Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars
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| Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars | |
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| Developer(s) | Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, Sunrise Interactive Japan |
| Publisher(s) | Konami Computer Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | September 27, 2001 (JP) February 12, 2002 (NA) June 7, 2002 (EU) |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone (E) ELSPA: 3+ |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Advance |
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars, known in Japan as Z.O.E 2173 Testament, is a video game that was developed and published by Konami in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance. The game is based around turn-based strategic mecha combat.
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[edit] Structure
The game is structured in a manner resembling an anime TV series, with 26 "Episodes" each containing one mission . Each episode (with the exception of the last, which is purely storyline-based) consists of a series of story scenes, followed by a spell of gameplay, and closing with another series of story scenes. Between episodes, the player can purchase equipment and upgrades for their mecha, and save the game. A directory of terms and characters is available, gameplay may be saved at any point during combat, and story scenes can be fast-forwarded, reversed, or skipped completely.
[edit] Characters
Cage Midwell
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Blood Type: O
Occupation: Bonaparte III Crew Member
Description: A kindhearted, gentle youth. Began working on board the Bonaparte III along with Ares, whom he met a year earlier. Born 17 years ago to an unknown mother on the cargo deck of the Midwell, which was smuggling illegal immigrants, Cage was raised on the ship by the Captain, who took the boy under his wing. Though he was treated well by fellow Midwell staff, Cage always harbored a feeling of loneliness and isolation in his heart, which translated into low self-esteem and overly passive behavior. When the Captain died and Midwell was deemed unfit for flight, Cage boarded Bonaparte III, where he met Ares. His new friendship with this boy, who was the same age as him and yet seemed so mature, had a profound effect on Cage, and helped him recover from his psychological wounds. However, the knowledge that he owes his rebirth to Ares has proven problematic in itself, as Cage depends on Ares entirely, and suspects that he will never be able to exist independently of him.
Ares Enduwa
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Blood Type: AB
Occupation: Bonaparte III Crew Member
Description: A co-worker of Cage aboard the Bonaparte III, a colonist spacecraft linking Earth and Mars. Having already worked on Bonaparte III for 4 months when Cage first boarded a year earlier, Ares showed Cage the ropes. Something of a genius, the normally taciturn Ares met Cage late one night after work when he was playing a "piano" that he had conjured by altering a program on a PC in the ship's lobby. Cage happened upon his impromptu concert and was so moved that he began talking to him. At first, Ares was irked by the intrusion, but he eventually gave in to Cage's perseverance and found himself, much to his own surprise, becoming Cage's friend and looking after him. Fellow Bonaparte staff dubbed the unlikely pair "The Eighth Wonder Of Bonaparte."
Myona Alderan
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Blood Type: A
Description: A mysterious girl found hiding in a storage room on board the Bonaparte III. Since the accident involving the unidentified object, she sticks with Cage and his group. Having suffered retrograde amnesia since the incident, what little personal information that is known of Myona has been pieced together based on occasional hints about her past. Though she sometimes hints at a determined and headstrong personality hidden deep inside, she is shy and rarely acts aggressively. Serious yet somehow flighty, she also seems slightly imbalanced, which may have something to do with her loss of memory…
Pharsti
Gender: n/a - artificial intelligence
Age: n/a
Blood Type: n/a
Description: The "Navigation Program" installed in the vehicle boarded by Cage and Myona immediately following the Bonaparte III's collision with the unidentified object. In these days, when voice-activated OS are a dime a dozen, he/she is special, incorporating highly advanced technology not found in other programs on LEVs. What secrets could possibly lie hidden in its creation? It may be noted that in the English version of the game, Robin O'Connell referred to Pharsti as "her", although this may or may not be because of the custom of referring to nautical vessels in the feminine gender.
Semyl Shambrow
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Blood Type: O
A robust girl who, for some reason, speaks in street slang. Constantly aware of the fact that she is short. Has a love-hate relationship with Razma. Although she grew up in an orphanage, she displays the healthy outgoingness of someone who had a very happy childhood. In reality, her childhood was difficult, having been subject to Ender prejudice by humans from Earth. Joined the Resistance early to regain respect for herself, and also to help ensure a happier future for her "siblings" at the institution. Lost a friend recently to some trouble associated with a romantic relationship with an Earthling human. A responsible big sister at the orphanage, underneath it all, she's just a sensitive 16-year-old.
Mebius K. Lylekraft
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Blood Type: B
A mature lady whose soft, kind demeanor belies her skilled, sharp strategic abilities. Mebius moved to Mars with her husband, who died in an accident while on his way to buy a toy for the couple's unborn baby; she then lost her baby due to a miscarriage. It was then that Mebius, despondent over the loss of her loved ones and waiting for death's embrace met Deckson, who was conducting research into the very accident which killed her husband, in an attempt to prove that an Earthling General was responsible for the tragedy. Hurt and angry, she joined BIS, where she works alongside Deckson. It seems that Mebius has deeper feelings for Deckson that just trust, but she either does not realize this, or she is in denial as they work together and as she remains loyal to her dead husband.
Razma Cascade Jr.
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Blood Type: A
The skirt-chasing troublemaker of BIS, he is surprisingly reliable where is counts. Somewhat childish, but also remarkably perceptive sometimes. A gifted sharpshooter with excellent hearing and eyesight. Seems to have a thing for Semyl, but nothing has materialized as of yet. His only family is his sick mother, who tells him that his father was a "high-profile Earthling"; however, they have never spoken with one another. Obsessed with the idea of the father he never met, he may have found a paternal figure in Deckson…
Tadamichi E. Yukito
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Blood Type: AB
Ardent fan of and expert in old-school sci-fi, low-budget movie stars, and 20-21st century Japanimation. Deeply involved in his own world, he is fiercely individual and mature in his self-assurance. Raised in a very proper, traditional family consisting of his father and his siblings, he ignored his family's wishes for him to join the corporate pack, stating, "Suits don't become me," and left home. The rest is history.
Warren Lumenlux
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Blood Type: A
Prudent and overly cautious, he is often the butt of jokes; regardless, he is trusted for his knowledge and experience. A former mercenary, he always wears black sunglasses and does not speak much, giving him the aura of the "consummate professional." Once an expert gunman, he gave up his profession after an accident in which he mistakenly shot a young female hostage. Following the event, he wandered from place to place, eventually ending up in BIS on Mars. Has romantic feelings for a certain BIS member, but, not being very suave, has not yet succeeded in winning her over.
Philbright
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Blood Type: AB
Full name "Philbright Westriverside Warehouserock XXVI." Excels in household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Easily frazzled. Because of his long, beribboned blond hair and his high-pitched voice, he is often mistaken for a girl. Phil owes his long name to his "father," who believed an old superstition that luck comes to people with long names. He grew up in a happy family among many unrelated siblings, but tragedy struck one day when his "father" sampled a medication which induced a sudden fit of insane violence. Confused and horrified, Phil was able to defend himself from the savage attack, but when he came back to his senses, his entire family, including his father, was dead. The manufacturer of the medicine attempted to cover up the incident and lay the blame on Phil, at which time Deckson rescued the unfortunate youth and took him under his wing. Now a BIS member support officer, he has a crush on Myona…
Deckson Geyse
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Blood Type: O
Founder and father figure of BIS. Believing that he merely lent a hand to the Mars Resistance movement, he does not realize the full extent of his influence in Martian politics, although he would gladly give his life to support the cause. A family man, he used to be an officer in the UNSF, where he enjoyed moderate success, but was divorced by his wife due to long work hours. Having lost his main motivation in life and besieged with guilt over his participation in the Enders, he left the UNSF and began to research the strange goings-on brought on by Earthlings, earning him both friends and foes along the way. His support base continued to grow, and eventually formed BIS.
Robin O'Connell
Gender: Female
Age: 33
Blood Type: O
BIS's main sponsor. Roughly 90% of BIS capital comes from the Robin Foundation, an underground group run by Robin herself. Boasting a wide network of connections and tremendous resources, the group does whatever is can to assist BIS, from procuring power source units and other parts for army machine prototypes to finding maintenance experts and catching fugitives. A beautiful but tough businesswoman-type, she is nurturing and motherly toward BIS members.
Twede Gray
Gender: Male
Age: 30's
Blood Type: unknown
Robin's secretary. Cloaked head-to-toe in black with dark sunglasses and black gloves, he rarely speaks and almost never reveals any of his emotions. Keen and observant, he is almost psychic in his understanding of people; he is precise and swift in his work, often getting the job done before others even think of asking him to take care of it.
Dezeele Zephyrs
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Blood Type: B
High-ranking officer from Earth. Has a tendency to look down on others, but will not tolerate others doing the same to him. Convinced that he is better than anyone, he is self-centered and feels no guilt for all the suffering he has caused in his career. Born to a poverty-stricken household as the youngest child, he harbors a resentment toward all people who are rewarded with money and opportunity despite a profound lack of talent. This resentment caused him to turn his talents toward getting ahead at all costs. After gaining success as a scientist, he quickly moved up the hierarchy to his current position as Lab Supervisor. While he is disliked, nobody dares cross him because he is as influential as he is unpleasant.
[edit] Mechanics
Testament
Class: Orbital Frame
Description: The true identity of Cage's LEV. Secretly tested and built by Zephyrs, Bolozof should have been its frame runner. Limitless capacity. Named "Testament" by Pharsti, which may refer to the covenant between Pharsti and Cage, but there seems to be a deeper underlying meaning to its nomenclature. Zephyrs and his crew call it the "New Model Animus."
Vjaya
Class: Orbital Frame
Description: OF used by BIS, whose composition allows for ninja-like agility and speed. Comparatively lower in offensive ability, but can perform two types of burst attacks. Rare model.
Orcrist
Class: Orbital Frame
Description: First-ever OF used by BIS, designed as mid to long range backup support. Lacking in durability.
Caliburnus
Class: LEV
Description: LEV used by BIS. Contains stronger defense structures than the average LEV, but a bit sluggish. Ability to attack and/or serve as a backup support unit. Name means "steel" in Latin.
Dreizehn
Class: LEV
Description: LEV used by BIS. Better at long-range sniper-style shooting than the average LEV. "Dreizehn" is a nickname, meaning "thirteen" in German.
Official name: "Torador."
Durandal II
Class: Orbital Frame
Description: OF used by BIS, designed specifically for close-range combat. Durable, and reserved for the best frame runners in the galaxy. Durandal I was destroyed by Warren.
Justeen
Class: LEV
Description: LEV used by BIS. Much more agile than the average LEV, and excels in combat involving the "leg" area. "Justeen," along with "Dreizehn," was the nickname given these machines by Yukito; the official name of this LEV is "Francesca."
Black Frame
Class: Unknown
Description: The mystery machine that destroyed Bonaparte, the spine of which is a bony structure reminiscent of a bird's wing. Completely black, conjures up images of the devil.
Edge
Class: AFV
Description: Tanker used by BIS, designed as a means of transporting human. Since defense mechanisms and other devices are kept to a bare minimum, it is unfit for battle. Replenishment system on board.
Blade
Class: AFV
Description: Tanker used by BIS, designed as a means of transporting various goods. Maintenance resources on board. Moderate defensive capacities, but inadequate for combat.
Cage's LEV
Class: LEV
Description: The LEV used by Cage in his escape from the Bonaparte III. Higher-grade than the average LEV, it is equipped with Pharsti, the A.I. who is a source of support to the inexperienced Cage.
Iblis
Class: Orbital Frame
Description: The true identity of the Black Frame. An older model of the Animus series, it is equipped with Version a of the I.D.O. Mindflow System, making it an imposing enemy even for Testament; it is possible, however, for the pulse to flow backwards and kill the frame runner inside.
Mars Angels
Class: LEV
Description: LEV driven by the Mars Angels. Exterior identical to the average LEV, but all the Angels have customized various parts to suit their tastes. Easily discernable by the pink stripe on the wing.
[edit] Notes
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It should be noted, and can be argued, that certain elements of the story and its characters parallel those found in the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. The characters of Cage, Ares, and Myona share traits with Shinji Ikari, Kaworu Nagisa, and Rei Ayanami respectively. Also encompassing the series as a whole, the issue of evolving humanity by use of Metatron also mirrors the Human Instrumentality Project and that the Orbital Frames could be stand-ins for the Evangelions.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Zone of the Enders: Fist of Mars - Official Konami Site
- Zone of the Enders: The Unofficial site - Unofficial Zone of the Enders site, contains character, story, orbital frames, LEV, gameplay, timeline, informations.
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Games: Zone of the Enders • The Fist of Mars • The 2nd Runner |
