This should prove to be a good warm-up to Hundred Heroes
Different games suit different needs; that goes without saying. If it’s a complex epic, games like Xenoblade Chronicles, Persona 3/4/5, and the Mass Effect trilogy will have gamers covered for weeks. But other times, short and simplistic are the call of the day, and that is where a game like Eiyuden Chronicles: Rising comes in. With lowered expectations and the knowledge that this is nothing groundbreaking, this game can still be enjoyed on many levels, including its close ties to the first two Suikoden games, two classics.
The game stars CJ, who arrives in New Nevaeh for the first time searching for unique treasures and massive amounts of riches. However, gaining the right to explore the town and its surroundings isn’t as easy as initially expected, and many chores are required to gain the trust of the locals. Each completed chore gains a stamp on the chore chart…Er, passport-looking booklet. Putting these explorers through that with the stamps felt childish, but c’est la vie; it progresses the game and strengthens them. Plus, at least the game has a sense of humor. CJ is later joined by two other characters: a kangaroo/man hybrid and a mage. Changing between these three characters is near instantaneous, and the key to blazing through any foe standing in the way.
Stylistically, Rising brings to mind the two Suikoden games for the PS1. This should come as no shock, as the series creator and several other key members from Suikoden had a hand in Rising’s creation, so it plays as a spiritual successor. Where this game differs is that it’s a 2D side-scrolling action RPG, rather than a traditional turn-based JRPG. Otherwise, sprite work is reminiscent of the first two games from Suikoden, and Rising is very easy on the eyes, and the backgrounds out in the field are breathtaking.
The music tracks resemble the Suikoden games and create peaceful vibes within towns, with some tracks that dare you to explore the unknown at your peril when going deeper into the dungeons.
Levels are fairly straightforward, with some branching paths that are easy to spot from the mini-map. Some are temporarily blocked off, but with the high number of warps, they can easily be revisited. It vaguely reminded me of a Metroidvania: a newly gained power or ability allows access to new portions of previous dungeons, and usually valuable treasures. There are percentages on the map screen next to each section name, which state exactly how much of an area has been explored. Sadly, there aren’t a lot of places to explore. There are the cliché forest area, caverns, snow-covered mountains, and lava-filled volcanoes. Nothing will surprise anyone who has played more than a few video games, but the presentation of each environment is well done.
On each expedition, CJ and the crew are guaranteed to cross paths with a plethora of ugly monsters. So, what’s the opposite of a “damage-sponge”? Because, other than a few enemies, mainly a flying mage and a huge knight with shields that need to be broken, they all go down in a few hits. Bosses don’t last long and usually go down in less than a minute. Eventually, your party expands to three members, but only one character can be used at a time. Each character’s attack corresponds to one of the three buttons: triangle, circle, or square. With the proper timing, linked attacks occur where characters cycle in and out of battle seamlessly, which increases the damage. Overall, it made for a breezy game with limited resistance and strategy.
What makes this game exciting is the consistent development of the hub town, New Neveah. As more side quests are completed and stamps collected, the town transforms from something that looks like a hovel into a respectable little tourist hotspot. Doing favors for the locals allows CJ to gain the trust of the inhabitants, which leads to the opening and expansion of many shops that strengthen weapons or armor, or offer accessories, healing, food, and more.
There are tons of stores to shop at and improve all three characters, and there was always something to upgrade, though customization options were more limited. Each character has one weapon and piece of armor that can be upgraded down a linear path with no branching choices at any time. Two accessories and one rune with a defensive slot and an offensive slot can be equipped, which is the extent of the freedom offered. Runes are straightforward, and I only switched those when a barrier needed to be knocked down. See a barrier with a specific element, and equip that element in the attack slot under the rune. If you see enemies with one particular elemental attack, equip that element in the defensive slot under the rune. That’s it; no extra thought is required.
Other side content of note is fishing and trapping. Trapping is straightforward and yields meat upon returning to town. The higher the trap level, the more likely high-quality meat will be found. Fishing involves pressing a few buttons at the right time to catch fish. Again, the higher the level, the more likely it is to catch better-quality fish.
This game should not take more than 15 hours, even when attempting to reach 100%, and it is just as likely that some people could blaze through in under 10 hours when focusing on the main story only. I took 12 hours and got 135 stamps (finished side quests). As is, this is a solid diversion when a change of pace is needed, but anything longer than 10–15 hours of these mechanics would have quickly become too much. If you want something to knock out in no time, this shouldn’t disappoint.