95% Awful With A Couple Good Midi Tracks.
I didn’t expect much from the backend of this Top 100 list, and it still disappointed.
Sydlexia’s Ranking: #93/100
My Rating: 
I’ve seen Instagram accounts for models that have more depth than this game.
Made to attract North American kids to the new genre of RPGs in the early 90s, Square gutted anything that might have raised the difficulty level a microgram. ANYTHING. Not wanting to risk us getting lost, the locations are named things such as ‘Aquaria’ and ‘Windia’ and ‘Fireburg.’ The world map is more like Super Mario Bro’s 3 forcing you into predetermined sidewalks of adventure. There is an option to allow autobattle where the computer takes over your sole companion’s commands because hitting the A button for two party members would be too much.
The game makes sure we avoid strategy, story, exploration, or anything else that might be kind of like, ya know, the things we enjoy from RPG games.
[OVERIEW]
Kid fulfills prophecy, blah blah blah, to collect magical crystals, blah blah blah, that will revive and rid the world of the evil monsters, blah blah blah.
[ANALYSIS]
You know, I get why this game exists. I was one of the few bopping RPG games when I was younger in the 90s. Trying to get my friends to play a game that focused on numbers, math, and reading was impossible. Hell, at one superbowl party circa 2000s, someone was bored and put in FFX and tried to bail immediately when they found out it involved thinking.
Playing this game now feels like an insult however. The game is a satire of the genre.
Overall, the game never forces you to make a decision. Equipment and armor is automatically upgraded when it’s found. The pathways on the world map are already cemented and predetermined. All enemies are visible (which is kind of forward thinking) but allows you to never be in a predicament.
When playing, I had the ridiculous inkling that I could make a better RPG by myself. Upon reflection, I realized it it wasn’t that crazy of a day dream: if using Mystic Quest as the ruler, it’s not out of this world that I could compete. Okay it’s BS, but the fact that I would even entertain the thought shows how low the bar is.
The one little shiny spot? Some of the tracks (wait until the 20 second mark for the hook):
[CONCLUSION]
No.
Other People’s Take:
- My Boxed Universe: “This was an overall failed attempt due to the lack of understanding that the European interest in WRPGs (based mostly on D&D at the time) was due to their deep and engaging mechanics rather than the perception that JRPGs were too hard for them.”
- VoVatia: “Recently, I came across this post defending the game, and it reminded me that I quite liked it myself.”
- Retro Unscripted: ” By the time players reach the final showdown with the Dark King at the end of Mystic Quest, it’s like a final exam for players with a victory signifying the player’s graduation and readiness to take on more typical RPGs of the time.”
The Top 100 Reviews 