From the Manufacturer While digging through the ancient ruins, archeologists found a sleeping man iside an egg-shaped machine. Though the scientist couldn't wake up the Sleeper, they were able to reproduce his machine which people started calling Elemental Gimmick Gear, or EGG. A wide variety of EGGs have been manufactured for civilian and military use. One hundred years after discovery of the Sleeper, something goes terribly wrong, destroying the city and the people. The Sleeper awakes and leaves the laboratory. As the Sleeper, you try to save the city of Fogna and learn what went wrong. Review Do you remember the great, older action-RPGs like The Legend of Zelda for the SNES or Legend of Oasis for the Saturn? Elemental Gimmick Gear for the Sega Dreamcast is one of those titles that definitely returns to the basics of action-RPG. Like the classic games, you'll jump, run, and attack while acquiring different items and magic in a 2D map rich with colorful, beautiful backgrounds. The story begins when archaeologists discover an egg-shaped robot and a pilot at an ancient structure that dates back more than five thousand years. Engineers successfully replicate the robot for mass production and call it Elemental Gimmick Gear or E.G.G. for short. E.G.G. eventually becomes a part of everyday life, taking on extreme physical tasks so the human race can take it easy. But the pilot who was discovered in the original E.G.G. is still asleep (hence, his name, the Sleeping Man), and all attempts to wake him have failed. Five hundred years have passed, and the ancient structure has been dubbed the Fogna, a place where scientists continue their excavation, and treasure hunters risk their lives in hopes of finding buried treasure. But instead of finding treasure, the treasure hunters trigger a switch that causes mass destruction, shaking the earth and causing huge tentacles to spread across the continent, destroying everything in their path. All this commotion causes the Sleeping Man to wake up and hop in his E.G.G., hoping to regain his lost memory and find out what lies beneath the Fogna. The game was developed by Birthday and was originally planned for a release on the Sega Saturn console. It's good the game has retained its Saturn-esque image, but it adds flavor with an additional gameplay element that uses the hardware capabilities of the Dreamcast console. You will usually move across town and through dungeons in a 2D map reminiscent of the hand-drawn picture-book style found in Square's SaGa Frontier. 3D battles occur only on occasion, usually when you encounter a boss inside a dungeon. The 2D-world graphics are very colorful and detailed, though it makes it easy to get lost. The characters and enemies are all in 2D sprites, while polygon models are used in the 3D battles. Although the graphics are simple first-generation Dreamcast graphics, the movements and controls are seamlessly smooth. The game also features FMV sequences in between gameplay, as well. Miki Takahama did the artwork for the game. His previous work includes the Japanese live-action flick Gamera 3. Unfortunately, the artwork doesn't seem to have been used very well. The clashing styles between the midget-sized characters and their respective face icons (used during dialogue) cause a bit of confusion. The mech design of the E.G.G. is neither new nor unique. It's quite reminiscent of the mech design found in series like Sakura Wars. Finally, the story and the characters fall short, lacking well-established and complex characters. It might seem strange for an RPG, but what saves E.G.G. from being below average isn't its story or characters; it's the gameplay that picks up some of the slack. The basic attack consists of either a punch or a spin. While spinning, you can move faster across the field, attacking enemies all the while and even becoming impervious to certain enemy attacks. The only drawback is that spinning causes your hit points to slowly drop, so you can't use it all the time. You will later gain special items, which let your E.G.G. cast spells like fireball, ice beam, earthquake, and plasma beam. Other special items do things like teleport out of the dungeon, recover hit points, carry heavy blocks, or cross broken bridges. All these actions and movements can be done in the 3D battle mode, as well; the only difference is that your point of view will change from top-view 2D to front-view 3D. The gameworld is not as big as you'd expect from an RPG. You'll only come across one or two very small towns. There are several dungeons spread throughout the game, such as the tower called Metal Heaven. But the dungeon you will be exploring most of the time is the ancient structure Fogna, which consists of several floors with different entrances and exits located in different parts of the world. As the game progresses, you will gain access to deeper levels in the dungeon. Although you will travel across the same sections several times, the common enemies will get stronger as you defeat bosses. --Ike Sato --Copyright ©1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. -- GameSpot Review
O**O
Great Dreamcast title
Game works and thats all I wanted! Wanted this for nostalgic purposes really liked playing it when it first came out I really miss the Dreamcast wish it would’ve continue to exist
T**R
Fun but Ruthless Action RPG
An enjoyable action RPG but is by no means easy. Hand drawn graphics give this game a unique look and the music is also nice. There's a good story hidden in E.G.G. that is later unveiled in the game. The only problem is the difficulty & it's harsh at times. Almost every room in Fogna (dungeon) requires the player to solve a puzzle of some kind to advance. Find a guide for help because you'll need it. On the other hand, it's very likable & enjoyable, a solid purchase that's fun to play.
Z**R
Would be Indie Game of the Year if it was released tomorrow
Elemental Gimmick Gear was all but ignored when it was originally released in 1999. It was a top-down 2D action RPG, only four months after the Dreamcast was released in the US with its, at the time, considerable muscle. But if it was released tomorrow on XBox Live Arcade or Steam, it would garner rave reviews and probably win Indie Game of the Year. Why?First of all, even 2D, the game is beautiful. It features well-animated characters on top of gorgeous and colorful hand-drawn backgrounds. Anyone who digs the artistic stylings of more recent games like Braid or Aquaria would feel right at home. The game is littered with the occasional full motion video, which are mostly CG scenery with hand-drawn characters. Speaking of characters, the character design will remind most Sega fans of the Phantasy Star series. The main character himself resembles Rolf from Phantasy Star II. In fact, E.G.G. is one of the first games I can recall using that technique. Boss battles are presented in full 3D, however, they are merely on par with other early Dreamcast games and really add nothing to the game.The game has a very nice soundtrack. It is acoustic-sounding, emphasizing piano and strings. In fact, it is very reminiscent of Motoi Sakuraba of Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile fame. It also sets the perfect mood for Fogna and its surroundings. There is no voice acting, but the sound effects are very good, with all the metallic clunky noises you'd expect from a game featuring mechs.The story builds very slowly, but it is really quite gripping. The main character is discovered 100 years before the game starts, sleeping in a machine in 5000-year old ruins. Catastrophe strikes 100 years later, and the mysterious Sleeper awakens and sets off to restore his memory. The setting is very unique, and the game always gives you enough tidbits of information to keep you interested.The gameplay may be the biggest feature of the game. It is, more or less, a Zelda clone, with some Megaman-ish elements. The player explores the world and its dungeons, slowly gaining abilities and unlocking more areas in the process. Enemies drop power-ups and money, and as mentioned above, E.G.G. "features" 3D boss battles. It is also stuffed with mini games of all sorts. Puzzles, races, and side quests abound.The one quibble I have with the game is that the translation is a bit on the literal side. Japanese is a very context-dependent language, and the translation reflects this. Although it's never hard to understand what the characters mean, they sometimes say things that sound a bit odd.On the whole, E.G.G. was a fantastic game, completely unappreciated during its time. I can only hope it gets ported to more modern consoles so that others can experience this masterpiece.
S**S
Extreme Greatness Guarenteed
This game is BY FAR the best RPG on the console. It's pure art, from the music, to the beautifully painted backgrounds, to the story and the gameplay.... If you're looking for a Zelda-like adventure with a Final Fantasy VII quality storyline-look no further. You've found it. It took about 20 minutes for me to fall in love with this game. With barely a step out the door aboard the robotic suit E.G.G., I was blown away. It's challenging and a feast for the senses. This game is a perfect example of why I love SEGA so much, and the Dreamcast. It had so many great titles and unique ones at that. I defy you to name a console that has produced so many masterworks in such a short period of time as the Dreamcast did. Forget the PS4 and the Xbox One, for now, and spend your money on a Dreamcast and Elemental Gimmick Gear. You'll find more enjoyment out of this console's library than you will perusing the dashboard of your new fancy console while waiting for the good games to be released. Seriously, do yourself a favor and buy this!
M**E
The years have been kind, depending on your perspective.
I passed this title by when it was first released. There was a virtual flood of next generation RPGs on the market at the time, and they all seemed flashier.Now, all these years later, I've picked it up, and I must say, it feels fresh and unique, which says a lot about game design.One of the biggest gripes I've heard, is about the graphics. The 2D graphics to be exact, as there is 3D game-play here as well. I've tried to remain un-jaded over the years, and being a gamer for so long helps. I find the hand drawn graphics to be beautiful, and well done, and in no way do they take away from the rich experience.Not to repeat all of the positives that have already been posted, let me just say that playing it now that the 'me too' flashier RPGs of the time have passed, I find it a deep, refreshing, singular experience. The likes of which, we could use more of.If you have an open mind, want to try something new, and don't mind a game with almost an older PC-type feel, give it a shot, you may be glad you did!
P**E
Hidden Gem!
A Great Fun Game! An interest Unique Story! Unique Game Play! A Hidden Gem for the Dreamcast!
M**H
this game rules
if you like 2d games you must get this game.
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