Knights in the Nightmare

[serenade_beta]

Just found out about this game's existence!
By Sting!! Yay~~! ^o^

http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/index.htm
Release: 7/17 --> 9/25

English version:
http://www.atlus.com/knights/

Info on Series: Here

Spoiler for cover:

Also, there is a special pack you can buy, which contains a copy of Yggdra Union! Not that I need one.

Spoiler for special cover:

This is a definite buy from me! Both Riviera and Yggdra Union were so good after all~, and the artists/others from Riviera and Yggdra Union are also working on the game. And from the sample music on the website, the audio is as wonderful as ever.


Apparently, this game is the fourth episode to Dept. Heaven series!
Not only that, but it seems confirmed that these games all take place in the same world! Which... means all of those connections we have seen in the two games were not meaningless...

But this is the fourth... which means, we are still missing the third episode...

The basic story for this game is... (put a "quote" to make the text stand out)

Somewhere on Earth, that separates the realm of gods and the realm of the dead... On the island of Cent Celestina that holds the Noir Lake, which is filled with bluish-black water... On the summit of a precipitous cliff, lays an impregnable old castle, Arventheim.

In ancient times, once, different races fought each other.
Once, they lived together and the land became where the royalty lived.

Once, movements of unrest occurred inside the royal palace, and by someone's guidance, demons from the realm of the dead appeared suddenly. By the power of Zolgonak, the soldiers who pledged their loyalty to the king were defeated, and this land became a world of darkness where monsters wandered.

Just what had happened to the old castle of Arventheim, which has now become a nest for monsters?
What happened to the king who ruled this land?
The true objective of the traitor?
Is the armored girl who appeared at sometime an enemy, or is she an ally?
What is the true identity of the ones with wings...?

In a silent forest, in a decayed church, the protagonist awakens.
He regains his lost memories, and
to reveal the events that has happened to this world, he heads towards the old castle of Arventheim, the center of the incident.

In "Knight in the Nightmare", the player becomes the wandering soul, "Wisp", and attempts to recapture the castle while blowing temporary life into the characters who were cursed, soul was stolen, and scattered across the land.

-Character creation by Kiyuzuki Satoko from Yggdra Union
-Character Face Graphic is done by Tobe Sunaho from Riveria GBA and PSP
-Full body illustrations and enemy character illustrations by Iwanaga Yoshinori (romanization is...?) from Riviera WSC

There are seven classes you can use, it seems:

Duelist
Weapon: Sword
Attack Direction: In; Left
Movement: Capable
Glam: Incapable
Influence of Height: Hard to receive influence

Warrior
Weapon: Axe
Attack Direction: In; Left
Movement: Incapable
Glam: Incapable
Influence of Height: Pretty much none

Hermit
Weapon: Dagger
Attack Direction: Front; Right
Movement: Incapable
Glam: Incapable
Influence of Height: Slower on flats, faster on elevated terrain

Archer
Weapon: Bow
Attack Direction: Front; Right
Movement: Incapable
Glam: Incapable
Influence of Height: Slow on flats, fastest on elevated terrain

Priestess
Weapon: Mace
Attack Direction: Front; Right
Movement: Incapable
Glam: Capable
Influence of Height: Faster on elevated terrain to an extent, but as a whole, is slow

Wizard
Weapon: Rod
Attack Direction: Front; Right
Movement: Incapable
Glam: Capable
Influence of Height: Faster on elevated terrain to an extent, but as a whole, is slow

Lance Knight
Weapon: Lance
Attack Direction: 4 directions
Movement: Capable
Glam: Incapable
Influence of Height: Speed is average, and height has influence


The flow of the game goes:

1. Stage Start Event - Story event
2. Tactics - Choose units and items to use; Encount Slot determines appearing enemies
3. Battle Start
4. Battle - Controlling wisp, you command your units to defeat the enemy; complete terms for victory in turn limit and battle ends.
Game over happens if...
-A MUST unit does
-All units defeated
-Turn limit surpassed
5. State Finish Event - What has happened to the characters in their past are told
6. Set-Up - Save, power up weapons, level up, tran-soul, etc.

[Acseru]

Looks good. Hope they translate it to english sometime. Ah, I wish every japanese game for DS had the same option as Gyakuten Saiban (Japanese AND Enlish text in the japanese version)

[Lord Ryo]

This game looks really awesome, the music displayed on the official site sounds very promising. Seeing how Riviera and Yggdra were such excellent games I can’t expect any less than perfect from this game as well. It’ll be released soon in Japan, let’s hope Atlus does us a favor and brings it over to the states soon after. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. And then once it’s out of the way, maybe they can start working on chapter 3?

[krisslanza]

You forgot to mention the biggest "O_o" about this game. Here I'll say:
Its a "real-time turn-based" game :P

[Kaioshin Sama]

Awesome, I was wondering what Sting would be up to next. So far everyone of their games has been as innovative as it's been pleasing to look at and fun to play. I hope the trend continues.

[Klashikari]

Old scans, but I guess it is better to have a better close up, especially for Maria, and her armor.



Now I think the game alone can force me to buy a DS... and Crap, i'm already in love with the tracks, especially the second one

[Lord Ryo]

Originally Posted by krisslanza

You forgot to mention the biggest "O_o" about this game. Here I'll say:
Its a "real-time turn-based" game :P

Oh yes, this part sounds really interesting. I'm assuming it'll be similar to how the "real-time turn base" was in Eternal Sonata.

[krisslanza]

Never played Eternal Sonata so not sure how that works...

But... Hm. Something about that sword strikes me as... Familiar...

EDIT:
Maria's armor has a skirt similar to Yggdra's, anyone else notice that?
And something just seems so oddly familiar about that sword... But... What?

[Lord Ryo]

Well, I don't know much about Knights yet, how much connection to Yggdra and Riviera does it have as far as story and events go? Where would you place it on a timeline?

[krisslanza]

Not sure yet but judging from the 'timeline' present in the page shown... Knights in the Nightmare is supposed to happen just before Riviera. Yggdra Union is the 'first' of the series.

Also none of the music, except the first track (Which IS excellent), will play for me. D:

[Lord Ryo]

Ok, that makes sense. And what exactly is you find so strikingly familiar about the sword. It’s been ages since I’ve played either Yggdra or Riviera so perhaps it’s something I don’t remember…

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Old scans, but I guess it is better to have a better close up, especially for Maria, and her armor.



Now I think the game alone can force me to buy a DS... and Crap, i'm already in love with the tracks, especially the second one

Thanks a lot for the scans~

Originally Posted by krisslanza

Not sure yet but judging from the 'timeline' present in the page shown... Knights in the Nightmare is supposed to happen just before Riviera. Yggdra Union is the 'first' of the series.

Also none of the music, except the first track (Which IS excellent), will play for me. D:

Is that a timeline though? It doesn't look like one (more like a relation chart), but the possibility that Knights in the Nightmare is in-between Yggdra Union and Riviera is high.
It would also explain how "monsters" came to exist in Riviera. On the page, it says that the monsters passed through Hades Gate to reach Earth.
Now wouldn't it be amusing if *points to story summary at top*, if the person who guided the monsters was Hector...
So:
-All three games take place in different areas, except chapter 3 and 4 are the same place. That will be interesting to look at.
-All four games are connected to Heaven's Gate and the realm of Gods
-Nothing takes place in the realm of the dead, though Hades Gate is involved with chapter 4, and it is said that Riviera was once part of the realm of the dead (the dragon zombie?).

About the music... Yeah, it is difficult to get the tracks to play. For me, I press play. If it doesn't work, I move to the next piece. Press play. Move to the next piece if it doesn't work. Repeat.
It'll work... sooner or later.

Originally Posted by krisslanza

But... Hm. Something about that sword strikes me as... Familiar...

It looks similar to the Gran Centurio (Holy Sword)?
The overall shape and size of the sword looks similar to Yggdra's.
The main difference is the design, but if you think of that as a result of death, corruption, sin, or something, then her appearance and the sword's is reasonable... Perhaps?

[Klashikari]

I also thought Maria's sword was similar to Grand Centurio, but the thing is that the changes are really notable.

Aside of the ardonement on the Hilt and Cross guard, the shape of the blade is very different, despite the slight "curves" around triangle hilt.
The runes and especially the guard would suffer tremendous change to switch from CG to Maria's sword.

But if it is really GC, it is really a mystery how Maria could get it, especially that I would hardly believe the Gods and the Grim Angels would leave it unsealed, under the reach of humans and so forth.

*geh*, the lack of information is really fustrating...

[Lord Ryo]

At first I started to think Maria's sword looked like Yggdra's, but I completely forgot what the Grand Centurio looked like. Thou there many differences, they do kinda look similar now that I have been refreshed! ^^

[krisslanza]

Well if you assume...

Spoiler:

That the Ragnarok end is the correct end of YU then perhaps from all the fighting the Gran Centurio has become extremely twisted with all the bloodshed?

This is nothing more then theory of course.

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

About the music... Yeah, it is difficult to get the tracks to play. For me, I press play. If it doesn't work, I move to the next piece. Press play. Move to the next piece if it doesn't work. Repeat.
It'll work... sooner or later.

Easier way to get the tracks, and even for personal use, fufu
http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/bgm_knights_sting_1.mp3
http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/bgm_knights_sting_2.mp3
http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/bgm_knights_sting_3.mp3

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

But if it is really GC, it is really a mystery how Maria could get it, especially that I would hardly believe the Gods and the Grim Angels would leave it unsealed, under the reach of humans and so forth.

There is the possibility that Maria=Yggdra. Like, she somehow managed to escape, or was cursed by the gods, or something, and ended up looking like she does. And age-wise, they seem to match too.
Yggdra is 17, and Maria is supposed to be around 20. Assuming Maria doesn't age, xx time could pass and she could still look like that.

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Easier way to get the tracks, and even for personal use, fufu
http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/bgm_knights_sting_1.mp3
http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/bgm_knights_sting_2.mp3
http://www.sting.co.jp/knights/bgm_knights_sting_3.mp3

Thanks.
Time to download and loop them over and over again...

[Klashikari]

That eventuality sounds also sexy to me
If we get such thing, Yggdra would certainly be jaded to a royal extent... turning into a "SC Nightmare" like?

Aside of it, it seems the geography in KITN is very spread, (a la FE), so we might get several factions this time around.

[krisslanza]

If I recall aren't all the characters in Knights in the Nightmare dead already and the Wisp has the ability to revive them to fight for it?

[Klashikari]

All characters? Beats me. The description is pretty vague by itself. The combat system sure resolves around manipulating fallen combatants, yet it is a bit shooting in the dark without the reasons and context behind it >_>
Maria doesn't seem "fresh", but as far as for the other characters, they don't exactly seem "out of a grave".