is a console role-playing game developed and published by Sega

Sega

, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...

 for the Mega Drive console in 1989. It was released in 1991 in North America and Europe. It was the first console-exclusive game designed by Yu Suzuki

Yu Suzuki

is a Japanese game designer and producer who has spent his entire career with Sega Enterprises. Often referred to as Sega's answer to Shigeru Miyamoto, he has been responsible for the creation of many of Sega's most important arcade games such as Hang-On, Out Run, After Burner II, Virtua Fighter,...

.

The game is part of the Sega Genesis Collection

Sega Genesis Collection

The Sega Mega Drive Collection is a video game compilation for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, compiled and emulated by Digital Eclipse and released in the U.S. in 2006 and Europe and Australia in 2007...

for the PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 and PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Portable

The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...

, and is available on the Wii

Wii

The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...

's Virtual Console

Virtual console

A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...

.

Storyline

Sword of Vermilion is about the son of Erik, king of Excalabria, who takes on a quest of revenge to defeat Tsarkon and free the world of Vermilion from evil.

In the town of Excalabria the people went about their business, and tended to the fields. One day, vicious fighting broke out everywhere as the army from Cartahena, led by the wizard-king Tsarkon, swarmed all over the town. The townsmen were overwhelmed, and the castle of King Erik V collapsed. Erik V summoned his bravest, strongest and most faithful warrior, Blade, and gave him his infant son and an ancient family heirloom, the Ring of Wisdom. Erik ordered Blade to save himself and the child while the castle burned. Blade traveled to a small village named Wyclif, where he settled down and raised the child as his own son. Eighteen years later, the son of Erik begins his quest.

The quest consists of travelling to towns and villages, battling creatures to gain experience and finding items such as swords, shields and armour, as well as many other items such as Herbs and Candles. Boss monsters take the form of larger, stronger creatures which are integral to the story. Fighting Boss Monsters takes place on a side on view of the battle where magic cannot be used.

The titular Sword of Vermilion is the most powerful weapon at the end of the game.

Gameplay

The gameplay features different views and play style from more traditional RPGs of the time.

• The "Town View" utilises the typical overhead angle found in most RPGs.
• The "Battle View" is a tilted overhead view where the player takes full control of the character in real-time combat. The player can use weapons and magic.
• The "Dungeon View" is in the first person
  First-person shooter
  First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
  
   perspective, similar to Phantasy Star.
• The "Boss View" puts the player up against a boss from a sideways viewpoint.

Release

After the release of Phantasy Star II

Phantasy Star II

Phantasy Star II is a console role-playing video game developed by Sega AM7 and released for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan in 1989. It was also released for the Mega Drive in Europe and the Genesis in America in 1990...

in February 1990, Sword of Vermilion was the main RPG launched during the Genesis does what Nintendon't campaign.

Sword of Vermilion was one of the last Sega Mega Drive RPGs to come with a box-sized hint book. The hint book was 106 pages long.