+++
date = "2021-06-01T01:03:18+00:00"
publishdate = "2023-12-29T07:08:55+00:00"
title = "Golden Sun"
slug = "golden-sun"
author = "Thedro"
tags = ["abstract","games"]
type = "abstracts"
summary =  ""
draft =  ""
syntax =  ""
toc =  ""
updated =  ""
+++

[Golden Sun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Sun) is a classical
[role--playing game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game) (`RPG`)
released on the
[Game Boy Advance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Advance) (`GBA`). The
story follows the silent protagonist Isaac as he is forced into an epic journey
to prevent the collapse of the flat world of Weyard. Isaac who is an adept, must
team up with other adepts scattered throughout the continent to prevent the
relighting of the four elemental lighthouses, earth, wind, fire, and water. The
adepts themselves wield the four elements through a force called
{{< sidenote mark="psynergy" set="left" >}} A play on the word psychic energy.
{{< /sidenote >}} and must solve ancient puzzles to achieve their goal.

Golden Sun takes inspiration from the lesser known elements of Greek and Arabian
mythology, but what makes it truly spectacular is the combination of classical
`RPG` mechanics with a rock solid story line. The gameplay mechanics are simple,
clean, and fast. Golden Sun is one of the few console `RPGs` on the `GBA` to
properly orchestrate movement of the camera during battle. In contrast, modern
`RPGs` have become slow, bloated, and dumbed down a tad too much. There's a lot
to be learned from refining aspects that Golden Sun itself refined from the
classical `RPG` genre. Modern games like
[The Alliance Alive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alliance_Alive) and
[Octopath Traveler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopath_Traveler) are among
the few that have refined some of the classical `RPG` elements.

The story is played in three parts and is not necessarily a trilogy but more of
a "series".

1. [Golden Sun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Sun)
2. [Golden Sun: The Lost Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Sun:_The_Lost_Age)
3. [Golden Sun: The Dark Dawn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Sun:_Dark_Dawn)

Golden Sun has quite the fan following, and I periodically check out the
ecosystem. It appears that someone tried to
[reverse engineer the game engine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6V4U5rdTbA)
at some point, which is really impressive.