Hexyz Force: Brilliant in its own modest way (2)

 

Here we are, back for the second part of my praise of Hexyz Force’s placid brand of goodness. It is now time to expand on what I consider to be the game’s most stellar quality—a quality that is not so often encountered in the realm of J-RPGs. This quality, ladies and gentlemen, is a deep connection between the narrative and the gameplay, in which the two reinforce each other rather than sap each other. This is easier said than done, as proven by numerous J-RPGs: the most infamous example is undoubtedly Final Fantasy VII, with its Phoenix Downs that mysteriously lose their power as far as Aerith is concerned. A harmonious correlation between gameplay and narrative is hard to craft, indeed; but Sting managed to perform the deed in Hexyz Force, and quite brilliantly at that. Let’s now explore how this rare and most precious quality unfolds in that game. 

 

Force runs the game

 

Indeed, the name says it all: the presence of the word “force” in the title is no mere coincidence, as the thing plays a huge part in both the storyline and the gameplay. The game’s special brand of force borrows more from Einstein than from Star Wars and is surprisingly well-crafted and consistent, both on the narrative and the game mechanics front. 

 

Narrative-wise,   Force (indefinite, as mentioned in the game) is a powerful energy that infuses all things. It sometimes flows directly out of the ground like your average spring, but most of it lies within living beings and objects. It can be harnessed and used by beings known as Hexyz, hence the title of the game. As for what Hexyz are exactly, I won’t enter details in order to keep the game unspoiled; suffice it to say that our heroes belong to that category and can thus tinker with Force. Now, this is all very classic, Star-Warsy fare; however, the game adds a touch of complexity by throwing a zest of special relativity into the mix. To put it simply, Force and matter are two sides of the same coin: living beings can be converted into Force, and Force can be injected into objects and living beings to modify them at will. Such operations are the turf of Hexyz only—which is probably a good thing, given the kind of messy, bloody actions that they entail.

This leads us to the gameplay variable of the equation, and the examination of how these metaphysics translate into gameplay mechanics. Well, it’s fair to say that the said translation is seamless and that very little is lost in it. As Hexyz, our heroes have access to a pool of Force that is theirs to use only; and using it is highly recommended, since it is the only way to perform a number of classic RPG deeds that go as such:

 

—Healing: There is not the slightest trace of a good ol’ Inn in the game world, nor is there any kind of dedicated healing item that will cure you in the blink of an eye. Instead of resorting to these classic healing methods, you have to use your pool of Force in order to recover your HP. Doing so won’t refill your MP, though; if you aim for a full recovery, you have to bathe your hands into one of the “Force Sites” present all around the game world. These are ever-flowing fountains of Force that can be used and abused at will and often go along with a conveniently placed Save Point. 

 

—Upgrading your equipment: Once again, your classic weapon and armour shops are nowhere to be found in the world of Hexyz Force; if you want to upgrade your gear and weapons, you have to resort to your own private pool of Force, coupled with whatever items you harvest through the game world. The characters’ main weapons, the so-called Ragnafacts, can be upgraded in various ways by injecting Force into them: you can increase their base strength, lower their MP consumption and, last but not least, acquire a decent range of useful Special Skills ranging from healing spells to multi-targeting attacks, without forgetting good ol’ buffs. New weapons can also be created through a Fusion process, by putting together a couple of items or base materials and injecting Force into them; however, these Fusion-born weapons have a limited number of uses and cannot endure forever. Fusion is also the sole way to craft new and more powerful equipment, from shoes to cloaks to magic trinkets with a myriad of effects. It is worth noting that you don’t need to ransack libraries or any other place to find Fusion recipes: the said recipes become available as soon as you have at least one of the ‘ingredients’ in your inventory. How convenient is that? 

 

—Miscellaneous uses: Your characters can generate a “Force Scan” that allows you to locate special places known as “Harvest Points”: as the name implies, these are selected spots that harbour interesting items and replenish regularly. (They can be plundered again after fighting a couple of random battles, if I remember correctly.) These points can also be discovered without using Force Scan if you stand very close to them, but the conveniently wider range of the Force Scan spares you the chore of poking your nose in every nook and cranny. Your pool of Force can also be used to inject Force in various places, from trees to unreadable tablets, in order to progress through the game (rarely) or clear sidequests (most of the time). 

 

When it comes to the harnessing side of Force, things are pretty simple and unfussy. There are two convenient ways to fill in your pool of Force:

 

—Random battles: As you slaughter monsters on the field, their bodies are converted into Force that is added to your pool. This is a great incentive to engage in random battles in the first place and provides a welcome justification to the necessity of butchering everything in sight. 

 

—Item conversion: All the items dropped by monsters, as well as the one you collect through the game world, can be converted into Force. This is a clever and convenient way to recycle any unnecessary item, allowing you to clear up your inventory while reaping benefits—two birds with one stone, indeed. And given how cluttered the inventory can become at times due to the overabundance of monster drops and Harvest Points, this option is an absolute blessing. It is ten times more satisfying than simply throwing away any unwanted item—heck, it’s even more satisfying than selling them, knowing the many excellent uses of Force in that game. 

 

So, you get the picture: Hexyz Force’s brand of Force is both a compelling storyline concept and a stunningly well-honed ensemble of gameplay mechanics, reinforcing each other in a pleasant display of cohesion and coherence. This is only the second Sting game that I’ve played, and the first, Riviera, also displayed a rock-solid continuity between gameplay and narrative—albeit translated and implemented in a different way. I’m starting to think that Sting masters the art of harmoniously linking together this often restive duo, but it will take a couple of extra Sting games to confirm that hunch. And if this is indeed the case, then I predict that Sting will become one of my favourite developers of all time. 

 

The unpolished side of the force

 

Hexyz Force’s harmonious connection between the narrative and the gameplay may not be ground-breaking, but it is undeniably well honed and deeply fulfilling; added to the rest of the game’s serene goodness, it creates a beautiful gem of a game—not the most sparkling gem ever, granted, but a gem nonetheless. However, there are a couple of smudges that somewhat tarnish the smoothly polished surface of that gem and prevent it from reaching a cult classic status; I think it is worth mentioning them, if only to prevent some disappointment after I raved about how excellent Hexyz Force was. I did love that game to pieces, but some points really rubbed me the wrong way, and here they are in all their annoying glory: 

 

—Clocking at roughly 20 hours each, the game’s two routes are a trifle too long for my taste. It may seem like I’m nit-picking and being ungrateful: more content must be a good thing, right? Well, not so much in Hexyz Force. I played Cecilia’s Tale first, and the last five hours felt a tad diluted and uneventful compared to everything that unfolded before. On top of that, there is quite a lot of backtracking involved, which definitely leads one to assume that the routes have been forcefully stretched in order to meet the current expectations regarding RPG longevity. I cannot say for sure if the last quarter of Levant’s Tale went through the same type of artificial lengthening since I didn’t play it, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if it were the case. And talking about this, the reason why I did not play Levant’s Tale after clearing Cecilia’s one is precisely the excessive length of the routes: I was initially planning to clear the whole game in one setting, but I gave up on Levant’s Tales after a couple of hours because I had already gotten more than my fill of the game. I firmly think that a game that includes several routes should keep said routes short enough not to bore the player: a length of 10 to 15 hours per route is more than enough, especially if the game includes several different endings and an extra Hard Mode like Hexyz Force does. 

 

—The ending of Cecilia’s Tale TROLLS you big time. Jeez, I’m still fuming about it. (SPOILERS ahead, as you’d expect.) This ending starts all nice and well, with short yet explanatory scenes surveying all the characters’ endeavours since the eradication of the final boss. And then comes the abomination, the supreme insult to everybody who took a liking for Cecilia and Rafael: in the last seconds of the ending, the young man rushes to Cecilia to confess that thing that has been on his chest for so long and that we all know about. And instead of letting us enjoy that sweet long-awaited moment, the camera slowly travels backwards before the screen fades to black. Wait, what? That’s right: we don’t get to know Rafael’s words, nor are we allowed to see Cecilia’s reaction—let alone the outcome of the whole scene. Seriously, game? After having rooted for these two for so long, it feels like a massive slap in the face to see things end like that. I know I praised the sobriety of Cecilia’s and Rafael budding love in my first post, but this is a trifle too sober, even for me. Of course, this may have been intended as a cliffhanger ending that would have paved the way for a second instalment; this explanation is all the more believable as the neutral ending also ends on a cliffhanger note, leaving many questions unanswered. However, this is frustrating all the same—especially since this hypothetical second instalment has not yet seen the light of day. 

 

—The final boss fight is way too difficult, creating a nasty difficulty spike that is definitely unwelcome—especially after the couple of uneventful hours that precede it. The problem is not so much that this final boss is hard to defeat per se: this is actually a classic example of RPG epic showdown, with metamorphosis of the boss at the halfway mark and occasional party-wiping attacks—you know the drill. No, the problem is rather that this final fight clashes vividly with the rest of the boss battles by being significantly more exigent. It requires a good amount of strategy, which is a brand-new thing at that point in the game: instead of pummelling the boss senselessly until it dies like in all the other boss battles, you now have to think and to choose your actions carefully. The Hexyz Charge, which up until then was a nonessential option, is now a central element and must be carefully monitored if you don’t want your party to be slaughtered: the boss’ attacks change depending on which aspect your party members unleash, his most devastating attack being triggered by the use of Cerulean Flame. To change the battle template at the very end of the game is infuriating and frustrating: why would I suddenly start checking the Hexyz Charge meter when I hardly ever looked at it during the whole game? I had also grown seriously lazy after having been pampered by the comfortable easiness of the game, and the sudden need to strategize my every move felt like an enormous effort—so much so that I nearly considered giving up on the game at that point. It certainly didn’t help that this final fight is preceded by a long cutscene that cannot be skipped and must be endured again after every failed attempt. 

 

—A couple of other points bothered me, such as the absence of an instant save system (fortunately compensated by the abundance of Save Points) or the lack of a dedicated Axel route, despite the fact that it would have made perfect sense. (I won’t spoil the reasons for that, but people who have played the game will sure know why I’m saying that.) However, those were really minor quips that can hardly be counted as flaws. 

 

All in all, I unequivocally loved Hexyz Force and deeply enjoyed my run of it. I don’t regret having paid such a hefty price for it: it was worth every dime—and more. I will most certainly play that game again, especially since I still have to clear Levant’s Tale—which hopefully won’t end on a nasty big troll of a cliffhanger. Now, dearest Sting, I would really love to see a sequel to Hexyz Force grace the Vita. It’s probably too much to ask—but then again, how knows? Some pretty obscure games get sequels on a regular basis, so why not this one? At least, I’ll keep pining for it and hoping for a miracle to happen. And even if a sequel never comes to life, Hexyz Force is still there to be enjoyed, and I’ll certainly indulge in it again in the future. Thanks for reading, and be my guest anytime!

Hexyz Force: Brilliant in its own modest way (1)

 

 

 

 

Since I purchased my PSP a couple of years ago, I appointed myself the pleasant mission of tracking down and purchasing every RPG available for the system. I can honestly say that I’ve performed well, since a good 95% of all PSP RPGs are now part of my precious collection. However, some games persistently slipped under the radar because of their rarity and collateral high prices. Hexyz Force is one of them, or used to be: I had had an eye on that game for a fairly long time before I finally managed to get my hands on a copy. The said copy cost me the hefty price of $60, which was still one of the cheapest prices that I’ve encountered for a full copy of that game. Understandably, I had very high hopes for Hexyz Force. However, I was also acutely aware that my hopes could ultimately be crushed: current games may be expensive because they are excellent and/or popular, but older games are primarily expensive because of their rarity, without any guarantee of collateral goodness. Fortunately, I was not to be disappointed this time: I totally loved Hexyz Force. It may not be an instant cult classic, but it is a surprisingly excellent game in its own quiet, subdued way. 

 

Let’s have a bit of data before I expand on that game’s tranquil goodness. Developed by Sting and released in 2009(jp) and 2010(na) for the PSP, Hexyz Force became a rarity in the West nearly as soon as appeared there. It avoided Europe entirely for no good reason and North-America was not exactly flooded with copies, which led to the current scarcity of the game. Sealed copies can sell for as much as $200; as for my own copy, it is obviously a second-hand one, albeit complete and in mint condition. At any rate, the lack of Western distribution of that game is a trifle puzzling: Hexyz Force is by no means a niche game, but rather a straightforward J-RPG that could definitely have found an eager audience in Europe. Atlus’ ways are sometimes unfathomable, indeed. That being said, let’s now move on to meatier topics and explore that game’s goodness! 

 

Quietly excellent

 

Hexyz Force may appear as a fairly classic J-RPG at first sight, with its turn-based combat, cookie-cutter characters and vanilla story involving the tracking of mysterious artefacts in order to prevent an upcoming apocalypse in a world where races wage war on one another. However, there is definitely more than meets the eye in all these departments, and the game reveals some unexpected originality under its apparent layer of RPG classicism; on top of that, and to make things even better, it boasts a rare and unmistakable quality that I would love to encounter more often in RPGs—but more on that later. 

 

For now, let’s concentrate on the others pieces of goodness, starting with the characters. They are cliché, that much is undeniable: from the strong-headed yet slightly clueless young lady to the brave and loyal knight striving for peace, without forgetting the expressionless Elf, the touchy princess and the lad who looks like a teenager but is actually several centuries old, everyone fits a J-RPG/anime trope in the book. However, Sting didn’t dive too deep in cliché territory and kept the trope factor to a minimum, preferring instead to expand the characters’ personalities through well-crafted dialogues and revelatory cutscenes. As a result, the whole crew comes across as lively and vibrant, and very much loveable. I developed an instant liking for my party and really cared for them deeply, and their ever-so-slight banality didn’t bother me one bit. There is a zesty tang of humour in their interactions, as well as a soft romance element that is handled in a pleasantly sober way (spoilers): Levant and Irene’s established relationship is comforting and heart-warming, and Cecilia and Rafael’s shy and gentle burgeoning love will make the heart of even the most hardened gamer flutter with sweet anticipation. (End of spoiler) 

 

The storyline follows the same pattern: it is not particularly original content-wise and does not pack any soul-shattering plot twist or heart-wrenching revelations, but it is told in a very convincing and well-crafted way that makes you care for what happens next. To make things even more interesting, it unfolds through two different routes, which you both have to play in order to get the full picture story-wise. This could be a case of fake longevity, if not for the fact that the two halves of the story remain perfectly understandable per se; playing the other half only refines the narrative and adds interesting details to the already known storyline. This is more of a case of two different teams of characters aiming for the same goal, whose respective paths meet occasionally and finally converge towards the end of the game. As a matter of fact, your final party comprises all the playable characters of the game, which gives you the pleasant—and rather rare—opportunity to tailor-make your party for the last boss fight—providing that you are ready for a bit of grinding in case you choose characters that were not in your party up until then. 

 

Let’s now explore the battle system, which is truly one of the highlights of Hexyz Force. It is fast-paced and dynamic, and can be even more so with the use of the fast-forwarding R button. (This option is truly a blessing, and I wish all RPGs could offer it.) This battle system is pleasantly easy to master yet offers some welcome depth thanks to a system of complementarity between the three attributes that infuse the various weapons of the characters. Add to this a handful of conveniently devastating special attacks that can be unleashed after you fill a special gauge and you get a fighting system that is classic yet incredibly smooth and efficient. To make things better, enemies are visible on screen and can be avoided providing that you run fast enough. However, it is not recommended to run away from encounters: Hexyz Force is one of these streamlined games in which fighting all the enemies you encounter will grant you enough XP to tackle all the challenges that come your way. In other words, no extra grinding is needed in that game—except if you change the composition of your party at the last minute, as I mentioned earlier. 

 

Last but not least in this goodness recital is the general user-friendliness of Hexyz Force. Here is a game that seems dedicated to make your life—and your gaming—easier through the implementation of a series of clever features that are not so often encountered in classic J-RPGs. One of them is the fast-forwarding button that I mentioned above, but there is more:

 

—A map of the current area is displayed at all times in the upper right corner of the screen. Not only does it spare you the annoyance of losing your time exploring dead ends, but it also conveniently shows chests, enemies, save points and “Force Sites” where you can restore your HP and MP (more on that later). What more could you ask for?

 

—The world map allows you to travel at will between places in an instantaneous way.  You don’t need to cross paths filled with monsters or to use impractical travel means to rally a given spot, which is incredibly neat. On top of that, once a place is discovered, it can be accessed at all times: no patronizing on the game’s part by preventing you from returning somewhere on the basis that the storyline doesn’t justify it. Now that is how I want my RPG to be. Freedom is mine!

 

—Hexyz Force has one of the best sidequest implementations that I’ve ever encountered in a J-RPG. For one thing, the sidequests are as unobtrusive as they can be, while immediately identifiable as such; there is virtually no risk of mistaking a sidequest for an essential plot point in that game. For another, they can be cleared at all times, all the more so as all locations can be accessed easily; there is no such thing as a ridiculously narrow time frame to clear a sidequest, which is an absolute blessing. They are also pleasantly logical, and it doesn’t take any twisted thinking or exhaustive FAQs to figure out the right course of action. Last but not least, the game offers a quest log that details all the sidequests you unlocked. What’s not to love, seriously? 

 

Here ends my first survey of Hexyz Force’s placid goodness. I still have a lot to say, actually; but I am currently trying to make my posts a tad less stuffy, which means that I will take a break for the time being. My second post will cover what I consider to be Hexyz Force’s greatest quality, as well as the couple of minor flaws that I spotted during my run. Thanks for reading, and be my guest anytime!

Sorcery Saga (2): Tips and tricks for a smooth roam

 

Here we are, back for my second post about Sorcery Saga. This post will be all tips and tricks, and I was not planning to write about such a matter at first; however, reading reviews about the game promptly convinced me that it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. I was quite surprised to come across numerous reviews complaining that Sorcery Saga was too difficult overall and mourning the fact that you lose your equipment every time you die in a dungeon. Such complaints denoted not only a lack of awareness of the general gameplay mechanics of roguelikes, but also a lack of awareness of the gameplay mechanics of that particular roguelike. For, like I hinted in my first post, it is perfectly possible to hold onto your equipment in Sorcery Saga, and quite easily at that. Without further ado, let’s see how this can be done!

 

Kuu is the key

 

The key to success, that is. Despite its modest looks, Kuu is much more than a mere pet tagging along: the little creature can basically make the difference between a smooth and a rocky run of Sorcery Saga. Yes, that’s how tremendously important Kuu is. The little chap has many virtues that can come in handy; but for now, let’s concentrate on its most stellar one, which—you guessed it—is none other than being the safekeeper of your precious equipment.

 

Here’s how things work in practice. The dungeon crawling comes to an end as soon as Pupuru is taken down, regardless of whether Kuu is still standing or not; you are then sent back to town empty-handed, in classic roguelike fashion. However, there is a twist to these mechanics: if Kuu is indeed still conscious when Pupuru faints from enemies’ blows, he will take your equipment back to town for you, where it can be donned and used again right away. This works at all times, regardless of whether your equipment is tagged with an ID Scroll or not, and this is basically the supreme trick to progress smoothly in Sorcery Saga. 

 

From what I’ve read, most Sorcery Saga players seem to be unaware that Kuu can save your equipment—and the day—in such a way. And this is not so surprising given the nature of the gameplay mechanics involved: since Kuu can lose consciousness without ending the roaming and be reanimated at all times with all sorts of items, it can be really tempting to use the little chap as a convenient shield and let him take blows instead of Pupuru. However, by a vertiginous and highly ironic twist of gameplay mechanics, the safest way to play is actually the other way around. If anything, Pupuru herself should be used as a shield for Kuu when the going gets tough in order to ensure that all the hard work you put into upgrading of your equipment will not be lost when defeat strikes. And don’t even think of letting Kuu starve in order to spare items: the fuller the ever-hungry creature is, the further you are from losing your equipment at defeat’s doors. “Keep Kuu full at all times” should be a cardinal rule in Sorcery Saga, indeed: as long as the little chap has a shred of satiety in him, your equipment is as safe as it were tucked away in your room. Remember this and act accordingly, and losing your finely honed equipment should be only a distant nightmare. For the record, I didn’t lose my sword and shield a single time through the whole game despite dying a good number of times, sometimes in entirely stupid ways. (The most stupid death was probably when I pressed the wrong button and accidentally lashed my sword at a Dungeon Merchant instead of paying him, after which he head-butted me to death. But I digress.) I remember once being cornered in a Monster House with no Healing Items or Spells and no Transport Book, and monsters so numerous around us that it was pretty obvious that we were headed for a defeat. Instead of flailing about and delivering useless blows, I used my last turns to throw items at Kuu in order to keep him alive and well; and when the last blow fell on Pupuru, the deed was done and the conveniently sated Kuu dutifully brought my precious equipment back to town. 

 

Overall, Pupuru and Kuu are really two sides of the same coin: you cannot separate them and treat Kuu as a convenient extra shield. This is actually a very interesting and rather original gameplay feature: allies controlled by the CPU are usually mere commodities that can be used at will with no dire consequences, but not so in that game. Kuu is more than a useful ally or even a part of your team: he is actually you, although this may not be obvious at first sight. You incarnate Kuu as much as Pupuru in Sorcery Saga, and taking them both equally into account is the key to smooth progression. 

 

Extra treats for the road

 

To complete the exposition of this very important gameplay mechanic, here are a couple of tips that should definitely prove handy and make your dungeon-crawling easier. Enjoy those yummy side dishes!

 

—Cursed items have no effect whatsoever on Kuu and will fill him all the same, so don’t hesitate to feed him any cursed item that you don’t want to hold onto.

 

—If your attempt at cooking curry fails and produces an inedible plate of curry, do not despair! Cursed Curry, as it is called, can be thrown at enemies to paralyse them. Incredibly handy during boss fights, as you’d expect.

 

—As a whole, all cursed items can deal various amounts of damage to enemies, so don’t hesitate to experiment with such items. I once disposed of a boss solely by throwing a cursed item at him; the thing dealt 300 points of damage, and the boss instantly became history. Too bad I cannot remember what this amazing item was. Oh, well. 

 

—The game rewards the continuous use of weapons and shields in the most pleasant way: as you cleave your way through dungeons while relying faithfully on the same equipment, said equipment will somehow level up. Not only will it become stronger, but special slots will also become available: these slots are visible in the item’s description and can accommodate a variety of so-called Seals with awesome effects, from protection against thievery to stats bonuses, without forgetting the good ol' elemental immunities—and many, many more. To help you make your choice, an exhaustive list of all Seals and their effects is available in town at the Library. Each piece of gear can hold up to five Seals and some of these Seals can really turn the tables, so stick to your weapon and shield!

 

—The fusion process has some limitations but can still be played to your advantage. There are two types of weapons available, namely Swords and Staves. If you decide to a fuse together, say, a Sword +5 and a Staff +2, you will obtain neither a Sword +7 nor a Staff +7, as extra points/ranks can only be transferred between similar weapons. Classic, shall we say. However, if you fuse together a Sword with an X Seal and a Staff with a Y Seal, you will indeed obtain either a Sword or a Staff with both Seals—providing that the base weapon holds enough empty slots, of course. This is a neat trick to obtain the Seals you want more easily and it should be used and abused without the slightest hint of shame, especially since some of the Seals are pretty rare. 

 

This addendum dedicated solely to tips and tricks is now coming to an end, and I hope that its content will prove useful to any player wishing to ease their way through Sorcery Saga. There are certainly more gameplay mechanics to uncover, as is usually the case in roguelikes; but they will have to wait for my next run. If you are aware of a secret that I didn’t mention, feel free to expose it in the comment section; and if you are planning to play Sorcery Saga, I wish you tons of fun and bon appétit! Thanks for reading, and be my guest anytime!