Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Tengai Makyō: Ziria hews closely to the established template of early console RPGs, offering a top-down overworld where players guide Ziria and his companions through the land of Jipang. You’ll traverse a sprawling map divided into provinces, each filled with towns, dungeons, and hidden locales. Random encounters spring up as you journey, plunging you into first-person, turn-based battles that demand strategic use of weapons, items, and the unique magic spells your party collects.

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Unlike many RPGs of its era, Tengai Makyō: Ziria doesn’t automatically teach spells when characters level up. Instead, you must seek out spellbooks tucked away in side-quests or optional areas—rewarding exploration and careful backtracking with powerful magic. The game also streamlines survival: when your party is wiped out, you return to the last town with half your gold intact, and any character who levels up mid-dungeon has his HP and MP fully restored. These design choices reduce tedious grinding and encourage risk-taking.

Exploration remains at the heart of the experience. Province-to-province teleportation lets you revisit previously explored regions in seconds, making early choices feel less punishing. While dungeons tend to be more compact than those in some of its peers, their puzzles and enemy placements are cleverly crafted to test your resource management. Towns double as hubs for gambling, banking, and equipment upgrades, giving you plenty of diversions between storyline beats and battle sequences.

Graphics

As the first RPG released on CD-ROM, Tengai Makyō: Ziria makes the most of its medium with full-screen, anime-style cutscenes that blend static art and limited animation. These sequences are voice-acted, lending dramatic flair to key story moments and bridging gameplay seamlessly with narrative. Character sprites on the overworld are crisp and distinct, each clan member’s silhouette instantly recognizable as you guide them across varied terrain.

The game’s art direction deliberately parodies feudal Japan, leaning into broad caricatures and vibrant color schemes. Town NPCs sport exaggerated costumes and expressions, reinforcing the game’s humorous tone. Boss designs often reference yokai and mythical creatures from Japanese folklore, rendered with a cartoonish twist that underscores the title’s lighthearted approach.

Even more impressive is how the game balances voice-over audio with ambient tracks. Loading times are minimal for a CD-ROM title, ensuring that transitions between exploration and cutscene remain fluid. While the graphical fidelity may feel dated compared to modern standards, the unique art style and pioneering use of voice clips hold up remarkably well, offering a nostalgic charm that still delights retro and new players alike.

Story

Tengai Makyō: Ziria opens with a mythic backstory: long ago, the Fire Clan built their own paradise, Jipang, only to be menaced by the demon lord Masakado. Centuries later, a young thief named Ziria discovers his Fire Clan heritage and learns that Masakado’s followers seek to resurrect their fallen master. This legend-steeped premise sets the stage for an epic quest across provinces, as you gather allies and thwart dark rituals.

Loosely inspired by the Japanese folk tale of Jiraiya, the narrative excels at blending humor with high fantasy. Dialogue is peppered with tongue-in-cheek references to samurai clichés, bureaucratic bakufu officials, and wandering monks, all while integrating supernatural elements like shapeshifting toads and spectral oni. The result is a story that never takes itself too seriously yet maintains enough gravitas to keep players invested in Ziria’s journey.

Pacing is handled deftly: cutscenes punctuate major plot developments, while side quests and optional spells encourage detours into hidden corners of the map. Character interactions are charmingly voiced, breathing life into a cast of warriors, tricksters, and sages. Even after dozens of hours, the narrative retains momentum, rewarding thorough exploration with new story threads and unexpected character backstories.

Overall Experience

Tengai Makyō: Ziria remains a milestone in RPG history. Its blend of humor, mythology, and CD-ROM technology set it apart from contemporaries, delivering a rich audiovisual package that feels fresh even decades after its release. The game’s willingness to play with feudal Japanese stereotypes and its creative spell-hunting mechanics give it a unique flavor that fans of classic RPGs will appreciate.

While some modern players might find the random encounter rate and first-person combat a bit old-school, the convenience of instant province teleportation and full HP/MP restores on level-up mitigate the more dated mechanics. The comic relief can sometimes verge on broad caricature, but it largely works in service of a lighthearted world brimming with personality and charm.

For collectors, retro enthusiasts, and RPG newcomers curious about gaming history, Tengai Makyō: Ziria offers a memorable adventure. Its anime cutscenes and voice acting were revolutionary at the time and still impress today. If you’re seeking an RPG that balances accessible mechanics, whimsical storytelling, and pioneering multimedia presentation, Ziria’s quest through Jipang is well worth undertaking.

Retro Replay Score

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