Hometown Hero

After a short pre-recorded fight (don't worry, we'll get back to that) we are introduced to OUR HERO!

This hair needs less of itself...

What a dreamy guy! His name is Fei Fong Wong and he is (apparently) a sensitive artist. This is the only time we ever see Fei painting and, if I may be so bold as to give my opinion, he isn't that good at it. What Fei excels at though is kickin' butts! And jumping! Wheeee! A bit of a stand-out for an RPG is your ability to jump around on the town maps. I don't know why it's so rare. Jumping is fun! Press the triangle button to try it! Also, jumping in one of the corners in this first area will gain you a -spider web-! That'll come in handy later (much later). 

Anyway, run upstairs and you'll learn all about how Fei was a foundling, and how his friends Timothy and Alice are getting married, and how Alice's little brother, Dan, is some kind of horrendously deformed, giant foreheaded, bratty, mouthy, red-haired, shitty-little-kid. That's enough exposition. Now get outside! 

... no, you can't just walk through the door... 

...you have to push X... 

...yes, you have to do that with every door in the game... 

...you are turning the doorknob... 

...because that's how doors work.

You think you can just smash right through every door you come across? You think every door in the world operates on Star Trek logic?  NO! You walk up. To the fucking door. And turn the handle! And for goodness sake CLOSE IT BEHIND YOU.

Good! Now we're in Lahan proper; which has to be my absolute favorite RPG hometown of all time.

Dan: Angry Gnome Thing

Not only is the music cheery and fun (pro-tip: ALL the music in this game is great), but there is so much to do! This is the quintessential small starting town so nothing you do here really matters unless you want 100% completion but it's all very fun. There's a kid who'll play Rock-Paper-Scissors with you and give you a badge if you win enough times, the cows moo back at you, an old man yells at you if you step on his vegetables, you can fall down the well and find something gross, there are -aquasol- (the basic healing item of XG) littered around everywhere, there's a mystery guest from another game to teach you about saving, and a troll-child who wants to talk to you.

Oh, wait. That's Dan again. He wants to stop his sister's wedding or some shit and maybe you wanna help him with that, or not, whatever. He's terrible. Go talk to Alice anyway because she is a HOTTIE. Seriously, something strange was going on with Alice & Dan's parents because there is no way those two are the fruit of the same tree. Alice is also totally crushing on Fei, which is kinky 'cause she's getting married tomorrow. OR IS SHE!?

   

Alice:  The Hottest Hottie

Again, this is all very small-town stuff. The mini-drama with Alice, Timothy and (horrible) Dan sounds like the kind of relationship intrigue that happens in any real-life group of people. He likes her, but she likes this guy too, and there's someone nobody likes but he's okay I guess maybe and nothing amazing ever happens but life is still interesting. I feel  that Fei really fits in to this tiny community very nicely. Sure he was an orphan and thus, an outsider, but I get the feeling he's really made a good life in Lahan. Most of the townsfolk talk directly to/with Fei, rather than just spouting their set bit of exposition or tutorial with no explanation. They go about their business. They have jobs and plans and all that good stuff. Lahan isn't just a starting point on the world map, it's home.

Alice wants Fei to pick up a camera from Doctor Citan Uzuki so you'd better go get that.