Sigma Star Saga

Sigma Star Saga is an unusual hybrid of Japanese RPG and vertically scrolling shoot 'em up, created for the Game Boy Advance by WayForward Technologies and published in the West by Atlus. The player takes on the role of agent Ian Recker, who, after being captured by the alien Krill race, is transformed into one of them and sent to their home planet as a spy, placing him in a difficult position between loyalty to humanity and growing sympathy for the enemy side.

The gameplay splits into two distinct layers – while moving around the planet and talking to its inhabitants, the game works like a classic JRPG with dialogue, side quests, and a branching story, while battles take the form of a vertical shoot 'em up, in which the player pilots their spaceship and dodges enemy fire. Between battles, the ship can be upgraded with collected parts and weapons, which lends the action segments RPG-typical character-progression elements and motivates repeated grinding for stronger equipment. The graphics use the typically careful, colorful style of WayForward, a studio that built a reputation on the GBA as one of the most technically capable third-party developers, and the music accompanies both action-heavy and calmer sections with a fitting tone.

The game was received as an original and bold experiment combining two completely different genres, praised especially for its inventiveness and production quality, though there were also some reservations about the controls in the shooting segments. Today, Sigma Star Saga is seen as one of the most distinctive titles in the GBA library and an example of how WayForward managed to squeeze a fresh game concept out of the handheld's limitations. The combination of thoughtful conversations with tense space shootouts gives the game a unique rhythm that clearly sets it apart from most other RPGs and shoot 'em ups on the GBA, and draws in even players who otherwise don't seek out either genre on its own.

Why play: The combination of well-thought-out conversations and tense space shootouts gives the game a unique rhythm that appeals even to players who otherwise seek out neither RPGs nor shoot 'em ups.