Squaresoft on the PS1 was on another level, they were putting out classic after classic and keeping a stunningly high level of quality the whole way through. And even as they were putting out AAA powerhouses like Final Fantasy and Chrono Cross, Square was still making sure to work on some more creative and experimental smaller-scale fare, some of which managed to rival or even top its higher-budget brethren. Case in point, Threads Of Fate, despite being essentially a C-team project for Square, secretly ended up being one of the finest, prettiest, most charming, and most soulful action RPGs on the console.
Threads Of Fate's main gimmick is that it's an RPG starring two entirely different protagonists, a lonely amnesiac named Rue and a spoiled ex-princess named Mint, whose paths start to intertwine when they both seek out the same goal, a relic called the Dewprism that can grant anyone's wish. You can play as either Rue or Mint, and while they'll repeatedly interact and visit similar locations, their campaigns boast drastically different gameplay styles, stories, and even sometimes level order and design. Thus, to get the full story, you need to play as both characters. It's nothing ground-breaking, but it's a fun premise executed incredibly well for a number of reasons. For starters, the stories of Mint and Rue intertwine incredibly well. Regardless of which character you play as first, being able to see what the other protagonist had been doing in the background all this time during the second playthrough is always a really satisfying feeling, and there's a general lack of contradictions and (ugh, I hate this word) plot holes that would mess up your investment in seeing how the two stories connect.
But on top of that, what I love about Threads Of Fate's dual narrative is just how different in tone Rue and Mint's stories are. Rue's story is by far the darker and more melancholic of the two, focusing on Rue dealing with the death of a close friend and discovering his past. It's a really well-written and emotional narrative that any fan of Final Fantasies VI-VII will be pretty happy with. Mint's story, on the other hand, is far more comedic and light-hearted. And as good as Rue's story is, Mint is easily what elevates Threads Of Fate to all-timer status for me. In contrast to Rue's selfless motivation of using a wish to bring back his friend, Mint selfishly wants to wish for world domination after her sister banishes her from power and steals her throne. Like with the Disgaea games, it's always so fresh and fun when you get to play as a protagonist who's kind of just an asshole. Mint starts off the game as a massive jerk who constantly boasts about her plan to rule the world which makes for a really entertaining villain protagonist. But as the game goes on, she warms up to Rue and the townsfolk who took her in, and she takes on a more heroic role without losing that wit and sass that made her so fun to watch, it's just a great well-done arc. And the side characters are all fantastic too, from the charming townsfolk who Rue and Mint spend their time with, to the very entertaining antagonists who balance goofy with menacing incredibly well. Regardless of your taste in RPG stories, I think Threads Of Fate manages to have something for pretty much everyone.
Gameplay-wise, Threads Of Fate takes after its spiritual predecessor, Brave Fencer Musashi. It's an action RPG with slight platforming elements centered around a small town that the story revolves around (I love this trope, by the way, lots of Falcom games to it too). Though the big difference between these two games is that while Musashi is a far more ambitious open adventure, Threads Of Fate is more linear and streamlined in its progression. Personally, I like Threads's approach better. Musashi is a great game but dealing with its time cycle and lack of direction left me frustrated at points, but Threads manages to stay incredibly tight and briskly-paced, never dragging for a second. All the areas you visit have fun gimmicks and memorable setpieces, from the wild chase sequence in the Underground Ruins, to the platforming minigames at Mel's place, to the fun puzzles at the Ghost Temple, to the elevator fight at Maya's tower. The bosses are also super fun and varied, taking place in a wide variety of settings and employing a wide variety of unique camera angles to fit each situation.
I also prefer the actual meat and bones of the gameplay in Threads, as both Rue and Mint have some really cool mechanics that promote a ton of experimentation. Rue plays more like Musashi, being the melee character with the ability to use his enemy's abilities, not unlike Musashi's Fusion skill. What makes Rue so cool though is that he doesn't just use his enemy's abilities, he can straight-up transform the enemies he's fighting. It's a ton of fun to try and transform into each new enemy you run into, and see what your moveset is. Granted, only a few of them are exceptionally useful, but Threads Of Fate does manage to squeeze in quite a few fun puzzles that put Rue's ability to good use, especially in the Ghost Temple. Mint, once again, fares even better. She's a projectile-based magic user, and her deal is that she can learn seven elemental spells and seven shot types, and combine the two into a whopping 49 different spell combinations. Unlike with Rue, this is going to be your main form of combat as Mint and each enemy has their own unique elemental weaknesses, so finding the most effective spell combos for each foe you fight requires a ton of experimentation. The snappy UI making it super easy to test out different combinations make working out a strategy fun and seamless, and it really elevates Mint's combat.
As you'd expect from a game by Squaresoft, Threads Of Fate looks stunning. As a matter of fact, I'd even go far enough to say that this is the best-looking Squaresoft game on the PS1, right up there with Chrono Cross and Vagrant Story. Instead of going for a pre-rendered look that, while endearing, wouldn't really end up aging the best, Threads Of Fate is fully-modeled and instead goes for a more cartoony, animesque look akin to games like Mega Man Legends and Tail Concerto. And if you know me, you know that kind of low-poly PS1 look is my bread and butter, I adore Threads's visual style. The characters are so expressive and charmingly designed, the environments look so crisp and clean, and it feels like the game hasn't aged a day. The visual highlight is Fancy Mel's place, a pastel-colored dreamworld filled with clouds and fallen stars, it's flat-out gorgeous. Of course, the soundtrack is really good too. Kenji Mizuno, who would later work on the FFX soundtrack, did the whole score himself and his ethereal style helped to give Threads Of Fate a really dreamlike feel. Highlights include tracks like Passing Through The Forest, Book Of Cosmos, Fancy Mel, Underground Ruins, Theme Of Dewprism, and A Chance Meeting.
Threads Of Fate isn't a super well-known game, and I don't think it sold all that well either. I understand why, it was one of Square's less high profile projects in an era where Final Fantasies were coming out at a regular basis. Something had to get lost in the shuffle. But that's a real shame because Threads Of Fate is just such a thoroughly charming and lovable experience the whole way through, a game that improves upon an already fun Square cult classsic, and ends up being greater than the sum of its already great parts. It's got fun action RPG gameplay with memorable level and boss design and experimental combat, two well-written stories with lovable casts that pull off their respective tones perfectly, and a phenomenally polished presentation that looks and sounds just as good today as it did in the 90s. It also just strikes that blend of mystical environments, charming and cute characters, and emotional rollercoaster stories that I like so much in video games. Hell, throw in the enemy transformations and this may be the closest thing we currently have to Kirby being an RPG.
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