In July 18th of the year 2000, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) released a game amongst their “Summer of Adventure” promotion named Threads of Fate. Released alongside Legend of Mana and the much hyped-about Chrono Cross, this simple story of two young persons going out in search of an ancient, powerful relic was largely overlooked by casual gamers and RPG fans on a budget. Though definitely not as successful or as sought-after as the two aforementioned titles, Threads of Fate is a lighthearted, charming adventure with just the right amount of moral implications.

Starting off the game, players are able to choose between two different characters. One is a young man named Rue with a confusing past. Apparently, Rue was actually created in order to serve a master. One day he wakes up, remembering only scraps of his creation and former life, and is taken in by a lady named Claire. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes when a vicious fiend attempts to assassinate Rue. Jumping in to save the hero, Claire is slain, and Rue sets out to find the only known relic powerful enough to return her to the realm of the living.

The other character is Mint – a feisty, vivacious young princess of the kingdom at hand. Mint is quite full of herself and prone to violence, and in a bid to give the throne of the realm a rightful (and much less dangerous) heir, Mint’s sister was chosen as the successor. In order to prove her worth, Mint seeks out the relic to usurp her sister’s position and show herself the most powerful member of the royal family.

The two story lines for the game meet up with each other at several instances, with Rue and Mint forming a unique relationship amongst themselves. While both are going after their same goal, bonds are formed between the two, and in the end (and somewhat determined by which character was chosen) a mutual respect is found. One interesting element is the how the protagonists interact with the large cast of the game. There are several people who are mostly in the sidelines, including two Squaresoft-standard mismatched ne’er-do-wells, and most everyone from one side of the game comes into contact with the other side.

By completing the game with both characters, the player is able to see all of those characters from an outside perspective. Afterwards, upon consideration, gamers may (like the many denizens of the game including the protagonists) wind up mulling over the idea of fate versus choice. It’s an odd shift from the quirky and colorful nature of the game, but Squaresoft clearly saw it fit to introduce some heavy drama into the title; this is one of the reasons why Threads of Fate is as memorable as it is.

The gameplay in Threads of Fate follows a rather simple action/RPG formula. Most of the exploration and battles take place on a two- or three-dimensional plane. Rue attacks enemies with a rounded axe called the Arc Edge, and is able to transform into various beasts he encounters in his journeys. Mint has two hollow, round blades called the Dual Halos that she uses in attacks, and she is also able to cast a variety of different magic spells.

Though only being able to spend a small amount of time in-game (both character’s parts of the game are packed onto a single CD-ROM,) gamers are shown a wonderfully stylized world. Using polygons almost exclusively, the visual style of Threads of Fate looks much akin to Final Fantasy VII sans the pre-rendered backgrounds. The score of the game was composed by Junya Nakano, who went on to work with Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu on the Final Fantasy X soundtrack, as well as perform additional work on the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII.

Though a far cry from the blockbuster games released around a similar time frame, Threads of Fate provides an easygoing adventure that is simple and lighthearted enough for younger gamers, yet interesting enough for older players. Threads of Fate is very much worth the small amount of time it takes to complete, and will surely have a lasting impression on all those who experience it.

Title: Threads of Fate Publisher: Square Electronic Arts Developer: Squaresoft Platform(s): PlayStation Release Date: July 18, 2000

Tags: SKF, Spawn Kill Favorites, Square, Threads of Fate

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