fantasy JRPG's as most of the EU was dominated by FF7-9 at the time. Absolutely fantastic video that hit home pretty hard. Now if you don't mind I'm gonna boot up LoD as I hug my copy of Golden Sun very tightly!
There's actually a hard mode that fixes some of these issues. The LOD community is also doing an upscale project for the backgrounds and possibly the characters, but they need more donations and volunteers if people want it to go faster. Join the subreddit for more info.
For those interested in an HD remaster, I'll recommend the channel 'Zychronix'. They have an ongoing project of upscaling the backgrounds and textures, and it's looking grand. The challenges involved are pretty fascinating as well, since those backgrounds are surprisingly complex puzzles, over simply being a flat image. Otherwise, thanks for this retrospective, have a sub
I just started playing this game again. I remember when i was 10 playing this game. The story, the ups and downs... And the music! It still is a beautiful memory.
I never thought about a sequel to LoD as much as I did a prequel to it, covering the dragon campaign 11,000 years prior. It would be awesome to see the start of rose's journey, and how the original band of dragoons came to be. I'm kind of a sucker for tragic endings, and honestly, the most impactful cutscene to me in the entire game is watching rose lose all of her friends at the final battle of the dragon campaign. When I was a kid, I remember getting teary eyed watching the original holder of kongol's dragoon spirit sacrificing himself to stop that Boulder from crushing his friend. The original gang really deserves some justice with their own game!
I've played this game several times, as well as watched several retrospective videos. I love LoD. Having said so, I'd really love to play this with slightly improved graphics, and the possibility to choose the addition in-battle (having extra content as well would be like a dream). I may replay this soon with some mods.
Any video I see that's new talking about this masterpiece, I have to watch. Just the fact that people are making videos about The legend of dragoon just makes me go "and I oop😲!!" This was my final fantasy 7, never knew about final fantasy honestly till years later. I love FF7 but I'm not a stan. Albert will always be my favorite 😍. R.I.P Lavitz 🥺
Gave me tears, I also played this game to escape my negative home environment, this game gave me the hope for love and a better life. Life is hard and dark with little joy and happiness but we are here till we aren't .
Legend of Dragoon was an escape for me when I was a kid; something about how beautiful the backgrounds were, along with the music and characters really made me feel like I was teleported to an immersive fantasy world. Lots of good memories of the game for me.
I don't think I've ever been moved by a youtube video about the game, oh well.. here's the first time. The Legend of Dragoon will be released in 2 days with PS plus premium subscription, that's why I got here. Hopefully the history of the game will continue with even better outcome then initially - similar to yours "life path". You got my attention and sub, I wish you all the best man
Bro, you get a like and sub just for MAKING this video. I've barely BEGUN watching it atm, but... my dude... LoD still tops my gaming Tier list. This thing... this thing was my CHILDHOOD. Camped out in the middle of the night in the living room with corndogs and LoD is my nostalgia.
This was a beautiful video, I'm really glad you could share everything here with us, I know it couldn't have been easy. A part of me hopes that at least some of the original creators can know just how much of a positive impact they've had on peoples' lives. As a sidenote, I laughed at "I'm Tark and these are my gauntlets" far longer than I should have...
Legend of Dragoon was what got me in to the genre. I used to play shooters and racing games almost exclusively until I got this for Christmas when I was a kid.
The best things about LoD is the amazing interconnected story and characters as wells as the world building and traveling across the world visiting different cities and countries that have their own aesthetics and cultures.
Hats off on the video my dear boy. It really hits close to home for me. This game means a great deal to me and my brother. We literally played this game co-op for years together. Lol just passed the controller back an fourth when it was our characters turn to attack 😂
"Legend of Dragoon" is one of those games I rarely see people bring up but when it is, it's often mostly fondly. I don't really know much of anything about the game so this video is essentially my first proper look at it in, well, any capacity. And yeah, seems interesting enough, if not a bit standard. Unfortunately, I think it's kind of before my time. While I did grow up playing video games at this period, I was more Nintendo than Sony. Didn't start with Sony until the PS2/PSP so a lot of PS1 stuff is unexplored territory for me. I have played a couple PS1 games and enjoyed them, I just don't really have the nostalgia or drive to actually revisit it properly. I'm busy enough trying to catch up on all the PS3 era stuff I missed, much less the PS2 and the absurd asking prices for games there.
IF YOU LIKE THAT GAME DID YOU EVER PLAY LUFIA 2???? legend of dragoon and lufia 2 will always hold a special place in my heart lufia started me off on the road to rpgs and legend of dragoon solidified my love for them. I have the strongest nostalgic memories for both of the games i actually didnt even play lufia 2 untill about 4 months before legend of dragoon released. so i played them pretty much back to back. and for the people who say lufia 2 is a snes game it cant be that great!! well shut up and play it then youll understand.
Faust is actually one of the best thing in the game, a side quest and content that is not just for exploration and completion but also for achievement. Its either you grind to beat it or you actually are good enough to beat it without the end game items. I've managed to beat Faust without using any of the legend items, its actually possible if you strategize properly and is good with the additions. But of course, there's quite abit of RNG and some basic grinding involved like unlocking and mastering the final addition. I'd use Meru, Shana and Dart. Shana is the healer and support using items to buff and revive teammates, she can also survive fairly well with good magic defense. Meru and Dart are the main damage dealer using additions. Dart and Meru can use their respective dragoon armor since they are the main damage dealer using additions, the armor will always nullify his element counter move using a single target item spell that is the same as your character's element.
My run was mostly Albert & Rose throughout and sometimes i throw in Meru for damage dealings as well. Albert has very good high damage percentage if you use an accessory for physical attack power and hit rates only since his magic isn't that great and diverse compared to Meru and Miranda's
Thank you for this video bro, LOD is one of the best game I ever played since this is the first JRPG I've ever played, probably finished this game more than ten times.
This game (the JP version) needs a remaster. Not a remake but a remaster. Keep the story, keep the gameplay mechanics, keep the overall design, but upgrade the graphics.
Man, your old house could serve as inspiration for a cool pre-rendered dungeon in a horror-themed JRPG. Also great video, of course. And I hope no one has made the "Tropes Gauntlet" bad joke yet.
great video tarks. while yes i agree that Lod needs a remake or remaster of some kind , i also agree that playing the original is just fine. I'm loving these long video's btw keep em coming!
Just came across this channel and you definitely deserve more subs/views. The sheer amount of work that goes into your videos does not go unnoticed my friend.
I absolutely loved this game growing up I am 30 years old this was my first teenager rated game and my mom and aunt got it for my 8th birthday! Took me 3 years to beat with consistent daily gameplay and I enjoyed every second of it!
This has always been one of my favorite games of all time...playing this as a kid. Music was so good, so many emotions I remember feeling. This game and Jade Cocoon are games I wished so badly would get a remaster.
you just earned a new subscriber. I'm a huge die hard fan of this game. (as you can tell by my channel name) you made a coverage of this game pretty damn well. If we can't get a remake, at the very least we can spread the word of just how phenomenal this game is. more people should absolutely know about this game. while obviously it's not a game for everyone, it can at least get recognition that it truly deserved upon release. PS: the part where you told about your childhood was really touching. I'm glad you finally severed the chains that binded you of your dark past.
I loved this game as a kid and have replayed it a few times on emulators. You've convinced me to do it again. Meru/haschel are a cute dynamic and they are power houses too. Call them and turbo squad.
I've watched this before but had to watch again, such a good retrospective. Legend of Dragoon is one of my all-time favorite games as well. Probably this and Everquest tie for my absolute favorite.
This game had a similar impact on my life at that age and why I was so quick to latch onto the tales of series, amazing games. Also from that time for a similar reason is digimon world. These series will always be special to me because of how they helped me survive.
The button pressing during the combat made it feel more immersive. This game ff8, tactics, breath of fire 3 n ff7 were some of my favorite jrpgs for ps1
All of the ones you loved were my absolute favorite as well.Cheers
BoF 3 was my first jrpg and will always be my absolutle favorite! Followed by FF VII and LotD! I remember being at EB games and being torn between choosing this game or Chrono Cross. I ended up choosing LotD and I was never before so happy with my decision. Not trying to knock Chrono Cross, I did end up getting it a few years later and enjoyed it... but it was a complicated mess that 11 year old me would not have understood or enjoyed as much as LotD
Damn dude, what a legendary video! So cool for you to really take us through your journey with this game and why it means so much to you.
Thank you for this video. I'm already a fan of the game and it is one of my all time favorite games, but this video helped me remember why. Having a not so perfect childhood and trying to navigate my way through middle school madness, this game was and still is a home and a center for me. Much appreciated!!!
Tark this video is very relevant for the legend of dragoon coming out on PS4 & PS5
Wat up Tark, we're still here for it my man
Ok now I actually finished the video, this was really great. Seeing your house was powerful even for me as an impartial viewer. I also couldn’t help but wonder what games and other stuff you left behind in that closet… Anyway, really appreciate you showing vulnerability in this and other videos, and loved your explanation of what it means for something to be a “favorite”. Cheers
29:45 I think it should be done similar in ff6, where new characters matches the lvl of the highest character. Have the spirit and addition exp gain multiplied by 2,4 or 5 until it matches the unit with the highest dragoon and addition lvl or until the unit reach the average. The new units catch up quickly and it's not unbalanced because the new units only have the multiplier until they have caught up and then it's back to normal.
This was/is one of my favorite channels, a real gem. Hope you are doing well.
I'm doing much better these days! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the support!
My grandpa died 2 years before this game came out, and my dad had become an alcoholic because of it. I'd had over two years of living through a home life where anger was always present and a beating could come at any moment. This was the first game I can remember playing on the ps1, and helped me through a ton of hard times. LoD holds a significant place in my heart and will always be my favorite game of all time
A undeservedly forgotten IP, both by gamers and Sony. It has issues but it is a wonderous experience with a great journey.
The problem is the head producer of LOD ended up becomieng the president of sony gameing. He stepped down sometime within the past 2 years I forget when exactly but that means the chances of a remake or remaster went down the poop shoot
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 what rpgs do you recommend?
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 cool, thanks for the suggestions I have played all of these except the lunar and Megaten series. I’m not sure if I played suikoden 1 or 2 though it’s been a while.
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 played all of those. LoD is still one of my favorites. Oh and don't ever call someone's opinion on something misguided just because you have a different preference. At the end of the day it's just a game and if someone finds enjoyment from it, it is not okay for anyone to gatekeep or belittle their fun.
@@Wuggyboobeaufuf138 As a early RPG for people who aren't as enveloped in the genre, the tropes and the plot are really good for an early JRPG player. That's likely where a lot of the affection comes from. This was my 3rd JRPG so the tropes weren't so rote for me as to be unbearable. The battle system is okay, I would not call it terrible, thought it is far weaker than most especially of that era, but again an early JRPG player wouldn't know that. I fully understand that this game aged poorly, heck it was dated on release, but having only played Mario RPG and FFVII I think it is good enough for many people to have latched onto it, though I doubt many would still love it. The IP is fertile for being used further, that's what my eyes are on.
Thank you for covering one of the most impactful games of my life 🙏
LOD was the first JRPG I ever got, also my first ps1 game. It got me into fantasy games and proved that video games could mean so much more and get me invested in a world of adventure.
I think the game still holds up! Whether I am five years old or just old as balls, I love the world of LOD.
Thank you once again! You have a very cultured taste of videogames!
Legend of Dragoon is my all time favorite. But in my book Lost Odyssey was its successor so to speak. I'd love to be able to play these again on PC and ofcourse a remake would be amazing.
It takes courage to go back to a place with such bad memories but it makes you stronger! Keep up the great work and keep thriving!
Tark this is hands down the best video you have ever done. The passion is there, the love is their, I can genuinely tell you had a fun time making this and it shows. Thanks for blasting me back to my teenage years your making me really want to replay it.
It's always there for the play dude, hit it up!
And of course, thank you for the very kind words man. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
@Tarks Gauntlet it needs a remake. a,sequel be tough,because the ending answered everything. But,I would subscribe. But,ur content slow.I would think u being a,jrpg fan.you'd have retrospectives on suikoden 1,2,Xzenogears, chrono trigger,the classics. Plus,be nice to cover jrpg news.like sea of stars,elyuiden Chronicle. But,if u did more jrpg retrospectives and frequency of content, I subscribe
I won't be increasing my video output.
I'm not here to please the algorithm and frankly, making videos like this as frequently as the algorithm (And some viewers) might like would literally kill me. And I didn't use "literally" wrong. I mean it would literally kill me. Its an insane ask. I work full time as it is and I make the videos I want to make when/where I find the time. I can't just force more stuff out. I don't have that time and it would rob the heart and joy from making them.
@Tarks Gauntlet I get its not ur job.just was curious. Because u seem like a jrpg fan,u have soo many good,jrpgs for retrospectives. But,no big deal,I got plenty of other channels that do them
Thank you for sharing such a raw and honest video. It made me see that game in a different light. I'm glad it helped you during a tough part of your life. Be well. 🙂
Awh bud. I feel you. Thank you for sharing. I loved this game, but I moved out when i was 14 too. You got this bud. Much love from a stranger
The personal touch to this video was truly great. Fantastic job man
Hey man, amazing vid, really glad you put this together. This is one of my favourite games as well and holds a special place for my childhood as well. I didn't recognize its impact at the time, at least in context of the experience around me, just like you. I wouldn't say my living conditions were horrible in a physical sense, and I would say hip hop music and basketball were the things that really saved me from my internal/external troubles, but this game captured my wonder like none other.
I had never played JRPGs - in fact I was really just playing sports and action games at the time. It took me years after getting this game as a gift to actually play it, and it took me about 10 years to complete it (2 incomplete playthroughs as a kid/teenager, beat it in my early 20s). I was never the same!! The way the story evolved to get bigger and bigger while keeping you invested in the characters was awesome, and Rose is still my favourite character in gaming. The addition system spoiled me as well because its been hard to get into other similar games in regards to combat as that set the standard for me. At least once a year I go down a nostalgia rabbit hole on this game, and I love finding new content and perspectives! Great vid man.
I almost finished this game. The combat, the transformations, it was really cool. Great to hear from you again, Tarks!
Yoo you gotta finish it. I beat this game atleast once a year. A personal tradition of mine lol along with my favorite game ocarina of time 😁
Tark I just started playing this game for the first time in 20 plus years because I neglected it as a kid to play other things. This video really built me up to play it all the way through!!
I always break it out every 3-4 years!
Thank you for this video man. I completely understand the escapism, as I dealed with similar circumstances in the same vein, with this game as well. This game is super important to me and this retrospective does it more justice than I was expecting. Thanks again man =)
Happy to hear it resonated with you, and I hope you're much better off now than you were then!
@@TarksGauntlet I'm doing much better! Thank you very much!
@Tarks Gauntlet gonna do retrospectives on Xzenogears, Suikoden 1 and 2?
Started playing LoD again and I stumbled upon your video. I really enjoyed it and it is great to see someone enjoy this game as much as I did!
I just replayed this game a few months ago and I still jam out to the battle outros at my age. Pulling off a full battle of successful additions makes the victory fanfares that much more thrilling. I just love how unapologetically cheesy the game is, from it's rocking soundtrack to its over-the-top attacks and heartwarming dialogue. Also, this game still has the coolest dragon designs I've ever seen in any media.
I LOVED this game back in the day. I only played it once but often I think about going for another complete playthrough.
Also, it may have been a while since I last saw your videos but you have put on some muscle. Looking NICE!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Enjoyed your justification of being 'favorite'. Very sweet, and totally true, many games that are not the best of all time are held dear in the hearts of those who were affected by them in times of need.
Dang, that was a great vid. Your private story caught me off guard tho and it got really emotional. 😢 Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to the Baten Kaitos vid! 💪
Hell yeah great to hear from you again
The intro alone was worth a sub and a like. Thanks for the refresher on living through y2k :P
Y2K fellow survivors, we salute you!
What a beautiful video. Not only was your script well articulated and clever, but the sections going over your personal life and attachments to the game are something that I can relate to. It's an important game for me as well, and my childhood was also rough. Thanks for making the video, I and I'm sure many other people loved watching it.
Excellent video. Including your personal experience with the game was very moving. LoD wasn't my favorite RPG of the golden age, but we all have that special game that allows us to connect back to our past selves. Really great work on this.
I appreciate this video. LOD is quite possibly my favorite game. I've played it and beaten it 100% at least 13 times over the years. (Finally getting trophies for it in 2023 ironically enough). The effort you went to, going to your old childhood home and explaining that LOD may have been the one thing that enabled you to get through hard times is something i think alot of people have a hard time understanding. Sometimes it really is just that one show, album, movie or game that could have made the difference between persevering or falling into a very very dark mental place.
Loving these long form videos, always worth the wait. And probs for the Sailor Moon shirt 👊.
I Love that you were able to share such a personal story with us tark along with this fantastic game being part of it. nothing but love for you man. I personally hope the old team can get back together to make another game like it similar to what the suikoden team is doing along with the shadow hearts and wild arms crew with the kick starters.
Making this video not only was a deep passion for you, but also heavily emotional and sentimental. I appreciate your candidness. That takes a lot of guts no matter who you are. Even though my home life did not parallel yours, I also found this game to be a great, and my first truly immersive escape (playing this for the first time around 11/12 yo). I felt so connected to these characters. Dart and Lavitz were the friendship I always wanted, Shana was my first crush, I wanted to look through Mr. Fester's telescope at the MTNS. It may have been criticized for being a "generic story" but at the age I first played it, I didn't know anything else prior in the JRPG realm. That first playthrough was pure magic. And even now, I still replay this game every couple of years, loving it just as much. What a great video essay, extremely well done!
Finally! the Gauntlet has arrived.
I associate this game with my dad and especially the music being that I was 4/ 5 years old when I’d watch him play it when I saw him on the weekends. I share very much the same feelings about this game. The music still touches my heart especially the opening song. Thank you for putting together such a great video on this.
Commenting again now that I've finished the video. and man. this hit home for me. I won't go on some long tangent about how I use gaming as therapy, but I do. and when you went back your childhood home, it touched feelings I wasn't expecting to have during this video. I truly understand what you meant, atleast as far as the escapism goes. I too hope whoever lives In that new house is having a good life, and would be pretty cool if they got into LoD too. lol
great job sir. 10/10 video
Best video I've seen about the legend of dragoon, a game that I hold dear to my heart. I think through time a lot about video games has gotten lost. You articulated what it means to be a great game, through it faults, very well. This and other games like legend of legaia, star ocean 2, lunar 2 and of course the FF franchise made up my escapism. From an old gamer with kids now I say thank you for making for this video. It made me want to pull all those games out, dust them off and show my kids my childhood and teenage years. Because of this video you made yourself a subscriber out of me. Can't wait for the next video!
It's nice to see u back I went through ur whole RUclips list love the content glad to see ur still doing it 😁
Any content creator willing to make a video on my favorite game of all time is definitely worth my sub. :D
Tark, I'll never know what you went through in your young life, but it was heart wrenching to hear you speak of this game the way that you have, mostly because Legend of Dragoon means the same thing to me. I can't say that our experiences were even similar, but I can say that the feelings you spoke of are far too familiar. Never stop doing what you're doing.
this feels like a video HAD to put out
and it's so well-made, got me all hyped for a replay, and a little bit emotional
i have a game like that from the same era too (Front Mission 3)
so keep doing what you're doing, this is quality content
I was a teen when I bought this game on a whim and fell in love. It’s stuck with me for years and it’s one of my favorite games ever.
I loved this game growing up I played it younger when I first started to understand rpgs. Now that its gonna be on psn I'm gonna buy it if I can
dude only drops bangers now you love to see it
Thanks Zaffre! Always a pleasure seeing you around here!
This game was quite influential on my childhood as well, also having a bit of a difficult childhood. This is one of my top favorite games of all time, for the sheer fact that it was so immersive to me. Thanks for making a video on this game, glad this game was more than just a game for you too.
Hmmph! He didn't even equip the gauntlet for the button mashing! Pro tip: if you own a gauntlet you always equip! Especially for butter mashing. At least he's got addition game.
This game is fantastic. A remake or sequel could be great, but I'd be more than happy for it to get an HD remaster.
You're back missed you
This game came out when I was about 8 and I would watch my dad playing it everytime he came off work I watched the entire play through and played it myself when he wasn’t home.. man that cutscene of the old dragoon wars always stuck with me it looked so amazing at the time and the music in this game was so good.. this game was awesome. I have played it every couple years on emulators and now it’s on the PlayStation store and I’m gonna be playing it again. Awesome video.
Yay thank you for not going away forever Tark. I'll try to sub to your patreon to thank you. Also I've heard like 1000 people pronounce the word plague either the way you say it or pretty close so sorry for being an Internet troll about your pronunciation because it didn't fit my experience of British and South African accents. Glad to see you looking energised and happy, hope you and the waifu are both good.
I don't have a Patreon haha. Didn't think I uploaded enough to validate one. Decided instead to just open a Kofi account for those who want to do 1-time donations.
That aside, I've got the "plague" comment a few times and I swear I tried to look into it. My ears are just broken cause I can never tell what I'm doing wrong with that word haha. No worries though, and thanks for watching, commenting and enjoying!
I'll never forget the feeling of defeating Faust as a wee lad way back in the day. Truly a remarkable game !
Awesome video! I've got the game for several years, maybe it's time to try it. I hope you saved the cds on desk in the old house before demolition. :)
Nah, I didn't take anything from there. God knows what kind of toxins I'd be carrying out with me.
Damn I resonated so much with this video.
I never played this game as I was a nintendo kid though I never owned a system on my own having to play my brother's gamecube on secret when no one was around, so when I was on my early teens and got my first system a Wii I immediately felt in love with it. I don't want to compare my childhood with yours as I can't imagine how hard it was for you but I also was quite unhappy on this stage getting bullied not only on school but on home too I used my Wii as a form of escapism though it wasn't until a few years into the system's life when I really found that escapism with 3 games (also becoming my 3 favorite games) Monster Hunter Tri, The Last Story and Arc Rise Fantasia.
Arc's has so many similarities with Legend of Dragoon I wonder if it was its main inspiration, similarly it uses CG cut-scenes that honestly are quite jarring, the story also resembles a lot being a very trope and by-the-book RPG story but with amazing characters and fine enough execution to not feel cheap. With The Last Story I can relate of having rumors of a sequel that never came true and most likely it'll never will, same goes for Arc Rise as even if Imageepoch had more games planned we all know what happened
I share this 16:56 sentiment too I hate when the MC is just blank despite the main girls intentions being very clear, in this aspect The Last Story handled it better than Arc Rise
Arc Rise Fantasia might be a flawed game heck it IS very flawed but it'll forever be in my top 3 RPGs.
As for Legend of Dragoon it looks great honestly I might give it a try after I finish the slow and grueling grind of finishing both Baten Kaitos.
Also amazing video one could feel the sheer passion and emotion you put into it.
That was an awesome video, Tarks!
I really hope the game will be released as a Classic on PS5 with trophies and a fastforward function.
Or on the PS4 but that still doesn't change that the 10,000 gold item to NEVER have Timed hits miss can't be equipped on the entire party and still costs too much in a game where the enemies barely drop ANY gold per battle for the entire game.
So unless theirs a way to never miss the timed hits on the ENTIRE party I wouldn't even play a PS4 REMASTERED versions even if it had a infinite HP/no random battles cheat.
Might be a bit late for this comment but it’s on the ps5 right now.
I’m almost done with the first chapter
Brother you are a man of culture! What a LEGENDARY video??? You got me all emotional! Legend of Dragoon is my favourite game too for almost the same reasons as yours... I do get it when you say "to be my favourite doesn't mean it's the best"! Many games are our favourites because of the experiences we had with them! When I first played LOD I was 12, I'd been bullied in school for 6 years but no one would help me through it... Not even my parents... At the age of 10 my Godfather bought me my first PSX as a gift for Christmas! That was when I found my "escape" when everything was going south! When I was going through the world of LOD, I had recently experienced 4 deaths in one year, all people that I cared too much... My parents were getting divorced and the bullies were hurting me physically at that point... Depression and anxiety were taking over... I was locked in my room, away from everything and everyone, drawing my favourite anime characters, writing my own fantasy stories and playing LOD again and again! My top 3 games that I have many important memories are: 1) World of Warcraft, 2) Legend of Dragoon and 3) Pokemon Silver!!! Love your work man! Keep it up!
Bravo. I checked this video out after beating the game on PS5. My cousins had this game when we were little I would only be able to play it when I would see them. We would pretend to be Dart Lavitz and Shana. I pretty much only got to see the beginning and very end of the game but I just finished the whole game now in my adult life. My cousin passed away a few years ago I have a lot of cherished memories with them and an emotional connection to this game it's amazing to see someone else also have a connection with it too.
Solid retrospective to a great game. Thank you Mister Gauntlet.
Legend of Dragoon was my catalyst into non Final Fantasy JRPG's as most of the EU was dominated by FF7-9 at the time. Absolutely fantastic video that hit home pretty hard. Now if you don't mind I'm gonna boot up LoD as I hug my copy of Golden Sun very tightly!
Did you try breath of fire 3 and 4. 4 was so hard to get ahold of here in UK
you have great taste!! golden sun 1 and 2 are great!!
LoD is my favorite rpg and golden sun is definitely top 5 for me
Same for me, before it there was only final fantasy but after plsying this i tried a lot other gems and i loved it
26:33
That's just for me in my many revisits here. This is a beautiful video all around. I'm very glad i found it.
There's actually a hard mode that fixes some of these issues. The LOD community is also doing an upscale project for the backgrounds and possibly the characters, but they need more donations and volunteers if people want it to go faster. Join the subreddit for more info.
For those interested in an HD remaster, I'll recommend the channel 'Zychronix'. They have an ongoing project of upscaling the backgrounds and textures, and it's looking grand. The challenges involved are pretty fascinating as well, since those backgrounds are surprisingly complex puzzles, over simply being a flat image.
Otherwise, thanks for this retrospective, have a sub
I just started playing this game again. I remember when i was 10 playing this game. The story, the ups and downs... And the music! It still is a beautiful memory.
Awesome video, as someone who dealt with a bad home environment i still find it hard to go back to childhood games at times
I never thought about a sequel to LoD as much as I did a prequel to it, covering the dragon campaign 11,000 years prior. It would be awesome to see the start of rose's journey, and how the original band of dragoons came to be. I'm kind of a sucker for tragic endings, and honestly, the most impactful cutscene to me in the entire game is watching rose lose all of her friends at the final battle of the dragon campaign. When I was a kid, I remember getting teary eyed watching the original holder of kongol's dragoon spirit sacrificing himself to stop that Boulder from crushing his friend. The original gang really deserves some justice with their own game!
I've played this game several times, as well as watched several retrospective videos. I love LoD. Having said so, I'd really love to play this with slightly improved graphics, and the possibility to choose the addition in-battle (having extra content as well would be like a dream). I may replay this soon with some mods.
Any video I see that's new talking about this masterpiece, I have to watch. Just the fact that people are making videos about The legend of dragoon just makes me go "and I oop😲!!" This was my final fantasy 7, never knew about final fantasy honestly till years later. I love FF7 but I'm not a stan. Albert will always be my favorite 😍. R.I.P Lavitz 🥺
Great video! Very well produced and you really can see the effort and passion put into it!
Gave me tears, I also played this game to escape my negative home environment, this game gave me the hope for love and a better life. Life is hard and dark with little joy and happiness but we are here till we aren't .
Legend of Dragoon was an escape for me when I was a kid; something about how beautiful the backgrounds were, along with the music and characters really made me feel like I was teleported to an immersive fantasy world. Lots of good memories of the game for me.
I don't think I've ever been moved by a youtube video about the game, oh well.. here's the first time.
The Legend of Dragoon will be released in 2 days with PS plus premium subscription, that's why I got here. Hopefully the history of the game will continue with even better outcome then initially - similar to yours "life path".
You got my attention and sub, I wish you all the best man
This was absolutely incredible 🥺 You truly did justice to such an amazing game. One that will forever hold a place in our hearts.
I really appreciate the section of going to your old house.
Bro, you get a like and sub just for MAKING this video. I've barely BEGUN watching it atm, but... my dude... LoD still tops my gaming Tier list. This thing... this thing was my CHILDHOOD. Camped out in the middle of the night in the living room with corndogs and LoD is my nostalgia.
This was a beautiful video, I'm really glad you could share everything here with us, I know it couldn't have been easy. A part of me hopes that at least some of the original creators can know just how much of a positive impact they've had on peoples' lives.
As a sidenote, I laughed at "I'm Tark and these are my gauntlets" far longer than I should have...
never seen your videos before but i am IMMEDIATELY into it
love your energy man
Thanks!
Legend of Dragoon was what got me in to the genre. I used to play shooters and racing games almost exclusively until I got this for Christmas when I was a kid.
wow man, i hope one day, i play this fantastic game with a remake or something
The best things about LoD is the amazing interconnected story and characters as wells as the world building and traveling across the world visiting different cities and countries that have their own aesthetics and cultures.
Hats off on the video my dear boy. It really hits close to home for me. This game means a great deal to me and my brother. We literally played this game co-op for years together. Lol just passed the controller back an fourth when it was our characters turn to attack 😂
"Legend of Dragoon" is one of those games I rarely see people bring up but when it is, it's often mostly fondly. I don't really know much of anything about the game so this video is essentially my first proper look at it in, well, any capacity. And yeah, seems interesting enough, if not a bit standard.
Unfortunately, I think it's kind of before my time. While I did grow up playing video games at this period, I was more Nintendo than Sony. Didn't start with Sony until the PS2/PSP so a lot of PS1 stuff is unexplored territory for me. I have played a couple PS1 games and enjoyed them, I just don't really have the nostalgia or drive to actually revisit it properly. I'm busy enough trying to catch up on all the PS3 era stuff I missed, much less the PS2 and the absurd asking prices for games there.
The PS1 era is incredible. I envy you getting to play them for the first time.
The cult of Dragoon grows larger every day.
IF YOU LIKE THAT GAME DID YOU EVER PLAY LUFIA 2???? legend of dragoon and lufia 2 will always hold a special place in my heart lufia started me off on the road to rpgs and legend of dragoon solidified my love for them. I have the strongest nostalgic memories for both of the games i actually didnt even play lufia 2 untill about 4 months before legend of dragoon released. so i played them pretty much back to back. and for the people who say lufia 2 is a snes game it cant be that great!! well shut up and play it then youll understand.
Faust is actually one of the best thing in the game, a side quest and content that is not just for exploration and completion but also for achievement. Its either you grind to beat it or you actually are good enough to beat it without the end game items. I've managed to beat Faust without using any of the legend items, its actually possible if you strategize properly and is good with the additions. But of course, there's quite abit of RNG and some basic grinding involved like unlocking and mastering the final addition.
I'd use Meru, Shana and Dart. Shana is the healer and support using items to buff and revive teammates, she can also survive fairly well with good magic defense. Meru and Dart are the main damage dealer using additions. Dart and Meru can use their respective dragoon armor since they are the main damage dealer using additions, the armor will always nullify his element counter move using a single target item spell that is the same as your character's element.
My run was mostly Albert & Rose throughout and sometimes i throw in Meru for damage dealings as well. Albert has very good high damage percentage if you use an accessory for physical attack power and hit rates only since his magic isn't that great and diverse compared to Meru and Miranda's
Thank you for this video bro, LOD is one of the best game I ever played since this is the first JRPG I've ever played, probably finished this game more than ten times.
This game (the JP version) needs a remaster. Not a remake but a remaster. Keep the story, keep the gameplay mechanics, keep the overall design, but upgrade the graphics.
Man, your old house could serve as inspiration for a cool pre-rendered dungeon in a horror-themed JRPG.
Also great video, of course. And I hope no one has made the "Tropes Gauntlet" bad joke yet.
great video tarks. while yes i agree that Lod needs a remake or remaster of some kind , i also agree that playing the original is just fine. I'm loving these long video's btw keep em coming!
Just came across this channel and you definitely deserve more subs/views. The sheer amount of work that goes into your videos does not go unnoticed my friend.
fantastic video buddy, when i had my anxiety phase it was Dragon Quest 11 that helped me push through.
i hope things are better for you now buddy.
I absolutely loved this game growing up I am 30 years old this was my first teenager rated game and my mom and aunt got it for my 8th birthday! Took me 3 years to beat with consistent daily gameplay and I enjoyed every second of it!
This is a heartfelt video. I also have very fond memories of this game
This has always been one of my favorite games of all time...playing this as a kid. Music was so good, so many emotions I remember feeling. This game and Jade Cocoon are games I wished so badly would get a remaster.
you just earned a new subscriber. I'm a huge die hard fan of this game. (as you can tell by my channel name) you made a coverage of this game pretty damn well. If we can't get a remake, at the very least we can spread the word of just how phenomenal this game is. more people should absolutely know about this game. while obviously it's not a game for everyone, it can at least get recognition that it truly deserved upon release.
PS: the part where you told about your childhood was really touching. I'm glad you finally severed the chains that binded you of your dark past.
Great job man! Glad you could share your experiences with us. Keep up the good work!
I loved this game as a kid and have replayed it a few times on emulators. You've convinced me to do it again. Meru/haschel are a cute dynamic and they are power houses too. Call them and turbo squad.
I've watched this before but had to watch again, such a good retrospective. Legend of Dragoon is one of my all-time favorite games as well. Probably this and Everquest tie for my absolute favorite.
This game had a similar impact on my life at that age and why I was so quick to latch onto the tales of series, amazing games. Also from that time for a similar reason is digimon world. These series will always be special to me because of how they helped me survive.
this is my favorite game of all time. It will be nice to get a remake before my life end.