The Let's Play Archive

Paladin's Quest

by Stayton

Part 1: A Brief Yet Ominous History

For the Christmas of 1989 I received the gift of Dragon Warrior for the NES, changing the way I gamed forever. I knew I was onto something good when after half an hour of play my father took over the game, and I didn't get to touch my NES again for a solid month. At the time I was mad, but I soon learned I'd discovered something special. RPG's were the only games compelling enough to make my father pick up the controller, nothing else would do. From then on I kept a look out for games like Dragon Warrior. Besides father entrancing abilities they also offered the most play value for my very limited gaming dollar.

Over the next four years my father would pick up, play through, and beat several more RPG's for the NES and SNES. Usually around the holiday season when he had some time off work to play. Dragon Warrior IV, Final Fantasy IV (II back then), and a few others succumbed to my dad's newbie gaming prowess. For my part, I was glad we shared a common interest for a while. One day though my father met his match in a rented game that went by the title Paladin's Quest. A quirky little RPG from Enix with unique graphics, an odd combat system, and a story that pushed the limits of what Nintendo would let a developer get away with on their console at the time. He worked through the occasional level grind and the clunky interface. He even mastered the unusual magic system. In the end though, Paladin's Quest got the better of him. My father hasn't picked up a game since.

During the holidays I often find myself searching Ebay for potential gifts, and this time I stumbled upon an old copy of Paladin's Quest. Which gave me a great idea. This winter my father will be avenged, and I'm bringing the forums along for the ride. Let's play.

Actually aside destroying my father's will to play this is a fun game that is at once a very unique RPG experience while also utilizes a fairly generic plot. Released during the period where Enix was throwing every game (Robotrek, Illusion of Gaia) they had at the US market, while refusing to release any of the SNES Dragon Warrior games. Then wanting to know why nobody was buying their stuff, and then giving up on North America for a while.

We begin with the minimalist opening screen of Paladin's quest. Very unassuming isn't it? You'd hardly suspect this game was anything worth remembering. We see the normal New Game and Continue options, but what's that Demo thing? Let's find out.

Ahh. This option should have been labeled PRESS HERE FOR BACKSTORY.

Are these events also radical? Maybe even Tubular at times?

Here's our first taste of possible Nintendo censorship. By my reckoning there's an 80% chance that these "immortals" were called gods in the original Japanese.

So thirteen years after the mysterious burning of some random village things start happening. You bet your ass there's a connection.

Senile old coot's got no clue what's in store for his ass.

Look out! Powerful (but no doubt effeminate) baddie's comin' for ya

I didn't know this in '93 but during production of this game Zaygos was known as generic anime/video game villan #644

Oh shit! Gangsta's got chops.

Pretend I knew how to make an animated .gif for these five screenshots. Either that, or scroll down really fast.

Using the leetest skills ever seen (also human sacrifice) Zaygos became the first person in history to unlock the legendary All Bonds mode in Goldeneye. Securing his title as best greatest gamer of all time. Riding the wave of popularity generated by this feat he became the president of Lennus (well of the southern continent, Saskuot anyway).

Or not.

In the Flower Tower of Naskuot the hippies were unaware of the pain train that Zaygos was drivin' in their direction.

Even the obligatory dwarf village doesn't know what the fuck.

Oh geez guys. You built your magic school on the ruins of an ancient city with unknown advanced technologies beyond you ability to comprehend? Why didn't you just build on an ancient Indian burial ground next to an abandoned insane asylum? The potential for disaster would have been much lower.

See, told ya. Dumbledore isn't around to bail your asses out either. Good luck not causing the apocalypse.

(This graphic accompanied by spooky beating heart sound effect.)

We have title.

Well, that's it for the Demo option. Time for a New Game.

Would I like to Change the Hero's name? Is this is a Let's Play thread or isn't it?

Alright looks like we need two names. One for a boy, one for a girl, with a max of six characters each. Default names are Chezni and Midia. What's the consensus guys?