Legaia 2: Duel Saga

Legaia 2: Duel Saga
Developer(s)	Prokion
Publisher(s)	‹See Tfd› JP: Sony Computer Entertainment NA: Eidos Interactive EU: Eidos Interactive
Distributor(s)	Fresh Games
Composer(s)	Hitoshi Sakimoto Yasunori Mitsuda Michiru Oshima
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date(s)	‹See Tfd› JP: November 29, 2001 NA: October 1, 2002 EU: October 11, 2002
Genre(s)	Role-playing
Mode(s)	Single-player

Legaia 2: Duel Saga, known as Legaia: Duel Saga (レガイア デュエルサーガ) in Japan, is a 2001 PlayStation 2 role-playing video game developed by Prokion^[1] and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan. It was released in North America and Europe the following year by Eidos Interactive under their Fresh Games label. The game is the sequel to the 1998 PlayStation game Legend of Legaia.

Gameplay

The game continues its predecessor's approach to turn-based battles, the "Tactical Arts System." It also does away with traditional magical abilities, except Ayne and Maya (who is a elemental magician), party members can only access magic through items, or their "Origins."

The game features a large amount of mini-games, quests and optional challenges to take on. A guild is present at the town of Kravia, which the player can choose to undertake quests, the casino at paradise isle Phorchoon, and others in several towns for Lang, such as planting rice and side-jumping.

The tent is accessible to dungeons and anywhere on the world map after a certain event, characters will set up camp to rest. The player checks on characters more and even watch interactions between them and prepare meals, provided they have been learned by them and with the stock of ingredients, weapons, armor and accessories.

Hidden bosses in the game appear like other ones of the original. In mini games such as Centurion Challenge and Battle Arena, are bosses more powerful than the last one, Avalon. Additionally, the player can meet and fight him before the last battle in the Battle Arena in the semifinal round.

Similar to Legend of Legaia, The player can input button commands for the "Tactical Arts System". Combining each sometimes unlock moves called "Arts". It is the first game system, that is similar to all fighting games, instead of RPG battle. Afeter unlocking an art move, the combination of buttons is available on the menu. If the combination is valid and unlocked an Art, it can be selected by pushing the triangle button, after inputting button commands. It is limited to the number of "Art Blocks", which the total maximum is 14 for Lang, Kazan and Sharon, not Maya and Ayne. The player can combine attacks together if the last button of the combination matches the initial one of the next after using.

There are several types of art moves: Normal Arts are basic moves that do a decent amount of damage to gain AP. Super and Hyper Arts are more powerful but cost AP. Mystic Arts are combinations of the character's strong attack with his and her Origin powers. It costs 100 AP and MP, and the character must have 50% or less of their max HP after each characters take damage. Variable Arts are double team moves that two characters perform to defeat one enemy and cost 80 AP. The game features combining, which the player can use two or more items to increase status, including weapons, armor and tools. The player can also combine the previous one with Heaven's Secret as the final item.

Accessory combinations is used to create specific accessories, each with specific abilities. For instance, the Tireless Ribbon contains the ability "Max AP." This is arguably the best offensive ability in the game; however, a default Tireless Ribbon has other abilities that are less than ideal. This is where the passing of abilities from accessory to accessory becomes important. Once a Tireless Ribbon is properly leveled, it is possible to use it to create lower-level accessories with Max AP as an extra abilitiy. Using this new lower-level accessory, it is then possible to create other accessories which sometimes include Max AP as an extra ability that does not appear normally on the given accessory.

Plot

The game follows a new story in the world of Legaia. It is centered around a group of people known as "Mystics", outcasts that shunned by the rest of the common folk and mistaken as monsters. It is with reason though, since they summon nature spirits called "Origin". One of the Mystics is Lang, a youth adopted by the militia leader of the small village of Nohl and recruited into its defense force to protect the Sacred Azure Stone, a mysterious crystal which supplies the town with endless water. On Lang's first day at work, which sets a series of events into motion that ultimately put the fate of the world in danger. Started with the ambition of Avalon who tries destroy the world, Lang teams up with four allies to save it.

Characters

Lang, a teenage swordsman who is raised by Galvan at Nohl Village. He meets Avalon, who steals the Aqualith that manipulates the source of water. Lang is also one of the star shapers and surviving mystics chosen by the Source Forge, owner of his fire origin Galea, and source of life with the ability to control it and the three sacred stones.

Maya, a girl with a troubled past and the descendant of an ancient ruined kingdom, Kabel, where magicians, fairies and other colourful wildlife live. Maya utilizes magic and her life origin Rivas. At a young age, she lost control of her powers and voice after losing her parents. Lang meets Maya in prison, before escaping from the castle. At first, Maya is mute and cannot attack. She is also naive and often irritates Sharon with her lack of understanding of their relationships. Maya strives to win at anything she does and ends up becoming a rival with Nancy over cooking, and with Sharon over Lang. If the player is nice to Maya during conversations, she ends up displaying a crush on Lang. Maya demonstrates her ability to use magic when she again loses control of it during the party's first encounter with Doplin's pet demon, Slogar. It is not enough to kill Slogar, but it render him vulnerable to attacks, allowing Lang and Kazan to defeat. In the aftermath of the battle she recovers her voice. During the party's second battle with Slogar (Zoan Stoara), Maya manages to control her magic, remaking Slogar vulnerable and allowing her to defeat him.

Kazan, an elder martial artist and the master of the Sky Fang arts and earth origin, Deva. Maya directs Lang to meet with Kazan who joins them and teaches Lang about more advanced techniques, becoming his true master. Kazan helps Lang awaken Galea and has a number of regrets from his past. He originally uses his reverse name "Nazak", and served with Sharon's father Alphis. After losing his pupil Rauss, Kazan abandoned the group and knew that Maya's parents were responsible for acting in time to stop Maya from accidentally killing them.

Sharon Blade, the pirate captain and owner of thunder origin, Arrode who joins Lang's party. She has many servants, loyal followers and a pet parrot.

Ayne, the spiritual giant who lives to defend his tribe at Jinga and joins Lang's party. He is also known as the Silent Eagle.

Reym, a spirit living in a great tree in Yuno. The party meets with Reym, who explains about the secrets behind the world's creation and Avalon's plan, and he vanishes after the eclipse drained the life force from the tree he inhabits. Reym possibility hints that Lang was created by the Source Forge.

Avalon, one of the star shapers and the game's main villain. As a child, he is upset with the people of his village for killing the rest of all Mystics. He awakens his Supreme Origin, Igohl and kills some of the villagers at Kravia. Years later, he imbalances the Source Forge at Demiurge Tower, separating the three sacred stones and scatter somewhere. However, he is defeated by Lang and his friends, who retrieve all three stones.

Velna, a female magician and one of the surviving Mystics, who survived from the destruction of Kabel and works for Avalon. Her Origin, Vestra, protects her from any attacks. She and Maya had their same bloodline. At the end of the game, Lang and allies defeat Velna.

Rauss, Kazan's ex-student and a swordsman of the Tenga Ryu style who wears the dark armor, and uses the forbidden technique, Ultimate Fang, that damages anyone's body. After being defeated by Lang and allies who take the Aerolith, his spirit sides with Reym's.

Doplin, the villainous ruler of Darakin castle, and foster parent of Elliot and Marienne, who cooperates with Avalon. Believing that Mystics have the power of Origins, Doplin attempts to use the remaining power of Kabel and all three sacred stones to achieve godhood. However, Velna betrays Doplin to his death at the hands of his mutant monster Slogar, before Lang and allies defeat it and take the Pyrolith.

Elliott and Marienne, Doplin's foster siblings, whose parents abandoned them from the woods. Elliott uses his dark Origin Raskia and Marienne uses her light Origin Alvadis. At the end of the game, they are defeated by Lang and allies.

Bubba, a brutish human with great strength who works for Doplin. He blames Lang for killing his female yeti Elfin and attempts to take revenge, but Lang forgives and reasons with him. At the end of the game, Bubba declines Avalon's plan and travels to Phorchoon as one of the fighters.

Galvan, Lang's guardian and the head of "Vigilance Corps", who helps Lang defend the village, along with Hawke, the head of the village and doctor.

Nancy, Lang's childhood friend who often cooks food at the village.

Dein, a member of Vigilante Corps with arrogant and egoistic attitude. He seems to despise Lang, despite the fact that Lang saves his life early in the game. After the player defeats him in a sidejumping match, he becomes much friendlier with Lang. He is quite proud of his sidejumping title "Crab Legs".

Joe, a pirate and informant for the player. From the very first time the player meets him until the late in the game, he stays at the Darakin's inn. He has an unusual relationship with Sharon, as the two are frequently seen arguing and yet they appear to be friendly with each other. He is not shown having any job, as commented by Maya, and likes to drink.

Stiel, a wise swordsman from the netherworld who is currently trapped in the human world. He asks the hero to retrieve the crystal key as shown in the guild's hardest quest. He is also one of the particpants in the Phorchoon dream match.

Balzac, a cocky sidejump player and eco macho good at nothing particularly. Sometimes, he joins on guild mission, but Lang defeats him. However, the player can have an alternative plot by losing Lang to him. The failure of the guild mission cannot be changed. He frequently replaces various words with "muscle" and indeed has an obsession with muscles. He does seem to care for his partner Phanta, a hunter working for the guild in Kravia. She and her partner Balzac frequently appear during Guild missions, and often the duo come to embarrassing failures. Though she frequently displays open irritation at Balzac for his brainless ways she does manage to reconcile with him during one of the final guild quests.

Mallory, one of the first shop NPCs in the game. Hailing from Wilderness Town, Nohl, she offers the player rich rewards for transactions early in the game. Running the Sundry Shop, she gives the player a Pedometer just for speaking with her.

Upon 3 transactions, she gives the player a Heal Leaf 10: Venom Cure 20: Revival Bottle 4,000G. 40: Big Child's Bed 10,000G. 100: Handwoven Carpet 75,000G. It is a great boost as they can all be sold back before the player first leaves Nohl for just over 89,000G.

Origin

• Galea - Fire
• Rivas - Life/Water
• Deva - Earth
• Arrode - Thunder

Reception

The game received an average score of 70.46% at GameRankings, based on an aggregate of 40 reviews^[2] and an average score of 67/100 at Metacritic, based on an aggregate of 21 reviews,^[3] and was much less successful than its predecessor.

According to Famitsu sales information, Legaia 2 sold 40,302 during its debut week in Japan, ranking sixth among all new releases for that period.^[4] The game barely made it into Dengeki Online's top 200 best-selling games of 2001 with 53,808 copies.^[5]

References