The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki

The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki

Japanese game cover
Developer(s) Nihon Falcom
Publisher(s) Nihon Falcom (Japan), Sony Computer Entertainment (Taiwan/South Korea)[1][2]
Series The Legend of Heroes
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
PlayStation Vita
Release date(s) Sen no Kiseki

Sen no Kiseki II

  • JP September 25, 2014
Genre(s) RPG

The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki (英雄伝説 閃の軌跡 Eiyū Densetsu: Sen no Kiseki) is a 2013 role-playing[3] video game for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, released on September 26, 2013.[4] A sequel titled The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki II was released on 25 September 2014 for the PS3 and PS Vita.[5]

Gameplay

The basic gameplay is nearly identical to the previous Kiseki series entries with a few changes. The biggest change to the battle system and also counting as a brand new feature is the "Tactical Link System". The "Tactical Link" allow players follow up with three different kinds of link attacks, dealing additional damage. "Tactical Link" becomes a more useful asset to the player as the story progress and characters level up their "Link Levels" with other characters. As the link levels increase, you will obtain new link abilities such as healing the link partner or increase the CP gain of the partner. Another change is the Orbment system. Sen no Kiseki inherits the "Master Quartz" system from Ao no Kiseki. However, the Quartz system has been revamped. Sen no Kiseki does away with the sepith count associated with quartzes, which means orbal arts no longer depend on the overall sepith count on a single line but is instead based on the quartz you equip (EG: Equipping the Fire Bolt quartz allows your character to use the art Fire Bolt. Equipping HP1 only increases your HP and does not give you any arts because the sepith system is not in place). This game is also the first game in the series that was made for the PS3. The game also features 360 degree camera control, fully 3D character models, and voice conversations between characters on the overworld map, all of which are brand new features to the Kiseki series.[3] Players can transfer save data between the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions using the cross-save function.

Falcom has also introduced downloadable content to the game in forms of items that can be used in battle and cosmetic changes like everyday clothing for the characters. A "teaser site" for the game was released on December 20, 2012, and includes screenshots of the game.[6]

Plot

Sen no Kiseki

The game takes place at the same time frame as Zero and Ao no Kiseki in the Erebonian Empire. Players who played the aforementioned prequels will be able to notice the overarching plot concerning the Kiseki series, such as the formation of the "that police unit" in Crossbell state and the conference between the three countries a few month after amongst other tidbits. The game's plot is centered around the newly formed special class "Class VII" in Thors Military Academy, composed of both aristocrats and normal Erebonian citizens. Class VII is the only class in the entire academy that does not segregate the two different social classes. The game follows Class VII throughout their school year, mainly around the times when Class VII receive special field training that takes them all over Erebonia. Throughout their training across Erebonia, Class VII matures and casts aside their preconceptions of the two social classes as well witness first hand the reality of empire; The power struggle between the aristocracy led by the four noble houses, and the working class reformists led by Iron Blood Chancellor Osborne which threatens to lead to a civil war. They also awaken Valimar, a knight-god (giant robot) sleeping under Thors. The story comes to a climax with the attempted assassination of Osbourne by the terrorist C who turns out to be the Thors student Crow, and a coup by the aristocracy, and ends on with Thors being occupied by the coup forces lead by Crow piloting another knight-god, Ordine, leading into Sen no Kiseki II.

Sen no Kiseki II

Sen no Kiseki II begins a month after the end of Sen no Kiseki, with Rean having escaped with Valimar. He makes it to his hometown of Yumir where princess Alfin also escaped to, but she is kidnapped along with Rean's sister Elise. The rest of class VII has scattered over the country and he goes around gathering them and other Thors students, and after being given the airship Courageous by Olivier uses Valimar to help civilians and look for Alfin and Elise. The coup turns out to have been a plot by the leader of the Noble Alliance, lord Cheyenne, a descendant of the false emperor who had been defeated by emperor Dreichers, ancestor to the current imperial family, to gain power, and the Witch of the Abyss Vita, third apostle of Ouroboros, had been cooperating with him to fulfil the Illusion Flame project by making the Blaze Demon Castle appear and have the two knight-gods, Valimar and Ordine duel there. When Ordine loses, however, Cheyenne awakens the red knight-god Testarossa and thus the End of Vermillion, a legendary demon-god armed with a thousand weapons. Rean and Crow in Valimar and Ordine cooperate to seal the End of Vermillion away again but Crow is killed in the process. At this point the Noble Alliance's advisor Rufus reveals himself to have been working for Osbourne all along, and Osbourne reveals himself to be alive and actually be Rean's father, and hijacks Ouroboros' Illusion Flame project.

Characters

Main Characters

Rean Schwarzer (リィン・シュバルツァー)
Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama

An amnesiac who was adopted by the Schwarzer Family. He goes to the military academy to find his path in life, not wanting to burden his adoptive family. He gains the ability to draw on a latent power, during which his hair turns white and his eyes red. At the end of Sen he becomes the "Riser" (pilot) of an ancient giant robot, the Knight-God of Ash, Valimar. In II he learns to control his power to some degree and grows as the riser of Valimar, defeating the legendary demon End of Vermillion alongside Crow and Ordine. He soon learns that he is Osbourne's son, however, and uses Valimar to worth with the Iron Breed, and becomes known throughout the empire as the hero who stopped the civil war and defends the newly gained territory of Crossbell from invaders, the Grey Knight.

Alisa Reinford (アリサ・ラインフォルト)
Voiced by: Yui Horie

Alisa is the daughter of Reinford family which runs the Rf Group, the biggest heavy manufacturing enterprise in Elebonian Empire. In II, after the civil war, she leaves Thors to works for the RF group.

Eliot Craig (エリオット・クレイグ)
Voiced by: Ryoko Shiraishi

Eliot is the son of General Craig, also known as "Redhead Craig". Eliot is kind hearted and is fond of music. Although he wanted to pursue a music career, his father rejected the idea and demanded him to go to military academy. In II, after the civil war, he leaves Thors to go to a music academy in Heimdall.

Laura S Arseid (ラウラ・S・アルゼイド)
Voiced by: Mariya Ise

Laura is the daughter of Victor S Arseid, the "Artisan of Light" and Viscount of Legram. She goes to military academy to improve her sword skills. In II, after the civil war, she leaves Thors to go on a journey with her father.

Machias Regnitz (マキアス・レーグニッツ)
Voiced by: Takuya Sato

Machias is the son of Imperial Govenor Regnitz. He openly despises nobles which leads to uncomfortable moments for class VII when he and Jusis clash. In II, after the civil war, he leaves Thors to study politics.

Jusis Albarea (ユーシス・アルバレア)
Voiced by: Shinnosuke Tachibana

Second son of the Albarea family, one of the Four Noble Families of the Erebonian Empire. Despite his haughtiness, Jusis means no offense. In II, after the civil war, he leaves Thors to take over his family's lands as his father was arrested for burning a village and his brother Rufus is now governor of Crossbell.

Emma Millstein (エマ・ミルスティン)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami

A polite and intelligent girl, Emma placed first on the entrance exams. Actually a witch. In II, after the civil war, she leaves Thors to go back to her witch village.

Fie Claussell (フィー・クラウゼル)
Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto

She struggles with studying and has the ability to sleep anywhere, but underneath all that lies a really skilled fighter. She is a former member of the Zephyr Brigade, a mercenary group that was destroyed when it clashed with the Crimson Constellation (the group Randy of Zero no Kiseki formerly belonged to) prior to the events of the game. In Sen no Kiseki II, after the civil war, she leaves Thors to look for the remaining members of the Zephyr brigade.

Gaius Worzel (ガイウス・ウォーゼル)
Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya

A tall, tan-skinned boy from the Nord Highlands. He attends military academy by recommendation of a certain Erebonian official. In II, after the civil war, he leaves Thors to go home.

Crow Armbrust (クロウ・アームブラスト)
Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

A second year student at Thors military academy. Crow is carefree and irresponsible which has caused him to flunk a year before. While appearing to be carefree to others, he is by no means incompetent. In the climax he is revealed to be the terrorist leader C after his failed attempt to assassinate Osbourne, after which he reveals himself to also be the Riser of the Knight-God of Azure, Oldine, and destroys Thors Military Academy with the coup forces' Panzer Zolda (mass-produced Knight-God replicas) army. In II, he process to work with the Noble Alliance and becomes known as the Blue Knight, and waits for a chance to settle things with Rean. After losing to and making up with Rean, he then works with Rean and Valimar to defeat the End of Vermillion and is killed in the process.

Sub-characters

Sara Valestin (サラ・バレスタイン)

Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi

Class VII's homeroom teacher. Loves to drink. A former Bracer, also known as "The Purple Lightning", as well as a former mercenary working with the Northern Jagers.

Sharon Cluger (シャロン・クルーガー)

Voiced by: Yukana

Alisa's maid. Actually the ninth Legion of Ouroboros, "Strings of Death" (《死線》), the name taken from her use of steel wires as weapons. Confirmed to be a party member in Sen no Kiseki II.[7]

Gideon (ギデオン)

Voiced by: Kouhei Matsumoto

One of the leaders of the terrorist organisation Imperial Liberation Front. He attempts to assassinate Osbourne in Crossbell (the events of which are seen in Ao no Kiseki) Though it is unknown whether he survived the Orchis Tower incident in Crossbell.

Misty (ミスティ)/Vita Clotilde (ヴィータ・クロチルダ)

Voiced by: Yukari Tamura

The host of the popular radio show Abend Time, Misty, who is also known as the famous opera singer Vita Clotilde (ヴィータ・クロチルダ). Neither is her true name. Actually the second Anguis (apostle) of Ouroboros, the Blue Abyss (《蒼の深淵》), and Emma's sister. She was the one who guided Crow to Ordine, and works with the Noble Alliance to fulfil the conditions for Ouroboros' Illusion Flame project. When Crow is defeated she prepares to explain what was happening but is interrupted by Osbourne's return, and escapes.

Olivert Reise Arnor (オリヴァルト・ライゼ・アルノール)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

Also known as Olivier Lenheim. The oldest of emperor Jugend III's children, and chairman of the board of Thors Military Academy.

Alfim Reise Arnor (アルフィン・ライゼ・アルノール)

Voiced by: Satomi Satou

Olivier's sister and Elise's best friend.

Elize Schwarzer (エリゼ・シュバルツァー)

Voiced by: Saori Gotou

Rean's adoptive sister.

Development

The game was also localised into Chinese and Korean with the assistance of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia.

Reception

The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki was awarded during the Japan Game Awards 2013 during the Tokyo Game Show by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association, as one of eleven titles within the Future Division winners.[8]

During the first week after release, the PlayStation Vita version outsold the PlayStation 3 version, placing second place in the Media Create software sales charts with 81,622 copies sold, compared to the 67,718 copies sold for the PS3 version in fourth place.[9] The game has resulted in significant profits for Falcom, with an expected 1.9 billion yen in net sales, and 700 million yen in operating profit.

Sen no Kiseki II sold 86,283 physical retail copies on the PlayStation Vita and 65,498 retail copies on the PlayStation 3 within its debut release week in Japan, representing a shipment sell-through of 71.96% and 77.3% respectively.[10] Within that week, the Vita version placed second amongst all software sales in Japan, while the PS3 version placed fifth.[11] Famitsu gave both platform versions of the sequel a review score of 31/40.[12]

References

External links