Vagrant Story | 10 Tips To Get Started 

Here are some more general tips! 1. When you (much later) unlock the ability to teleport, this is done on save circles through the main magic menu (not shortcuts), jump from workshop to workshop to avoid landing in areas with enemies. 2. Turn Off the puzzle mode in the main menu so you don’t have to repeat box puzzles every time to re-enter a room with one in. 3. If you get lost make use of the comprehensive map to find unopened doors and check your items for keys and sigils you’ve acquired. 4. A number of items can be consumed to permanently increase your stats randomly from 1 to 4 points. Save just before so you can skew the results towards 3s and 4s. 5. There are training dummies of each Class scattered throughout Lea Monde. Striking them is useful for practicing Chaining attacks but also can be used to charge up the relevant Class values on your weapons, and in one case their Affinities. 6. Only the first blow can alter weapon values, not the chaining blows, so you can Chain to inflict damage faster and learn new Chains sooner or choose not to Chain to have more chances to increase Class/Affinity values. 7. Linger in normal mode after battles to allow MP and Risk to recover, use healing spells to restore health. This prevents you from wasting items. 8. When fighting dragons close in fast and stay under their necks to prevent them using their devastating breath attacks. 9. While using one handed weapons allows you to also equip a shield for much better defense be sure to keep at least 1 two-handed weapon around with better range, especially useful for destroying boxes out of regular reach. 10. For understanding the elevated/old language used throughout the game you can look at this dictionary of terms compiled from the game’s text (not all are in VS specifically). docs.google.com/document/d/1z6ZxbOE_25Eh8jSGFIREAe0nLFSJiZKk-EPWjphYb_c/edit?usp=sharing 11. Just know that getting through this game is not so much about mastering every system as it is about keeping a wide array of options available to make use of. Probably the best general tip for Vagrant Story is to carry around 2 blunt, 2 edged, and 2 piercing weapons with different Affinities on each so Ashley always has a wide range of options available to him. Having different types of weapons on hand further increases your options in battle by giving you a wider array of Break Arts to call upon as well.

Here is a tip: don't worry too much about monster types, just get yourself four good weapons of each type: Blunt, Edged, Piercing and Silver (for Undead). Things get easier after you get Gems and magic for buffs and debuffs.

You forgot one important tip: If you want to mitigate risk increase, you should not chain more than 8 hits in a single attack. Each chain hit after the 8th increases your risk exponentially, which probably will make you deal 0 damage on further attacks.

The more I learn about this game the more I realise how of a masterpiece it is!

Two decades later even with video tutorials it is still a challenge to learn the fighting system in this game. Not because people are slow but because some people are not into this kind of game or have no time to learn the game intricacies. Graphics have age very well for a PS1 game though and the story is always top notch.

Thank you. I’ve been playing this off and on for 20 years and i still don’t know what I’m doing

Wtf. As someone that have played Vagrant Story, including most of its extra content. I have never seen the introductory cut scene. It explains SO MUCH, the beginning of the game was very confusing to me. I love Matsumo games but can't understand some of its choices, this is clearly had to be the first thing you see in a New Game not hidden as a second opening movie.

DP- durability points. Glad to see Vagrant Story getting the highlight. Ive played this games many times years ago even during the ps1 era. This is the dark souls of PS one.

No game has needed a video like this more than Vagrant Story. Hell, it practically needs an entire college course to understand. One of the most obtusely designed games ever made. Such a shame, because the visual style and story are fantastic.

It was great going from not being able to chain beyond 2 at the start to being able to casually do 8+ chains towards the end of the game (you shouldn't really go beyond an 8 chain tho unless it is in a boss battle)

"Chrono Cross | Ten Tips" would be a great follow-up, given the upcoming remaster. I'd love to see this concept turn into a new series.

Man, the nostalgia... I remember I had more than a year of in-game time playing this game back in the day. I absolutely love it... It took me quite a while to get a full gear of Damascus, all the ultimate weapons, break arts, etc.

Deep and fascinating battle system!... For a lunatic. That's why I'll give it a try.

Amazing. I'm also impressed at myself for being able to figure all of this out as a kid who could barely understand English. I guess it just shows that despite being a bit obtuse, the game shows enough information that allows players to figure it out.

I was so excited to see you all start covering Vagrant Story in this year of our lord 2022. I'm legitimately going to revisit it on my Vita after watching this. Awesome work and thank you for the great work you do in discussing games and topics that most other journalists and producers don't.

Hello guys, I've subscribed to you for a long time, or rather even to your other channel, you can tell that you're having fun and you do a lot of work, really in love with detail, I've talked about every video so often or heard it on a long car ride to learn or fall asleep sometimes just like that I wanted to say thank you very much for everything you have put together and I am looking forward to many more videos from you stay tuned and I hope you will get many many more subscribers everything good for you and your families.

One of the most amazing games that ever graced PSX console. Next in line for remake/remaster. With crisper textures, more polygons put into models, right-analog-stick-controlled-camera, and a fast weapon and/or shield swaping system (maybe under d-pad?). And vector fonts. Give us this, Square! Or we rebel.

Lol reading through these comments brings back old memories...I first picked this game up around 2006 and like so many others, found it to be a bit confusing, tedious and unrewarding. I infuriatingly struggled through the snowfly forest and just found it impossible to get to the next area. I slogged for 60 hours trying my absolute best to love this game but I angrily had to accept that i hated it!!!! Early in 2016 I tore my left quadricep while squatting in the gym and was forced to lay in bed pretty much while it recovered. I dug out my old PS2 console and Vagrant Story was still inside. With a long sigh I powered it up and watched the game load. I don't know why I did it but I started playing it once again. About 5 hours in I realised I was totally hooked on the whole thing. For some reason it just made more sense to me this time. I played hundreds of hours in game+ mode after I finished it and it is honestly one of the greatest games I've ever played. So glad I didn't let the rage quit be a forever deal!!

Thank you for this! I have found this game for a great deal at my friends crib. I absolutely love this game

Vagrant Story is such a unique masterpiece ❤🛐

If you liked Final Fantasy 12's writing/dialogue style, you'll love Vagrant Story, and I'm pretty sure they had some of the same people at Square who worked on both titles.

Love all the Matsuno content coming out! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the game. The intro has to be the most well shot video game scenes of all time.

I love this game, I think I finished it around 2003 and I sure suffered as I learned all these mechanics in my first playthrough, but watching this guide reminds me of how absurdly complicated it was.

Just started this game and DAYUM didn’t know it was this complex! Great video, will make this journey much smoother!

Wow.. you play Vagrant Story too? Awesome! I really wish there's a remake for this game! This game is amazing! I think I still have the notes on my notebook, containing formulas to create some powerful weapons. 😅

Damn, there seems to be a lot going on in this game eh? Me being me, I'm now giddy at the idea of tackling and overcoming this system hehe. Bring it on you clunky, time-worn, fascinating relic!!

This is an awesome resource! I've been wanting to dive into this game in the near future, I'll definitely have this on hand

Whew boy! This is gonna be a good one. I really gave this a good try last time I played it, but just couldn't figure it out. I am determined to play through it with the podcast this time.

Thanks a lot for this. I picked Vagrant Story up when it first released and never actually played it till a few days ago and boy was I surprised how different it is from other ps1 Era rpgs. Definitely with the help of your videos I'll finally be able to complete this gem.

I've had Vagrant Story downloaded on my PS3 for over a year now. Playing alongside the podcast should be fun.

This game is a masterpiece that deserves an update.

Incredible! I can't wait for the podcast series!

One of my favorite PS1 games. Beat it several times (there are places to go with something you get when you finish the game the first time that acts as a key to new places, FYI). One thing I remember doing that helped a lot, was keeping weapons each good against 2 enemy types. I chose Crossbow with silver for undead/evil, because those flying imps were annoying, and that weapon cut them down fast. I think I had a Polearm/Halberd for Dragons and Beasts? Used Sword vs Humans/Phantoms? I may have had a mace vs undead too, for skeletons (not gonna dig up my PS1 and load the save) Also, a tip on increasing dragon killing affinity: the lizard men count as dragons, and there are plenty in certain areas. (since most actual dragons are boss encounters, it's nice to have an alternative to increase that affinity) I personally focused on learning how to do long chains with Gain Life, Temper, and one other, I forget. I IGNORED magic entirely. (used teleport once, which ruined my perfect no-magic run... and I didn't even need to enter the secret workshop.)

Hell yea!! Can’t wait to hear you guys talk about this someday!

This game is so ridiculously complex that it's hard to recommend, but it's great.

So glad you started doing these, I know lots of people got put off by tactics with how complicated/obtuse the gameplay can be. I myself put down this game for the exact same reason. I'm not sure why they left what should have been the intro to the game "hidden" behind the start screen which almost nobody would ever see on purpose.

This is helpful. I recently started this game. The story was a bit complicated… and the game play… I don’t think I I can sink the time into it it deserves.

Excellent video as always guys!

I am excited you are doing this game. It was one of my favorites.

T H A N K Y O U I'm in love with the Ivalice games, and they're a HUGE inspiration for writing / encounter design for D&D - But getting into Vagrant Story has always been a chore despite loving everything about it /but/ its gameplay. Thanks!

This game was a weird experience for me. I remember playing it at release and struggling to a) understand the gameplay, b) understand the plot and c) understand why I was playing this game haha. I did manage to beat it with a lot of time and effort but honestly I feel like this is a tough one to recommend to any player (unless they have a lot of time in their hands). It has a steep learning curve and the rewards/gratification for getting to know the game system are not as exciting as you would imagine (although that might be mostly because the world and lore in this game is kinda moody and dark, not your typical JRPG). It is somehow reminiscent of Dark Souls now that I think about it. Despite all of this, I know that you really like the storytelling of this game so I think that for players who are interested in how to tell a good story via its cinematics, this game really delivers something interesting on that matter.

Concise and informative! Can't wait to jump in

Great tips there ! Few of them I didn't even know ( passed game like 15 times ) . Small tip from me : If u hit strong boss and make 1-5 damage , no worry ) there is chain ability called "raiging ache" , it makes 10% of missed Ashley's hp . I'm just keep around 100 hp and that type of chain attack will deal 15 damage from start , no matter if u even miss . P.S. My first pass was without chain attacks ) I just do no that they are exist ) , so i'm still remember that epic battles with bosses that consumed hours ) .Adrenaline on my blood was relevant to Ashley's risk D. It was 15 years ago ... but still my favourite game ♡

Just returning to this gem of a game and this really helped simplify things. I remember reading all that manual text and at the end being like HEH? Can't wait to sink my teeth back into this!

Dude. Thank you SOOO much for this!

Never had a chance to play this, this series will be good

This guide is so well made.

Hey, good timing. I just picked this game up not too long ago.

Really excited for this podcast series! Vagrant Story is in my top 5 games of all time! Though I fully acknowledge the obtuseness of its gameplay system, and the interface is pretty much a mess. :) But underneath that, or in spite of it, is a masterfully written game with amazing atmosphere and depth. I still remember reading IGN's review of it when it launched back in 2000, and they described it then as art, and I couldn't agree more. Precious few games at the time attempted the level of sophisticated storytelling and complexity that Vagrant Story did. Perhaps that's why it flew under the radar for some. These days, I know some people get sick of hearing "remake", but I firmly believe this game deserves it, and you could even say NEEDS it, for the reasons given in this video. There is so much great stuff here, but the clunky menus and obtuseness in the game design is a barrier, especially these days with how game design has evolved over the past 20 years. There is absolutely a bigger audience out there for this game, but it needs a remake to realize that potential so that new players can discover it, and old fans like myself can relish playing through this masterpiece without the tedium of the PS1 original. I just hope Square Enix has the balls to do it justice! :)

I remember printing a weapon combination guide for this game that I kept next to me while playing. I was also only using swords because I liked them, using class instead of affinity or type, made the game a little harder but I didn't like any other weapon type. Then used the dummies to increase class whenever possible and gems. The only reason why I haven't sold my ps3 is so I can come back to this game.

Damn this got me feeling nostalgic. It has been a long long time since I've played this game.

The fact that the first tip is considered a tip and has to be explained now for the current audience had me laughing, us kids back then didn't need telling because these clips in classics were treasure troves for us, we sat and waited in excitement wondering what kind of FMV or gameplay video would be running after idling at the start menu, we watched them until it repeated itself so we are sure we got all of them, and often we rewatched them just for entertainment.

God I love this game... And I remember clearly learning ropes for it back in the day... Truly a masterpiece.

Excellent video.

I am SO stoked for this playthrough. I've never played Vagrant Story, but always had a curiosity about it. What better time to dive in than now?! 😎

I adore this game. Easily top 10 of all time. Never played anything else quite like it. I remember picking it up for my ps1 and being staggered at how good it was. Had zero idea what I was doing though, brute forced it for a while until I figured the game out.

Thank you for tips it help me back to the game like your Final Fantasy Tactics tips.

This is my favorite game of all time. Telling my age, but I got it brand new and played it for hours. My weapons were unstoppable. I need to buy a PS1 just to play this again.

Many jrpg’s & modern progression based games have menuing. Open a separate screen, equip this, upgrade that, etc. You spend maybe 5-15% of the game doing that. Vagrant Story(and by extension FFT) ramps it up to 25% or more. I could honestly say that I’ve spent a third of my time playing VS in the menus. It’s really a double edged sword; Sharp learning curve, but the level of customization & replay-ability is unmatched to this day. I’ve played both games several times throughout the years and I change my approach each time. The fun in VS is creating new strats, making better armor & weapons, and finding all it’s secrets. Come in with the right mind set, it will reward you with an excellent combat system, stellar soundtrack, unbelievable visuals(by PS1 standards), and a badass story. 😉

This game broke me as a kid I was only 10 wen I played this for the first time and I went in knowing nothing and came out knowing more then I ever thought I would or should about a game

One of the best games I have played! Love itm

I never got too far into this game, but enjoyed my little jaunt in it back in the day. I always want to dive back in but can never commit to a full play. I love that this game shares the same universe of Final Fantasy Tactics. I'm currently doing a playthrough of that, so maybe if I keep this energy up, I'll transfer over and really lay into this title.

Oh, heck yeah. Here we gooooooooo!

The game gives you all the items needed via treasure chests, boss fights, it's just knowing which weapons and gems to use where. Not an easy game but does get easier as the game progresses.

One of the best games Squaresoft made, none of their modern games even compare, too bad we might never get a proper remake/sequel to this amazing gem of a game.

it's been a couple years now. after watching this i'm reminded it's time for another playthrough. more than 2 decades later, and this game is still on my top 10 favorite games of all time.

I don't know how many times I completed THIS game, together with Front Mission 3....Those were the times :)

Gonna follow along this time. I dont mind if its difficult, but i hope its not tedious like ive heard some say!

One of the loveliest Squaresoft games ever :3

my then fiance (now wife) got me this game and the strategy guide for my birthday when it released. till this day she regrets it lol!

Christmas came very early this year!

I got so buffed in the game, I could kill the end boss with one or two hits. Plus my armour was the highest in game so enemies could barely hit me... Oh, those were the days. best action RPG I ever played and it had great replay value too.

I just want any Vagrant Story content before the remaster.

Thank you needed this, im stuck fighting the damn ghost.

One of my favorite games of all time. The score alone is a Masterpiece. I wonder when will they remake it for the PS4? - Still working on finding the Holy Win.

I spent countless hours replaying this game. Love it so much. I sooo wish Squenix would re-master it. There are a few yt videos out there of just the story sequences so you can watch it like a movie. Story is great.

I love this game but yeah this is totally a necessary things to tell newbies I can't even remember how long it took me to learn all this the first time I played

in my junior highschool, i remember stop this game when i fought golem in early game :))

thanks dude, it was really helpful. Im playing on DuckStation emulator wich has plugins to improve a lot the quality.

I would die for a Remake of this gem, even a Remaster would be perfect.

I've been wanting to play this game because I hear the story is great. Thanks for making this video, but I'm not playing anything else until I'm done with Elden Ring 😁

There are talk about Vagrant Story getting remake after Tactic Ogre: REBORN ... so i am hype and that is why i am here :)

22 years later and I've never seen that opening prelude. I basically start mashing confirm right after I turn on the console.

I only just realized that Legend of Dragoon hasn't made an appearance on the channel. Here's hoping that changes at some point!

Great!

Very underrated game!

I can't think of any game that is more deserving of a remake than Vagrant Story.

This game looks pretty cool, I really like complex systems and figuring out how they work and how to utilize/break them to overcome challenges. Unfortunately I will have to sit this one out, as I never had the game back in the day and it seems the only other places to get the game where off the PS3 and Vita Digital storefronts. Both of which have been shutdown :(

My tip if someone just can't get into the mechanics (like myself): use a new game plus save and enjoy the story and presentation while not getting frustrated by the Gameplay.

HERE WE GOOOOOOOOO! bring back ivalice, bring back Matsuno

Great video! How are you playing the game as it looks really good on screen. Is it emulation or do you just have a way to upscale it?

I could never get through this game back in the day so insanely tough

Strange. I had this when it first released and didn't find it hard. Deep and immersive yes. The whole crafting system was something to explore. At the time I had no internet so no walkthroughs or tips, you just dove in and figured it out. I was an adult at the time though so maybe that's the difference.

Vagrant is such a masterpiece for PS1

I loves this game would have been great if it was remade!

The only thing that is missing in this masterpiece is the fucking quick weapon switch or swap. Hope someone make a mod for that

Man, I can’t think of many games where I want to play so badly the more someone tries to explain its mechanics to me the more I am scared to play it. Way too many systems. I’ve sampled the game on my Vita and just landing the button timed presses pissed me off. This video may have solidified the fact that I won’t ever play the game unless they remake and make the mechanics “simpler”/more streamlined.

it looks so good! what emulator are you using?/

What a great and genuinely unique game that pushed the PS1 to it's limits, I wish they would find a way to remake this but it's very unlikely.

Instead on the 100 STR,INT,AGT starting points, I change them to 70 each, and compensate with 500 HP and 200 MP. It's way more fun like that. You'll die more often but that's what makes it fun