EPTAges ago, or so the stories tell, the power of Alchemy ruled over the world of Weyard.
Alchemy wrote the base elements of humanity into thriving civilizations, like lead into gold.
But in time, man’s dreams gave birth to untold strife. Dreams of endless riches, of eternal life, of dominion over all that lived… Dreams of conquest and of war.
These dreams would have torn the world apart if not for a few brave and wise men, who sealed away the power of Alchemy deep in Mt. Aleph’s Sol Sanctum…
Alchemy wrote the base elements of humanity into thriving civilizations, like lead into gold.
But in time, man’s dreams gave birth to untold strife. Dreams of endless riches, of eternal life, of dominion over all that lived… Dreams of conquest and of war.
These dreams would have torn the world apart if not for a few brave and wise men, who sealed away the power of Alchemy deep in Mt. Aleph’s Sol Sanctum…
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/PYkBX.png)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/rSAs3.png)
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And so the journey of a young boy named Isaac began.
Golden Sun. Undoubtedly my favorite video game of all time, and definitely the one I’ve clocked the most hours on. How many games have you played for 2,000 hours without getting bored? How many games have you beaten 120 times? Needless to say, Golden Sun has been a huge part of my gaming life, and is probably the single greatest influence on my longtime infatuation with JRPGs.
Before I go any further, though, I should note that this blog will act as an introduction to Golden Sun, and will explain the workings of the game and why it is so great. Keep in mind that there will be mild spoilers about the plot of the game for the opening portion, though I will not reveal anything absolutely critical to the story. I also won’t discuss the plot of The Lost Age at all, since the story from The Broken Seal (the first game) is tied heavily into it, and divulging anything from TLA would most likely spoil those who haven’t played the first game.
The Golden Sun series of handheld RPG games, produced by Camelot, began with The Broken Seal (simply titled “Golden Sun” outside of Japan), released in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance. The story revolves around Isaac, a young boy living in a village inhabited by people with special powers based around the four elements of air, earth, fire, and water. These “Adepts” guard the sacred peak of Mt. Aleph, to prevent the abuse of the sealed secrets of Alchemy which granted them their powers. However, a group of mysterious strangers, hailing from the northern reaches of the world, infiltrate the sanctum atop Mt. Aleph and steal the Elemental Stars, the keys to breaking the seal on Alchemy across the world of Weyard. If the Stars are used to light the beacons of the corresponding lighthouses scattered throughout Weyard, the world will eventually consume itself whole. Isaac and his childhood friend Garet set out to recover the Stars, defeat the thieves who took them, and rescue their friends Jenna and Kraden, who were abducted along with the Stars.
A fairly generic plot, as far as JRPGs go. But the story isn’t what makes the game so incredible.
Graphics and Music
For a game that was released in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance, Golden Sun looks absolutely stunning. The graphics are far ahead of anything before it, with incredible amounts of detail in nearly every aspect of the game world. Golden Sun is a game that pushes the limits of the Game Boy Advance, despite being released about eight months after the handheld console itself was made available. Referred to in a Game Informer review as “a visual treat” with graphics that “would have amazed Super Nintendo owners back in the day” (sentiments shared by countless others who played the game), Golden Sun remains one of the most gorgeous titles for the GBA. Battles explode with brilliantly crafted effects, the world around Isaac is alive with color and detail, and the characters themselves are modeled with care. Overall, Golden Sun is an exquisite experience for the eyes, and has certainly not aged badly compared to games like Final Fantasy VII or Morrowind.
+ Show Spoiler [Samples] +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/yPDXR.jpg)
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Golden Sun is no slouch in the sound department either. Fans of the Tales or Star Ocean RPG series will recognize Motoi Sakuraba’s musical style as they play through Golden Sun. Though sound quality on the GBA system is obviously limited compared to the DS or other modern consoles, Sakuraba works his magic on the game nonetheless, composing a memorable soundtrack that will undoubtedly cause nerd-chills for longtime GS fans, and leave newcomers wanting more. Gorgeous music, coupled with a vivid array of sound effects that further flesh out the world of Weyard and its inhabitants, serve to leave a lasting impression.
+ Show Spoiler [Samples] +
Bottom line: Golden Sun, if nothing else, is a feast for the eyes and ears.
Psynergy
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Psynergy is the ability to manipulate one or several of the four base elements of the world. Those who are able to wield such power are known as “Adepts”; conveniently enough, your party members are all Adepts of different elemental alignments. Each of the four elements — air, earth, fire, water — can be used to devastating effect in battle, but you will often be presented with a puzzle or task outside of combat that requires the use of Psynergy to solve. Fortunately for you, Psynergy can do all sorts of things to assist you in progressing further, ranging from moving under obstacles while transfigured into sand, pushing faraway objects, conjuring gusts of wind, and smashing pillars to reading minds and causing small earthquakes.
The land of Weyard, and those who live there, can be manipulated in countless ways. An experienced Adept knows where to find such foci, and how best to utilize his powers to proceed along his journey. However, in a land as treacherous as Weyard, basic puzzle-solving will not be enough to prevail; one must also know how to defeat the various foes one will encounter along the way.
Combat
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Golden Sun is, at first glance, a simple turn-based RPG, but several unique mechanics take an otherwise boring battle system into something wondrous. The basics of combat are relatively intuitive; you can choose to attack with your equipped weaponry, smite the enemy with Psynergy of various elements, use items to help your allies or hinder your foes, guard attacks, or simply flee from battle. The key mechanic that separates Golden Sun from Generic JRPG #284 is the Djinn system.
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A Djinni is an entity consisting of pure elemental energy that can bolster the abilities of the Adept it is assigned to. Like Adepts, they are separated into one of the four base elements of Alchemy, but are not limited to their own alignment (meaning, a Jupiter Djinni can be assigned to any type of Adept, not just a Jupiter Adept). The Djinn system is essential to combat, where they have multiple uses, but their most important role is arguably the Class system they provide to the player.
The Class system is one of the main reasons why Golden Sun’s battle system receives such praise. When you assign one or more Djinn to a party member, their “class” may change. Stats may be raised or lower, and new Psynergy may be granted, depending on the combination and number of Djinn assigned to that character. This allows for a great deal of customization and versatility when stuck at a certain difficult battle. Instead of being forced to grind levels or obtain new gear to face the threat, you can experiment with different classes to see what combinations will best aid your party.
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The Class system is by no means the only use for these little guys, though. All Djinn can be “unleashed” in combat for various effects. Some, like Flint, simply damage the enemy, while others can buff you and your allies, paralyze foes, seal opposing Psynergy, and cure status effects. However, once a Djinni is unleashed, they go into “standby” mode, which means that any bonus they might have provided to your character’s class is removed until it reverts to its “set” mode (which costs a turn to correct for each Djinni on standby).
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Should you wish to further engage the enemy even with standby Djinn, you can use them as reagents for powerful summon attacks. These spells are extraordinarily powerful, but will temporarily disable any Djinn used in the attack and prevent the player from manually resetting those Djinn to “set” mode. Of course, the sheer power of summons (and the occasional buffs they can provide, such as healing or Attack bonuses) more than offsets the opportunity cost of wielding such potent spells.
Memories
+ Show Spoiler [I remember…] +
- … knocking down a boulder in Altin Cave that nearly crushes Isaac (with Yakety Sax-esque music all the while)
- … finally collecting the Muramasa in Crossbone Isle level 9 for the first time
- … understanding and utilizing the DP method for the first time to obtain a Kikuijimonji
- … cheesing the hell out of Deadbeard with Flash and Granite
- … falling in love with Mia (rofl!)
- … the girl at Kolima Crossing giving Isaac a Hard Nut for rescuing her
- … using Mind Read on everybody and marveling at the sheer detail put into the game
- … “!!!”
- … Making all the women and old people row the boat to Tolbi
- … Summoning Judgment
- … the adrenaline surge I felt when competing in Colosso
- … refusing to allow Flint to join the party, and laughing at his increasingly pathetic whining
- … the first Saturos battle, and the amazing music
- … Ragnarok
Share some of your fondest memories from the games!
With any luck, this blog was able to show you why Golden Sun is a masterpiece of gaming. Who knows, perhaps the Golden Sun will rise for some of you.
One can only hope.
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