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Rogue Galaxy

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Rogue Galaxy
File:281546b.jpg
Developer(s)Level-5
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
ReleaseHong Kong Macau Dec. 6, 2005
Japan Dec. 8, 2005
Canada United States Jan. 30, 2007
European Union June 2007
Genre(s)Sci-Fi RPG
Mode(s)Single Player

Template:Nihongo title is a video game RPG developed by Level-5 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game was first released in Japan on December 8th, 2005, and later in North America on January 30th, 2007. It is currently scheduled to release in Europe in June of 2007. Level-5 has also confirmed a Director's Cut version of the game, which will release in Japan on March 15, 2007. The Director's Cut includes all the added features and improvements of the North American and European localization. [1]

Rogue Galaxy enjoyed immense critical success upon its initial release in Japan, scoring a 36/40 in Famitsu and an 85 average in Dengeki, Japan's two most popular gaming magazines. Sales were also very strong for an original IP RPG in Japan, with sales totaling close to 400,000 units in just three months.

Plot and Setting

Story

Rogue Galaxy begins on the planet Rosa with the title hero, Jaster Rogue, a young man with avid dreams of exploring the galaxy. Unfortunately for him, Rosa, despite being a planet on the outskirts of the galaxy, is rife with highly contested natural resources. As a result, the planet has been placed under occupation by the Longardia Commonwealth, a powerful but weak-willed nation, in order to ostensibly defend it against the Draxian Empire. Its citizens live under their oppressive control and are forbidden from leaving the planet. However, thanks to a few misunderstandings and a series of fortunate events, Jaster is recruited by a gang of space pirates who mistake him for the legendary hunter, Desert Claw, and he joins the crew of the pirate ship Dorgenark along with her captain, Dorgengoa, as they leave Rosa. He will eventually find himself taking part in a galaxy-wide search with the crew for a legendary planet said to hold the secrets of a highly advanced and vanished civilization along with possessing enough wealth to buy the galaxy. But what begins as a simple hunt for the greatest treasure ever known soon turns into much more as the Daytron Corporation and its devious president, Valkog Drazer, join the hunt for the mysterious and much desired planet.

Characters

These are the party members and main characters that the player will discover throughout the game.

  • Jaster Rogue (ジェスター・ローグ, Jesutā Rōgu)

A young man residing on the desert planet of Rosa, who dreams of traveling the stars and visiting new worlds. He has a mysterious birthmark on the left side of his face and was raised by his adoptive father, Raul, on Rosa when he was left at the church as a baby. He specializes in the use of swords and is armed with a pistol for ranged attacks.

  • Kisala (キサラ, Kisara)

The daughter of Dorgengoa, captain of the pirate ship Dorgenark and self-styled "King of Pirates", Kisala is a young woman whose cute looks belie her tough demeanor. She befriends Jaster when she meets him aboard the ship. She uses twin dagger-type weapons and kicks to dispatch her enemies in battle.

  • Zegram Ghart (ゼグラム・ガート, Zeguramu Gāto)

The brash and cynical member of the Dorgenark crew, Zegram's pragmatic approach to piracy has put him at odds with the deeds of the rest of the crew especially after Jaster joins their ranks. Although he appears not to care what the crew does and is focused on stealing as much treasure as they can find, he does have a good heart buried beneath his ruthless exterior. He uses a sword and wields throwing stars.

  • Lilika Rhyza (ルルカ・ライサ, Ruruka Raisa)

A female warrior from the forest planet of Juraika. She meets the crew of the Dorgenark when their ship accidentally crashes on the world after becoming damaged. At first, she is not very friendly towards Jaster and his new friends, but she eventually leaves with them to explore the galaxy and bring her experiences back to her people. She uses a bow and a chopping hatchet as her weapons of choice.

  • Simon Wicard (サイモン・ワッカード, Saimon Wakkādo)

A member of the Dorgenark's crew, Simon's stout physique is masked behind a mysterious past and a full suit that hides his features. He is one of the crew that initially mistakes Jaster for the famous hunter, Desert Claw, bringing him to the ship to join in their adventures. His carefree behavior and jovial manner are matched only by his skill with a close ranged pistol and ranged weapon pod strapped to his back.

  • Steve (スティーブ, Sutību)

A highly advanced robot and a member of the Dorgenark's crew, he initially mistakes Jaster for the famous hunter, Desert Claw. He is polite in manners and speech and is skilled in hacking into security systems to help the crew get into places they shouldn't be. He is armed with devastating hand attachments and a pair of floating satellites that attack foes at a distance.

  • Jupis Tooki McGanel (ジュピス・トゥーキー・マクガネル, Jupisu Tūkī Makuganeru)

A member of the Granshee race, Jupis is one of the galaxy's most brilliant researchers, especially in the field of time/space energy. He becomes a member of the Dorgenark crew after they help to solve a mystery involving him. Although he prefers to stay in a lab and complains after extended runs, his fighting ability with a staff weapon and flying discs make him a valuable addition to the party.

  • Deego Aegis (ディーゴ・アージス, Dīgo Ājisu)

An old soldier who had once been one of Longardia's best, he is found at a bar on Vedan. He left the military following an incident that replaced his right arm with a bionic attachment. He is encountered by Jaster and his friends when they arrive on Vedan looking for information and is willing to help them if only to face his past. He uses a minigun for distanced attacks and a battle axe for close combat.

  • Monsha (モンシャ, Monsha)

The First Officer of the Dorgenark, Monsha is a talking cat that runs the ship when Dorgengoa is indisposed (i.e. asleep). Sneering and self satisfied with his own brilliance, he enjoys giving orders while ensuring that the ship runs as smoothly as possible. He is always found on the bridge or by Captain Dorgengoa's side.

  • Dorgengoa (ドルゲンゴア, Dorugengoa)

The stalwart captain of the Dorgenark and father to Kisala, this self styled "King of the Pirates" is on a quest to discover a lost world and had brought together what he believes to be the best that the galaxy has to offer to fulfill his dream. A huge bear of a man, he is a strong leader that believes in his crew, especially when there is treasure involved.

  • Valkog Drazer (ヴァルコグ・ドレイザー, Varukogu Doreizā)

President of the Daytron Corporation, the largest company in the galaxy responsible for seventy percent of all ship construction, he harbors a secret desire to discover a lost world that is said to hold the secret of eternal life. To this end, he has used the resources of his company to seek out any clues as well as engage in unethical experimentation to produce biological weapons to feed the war between Longardia and the Draxian Empire.

  • Norma Kissleigh (ノーマ・キスリー, Norma Kisurī)

Valkog Drazer's voluptuous secretary and yes-girl, she is as cold as her employer and enjoys toying with those that have been hired by her.

Planets

There is a grand total of five worlds that the player may initially visit during the main game with a sixth opening up as a part of the central quest. The world of Alistia was added as part of the North American localization, featuring its own quest and challenges. Upon completing the game, an additional area is made available for exploration.

  • Rosa

The desert planet where the story begins. It has been recently occupied by the Longardian Federation in order to block any possibility of the Draxian Empire's attempt to do the same due of its valuable resources. Its people are restricted from leaving the planet and live under the constant oppression that Longardia has imposed upon them.

  • Juraika

A jungle planet, it is the home to fire fruit which is used to create the booster fuel used in starship engines. Ancient ruins are also found scattered within its jungles and despite the advances found on other worlds, it is home to tribes that have remained rooted in the traditional ways of their people, exiling those that dare to experiment with technology.

  • Zerard

The most advanced planet in the galaxy, it is the home of the Galaxy Corporation which reaches across the Longardian Federation providing information and travel to its citizens. It is the only place where a travel visa may be renewed, allowing ships to dock at planetside ports. It is also the home to Rosencaster Prison, the most secure location on the planet where the worst criminals are put away. A starship factory is also located here along with the arena for the Insectron Tournament.

  • Vedan

Home to the galaxy's most productive mines and the headquarters of the Daytron Corporation, its major concerns are currently enforced by the Morarty family under Zax Morarty with Daytron's permission. As a result, it is subject to gangland violence as Morarty soldiers patrol the streets in three piece suits and use tommy-gun fashioned weapons to punish those that stand in their way. It is a world that is also eternally dark on one side and light on the other, giving the impression of eternal twilight within the cities that lie in between.

  • Alistia

This world was added to the North American release of the title during localization. A world whose surface is mostly covered in water, it is the home to two, opposing races: the underwater dwelling Mermels and the Sleeg on the surface. Despite this, it is considered a resort world thanks to its abundant beaches and natural wonders. It is not immediately open to travel until a certain point in the game is reached, at which point the player may visit and participate in the quest written for it.

  • Rose Nebula

Although it is not a planet, it is one of the places that may be visited by the player on the game map. It is considered one of the most beautiful places in the galaxy as its burning pink and rose colored clouds of gas appear to fall from a waterfall suspended in space. It is also the home to dangerous creatures that occasionally attack travelers.

Gameplay

The game's engine features a continuous environment with no load time and battles taking place in the overworld in real time. The graphics bear a resemblance to other Level-5 RPGs, most notably Dragon Quest VIII and Dark Chronicle.

Similar to Dark Chronicle, the upgrade system consists of synthesizing items, and then applying the items to the weapon or the item you wish to upgrade. The item gains the power earned from the item, such as fire.

Combat

File:Rogue-galaxy-20060425025407253.jpg
Battle screen from the U.S version of Rogue Galaxy.

Combat is done much like that of Kingdom Hearts II,Final Fantasy XII,Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time and Phantasy Star Universe, in which the player fights enemies on the same playing field, thus having transitionless battles.

Some of the Combat's features are as follows;

Tech Attacks
These are team based attacks in which two or more team members combine their abilities into one devastating attack. They are unlocked on the Revelation Flow for each character and are unique for each one with various requirements for who must be present within the active party to be enabled in combat (á la Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross).
Burning Strike
In the Japanese release, these special attacks would occur at random, but this was changed in the U.S. release so that the player may activate them manually by collecting enough Burning Chips dropped by foes during combat to fill a special gauge. Once filled, the player may activate this ability at which point they must follow a series of prompts onscreen to string together attacks in order to generate a great deal of damage to a targeted enemy.
Throwing Enemies
The player can throw an enemy into another enemy to cause damage. Various obstacles and items also appear within the combat area for the player to use in like fashion in most instances.
Special Conditions
Several enemies are immune to damage unless made vulnerable through various means; some must first have their barriers destroyed by one of Jaster's guns. Others can only be harmed at very specific weak points to deliver massive damage. Still others must have their guard broken through the use of a strong attack. Players must be aware of this, as such enemies are invulnerable to even the strongest attacks in the game until made otherwise.

Dungeon Exploration

Keeping in tradition with Level-5's Dark Cloud/Dark Chronicle series, some areas contain puzzles. These can range from the mundane fetching of a key that matches the lock to more exotic ones, such as freezing a waterfall and then using created platforms in order to climb it.

Many of the puzzles encountered involve "Thinking Circles" - areas with a question mark where the player directs the characters, is informed of a situation there, and then attempts to select the right item from the inventory to address the situation. Doing so unlocks other parts of the dungeon, summons important bosses, and soforth.

Dungeons in Rogue Galaxy are noteably long affairs, and may have odd and specialized enemies in them requiring the player to determine the best way to deal with them.

Insectron Tournament

The Insectron Tournament is a completely optional mini-game where player pits up a team of his collected and trained bugs against opponents in a chess-like board, turn-based combat. Bugs can be acquired in each of the worlds by setting up traps and using food items as bait.


The Factory

At a certain point early in the game, the player's characters get access to a reconfigurable factory. They then are able to find blueprints by talking to others in the game (who have orange icons over their heads). Using the blueprints, the player can set up factory equipment and raw materials to make new items. Upon completion of the item, the party gets a "sample" and the item will be available in some stores in the game.

The factory layout is essentially a 2D flow-puzzle where the player lays out equipment and coveryor belts, hooks up power cables, and attempts to make sure the right materials are processed properly, and combined at the right time in the manufacturing process. Consideration of the materials used, how they are processed, and the time it takes is required for success.


Weapon Synthesis

Also following Level-5's tradition, Weapon Synthesis is the main course for acquiring powerful and effective weapons.

All weapons gain EXP from battles until they reach a level where they are "Maxed" and can be synthesized along with another similarly-developed weapon to create an even stronger one. This is accomplished by the use of "Toady", a strange froglike creature whose exposure to the mysterious substance Rune has given him the ability to swallow weapons and regurgitate a more advanced one. Toady can also analyze weapons and make suggestions for combinations, and will helpfully warn if a combination he's attempting to digest will give useless or negative results. He can only combine two weapons of the same kind.

After a weapon is "Maxed" on its experience, it continues to gain additional damage in specific "elemental" categories - fire, ice, wind, lightning, and holy. These can improve to a limited degree. When the experience and the elemental damage is at maximum, a weapon is considered "Mastered" and cannot be improved further. Improving these stats can mean a more powerful weapon is produced when Toady is used.

All playable characters possess two weapons: primary and secondary. Melee characters will have a close-range weapon set as primary, while long-range weapons will be their secondary. For ranged fighters, the opposite is true. Combining weapons is no different among characters.

Weapon synthesis also provides a kind of extra, optional challenge. By diagnosing 100 or more recepies, and making at least 50, characters can unlock a special costume for Zegram.

Audio

Soundtrack

File:Rgost.jpg
Soundtrack Cover

Composed by Level-5's chief composer, Tomohito Nishiura, Rogue Galaxy's OST is reminiscent of games such as Skies of Arcadia and Star Ocean. The title's ending vocal track, "Dreaming My Way Home", is composed by Nishiura and written, arranged and performed by Barbara Kessler.

A 10-track arrangement album entitled Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange was also released in early 2006, and featured contributions from quite a few popular video game composers including Yasunori Mitsuda, Kenji Ito, Yoko Shimomura, Motoi Sakuraba and Noriyuki Iwadare.

Disc One

  1. The Theme of Rogue Galaxy
  2. The Sandy Town
  3. The Omen
  4. The Crisis
  5. The Church
  6. Brave Heart
  7. A Hasty Man
  8. Hazardous Desert
  9. Timeless Town
  10. Severe Voyage
  11. The Jungle of Jyuraika
  12. Burkaqua Village
  13. The Ruined Castle
  14. A Road to the Ruined Castle
  15. Shadow of the Sun
  16. Swinging
  17. Planet Zerard
  18. Two Horns
  19. Sweet Memories
  20. The Galaxy Public Corporation
  21. Factory (In Editing)
  22. Factory (In Production)
  23. A Peaceful Moment
  24. A Hidden Insanity
  25. The Prison
  26. The Lost Gene
  27. Exploder1
  28. A Childhood Memory
  29. Starship Factory
  30. Open the World
  31. Varkogu's Theme

Disc Two

  1. The King of Legend
  2. A Masked Man
  3. Exploder2
  4. The Misty Town
  5. The Bar "Angela"
  6. Overcome the Sorrow
  7. The Cave of a Mine
  8. Insectron (Strategy)
  9. Insectron (Battle)
  10. The Watery Relic
  11. Wandering Way
  12. Strain
  13. The Labyrinth
  14. Le Marie Glennecia
  15. Enormous Threat
  16. The Castle in the Air
  17. The Battle Within
  18. The Mystery Forest
  19. History Tells
  20. The Holy Valley
  21. Blue Tears
  22. The Valley of the Evil Lava
  23. The Mother
  24. The Relic's Song
  25. The Beast Battleship
  26. A Wish For Tomorrow
  27. The Ghost Ship
  28. Escape to The Victory
  29. Dreaming My Way Home ~ Ending Theme
  30. Dreaming My Way Home ~ Unrecorded Version <Bonus Track>

English Voice Cast

Japanese Voice Cast


Crew

Localization Improvements

Due to its success in Japan, Level-5 opted not only to localize Rogue Galaxy for North America and Europe, but to add a significant amount of new features and content, and address any complaints concerning the original version. These improvements, which feature in both the North American and European versions of the game, and the Japanese Director's Cut, include:[2]

  • A fifth planet, the water world of Alistia; while separate from the main story arc, it includes its own sidequests and special items, and helps flesh out some of the characters.
  • Revamped Chain Attacks; players now collect orbs during battle, which allows them to execute these attacks when they choose.
  • The layout and visual design of several dungeons and planets has been altered and improved.
  • Additional content within the Insectron Tournament sidequest.
  • New items, weapons, monsters, costumes and special moves.
  • Improved and expanded battle animations.
  • Over 2000 lines of additional voiced dialogue.
  • Higher quality cinematics, due to improved compression.

References

  1. ^ Winkler, Chris (Jan. 10, 2007). "Rogue Galaxy Director's Cut Announced". RPGFan. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |accessyear= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  2. ^ Vore, Bryan (Oct. 16, 2006). "U.S. Version Of Rogue Galaxy To Include Loads Of New Content". Game Informer. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear= and |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
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