Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Dystopian worlds with their bleak atmospheres, desolate lands and horrible remnants,
distorted humans and mechanical monsters, are all the rage in the current spate of video
games. Fragile Dreams, also set in the aftermath of a worldwide catastrophe,
presents a different view for the player. It focuses on what is lost when a civilization is
extinguished - and the loneliness of its only survivor.
Seto, searching for a survivor in the ruins finds an AI device with a sweet encouraging voice whose
function is to protect humans. Strapping on the Personal Frame (PF) he engages in
conversations with his new "buddy". A titillating plot device - a silver-haired girl
singing in the moonlight becomes the focus of his ongoing search.
A few more characters appear throughout, but the impact of the game is centered around
the objects players find that retain the last memories of the people on the eve of
destruction. There are many of these inventive touches; the bonfires - scattered through
the game are save and resting points, and are places where these memories can be examined - a
brief reprieve from the gloom; the "store" is a rooster-headed figure who appears when
you are near a bonfire with his shopping cart - ready to trade; different types of
flashlights illuminate different items and messages; sounds are clues - so sounds and
voices are transmitted to the remote, much like a telephone.
There are enough battles to make it feel like an RPG, which start off with ghostly
jellyfish and wolves but eventually move up to robots and androids. Weapons avoid the
seriously heavy armaments and consist of items like an axe, sword, bamboo broom,
slingshot, sledgehammer - not a machine gun in sight.
Catastrophic ending to civilization seems indelibly impressed upon the Japanese psyche
understandably, since it was the only country that experienced the destructive force of
two atomic bombs.
An unusual and moving game leaves players with lingering feelings.
A walkthrough by Nick Fraker is a labor of love and can be accessed at
http://gamefaqs.com
Reviewed by: Editor - Apr/10
Rating: T - Teen
Fun Factor: A haunting story
Female Factor: Two females decently portrayed.
Player Friendly: Informative manual.