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»The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch
"Better late than never? Uh...sure."
Let’s just say, this game’s a bit of a mix-up. Despite calling it The
Legend of Heroes II, Moonlight Witch is, in fact, the prequel to A Tear
of Vermillion. This game was originally released in Japan as Eiyuu
Densetsu III: Shiroki Majo and is the first game in the “Gagharv
Trilogy”, which consists of the third, fourth and fifth games of the
Eiyuu Densetsu series. It was also one of the first games to be
released on the PSP.
In Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch, you take on the role of Jurio and
Chris, two childhood friends from Ragpick, a village in Pholthia, one
of the eight kingdoms on the continent known as Tirasweel. It’s a big
day for the two teenagers, because they are being sent on a rite of
passage, which is custom in their village. The rite involves a
pilgrimage to the five temples on the continent. When each temple is
reached, the pilgrims must gaze into the Magic Mirror that resides
within each temple. The path taken by the journey is especially
important, as it is a reenactment of a magical ceremony performed by
the aforementioned Moonlight Witch. As they leave, they are issued a
Silver Dagger, a symbol of their new status as pilgrims. On their
adventure, they encounter several friends and foes, including two
bumbling thieves, crazy relatives, zealous soldiers, and a creepy sea
captain. Will they succeed in their quest? What dangers lie before them
in their journey? And what is this prophecy of the Moonlight Witch?
The gameplay in Moonlight Witch borrows heavily from its “prequel”.
That is to say, the games are the same basic experience. It’s another
one of those generic, dungeon-crawling, turn-based battle RPGs that are
typical of the genre. However, it also shows a few traits rarely seen
in RPGs. Monsters are visible on the world map, which avoids the hassle
of random battles. Another cool feature would be the fact that the
battle field is set based on how you encounter your opponent. For
example, if you encounter a monster coming at you from the north, the
monster would be by the top of the screen, while you’re at the bottom.
Likewise, if you encounter monsters at your side, it’s a standard
arrangement. Kind of a neat gimmick, if you ask me.
The various other unique features from the first Legend of Heroes also
return in this game. For example, the money exchange system, where
monsters drop Gores, which can be traded for currency that can be used
in towns (known as Piers). The pet system also returns, though this
time, instead of a dog, your pet is a cat that follows you around and
can aid you in battle, depending on what food you feed it. The History
system also returns, allowing you to discover the events of the past
and recording them in a journal, similar to a collection system.
The graphics and sound quality follow suit, as they are both similar to
the previous games. The overworld graphics involve 2D characters
inhabiting 3D worlds, for a unique, yet classic look. At the same time,
numerous FMV sequences add a new layer of imagery to the game’s
atmosphere. The game’s music is also well done, though still not as
catchy or memorable as the music found in more popular RPG series. On
the other hand, the sound effects are of the same caliber as those
heard in the game’s “prequel”.
As for replay, well, it’s your standard RPG. It’ll definitely keep you
coming back if you’re a fan of the genre. There’s also an ability to
load your History data from A Tear of Vermillion into Moonlight Witch,
which is a nice touch, as it connects the two games, as well as unlocks
a few special features. So, if you’re looking for a decent, traditional
RPG for the PSP, you can’t go wrong with Legend of Heroes II. However,
if you’re looking for something a bit more original, I suggest you look
somewhere else.
Article by: Wolfdogg
Posted on: Jul. 1st, 2006 |
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Review Recap |
| Gameplay |
| Essentially the same as the previous game. That’s not exactly a bad thing, though. |
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Graphics |
| 2D characters and 3D backgrounds blend to form visually pleasing landscapes. Still, the game is no showcase of the PSP’s processing power. |
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Sound |
| The music accents the atmosphere of the game, and the sound effects are top-notch. Still, the music could be a bit more memorable. |
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Replay Value |
| It’s your typical RPG, though the ability to copy your history from LoH1 into LoH2 is a nice touch. |
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