Released in 2000, Vagrant Story remains a masterpiece in the world of RPGs, captivating players with its intricate story, unique mechanics, and striking visual design. But even the most devoted fans may not know the hidden depths behind its creation. Many of these lesser-known facts were revealed in a rare interview with the game’s director, Yasumi Matsuno, which was published in the official Vagrant Story comic book back in 2000.
In this post, we’ll delve into some of the most fascinating insights and secrets about Vagrant Story, straight from the mind of its brilliant creator. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer to Lea Monde, these behind-the-scenes details will deepen your appreciation for this timeless classic. Let’s uncover the untold stories behind the legend!
1. Originally, the game was planned to include a two-player mode. Fans generally speculate that Callo would have been the second playable character. Additionally, Matsuno revealed that the game was supposed to feature multiple AI-controlled characters, though how the two-player option would have worked alongside these AI characters remains unknown.
2. It is uncertain whether the phrase The Phantom Pain, displayed in the ending staff roll, was intended as the game’s subtitle (Vagrant Story: The Phantom Pain) or as the title of a hypothetical series that includes the game (The Phantom Pain: Vagrant Story).
3. The function of the Cure spell is similar to Final Fantasy cures in that it will recover HP for living characters but cause damage to undead type creatures.
4. Spirit Surge is also an ability name, which did not appear again until Final Fantasy XI. It is a weak connection, but Yasumi Matsuno was a part of the PlayOnline development which ultimately supported the title.
5. Due to limitations in storage capacity and development time, more than half of the game’s story content was cut from the final version, and the polygon count for the graphics had to be reduced.
6. Matsuno cited a wide range of influences for the game’s narrative, ranging “from Shakespeare to Jet Li.” He described Vagrant Story as a game “designed for hardcore gamers” and compared its distinction from mainstream titles to differences such as seafood versus meat dishes, French cuisine versus Japanese cuisine, soccer versus baseball, rock versus jazz, and Titanic versus The Blair Witch Project.
7. Many enemies share the same name as enemies in Final Fantasy and other RPGs. This include Lich, Golem, Ghost, Orc, and Dullahan.
8. In a humorous twist, the now-defunct gaming website Gameforms announced a parody sequel titled Vagrant Story II as an April Fool’s Day joke. They claimed the game was being developed by Nintendo for the GameCube, with Yoshitaka Amano as the character designer and Ashley returning as a key character.
9. Notably, Vagrant Story was the third video game to achieve a perfect score of 40/40 from the esteemed Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu.
10. On Twitter, Matsuno expressed his enduring interest in creating a sequel to Vagrant Story. However, he acknowledged that he was unlikely to ever have the chance to do so and stated that if he were to make a sequel, it would not carry the “Vagrant Story” name.
11. The Dragoon Job (present in various Final Fantasy games) is mentioned in the description of the Sigguld gemstone, which belonged to “Sigguld the Dragoon”.
12. In May 2020, Matsuno shared a draft prologue for a proposed Vagrant Story sequel on Twitter. The pitch introduced a Heart-Seer named Marco Merlose, also known as Jack, who was hired by an older Joshua Corrinne Bardorba to locate a person of interest. This concept was likely reworked and repurposed for Matsuno’s 2012 Nintendo 3DS game Crimson Shroud, part of the Guild01 anthology.
