Radiant Historia - Stocke the Spy travels the timelines - Out Now!

Cao Cao

Cao Cao

CAGiversary!
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The beginning of Radiant Historia takes place at the end of the world. Two child-like figures lament that they have failed to stop the apocalypse again, stating that they will continue to try prevent the world from literally turning to dust. In the past, two armies are at war, and we are introduced to Stocke, an accomplished spy. Before going on a new mission to meet with an informant with two mercenaries in tow, Stocke comes into possession of the White Chronicle, a mysterious book that immediately shows him a vision the outcome of his mission: two dead mercenaries. Stocke shrugs this vision off, but when they go to meet the informant, they are ambushed and the informant and mercenaries are killed. After this, Stocke is able to enter the realm of Historia, a place related to the White Chronicle that allows him to travel back in time to right before the ambush and warn everyone about it. The two kids explain Historia, leaving Stocke to navigate through the timelines that his decisions create, and try to stop whatever is causing the apocalypse.

Radiant Historia's story seems to be based around an interesting concept: Some decision points will spawn alternate timelines that Stocke can travel between, and sometimes he will need to use knowledge gained in one timeline to continue in another. One example of this system at work was given in Nintendo Power:
At one point in (let's call it) Timeline A, you will try to slip past an enemy checkpoint under the guise of being a circus troupe. The guard demands a performance to prove it, giving you the option of either fighting through the guardpost or fleeing. Both options will lead to bad endings, so the correct path is to go back to a previous decision point, make the alternate choice, and continue down (let's call it) Timeline B until you meet someone who can teach you circus tricks. You can take this knowledge back to the checkpoint in Timeline A and choose the new option to perform for the guard to convince him to let you pass.

The battle system is also interesting, but I'll leave that explanation to some of the videos and previews that Atlus and others have been releasing.

Pre-Order/First-Run Bonus: A soundtrack CD, featuring piano compositions by Yoko Shimomura.
Amazon
GameStop

Developer Walkthrough: Time-travelling, Battling
US Trailer
GameTrailers Preview

1UP Preview
IGN Preview
 
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This is definitely on my watchlist. I've got several RPGs on my DS backlog but if the reviews are good I'm sure I'll pick it up.
 
Pre-Ordered it before I knew DQ VI was coming out. What the hell ? It sounds interesting, so I think I'll go with it, but it'll probably be pushed down my backlog.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I'm getting it. Even if it sucks the soundtrack is just plain excellent. If the game sucks, I'll sell the game but keep the soundtrack.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I think soundtracks are the best thing to pair with the games. I think every one should have the OST inside.

I'm debating on picking it up right away, wondering if it'll get a drop in price soon after release but still have the OST.

I don't know where to place this title... it's not a big name or sequel so maybe it'll be over-shadowed by DQ.
 
[quote name='xycury']Yeah I think soundtracks are the best thing to pair with the games. I think every one should have the OST inside.[/QUOTE]

Well, it's not just that. People posted selections from the soundtrack on NeoGAF and it's just amazing music. It's basically what convinced me to get the game. But hey, it could just be another Chrono Cross; great music, little substance to anything else (except for graphics in CC's case). But I'm willing to at least give it a try, I've heard good things about the actual game.
 
This week's episode of Active Time Babble (1UP's RPG podcast) discussed Radiant Historia as Kat Bailey and Jeremy Parish interviewed Atlus' Aram Jabbari (AtlusAram) on the subject. It's the first 50 minutes of the podcast.
http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3176689
Active Time Babble XXX: Radiant Historia & DC Universe Online

In the most "xtreme" episode of Active Time Babble to date, Kat, Travis and Mike Nelson offer the final verdict on DC Universe Online, and it isn't pretty. Before that though, Atlus' Aram Jabbari joins Kat and Jeremy in the studio to discuss the upcoming Radiant Historia while taking questions from listeners. Yes, we do take the time to ask about the whereabouts of 7th Dragon and its ilk. We ask because we care.
(71.0 MB) - Length: 1:43:28
Click to expand...

Jeremy also made some comments on his experience with the game so far,
mentioning that there is a lot of dialogue, but he did not find it to be superfluous dialogue. For those who haven't listened to some of last year's episodes, Jeremy was complaining about JRPGs released last year, Ys VII in particular, that contained an annoying surplus of repetitive and over-expository dialogue; with long conversations that add very little to the plot. He says that Radiant Historia has an advantage in that its main character Stocke is an experienced intelligence agent who has an understanding of the game's world and politics, rather than the standard "hero who doesn't know anything about the world so that he/she knows about as much as the player."
 
Yes, I have heard that this game is extremely dialogue-heavy, especially at the beginning. But I didn't hear any complaints about the quality of the dialogue.
 
I've had my eye on this game but it looks like I'll be waiting for a deal on it. I still have Golden Sun to finish (when I get my DS back) and Tactics Ogre and DQVI are being released soon.
 
[quote name='adriley313']it is now $29.99 on amazon with cd pre-order
cancelled and reordered it

looks mad fun[/QUOTE]

Same. Thanks. My won't be out for delivery until Mar. 1st though.

Might play Hyperdimension Neptunia while it comes out if I finish DQVI earlier.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight'] But hey, it could just be another Chrono Cross; great music, little substance to anything else (except for graphics in CC's case). [/QUOTE]


There's also the fact that that Chrono Cross was all about (even if it was just two maybe three) alternate timelines. ;)

I'm very interested in this game. Even though I'm way more interested in RPGs for the PSP for 2011, I'll be looking into picking this up, especially with the CD.
 
i have prime so hopefully ill get it by thursday but ill still be playing dq6

then pokemon and dragon age 2 in the same week
 
[quote name='adriley313']i have prime so hopefully ill get it by thursday but ill still be playing dq6[/QUOTE]

Hoping I can finish DQ6 before I get this in the mail. I think I can, bar the bonus dungeon(s).
 
I'll get this game early next month, when I get my $25 voucher from Amazon from my credit card again. I want to play it because it kind of reminds me of Chrono Trigger. Although damnit to hell I won't get around to it till sometime summer. I'm just a bit concerned that by then, it may disappear off store shelves given the 3DS around the corner. Niche DS titles, old and new alike, are going to become harder to find.

So I need to get this, Dragon Quest VI, and a few others. There goes more of my spending money lol :p
 
[quote name='adriley313']i know right
feb/march have been a great time for rpgs
DQ6, Pokemon , radiant historia[/QUOTE]

bad times for my wallet though. :cry:
 
[quote name='adriley313']i know right
feb/march have been a great time for rpgs
DQ6, Pokemon , radiant historia[/QUOTE]


Mine is more due to my job, not so much because of releases. Been a very busy last four months for me and a co-worker recently left which leaves me with about half of his workload on top of mine while someone else got the other half. Not to mention I'm on call and schedule appointments for whenever customers are available, which could be some random time when I'm not in the office.

But hey, it's what allows me to afford games to play. Just wish I had a little less hectic schedule to actually sit down and play stuff.
 
ya i here you there
i know have a great job that afford me to by all the new releases i want but i work so much that i cant play them all
my backlog for ds alone is huge
 
[quote name='adriley313']ya i here you there
i know have a great job that afford me to by all the new releases i want but i work so much that i cant play them all
my backlog for ds alone is huge[/QUOTE]

I kind of have the best of both worlds where I work part time but make full time pay. That'll change when I buy a house. I'll have to be more of a CAG or wait for price drops.
 
My Amazon copy shipped this morning and it will arrive tomorrow with Prime. What a night and day difference between this game and DQVI in how distribution was handled. Fatlus is a much smaller company but they have put Nintendo to shame.

Still, I got 2 dungeons left in DQVI and I don't think I'll be able to finish by tomorrow (let alone the bonus dungeons). Curse you Fatlus for getting this game out in a timely fashion! ;)
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']My Amazon copy shipped this morning and it will arrive tomorrow with Prime. What a night and day difference between this game and DQVI in how distribution was handled. Fatlus is a much smaller company but they have put Nintendo to shame.

Still, I got 2 dungeons left in DQVI and I don't think I'll be able to finish by tomorrow (let alone the bonus dungeons). Curse you Fatlus for getting this game out in a timely fashion! ;)[/QUOTE]

How fast do you play through these games? Do you play at work or something?
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']My Amazon copy shipped this morning and it will arrive tomorrow with Prime. What a night and day difference between this game and DQVI in how distribution was handled. Fatlus is a much smaller company but they have put Nintendo to shame.

Still, I got 2 dungeons left in DQVI and I don't think I'll be able to finish by tomorrow (let alone the bonus dungeons). Curse you Fatlus for getting this game out in a timely fashion! ;)[/QUOTE]

[quote name='willardhaven']How fast do you play through these games? Do you play at work or something?[/QUOTE]

I'm surprised I haven't beaten this yet. I'm usually a crackwhore when it comes to new release Dragon Quest games and have them beaten in a week but I've been so busy toward the end of the week that I haven't cracked out on it as much as I normally would. I'll probably have it beaten by next week when RH comes in anyway. According to the guide, I have 70 pages left of the game (not including bonus dungeon).
 
I have DQ VI sitting here sealed... And I just dropped an order for this after reading the reviews. I may just skip DQ VI for now and play this on my next trip. Though I have the last Professor Layton and a couple other games still in my DS case from that trip. I just wish I had more time to play DS games as there are so many great ones I want to get to!

If the buzz on here from you guys is positive on this one, though, I may just bump it to the front of the queue.
 
Just upgraded to prime and tried to bump the shipment on this but it's on slow boat and has already in process of shipping. Hopefully I'll get it by the end of the week.
 
[quote name='willardhaven']How fast do you play through these games? Do you play at work or something?[/QUOTE]

I was sick with a sinus infection all week so I didn't work. Blessing and a curse. Of course, I went back to work Saturday to get stuff done and then yesterday, and when I woke up this morning I felt a hell of a lot worse and had to go to the doctor. She said to rest and not work for a few more days. A blessing that I will have time to play videogames (if I'm not taking 4 hour naps like I just did after sleeping for over 12 hours that night) and a curse that I feel like shit and miss out on work like woah during tax season. Maybe they'll fire me... oh well, I can't take the 55 hour weeks including mandatory Saturdays for 3 months straight without being worn down so I was planning on looking for a new job by next busy season anyway.

/ramble

Now to shit more relevant about the actual game. UPS suuuucks. It claims it was delivered today at 1:30 PM. It was not at my door, and I was home just minutes after it claims it was delivered (got home from a doctor's appointment as I am STILL SICK :mad:). It says it was signed for by "Bennett." I don't know who that is. The only thing I can think of is they left it at my apartment complex's front door without even checking first, which they've never done. Or, it says it was delivered in Obetz, OH, which is where their shipping center is, so maybe they just brought it back there to be delivered tomorrow (the weather was assy today)? I don't know.... I think all I can do is call my apartment complex's office tomorrow when they open and see if they have it. If not, I am going to have to deal with this through Amazon as the UPS website is of no help....

EDIT: I just checked my complex's website. There IS a Bennett who works there... so probably it's at the leasing office. Why would they do that though without leaving a note? I even left a note at my door saying to leave it at my door. They've never done that before, must be a noob. Oh well, I'll get it tomorrow. I still need to go through the endgame of DQVI anyway.
 
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I decided to pop an hour into this game just to see how it was since it arrived today while I was piecing together some computers, installing Windows and updating it. It's an interesting little game that I think I'll like so long as they don't horribly deviate from what they've shown so far. Guess I'll debate whether or not to postpone my playthrough of DQ6 since I've been playing 4 & 5 up until 6's release...
 
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I'm at the final dungeon in DQ6 but it sounds like the final boss is a real pain in the ass and I am probably going to have to grind. If I need to grind I might just postpone beating the game and start on this one. Not like DQ6 has much of a story to wrap up anyway.
 
I just read the preview in the January issue of Nintendo Power (yeah, I know, I'm behind the times) and hadn't really heard anything about the game before that, other than that it was an RPG for the DS. I was instantly interested and after checking reviews and the response here, I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick this up. I'm not a big RPG fan but I enjoy one once in a while and the time travel mechanic sounds really interesting to me, as does how good the sound is and the included soundtrack.
 
Put a little more time in this morning and I think I'm hooked on this one. Guess DQVI is going on the backburner temporarily.
 
[quote name='Hell Monkey']My copy will be here tomorrow. STill working on Awakenings so can wait.[/QUOTE]

get mine tomorrow as well..... really tempted to start dq6 but dont want 2 major rpg games going at the same time
 
Picked up my copy at GS. Less than $12 out the door, GC FTW! Played a couple of hours to see what it was like, still in the prologue. Probably split DQ V and this, liking it so far.
 
My copy is coming tomorrow too... looks like this game will actually be good going by reviews (85 on Metacritic), unlike a lot of other promising DS RPGs which ended up being disappointments.

Looks like I'll never finish DQIX at this rate. Oh well, the game was pretty boring anyway.
 
Damn. All these positive impressions make me think I'll have to get this game. Didn't even know about it until an email from Atlus a few days ago. Still playing DQ9 and haven't started DQ6. Ugh.
 
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