Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes
Encyclopedia
is an iPod
tactical role-playing game
developed and published by Square Enix
worldwide.
A new version entitled Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes - Encore was announced for the iOS at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show
. This game expands on the original game with new Tune Troopers and a reworked storyline twice the size of the first. The game was released on App Store on December 2nd.
, Mage
, Archer
, Knight
, and Monk
. Most of the Troopers and their skills are named or modeled after songs, albums and musicians from both Japanese and Western music.
Each Trooper is given a rank of bronze, silver, gold or platinum as well as a secondary letter ranking based on its statistics in relation to its rank. The higher a Trooper's rank, the fewer times it can be deployed; however, further deployments, called rewinds, can be bought. When the player plays a song from which a trooper is constructed outside of the game, they receive points called "play points" which can be used to strengthen the Troopers in battle. Other items, called "pitch pearls", allow the Troopers' ranks to be increased. Pearls can be obtained by defeating monsters in quests and in the rehearsal room. The rehearsal room is a place where the Troopers can be trained one at a time to become stronger.
Ziggy starts his quest by heading to Oppenheimer, a city to the North. From there he rescues a robot deserter, which he names Z.E.R.O., due to the large number of zeros in its name. It is noted that the cube pendant resonates when they first meet. He then travels to Full House's tower, where he defeats Full House and rescues Golden Wing, a Superstar who joins Ziggy's party.
After that, Ziggy climbs the legendary Joshua Tree and sees the equally legendary Ship of Fools. After travelling to the Ship of Fools, he finds that the Mechanical Militiamen are created from humans through a conversion machine inside the Ship of Fools. Ziggy then goes to Stargazer Straight Flush's tower, destroying Straight Flush and rescuing an archer-type Superstar, Seattlite.
After that, Ziggy, Z.E.R.O., Golden Wing, and Seattlite head into Metropolis, meet Seattlite's daughter, and go into Stargazer Great Artist's tower. After he is defeated, the Stargazer hacks the network and makes sure that he cannot be rebuilt and that he will die human. Finding the tower devoid of any Superstars, they return to Metropolis and find a Superstar named No Future, who had been hiding in Metropolis.
Once Ziggy reaches the core system, he finds that Z.E.R.O. is not a deserter and has been working for Number 42 all along. Z.E.R.O. leads the party to the final confrontation with Number 42, when he steals the cube pendant, allowing Number 42 to use its power to activate the Network, a collective consciousness which can take control of all living beings in the land of Melodica. Ziggy then proceeds to fight Z.E.R.O.. Ziggy disables Z.E.R.O., and when he is remade by Number 42, the Song of the Unsung is unlocked from Ziggy's pendant. The Song of the Unsung is a song made by conductors of old that disables robots when used. Once Number 42 realizes that he has been betrayed by Z.E.R.O., he unleashes all four Stargazers, and they attack Ziggy. After the battle, Number 42 has merged with the Network, transforming into Ultimate Answer 42 and granting him near invulnerability. Z.E.R.O. uses himself to channel the Song of the Unsung into the Network to make Ultimate Answer 42 vulnerable. While this is happening, Z.E.R.O.'s faceplate shatters and it is revealed that he is really Zero, Ziggy's lost brother. After Number 42 is dealt a fatal blow, Zero sacrifices himself to destroy the Core of the Network for good by channeling his current into the Core. The resulting explosion leaves a crater, seeming to having destroyed Zero. As Ziggy reflects on the destruction and subsequent loss of his brother again, his pendant glows, and Zero's body appears, and springs to life, though without any of his memories.
After the credits, Ziggy realizes that Zero's memories are coming back because of the Song of the Unsung. Then the game ends, as they both walk into the distance, proceeding to sing the Song, hoping to bring Zero's memories back.
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
tactical role-playing game
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...
developed and published by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
worldwide.
A new version entitled Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes - Encore was announced for the iOS at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
. This game expands on the original game with new Tune Troopers and a reworked storyline twice the size of the first. The game was released on App Store on December 2nd.
Gameplay
Song Summoner is similar to other Square Enix tactical games, but unique in that troops, called Tune Troopers, are generated from songs on the user's iPod. There are 50 characters that can be generated, each of which falls into one of five job classes: SoldierSoldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, Mage
Mage
Mage may refer to:*Magi, a tribe from ancient Media of Iran*Mage, Burma*Magician , a practitioner of paranormal magic*Magician , a practitioner of magic as portrayed in works of fiction...
, Archer
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, Knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, and Monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
. Most of the Troopers and their skills are named or modeled after songs, albums and musicians from both Japanese and Western music.
Each Trooper is given a rank of bronze, silver, gold or platinum as well as a secondary letter ranking based on its statistics in relation to its rank. The higher a Trooper's rank, the fewer times it can be deployed; however, further deployments, called rewinds, can be bought. When the player plays a song from which a trooper is constructed outside of the game, they receive points called "play points" which can be used to strengthen the Troopers in battle. Other items, called "pitch pearls", allow the Troopers' ranks to be increased. Pearls can be obtained by defeating monsters in quests and in the rehearsal room. The rehearsal room is a place where the Troopers can be trained one at a time to become stronger.
Storyline
The game begins as Ziggy, the main character, and Zero, his little brother, are running away from Full House, a Stargazer in the mechanical militia. Full House takes Zero away and is about to kill Ziggy when the Soul Master appears. He uses Ziggy's cube pendant to summon Her Majesty, a soldier-type Tune Trooper. The Soul Master and the Tune Trooper defeat the robots and drive Number 42 and Full House away. The Soul Master then explains to Ziggy that he is a conductor, and can summon and control an army through the music that is on the user's iPod. After 5 years of training, Ziggy starts his quest to find his little brother.Ziggy starts his quest by heading to Oppenheimer, a city to the North. From there he rescues a robot deserter, which he names Z.E.R.O., due to the large number of zeros in its name. It is noted that the cube pendant resonates when they first meet. He then travels to Full House's tower, where he defeats Full House and rescues Golden Wing, a Superstar who joins Ziggy's party.
After that, Ziggy climbs the legendary Joshua Tree and sees the equally legendary Ship of Fools. After travelling to the Ship of Fools, he finds that the Mechanical Militiamen are created from humans through a conversion machine inside the Ship of Fools. Ziggy then goes to Stargazer Straight Flush's tower, destroying Straight Flush and rescuing an archer-type Superstar, Seattlite.
After that, Ziggy, Z.E.R.O., Golden Wing, and Seattlite head into Metropolis, meet Seattlite's daughter, and go into Stargazer Great Artist's tower. After he is defeated, the Stargazer hacks the network and makes sure that he cannot be rebuilt and that he will die human. Finding the tower devoid of any Superstars, they return to Metropolis and find a Superstar named No Future, who had been hiding in Metropolis.
Once Ziggy reaches the core system, he finds that Z.E.R.O. is not a deserter and has been working for Number 42 all along. Z.E.R.O. leads the party to the final confrontation with Number 42, when he steals the cube pendant, allowing Number 42 to use its power to activate the Network, a collective consciousness which can take control of all living beings in the land of Melodica. Ziggy then proceeds to fight Z.E.R.O.. Ziggy disables Z.E.R.O., and when he is remade by Number 42, the Song of the Unsung is unlocked from Ziggy's pendant. The Song of the Unsung is a song made by conductors of old that disables robots when used. Once Number 42 realizes that he has been betrayed by Z.E.R.O., he unleashes all four Stargazers, and they attack Ziggy. After the battle, Number 42 has merged with the Network, transforming into Ultimate Answer 42 and granting him near invulnerability. Z.E.R.O. uses himself to channel the Song of the Unsung into the Network to make Ultimate Answer 42 vulnerable. While this is happening, Z.E.R.O.'s faceplate shatters and it is revealed that he is really Zero, Ziggy's lost brother. After Number 42 is dealt a fatal blow, Zero sacrifices himself to destroy the Core of the Network for good by channeling his current into the Core. The resulting explosion leaves a crater, seeming to having destroyed Zero. As Ziggy reflects on the destruction and subsequent loss of his brother again, his pendant glows, and Zero's body appears, and springs to life, though without any of his memories.
After the credits, Ziggy realizes that Zero's memories are coming back because of the Song of the Unsung. Then the game ends, as they both walk into the distance, proceeding to sing the Song, hoping to bring Zero's memories back.