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Brigandine (video game)
Encyclopedia
Brigandine is a tactical role-playing game
for the PlayStation video game console
, created by developer Hearty Robin and released in 1998. An American port, called Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena, was released in the same year by Atlus
. In 2000, Hearty Robin released a remake of the game called Brigandine: Grand Edition, which included multiplayer
support, along other new features. In the game, the player chooses one of the nations of the fictional continent of Forsena, and has the goal of conquering the other nations by taking their castles, using troops composed by human commanders and fictional creatures. Although primarily a turn-based strategy game, the game includes some characteristics of tactical role-playing games.
Rune knights and monsters have statistics typical of console role-playing game, such as experience points, hit points, attack, defense, magic points, and like. Rune knights also have character classes, and may switch between classes if some conditions are met. Monsters don't have classes, but may be upgraded to more powerful forms, called promotions, when they have a minimum level or some special items are used. The number of monsters which may join a troop is limited by the rune knight's rune power statistic. The entire nation has a leader, called ruler, which is a rune knight with a unique class, but otherwise similar to other rune knights.
In the organize phase, the player may re-allocate troops between castles, re-allocate monsters between troops, summon new monsters, equip and use items, change rune knights' classes and promote monsters. The player may also send rune knights to quests.
To summon additional monsters, a certain amount of mana
must be spent. Each nations acquires an income of mana on the beginning of each turn. The amount of mana depends on the number of the castles belonging to the nation. Monsters also have an upkeep cost; they consume an amount of mana every turn. Because of this, there is an option of deleting monsters.
Quest is not quite a gameplay mode, since they are not playable; they make the rune knight (and its troop) unavailable for a variable amount of turns. During this time, the character is involved in events (mostly random), which may benefit or impair the player. Rulers cannot participate on quests.
In the attack phase, each nation may allocate its own troops to adjacent enemy castles, which is treated as an attack. If the defending castle is occupied, a battle is marked to occur between the two groups of troops, unless the castle originating the troops is attacked first (the order of attack depends on the level of the rune knights). When battles are marked to occur, the game switches to the battle mode in the end of the organize phase.
Each side may bring only up to 3 troops to a single battle, regardless of the number of troops that are attacking or defending the castle. Once a battle starts, the attacking side has 13 turns to gain victory, by defeating all troops of the opposing side. A troop is defeated by having its leader reduced to 0 hit points, or when the leader retreats. If the ruler of a nation is reduced to 0 hit points or retreats, all other rune knights belonging to the same side retreat. If the attacking side fails to gain victory within 13 turns, all its rune knights retreat.
In battle, each rune knight has an area around it called rune area. Outside of this area, the monsters belonging to the rune knight's troop become weaker. When a rune knight is reduced to 0 hit points or retreats, the monsters belonging to its troop may either retreat or be captured by the opposing side. A monster which is outside the leader's rune area has an increased chance of being captured.
Monsters which are reduced to 0 hit points are considered to be killed, and disappear forever. Rune knights reduced to 0 hit points become unavailable to be used for 1 in-game month, but aren't affected otherwise.
Units and magic spells frequently have elements associated with them: red, blue, green, white or black. Physical attacks and spells from units associated with a certain element are more effective against units associated with the opposing element (red opposes blue, white opposes black). Likewise, physical attacks and spells are less effective against units associated with the same element.
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
for the PlayStation video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
, created by developer Hearty Robin and released in 1998. An American port, called Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena, was released in the same year by Atlus
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
. In 2000, Hearty Robin released a remake of the game called Brigandine: Grand Edition, which included multiplayer
Multiplayer game
A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that put the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI-controlled opponents, which often...
support, along other new features. In the game, the player chooses one of the nations of the fictional continent of Forsena, and has the goal of conquering the other nations by taking their castles, using troops composed by human commanders and fictional creatures. Although primarily a turn-based strategy game, the game includes some characteristics of tactical role-playing games.
Gameplay
In Brigandine, the player controls one of the six playable nations. Each nation possess a number of troops and castles. Each troop is composed by a human leader, called rune knight, and fictional creatures such as dragons, ghouls and fairies, which are called "monsters". The goal of the player is to conquer the entire continent by attacking the enemy castles with the controlled nation's troops (or troops from allied nations). Likewise, troops are also used to protect the controlled nation's castles from enemy troops' attacks. Brigandine features two gameplay modes, both turn-based: a preparation mode and a battle mode.Rune knights and monsters have statistics typical of console role-playing game, such as experience points, hit points, attack, defense, magic points, and like. Rune knights also have character classes, and may switch between classes if some conditions are met. Monsters don't have classes, but may be upgraded to more powerful forms, called promotions, when they have a minimum level or some special items are used. The number of monsters which may join a troop is limited by the rune knight's rune power statistic. The entire nation has a leader, called ruler, which is a rune knight with a unique class, but otherwise similar to other rune knights.
Preparation mode
In this mode, each turn is represented by a in-game "month". The player may navigate and view statistics of all castles of the continent (although only the castles of the player's nation may be managed). Each month has an organize phase and an attack phase.In the organize phase, the player may re-allocate troops between castles, re-allocate monsters between troops, summon new monsters, equip and use items, change rune knights' classes and promote monsters. The player may also send rune knights to quests.
To summon additional monsters, a certain amount of mana
Magic point
Magic points are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells and other abilities, such as special attacks...
must be spent. Each nations acquires an income of mana on the beginning of each turn. The amount of mana depends on the number of the castles belonging to the nation. Monsters also have an upkeep cost; they consume an amount of mana every turn. Because of this, there is an option of deleting monsters.
Quest is not quite a gameplay mode, since they are not playable; they make the rune knight (and its troop) unavailable for a variable amount of turns. During this time, the character is involved in events (mostly random), which may benefit or impair the player. Rulers cannot participate on quests.
In the attack phase, each nation may allocate its own troops to adjacent enemy castles, which is treated as an attack. If the defending castle is occupied, a battle is marked to occur between the two groups of troops, unless the castle originating the troops is attacked first (the order of attack depends on the level of the rune knights). When battles are marked to occur, the game switches to the battle mode in the end of the organize phase.
Battle mode
In this mode, each turn is a combat round. Battles take place in hexagonal grids; each unit (rune knight or monster) occupies one hexagon. Each unit, with rare exceptions, may act once on each turn, and the units belonging to the same troop must act in sequence. A unit's action usually consists in a movement followed by a physical attack, or by a magic spell/special attack.Each side may bring only up to 3 troops to a single battle, regardless of the number of troops that are attacking or defending the castle. Once a battle starts, the attacking side has 13 turns to gain victory, by defeating all troops of the opposing side. A troop is defeated by having its leader reduced to 0 hit points, or when the leader retreats. If the ruler of a nation is reduced to 0 hit points or retreats, all other rune knights belonging to the same side retreat. If the attacking side fails to gain victory within 13 turns, all its rune knights retreat.
In battle, each rune knight has an area around it called rune area. Outside of this area, the monsters belonging to the rune knight's troop become weaker. When a rune knight is reduced to 0 hit points or retreats, the monsters belonging to its troop may either retreat or be captured by the opposing side. A monster which is outside the leader's rune area has an increased chance of being captured.
Monsters which are reduced to 0 hit points are considered to be killed, and disappear forever. Rune knights reduced to 0 hit points become unavailable to be used for 1 in-game month, but aren't affected otherwise.
Units and magic spells frequently have elements associated with them: red, blue, green, white or black. Physical attacks and spells from units associated with a certain element are more effective against units associated with the opposing element (red opposes blue, white opposes black). Likewise, physical attacks and spells are less effective against units associated with the same element.
Plot
The game begins with a scene showing Zemeckis, commander of the army of the Kingdom of Almekia, receiving a visit from a rune knight called Cador, who wields the title of "Death Knight". Zemeckis is convinced that he is being falsely accused of treason, and decides to rebel against the King of Almekia, Henguist. Zemeckis' rebellion is joined by other rune knights, and they successfully take over the country of Almekia, renaming it Esgares Empire. King Hengust dies in the hands of Cador, and the son of the King, Prince Lance, flees to the nearby Kingdom of Padstow with the rune knights who stayed loyal to the deceased king. These events are the trigger for the war between the countries of Forsena.Playable Nations
- New Almekia: The former Kingdom of Padstow, which was an ally of Almekia. King Coel abdicated the throne in favor of Prince Lance, who becomes the ruler of nation, renamed West Almekia (New Almekia in the American port of the game). Lance desires to fight to avenge his father and take back the kingdom which was stolen from him.
- Caerleon: Known as "Magic Kingdom", Caerleon is a small country with powerful magic wielders. Caerleon allies itself with West Almekia early in the game. The ruler of the nation, Cai, is a powerful spellcaster and is known as the "Silent Wise King", who brings his country to war for the best of his people.
- Norgard: An icy and large country in the north. The nation was weakened after losing a war against Almekia in the past, but now the new ruler, Vaynard, desires to restore his country to glory by conquering the entire continent. Vaynard is a brilliant strategist and known as the "White Wolf" for his bravery.
- Iscalio: A chaotic country, filled with daily parties and celebrations. Its ruler is a tyrant named Dryst, which is also called "The Mad Monarch" due to his utter insanity. Dryst desires to wage war and conquer the entire continent of Forsena simply for fun.
- Leonia: A religious and peaceful country, which ends up in the war just to protect itself. Its ruler, Queen Lyonesse, was a former village girl who became a ruler after being appointed by the prophecy.
- Egares Empire: The former Kingdom of Almekia, whose new ruler is now Emperor Zemeckis. Zemeckis doesn't have the ambition of power - he desires to conquer the Forsena just because fighting is his only way of living. Unlike the other countries, Egares is not normally playable; a cheat code must be used to control it. The Egares game also has no plot cut scenes. However, some of the characters within the Egares Empire have special quests, such as the twins Mira and Millet.
Brigandine: Grand Edition
The remake of the game released in 2000 had many significant changes, including:- Multiplayer game mode: allowing up to 6 players, each controlling a nation;
- The Esgares Empire became a fully playable nation, and gained plot cut scenes;
- Changes on battle mode gameplay:
- Like on the Fire EmblemFire Emblemis a fantasy tactical role-playing video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems , the maker of Advance Wars , and published by Nintendo...
series, elements became based on the Rock, Paper, ScissorsRock, Paper, ScissorsRock-paper-scissors is a hand game played by two people. The game is also known as roshambo, or another ordering of the three items ....
rule: red is effective against green, green is effective against blue, and blue is effective against red. White and black still oppose each other; - If, after 13 turns of battle, the attacking side has a unit over the defending side's castle, the attacking side now wins.
- Like on the Fire Emblem
- Monsters became able to equip items;
- The player is redirected to a final bossBoss (video games)A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
, when the continent is successfully conquered; - The original 3D opening was replaced by an animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
opening; - Many dialog-only cut scenes where replaced by anime cut scenes;
- 3D battle animations replaced by simpler and faster 2D animations;
- Major changes on soundtrack;
- New rune knights, character classes, items and monsters.
- Voice acting is present with Japanese SeiyūSeiyuVoice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
, including the voice talents of Sōichirō HoshiSoichiro Hoshiis a Japanese seiyū. He is affiliated with Arts Vision.He uses the name when appearing in adult games.With the exception of Jungle Emperor Leo , he has been cast as a major or supporting character in every Goro Taniguchi directed anime.-Anime:...
, Mitsuaki MadonoMitsuaki Madonois a voice actor who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes hide a more insidious nature is a voice actor (seiyū) who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes...
and Yuri ShiratoriYuri Shiratoriis a female seiyū and J-pop singer from Kanagawa Prefecture who has released various solo CD albums. She is employed by 81 Produce.-Profile:*Born on August 20, 1968 in Kanagawa Prefecture*Nickname: Shiratari-san...
to name a few.