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Growlanser PSP(and series discussion): A return to the origins
cj iwakura
The Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
The Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
So after playing Growlanser Generations on the PS2, Growlanser rapidly became one of my favorite strategy RPGs.
Growlanser 2 & 3, included in Generations, utilize a unique line-based form of strategic combat, with multiple story paths and mission objectives.
There was also the fourth game that we never got and the fifth game that we did get, which wasn't really a strategy RPG at all, but that's another story.
Supposedly there had been plans to bring the original Growlanser, a PS1 game, to the US, but it never got the opportunity.
Here's what might be our second chance.
Growlanser 1 is being remade for the PSP, and should be released in Japan in the next few months.
http://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/1221811_1407.html
-There will be "extensive" expansion to the existing game scenarios and plot
-A brand new story path is being added, with a new ending to accompany it
-Entirely new story events are being added, both for new and old characters
-New characters include a new heroine named Ameria, and Featherian named Melfy.
-UI tweaking along with a sped up and slightly modernized version of the battle system
-A slew of other smaller technical tweaks
Has it be announced for a US release? Not yet, so I'm hoping to ensure we don't miss a second chance at the original by drumming up as much support as I can. It might not make a difference. Maybe Atlus USA have already made up their minds.
It sure couldn't hurt, though. Persona's PSP remake is already confirmed for a US release, so I see little reason to believe that this doesn't have a chance to follow it.
There's certainly enough new content to get around SCEA's traditional hatred for Growlanser, if nothing else.
Details?
C/O Zeonsilt & Lucethira from the Atlus MB
~STORY~
The boy who was adopted by Rolandia's imperial court sorceress Sandra received two contradictory predictions: "To become a source to destroy the world" and "To become a light to save the world". Uneasy about his future, Sandra did not show him outside the capital or let him have contact with the outside world. Then, on the morning he turned seventeen years old, she told him the day has come for him to set off.~Character Design by Satoshi Urushihara~Wih this popular illustrator's beautifully drawn characters, the drama of the battle is vividly depicted. The kinds of events incorporated in intervals of the story are extensive. Events also occur in the middle of battle and in field movement.
Characters are slightly redrawn. Here is a side-by-side comparison:
~Additional new routes introduce new characters~
The scenarios of this work, which is said to be of the series' peak in success, is further increased in volume. Other than new episodes added which relate to the popular characters, new heroines introduced with new routes will be able to be enjoyed. Also, event visuals are newly illustrated.Amelia
Voice: Yukari Tamura
Heroine from a new route. She is researching the space-time distortion. She has merit but often commits mistakes on crucial situations.
Melfie
Voice: Maho Tomita
A girl of the race of people with wings on their backs, the Featherians. While she is among the Featherians, which highly regard cooperation, for some reason she is acting independently.
~Realtime Mission Clear Battle System~
This system is the series' traditional battle system, which smoothly breaks into combat from event parts and completely changes the scene. The situation of the surroundings prior to battle greatly influence the combat tactics, and battle with full presence can be enjoyed. While making the best of the surrounding's circumstances, give precise instructions to your comrades amidst the progress of battle changing moment by moment and guide your team to victory.
~Battle tempo is further speed up~
In comparison to the original edition on PlayStation, the battle's tempo is elevated. In the battlefield's vicinity, third party persons such as town dwellers may also participate in the protagonists' fight.
~Deepen friendships with comrades~
According to the feelings held toward the hero by his company, there are factors which alter the development of the story. When special duties are cleared, a holiday can be taken. Thus, during the holidays, events occur when you speak to your comrades. Their feelings toward the hero may change.Original translation © by Lucethira
This wouldn't be a proper marketing blitz without images, so:
^One of the new characters, Amelia.
And, supposed cover art:
Being able to play the first Growlanser in English also offers a plus to us Generations vets: the cast of the first game all appeared in the second. Growlanser II included a few short stories that offered a glimpse at the original story, but not a whole lot.
If I didn't already own a PSP, this would be my main inspiration to get on the ball, so hopefully this inspires some other on-the-go tacticians.
Lastly, it certainly couldn't hurt for you to show your support for this game to Atlus themselves.
And since there's some desire for this to be a general Growlanser thread, some history!
The first Growlanser released in the US. Generations included two games in one:
Growlanser II: The Sense of Justice
(Protagonist: Wein Cruz)
And
Growlanser III: The Dual Darkness
(Protagonist: Slayn Wilder)
Growlanser II is a sequel to the first in every way, since it includes the cast of the original as cameos, and occasionally, playable characters.
Growlanser III is a prequel, taking place at the dawn of the events which form the Growlanser world.
Each are easily lengthy enough games to be worth a $50 price tag on their own, but Working Designs were forced to sell them together because of SCEA's infamously dense policies restricting 2d games to being released as a compilation.
Hence, Generations was one heck of a deal. Sadly, it was also one that wound up putting Working Designs out of business.
The other game that was never released in the US uses the same gameplay in II and III, and another new cast:
Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of (the) Time
I really don't know much about the story, except that Clevaniel(spelling may vary) has the best design of all five series protagonists.
It's more of the same goodness as II and III, so if you really need a strategic fix, it can be imported on the cheap. There's a FAQ on it at GameFAQs, but it's not very helpful for story, just gameplay.
The next, and most recent that was released in the US, thanks to Atlus USA finally taking the reins from Working Designs:
Growlanser: Heritage of War
(aka Growlanser V: Generations)
The best thing about the localization is the artbook which came with it. It contains art from all five Growlanser games, and is almost worth the price of admission alone.
(Protagonist: Haschen)
Growlanser V is the game that made a strategy RPG into an action RPG. Most of the gameplay fundamentals are otherwise the same. There's a new grid system for learning spells, and the characters are controlled directly rather than with predetermined strategies, but the rest is basically similar.
The story is passably interesting, but not quite up to the standards of the predecessors.
And last and not least, the one that we haven't gotten any word on:
Growlanser VI: Precarious World
(Protagonist: Merklich)
Since it's a 2007 PS2 game that came out before Atlus' recently announced Devil Summoner 2 localization, odds are bleak that this'll get a US release.
Still, it's a direct sequel to V, so it could still be worth checking out, especially since it supposedly improves on V.
cj iwakura on
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I actually have the fifth one, but I have yet to play it. So many games.
I've been looking to pick up a new game for my PSP, and between this and the possibility of the dungeon crawler there's at least some choice on the horizon.
Yes, he is. It makes playing the game quite awkward at times when you see characters like the fairy in the latest game. Because you know. You know.
Anyway, I would play this. I'm betting Atlus will bring it over. They're still showing PSP support and since we never got this game before I don't think the X% new content rule that Sony has will apply.
It's good, but not quite excellent like Generations(especially II) was. I thought the actiony gameplay made it almost too easy. Still has moments.
Sadly, I think he's more known for that than he is for Growlanser, and all his best art comes from this. (A friend of mine is a fan of his anime/manga projects, and they all seem pretty dull to me.)
And, some art lingering in my photobucket I should put to use here:
And Growlanser IV's Protagonist, just because:
He has my favorite design of all five.
Listen.
Guy.
Either wear a jacket or don't wear a jacket.
(Also
Let me tell you about Demon's Souls....
... Is it a euphemism for penis?
Basically, everything happens in real time. Before a battle starts, you set each character's actions up. Whatever path you want them to move in, who they'll attack, what spells they'll cast, etc.
Once you start the battle, everyone moves as directed.
Growlanser V took out the strategic stuff, and made it into more of an action RPG.
Might make more sense if I post an example of it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dC7jawJzR8
The actual game doesn't feel as strategic as II and III, which were both awesome, but it's still fun. It also reminds me of one of the coolest things about Growlanser: the scenarios and battle conditions have a lot of variation.
The character models are low-tech, but I love the sort of CLAMP-esque character proportions they all have.
EDIT- I guess this can be a general Growlanser thread?
I first found out about him back in the days of Langrisser, which was a much better series than Growlanser, but sadly never hit the US.
Also: Huhuh, he said Growlanser.
You're reading it wrong. It's a misspelling of 'Growl answer'. The main character of the first one wasn't very fond of answering questions. The name just kind of stuck.
It did if you count Warsong. Not a perfect localization, but not that bad either.
Langrisser II was recently fan-translated, so anyone who likes Growlanser should definitely check it out.
It's a lot more like FFT, but on a much, much grander scale, since each character can command up to eight individual squads.
I wouldn't put it above Growlanser, since the two play completely different. Still a shame it didn't get more love in the US.
Yes.
And I'm perfectly fine with this being a general Growlanser thread. We had one for V when it came out, but since roughly three people on this board were playing it, it was sort of low profile.
-Wein was awesome. Protagonist with a backbone > Silent protagonist >>> generic protagonist
-Charlone > Annette
-Wolfgang
-Arieta
But it's like choosing between Persona 3 and 4. Both are fun games with lots of depth and a solid cast, just each has specific traits the other doesn't.
I did go back and get a better ending in Growlanser II, but I never got Growlanser III's good ending, since it requires all sorts of loopholes that I never would've known about without consulting a FAQ.
My biggest problem with II is that it had so many segments that seemed like the end of the game, but weren't. It got tiring after a while.
And then the end really did arrive but it was out of nowhere. Oh hey, I'm the real villain. What's that, there's only one mission left? Whatever.
Yeah, it's not every RPG that has an epic demonic creature of darkness boss fight at the middle of the game.
Heritage of War isn't a bad game, it's just very far removed from the strategy origins. If you take it as an action RPG, it's passable. I just hope Atlus USA didn't take its (supposed) lack of success as a sign that no one cares about Growlanser in the states; just that no one cared about V. :P
It's highly unlikely we'll get the sixth game in the states, but I'm okay with that, as long as we get the original's remake.
OP updated with some history.
Seeing as how I'm going to have to buy a PSP for the Persona remake anyway, I'd be all for a localization of the Growlanser remake.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXBZTcs0x90
Atlus can't let us miss out on this.
That music gives off a Shoji Meguro vibe.
I like what I've played of IV, but the only available FAQ isn't much help, so hopefully it'll get fan-translated one day.
The first female I encountered seemed a bit trashy, even by Urushihara standards.
Unless you mean Langrisser, then definitely the first one. A fan patch was released for it to play it with the original portraits.
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/langrisser/langrisser.htm
I like the PS1 art more, myself. But it works.
Same with the Arc the Lad collection, actually. Should I really start them both? :P
But Growlanser takes priority, so yes, get to it. :P
I also have the collector's version. The watch is crap, but the rest is good.
Wait, you're talking about Generations, right?
Because Heritage of War is mediocre at best in comparison.
The gameplay(especially the mission requirements) can get very frustrating, but it's rewarding when you get the hang of it.
I don't recall the quiz playing a factor, though.
Growlanser III, that's a different story.