Lunar: Walking School

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Lunar: Walking School
The Lunar: Walking School title screen.

Developer(s) Game Arts
Publisher(s) Game Arts
Platform(s) Game Gear
Release date Japan March, 1995
Genre(s) RPG
Mode(s) Single player
Media Cartridge

Lunar: Walking School (in Japan Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen, sometimes translated as Lunar: Strolling School) is a console role-playing game in the Lunar series released for the Sega Game Gear in Japan in 1996. Since then, no international versions or translations have officially been released. It was developed and produced by the Japanese software company Game Arts and Studio Alex, their in-house development team responsible for other Lunar titles.

Even though the game was released after Lunar: The Silver Star, it is set hundreds of years before it. Several creatures and places from the game also make an appearance. The game was remade two years later for the Sega Saturn as Magic School Lunar!.

Contents

[edit] Story

Screenshot from the beginning of Lunar: Walking School.
Screenshot from the beginning of Lunar: Walking School.

Walking School tells the tale of a young girl named Ellie and her best friend, Lena, as they leave their quiet lives as field workers in the town of Burg to enroll in a newly established magic school located on an island called Ien. There, along with several other youths, the girls find the school and the area around it completely deserted, and try to establish order by getting all the students together within the surrounding town. During their stay, they encounter several magical creatures and monsters who also call the island home, all while they continue to search for their instructors.

The game itself is divided into 12 chapters, each one presented with a curtain closing and opening.

[edit] Gameplay

The game has several elements common to CRPGs, with 2D character sprites and environments. During the game, the player will encounter monsters that are fought randomly within dungeons, and gain experience from winning battles. Magic and additional skills are unlocked through leveling up, as well as allowing the characters to grow stronger. The battles take place from a first-person perspective, with menus appearing along the left edge of the screen.

The character menu can be accessed at any time and allow the use of items, magic, or other gameplay settings. A player's progress is saved on one of three possible slots using the Game Gear's battery back-up.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Playable characters

Clockwise from top left: Ellie, Lena, Wing, and Senia.
Clockwise from top left: Ellie, Lena, Wing, and Senia.

Ellie: The main character of the story who grew up in a small town working on her father's farm. She is selected along with her best friend Lena to attend the floating magic school. Somewhat quiet and reserved, she is very loyal to her friends and has a naturally curious personality.

Lena: Ellie's best friend since childhood. Unlike Ellie, she is very talkative and often sticks up for herself when bullied about her height. She likes to wear fancy clothing and is quite self-confident.

Senia: A young Beastwoman who attends the magic school with Ellie and Lena. Though she is very strong and athletic, she can command some powerful magic as well. Almost as vocal as Lena, and the two of them became fast friends.

Wing: A mysterious and quiet boy who is a later addition to the school's roster. Naturally gifted at using magic, Wing makes a name for himself early, and is actually enrolled on a scholarship.

[edit] Other characters

Ant, Kule, and Rick: Three boys accepted into the magic school who make it their business to tease and otherwise make life difficult for Ellie and Lena. Eventually, they warm up to each other, but only after a lengthy exchange of insults.

Barua: Second-in-command of the Vile Tribe who has an interest in Wing. Commands a wide assortment of dark magic.

Memphis: Power-hungry leader of the Vile Tribe who worships an entity known as "D".


[edit] External links