Alundra
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| Alundra | |
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| Developer(s) | Matrix Software |
| Publisher(s) | SCEI, Working Designs, Psygnosis |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Release date | JP April 11, 1997 NA December 31, 1997 EU June 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Action RPG |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Media | 1 CD-ROM |
Alundra (released in Europe as The Adventures of Alundra) is an action role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation released in 1997, developed by Matrix Software and published by SCEI in Japan; Working Designs later released it in America. It won great critical acclaim for its bizarre story and smooth game mechanics. The game's protagonist is a boy named Alundra, who learns that he has the power to enter people's dreams. He is shipwrecked near the village of Inoa and proceeds to try and help the locals, who have been suffering from a terrible curse. The narrative becomes gradually darker and more twisted as the game progresses. The style of gameplay is a top down Action RPG, quite similar to the original Legend of Zelda series. There is a lot of emphasis on puzzle solving.
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[edit] Plotline
After arriving in Inoa, Alundra undertakes many quests, playing both in people's dreams and the village surroundings. Soon, he finds out he is the 'Releaser', destined to save the world from Melzas, an ancient demon on his quest to world domination, who is also responsible for people's nightmares. The plot grows continuously darker in tone as the story proceeds, and hints to various religious and philosophical themes.
[edit] Characters
Though there are a number of characters (most of them being the villagers of Inoa), there are several who stand out as being particularly noteworthy:
- Alundra
Alundra, the protagonist and player character, is an Elf from the clan of Elna, the Dreamwalkers. He comes to Inoa because of a recurring dream in which a mysterious figure who calls Alundra "Releaser" tells him that he must save the villagers from the evil of Melzas. His ship is caught in a storm and he is later found washed ashore unconscious. After arriving, he starts being blamed by the townsfolk for all of the terrible happenings that occur. Alundra is not shown to speak, also known as a silent protagonist.
- Meia
Meia is also part of the clan of Elna. She arrives in Inoa about halfway through the game and is also seeking to destroy Melzas. She has a troubled past that is eventually revealed during the course of the game.
- Jess
Jess is the blacksmith in Inoa. After Alundra's ship is swept ashore and destroyed in a storm, Jess finds the unconscious form of Alundra and takes care of him for as long as he remains in Inoa. He is good-natured and always trusts Alundra, even when others do not.
- Lars
Lars is an ancient wizard and one of the seven Guardians of the Seal who originally trapped Melzas in the Sunken Palace. His spirit visits Alundra in his dreams to warn him of Melzas's return and implores him to destroy the demon once and for all. The character is often compared to Sahasrahla from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
- Vul
Like Lars, he is another one of the seven Guardians of the Seal. Vul waits for Alundra at the Costal Cave.
- Jeal
He is also one of the seven Guardians of the Seal. He waits for Alundra at the Reptile's Lair. He guards the Sapphire Crest.
- Uma
She claimed herself as the Queen of Life and Death. She waits for Alundra at Magyscar.
- Nirude
The sole survivor of the giants. He waits for Alundra at Nirude's Lair.
- Wilda
A dragon lived in the Torla Mountain and one of the three Guardians of the Seal still alive (along with Nirude and Nava) when Alundra met him.
- Nava
He hid his identity to Alundra to be one of the seven Guardians of the Seal. Nava resides in his hut south of Inoa village and has the last of the seven crests: the Diamond Crest. He is killed by Zorgia when you met him in the basement of his hut, which is a maze.
- Septimus
Septimus is a scholar and a close friend of Alundra. He travelled to Inoa to help lift the curse that has afflicted it, but has met with little success. He helps Alundra discover many ancient and forgotten secrets of the world and his power of dreamwalking.
- Ronan
Ronan is the priest of the nearby church, known as the Sanctuary. From Alundra's first arrival in Inoa, Ronan constantly acts to turn the villagers against him. He has a hidden agenda and secretly praying for Melzas when the church is locked. He is the one who killed both Sybill and Jess. The reason he killed them could be that they are helping Alundra that he thought is a cold-blooded demon attempting to kill all the villagers of Inoa.
- Melzas
Melzas is an ancient and powerful demon. Though he was imprisoned long ago by the Guardians of the Seal, he has returned and is terrorizing the villagers of Inoa. He is the primary villain of the storyline.
- Zazan
One of the villains of the game. Zazan commands a clan of white monkeys called the Murgg. He is being commanded by Melzas to destroy the village of Inoa and steal the seven crests.
- Zorgia
Zorgia is a powerful demon and a servant of Melzas. He is vicious, cruel, sadistic, and utterly loyal to his master.
[edit] Gameplay
The gameplay includes a combination of top down platforming action/adventure and RPG elements. The game is quite similar to the 2D Legend of Zelda games, to the extent of often being labeled a clone. It is known for containing many extremely difficult puzzles, some of which cannot be accessed anymore if the player progresses further in the game, making some items unattainable, which is unusual in games of this type. It is often cited as one of the most difficult video games ever made.
[edit] Availability
Although difficult to acquire today, Alundra can still be found in some online stores, online auction houses such as eBay, as well as second hand sections of selected game stores. Alundra was not widely advertised. It was published in America by the now-defunct Working Designs, who followed their usual supply-and-demand strategy: low production numbers, to encourage players to buy the game shortly after it came out rather than wait for it to drop in price. This strategy might also have possibly been used to minimize the risk of having to store and mark down unsold copies.
[edit] See also
- Alundra 2 A sequel in name and gameplay only; the story is totally unrelated and far more comedic as opposed to the darker story of the first game.
