The Dreamcast was a pretty good console for Sega to go out on, but its ground was lost very quickly by the launch of the PlayStation 2 and its diverse library of role-playing games. And while the 'Cast had an appeal that catered more towards an era losing its relevance, it has some RPGs that are fondly remembered. The turn-based wayfaring venture Skies of Arcadia may not pack the mainstream appeal of Square's Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series, under-performing in sales, but has a homely slice of charm only Sega could capture.

Developed by Overworks (an in-house division of Sega AM Research & Development) and released in 2000, Skies of Arcadia was produced by the late, great Reiko Kodama, along with other Sega programmers who worked on Panzer Dragoon, Phantasy Star, and the Sakura Wars series. Taking place in the titular world of Arcadia, the story follows the young aspiring air pirates Vyse and Aika, Robin Hood Effect-style pirates. Along with a generational movement who are resisting the tyranny of the Valuan Empire.

In a vacuum, I'd almost make comparisons to One Piece. The Blue Rogues have vague similarities to the Straw Hat Pirates, mostly in their seemingly well-intended nature to help those in need, which goes in tow with their treasure seeking. Along the way, they meet the introverted and demure Fina from the Silver Civilization, whose personality is practically the opposite of the more outgoing and spirited Aika, and she pretty much joins their ranks immediately. The trio gels together fast, and you encounter other party members later as a fourth at various intervals, either Drachma, a former sea captain, the crown prince of the Valuan kingdom Enrique, and the roguish Gilder. 

Skies of Arcadia's visuals are pretty good, and while the animations are on the robotic side (this was still that rather awkward period where 3D models were fairly stiff and blocky) the world and the characters all sporting a great deal of life. More games were harnessing the ability to fully render worlds completely in polygons, and the textures were getting better. Compared to the more detailed Final Fantasy IX, which came out that same year, it does look a step down, but there's no graphical hiccups and the aforementioned texture mapping .

The overworld in Arcadia takes place mostly via airship, with solid ground being regulated to floating land masses. This...is a visual aspect that hasn't aged as well on the eyes, as most of the islands come off looking like vaguely crushed corrugated cardboard suspended in midair. There's also a ton of foggy terrain that enshrouds the "surface", you never really venture there, so it's easy to ignore. Makes me wonder heavily about the casualties regarding people who just fall off the islands. Being an assassin and disposing of the bodies would be a snap. I poke fun, but in an age where almost everything in this genre flows smoothly from world map to cities, I do miss RPGs with the dedicated open map with locations you enter dungeon maps and towns. Entering each location felt like getting to a new chapter in a book. Still, it's one of the more expressive games on the Dreamcast.

Okay, as much as I love Skies, it's very dear to me, the gameplay has always felt rather sluggish. It's a very easy game to pick up and play, you aren't overly bogged down with long tutorials. That can be a benefit, but this game is probably a little too simplistic for its own good, especially in the battle department.

Combat follows the standard of most turn-based JRPGs. Vyse, Aika, and Fina have their unique fighting styles, each with some weaknesses. Skies has one of the most over-powered characters in the genre to the point that I regularly forget there's a general MAGIC SYSTEM that can be utilized. Like, why? Your battle skills can adequately dispatch whatever is in front of you, steamrolling this game is far from a problem. Most fights, I just spammed Vyse's Cutlass Fury maliciously. Ship Battles, which are mostly regulated to fights with Gigas creatures and bounties, are about the same. There are variables, like upgrading your ship's equipment to improve outcomes. Then selecting which cannons to fire can determine critical hit, accuracy, and damage trade-off. Honestly, I stopped paying attention to it after a while and just fired. Odds are, I destroyed everything in front of me. It all works well, it just floors me how easy this game really is.

For its shortcomings, Skies of Arcadia really is a blast to play, and it's a charm from Sega's branded RPGs that's been sorely missing from my life. Or at least until the next Valkyria Chronicles game. The gameplay is a touch on the chunky side, but the dungeons/puzzles are amusing. These Blue Rogue trio are among my favorite Sega characters, the music is delightful, and the story, in wake of its tropes, remains light and never tries to be anything more than a swashbuckling adventure. Until the silly silver-haired kid turns into a silly porkchop with pinchers as a boss fight (this was a staple of late 90's Japanese role-playing game). Skies of Arcadia is one of the highlights of the Dreamcast.