Legaia 2: Duel Saga

Legaia 2: Dual Saga
Developer(s)	Prokion
Publisher(s)	JP SCEI NA Eidos Interactive EU Eidos Interactive
Distributor(s)	Fresh Games
Composer(s)	Hitoshi Sakimoto Yasunori Mitsuda Michiru Oshima
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, PlayStation Network
Release date(s)	PlayStation 2 JP November 29, 2001 NA October 1, 2002 EU October 11, 2002 PlayStation Network JP February 18, 2015
Genre(s)	Role-playing
Mode(s)	Single-player

Legaia 2: Duel Saga, known as Legaia: Duel Saga (レガイア デュエルサーガ) in Japan, is a 2001 PlayStation 2 role-playing video game, a sequel to 1998 game Legend of Legaia developed by Prokion,^[1] published by Sony in Japan and Eidos Interactive in North America and Europe.

Gameplay

The game continues its predecessor's approach to turn-based battles, the "Tactical Arts System." It also does away with traditional magical abilities; except Ayne and Maya (who is a casting elemental magician), party members can only access magic through items, or their "Origins."

Also featured in the game are a large amount of mini-games, quests and optional challenges to take on. A guild is present at the town of Kravia, from which players can choose to undertake quests; there's a casino at paradise isle Phorchoon; minor characters in several towns challenge Lang with small dares, such as planting rice and side-jumping.

Another one is camping; accessible at predetermined spots in dungeons and anywhere on the world map after a certain event, characters will set up camp to rest. Here, it is possible to get to know characters more and even watch interactions between them and prepare meals, provided they have been learned by characters and there is a stock of needed ingredients, weapons, armor and accessories is also possible here.

Hidden bosses in the game are seeking like other ones of the original. In mini games such as Centurion Challenge and Battle Arena are bosses more powerful than the last boss, Avalon. Additionally, the player can meet and fight him before the last battle in the Battle Arena in the semifinal round.

First featured in Legend of Legaia, the "Tactical Arts System" is present. The similarities are immediately known and seen. For one, you have to input button commands. Combining these button commands unlock moves called "Arts". Therefore, its system makes the first game system feel more like a fighting game and not a typical RPG battle one. Once you unlock an art move, the combination of buttons is put into a menu. If the combination is valid and unlocked an Art, you can select it by pushing the triangle button when you are inputting your button commands, Inputting battle one is limited to the number of "Art Blocks" a character has; the total maximum for all characters are 14. Fortunately, it is possible to combine attacks together if the last button of the combination matches the initial one of the next you want to chain.

There are several types of arts moves: Normal Arts are basic moves that do a decent amount of damage to gain AP. Super and Hyper Arts are more powerful but cost AP. Mystic Arts are combinations of a character's strong attack with his/her Origin powers; they cost 100 AP and MP, and the character must have half or less of their max HP to perform them, but they compensate with their sheer damage potential. Variable Arts are impressive double team moves, executable by any combination of two characters, but must execute its different half. The game also features combining. To combine, you need two or more items which will increase its strength. You can do this with weapons, armor, and tools. To reach the final result of an item you need to combine the previous one with a heaven's secret.

Accessory combinations is used to create specific accessories, each with specific abilities. For instance, the Tireless Ribbon contains the ability "Max AP." This is arguably the best offensive ability in the game; however, a default Tireless Ribbon has other abilities that are less than ideal. This is where the passing of abilities from accessory to accessory becomes important. Once a Tireless Ribbon is properly leveled, it is possible to use it to create lower-level accessories with Max AP as an extra abilitiy. Using this new lower-level accessory, it is then possible to create other accessories which sometimes include Max AP as an extra ability that does not appear normally on the given accessory.

Plot

This game follows a new story in the world of Legaia. It is centered around a group of people known as "Mystics", outcasts that shunned by the rest of the common folk and mistaken as monsters. It is with reason though, since they summon nature spirits called "Origin". One of the Mystics is Lang, a youth adopted by the militia leader of the small village of Nohl and recruited into its defense force to protect the Sacred Azure Stone, a mysterious crystal which supplies the town with endless water. The game opens on Lang's first day at work, which sets a series of events into motion that ultimately put the fate of the world in danger. Started with the ambition of Avalon who tries destroy the world, Lang teams up with four allies to save it.

Characters

Lang, a youth swordsman in the Nohl village and the game's hero who is a member of the "Vigilance Corps" a militia sort that works to protect Nohl. During his 2nd day of work he meets Avalon, who takes from his mind the location of the Aqualith, which he then steals. As it is necessary to life in Nohl for its ability to generate water sources, Lang vows to reclaim it from Avalon, and found by Galvan the captain of the Corps, who raised him. Lang is a star shaper, a mystic chosen by the Source Forge, owner of his fire origin Galea and source of life with the ability to control it and the three sacred stones.

Reym, a spirit living in a great tree in Yuno. The party meets with Reym (who explains much of the secrets behind the world's creation and of Avalon's plan. He vanishes shortly after as the Black Sun drained the life force from the tree he inhabits) to learn about the eclipse. Reym possibility hints that Lang was created directly by the Source Forge.

Maya, a girl with a troubled past who is a descendant of an ancient ruined kingdom, Kabel. Kabel consisted of magicians, fairies, and other colourful wildlife, and so Maya can utilize magic and her life origin Rivas. At a young age, she lost control of her powers which resulted in the death of her parents; the shock caused her to lose her voice. Lang meets her early in his journey, after he is taken to prison. When Lang breaks out of prison, he takes Maya with him. At first, Maya is mute and cannot attack. She is also naive and often irritates Sharon with her lack of understanding of Male-Female relationships. Maya strives to win at anything she does and ends up becoming a rival with Nancy over cooking, and with Sharon over Lang. If the player is nice to Maya during conversations, she ends up displaying a crush on Lang. Maya demonstrates her ability to use magic when she again loses control of it during the party's first encounter with Doplin's pet demon, Slogar. It is not enough to kill Slogar, but it render him vulnerable to attacks, allowing Lang and Kazan to defeat. In the aftermath of the battle she recovers her voice. During the party's second battle with Slogar (under the name Zoan Stoara) she finally manages to control her magic, remaking Slogar vulnerable and allowing her to defeat him.

Kazan, an elder martial artist who is a master of the Sky Fang arts and earth origin, Deva . Maya directs Lang to meet with Kazan who joins Lang as an ally and teaches him more advanced techniques throughout the game, becoming the boy's true master in the game. Kazan also helps him to finally awaken Galea and has a number of regrets from his past. Originally He went by the name "Nazak" (reverse name) and served with Sharon's father Alphis, aboard his pirate ship. When he lost his pupil Rauss, he abandoned the group and knew Maya's parents, and felt responsible for acting in time to stop Maya from accidentally killing them.

Sharon Blade, captain of her pirate ship and owner of thunder origin, Arrode who joins Lang's party, She came off as slightly haughty, using many servants, loyal followers, and a pet parrot.

Ayne, the spiritual giant who joins to help the party with his great strength and the stronger of his tribe under the direct order of his village's chief. He is also the only playable character that does not have an origin.

Avalon, the game's true villain. When he was a child, the people in his village killed all the Mystics living among them. Upset by their actions and in great danger, he awakened his Origin with an explosion, killing several villagers. This made the crater in Kravia. He hates humans and decides to make a new world with his Supreme Origin, Igohl with orange energy-like being, similar to most Origins and holds ultimate power. He also has his own great one, such as telekinesis to name only one. Where exactly these powers derive from is uncertain. Igohl pierces Lang on his chest simply with its fingers and frequently questions Avalon as to why he takes good actions. Ultimately he fuses with Avalon to form Infinite One. Like Lang, Avalon is a Star Shaper who fails to imbalance the Source Forge, when Lang defeats him.

Velna, a 100-year-old female Mystic who helps Avalon throughout the game. Her Origin is Vestra, which is unique in that it takes a physical shape where most origins are made more of energy (refers as "The Celestial Origin" though its attacks seems to relate to death powers). Her attacks are similar to Maya's, as they both are from the same bloodline. Born in the kingdom of Kabel before its destruction and she survived its fall with the powers of her Origin, which saves her from dying.

Rauss, Kazan's former student and a swordsman of the Tenga Ryu style who wears the dark armor, the same one Kazan taught Lang. Prolonged use of its ultimate technique drove him to insanity, which forced Kazan to face and kill him in Ellsworth. Velna hates normal humans for their part in her old home's destruction, but she dies.

Doplin, ruler of Darakin castle. who is innocent, but is quite evil bishop, he frequently makes reference to God, or religious items. He believes Mystics to be Soldiers of God, and attempts to use both the remaining power of Kabel (mostly showed by Velna) and the sacred stones to achieve godhood. He is the foster parent of Elliot and Marienne. He wants to rule in Avalon's new world. Despite Doplin's position in Avalon's forces and his general reverence of Mystics and scorn of normal humans, Velna betrays Doplin to his ironic death at the hands of his mutant monster Slogar, Shortly before the party's final battle with him when Doplin died halfway through. As simply tools of his use,

Elliott, a mystic abandoned by his parents and taken in by Doplin. He is narcissistic and feminine and Marienne's older brother. They battle against Elliott who uses the "pitch black" Origin, Raskia, that affects with Spellbind in addition to damaging the entire party and Marienne, a short, extremely fat and ugly mystic and Elliot's younger sister who is short-tempered, narcissistic, and likes to torture people. She is extremely bossy and seems to dislike everyone except her big brother Elliott and Bishop Doplin and carries the "pure white" Origin, Alvadis, which is able to inflict 'Venom' status on the entire party in addition to damage.

Bubba, a brutish human with great strength. He is a servant to Elliot and Marianne and is often bullied by the two, since he doesn't have mystic powers. He was originally imprisoned by Doplin for an unspecified reason but as freed on the condition he serve Elliot and Marianne. He attempts to take revenge on Lang and his allies about halfway through the game, but claims he plans to become a drifter after being defeated. In reality he just traveled to the arena at Phorchoon and began to fight there. He had a friendly and loving pet, Elfin a female yeti who attacks Lang early in the game while Elliot, Marienne and Bubba capturing Mystics. Lang kills her in self-defence, earning Bubba's hatred and vengeance.

Galvan, the head of the Nohl's defense force and Lang's guardian. He treats Lang like a son and Nancy is his daughter. He joins the party early on as an NPC, and fights similar to Lang, although he is stuck at level 4, cannot change his equipment, and uses only two arts. On the upside he automatically returns to full HP after each of the few battles he participates in. He had an apparent son, Hawke, head of Nohl and the doctor who assists Lang in convincing the town that Lang needs the Aqualith to save the world.

Nancy, Lang's childhood friend. Growing up with men, she has become quite tomboyish. She argues with Lang quite a lot but all the while, she has feelings for him. She is apparently a good cook, as she reveals Lang often complements her cooking and asks for extra helpings.

Dein, a member of Vigilante Corps with arrogant and egoistic attitude. He seems to despise Lang, despite the fact that Lang saves his life early in the game. After the player defeats him in a sidejumping match, he becomes much friendlier with Lang. He is quite proud of his sidejumping title "Crab Legs"

Joe, a pirate and informant for the player. From the very first time the player meets him until the late in the game, he stays at the Darakin's inn. He has an unusual relationship with Sharon, as the two are frequently seen arguing and yet they appear to be friendly with each other. He is not shown having any job, as commented by Maya, and likes to drink.

Stiel, a swordsman who came from netherworld, he cannot die of old age and is currently trapped in the human world. He wishes to go back with the crystal key, as shown in the guild's hardest quest, but unable to do so as the key itself is a fake. He is ultimately one of the most powerful enemies in the game, as shown in the Phorchoon dream match where he has over one million hit points.

Balzac, a cocky sidejump player and eco macho good at nothing particularly. Sometimes he joins on guild mission only to be defeated by Lang. However, the player can have an alternative plot by losing Lang to him. The failure of the guild mission cannot be changed. He frequently replaces various words with "muscle" and indeed has an obsession with muscles. He does seem to care for his partner Phanta, a hunter working for the guild in Kravia. She and her partner Balzac frequently appear during Guild missions, and often the duo come to embarrassing failures. Though she frequently displays open irritation at Balzac for his brainless ways she does manage to reconcile with him during one of the final guild quests.

Origin

• Galea - Fire
• Rivas - Life/Water
• Deva - Earth
• Arrode - Thunder

Reception

The game received an average score of 70.46% at Game Rankings, based on an aggregate of 40 reviews^[2] and an average score of 67/100 at Metacritic, based on an aggregate of 21 reviews,^[3] and was much less successful than its predecessor.

According to Famitsu sales information, Legaia 2 sold 40,302 during its debut week in Japan, ranking sixth among all new releases for that period.^[4] The game barely made it into Dengeki Online's top 200 best-selling games of 2001 with 53,808 copies.^[5]

References