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Every RPGamer is aware of the multitude of quality titles forever stranded
in Japan. Some have made their way to the English-speaking world eventually
(see FFII, III, and V) while others remain Japan-exclusive to this day (see
Feda, Treasure Hunter G, and Sakura Wars - among MANY others). To the
privileged few who have partaken of a Langrisser title, its exclusion from
the English-speaking world is most dismaying. Whether the English-speaking
audience is ready for a new attempt at bringing Langrisser outside Japan
would seem a moot point, for Tactical-RPGs sell in far greater numbers now
than they did 15 years ago (witness the success of Nippon Ichi titles, which
seem considerably quirkier on the outside than any Langrisser). Thus I
espouse the grandeur of the series in hopes of it making a return appearance
outside of Japan.
To the (probable) vast majority of readers without a firsthand experience
in the Langrisser style, a bit of explanation regarding what makes the games
special is in order. Scale is the single biggest factor here, as Langrisser
uses commanders and troops. Depending upon the game, the exact number of
troop units varies. Every unit in the game has 10 HP. Defense is paramount
here, because damage is calculated (after factoring in environmental
conditions which can improve defense substantially) by the simple
offense-defense formula, with even troop types that have a natural advantage
not being able to overcome stellar defense. But troop statistics are
improved by being within their commander's zone of effect, which is another
unique aspect to Langrisser. Within a commander's zone of effect, attack
and defense bonuses are in place. These get very substantial later in the
game. Also, defeating a commander means any surviving troops of that
commander instantly die. Any unit can be healed if it still has 1 HP
remaining, but once dead cannot be recovered until the next battle. Troops
are bought before battle, incidentally, and are completely expendable -
there is no reward for their survival or penalty for their death.
Commanders receive all the experience. Other elements are not unique to
Langrisser, although the commanders all have certain paths they can take
along their class change routes that do not necessarily overlap. There is
also a limit on the number of commanders the player has access to, making
every one important. The presence of Noriyuke Iwadare as the primary
composer for the series should also be mentioned.
The original Langrisser did receive an English localization, back in 1991
on the Sega Genesis (the Langrisser series being quite Sega-centered, with
little but ports finding their way to other consoles). Unfortunately,
Langrisser I (known as Warsong in English) came at a time when the
Tactical-RPG market was not ready for that type of game. And even if it had
been, the first game is rather unrefined. Battle animations cannot be
turned off, and commanders can have a total of 8 troops under them, making
battles drag on for well over an hour. More problematic, if the player
should let a commander fall in battle, s/he is dead. Given that there are
so few player-controlled characters in the game, letting one die will make
the game much harder. The story is also rather typical for 1991, in that
there isn't much of one - although what is there manages to be okay. The
potential was there, and the game manages to be engrossing, but incredibly
frustrating if one forgets to save in the middle of battle.
Langrisser II arrived on the Mega Drive in 1994, and sported a rather more
comprehensive story along with commanders being injured and unable to
complete the battle instead of dying. It also looks rather better, although
the Langrisser series is not a visually splendid one even at the best of
times. Langrisser II was redone for the Super Famicom in 1995, and while it
became considerably easier the story was enhanced greatly by the ability to
choose from multiple paths midway through. The standard Super Famicom
enhancements are not really found here, as the graphics and music did not make an
enormous leap from the Mega Drive. But the game is different enough from
Langrisser II to be considered a separate play.
At this point I have not sampled the Langrissers of the 32-bit era, but
that will change. Langrisser III is widely reputed to be the worst of the
main series, as its battle system apparently borrows from Dragon Force, and
not in a good way (no control of troops, bad camera). The game only exists
on Saturn - no other system received a version. Langrisser IV and V
returned to the turn-based commander/troop system, with the caveat that
agility now determines when units move, instead of the player having a turn
and then the enemy. IV seems to be the highest-regarded of the entire
series. Both were ported to the PlayStation, but the PS versions are harder
to find than the Saturn's. There is also Langrisser: Dramatic Edition,
featuring Langrisser I and II somewhat redone for the CD era with new
voicework and the enhancements of later games brought in. The Dreamcast saw
Langrisser Millennium in 1999, but it is seemingly universally derided as far
worse than Langrisser III...
So why has a new Langrisser title never arrived outside of Japan? The
series packs a challenge, certainly, but other Tactical-RPGs do, and they
have made the jump across the Pacific. No, the difficulty resides in the
fact that Masaya, the developer of the Langrisser games (save Millennium) has
moved on to the Growlanser series in recent years. Aside from budget
re-releases there have been no new Langrisser games (again excepting
Millennium) since before the PlayStation 2 launched in 2000. Obviously the
Saturn will never see any of these games in English, and the PlayStation 1
has long since been swept from the forefront of gaming. But it seems
remakes of some games have been hitting the PlayStation 2 in recent years...
can this be read as an opportunity to let the series try the
English-speaking world again? It is certainly the best hope for seeing
these games receive the acclaim they deserve.
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