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Peviewed on 4/15/05
Stella Deus takes place in a world that is just coming out of an "age of despair." This began when "The Miasma" started destroying the land, in a fashion comparable to "The Nothing" from the The Neverending Story (ruins everything and leaves nothing behind). Naturally, people got desperate to find a way to counter the Miasma and save their world. However, many became apathetic to the deadly mist. This leads us into the present time: an age of apathy. Many people are simply kicking back and waiting for the world to end, convinced it is the will of God. In this state, it was easy for a powerful man to step forward and declare himself overlord.
Through a series of events, Spero ends up on a quest to find out the true way to save the world. Can it be done with Alchemy, as many people suggest? Or is it the opposite; should Alchemy be stopped entirely, as the practice involves use of Spirit energy that could be used by the planet to defend against Miasma? Who is right? Whatever the answers to these questions are, Spero and several folks he meets along the way are finding the truth the same way all RPG heroes get what they want--fighting.
This fighting is done is very much the traditional style set forth by tactical RPG forefathers. Characters move around on a grid and can perform standard attacks as well as special maneuvers. Stella Deus also uses a system that has been used in a certain few other games in making each action cost a certain number of points, called "AP." Characters start a turn with 100 AP. Moving costs a certain amount per space, and other actions like spells, items use, and attacking have different costs, depending on the character and other factors. This means that if the players don't want to move a character, they can stand in place and attack 2 or 3 times. Or perhaps they'll use a curing item, then attack someone, then move 1 space. Additionally, the amount of AP someone has at the end of the turn is a factor in determining how soon his/her next turn will come. Position certain characters correctly, and you can perform a "team attack" instead of a regular attack. All of this means there are several options for each character's turn.
The interface will allow character growth to be somewhat customizable. After each attack, spell, or item use, characters gain EXP as well as "SP." These SP function much like they do in Xenosaga: Episode I, as they can be used to raise numerical stats, or be used to learn new skills. The new skills characters can learn come in several varieties. "Support" skills such as "Magic + 10%," as well as special attacks and "Zone Effects" are the primary skills that can be obtained by spending SP. Zone effects give allies within a certain range a special effect such as "Evasion up" and so on. The decisions on how to raise your character, combined with deciding which of their skills to equip before battle (among other things), make Stella Deus a fairly customizable game.
Navigation in the game is also something TRPG fans will be familiar with--a zoomed-out map with dots on it for towns, ala Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, and countless others. Stella Deus will also have special missions called "quests" which can be undertaken in the towns. Players can count on several rewards from these quests, ranging from money, to items, to more members of their party. Will Stella be able to stand out in a market that is rapidly gaining more and more TRPGs? Gamers will find out for themselves soon enough. Stella Deus will ship to North American stores in early May. Until then, enjoy the screens and movies below.
MOVIES
SCREENS
-Eric Emerson |
Modern gaming has seen a great increase in the number of tactical RPGs available. A sub-genre which used to have so few titles in its library has gone through an explosion of sorts in the last few years. Atlus looks to add some variety to the genre, while still creating a game that appeals to fans with Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity.
