Overview and Gameplay
An exiled prince leaves the village of Wyclif to avenge the fall of Excalabria and recover the Rings of Good. Sword of Vermilion blends several viewpoints: overhead town exploration, first-person wilderness and dungeon travel, real-time arena battles, and side-view boss fights.
The adventure follows a largely linear cycle of gathering clues, buying equipment and spellbooks, exploring maze-like routes, defeating monsters, and advancing to the next settlement. Experience raises the prince’s attributes, while weapons, armor, shields, Kims, HP, and MP shape his progress. Churches provide saving, and death costs half the player’s money.
Controls And Mechanics
- Directions: Move in towns and battles; move forward or backward and turn in first-person areas.
- A: Cast the prepared combat spell or use applicable magic outside battle.
- B: Cancel a selection.
- C: Open or confirm menu choices and swing the sword in combat.
- Boss battles disable magic and focus on movement, ducking, and sword attacks.
- Single-player only.
Version Notes
The English release is titled Sword of Vermilion; the Japanese Mega Drive version is titled Vermilion.
Release And Credits
- Release year: 1991 in North America and Europe
- Developer: Sega R&D No. 8
- Publisher: Sega
- Original platform: Sega Mega Drive
