Retro Corner: Sword of Vermilion (Sega Genesis) Review · 7:59pm Jan 12th, 2021
A new edition of Retro Corner Reviews is up, and we check a more obscure game from Sega on the Genesis. When the Genesis comes to mind, we often reminded of the Sonics, Phantasy Stars, Shining Forces and the Streets of Rages. Even the Arcade lineup and ports of hit games such as Shinobi, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat hit us no pun intended. Now, for RPGs, it’s a genre you would never think of when the Genesis enters the conversation. Surprisingly, the console did get a handful of RPGs and adventure titles on its platform. The problem was that at the time Nintendo used cutthroat practices on third parties. That is the reason more noteworthy titles never showed up on the Genesis and not even from B and C quality releases like Breath of Fire. Sega was either stuck making their own or had third parties make lesser known ones like Lunar on the CD add on. That is not even factoring in the RPGs stuck in other International markets as seen by Brave Battle Saga.
The game in this review is called Sword of Vermilion that saw its release in January 1991. It was coming off the heels of Phantasy Star II and several months away from the third game hitting store shelves. As mentioned, Sega attempted to build a lineup of RPGs that by 1991 was lacking in that genre. The company tasks a studio called AM2 to develop SoV who by that time were known to produce Arcade classics of Outrun and Space Harrier. Due to their experience developing arcade titles, it was clear this was their first time developing anything role play related. The theme is about an unnamed warrior who is a prince of a fallen kingdom. The Prince sets out to stop the King who killed his father and conquered the kingdom years prior. He learns these events from a man named Blade who raised him as his own. However, the former soldier tells his adopted son this on his death bed about the Prince’s lost heritage. Now, the unnamed Prince must avenge his father and take back the country that is rightful his. Pretty simple set up for a story that was often written for the time. So, how does this old school RPG stack up to later games of the Fourth Generation?
