Hi, this is Grace, also known as Ecargmura. I’m here with a review of Side Story Farah. I hope you enjoy!
This review contains spoilers for Crestoria and Eternia (maybe, I never played the game).
Hey, you. Yes, you! If you’re reading this, stop whatever you’re doing and start clapping. You’re probably confused why I’m commanding you to do this. Well, it’s because one character in this side chapter deserves a round of applause. Do you know whom I am talking about? Well, it’s Chat.
Chat deserves applause for being the only character in this universe (so far) that uses the Vision Orb in a smart, positive way. Everyone else in this gosh darn universe sees it as a tool (mainly NPC’s) or as something evil (the main group). Seeing it used this way is such a breath of fresh air.
Although I am gushing too much about Chat, the story is mainly revolved around Farah who is living a double life as normal Farah and the Rasheans Avenger, a superhero fighting for justice. At first, it seemed weird for her to don a costume since she seemed to be talking to herself while doing so. Then, it turned out that she’s hallucinating a man named Erston in order to forget about what she had done to someone’s son in the past.
This side story shows what happens to someone if their family gets shown on Vision Central and then taken away by Enforcers. It makes me wonder what would happen to Aegis’s parents since it is confirmed his are alive and that he is a transgressor. In Farah’s case, she sent a boy to Vision Central because he was a bully. The mother lives with anger towards Farah to this day. Farah feels guilty for what she had done back then.
I do like how this side story shows the bad and good sides of the vision orbs. Basically, the message of this side chapter is that there is no true evil. The bandits that Farah tries to fight aren’t truly bad and are actually willing to change for good, but the bad side is that the villagers see them as bad because of their status as outlaws and some used that to their own advantage and do bad things behind the villagers’ backs. Farah is doing “good” because she wants to erase the “bad” she had done in the past, but where it is good or bad is only determined by oneself. Sure, Farah might be doing justice work, but that’s because she’s trying to assuage her own guilt by making things right. The vision orbs that are normally deemed evil are used for both good and bad. It shows that the Crestoria world isn’t truly black and white, but gray; the objects themselves aren’t bad but the ones using them for nefarious purposes are. I also believe that another message is to own up to your mistakes and move on from them. Sure, a bad mistake happens, but the past cannot change. All one can do is to move forward and not make the same mistakes twice. I find that all too relatable.
I do love how we get the scarf and mask as attachments. It’s cool to see the integration. Have any of you used them to good use? I put the scarf on my SSR Vicious and I think it fits him perfectly with his color scheme.
The one thing I hate about this chapter or any other side quest chapter is that the locked characters DIE WAY TOO EASILY! Their elements are also weak against the boss monster and I find that annoying. All I want is to get three stars on a boss mission, but they keep putting me at a disadvantage with fragile guest characters! Why must you do this? Why must you put Farah, an Earth unit, against the Fire Teagle, a fire enemy???? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE????? Reid and Farah's defenses are on the three-digit mark too! Why? WHY?????
I find Farah a relatable character at times, but her love for justice can be a bit annoying. Her heart is in the right place, though. I assume Farah is like this in her actual game. I don’t find it bad, though. Go-getters are cool characters because they do help move the plot forward even if it’s by a lot or a little. I don’t like how she’s a bit too forgiving with how she let off those two guys for leading a monster raid though.
I wonder if the mask really is possessed or if Farah has a strong imagination to be able to conceptualize Erston into her own imagine friend. I do hope that we can see Erston in a future chapter or event. I do wonder what sort of role he plays in the Crestoria lore.
I love how Reid is very supportive of Farah even if he thinks her justice-fighting persona is weird. He’s pretty much the nicest character in this chapter. He helps out Chat, the three bandits and Farah on multiple occasions. I’m unfamiliar with Eternia, personally, but I do find Reid and Farah cute together. They’re very supportive of each other and I like that. My only gripe is that he seems a bit too nice and that he also forgave the guys that started a monster raid. Was he always such a goodie-two shoes here? Even if I haven’t played Eternia, I have seen bits of Reid’s character in other media and he seems more of a laid-back guy that doesn’t like to get involved with things and prefers doing his own thing.
Chat is pretty much the smartest and most meticulous character in this chapter. She’s wise and always finds evidence to support her claims. She’s awesome. I do like how she’s always asking questions and making people question themselves. It’s a very nice change of pace. She’s young but very wise. She’s like an adult on some occasions—even more adult than the actual adult villagers.
I haven’t played Eternia, but this chapter really makes me want to play. Too bad it’s like 600 dollars on Amazon. Why must you do this, Amazon? The Tales series and I are meant to be, yet you are trying so hard to make me lose money on an overpriced game. I will find a way to play Eternia.
I know it's late, but congratulations on the 20th anniversary, Eternia!
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