"Hatenkikihime Eiraden" is a doujin (indie) non-field RPG set in a unique Japanese-style fantasy world.
The story, thanks to its well-developed setting, has the volume and depth of a visual novel.
The RPG portion of the game offers a challenging experience, as it features a game system that allows for various fighting styles depending on the player.
Released as a free gameSword Flash Goddess Punishment LegendIt's set in the same location as [another game] and shares the same game system, so those who are interested might want to try playing that one first.
Please note that sexually explicit content can be skipped by selecting an option.
Furthermore, an all-ages version that does not include all of the above features is also available, so you can choose the one you prefer.
The main story took about 10 hours to complete.
As of June 2021, the price is 880 yen including tax.
There is no difference in price between the R-18 version and the all-ages version.
A trial version is also available for download, which allows you to transfer your save data to the full version.
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Game Overview (No Spoilers)
The story begins with Nagara Arei, known as the "Sword Shura," rescuing Yel Aina, a demon girl who is being tormented by humans.
This story depicts the anger and rebellion of those who are discriminated against as "Rakshasa" in this world.
This game progresses through story segments and dungeon segments.
The dungeon is a non-field format, and you basically progress by moving forward and backward.
In most cases, a boss is located at the very end of the area. Defeating it advances the story and reveals new destinations.
The enemy placement is fixed for each dungeon, so there are no random encounters.
However, since the enemies are repositioned once you leave the dungeon, it is possible to level up if the boss is strong enough.
In addition to the enemies that are positioned on the field, you can also initiate combat at will by pressing the left button.
The battles are command-based, with turns determined by agility.
The turn order can be checked in the upper left corner of the screen.
Each character can perform the following actions: attack, defend, use a special technique, use a divine technique, or use an item.
The basic flow of the game involves accumulating "Kihaku" (spirit) through attacks and defenses, and then unleashing a barrage of attacks using Kihaku-consuming techniques.
When you attack an enemy consecutively, the number of attacks is counted like a combo, and the damage increases little by little.
Techniques can be performed without consuming a turn, as long as your spirit energy lasts.
Therefore, theoretically, the most effective approach is to gather as much energy as possible before unleashing a full, powerful technique all at once.
Divine techniques consume mental energy (so-called MP), but many of them have effects comparable to those of martial arts.
However, be aware that using divine magic generally does not accumulate spiritual energy.
Each character can equip multiple Divine Orbs in addition to weapons.
Divine Orbs can increase your stats, or unlock new divine techniques, among other things.
In addition to items found through exploration, they can also be purchased at shops.
While you can't easily purchase items in the early stages when you have little money, by combining and equipping various types of divine gems, you can fight using the tactics you desire.
Review (no spoilers)
I was able to complete the main story to the very end.
This game doesn't prioritize either the RPG gameplay or the story over the main focus; instead, it successfully balances both aspects, resulting in a thoroughly engaging and rewarding experience.
The RPG elements, like those in "Kenshin Shinki Chuubatsuden," offer a challenging experience, including regular battles.
If you fight mindlessly with the same approach as in a typical RPG, it will be difficult to win.
It's satisfying to consciously assign roles such as attacker and healer, and then unleash their full potential at the perfect moment.
Unless you're fighting a significantly weaker opponent, there aren't many quick and easy battles, so players who aren't good at combat might find it challenging.
Even if you are completely wiped out, the system makes it easy to retry after a defeat.
In the early stages, you'll have little money, so it will be difficult to collect the divine gems you want.
However, once you've accumulated a certain amount of money, it becomes fun to combine each character's special techniques and divine gems to create your own winning strategy.
Since there are many equipment slots for the Divine Orb, I think it's easier to reflect the player's ideas.
The unique "Rakshasa Deepening" feature in this game serves as a powerful trump card during battles, but it permanently applies an irreversible status effect to the character being targeted.
Since it doesn't always have beneficial effects, it's best to refrain from using it casually.
I felt that it works best when you're just a little bit away from defeating an enemy, rather than when you're stuck against a tough opponent.
As for the story itself, I think it's simple and easy to understand.
My impression is that many people, both allies and enemies, are aware of their own shortcomings and are acting with resolve.
He often acknowledges his own contradictions and anticipates criticism, so there weren't many comments that would make the player want to interject, and the conversation flowed smoothly.
This film is not a story about two people reaching a compromise through dialogue to resolve their differing viewpoints.
I felt like it was a clash of resolve between the two sides, with the message being something like, "If you want to get your way, show it with force, and the one with the stronger will will be the winner."
Strategy Notes (Contains Spoilers)
I'd like to write about the things I found helpful in playing this game.
This work allows for many different strategies, so I hope you'll read this as just one opinion.
- The "fire" status effect is powerful.
The divine word that can be used with the "Attack Divine Word: Fire" divine orb, which can be obtained early in the game, has a high chance of inflicting the "Flame" status on the opponent.
Enemies afflicted with the "Burning" status effect take damage with each action they take, making this a very effective strategy in boss battles.
The more health the opponent has, the more damage you inflict, making this a useful status effect until the end of the game.
• Usefulness of tools
"Tools" is a command that anyone can use.
It's very convenient because you can use it without having to equip healing or resurrection orbs.
You might be hesitant to spend money on consumables, but having them on hand is extremely useful.
If you're going to fill up all your equipment slots for Divine Orbs to their maximum, then relying solely on items for healing is one option.
- Alingwei's earning combo
In this game, even the regular enemies are tough, so defeating them will take a fair amount of time.
However, by equipping Alingwei with a certain amount of divine gems, you can efficiently wipe out enemies.
I started farming with this equipment around the time I defeated Miko in Chapter 3.
What you need is,“Standing Divine Words: Reiki”(At the start of battle, Spirit +2)“Eternal Divine Word: Quick”(At the start of battle, Spirit +4, Attack Power Increase, Agility Increase)Everlasting Divine Word “Healthy Muscle”(When stamina is 90% or higher, base attack power +50%, defense power +30%)“Eternal Divine Word: Power System”(If stamina is 50% or more, base combat power +30%)"Rampage Divine Words"、"Suction blade"And so on.
The Divine Word of Constant Presence: By increasing the initial value of your spirit through Ki Training + Speed, you can use "Heart Sword" ⇒ "Wind Swiftness" repeatedly at the start of battle ⇒ and finish with "Raging Spell" to almost completely annihilate all enemies.
The decrease in health caused by the Barrage Spell can be compensated for with "Life Drain Blade".
Because it specializes in short, decisive battles, it exhibits unparalleled speed in eliminating enemies in regular combat.
- Revisit areas that have already been explored.
Even in areas you've already cleared, a new boss will be added at the very end.
Defeating that boss may reward you with a valuable Divine Orb, and some areas even have additional dungeons further inside.
Sometimes, collecting divine gems is more efficient than simply defeating enemies to earn money, so keep that in mind.
My thoughts on the characters (contains spoilers)
Playing "Kensen Shinki Chuubatsuden" after playing this game is quite a moving experience.
Below, I'll write down my thoughts on several characters.
This time, I'm trying not to overthink things and just writing down my thoughts as simply as possible.
・Areiwei
He played a key role as a regular attacker until the very end.
Being able to increase my own spirit with "Heart Sword" while also applying an offensive buff was very useful.
The initial technique, "Double Strike," can be customized to increase the critical hit rate by equipping items like the "Insight" divine gem, allowing for powerful consecutive attacks.
As a powerful attacker, he's strong even when using divine words, and he's useful as a key part of the offense.
I found her motivations easier to understand than those of Takamine, the protagonist of "Kensen Shinki Chuubatsu Den".
Initially, he had the image of a somewhat dangerous champion of justice, as he couldn't ignore anyone in need and would accept requests from the oppressed and vulnerable even if the reward wasn't commensurate.
In terms of alignment, it's a neutral-good image.
However, he himself is quite calm and understands what he can and cannot do, so the initial impression of him being unreliable gradually disappeared.
Throughout the story, he maintained a calm and detached demeanor, but at the end, I finally felt like I could sense Alingwei's intense emotions.
Ayane
I liked the leadership effect that reduced mental energy consumption, so I often used it at the front.
Although her agility is somewhat low, she can compensate for this with her training techniques, so she mainly fought using divine words, making full use of her abundant mental energy.
The awakening of the origin reverses the training techniques into an offensive type, but I felt it was a waste to consume 2 spirit points for the mode change, so I mostly used divine words for attacks.
She's an older sister type, butReIn∽AlterCompared to the protagonist's older sister, Takamine Yuri, she's not overly controlling, which I personally found more appealing.
The fact that she couldn't bring herself to tell the kind-hearted Alingwei that she didn't want him to fight suggests that even though she acts like an older sister, she might be too kind at times.
Ultimately, it became the final trigger that awakened Alei.
Aina
This character has high HP and is a tough tank.
While they are certainly tough, the enemy attacks in this game are so fierce that it felt easier to just take them down first rather than have the tank character protect the party, so I didn't really make much use of them.
If you can properly arrange the divine gems, things might become stable.
His views remained consistent from beginning to end, and he continued to be on Alingwei's side.
If you were to ask who the heroine of this work is, it would probably be Aina, but she's not really a heroine-like character.
However, the way she consistently supported and encouraged the protagonist, Alei, without wavering at all, makes her seem like a truly wonderful partner.
In the end, she shows off her uniform, demonstrating her heroine-like appearance.
Shiraha
While not particularly tough, its high agility and evasion make it a tank-like character capable of dodging attacks.
This character has a slightly quirky personality, so mastering them requires some ingenuity.
"Falling Blossoms and Singing Birds" is powerful once you've sufficiently increased your evasion rate, but it takes many turns to get to that point.
"Flowing Clouds and Flowing Water" is a technique that allows you to bypass powerful enemy attacks, so it can be very useful depending on how you use it.
She's a character in rather unfortunate circumstances, but I think that her longing and waiting for the "Sword Shura," whom she'd only heard about through rumors, must have put her in a pretty precarious mental state.
It was truly a stroke of luck that Al-Lingwei came to our rescue.
Her reasons for joining are similar to Aina's, but she's not really involved in the main storyline.
・Kano
This versatile character excels at high performance by consuming items and boasts a high critical hit rate.
When I first joined, I was worried about money, so I avoided training techniques that consumed items.
However, attacks using bullets are generally highly effective and can be useful in a way similar to a powerful divine incantation.
However, I didn't use it much when fighting boss-level enemies because its explosive power wasn't sufficient.
Overall, if the energy consumption when using bullets were a little lower, it would have been quite powerful.
Character-wise, I initially thought he was just a support character, so I was surprised when he joined the party.
She seemed a little hesitant at first, but when it came down to it, she had the air of a refined young lady who could get things done. I felt she was the (only?) sensible person at the party.
Yui
Overall, he had high ability scores and was a valuable regular member from the time he joined until the end of his career.
Rather than relying on martial arts techniques, she primarily excelled at attacking and healing with divine words.
Since it doesn't have the Rakshasa Deepening ability, it can't use that as a trump card to overwhelm the enemy, but its high HP and military strength made it a reliable presence.
If Alei is the main character on the surface, then Yui could be considered the main character behind the scenes.
I liked the contrast between his cynical and detached demeanor and the underlying principle behind his actions: "for the sake of his beloved younger sister."
Playing "Kenshin Shinki Chuubatsuden" allowed me to enjoy Yui's actions and plans on a deeper level.
Furthermore, the sci-fi setting discussed when exploring the "Ruins of the Gods" with Alei is from another work by the same author,ReIn∽AlterIt also shares similarities with "[another thing]," and I felt a sense of connection in many ways.
Mutsuki
Although he was an enemy character, he had a strong presence, especially since we fought him twice.
Enemies who reveal their true name have a great sense of being formidable opponents, don't they?
From the moment he appeared, he had an air of strength and a demeanor that suggested he was no ordinary person. I personally found his slight kindness towards Shiraha and his unwavering loyalty to Masato, regardless of who he was, quite appealing.
When Mutsuki confronts Alei, he is criticized for submitting to a villain like Masato, but I can't help but think that it's understandable from Mutsuki's perspective, which might be a typical salaryman's way of thinking.
・Mikou
In terms of their role, I think they were just a slightly tough opponent in the early stages of the game, but they had a strangely strong personality, so they left a lasting impression on me.
If they were just moping around using their weakness as a shield, it might be endearing, but because they aggressively harm others, I felt they had a troublesome and dangerous personality.
I have a hunch, but "ReIn∽AlterI got the impression that she has a similar way of being to Sasaki Kouka, a character in "[Title of the work]".
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