Resonance of Fate

Genre: JRPG.

Online: No.
Multiplayer: No. 

System: PS3/360.

​Story = 1
Characters = 1
Game play = 1
Graphics = .9
Audio= .8
Overall fun = 1



ROF’s premise involves a catastrophe occurring ages ago, humanity living in a gigantic tower dubbed Basel, and all in Basel life being controlled by a mysterious power. Basel, located high above the clouds, is a vast network of mechanical clockwork, giving ROF a steam-punk feel. The world itself is covered in hexes, which must be unlocked in order to travel through. This is because Basel is in a state of degradation. In the previous era, humanity polluted Earth to the point where life could no longer subsist on the surface; poisonous layers of gases permeated the land, causing cancer. Basel was the answer to human survival, so the remaining population built a titanic tower that purified the environment within it. Centuries later, people forgot there was even another world beyond Basel's walls. They were used to residing in and relying on it. Architects established various towns, cities, and even theme parks and landmarks for families to enjoy themselves. Cardinals became the political/religious leaders. The game starts off with Leanne, the only female protagonist, attempting suicide, but is suddenly saved by Zephyr, a delinquent. Zephyr is part of a mercenary group lead by Vashyron, a middle-aged man who acts as a big bother to the other two. For the first half of the story, you experience their daily lives. They help out local Cardinals in order to gain revenue, spending the money on luxury goods and alcohol. However, unknown to them Basel's top Cardinal is planning an injustice act.  Just for a heads up, the Cardinals seemed randomly weird to me and I was turned off by a few. Since ROF focuses on how Cardinals interact with the three characters, and the fact I disliked ninety percent of them, made me raise an eyebrow here and there; their strangeness hindered my enjoyment when I saw Cardinals like Jean-Paulet. I couldn't wrap my head around how his and other's actions were relevant to the narrative. The same might happen to you, but don't let their randomness stop you from playing. (Note: ROF is a character-driven JRPG, so it's okay if Cardinals do not add depth onto material beyond Zephyr, Vashyron, and Leanne. I tried to see if there was a connection and ran into none. When I was searching for the connection, disappointment struck. HOWEVER, after completing ROF and rethinking about it, I accepted Cardinals for who they are, people with high status employing broke ass hunters. Only during the first walkthrough this fact was not apparent because my exceptions were different)  ANYWAY... where was I? Oh yes. Masaki Norimoto proved his heroes strive to make ends meet Peter Parker/average Joe style. For that I give credit.  Now ROF has a different story that breaks away from what you normally see in seventh gen JRPGs. It deviates into a different path. It is broken into chapters, and those chapters are completed by clearing story-centric missions. Some chapters are dedicated to single characters, which is great. It allows plot-oriented gamers to experience greater intimacy with Vashyron, Zephyr, and Leanne. You really get to understand their motives and feelings in deeper details than what most JRPG characters contain on PS3, 360, and Wii JRPGs. One character is not over developed. Instead they all are touched upon equally. Once again it puts a spot light on EACH CHARACTER, giving the protagonists their own independent sub stories. The plot is told through cutscenes like almost all JRPGs, but every cutscene matters because they tie into a larger picture. The cutscenes alter between flash backs and present time. Now there is nothing wrong with that fact because A directly connects with B. This may sound like an odd thing to say when the protagonists goof around for the first half of the game, and then suddenly BAM a wild flashback appears. This is done on purpose in order to show you the life they want to live. At the same time the flashbacks contrast their current behavior, revealing what happens when they don’t have that life style. Gradually it builds up so you can understand why they conduct themselves in a comical manner during present time. They hide from their past, never wanting it to come back. You are drawn into the overall story once you put in the disc. The opening cut scene, before the start menu pops up, is a MAJOR part of Zephyr’s and Vashyron's past.  After you learn their backstory, trust me, your brain will explode in a massive mind fuck. That's because ROF's story relates to its themes:  the chaos religion causes, the dangers of science, the results of human greed, how important fate is, and the benefits of friendship. The game is very human, meaning its main protagonists contain a sense of realism. They do not have over the top personalities JRPG characters are well known for. Vashyron acts more like a mix between Vash/Wolfwood from the anime Trigun, but not so hyper. The other two are merely his companions. Best of all, everyone from the protagonist to antagonist have skeletons in the closet haunting them. Rowen, SPOILER > he's the bad guy<, fuels up on a former tragedy. He tried to escape the skeleton. It never vanished because Rowen became consumed by it. Anyway back to the heroic cast. Zephyr has many sides to him. He's jocular, emotional, romantic, vengeful, sweet, and psychotic. His character was originally mentally unstable for reasons you have to play in order to find out. Leanne is usually kind and thoughtful though behaves harsh when the boys annoy her. She ends up bitch slapping them. I thought they kinda resembled the gang off of the hit anime Cowboy Bebop. They are misfits, dealing with the horrifying nature of power, coercion, and moral choices. If you do not enjoy puzzles then don’t bother to give ROF a chance. Its story is not told in obvious plan sight, and  if you don’t unite the scattered pieces you will not see their deep seeded connection. ROF is thematic. It has a strong renounce pulsing behind everything plot related. For those who struggle putting everything together you will often ask, what the fuck is this? When did Leanne do that? Who is that person? Why am I doing only missions? It’s not hard to figure out if you stop and THINK about what you just played. Figuring out the plot is mostly left up to you, the player, and once you do I assure a sudden revelation of understanding will bring you pleasure. I know there will be some people who end up disliking the obtuse storytelling, yet the obtuse storytelling and vague details does keep the mystery going because it's well done. 



Gameplay... is GOD DAMN FREAKING HARD. It plays like chess. It's complex because you really have to think about every little tiny thing on the screen during combat. This ranges from moving an inch with your character to even switching characters. It all counts. One wrong step will lead to your death, trust me.  ROF is not noob friendly. It's not the type of JRPG where you rush in head first just to start hitting buttons, knowing you'll survive because your level 70 with some OP, uber weapon and maxed out nearly all of your stats. Okay here is ROF's combat 101.



1: The only main weapons you use are guns.



2: All actions characters perform on the screen are done in a flashy cinematic style.

3: All enemies have a bar above and beneath them that represents their health. 

4: Characters move freely throughout the battle field by steering the left along stick. Depending on the amount of tilt you put on it, the characters can either tip toe or run.

5: When you move, the enemy moves.



6: . A stamina meter indicates how much you can act.



7: The nanosecond (IF YOU CAN SEE THAT FAST!) your target is in sight, hit  the X button to bring up a circular gauge.  Holding the X button immediately after touching it equals rotations. One rotation of the gauge allows you to attack, but you can build up more than one rotation if need to be. Doing so doesn't only execute attacks, but the chances of your character’s skills is increased as well though you need stamina for it.



8: There are two types of damage.

​

Direct damage = Inflects minuscule pain on opposing AIs if they are not covered in Scratch damage. As the name implies, Direct damage deals DIRECT DAMAGE, affecting health.  
 

Scratch damage = This damage harms all enemies greatly but not their health. The more you rain Scratch damage on them the easier they are to take down. It’s basically pre damage in a similar way trailers, and popcorn bags, and giant soda cops are for movies; the last three make movies more enjoyable to watch for some people. Well, scratch damage makes fighting bad guys trouble-free for ALL people. Once an enemy is swathed in Scratch damage, finish them off with direct damage.



9: Each time the Vashyron, Zephyr, and Leanne shoot their guns, the more proficient they become, which ultimately determines their levels. Therefore, balancing the party with different weapon types is very important.



10: Gaining levels is less of a concern with an increase in HP. The most important benefit is the increase in the Hero Gauge. The Hero Gauge consists of Bezels. One Bezel grants you one Hero Action.



11: Hero Actions allow your character to run from point A to B while charging up the attack gauge faster than usual. This allows you to build up a substantial amount of power, let loose an attack, and deal significant direct or scratch damage to the foe you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. If you press the Square button during a Hero Action, your character will jump stylishly. Jump attacks allow you to hit all enemy parts instead of just one. Most enemies consist of pieces and parts that add protection to their primary health bar.



12: You need to time your jumps and your Hero Actions properly in order to win. This is mainly because the Hero Gauge also acts as your central life force. If you dare spam them, you will end up in a "FUCK, I'M DEAD" situation. 



13: Enemies are able to deal Scratch damage, so watch out. Once enough Scratch damage has been dealt, your character will fall to the ground and a good chunk of the Hero Gauge will follow them. As a result, you’ll need to gather the lost Bezels. Yes, enemies can steal them too. During this state you enter Critical Condition. Direct damage now affects you.



14: There are about 100 other things I didn’t list like Resonance Points, Trinity Attacks, properly using the obstacles and explosive drums in the battle field, the way status effects can change a battle, blah, blah blah… but that’s what the tutorial is for.



Outside of battle there are side missions, weapon customization, weapons to buy, items to buy, and best of all awesome outfits to try on at the local clothing store. However, I had trouble customizing my guns in ROF. I wanted to create one that visually looks awesome and shoots powerfully, but I ran into a lack of gun parts for half of the game. I also didn't find that many variety of guns in the shops let alone the amount of guns wasn't worth noting.



​Visually, ROF is a good looking JRPG. Everything in it is gloomy and dark, which fits well with the steam punk setting. I hardly saw a change of scenery. 

​

The game itself is an enigma. This is where ROF shines. Exploring is a brain tease. Fighting is a brain tease. Each time you do both, it doesn’t feel the same because like chess, the next match will be different. ROF truly feels unique. When unique is done well I give credit where credit is due.



Soundtrack is an okay mix between funk and metal. It fits the dark, gloomy feel. There is a Japanese voice option here too.



Story = 1
Characters = 1
Game play = .8
Graphics = .5

Audio= .9

Over all fun = .9

MC2 is a standalone game by the way, so you do not have to play the others. When I first put in the disc, an opening cut scene, briefly describing Lanzheim’s history, hooks my attention like a fish. Lanzheim = the overworld. 

(Note: Tily debarred the following information from his prologue. I do not know why, but he placed it further down the plotline.

l have it for those who wish to learn more of MC2’s lore.) The Great Carta War turned Lanzheim into a barren ruin. However, Strauss, a powerful hero, decided to save his beloved world by sacrificing himself to the flying warship La Strada, spreading plenty of Kan throughout the lands. The end result left peace and prosperity upon Lanzheim for one thousand years. Warfare unfortunately brews again in the distant future over political, territorial, and tribal maters. (Note: The following is the actual prologue.) One day, lady Ibrin, Queen of Lanzheim, is assassinated by her Prime Minister, Schuenzeit. He kidnapped the Queen’s only daughter, Princess Rzephilldia, also named Zephie for short, and stole the royal throne. He crowned himself King, setting his sights on what at first appeared to be conquering Lanzheim. All who opposed him were sentenced to death. Luckily Rue, Zephie’s bodyguard/friend, broke her out of prison and together escaped. They fled to Abazet, a capital city, and joined forces with its ruler, Count Alex. King Schuenzeit’s power grew. He had his own army, Northern Forces, and Count Alex had his own army, Southern Forces. The two waged war. ​

After the introduction, you immediately jump into Juto’s shoes, a young male. Yes amnesiac village boy (overused trope in JRPGs) reeks all over him. However, he is not trying to discover his past from the get go. He accepted it remains a mystery until that unknown literally confronts him. Amnesia's role in his life contributes to shades of grey, so there's depth inplace toward character development. Reclaiming memories long forgotten open up a whole new struggle. How will he cope with the values, ethics, and morals of (SPOILER) someone else's identity? Anyway... Juto begins the day collecting lapper shells alongside gathering medicine for the elderly. Through these mundane routines, players take a step into his insouciant lifestyle. He seems perfectly normal for someone who can't remember their origin. Highwind Island, the place he calls home and paradise, inhabitants not only him but the woman who found him. Melissa, Juto’s sister, gave him the name Juto when he first reached ashore. She taught him how to fight and brave out danger. Much to their dismay, Highwind Island is short lived once the Northern Forces swoop down on it, slaughtering islanders at will. The Southern Forces arrive in the nick of time to combat against Schuenzeit's troops. When Elgar, a strong enemy and major character, kills Melissa as she tries to defend her brother, Juto snaps. Out of rage, he gives it his all against Elgar. Then a harsh fact stuns him. All the techniques his sister taught  scarcely impact her killer. He fails. The small battalion of Southern Forces is no match for the onslaught. They turn tail.  Juto departs with Zephie. He hopes to avenge Melissa's death. The princess reminds him such a vision is harder to accomplish in reality. The structure Tily uses for telling Juto's adeventure is familar. It matches up with a man finds himself in circumstances that create a problem for him. In coping with this problem, the man is changed in some fashion inside himself. The story is over when the inner change is complete--the external incidents may go on indefinitely (Robert A. Heinlein). A jubilant, hopeful, and even naive outlook on Lanzheim is challenged in the circumstances of war for our laid back islander. From here on, threads grow larger and juicier. The overall plot retains enough lore to include multiple beasties, weapons, locations,  and so forth. Issues based on old age cultural feuds take center stage, brewing trouble within MC2's races. Trewa fight amongst each other. Blackthorn Trewa dislikes other clans for reasons you must play. Mares are elf-esque. Pretty passive. They isolated themselves from the rest of the world. Avis, machine-building feathered organisms, try to make Lanzheim a fly friendly zone. Wizards are warriors used as pawns in both the Northern and Southern Force. Even Wizardy plays a major role. It has a dark history. These antiquities enrich race A's, B's, and C's motives instead of leaving them plainer than white rice. Although I wish the issues A, B, and C faced could have been a bit deeper; it would seriously make the game more compelling to play if they were. The story encompasses plenty of twist happening left and right. What’s even better is the entire cast has backstory, apart from Rue. Tily handled backstory well. He didn’t rely on lengthy exposition to bring his characters to life. He focused on the present for their growth, as opposed to hey, I was once a part of a nobility house. Let me tell you all about it without concrete evidence. Bygones lay as a backdrop, gradually expanding out into the open of details that support a reason to behave quick-tempered or wooden.The worst thing for JRPGs in general is when I know nothing of a character’s past. This often leads to me not giving a damn about them IF their personalities and events they experience are boring; in MC2’s case such complications aren't noticeable. I like the cast. Juto is a run-of-the-mill  islander , wanting to live life the way he sees fit on Highwind Island, but due to war everything he knew of is turned upside down. His sense of self gradually declines. My description right now sounds like a simple revenge tale, killing that Elgar guy because he murdered Juto’s sister. Please know the more you play the more conflicts materialize. They do fast, trust me. Elgar and King Schuenzeit may not even be bad guys. Zephie remains on the opposite end of princesses needing saving. Politically-active princess plus royals who actually do something equals Zephie's main tropes. She has enough spunk to keep Crocell, a hothead, and Celestine, a genki girl, in check. Bureaucrats hush up around her. She even took one painful slash to the gut by a certain somebody, refusing to let Rue, who was the somebody's original target, die. She stands up for herself, loved ones, and ideals in the same manner Yuna from the acclaimed Final Fantasy X does. Juto and her even have that Tidus ♡ Yuna thing going on (arguably better). The characters constantly intertwine with one another throughout MC2. Their relationships grow for each hardship they endure, thus developing. At first some of them are annoying and loud, but as time goes on they calm down from bonding. They truly intermingle like a family, getting on each other’s nerves and loving each other. Brilliant comradery. Juto becomes close best friends with his party. Their growth is not stagnant. By the end, they are changed people. Like in the Tales of franchise's skits, MC2 has a system where you get to hear characters speak outside of the normal cut scenes. It’s called mail. This is nice because literally hearing the cast’s thoughts on events, bosses battles, and what they think of each other enlightens me. The extra information I receive makes me care for their development. More content I’m fed, more I’m happy, comprehend? The story is fantastic, going at a paste rapid enough for me to understand without any confusion. However, I found a few of the antagonists shallow. They suffered from what I spoke of earlier; a character with either a meeeh/boring personality and little to none back ground history = I don’t give a damn who they are. Their motives in MC2 didn't excite me apart from some here and there. I believe that is mostly due to Tily trying to cram as much content into each character's design at the best of his ability, but fell short on Claire Setilan and Huaren Jass; these two are major bad guys, and their overall personal stories are interesting, yet very forgettable because they aren't focused on heavily compared to Schuenzeit and Elgar. Claire was raised by Schuenzeit after she was abandoned from somewhere that wasn't stated or even clarified. She will do anything for him. Huaren is a mad scientist and the Albert Einstein of Sentinel research. For gamers who like war and the emotions that come with it, you will enjoy MC2’s plot. I was moved by it, feeling a sense of accomplishment when it ended. From outside my viewpoint, the conclusion is debatable as a good one or not among MC2’s fans. Whatever... it’s not about the last five minutes but the entire thirty plus that you spent playing. It clearly left room for a direct sequel to take place, and any further plot is speculation by the fan base. However, MC2 is a hidden JRPG that is overlooked by many people, so there will never be MC3. It’s not a popular game.

Combat relies on a real time stamina based combo system. You control one character at a time, while the other two take action depending on specific AI settings, such as attack or defend. However, you are allowed to swap to any of the three active characters with a touch of the D-Pad. Assaulting baddies increases your stamina gauge. Once filled completely, you enter a state called overdrive; damage output becomes heightened (aka beast mode).

No... going over 9,000 does not last forever; you overheat. Combos are something you have to figure out. There really isn't a set method for them. Jumble consecutive standard techniques and skill techniques into well thought out strategy, boom combo. If you finish a combo before overdrive runs out there is a chance for a chain (switching to another character nearing overdrive and pushing their stamina to the brink will then execute a new skill technique). These duel attacks inflect even greater damage than the previous character because their strength and skill power is transferred over to whoever you now control. Chain breaks reset both characters' stamina gauge, which prevents overheating. All it takes is one skill technique during a chain to break the chain. This creates a lively, fast-paced battle system. It’s a bit tactical rather than senseless button mashing. It’s about switching to the right character in the right moment, so you can deal as much damage as possible while healing at the same time. That does not mean MC2 is difficult. I admit almost all preexisting encounters suck; hit harder bitch. Do bosses provide a challenge? Only the last few. Why? I blame the weak enemy AI script. Death approached me but rarely took my soul. Game over was uncommon in my playthrough. Thankfully the computer is smart enough to not to upset your inner rage demon. Responsive friendly AI. Fuck yeah! I found myself smiling over the fact someone did something rather angry because they just stood there, useless like games I played in the past. ANYWAY, skill techniques are powered by Kan. There is Strength and Attribute Kan. Strength Kan is invisible, building up from only normal attacks, while Attribute Kan is visible; a small orb of elemental energy (aka Fire, Water, Lighting, and Wind) that only affects the immediate area. If you move away from the Attribute Kan, any amount your character collected fades. Fortunately, each map has a constant level of Attribute Kan. Making use of the Attribute Kan keeps your magical special attacks flowing. Depending on your character, different Attribute Kans can be generated. After you win battles you gain skill points; there are two skill trees, each one is for the two different weapon types your characters have. Different weapon types enable you to do various special moves and playing styles. Some enemies may be affected by this weapon type than that one. You can also upgrade your weapons with Kamonds. There are Ability Kammonds, Status Kammonds, and Special Kammonds. Each one makes your weapon and status more powerful. Since there are plenty of weapons you will find throughout the game the immense customization options are almost endless. Outside of combat you can do optional quest. These quests give you big EXP bonuses, items, and weapons. Some are even story related you would not find inside the cut scenes. There are mini games as well, yay! I love mini games. The six characters also have their own unique skills called field actions. They are not battle abilities, but rather ways you can interact with the environment. If there is an interactive object, a certain character can do something to it. Juto picks up bombs and plants them. Argo shatters rocks. Sadly, there is no form of real time transpiration you can manually use to get from point A to B though later on there is a fast travel station. Fast travel stations are nice. Having a car, airship, animal, etc to ride are even better!!!! MC2 suffers from lack of puzzles, unique ways I trek through the maps, and over all fun stuff besides combat. None of it feels like a chore unless you spend hours grinding, which won't really happen since the maps are very small, linear, and easy to navigate. It doesn't take a long time to go from A to B. In between A and B I often found Movie Events pooping out nonstop. That fact keeps the story fast paste like the gameplay. The game is split up into chapters. Once said portion of the game is complete you're rewarded with EXP and a reflection, in narration form, of the experiences you just went through by Juto himself. For me, grinding seemed like an option. I spent less time thinking about it compared to other JRPGs. However, that does not mean there are several puzzleish/mini gameish extra content to complete. I discovered a tiny bit (You will need to keep a group of soldiers alive for a total of 60 seconds while their health depletes. A minor cure costs 1 Kan and a major cure costs 2. Be aware that you can position yourself to sometimes hit more than one soldier with a cure, and only use a major cure when someone is below half health, otherwise just run around and spam minor cures). Exploration is not MC2’s focus point, so don’t bother to complain about it. What it needs are some DAMN PUZZLES and unique stuff. What’s unique? I don’t know… do you know? Perhaps the developers could have applied field actions into the battle (oh look. A giant boulder on a cliff.  Smash! Chunks downpour onto enemies below). About six more mini games won't hurt either.

Visually, MC2 is a mediocre looking game. The cut scenes are colorful and nice to look at, but everything else is pretty blah. The game is not focused on graphics though. The story isn't told through cut scenes, which there are very few, but instead still picture scenes called Movie Events. The only downside to this is that there is a lot going on in the game and if you have attention problems you can often find yourself being bored of all the “blah, blah, blah.” For me, that isn’t the case because what they say is highly interesting. I am attracted to literature and MC2 has a LOT of it. Its graphics are a bit old school.

The OST complement the settings. It’s mystical, relaxing, and gets my blood pumping when I kick monster ass. The voices are... well good for the most part. Juto has the same voice as Lelouch vi Britannia and does not love Lelouch?





Blue Dragon

Genre: JRPG.

Online: No.
Multiplayer: No. 

System: Xbox 360.

Story = .8

Characters = 1
Game play = .9
Graphics = .5
Audio= .4
Overall fun = 1















































Score 4.6/6