Thousand Arms | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | TOSE [lower-alpha 1] |
Publisher(s) | Atlus |
Director(s) | Hiroyuki Hataike |
Producer(s) | Makoto Sugiura |
Artist(s) | Yūya Kusaka |
Writer(s) | Junki Takegami |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Thousand Arms [lower-alpha 2] is a cross-genre video game developed by TOSE and published by Atlus for the PlayStation in 1998. The game mixes elements of Japanese role-playing video games and dating sim video games.
The game takes place on a "steampunk" type of world. The Dark Acolytes, a mysterious organization of cyborgs and robots, is trying to find the five legendary Sacred Flames, and bring chaos to the World in the process. Meis, a womanizing "Spirit Blacksmith" with the ability to make magical weapons, finds himself chosen to find the flames before the Dark Acolytes do. However, to increase the power of his weapons, Meis must have the help of a woman, and must increase his 'intimacy level' with her by going out on dates. Along his journey, he meets a colorful cast of characters, including girls to date and allies to join his party.
Meis Triumph
Sodina Dawnfried
Muza Grifford
Wyna Grapple
Nelsha Stylus
Kyleen Nelphe
Soushi Mahoroba
The game's main antagonist is Medeus, The Dark Emperor. He is the ancient ruler of the Clan of Darkness. He transformed his body into a machine in order to live long enough to find the Holy Flames of the Light, which he believes will allow him to become a god. Schmidt, "The Dark Master", serves under him, along with Jeala, who serves him out of unrequited love. Below them are "The Evil Mecha Five" - five powerful cyborg servants of the Emperor, all named after machine parts or tools. Shaft, Bearing, Ratchet, Wire, and Bolt.
In addition to the girls on his party, Meis can also date the following women:
Marion, a young inventor and Gadget Master with a childish personality. She lives in the giant train called Mounthand.
Palma Esterte, a priestess obsessed with cleanliness. She can be found in the huge ship called the Langoud.
Kyoka Maharoba, Soushi's sister, a shy and proper Japanese girl who detests her brother's lecherous personality (but is blind to Meis's). She can be found in the town of Boyzby.
Mil Wind, a highly intelligent girl who stalks Meis as a way to research his womanizing personality. She lives in Kant, Meis' hometown. Her name is a pun on "windmill".
Metalia, the "Jewel Master", the oldest of Meis' dates, over 200 years old as said by herself, this woman was a friend of Jyabil's and helps the heroes find the flames. Metalia can be found in the Myscatonia Library.
Combat in Thousand Arms is turn based, with up to three party members to be taken into battle at once. However, only the front character is actually able to physically attack the enemy. The other two characters serve in a supporting role, taunting the enemy and utilizing certain items or spells. The enemies have the same limitations. If necessary, characters can be rotated out such that one of the support characters and the lead character exchange position. Since only one character can engage in direct combat with the enemy at a time, this tends to have the overall effect of slowing down combat when compared to games which allow all or most of the party to be fully involved.
The key feature in this game which distinguishes it from most other RPGs is its built-in mini-dating simulation. Thousand Arms' dating sim features dating locations in many of its major cities and towns, and a cast of nine women. The dating aspect allows the player to pick dialogue choices. For example, one of Meis' dates asks what he thinks his best trait is during a passionate night out. The player has the choice of several responses, varying from "My eyebrows. I got them from my father." to "My hairy legs." Additionally, the dating occasionally breaks fourth wall, such as when the main character alludes to a night of sex with a female character during a date, she states that "the game isn't rated for that".
The dating aspect also has an actual in-game effect. By successfully wooing each female, her intimacy level can be slowly raised. As this level rises, it grants her the ability to imbue weapons with increasingly powerful spells and skills. This magical forging, which is possible due to Meis' training as a Spirit Blacksmith, relies on the smith having established such positive female relationships.
To date a girl, the player must visit a statue of the Goddess of Love located on each town and choose from the list of currently available girls. He must then take her to a dating spot in the town. The date itself is a conversation where the player must choose from multiple answers to the girls' questions. Getting the wrong answers might actually decrease the intimacy level or end the date early. The Intimacy Level can also be raised or lowered with gifts, and the statues also allow the playing of optional minigames (each girl has a different one.)
Meis can increase the power and abilities of the weapons of any member of his party. To do this, first he must collect invisible "spirits" which are hidden in various spots. Then he must access a forge; there's usually one on each town. Finally he must select a girl and choose which of the abilities that she can provide that he will give to a particular weapon. This uses up the collected spirits. Note that in addition to spells and power boosts, the girls can also grant special powers to certain weapons.
The game makes use of early CGI to provide limited 3D backgrounds. The character sprites are super deformed. More typical anime style pictures are used during conversations. Cutscenes are done in traditional animation.
The game's music was also released as a soundtrack, packaged alongside the game in some instance, or available for purchase by mail. The disc also included digital artwork, biographies, and character voice acting excerpts when explored on a personal computer. The soundtrack also contained J-pop musician Ayumi Hamasaki's fifth single Depend on You as its opening theme.
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | 77% [2] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
AllGame | [3] |
CNET Gamecenter | 5/10 [4] |
EGM | 7/10 [5] [lower-alpha 3] |
Famitsu | 28/40 [6] |
Game Informer | 7.75/10 [7] |
GameFan | (G.N.) 95% [8] (MVS) 92% [9] 90% [10] [lower-alpha 4] |
GameSpot | 7.6/10 [11] |
IGN | 8.5/10 [12] |
Next Generation | [13] |
OPM (US) | [14] |
RPGamer | 2.5/5 [15] |
RPGFan | (Ken) 85/100 [16] (Neal) 80/100 [17] |
The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. [2] Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen said, "Well made if breezily consequential, Thousand Arms straddles the line between being an enjoyable time-waster and a thoroughly engrossing game – either way, you can't miss." [13] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40. [6] Matt Van Stone of GameFan gave the game universal acclaim, over a month before it was released Stateside. [9]
Christian Nutt of GameSpot likened it to the Sakura Taisen and Lunar series of video games, praising it for "...the combination of solid RPG questing, graphics, dialogue, dubbing, and ambiance really push this game over the edge from standard to special. Game-playing anime fans will get a big kick out of it, and it is the first real example of a decent dating simulation in the US. Any RPG fans who like amusing situations, animated (in both senses of the word) characters, and challenging gameplay will enjoy this title." [11] Francesca Reyes of IGN said that the game "as a whole is a distinctly anime-type RPG, from its character designs to the visual style to the themes that it explores. Quirky, unique, inventive and charming, it may not be the RPG to speak to the masses, but it will definitely appeal to those immersed in the culture of import gaming and the already converted." [12] Jason White of AllGame praised it for being "a lot of fun" and "probably one of the most unique RPG/Dating sims out there. There is a really rich story, cool animation and dating!", but conceded that there may not be the biggest audience for such a game, stating "While dating really makes this game a unique experience, it also has limited appeal to hardcore RPG fans. Unless you really want to date and figure out the whole female mystique while bashing in people's skulls, you won't enjoy this game. Too many of the things that hardcore RPG fans find fun are only available through dating and nothing else." [3] E. Coli of GamePro said in one review, "Thousand Arms brings new elements to the genre, such as the weapon forging and the dating game, while keeping gamers busy with excellent puzzles, a huge world to explore, and tough battles galore. It will definitely make a fine addition to any RPG fan's collection." [18] [lower-alpha 5] In another review, however, The Freshman called it "an RPG for someone looking for something different. If you're an anime fan, then you'll definitely want to give this game a shot. Hardcore RPGers might find that it lacks the depth they've come to expect, but others will fall in love with Thousand Arms' charm and humor." [19] [lower-alpha 6]
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It was the final Mario game published for the SNES. The game was directed by Chihiro Fujioka and Yoshihiko Maekawa, produced by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, and scored by Yoko Shimomura.
Secret of Mana, originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 2, is a 1993 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sequel to the 1991 game Seiken Densetsu, released in North America as Final Fantasy Adventure and in Europe as Mystic Quest, and it was the first Seiken Densetsu title to be marketed as part of the Mana series rather than the Final Fantasy series. Set in a high fantasy universe, the game follows three heroes as they attempt to prevent an empire from conquering the world with the power of an ancient flying fortress.
Dating sims, or romance simulation games, are video game subgenre of simulation games with romantic elements.
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, known as Estpolis Denki II in Japan, and as Lufia in Europe and Australia, is a role-playing video game with puzzle elements developed by Neverland and published in Japan in 1995 by Taito, and in North America and Europe in 1996 by Natsume and Nintendo respectively, for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the second title in the Lufia series.
Nox is an action role-playing game developed and published by Westwood Studios and Electronic Arts in 2000 for Microsoft Windows. It details the story of Jack, a young man from Earth who is pulled into a high fantasy parallel universe and has to defeat the evil sorceress Hecubah and her army of necromancers to return home. Depending on the player's choice of character class at the beginning of the game, the game follows three largely different linear storylines, each leading to its unique ending. In the multiplayer, players can compete against each other in various game modes such as deathmatch and capture the flag, while the freely downloadable expansion pack NoxQuest added a cooperative multiplayer mode. The game was generally well received by critics and the media.
Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest is an action role-playing video game for the PlayStation 2, set in the EverQuest universe. The game is playable with one single player or cooperative for up to four players. However, with a Network Adapter, players can take the game online with others and kill others or join to form groups of adventurers. It uses a re-worked and expanded Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance game engine. A sequel called Champions: Return to Arms was released in February 2005.
Breath of Fire is a role-playing video game developed by Capcom originally for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Initially released in Japan in April 1993, the game was later made available in North America in August 1994 by Square Soft, who handled the title's English localization and promotion. It is the first entry in the Breath of Fire series.
Riviera: The Promised Land is a role-playing video game originally produced in 2002 by Sting Entertainment for WonderSwan Color as the first episode of the Dept. Heaven series of games. The game was later introduced to Nintendo's Game Boy Advance in 2004, which Atlus USA released in North America in 2005. An enhanced remake was released for the PlayStation Portable in November 2006, and was released in July 2007 in North America by Atlus USA.
Tales of Destiny is an action role-playing game originally developed by Telenet Japan's "Wolf Team" as the second main title in Namco's "Tales of" series. Originally released for the PlayStation in Japan in December 1997, an English version was later made available in North America in September 1998. The game features many of the same development staff as its predecessor, Tales of Phantasia, including composers Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura, with character designs by series newcomer Mutsumi Inomata. Its producers gave it the characteristic genre name RPG of Destiny. A remake for the PlayStation 2 was released in November 2006, which was followed by an updated version called Tales of Destiny Director's Cut in January 2008, both exclusive to Japan. The remake was also given its own unique genre name by its producers as RPG called 'Destiny'.
Wild Arms 2, stylized as Wild ARMs 2 and known in Japan as Wild Arms: 2nd Ignition, is a 1999 role-playing video game for the PlayStation, and the second installment in the Wild Arms series, developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.
Suikoden is a role-playing video game published by Konami. It is the first installment of the Suikoden series. Developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, it was released initially in 1995 for the PlayStation in Japan. A North American release followed one year later, and a mainland European release came the following April. The game was also released for the Sega Saturn in 1998 only in Japan, and for Microsoft Windows in 1998 in Japan, South Korea and China.
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is a tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation. Released in 1998, it is the first installment in the Marl Kingdom series. A version for the Nintendo DS was released in Japan and North America in 2008, and in PAL regions in 2009. The game is set to release for Nintendo Switch as part of the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 compilation in the western regions, and for Windows as a standalone game worldwide in 2022. The game's story focuses on a young girl named Cornet as she seeks to rescue a prince after being turned to stone by a witch.
Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology is a Japanese action role-playing game developed by Alfa System and published by Bandai Namco Games. It is part of the Tales series of video games, more specifically a part of the Tales of the World spin-off series, which heavily emphasizes the crossover appearances of characters from past games in the series. The game was released in 2006 in Asia; July 2007 in North America; and September 2007 in Australia and Europe. The game saw two sequels, Radiant Mythology 2 and Radiant Mythology 3, though neither were released outside Japan, leaving it as the only Tales of the World entry to be translated into English.
Wild Arms XF is a game in the Wild Arms series, the first for the PlayStation Portable. The game was unveiled at a Media.Vision fan event on September 2, 2006 and was released in Japan in 2007. A North American version of the game was released on March 11, 2008.
Aveyond is a role-playing video game series by Aveyond Studios. It is set in a fantasy medieval world in which players attempt to save the world from evil beings, with a number of side quests available. There are eight games thus far in the series: the first two full games, the four "chapter" releases of the third game, the full fourth game, and the free prequel, Ahriman's Prophecy. All the games in the series were made with RPG Maker XP; Amaranth Games was the first developer to popularize RPG Maker as a commercial tool in 2006. Several of the games were subsequently released for Linux and Mac, along with Windows.
Cross Edge, originally released in Japan as XEdge, is a role-playing video game originally for the PlayStation 3. The game was developed by Idea Factory with characters from games by Capcom, Nippon Ichi Software, Bandai Namco, and Gust Corporation. Released on September 25, 2008, in Japan, the title features turn-based battles, a plot that involves rescuing souls, and the ability to dress the female characters of the player's party in a wide variety of outfits. It was later ported to the Xbox 360 in Japan under the title XEdge Dash.
Wild Arms is a role-playing video game developed by Japanese company Media.Vision. Originally released in Japan in 1996 for the PlayStation, it was later translated and released in North America in 1997 and Europe in 1998 by Sony Computer Entertainment. It features a fantasy setting and motif and 2D computer graphics for normal gameplay, while battle sequences are rendered in 3D.
Lisa: The Painful is a 2014 post-apocalyptic role-playing video game developed and published by American indie studio Dingaling Productions. The game was written, designed, and composed by Austin Jorgensen, and was released for Windows, OS X, and Linux on December 15, 2014. Lisa: The Painful is the second installment in Lisa Trilogy, preceded by Lisa: The First (2012) and was followed by the game Lisa: The Joyful (2015).
MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death, known as Death Under the Labyrinth in Japan, is a dungeon crawler role-playing video game for the PlayStation Vita developed by Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory. It is the second game in the Makai Ichiban Kan series of games. In MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death, the protagonist Estra must conquer dungeons to save the world from eternal darkness whilst defeating monsters and enemies. The game was released on December 17, 2015, in Japan, September 13, 2016, in North America, and September 16, 2016, in Europe by Idea Factory International.
Min Min is a fictional character and one of the playable fighters from Nintendo EPD's 2017 fighting video game ARMS. She is depicted as a Chinese martial artist who fights with extendable arms that resemble noodles. Since her debut she has been considered one of the more popular characters from the game, with her popularity later leading to her inclusion as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.