Chaos Rings III

Chaos Rings III (ケイオスリングス, Keiosu Ringusu III) is a 2014 Japanese role-playing video game developed by Media.Vision and published by Square Enix. It is the fourth game in the Chaos Rings series, after Chaos Rings, Chaos Rings Omega, and Chaos Rings II. Like its predecessors, it was released on iOS, and Android devices, but also the first to be released for the PlayStation Vita platform. The PS Vita release, titled Chaos Rings III: Prequel Trilogy, contains all four titles in the Chaos Rings series.

Gameplay

The game is a turn-based Japanese role-playing video game, keeping consistent with previous titles in the series.

Story

The game takes place in a world where adventurers arrive at the coastal city of "Neo Paleo" to become "Explorers" in order to travel to the heavens: the planet called "Marble Blue".^[3] The game follows characters and their reasons for taking the pilgrimage to "Marble Blue". One of the main characters, Nazca, dreams of finding "Paradise", Marble Blue's biggest mystery.^[3] Another character, Leary, travels there to find her father, who she believes has been kidnapped and taken there by an unknown person. As the game progresses, the hero finds out the truth behind paradise and the origins of Marble Blue.^[3]

Characters

Chaos Rings III has five playable characters. Unlike previous games in the series, parties are now composed of up to three characters, and the two inactive characters are also able to receive experience, albeit less than those in the active party. Like previous games in the series, the game features voice acting in key scenes, though only in Japanese.

Playable Characters

Nazca (ナスカ, Nasuka)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka

The main protagonist of the game. He is named by the player at the beginning of the story, though his name is listed as Nazca in the official web-site. His father was an explorer who went missing while searching for Paradise, the greatest secret the planet of Marble Blue, and his mother died of grief upon hearing the news. Thus, he grew up with his younger sister under the care of their neighbour, Dorothy. Now 16 years old, he wishes to become an explorer himself and fulfill his father's dream.

Leary (リアリー, Riarī)

Voiced by: Kanae Ito

Accompanies Nazca on his license trial to get his explorer's license, and becomes one of his teammates after they pass the test together. She wishes to become an explorer to search for her father, who was abducted by the crook Shyamalan.

Daisuke (だいすけ, Daisuke)

Voiced by: Atsushi Abe

Accompanies Nazca on his license trial to get his explorer's license, and becomes one of his teammates after they pass the test together. He wishes to find a gift that can cure the disease that is slowly killing his mother.

Al (アル, Aru)

Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara

His full name is Alfred (アルフレッド). An examiner for the license trial that potential explorers have to sit for to get their license, he is also a Rank III explorer himself. He later joins Nazca's team.

Elroux (エルル, Eruru)

Voiced by: Yui Ogura

The daughter of Mariv who later joins Nazca on his journey.

Others

Patty (パティ, Pati)

Voiced by: Shiori Mikami

The 7-year-old younger sister of the protagonist, she has been the one doing all the housework since their mother died.

Dorothy (ドロシー, Doroshī)

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

An elderly next door neighbour of the protagonist, she is also a top class licensed explorer.

Haruko (春子, Haruko)

Voiced by: Mami Koyama

The mother of Daisuke, who suffers from a debilitating disease that will eventually kill her.

Johannes (ヨハネ, Yohane)

Voiced by: Akio Ohtsuka

Mariv (マリアイヴ, Mariaivu)

Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue

Cassie (キャシー, Kyashī)

Honey Holly (ハニーシュガー, Hanī Shugā)

Voiced by: Kana Asumi

Known as Honey Sugar in the Japanese version, she is the receptionist at the Modern Colosseum and also the main commentator during Colosseum battles. She is the twin sister of Sweet Sally.

Sweet Sally (スイートキッス, Suīto Kissu)

Voiced by: Kana Asumi

Known as Sweet Kiss in the Japanese version, she is the receptionist at the New Paleo Spaceport, and is responsible for sending explorers on their way to Marble Blue.

Shyamalan (シャマラン, Shyamaran)

Voiced by: Ryusei Nakao

Grazie (グラッチェ, Guracche)

Voiced by: Nobutoshi Kanna

Prika (プリカ, Purika)

Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya

Drei 6 (ドライ6, Dorai Shikusu)

Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama

Erik (エイリーク, Eirīku)

Voiced by: Kenji Nomura

Geiser (ガイザー, Gaizā)

Voiced by: Ryuzaburo Otomo

Delacroix (ドラクロア, Dorakuroa)

Voiced by: Jōji Nakata

Lucienne (ルイシャ, Ruishya)

Voiced by: Hiroe Oka

Auz (オズ, Ozu)

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa

Volhelm (ヴォルヘルム, Voruherumu)

Voiced by: Unsho Ishizuka

Development

The game was first announced on August 4, 2014, with a Japanese release date planned for October 8, 2014.^[4] Like the prior games in the series, it was announced for the iOS, and Android operating systems, but unlike past iterations, it was also announced for the PlayStation Vita handheld video game console.^[5] The Vita version, titled, Chaos Rings III: Prequel Trilogy, will contain all four titles in the Chaos Rings series - Chaos Rings, Chaos Rings Omega, Chaos Rings II and the third game.^[6] The Vita release will be a full-fledged port, with a special edition release, and not a PlayStation Mobile port that was also playable on Vita, as the original Chaos Rings had been.^[7] The special edition will also come with an art book containing art by Final Fantasy artist Yusuke Naora, a CD with twelve remastered songs from Chaos Rings and Wild Arms composer Noriyasu Agematsu, and a code for crossover content for Diffusion Million Arthur, another Square Enix game for the Vita.^[1]

The game was released in English speaking regions on May 28, 2015 for iOS and Android.^[2] The game, by its creators, is expected to contain over 50 hours of gameplay.^[8] The game was present in playable form at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2014.^[9]

References

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Official website (English)