Illusion of Gaia

Illusion of Gaia
Developer(s)	Enix
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	SNES
Release	January 1, 1994
Genre(s)	RPG
Mode(s)	Single player

Illusion of Gaia was an role-playing game (RPG) released on January 1, 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was developed by Quintet. Enix published the game in Japan, and Nintendo published it worldwide.

Illusion of Gaia is the second game in the Soul Blazer series (Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, Terranigma). As in the other games in this series, the character ends up literally changing the face of the world as he progresses.

The main character of Illusion of Gaia is Will, a boy from South Cape, living with his grandparents. It is the age of exploration (sometime in the 16th century. Columbus is mentioned at least once), and explorers have begun exploring many of the ancient ruins around the world, looking for treasure and secrets. Many return with nothing, and some don't return at all. Will's father was one of these explorers, who disappeared a year prior to the beginning of the game while exploring the Tower of Babel. Somehow Will managed to make it back, but he doesn't remember how.

When the game begins, He stumbles into a "Dark Space," where he meets "Gaia," who tells him that he must leave South Cape and save the world from a coming evil. A comet is approaching, which brings ill fortune to the world. As he travels, Will gains the ability to change into two other warriors, each with special powers: Freedan, a dark knight, and Shadow, a form of energy.

The game contains several real-world sites, such as Incan ruins, the Nazca lines, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall of China, and Egyptian pyramids. Each of these hold a piece of the final puzzle, unveiled at the Top of the Infamous Tower of Babel.

Illusion of Gaia was scored by Yasuhiro Kawasaki.

The European version was named Illusion of Time.

Characters

Will

The main character of the game. Will takes on many forms; however this is most likely his true form. It is also the form that he goes through most of the game in when he is not in a hostile area.

A young man from South Cape, Will was born with psychic powers. While his ability at the start of the game is limited to small amounts of ESP as well as the ability to draw certain statues towards him, he gains more powerful abilities later.

Freedan and Shadow

Freedan is a dark knight and Shadow is a humanoid construction of energy. Will has the ability to take on the shape of these two beings by utilizing statues of them in the Dark Space. It is unknown if Will simply takes the forms of these beings, if he is actually replaced by them and takes their place as a statue for brief times, or if they are spirits who possess him and use him as an avatar. Whatever the means, these beings are completely benevolent to Will during the game despite their fearsome nature.

Gameplay

Will, Freedan, and Shadow are the only playable characters in the game. They each have unique abilities, and certain areas are impassable without a specific character. For example, in the first dungeon, Freedan's sword is required to hit a switch out of Will's reach.

Combat is relatively simple. Attacks are almost exclusively melee, using Will's flute, Freedan's sword, or Shadow's pseudopod. Enemies' health bar appears upon attacking, showing as a series of red spheres that decrease in size upon striking. Enemies do not respawn throughout the game, and bosses cannot be revisited.

Illusion of Gaia has only one difficulty setting, like many RPGs.

Within the game, hidden throughout various locales, are items called Red Gems. Fifty in total, they must be returned to Gem the Jeweler to receive rewards.