“Legend of the Holy Sword”What was that?
To the author“An action RPG where you can experience an emotional story”There is a strong image. While the “Final Fantasy'' and “Saga'' series take on different challenges with each title, the “Seiken Densetsu'' series has an unshakable core as a series that specializes in the experience of storytelling.
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Perhaps it can be said that this is a series that extracts the good stories that were common to all of the old Square works. The direction that was completed in “Seiken Densetsu -Final Fantasy Gaiden-” (hereinafter the first “Seiken Densetsu”) to “Seiken Densetsu 2” (hereinafter “Seiken 2”) still leaves an impression on the series as a whole. I think it determines this.
However, looking back at the Seiken Densetsu series as a whole, it cannot be said that that direction was necessarily maintained. Depending on the title, the story progressed in a non-linear way, and sometimes it became a strategy, and in many cases the idea was different from the experience of an “emotional story''.
Particularly from 2006 to 2007, it was a traumatic experience to witness the moment when the series' light went out. From the Nintendo DS's “Seiken Densetsu DS CHILDREN of MANA” to the PS2's “Seiken Densetsu 4” and the DS's “Seiken Densetsu HEROES of MANA,” it's as if Flamy is crashing to the ground. I still vividly remember how the flow of water made my blood run cold. Although the Seiken Densetsu series seems to have a solid story line, it was as if I was reminded that that line wasn't actually that strong.
What was “The Legend of the Holy Sword”? This is something that the creators who tried to revive the series faced more than the fans. The development team, led by producer Masaru Oyamada, released “Seiken Densetsu RISE of MANA” on smartphones in 2014, and has spent more than 10 years developing “Seiken Densetsu 3” from the original “Seiken Densetsu”. In remaking and remastering “Legend of Mana'' (hereinafter referred to as “Seiken LoM''), I think they were once again trying to grasp what this series was about.
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And “Seiken Densetsu VISIONS of MANA'' (hereinafter referred to as “Seiken VoM'') may be one of the answers we found in those 10 years. As I was getting a preview of the game as a member of the media before its release, I was thinking, “What would it mean for a series that had lost its footing for so long to get back on its feet?''
A completely new version of “Seiken Densetsu'' for consoles that has been released for 17 years.
The first thing I thought about when I started playing Seiken VoM was, “What does it mean to bring the Seiken Densetsu series to modern standards?'' Until the release of Seiken VoM was announced, the only completely new console version of the Seiken Densetsu series was Seiken HoM, released in 2007. It's a great feeling to see the Seiken Densetsu series return to this point after being away from the forefront of the gaming scene for about 17 years.
When you look at the main character Val, you get the illusion that about 30 years of the series have been condensed into one. Her silhouette and color are reminiscent of the main character of the original Seiken Densetsu, her appearance with a bandana is reminiscent of Randy from Seiken 2, and the outfit that shows off her abs is from Seiken LoM. Reminds me of the male protagonist.
The same goes for my friends. It's easy to recognize Popoi from Seiken 2 from Karina, and Mortrea, a beastkin who resembles a Russian blue cat, reminds me of Danae from Seiken LoM. It was as if the 10-year history of exploring “What is the Legend of the Holy Sword?'' while remaking past works was reflected in the character designs.
At least the beauty of the character models is probably the best in the series in the last 10 years. It can be said that the model of the previous work “Seiken Densetsu 3 TRIALS of MANA” (hereinafter referred to as “Seiken 3 Remake”) has been further improved.
It's been nearly 20 years since Mr. HACCAN was in charge of character design for the entire “Seiken Densetsu” series, but this is the first time that he has taken on the role of “creating designs to bring the remake into line with the current times.” It is also significant that the original design of “3D'' was created as a 3D version.
It looks like a modern game design, but it's a return to the original “Seiken Densetsu”
Such Vals land on a vast land. This work uses a “semi-open field”. It's not an open world where everything is seamlessly connected, and you can move freely in a limited area, but it's spacious enough to experience the world view.
I also believe that the adoption of a semi-open field is intended to maintain stable performance, including the battle action described below. “Seiken VoM” is basically rendered at 60fps. This is also a key point in achieving the quality required for a modern action RPG.
Of course, it's not just that the quality of the drawings is high; it's more about what you want them to experience. After playing through the trial run, I was surprisingly reminded of memories of the original Seiken Densetsu. “Seiken VoM'' has an experience that feels like the origin of the series lurking here and there.
The original “Seiken Densetsu'' is about a hero who has lost everything, who meets the heroine by chance and travels across a vast land. Even now, in the second half of the game, I'm like,In search of the holy swordI have vivid memories of flying around the world with my chocobo while riding the heroic music of “.
The experience of running through a semi-open field in Seiken VoM reminds me of the origins of the series. As you would expect from a modern RPG, the game progresses by completing both main and side quests, but as a long-time fan, I feel that it is similar to the original Seiken Densetsu.
Looking back at the series as a whole, the original Seiken Densetsu is in a unique position, partly because the image of the series has not yet been solidified, but the atmosphere of Seiken VoM returns to its origins, which are often forgotten. I have the impression that it is. This may be because the main character, Val, and the heroine, Hina (although they appeared sparingly in this test run), look like the main characters of the original Seiken Densetsu.
As I continue to try out “Seiken VoM,'' my memory eventually returns to “Seiken Densetsu 2'' and “Seiken Densetsu 3.'' I felt this strongly about the battle part, as this work takes the system of “Seiken 3 Remake'' even further, and is almost completely focused on action.
Combining normal attacks and special attacks, evading enemy attacks, and finishing with a special attack, it has reached the standard required for a modern action RPG. In addition, the ability to battle with a variety of magic can be said to solidify the character of the Seiken Densetsu series. There were also nostalgic magical names such as “Thunder Saber”.
In battle, not only the main character Val, but also his companions can freely switch controls. Personally, I found Karina's actions interesting. Karina's style is to fight alongside a small sacred beast called Ramko, and I liked that it felt like she was fighting alongside Flammy in her past works.
Expansion of gameplay brought about by “spirit vessels”
Above all, what colors the battles unique to “Seiken VoM” is,“Spirit vessel”Probably. This refers to items that have the power of spirits such as Salamanders and Undines that have appeared in the series. When used during battle, spirit vessels have various effects depending on the spirit, such as slow-motioning the enemy's movements.
Spirit vessels are used not only for battle, but also for exploring the field. For example, in places where you can use a spirit device (Jin Boomerang) that has the power of Jin, the great wind spirit, you can stir up wind from the valley floor and move to the other side of the cliff.
In this trial run, we were only able to explore the field using the Jin Boomerang, but in the main game, we believe we will be able to explore using a variety of spirit vessels. I imagine it will be a Metroidvania-like experience, where the range of areas you can explore around the world increases each time you obtain a new spirit vessel.
Spirit vessels have additional abilities hidden within them.that isclass changeis. By using the power of the spirit vessel, Val, Karina, and others transform into a different class than before, and their weapons and abilities change, making it possible to fight in a completely different way.
For example, in the case of Val, by using the spirit vessel (Luna Sphere) of Luna, the great spirit of the moon, she can become an Aegis class that excels in attack and defense, using lances and shields. Each character changes into a variety of classes depending on their spirit vessel, so we'll probably see many variations of classes in the main story.
This is similar to Seiken 3 Remake, but unlike Seiken 3 Remake, where class changes were limited depending on the character's strength, Seiken VoM's class changes can be made during battle. You can do it freely at any time except for. In the main story, you can expect gameplay in which you progress while strategically changing classes. The game design, which fully features spirits in this way, feels like it is connected to the worldview and story of the main game, giving it a smart impression.
How will the main story turn out?
In this way, this trial play allowed us to experience only the basic visuals and game mechanics of Seiken VoM. At least, if you look at the “Seiken Densetsu'' series over the past 10 years, it can definitely be said to be the best ever in terms of quality. Especially if you are a fan who was satisfied with the content of “Seiken 3 Remake,'' you will feel comfortable continuing to play “Seiken VoM.''
However, to be honest, there are some incredible powerhouses in modern (semi) open world action RPGs. It is certainly a fairly popular genre, including the recently released “GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink”.
Among these, if you are looking for the originality that is unique to “Seiken VoM”, it must be nothing but the story-telling. As for the story, nothing beyond the information on the official website has been revealed yet.
Mr. Akitoshi Kawazu of the “Saga'' series describes the charm of the “Seiken Densetsu'' series as “The realism is that nothing can be accomplished without sacrifice.Not only the protagonist, but also rivals and enemies cannot escape from this equivalent exchange.”, “Cute characters, action, and realism in the story.This gap is the uniqueness and charm of Seiken Densetsu.”, a critical criticismPosted on the series 30th anniversary website. After all, the story is highly praised. A person close to me sharply asked, “What is the Legend of the Holy Sword?''
In this trial run, it became clear that the “cute characters and action'' that are unique to the series have reached the quality required in modern times. It remains to be seen whether there will be a serious story and worldview that goes against its cute appearance. This may be the first time we see this in the main story.
“Seiken Densetsu VISIONS of MANA” is scheduled to be released in summer 2024 for PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/PC (Windows/Steam). “What was the legend of the holy sword?”…Fans will soon experience the answer.
At Game*Spark, we are producers.Mr. Masaru OyamadaAn interview is also available in which he talks about his long thoughts from his childhood to the present until he arrived at “Seiken VoM''. Please also take a look.
