Mega Man Star Force 2
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| Mega Man Star Force 2 | |
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.jpg/125px-MMSF2-Box-Dinosaur-Version-(JPN).jpg) .jpg/125px-MMSF2-Box-Shinobi-Version-(JPN).jpg) Berserk × Dinosaur and Berserk × Shinobi Japanese box designs |
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| Developer(s) | Capcom |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date | JP November 22, 2007[1] NA June 24, 2008[2] EU TBA Fall 2008 AUS August 27, 2008 (tentative)[3] |
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer, online multiplayer |
Mega Man Star Force 2, known in Japan as Shooting Star Rockman 2 (流星のロックマン2 Ryūsei no Rokkuman Tsū?), is the sequel to the Capcom's 2007 Nintendo DS role-playing game, Mega Man Star Force. The game was first confirmed on April 12, 2007 in an issue CoroCoro Comic. The same issue also revealed that a boss design contest would be held exclusively in Japan much like the same contests held for the Battle Network games.[4]
In a similar format to Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS, each game card contains two versions of the game, available as Zerker × Saurian (Berserk × Dinosaur in Japan) and Zerker × Ninja (Berserk × Shinobi in Japan).
On April 24, 2008, a teaser site was put up by Capcom revealing a sequel was in the works and is expected to release sometime that year.[5]
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[edit] Premise
The Mega Man franchise takes place in two separate timelines, one where robotic technology flourished and another where network technology prospered instead.[6] The Battle Network series was placed in the network timeline, causing it to be completely disconnected from every other Mega Man series (Classic, X, Zero, ZX, and Legends). Mega Man Star Force explicitly states that it takes place approximately two-hundred years into the future of Battle Network, thus placing it into the network timeline. As such, Star Force deviates greatly from the standard Mega Man fare because it draws almost exclusively on elements from Battle Network (mostly gameplay elements), making very few references or allusions to the other Mega Man series. However, Capcom has produced Star Force as a stand-alone series, meaning players can fully enjoy the title without being familiar with the Battle Network series.
Set in the fictional year 220X,[7] emphasis on internet technology has lessened, and instead, the world has become networked through use of EM waves. Though cyber worlds and NetNavis still exist in Star Force, human dependency on them has greatly decreased, and people no longer have Navi companions. Three large satellites orbiting the Earth—Pegasus, Leo, and Dragon—power the EM Wave World that exists around the Earth's atmosphere, keeping the world networked. While the EM Wave World is normally invisible to the human eye, a special piece of eye-wear called the Visualizer (possessed by the series' protagonist) allows a human to see this other world. However, like with the cyber worlds of Battle Network, viruses (known as EM Wave Viruses) inhabit the EM Wave World, causing problems in every day life.
In Battle Network, people operated PErsonal Terminals (PETs) to constantly interact with the network. Similar devices called Wave Transers (along with Star Carriers, introduced in this game) are used in the Star Force world. Both devices are compatible with Battle Cards (the Star Force version of the previous Battle Chips), and when swiped through, they provide means to deleting viruses that infect the EM Wave World and other electronic devices. A group of Satellite Police also exist, dedicated to stopping virus attacks and thwarting criminals who manipulate the EM Wave World in order to break the law.
Furthermore, there exists alien planets known as "Planet FM" and "Planet AM", inhabited by extraterrestrial beings called FM-ians and AM-ians, respectively. FM-ians and AM-ians can traverse in both worlds, and also possess the ability to physically merge with human beings through a process called "Electromagnetic Wave Change" (denpa henkan). Other than lending a human the wave being's powers, this process also transforms an ordinary human into an "EM Wave Human," allowing him or her to freely operate in the EM Wave World (as well as cyber networks within specific electronic devices). FM and AM-ians are just two varieties of electromagnetic beings. Another sort, known as Unidentified Mysterious Animals, or UMAs, originate on Earth and are physical manifestations of such mythological creatures as the yeti or the thunderbird.
The protagonist of Star Force is Geo Stelar, the son of a famous scientist and astronaut known as Kevin Stelar. He lives with an AM-ian known as Omega-Xis who originally took residency in Geo's Wave Transer, but now exists in his Star Carrier. When the two go through an Electromagnetic Wave Change they form an entity known as Mega Man.
Whereas a large focus in the Battle Network series were the NetNavis (who are mostly based on Robot Masters from the Classic Mega Man series), Star Force focuses on FM-ians based on many real-life constellations and UMAs based on mythological creatures.
[edit] Gameplay
[edit] Battle system
Mega Man Star Force 2 is an action RPG much in the same vein as the first game. It is rendered in an isometric style (sprites, views, etc.) during field gameplay, but its battle system is three-dimensional, with the battles being viewed from behind Mega Man, and movement restricted to only left and right. Since enemies have a much larger playing field, battle evasion seems limited, but the player is given a choice of techniques like shielding and homing attacks to keep battles balanced. Mega Man's life is a simple "Hit point" (HP) numerical system. When he takes damage, the number lowers, and when it reaches "zero," the game is over. HP can be recovered in a number of ways, both in and out of battle.
Battle Cards are collected in a number of ways throughout the game, and the player must organize them into a folder to use for battles. Every time the "Custom Gauge" fills during battle, Cards are called up at random and are selected to use against the enemies. Depending on their arrangement on the screen, certain Cards can be selected together to provide combinations, just like Battle Chips from Mega Man Battle Network. There are three different classes of Cards ranked by their power and rarity (Standard, Mega, and Giga), and only a certain number of Cards from each class, or a certain number of a specific Card, can be placed into a folder. Other options allow players to set certain Cards as favorites so that by connecting to other players via Wi-Fi, they can use their favorite Cards in a random draw during battles. This implements an element of strategy into planning battles. In this game, players may set four Battle Cards as their favorites (as opposed to six in the predecessor).
The player can also use their standard Mega Buster at any time to combat with, and upgrade items for Omega-Xis can be collected throughout the game to increase the Mega Buster's rate, power, and charge speed. The Mega Buster is constantly charging to release a single powerful shot, but the player can hold the button down to fire rapidly. Other battle elements include the "Best Combo" system, allowing the player to chain together attacks, easily dealing damage well up into the thousands—Star Force's version of Battle Network's "Program Advances". At the end of every battle, a player's performance is ranked on a number of factors (like speed and amount of damage taken), and higher scores reward the player with better items (such as large quantities of "Zenny" currency or rare Battle Cards).
Star Force also borrows the same elemental properties that Battle Network uses. The four elements include heat (fire-based), aqua (water and ice-based), elec (electricity-based), and wood (plant and wind-based). Elements are attached to certain attacks and to enemies' (or Mega Man's) defenses. When an element is hit with an element that it is weak to, double-damage is dealt. Heat is weak against aqua but strong against wood, aqua is weak against elec but strong against heat, elec is weak against wood but strong against aqua, and wood is weak against heat but strong against elec.
To put it another way: Heat > Wood > Elec > Aqua > Heat (and so forth)
Three transformations, similar to the "Satellite Administrator" transformations from the 1st Mega Man Star Force game exist in Star Force 2. These transformations consist of "Green shinobi","Fire Dinosaur" ,and "Thunder Berserk" , and are activated by using a technique called "Tribe On" once Geo and Omega-Xis find a special artifact (identified in-game as an "oopart"). Using a technique called "Double Tribe," two of the three transformations can be combined to create one of six possible combinations: "Shinobi Dinosaur" ,"Shinobi Berserk" ,"Dinosaur Berserk" ,"Dinosaur Shinobi" ,"Berserk Shinobi" ,or "Berserk Dinosaur" . The order in which the oopart and transformation are selected determine the transformation achieved, and it's element is determined by the latter Oopart drawn. A final transformation - Tribe King - is also possible by activating a third tribe transformation when in a Double Tribe form. This technique is appropriately called "Triple Tribe".
A player who does not take advantage of the "Brother Band" system can take on forms based on Bly, the rival character in this game. Each tribe has a Bly transformation, which is similar in advantages and drawbacks to the DarkChips of Mega Man Battle Network 4 and 5.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Plot
[edit] Introduction
The game starts a fifth-grade student named Geo Stelar, who can be renamed by the player, and his AM-ian partner, Omega-Xis. Set approximately three months after the events occurring in Mega Man Star Force, Geo has adjusted to life with Omega-Xis, and has made many new friends.
One day, Geo and his friends decide to travel to the technological hub of TK City, where they witness a new device known as the Star Carrier at work. The Star Carrier is able to take radio waves and transform them into material objects, known as Material Waves. While watching a movie, Geo and his friends witness an attack by a mysterious man named Hyde, who partners with an Unidentified Mysterious Animal, or UMA, named Phantom in order to wreak havoc. After fusing with Phantom, Hyde becomes Phantom Black. When Phantom Black is defeated by Mega Man, he flees, and from that point forward becomes one of the game's main antagonists.
Phantom Black is later revealed to work for Dr. Orihime, a scientist who is obsessed with reviving the lost continent of Mu. She has allied herself with Bly, the last survivor of Mu, and the UMAs to achieve this goal.
The game is from this point forward presented episodically, following a basic formula: Phantom Black and his UMA allies target humans that are unsatisfied with their lives, promising them power and influence. However, unlike the merge between Geo and Omega-Xis, these humans merge somewhat involuntarily and lose control of their bodies during the conversion. Mega Man has to defeat them in order to rescue the innocent human from the enemy UMA's control.
[edit] Side-quests
There are five optional bosses that have no placement in the game's storyline. Geo can encounter these characters and challenge them to battle, three of which can only be battled after the game's story has been completed.
Furthermore, any of the previously battled bosses can be fought again as "ghost data" found throughout the EM Wave World. These bosses are invisible and will automatically challenge Mega Man when he speaks to their ghost in a specific area. The ghost versions of these bosses are powered up (indicated by the suffix "EX"). Upon defeating the EX form, an even stronger form (identified as "SP") will randomly challenge Mega Man (like normal virus battles) in that area.
A secret area existing in a parallel universe is available to the player after completing the game's main story. This secret area offers more difficult enemies, as well as rarer items and Battle Cards to collect. However, the secret area cannot be finished without completing other tasks in the game, including collecting at least one of every Battle Card. The secret area also offers a battle against the ruler of the universe and his second-in-command, Apollon Flame and Auriga General, respectively.
Finally, Geo can perform errands for NPCs by accessing their Star Carriers from the EM Wave World. These errands usually include retrieving or delivering items or messages to other NPCs, or by battling groups of viruses, and the rewards vary from minuscule (such as scant Zenny amounts) to extraordinary (such as rare Battle Cards or Omega-Xis items), usually depending on their degree of difficulty.
[edit] Development
About two months following the CoroCoro Comic announcement, the Shooting Star Rockman Ultimate Navigation Legend Guidebook was released in Japan. Inside of it, the first details about the game were revealed through an interview with series director Masahiro Yasuma. Along with the interview was a silhouette of a new sword-themed transformation set to appear in the sequel (later revealed to be the Thunder Berserk form). Many elements from the original game remain intact including the roles of Geo Stelar (Subaru Hoshikawa in Japan) and Omega-Xis (War-Rock) as the protagonists and the prominence of the Brother Band System. However, the interview made mention of more advanced transformations, freer movement in battle, a strong rival character for Geo (revealed to be Burai, a wave human who gets his strength from loneliness, the alter ego of Solo, his human form), and online battles using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
The interview also noted that the game's production was roughly 30% complete at the time and was expected to be released winter 2007 in Japan.[8]
[edit] Audio
Voice acting is featured in this title similarly to the DS version of Mega Man Battle Network 5, with Fuyuka Oura--the seiyū for Geo in the Japanese anime--reprising her role in the game.[9]
[edit] Music
The game's music was composed by Yoshino Aoki and Mitsuhiko Takano and released as the second disc of the Shooting Star Rockman 1 & 2 Original Soundtrack (流星のロックマン１＆２オリジナル・サウンドトラック Ryūsei no Rokkuman wan ando tsū orijinaru saundotorakku?) compilation.
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[edit] References
- ^ Ryusei no Rockman 2 Official Site. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Mega Man Star Force 2 announced for North America this June. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ PAL Gaming Network. Retrieved on 2008-01-03.
- ^ Massive amount of scans @ GoNintendo. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
- ^ Shooting Star Rockman 3 Teaser Site. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ (2002-12-20) Rockman Perfect Memories (ロックマンパーフェクトメモリーズ). ISBN 4575163546. The Japanese language source book outlines the Classic, X, and Legends series and makes mention of the Battle Network and Zero series (which were fairly new at the time of the book's publication.) While the ZX and Star Force series were not yet conceived when the source book was published, Capcom explicitly states their placement in the timelines within the games themselves.
- ^ Capcom Introduces a "WAVE" New World with MEGA MAN STAR FORCE for the Nintendo DS. Retrieved on 2007-01-26.
- ^ Ryuusei 2 First Tidbits @ Atomic-Fire. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ RnR 2; just two versions, +more @ Atomic-Fire. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
[edit] External links
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