Tag Archives: RPG

Y is for Ys

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6

Y

 

The aim of my Blogging From A to Z Challenge is to find the origins of online games, some relatively modern and some with ancient roots. Gaming might well be a modern take on an art that is almost timeless – storytelling. A perfect excuse for a writer to delve a little deeper.

[Visit here for links to other A to Z participants.]

 

Game: Ys (pronounced like “ease”) is a series of constantly evolving Japanese role-playing video games  The first game in the series, Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished, was released in 1987. Ys is considered to be the company’s flagship franchise.

In terms of the number of game releases, the Ys series is second only to Final Fantasy as the largest Eastern role-playing game franchise, as of 2011.

Release Date:

  1. First release – Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished – June 21, 1987
  2. Latest release – Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana – July 21, 2016

Developer/Producer: Nihon Falcom.

Genre/gameplay mechanics: In early games, the player used only the directional pad to fight using bump attacks. A feature used in nearly every Ys title is the recharging health mechanism, which had previously only been used in the Hydlide series. Recharging health has since become a common mechanism in many video games. Over the series, Ys has progressed, gradually introducing: magic spells, the ability to actively block, learn skills, stun meters for enemies, weapon types, super combos, the ability to parry hits with a flash guard system, and a flash dodge.

As JoyfulSanity says, “Although there can be drastic differences between titles, common elements of each game in the series includes the following:

  1. Lightning fast combat
  2. Awesome hair metal music with ORCHESTRATION
  3. Grandiose boss battles
  4. Simple, episodic plots with reoccurring characters
  5. Music music music music
  6. Old-school challenge that can be brutal but not usually Nintendo Hard (Dark Souls fans should be pleased)
  7. Many difficulty levels that can either subdue that old-school challenge or crank the insanity to 11

And did I mention the music? Seriously, a lot of people legitimately get into Ys because of the music. It’s a huge part of Ys’ appeal.”

Setting: Fantasy worlds. Thus far, Adol has visited the regions of Esteria, Ys, Celceta, Felghana, Xandria, the Canaan Islands, and Altago.

Storytelling: Ys stars a red-haired warrior named Adol Christin (this only varies in Origin), a young man with a zest for adventure and an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time. Gameplay usually revolves around Adol, though his comrade, Dogi, is a frequent companion in his travels – playable in some later games.

According to in-game lore, the normally immortal ancient Ys aged because humans overused the magic power of an ancient artefact, known as the Black Pearl. The result of this misuse was evil magical energy bringing forth millions of cruel demons. The people of Ys fled to the Palace of Solomon and used the Black Pearl to lift the palace into the sky, creating a safe haven. The demons, focused on controlling the Black Pearl for their own intentions, began building the Darm Tower, day and night, attempting to connect to the Palace of Solomon with their construction. As in-game-events transpired, however, the demons’ efforts were thwarted.

Later games feature a variety of plots but frequently begin with a shipwreck. A stranded Adol then gets involved in the new area’s events and adventure ensues.

Releases + Expansions –eight main releases with multiple re-releases.

Highest rated games are.:

  1. January 27, 2011 – Ys: Oath In Felghana – Platforms: PSP and PC. Metacritic: 80. JoyfulSanity says, “With a playtime that clocks under 10 hours for a first playthrough, you get a thoroughly polished adventure that’s extremely light on filler. Oath’s brevity and polish are why I believe it to be the best starting point for the series.”
  2. August 17, 2010 – Ys Seven – Platform: PSP and PC. Metacritic: 79. JoyfulSanity says, “This game modernized the Ys formula, so fans of other contemporary hack-and-slash style RPGs should be pleased with this ~30-hour long quest. If you’re determined to only get one Ys game and never try the other ones, I’d recommend this one.”

Platform of origin: NEC PC-8801

Origins (Chronological):

  1. June 21, 1987 – Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (also Ys: The Vanished Omens or The Ancient Land of Ys) was released by Nihon Falcom. Developed for the PC-8801 by Masaya Hashimoto (director, programmer, designer) and Tomoyoshi Miyazaki (scenario writer), Ys was a precursor to RPGs that emphasize storytelling. The hero of Ys is an adventurous young swordsman named Adol Christin. As the story begins, he has just arrived at the Town of Minea, in the land of Esteria. He is called upon by Sara, a fortune teller, who tells him of a great evil that is sweeping the land.

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Adaptations set in the ‘Ys’ universe:

  1. ANIME – there are two separate series of Ys, with the first spanning seven episodes and covering the events of the first game, and the second running for four episodes and loosely covering the events of the second game. The first anime expands on the storyline of Ys I, including a retelling and expansion of the prologue found in the game’s original Japanese manual.
  2. MUSIC – The first two games were composed by Yuzo Koshiro, Mieko Ishikawa, and Hideya Nagata, whereas Mieko Ishikawa handled the soundtrack for Ys III. The composers’ works have been remixed for each subsequent release. Consequently, the Ys series is seen in the video game music industry as some of the finest and most influential role-playing video game scores of all time, demonstrated by an extensive 39 series of CD releases based on the series’ music, with numerous variations on its themes. It has also inspired video game composers outside Japan.

Recommendation: Since Ys is among the oldest RPG franchises, there have been many reviews for each game, ranging from mixed to very positive. Other than Metacritic, there are overviews from JoyfulSanity,  Shaun Mudd, and comparing platforms and games by Game Sack on YouTube.

Alternative ‘Y’ thoughts:

Y is also for Yakuza, a series of video games that I thought of researching as there had been live-action adaptations and the origins go back to the mid-Edo period (1603–1868). Also, I enjoyed the unrelated Robert Mitchum movie The Yakuza (1974).

Enter this portal to reach other Worlds in my A2ZMMORPG

Hela da

W is for Witcher

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16

W

 

The aim of my Blogging From A to Z Challenge is to find the origins of online games, some relatively modern and some with ancient roots. Gaming might well be a modern take on an art that is almost timeless – storytelling. A perfect excuse for a writer to delve a little deeper.

[Visit here for links to other A to Z participants.]

Game: The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is an action-adventure RPG based on The Witcher series of fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, it is the sequel to the 2011 game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

Release Date: 19 May 2015

Developer/Publisher: CD Projekt

Genre/gameplay mechanics:  Players control protagonist Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a Witcher who fights, rides, walks, runs, rolls and dodges, jumps, climbs and swims. Weapons include bombs, a crossbow and two swords: steel sword is used primarily to kill humans while the silver sword is more effective against creatures and monsters.  Geralt has five magical signs at his disposal; crafted mutagens increase magic power. Players can learn about their enemies and prepare for combat by reading the in-game bestiary. A dialogue wheel allows players to choose how to respond to NPCs. Geralt must make decisions which change the state of the world and lead to 36 possible endings.

Setting: Open-world with a third-person perspective, set in the Continent, a fantasy world surrounded by parallel dimensions and extra-dimensional worlds. Humans, elves, dwarves, monsters and other creatures co-exist, but non-humans are often persecuted for their differences. Europe was the basis of the game’s world, with Poland, Amsterdam, and Scandinavia as its primary inspirations. Locations include the Redanian cities of Novigrad and Oxenfurt, the no man’s land of Velen, the city of Vizima, the Skellige islands (home to several Viking-like clans) and the Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen.

Storytelling: The Continent is caught up in a war between the empire of Nilfgaard led by Emperor Emhyr var Emreis and Redania ruled by King Radovid V. Geralt of Rivia is looking for his missing adopted daughter, Ciri on the run from the Wild Hunt, an otherworldly force determined to capture and use her powers. The writing is infused with real-life aspects like moral ambiguity in a deliberate attempt to avoid simplification, impart authenticity, and reflect Sapkowski’s novels.

Further details: Game Wiki + Kirk Hamilton’s Beginner’s Guide to the setting, story, and more.

Releases + Expansions:

  1. Two expansion packs, Hearts of Stone(2015) and Blood and Wine (2016) were also released to critical acclaim.
  2. 16 DLCs were released that included cosmetic and additional gameplay content.
  3. A Game of the Year edition, with the base game, expansion packs and all downloadable content, was released in August 2016.

Formats: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Origins (Chronological) – these range from Sapkowski’s books, other writers such as the Brothers Grimm to Edgar Allen Poe, as well as Polish cultural elements. The main sources include:

  1. 2007 – In 2007 Polish video-game developer CD Projekt Red released The Witcher, the first game based on Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski‘s saga. CD Projekt had acquired the rights to the book series for about 35,000 zloty (approximately US$9,500) from Sapkowski, who wanted all the payment rights up front, rather than through royalties. However, as Sapkowski said in a 2012 interview by Eurogamer’s Zbigniew Jankowski, “The game – with all due respect for it, let’s say it openly – does not create any “alternative version”, let alone any further sequence. The game is a free adaptation that uses elements of my creativity, an adaptation made by other artists.” He also noted, “‘The Witcher’ is a well-made video game, its success is well deserved, and the creators deserve all the splendour and honour due.”
  2. 1990s – The Witcher appeared in Bogusław Polch‘s six comic books, which he drew from 1993 to 1995 – Maciej Parowskiwrote the story with Sapkowski, already a popular fantasy author.
  3. 1986 – Andrzej Sapkowski’s first short story, “The Witcher” (“Wiedźmin”), also translated as “The Hexer” or “Spellmaker”, was published in Polish science fiction and fantasy magazine Fantastyka. By 2017, The Witcher series encompassed two collections of short stories (1992-1993) and five novels (1994-1999). The 69-year-old author has become one of Poland’s most distinguished fantasy literary icons. Despite readers’ pleas, Sapkowski gave up the idea of continuing The Witcher His next series was the fantasy Hussite trilogy, the main character of which is Reinmar from Bielawa.
  4. Although the author denied any similarities between Redania and Poland in the books, the game developers do make use of Polish elements. Marcin Blacha, Story Director at CD Projekt Red said in a December 2016 interview, “We have the perception we were taught by the poets of Romanticism. Every time we look into the sources, we don’t study old Polish literature or archeologic manuals, but culture which refers to those elements. We don’t draw from the source itself, but from the pulp processed by cultures, and we try to make it look that unique way in which we ourselves perceive it.”
  5. 1820-1864 – Romanticism in Poland, a literary, artistic and intellectual period in the evolution of Polish culture, began around 1820, coinciding with the publication of Adam Mickiewicz‘s first poems in 1822. It ended with the suppression of the Polish-Lithuanian January 1863 Uprising against the Russian Empire in 1864. The latter event ushered in a new era in Polish culture known as Positivism.
  6. 13th-15th century – Marcin Blacha said, “…The Witcher is a tribute to the Polish language and to Polishness in general. At least I always treat the game that way”. For instance, supposedly, the annual re-enactment of the Battle of Grunwald(1410) was recorded for the sounds of battle, marching, blacksmithing, and the firing of arrows. However, it is impossible to focus on a specific era, although the 13th century might be the nearest – or is that because the game world says May 1272 – in another dimension.
  7. 12th century – Across Central, Western and Northern Europe, the Wild Hunt is a well-known folk myth of a ghostly leader and his group of hunters and hounds flying through the cold night sky, accompanied by the sounds of the howling wind. The supernatural hunters are recounted as either the dead, elves or in some instances, fairies. In the Northern tradition, the Wild Hunt was synonymous with great winter storms or changes of season.
  8. 6th century – The world in which these adventures take place is heavily influenced by Slavic mythology. The first authoritative reference to the Slavs and their mythology in written history was made by the 6th century Byzantine historian Procopius, whose Bellum Gothicum described the beliefs of a South Slavic tribe. However, as Marcin Blacha of CD Projekt Red said, “The truth is that every time we start creating some monster – like the botchling or a noonwraith – we don’t perceive this monster like pre-Slavic people did, because we have no idea what their perception of the monster was. We have the perception we were taught by the poets of Romanticism.”

Adaptations set in ‘The Witcher’ game universe – CD Projekt Red studio head Adam Badowski in response to the Eurogamer interview, said, “We want to develop The Witcher’s universe in other media, not only video games. We have Mr Sapkowski’s blessing and what we create is in line with his vision of the world, no matter how the saga will evolve. We want The Witcher’s universe to be a part of pop-culture like Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings, and for our fanbase to expand rapidly. We just have to carefully and diligently do our thing.”

  1. 2011 – second video game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
  2. In 2007, Kuźnia Gier developed two card games based on CD Projekt’s The Witcher video game. One, Wiedźmin: Przygodowa Gra Karciana (The Witcher: Adventure Cardgame), was published by Kuźnia Gier; the other, Wiedźmin: Promocyjna Gra Karciana (The Witcher Promo Card Game) was added to the collector’s edition of The Witcher in some countries.
  3. Another card game, Gwent was released with The Witcher 3: Wild Huntas an in-game activity. In 2016 a stand-alone Gwent online card game was announced and then released as Gwent: The Witcher Card Game by CD Projekt Red.
  4. In May 2017, Sapkowski’s The Witcher was picked up by Netflix, to be adapted as a television series. Sapkowski will serve as a creative consultant on the project. The series of eight episodes is set for release in 2020.

Witcher-3-13

Recommendation: The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt received critical acclaim, with praise of its gameplay, narrative, world design, combat, and visuals, although it received minor criticism due to technical issues, some of which were later patched. It received numerous Game of the Year awards and is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. By August 2016, CD Projekt said that The Witcher 3 had received over 800 awards since its release.

The game was also a commercial success, shipping nearly ten million copies by March 2016. GameSpot and Eurogamer gave the game their highest rating.

In 2010, the game was included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die

4.7 Stars: I must confess that I have been sucked into The Witcher world – hence this long post. Plus, my research is ongoing as a reader, writer and gamer. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is my first adventure in the world and the settings are brilliant. The storytelling is great, underpinned by reading the 1993 collection of short stories. Also, the side quests do tie into the overall world-building. The gameplay element was more complex than other games with a lot to learn and master. However, it was entertaining, and I got my partner hooked. As for its roots, well, that’s an ongoing quest.

  1. Setting: 4.75*
  2. Storyline: 5*
  3. Gameplay: 4.25*
  4. Entertainment: 4.5*
  5. Genesis: 5*

Alternative ‘W’ thoughts:

W as in When Women Were Warriors, the best trilogy since The Lord of the Rings, and also for Wonder Woman – the original comics, the classic TV series and the enjoyable 2017 movie.

+ ‘W’ Games played: World of Warcraft, which was my original W game – until the research started.

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E is for Elder Scrolls

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8

E

The aim of my Blogging From A to Z Challenge is to find the origins of online games, some relatively modern and some with ancient roots. Gaming might well be a modern take on an art that is almost timeless – storytelling. A perfect excuse for a writer to delve a little deeper. [Visit here for links to other A to Z participants.]

Game: The Elder Scrolls is a series of action fantasy RPGs known for its elaborate and richly detailed open worlds and its focus on free-form gameplay.

Release Date: March 25, 1994

Developer/Publisher: Bethesda

Genre/gameplay mechanics: RPG; open world; fantasy; action-adventure; 3rd person; multi-player; “a game designed to encourage exploration and reward curiosity”; choices are crucial.

Setting: The Elder Scrolls games primarily take place on the fictional continent of Tamriel, located on the world of Nirn, but there are a few exceptions, although these exist in the same fictional universe. The high-fantasy setting is realistic with detailed, immersive graphics as series evolved.

Storytelling: Rich and extensive with a developed history, or as Wikipedia says, “In accordance with many literary high fantasy works, the world of The Elder Scrolls is known for its attention to detail, including well-developed lore and backstory. This includes a vast amount of information such as names, dates, and places that constitute its history and the interconnected structure of its various societies, cultures, and religions.”

Releases + Expansions: The Elder Scrolls has evolved through seven releases and ten expansions.

Current release: The Elder Scrolls Online, an MMORPG set in Tamriel, released in April 2014 to mixed reviews. The response improved significantly with the re-release in January 2015. It was renamed as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, with critics praising the changes.

Formats: MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, N-Gage, J2ME, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, macOS, Nintendo Switch

Origins (Chronological):

  1. 1890s – This depends on whether The Elder Scrolls is ‘high fantasy. As Wikipedia says, “The term “high fantasy” was coined by Lloyd Alexanderin a 1971 essay, “High Fantasy and Heroic Romance” (originally given at the New England Round Table of Children’s Librarians in October 1969).” And from there, “The romances of William Morris, such as The Well at the World’s End, set in an imaginary medieval world, are sometimes regarded as the first examples of high fantasy. The works of  R. R. Tolkien—especially The Lord of the Rings—are regarded as archetypal works of high fantasy.” Therefore, the logical thought is that all games that follow in role-playing campaign settings have their origins much further back. What then? Do I look to those writers’ roots?

Adaptations set in the ‘Elder Scrolls’ universe:

  1. Novels: In 2009, science-fiction author Gregory Keyes released The Elder Scrolls: The Infernal City. In 2011, Lord of Souls was released as Keyes’ second novel in his The Elder Scrolls book series.

Recommendation: Highly successful, the series has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and spawned a staunch community. The reviews have generally been very good. In 2012, Complex ranked The Elder Scrolls at number 20 on the list of the best video game franchises. In 2013, The Elder Scrolls was voted as the Greatest Game Series of the Decade on GameSpot, beating out 64 other competitors.

ElderScrolls01

4 Stars: Although aware of the series, I have only played The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, and only recently. However, this MMORPG compares well to similar games that I’ve played extensively. The setting was amazing and the game enthralling, even if I took some time to adapt to the mechanic and the divergent storylines. A game that a player must devote time to appreciate.

  1. Setting: 4.5*
  2. Storyline: 4*
  3. Gameplay: 4*
  4. Entertainment: 4*
  5. Genesis: 3.5*

 

Alternative ‘E’ thoughts:

E is also for Excalibur but that’s a sword that has yet to slide from a stone. And a 1981 epic fantasy movie that I enjoyed for its unusual re-telling of the Arthur legend. There was even a game that I never played – Excalibur: Morgana’s Revenge.

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B is for Baldur’s Gate

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11

B

The aim of my Blogging From A to Z Challenge is to find the origins of online games, some relatively modern and some with ancient roots. Gaming might well be a modern take on an art that is almost timeless – storytelling. A perfect excuse for a writer to delve a little deeper. [Visit here for links to participants.]

Game: Baldur’s Gate is a classic that reinvigorated the computer role-playing game and expanded the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

Release Date:  November 30, 1998

Developer: BioWare and Black Isle Studios

Genre/gameplay mechanics: RPG [role-playing game]; offline or online; single or multiplayer; top-down isometric god perspective; auto-applied Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition role-playing rules; party management; pausable real-time; moral choices rewarded.

Setting: Baldur’s Gate takes place in the fictional world of Ed Greenwood‘s Forgotten Realms setting. Focusing upon the western shoreline of Faerûn, within a region known as the Sword Coast.

Storytelling: Player takes the role of the ward of the mage Gorion and searches for ‘controllable’ AI allies to help them survive attacks, and then opts to investigate what is causing a deadly crisis. A strong storyline with cliff-hangers.

Releases + Expansions:

Sequels: four initial sequels/expansion packs – plus two unrelated Baldur’s Gate games in the same setting.

Remaster: In 2012, Beamdog began releasing the ‘improved’ remake of the original games, plus new content.

Formats: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux

Origins (Chronological):

  1. 1960s – Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. Created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967. He brought the setting to the D&D game as a series of magazine articles, and the first Realms game products were released in 1987.

Adaptations set in the Baldur’s Gate universe:

  1. Novel: Baldur’s Gate(1999) by Philip Athans was based on the game.

Recommendation: The game received critical praise, and was credited, along with Diablo, with revitalizing the computer RPG genre. Baldur’s Gate received positive reviews from virtually every major computer gaming publication that reviewed it.

BaldursGate_screen2

4 stars: On release, the setting and storytelling engrossed me – the landscape and characters felt more real than in many books. Playing the recent Enhanced Edition this year, the game felt dated in terms of graphics and mechanics, yet the storytelling was still fresh. So worth re-living.

  1. Setting: 4*
  2. Storyline: 5*
  3. Gameplay: 3.5*
  4. Entertainment: 4*
  5. Genesis: 3.5*

 

Alternative ‘B’ thoughts:

B is also for Blade Runner, the 1982 Ridley Scott film that spawned two games called Blade Runner – one in 1985 and another in 1997 – neither of which I’ve played. The film itself, one of my favourite films, was based on the great Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.

+ ‘B’ Games played: Battle of the Immortals, and Black Desert Online.

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