SNES Review - Is Illusion of Gaia Overrated or Underrated?

Where did Illusion of Gaia go? You'd think with all the remakes and compilations out there, someone would want to bring this game back, yet there it remains, buried in our memories. Did it deserve better?
⚠️THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS⚠️
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[@Chronokatan]

Excuse you? Who dares to say it's overrated? If anything the game is underappreciated! The soundtrack alone makes it a timeless classic.

[@motrongames]

I often see it placed tragically low or outright omitted from a lot of “best of” lists, which I never understood…

[@OddZodd]

​@@motrongamesI haven't ever seen an actual review of this game, so you're leagues ahead of others... This game is definitely not underappreciated, just not known widely as it should be

[@packpock4369]

Exactly! All three games were underappreciated, actually all their games were except Actraiser 1.

[@motrongames]

@@packpock4369 so true! Seems that their biggest “hit” was Actraiser. I mean, it was good, but so many other games deserved the same reverence.

[@bearsuitClan]

⁠@@motrongamesI thought it was terranigma? I’ve only been exposed to Illusion of Gaia and I think just the soundtracks make it a classic. It made it one of my favorite games ever but I have yet to replay it, one day soon. I’ll probably play the trilogy in chronological order. But Illusion of Gaia will always be my favorite. Its themes and emotions--adding on top of that, nostalgia--the reason Nintendo should remake this game and maybe even a manga or anime of the trilogy. I hope they do at some point. I’ll be waiting patiently but if they don’t in the next 20 years I’ll be heartbroken.

[@childofthesun32]

Being like 12 years old at the time and entirely girlfriendless and lonely - I fucking loved the raft scene! Haha.

[@motrongames]

Video games were my girlfriend when I was 12 haha

[@pauliedibbs9028]

The artist painting himself away into a portrait is just disturbing and terrifying on so many levels... "I have no mouth, and I must scream"

[@motrongames]

Yeah, a nice little dose of existential dread for the young gamers.

[@maltheopia]

I honestly really like the message of Illusion of Gaia, which says that civilizations should advance even if the people who run them are morally flawed, because the simpler life closer to nature has its evils, too. It's a pretty refreshing take compared to the much more numerous "argle bargle we never should've left the meadows and glens industrialization is evil' takes you see in most fantasies, including Narnia and Lord of the Rings.

[@motrongames]

Don’t forget any Miyazaki movie as well. See, that’s the level of insight and analysis I WISH I had when making these videos!

[@maltheopia]

@@motrongamesTo be fair, it's not really my idea. I mean, I noticed it about Illusion of Gaia and it's been in the back of my mind for literal decades, but Jason Graves was the person who stated that observation so clearly.

[@MetalOnMetal]

Man, that jazz rendition of "Into the earthen womb" is fantastic !

[@motrongames]

Happy to add a little mood to your day!

[@roberthornibrook6344]

I bought this on day one 30 years ago. Awesome you are doing a review on this.

[@motrongames]

I’m happy to do it! I love this game.

[@Tommekemertens]

Still have Terranigma en Soublazer on my 'to-play-list'. Gaia is just gorgeous, daring, innovative and fun! Hoping for a Quintet bundle on Switch, but that's probably not going to happen. Illusion of Gaia has aged very well, but I heard the original developers have... disappeared. Thank you for this review, this captures exactly what I think is so amazing about this game, and what could be improved.

[@motrongames]

Oh wow that’s something I could have explored in my video! I’ve never actually played Terranigma, but I’m thinking I owe it to myself to give it a go, since I love Illusion of Gaia so much!

[@agent0071]

Play them in order. You won't regret it.

[@Jaschu-xs9mb]

... Disappeared? What's the story behind that? I'm intrigued now

[@collinthomas8440]

I'm 37 and I just replayed through this again two months ago. It was the first time since I was 10. Overall the experience was fantastic and really brought back a lot of nostalgia for me. Something I didn't really consider the first time I played it was the art style was actually creepy in many places. The faces in the Incan ruins, viper (the second boss) with the statue face, dark gaia's face melting after it's defeat creeped 37 year old me out in a way that 10 year old me didn't even bat an eye at. Overall, considering just about every review I've seen for the game considers it a classic (top 10 RPG for SNES) I really think the game is not underrated or overrated. It is in fact properly rated.

[@motrongames]

Damn straight. And yeah the melting face at the end really is unsettling! I never thought about it as a kid, but as an adult, I can’t help but be a little off put by it.

[@collinthomas8440]

Also .... I used a guide to ensure I got all 50 red jewels, including the one where you ensure someone becomes a slave. I beat the game without entering the jewelers dungeon let alone fight strongarm. I'm not sure if I'm going back to the game anytime soon. That means I put a sprite into slavery for nothing. This is also messing with 37 year old me.

[@TPTnny]

Damn man. You’re kicking a**, rising fast! Great videos, I really like ’em!

[@KCUFyoufordoxingme]

I remember my first playthrough like yesterday. 1.) Died at drinking game with a save LONG before then. 2.) One mu floor light puzzle thing wasted way too much time of mine quintuple backtracking. 3.) Not knowing about walking in and out to make that dude appear at the very beginning for the red gem. I finished the game with 49 red gem. I was convinced it was because of missing one due to the drinking game mishap above. I will say it is a rare game that plays so very well for what it is meant to do, it would not benefit from any kind of remake or remaster.

[@KCUFyoufordoxingme]

I though the drinking game was doing something like the Poo meditation in earthbound.

[@motrongames]

I didn’t know it was possible to die from the drinking game! Does it happen if you choose the cup that says “it looks suspicious” or whatever?

[@Wh173c0c0]

A review of one of my favourite games *and* a smooth jazz remix? I think you've earned my subscription, good sir. Man, I loved this game as a kid. I played through it again a few years back; maybe it is time for another. Between the music, the fun puzzles and combat, and the setting, this game had little me glued to the screen. The story could get seriously wild and dark for a Nintendo game, and the real world settings helped me in school more times than I care to admit. "How do you know about the Aztecs, Olmecs, Tower of Babel, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?" asks my teacher when I'm 8. "Because whoever said video games teach us nothing was a fool." Great video; I am certainly looking forward to more like this. Now to dig out that picture I drew of Will and the gang as anime characters a few years ago...

[@motrongames]

Thank you kindly for your subscription! Funny story, the smooth jazz version of that song has always been a theoretical inside joke between my brother and I, and when I made this video, I finally decided to make it a reality. Hopefully I’ll keep putting out more stuff you like!

[@joshuawayneyork]

Illusion of Gaia, Chrono Trigger and Super Mario Rpg are hands down the best 16 bit RPG's. Demon's Crest is one of the best 16 bit games regardless of genre.

[@motrongames]

I played through Demon’s Crest for the first time not too long ago (and the video is on this channel). Got the bad ending and had to consult a guide and spend over an hour and a half beating the real boss. Brutal!

[@paulatreides1419]

Whoa, This game came out when I was 14 and I loved it. Played it all the time, in-between Final Fantasy's. Plus this was the early days of ENIX before SQENIX. I don't remember it being this brutal, but seeing it now is nostalgia overload.

[@motrongames]

I don’t consider it to be brutal, in quality or difficulty. I complain a lot (because it makes the videos more entertaining), but all my complaints here were just quibbles.

[@kingoftherain]

I'm from The Netherlands, so I got to play the renamed version back in the day. I ended up liking it a lot, but it took me a little while to get there. I actually brought it back to the store to trade it for The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (which they didn't have in stock), only to get it back a few days later, because I regretted returning it. These days I'm somewhat of a video game collector and own all three versions of the game, which I happen to really love, because every region got totally different box art. Nice review. Keep 'm coming!

[@motrongames]

Well to be fair, Zelda ain’t too bad either! Haha. I’m collecting as well, but boy has it ever gotten expensive! I have about a quarter of the SNES library. Still going!

[@Jaschu-xs9mb]

Was there anything different about each version as far as the actual game? Or was it just the box art that changed? Man I wish I still had my copy that I got for my birthday in 2nd grade.

[@motrongames]

@@Jaschu-xs9mb nothing significant, no.

[@OriginalMasters]

Nice editing, great speaking voice, and a great look at one of our favorite games.

[@motrongames]

Thank you! I re-recorded it 3 times because I wasn’t happy with the narration, so it’s great to get that feedback.

[@OriginalMasters]

@@motrongames Worth the effort-keep up the fine work!

[@GCurseProductions]

Illusion of Gaia is the only game I almost fully completed. The only thing I couldn't do was get the 50th jewel, I'm not sure if the game glitched, but I could not find the final jewel. So, I thought I would just start a whole new file, sadly when I came back to my SNES it broke down in 96. I never had a chance to finish the game with all jewels. I'm honestly shocked that they never did a sequel or a remaster of this game for new consoles. If they ever released this game or a sequel, I'd definitely buy the system that it's sold on. I love the game that much.

[@motrongames]

It was probably the jewel you got from talking to Seth on the Incan ship. That was one that eluded everyone.

[@GCurseProductions]

@@motrongames It could have been that one. I remember there was a jewel that would spawn randomly if one of the side characters were fishing outside the entrance to the cave club house in the beginning of the game. I remember entering and exiting that section so many times I was just about to give up until the final time and the companion was finally fishing and you see the jar slowly move towards the dock, I was thinking "about time!"

[@9sunskungfu]

This was the first RPG game i played back when it was released and I loved it , though i had not owned it, i hired it out from Blockbuster video, shows how old i am. 😄That's when i started to seek out more of its type like Secret of Mana and even turn based ones like Final fantasy 6 though i've never really been a true fan of turn based but i warmed up to them. But action types like this were awesome. Anyway, Illusion of Time was not underrated and not forgotten, great memories from an old classic.

[@motrongames]

Sounds like you’re from Europe, in which case, you guys got totally shafted for RPGs! Hopefully you were able to pick up some of them and play them eventually!

[@senseicorey9979]

I like your sense of humor. You got my subscription!

[@motrongames]

Thanks! I appreciate you! 😎

[@shawnhenderson2091]

I love this game, I have been re-visiting it for many years

[@motrongames]

I revisit it every 4 years or so. Always a good time.

[@RunMeThrough]

I love this game!!! I only have 3 CIB SNES games and this is one of them. So many great memories of it. Loved the huge manual that came with it. Made finding the hidden gems so easy.

[@motrongames]

It’s a good one to have CIB! After getting this I had to get Soul Blazer CIB. That one was a little harder on the wallet…

[@switchbladekitty3301]

The saxophone 🎷in the end is everything for me 🎶 🔥 I just need a repeat button.

[@motrongames]

Haha yeah it really is the after dinner mint isn’t it?

[@alexmaganda5827]

This game is prolly my favourite snes game i get such nostalgia from it great game

[@motrongames]

Me too! Couldn’t wait to review it.

[@braselthegamer]

Loving your reviews man. Very cool.

[@motrongames]

Thank you kindly! Thanks for the eyeballs! 😎

[@Nenacu]

If you really like this game, check out the randomizer community for it. Folks are doing some solid work.

[@motrongames]

I have yet to dig into the world of randomizers, and I’m apprehensive. But I’ll check it out

[@DarkKnightGrimm]

Still my favorite game of all time. My favorite song redone with a Saxaphone at the end was a nice tough, any links to said remix would be greatly appreciated.

[@motrongames]

It’s in my channel, it has a dedicated video kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYfKiHxjaK9oercsi=wZArK0JySHuBj8_O

[@cmhsky]

LoG is one of the best games on the SNES. Really good music and storyline

[@motrongames]

I’m assuming you mean IoG and yep, everyone who’s played this game loves it! :)

[@ZetaCancri]

Underrated definitely! One of my favorite SNES rpgs since 95. Also: poor Hamlet, he was destined to be bacon.... I have to ask though.. WHERE did you get that sax version of the in the Earthen womb at the very end? I must have it lol

[@motrongames]

Made it myself! You can check my channel I made a separate video of just the song. Also, if they name the pig “hamlet” then yeah, he’s getting eaten at some point.

[@ZetaCancri]

@@motrongames sounds amazing!! Thank you👏😄

[@MrMusicGuy1980]

I would have to debate the needing a guide part. I didn't have one back in the day and you just really need to get to a point where you try everything.

[@motrongames]

I dunno man, standing on the stone for 12 seconds is pretty crazy. I would have rage quit before stumbling upon that.

[@MrMusicGuy1980]

@@motrongames figured it all out though. SO I never needed a guide.

[@thegreatandpowerfulaahz8862]

I played illusion before I played soul. I didn't know they were related

[@cam9144]

Oh hell yeah, great video and newly subscribed. Can't wait to check out your other videos

[@motrongames]

Thanks for the sub! Can’t wait to make more videos for you guys! I’m loving the feedback!

[@wanderingmako]

At least with the red jewels, if you looked hard enough, you could get all the rewards except the secret dungeon. So a second playthrough with a guide is all you'd need, or a quick KZbin vid, and then move on. 😅

[@motrongames]

Yup! The fact that it shows you treasure location on the pause screen almost guarantees you won’t miss anything, but there are ones like the one Seth gives you on the gold ship that are 100% missable. Also, the secret boss is bloody impossible.

[@andrewh.8118]

This is one of the games that deserves a remake

[@motrongames]

Full Quintet trilogy remake

[@kylehalat9414]

So many “sick days” from school playing this game. Also should review suikoden 1 and 2

[@motrongames]

At the moment I’m only reviewing SNES games, but maybe one day I’ll dive in! Quite a few amazing RPGs on the SNES to get through!

[@nonefyer372]

I did not realize how fucked up some parts of this game are when playing it as a kid lmao

[@motrongames]

For sure! I’m curious if the Super Famicom version has stuff that Nintendo of America filtered out…

[@mickhoward3954]

Who here remembers the scene where Kara's pig commits the big sudoku and becomes lunch! EDIT: You covered it anywayz.

[@motrongames]

Therapy can’t remove that memory.

[@motrongames]

I also wanna think you meant to write seppuku but autocorrect was like “that sounds a little negative! How about a nice puzzle instead?”

[@mickhoward3954]

@@motrongames no I meant sudoku, easier than being hit with a warning.

[@mickhoward3954]

@@motrongames was definitely a moment when I was 10 year old playing it for the first time as a new release from my local Video Ezy. Got it for my birthday the following year.

[@motrongames]

@@mickhoward3954 no shit eh? KZbin is that aggressive. Maybe that explains why my comment section is so congenial…

[@StiffAftermath]

Glad I subbed to this channel, but I did so because of the retro stuff that I ALREADY know about (like let's plays) and NOT for the reviews, since they can spoil stuff. I want to be informed of new retro stuff, but I am careful now of these reviews. Thanks for the great content, but I have to refrain from watching reviews of games that are new to me.

[@motrongames]

Yeah my reviews are always gonna have spoilers. I figure the statute of limitations has expired on these old games so I just let the spoilers fly. May want to avoid the ones you dont want spoiled in that case!

[@StiffAftermath]

@@motrongames old games will always be new to someone. Please let them enjoy it. You can always try to leave the spoilers to a certain point in the video. Like a time code so people like me can stop watching.

[@CappyLarou]

Peebo Bryson? That is a name I haven't heard in a long time. Way to date yourself and me. LOL

[@motrongames]

Motron Games comin’ outta left field like a doomsday comet

[@BobbyDigMOB]

Phenomenal video

[@motrongames]

Thank you, I appreciate it! I had to do my boy Gaia right

[@mistertagomago7974]

Highly underrated imo, even if Terranigma is better (But imo Terranigma is the best game on the snes). I do think the story feels much more intimate than any of the FF games even if it can be kinda silly. Also it does things i wish other games would do like killing every enemy in a room to level up rather than traditional grinding.

[@motrongames]

I still haven’t played Terranigma. Over here, for some crazy reason, it was never released!

[@mistertagomago7974]

@@motrongames I had to play it through emulation ngl. I think it never came here because of it being a late release. The European version wasnt released till after the N64 was already out.

[@motrongames]

@@mistertagomago7974 it was actually because Enix America had shut their office down. Otherwise there’s nothing that would stop it (since it’s already translated)

[@mistertagomago7974]

​@@motrongames Ahhh that makes sense though you do have games that got English translations within the game itself but still remained in Japan like Poinies Poin. Plus Sin and Punishment had full english dialogue.

[@motrongames]

@@mistertagomago7974 yeah sometimes they just flat out feel something is too weird or foreign for our market and figure it’s not worth getting publishing and distribution for something that will flop. The pre-digital days…

[@davidburnett5049]

The knights head and hair looks weird but atill great graphics

[@motrongames]

Thor vibes

[@cloudotaku]

Illustration of time a fav as will as earthbound good times on the snes

[@motrongames]

So so so many good times on the SNES

[@romulus_]

really good game. people who know of it love it.

[@motrongames]

Truth! I haven’t heard much bad talk about this game ever!

[@childofthesun32]

One thing about this game, that ranks it markedly lower than Terranigma/Secret of Mana/Chrono Trigger for me is that I didn't like 'Story-Dungeon-Story-Dungeon-Story-Dungeon' format of the pacing, at least back then. Maybe I'd feel differently as a grown up, where I'd perhaps be more drawn to the dungeon/combat sections, but as a kid, I preferred the story sections as I had no friends back then. So Terranigma for example, was better for me. Even though Terranigma is dungeon-heavy at the start - I felt that fit the story of of the game, but then the dungeons would only appear when it made sense or you specifically travelled to one. This is actually why I fucking hate Zelda: Link To The Past. It was far too dungeon-heavy for me as a kid, and the story sections were trash compared to Illusion of Gaia.

[@motrongames]

Terranigma never got released in North America which is such a shame because I have only ever heard good things about it. Maybe one day I’ll buy a repro NTSC cart and give it a whirl. And yeah I hear ya about the dungeons. I give them a bit of shit in the video :)

[@sutorippuwebmaster8783]

When I think about it, that game seemed familiar...

[@motrongames]

Sounds like a line from the game

[@sutorippuwebmaster8783]

@@motrongames Must have been a nightmare.

[@StevensBorowsky]

Hell yaaaa! Illusion of Gaia rules!!

[@motrongames]

Damn straight it does! More people need to know about it.

[@StevensBorowsky]

@@motrongames yeah its so evocative, that ambience and feeling is a major aspect of why games were so great

[@leam1978]

it definitely was more deserving of a remake than ff6

[@motrongames]

FF6 was great but I’ve lost count of how many remakes that series has gotten. The SNES Enix games are sorely neglected and as far as I know, only ActRaiser got a remake/remaster.

[@googanhiem]

🎺Roast leg of yak 🎉

[@motrongames]

🎺a large delicious not too overcooked crispy on the outside tender on the inside well seasoned leg of even toed ungulate🎶 😐

[@TheHeroExodus]

Definitely one of those "i wish theyd remake but also port" games. Quintet cmon !!!!!!

[@motrongames]

I know! It’s criminal that such a fun experience is basically buried in the past!

[@flamespear86]

I had the shirt they packed with this game for 15 years before it was destroyed in a fire 😢

[@motrongames]

I had no idea it came with a shirt! I’m gonna look that up…

[@flamespear86]

@@motrongames yup, it was an oversized XL I think. Not sure if any other game did it but promotions were wild in the 90s. Today we can't even get a manual or a map unless it's it's a 200$ extra limited platinum collector's edition 💀 Looking at you Square-Enix

[@EnjoySackLunch]

Can a chicken beat a meadowlark

[@motrongames]

100%

[@mydadsacop123]

Really underrated

[@motrongames]

At the time, I think they promoted it well, and it sold decently, but these days, it’s definitely underrated and overshadowed!

[@Chr1s_1986]

You should play and review Terranigma, i know you Amies dont know that game very well but its one of the best JRPGs on the SNES if not even the best (fuck Chronotrigger its overrated sorry not sorry).

[@blairhartman8746]

Bruh where can I find that in the earthen womb smooth jazz track?

[@motrongames]

I made it! I’ll do an upload later, or you can DM me on IG or FB and I can get it to you another way.

[@blairhartman8746]

@@motrongames I'll just subscribe so I see it when it hits. Thanks!

[@motrongames]

@@blairhartman8746 I appreciate it!

[@El_El_Plays]

Nice video! Got a sub from me!

[@motrongames]

Thanks! I appreciate the support!

[@Luos_83]

Hamlett > Earith.

[@gullpayne]

Great review great game

[@motrongames]

Much appreciated! Game needs all the love it can get!

[@ClarkPotter]

I don't get ppl talking about "story." Even as a single-digit kid, they were all asinine cartoons to me. You all have hella imaginations. That said, IoG was one of the best games on the SNES. Top 20.

[@motrongames]

I always was able to fall into the story. But yeah you need extra imagination to interpolate it into actual things other than sprites on a screen.