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| Bryan Grosnick |
New information on characters, setting, and Tension moves!
01.15.11 - 9:17 PM
A mere two weeks before its highly-anticipated arrival in Japan, more information has been released about The Last Story. This time, more details have been announced on a variety of different topics. First, two new characters have been detailed. Zangurg is a king who managed to use his natural abilities to unite the Gurg peoples, something that had never before been achieved. Tasha is a proud knight, skilled at swordsmanship, but disdainful of mercenaries like Elza and his band. Both characters appear to be dangerous warriors.
Also, there's more information about Ruli City, the setting for much of the game. The pub that Elza and companions have appeared in during previous images and videos is called the Ariel Inn, and operates a bit like a hub for the game. The Ariel Inn is both an inn and a pub, and Elza and his fellow mercenaries have rooms there. Not only does the pub have a number of people to converse with, but the conversations are structured differently depending on how important they are. Less important dialogues might involve close-up portraits of the characters as they speak, but more important conversations will have directed cinematography. The Ariel Inn also contains a must-have for nearly every inn in a JRPG: a save point.
Just outside of Ruli City, there is a large arena where Elza and company can fight monsters or other foes for fun and profit. Depending on the wagers made, the party can win money or items after completing a battle. Also, as a battle begins, a room rises from beneath the arena to serve as the battle location. Throughout the battles, there will be color commentary, giving the whole event the feel of a professional sports event. Except, of course, with more magic and swordplay.
Finally, a bit of light has been shed on Tension moves, which are special attacks unique to each party member. Using these commands depletes the Tension gauge, but provides a powerful attack. The specific Tension moves for three characters have been revealed so far. Jackal's "Absolute 0" move delivers cold damage with a blast of ice, but also causes enemies to slip and fall. Manamia's "Revive" is fairly self-explanatory, bringing back fallen allies and causing complete HP recovery. Seiren's Tension move uses a rain of needles to both damage and paralyze her foes.
The Last Story is set for a January 27th release in Japan. I think I speak for most of us here at RPGFan when I say please localize this game, Nintendo! Alas, there is no release date for the west at this time. But check out both Liz's terrific preview, and our gallery, below.
