Alundra 2 | |
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Developer(s) | Matrix Software, Contrail |
Publisher(s) | JP: SCEI
WW: Activision |
Director(s) | Yasuhiro Ohori
Masumi Takimoto |
Producer(s) | Mika Hayashi (executive)
Tad Horie (associate) |
Designer(s) | Takahiro Kaneko
Yasuhiro Ohori |
Programmer(s) | Yasuhiro Matsumoto (character) |
Writer(s) | Hiroshi Miyaoka |
Composer(s) | Kōhei Tanaka |
Platform(s) | Playstation |
Release date(s) | JP: November 18, 1999
NA: March 21, 2000 EU: June 2000 AU: 2000 |
Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
Mode(s) | Single Player |
Display | Belgar.jpg |
Alundra 2, released in Japan as Alundra 2: Ma Shinka no Nazo (アランドラ2 魔進化の謎 Arandora 2 Ma Shinka no Nazo, lit. "Alundra 2: The Mystery of Magic Evolution") and in Europe as Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins, is an action-adventure video game developed by Contrail for the Sony PlayStation. It was published by Sony in Japan in 1999 and by Activision in North America and PAL regions in 2000. Unlike its predecessor, Alundra, Alundra 2 features a 3D look, which opens up a new world of puzzles.
Gameplay[]
Alundra 2 is an action role-playing game that has the environment in 3D, the character can be moved in all directions, and the camera can be manually rotated 360 degrees. Gameplay consists of fighting enemies, interacting with character NPCs, puzzle solving, platforming, and exploration. The story is presented through text and voiced cutscenes.
The player controls Flint, a young swordsman and silent protagonist. Flint uses a sword to fight enemies and he carries a shield which gives passive damage reduction; stronger versions of both are obtainable throughout the game. Flint can also learn additional successive strikes for his sword, known as combos, by collecting items called Puzzle Pieces and exchanging them with the character Lord Jeehan. The game also features unique magical ring items which grant Flint special powers such as the abilities to float in place or traverse over harmful lava.
Story[]
Alundra 2's story is set in the kingdom of Varuna. A powerful sorcerer Mephisto is using magical wind-up keys to control humans and turn animals into powerful killing machines. You play Flint, a young hero and Pirate Hunter who is wanted for treason, and is after the pirates that caused his parents' death.
The game begins with Flint infiltrating a flying airship. Inside, he finds the ship is staffed by humanoid robots; there are conspicuous keys protruding from their backs and their speech is unintelligible. Also on board is a family of three pirates: Zeppo, Albert, and Ruby. Flint eavesdrops on their conversation and it is mentioned that Mephisto can create "mechanical men" through a technology that only he understands. Baron Diaz, untrusting of Mephisto, tasks the pirates with keeping an eye on him.
Flint is discovered and attacked by Zeppo. The resulting battle damages the interior of the ship and causes it to crash. Flint falls into the sea and washes onto a shore where he is found by a villager and taken in. After recovering, he meets Princess Alexia and joins forces with her. Alexia explains that her father is missing and she knows that Baron Diaz used the pirates to get rid of him.
In their search for incriminating proof, Flint and Alexia encounter Mephisto, battle with his mechanical abominations, and investigate the suspicious "Church of the Key". They are eventually detained by Mephisto and taken by sea to Varuna. Flint is thrown overboard, but he survives and reaches the capital to confront Baron Diaz. The Baron threatens Alexia's life and tasks Flint with retrieving three relics in exchange for her safety. Flint is told to enlist the help of the three pirates he had met before: Zeppo, Albert, and Ruby. They assist him in entering the ruins. Flint goes through the ruins and does battle with their ancient guardians to obtain the three relics.
Flint returns to Baron Diaz and delivers the relics, and the Baron uses them to enter a tower in search of the lost treasure of Varuna. Mephisto follows the Baron inside and reads a mural on a wall. He explains that there are a set of instructions on the mural and that yet another relic is required before the instructions can be completed. Flint is ordered to retrieve a fourth relic and he battles through more dungeons in search of the relic. Along the way, he meets an enslaved dragon named Tirion. Flint frees him and the dragon flies him back to Varuna.
After Flint returns the final relic, it is set in place and the machinery of the tower is activated. Mephisto reveals that there isn't a lost treasure of Varuna and that he had built the tower two thousand years ago in order to calculate the coordinates of the nerve-center of the planet. A wizard named Lumiere, however, prevented Mephisto from entering by sealing the tower. Mephisto then inserts a key into the Baron, turning him into a mechanical monster. After Flint defeats the monster, Baron Diaz returns to normal. Outside of the capital, Mephisto raises his Star Key, a giant key-shaped structure, out of the sea. His intention is to use its power to mutate the planet and take control.
Tirion flies Flint, Alexia, Zeppo, Albert, and Ruby to the Star Key to confront Mephisto. Flint makes his way through the dungeon and he finds that Zeppo has been captured. Mephisto appears and inserts a key into Zeppo, also turning him into a mechanical monster. Flint defeats the monster, returning Zeppo to his former state, and then faces Mephisto in battle. Flint kills Mephisto and the Star Key collapses into the sea. The group escapes on the back of Tirion; Flint and Alexia share an embrace as they fly away.
Characters[]
- Flint: His family was killed by a group of pirates, and he's been hunting them ever since. He's also a wanted man in the Kingdom of Varuna.
- Alexia: Princess of Varuna. She's searching for her father, the King of Varuna.
- Lord Prunewell: The old servant of Alexia, appears near the start of the game. He has spies that are watching Flint for him.
- Zeppo: The leader of the pirate family. Mileena's husband.
- Ruby: Daughter of Zeppo. Extremely bossy and hot-tempered. Mileena's daughter.
- Albert: Son of Zeppo. Quiet and calm. Mileena's son.
- Mephisto: The master of the magic screw. His screws, when attached to a living organism, turn them into killing machines.
- Baron Diaz: He's taken over the throne after the disappearance of the King of Varuna; is secretly collaborating with Mephisto. Desperately wants to marry Princess Alexia.
- Nunugi: Assistant/bodyguard to Baron Diaz.
- Natasha: The Baron's well-meaning daughter.
- Mileena: The pirate queen, and also the mother of Ruby and Albert. Has a deal with Mephisto.
- Belgar: Mileena's assistant/bodyguard. Flint's father.
- King Varuna: The ruler of Varuna Kingdom who gets kidnapped and replaced by a wooden doll. Alexia is traveling the land looking for him.
Reception[]
The game sold 111,712 copies in the United States.[1]
The game received an average score of 69.32% at GameRankings, based on an aggregate of 25 reviews, and was much less successful than its predecessor.
IGN gave Alundra 2 a score of 7.7 out of 10. After praising its predecessor Alundra as "one of the PlayStation's best action/RPG's" and its storyline as "one of the darkest storylines of any role-playing games in existence," the reviewer stated that Alundra 2 "just doesn't stack up" and that, "even though the writing was exceptional, it didn't make up for the fact that the game had a really fruity storyline." However, he stated that he enjoyed "the game's puzzles and was very impressed with the localization job by Activision," but that "the game was really hurt by its less than precise controls, annoyingly difficult boss battles," "uninspiring music, and graphical glitches." He concluded that, "pretend that this has nothing to do with the original Alundra or Zelda, and you'll probably enjoy this game just fine. It's definitely one of the top five action/RPG's on the PlayStation."
References[]
External links[]
- Alundra2 at the Internet Movie Database.
- IGN Guide
This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). |
v · e · d Alundra 2
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Characters |
Main Characters |
Flint – Alexia – Mephisto |
Supporting cast |
Lord Prunewell – Zeppo – Ruby – Albert - Omega – Milena – Belgar – Baron Diaz – Nunugi – Natasha - Tirion |
Other |
Merchant - Lord Jeehan – Pierre - Kate - Children of the Crown – King Varuna Roswell the Sage - Mako the Whale |
Locations |
Storyline locations
Airship – Paco Village – Kindra Forest – Mt. Sparrowhawk – Tortuga Beach – Toroledo – Mithra Valley – Howling Cave |
Optional locations |
Deadeye Zach's – Gamar Island |
Terms |
Elemental Orb – Life Crest – Mephisto's Keys – Puzzle Piece – Three Relics |
Archives |
Enemies – Equipment – Items – Minigames |