Final Fantasy AdventureThe first Seiken Denetsu, which is the Mana series over here in the states, is a triumpth of game design for the original Gameboy. For all intents and purposes, it was the first true adventure game for the system, and it played as such. Interesting characters, memorable music, and fun gameplay; Final Fantasy Adventure reminded me of a Zelda game fused with an RPG. In otherwords, there was no way this game could fail.
It really had a lot going for it. The RPG elements were never cumbersome and, in fact, were a joy to work with. You would want to level up your character (I especially love the accompanying sound effect when you do) and find the newest weapon with which to smite your foes. Talking to villagers was never a chore, and although you could get lost in the huge overworld, it was mainly due to your own knack for exploring the unknown and not because of a poorly conceived map.
The story here is exceptional work, surpassing any other Final Fantasy narrative on the Gameboy by leaps and bounds. It was a tad cliche, like most games of this nature...but it was completely sincere and thus held your interest throughout the 15+ hours of gameplay (an impressive feat considering the system). The story, which from what I recall dealt with an Evil Empire and the death of the Mana Tree which gave life to the planet, was tied together by an emotional core that resolved itself in a bittersweet finale. One which, to this day, has cemented itself in my memory as a truly touching piece of work. The depth of the story, along with combat which involved powering up your weapon by holding down a button, made this game incredibly engaging. Few black and white games warrant playing in this day and age, but you won't regret it if you pick this gem up on ebay. Without question, Final Fantasy Adventure remains one of the finest games the Gameboy has to offer.
Rating: A