Line #52 VideoGame/BlackSigil


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Blacksigil.png]]
2	''Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled'' is an EasternRPG developed by Studio Archcraft and published by Creator/GraffitiEntertainment. It was released for the Platform/NintendoDS handheld system in 2009.
3
4	The plot involves our protagonist Kairu, who was born in the world of Bel Lenora, a world built and filled with magic. Kairu has the misfortune to be [[UnSorcerer born without any magical ability at all]], in the 15-year aftermath of another magic-less person's war of terror. Naturally, no one other than his immediate family trusts him.
5
6	''Black Sigil'' is an homage to Platform/SuperNintendo [=RPGs=] of the mid-1990s. [[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not related]] to the 1997 game ''Blades of Exile'' from the ''VideoGame/{{Exile}}'' series.
7	----
8	!!This game provides examples of:
9	%%* ActionGirl: Isa.
10	* AdventurerArchaeologist: Rogurd and [[TheRival Gavin]]. They're hunting for "IT" specifically.
11	* AllMythsAreTrue: You'll see. The first instances come in Cythere, when you hear about Dragons, as well as an underwater sea monster near a neighboring island. The second instances are all the clues and comments you'll get in Genufa's library.
12	-->'''Scholar:''' Of course, considering how much writers like to embellish stories, this could be something as silly as a locust outbreak though...
13	* AlmostKiss: Kairu and Isa, thank's to Juji's judicious application of oars.
14	* AloneWithPrisonerPloy: Twists it just a tad. Later in the game, after being separated from the rest of the group, Aurora and Nephi are alone in Drakus Tat. [[spoiler:Nephi (the local King) has to extract information from his loyal subjects (and Aurora is a known enemy of their master, [[BigBad the Forbidden]]), so he declares Aurora his slave and brings her to the dungeon to "break her in". He then calls in one of his minions to lure out the necessary intel in what the minions believe is his "interrogation" of Aurora.]]
15	* AlwaysClose: No matter how much time you have left when you exit Apogea, it'll crumble immediately once you're safe.
16	* AnimeHair: Nephi's. In a game with otherwise normal-looking character designs, he stands out.
17	* {{Animesque}}: This game was made by a Western developer.
18	* ArbitraryHeadCountLimit: There is literally no reason the game enforces a party of three.
19	* ArmorIsUseless: No matter how leveled you are or expensive your armor, enemies still seem to do as much damage to you. Accessories are useful, at least, in preventing status effects, and granting MP reduction. Armor is more useful for elemental damage protection than it is for damage reduction - see the [[{{Sidequest}} Onyx Armor]], which completely blocks all fire damage.
20	* BadassNormal: Kairu. Even though the game likes to rub it in your face that Kairu is useless without magic, he's easily your most versatile character. [[spoiler:Then he gets some magic of his own and he gets all the better]]. [[spoiler: Vai/Asi]] also qualifies, having a similar skill set.
21	* TheBattleDidntCount: This is how Mondu keeps getting away.
22	* BehindTheBlack: Way too many ''secret'' passages would have been immediately obvious were you actually Kairu.
23	* BlackMagicianGirl: Aurora, leaning towards the Tomboy variety.
24	* BlackMarket: There's one at Tradefair.
25	* BlackSheep: No one in Duke Averay's duchy bothers to hide their contempt for Kairu, especially in contrast to the adoration for his sister Aurora and his father.
26	* BlessedWithSuck: Kairu, who lacks any kind of magical ability. [[spoiler: This makes him perfect for awakening ancient evils]].
27	* BoisterousBruiser: ''Rogurd''.
28	* TheCaligula: King Zodiat loses it and lays waste to his glorious civilization. [[spoiler: Later we find out that the evil spirit controlling him is the one who pushed him over the edge.]]
29	* CanisLatinicus: Used for spell names (but not abilities). Nox Ico, Curo Orbis, Magus Absorbus...
30	* CantDropTheHero: Averted. You can drop Kairu from the combat party anytime you have four or more characters to choose from. [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger You don't even need to do a sidequest, either.]]
31	* {{Cap}}: Just like the classic 16-bit games. Levels at 99. Damage per hit at 9999. HP and MP to 99.
32	* CapitalLettersAreMagic: IT, [[spoiler:the Forbidden]].
33	* CaptainErsatz: Blacktooth the pirate.
34	* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Nephi. Kairu completely forgets that he lent his sword to him, and it comes back much later to bite him in the ass.]]
35	* CityGuards: All over.
36	* CityInABottle: Bel Lenora voluntarily sealed itself off from the rest of the world then forgot that the rest of the world existed. Oops.
37	* CityOfCanals: Cythere.
38	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Nephi and Rogurd both exhibit traits of this.
39	* CognizantLimbs: One of the bosses, OctoTerror, has four targets: its main body and three [[CombatTentacles Tentacles]].
40	* CollapsingLair: Apogea Tower, after the scene at top, which leads to a TimedMission.
41	* CombinationAttack: Black Sigil takes a page out of ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' in this respect. Every character can combo with another character for three different moves. No Triple Techs though, sadly.
42	* CounterAttack: Several enemies can do this, and they usually hit very hard. Many enemies also get off a Final Attack before expiring.
43	* CovertPervert: Kairu politely suggests that the men and women [[FuroScene share the same bath]]. Aurora shoots him down.
44	* CurseEscapeClause: Kairu can nullify the burning mark on his right hand by collecting [[DismantledMacGuffin Armaments]]. Or so it seems, anyway.
45	* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: Nephi's green hair and eyes. [[spoiler:It hints that his ancestry isn't entirely human]].
46	* DamselInDistress: Aurora wakes up in a wooden wagon, hears people fighting outside, assumes that a [[KnightInShiningArmor handsome man]] is about to rescue her, and decides to stay put instead of burning her way out. [[ActionGirl Her rescuer isn't exactly who she expected.]]
47	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Rather badass moment when confronting [[spoiler:The Forbidden in Vai's body. He declares that all magic is useless against him as he is the origin of all magic. Aurora and Isa look at each other, and proceed to blast him. He doesn't react well.]]
48	* DiscOneFinalDungeon: Twice. First time in [[spoiler:Xanadu]]. Second time is in [[spoiler:Isapolis]]. Both times, the game throws a major boss fight after a long dungeon.
49	* DiscOneNuke:
50	** Storm Strike, a Kairu/Isa CombinationAttack. You get it very early and it can two-shot a couple of bosses. It can three-hit the ClimaxBoss.
51	** Nephi and Isa get Nox Toxus, a fairly low-MP CombinationAttack that hits all enemies regardless of position and turns practically every regular battle for a good portion of the game into a giant OneHitKill CurbStompBattle against regular monsters. If they manage to survive, they're hit with about 3-4 negative statuses as well.
52	* DoomedHometown: Poor Isa.
53	* DramaticWind: Called upon when Nephi is casting his spells.
54	* DressingAsTheEnemy: Kairu and company will "acquire" some guard uniforms to board the Imperial airship.
55	* ElementalPowers:
56	** AnIcePerson: [[spoiler:Kairu.]]
57	** PlayingWithFire: Aurora.
58	** BlowYouAway / ShockAndAwe: Isa.
59	** DishingOutDirt: Rogurd.
60	** CastingAShadow: Nephi.
61	** LightEmUp: [[spoiler:Vai.]]
62	* TheEmpire: Imperialistic Sammarkand.
63	* EnemyScan: Rogurd has an ability that lets him read enemy stats. There's also an accessory that does this, the Monster Codex.
64	* EnergyAbsorption: Both Nephi and Aurora have spells that can drain health or mana, respectively. They can also combo with each other to drain ''both'' at once.
65	* EyepatchOfPower: Rogurd. It also helps him scan.
66	* FacialMarkings: One NPC mentions that Fuer, the [[spoiler:EvilChancellor]] advisor to the King of Cythere, has a mark on his forehead that he tries to hide.
67	* FakeDifficulty: The absurd RandomEncounters rate combined with the annoying enemies you'll always face. Well, it's either FakeDifficulty or FakeLongevity, depending on your skill level and patience.
68	* FantasticRacism: The Sammarkands really dislike the Genufans to the south.
69	-->'''NPC''': Those Genufans are so dark and secretive! We can't trust them.
70	* FieryRedhead: Aurora.
71	* FightWoosh: Averted. It's just a fade to black, and [[BaitAndSwitch easily mistaken for entering the next area.]]
72	* {{Fireballs}}: Aurora's favorite attack.
73	* GameplayAndStorySegregation: Subverted during the Cythere siege: you can heal the fallen soldiers using Aurora's magic. It'll cost you MP, as well. If you save everyone, you'll get a nice reward after the scene.
74	* GetOnTheBoat: You'll have to do this several times throughout the game, the first at Tradefair.
75	* GlobalAirship: The main military advantage of [[TheEmpire Sammarkand]]. You get your own later on in the game!
76	* GlowingEyesOfDoom: Nym's eyes glow when he summons.
77	* GoldfishPoopGang: Mondu. What's annoying is that he doesn't get any harder the more you fight him.
78	* GoodRepublicEvilEmpire: Straight as a pencil. Genufa, Tradefair, Cythere? All good, or at least neutral. Sammarkand Empire? Evil.
79	* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: In the airship base, [[DressingAsTheEnemy after Kairu, Isa, and Aurora bypass the guards with some stolen uniforms]], the following exchange occurs:
80	-->'''Guard A:''' That slim guy sure had a girlish build...\
81	'''Guard B:''' And a girlish voice...\
82	'''Guard A:''' And a girlish face...\
83	'''Guard B:''' You thinking what I'm thinking?\
84	'''Guard A:''' The military will toughen him up.\
85	'''Guard B:''' Yeah...
86	* HeroesPreferSwords: Kairu, Isa, and Asi all use swords.
87	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Kairu in the end if you do not recruit Val. Val if you do not recruit Doll. Doll if you recruit both]].
88	* HiddenElfVillage: A couple. There's a village in the mountains after you're chased out of Fort Domfriu, and [[spoiler: Bel Lenora voluntarily isolated itself from the rest of the world.]]
89	* HiddenHeartOfGold: [[spoiler:Nephi. Having lost his dragon powers, and believing that AsskickingLeadsToLeadership is the only thing that matters to the dragons, he has to keep up appearances, such as taking Aurora as a slave. She gleefully plays along, much to Kairu's shock when the matter is brought up in front of him.]]
90	* HopelessBossFight: Used as a plot element in the opening chapter. [[spoiler: Duke Averay sends [[BadassNormal Kairu]] to fight a monster which can only be killed with magic, hoping it would trigger his latent magic.]]
91	* InnSecurity:
92	** Isa arranges a good night's sleep for Kairu and Aurora. Of course, you're awoken in the middle of the night by a ''siege breaking out''.
93	** A second time when you get a free night's rest while sailing on a ship, you're awoken in the middle of the night by ''pirates capturing the party''.
94	* InterfaceSpoiler: Minor, but you'll occasionally find weapons for a character you don't have yet.
95	** Also looking at the top screen will spoil that you are going to get a ship and an airship over the course of the game.
96	* IThoughtEveryoneCouldDoThat: Aurora runs around Fort Domfriu righting wrongs by using magic. This is when the party goes to Artania, where magic users are nearly extinct, and the ones still alive are considered to be evil. It doesn't take long before she's arrested.
97	* JumpedAtTheCall: Early on, Aurora forcibly joins Kairu when [[spoiler:Kairu is banished from Bel Lenora by his adoptive father]]. She constantly exclaims how amazing their adventures will be.
98	%%* LawOfCartographicalElegance
99	* LikeBrotherAndSister: Averted with Kairu and Aurora. Each of them find their own romantic interests during the game. Romantic tension isn't even hinted at. It helps that Kairu was adopted into her family.
100	* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Isa doesn't react well at all when she finds out that the High General of [[TheEmpire Sammarkand]] who she's been battling is actually Vai, her long-lost father.]]
101	* MacGuffinDeliveryService: How many times are you going to show up near an Armament only for Sammarkand to show up and snatch it? It's especially {{JustForFun/egregious}} at the top of Apogea.
102	* MagicKnight: Everyone playable, except [[BadassNormal Kairu]]. [[spoiler:At first, anyway.]]
103	* TheMagocracy: Bel Lenora, as well as Zodiat's ancient kingdom.
104	* MeaningfulName: Asi. [[spoiler:It's Vai, using Isa's name backwards. Isa is Vai's daughter.]]
105	%%* MedievalEuropeanFantasy
106	* MediumAwareness: Aurora.
107	-->'''Aurora:''' Oh, look! One of those strange SavePoint circles that ward off monsters! We can rest there for the night!
108	* MerchantCity: Tradefair. Hell, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin it's right there in the name]].
109	* TheMole: Councillor Fuer turns out to be a [[MurderInc Guardian]] mole. Bye-bye Cythere.
110	%%* MomentKiller: Oh, Juji.
111	%%* MoneySpider: Played completely straight.
112	* MultipleEndings: The ending changes based on if you've recruited one or both of the optional party members.
113	* MurderInc: The Guardians, a band of [[MagicKnight magical assassins]] serving under High General Vai.
114	* MyNaymeIs: The Majai.
115	* NeglectfulPrecursors: You'd think Abraxus would have figured out a better seal.
116	* TheNeidermeyer: Mondu, who you meet in Fort Domfriu. Well-known for throwing henchmen overboard whenever he's in a bad mood, and consistently a source of hilarious insults.
117	* OptionalPartyMember: You can do a {{sidequest}} to get [[spoiler:Doll]] to join your party.
118	* OrphansPlotTrinket: Isa's necklace [[spoiler:turns out to be an Armament.]]
119	* PamphletShelf: Half the time the bookshelves don't even ''have'' any. Especially {{JustForFun/egregious}} in the libraries.
120	* ParentalAbandonment: Kairu was adopted, Aurora's mother is never mentioned, Isa was orphaned, Nym is a WildChild...
121	* PartyInMyPocket: You can switch the leader at any time, though.
122	* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Aurora has a definite red theme to her colors, Kairu is more of a dark blue/green.
123	* {{Pirate}}: The Sea Tails.
124	* PlotCoupon: You'll need to collect several [[DismantledMacGuffin Armaments]].
125	* PortTown: A bunch. Tradefair, Cythere, the Skyports in Sammarkand, ...
126	* {{Precursors}}: Zodiat's and Abraxus's glorious Majai civilization, brought low by a spell of insanity. It had flying cities and everything! [[LostTechnology Even teleporters!]]
127	* QuirkyMinibossSquad: [[MurderInc The Guardians]] keep coming after you.
128	* RainbowSpeak: Right down to corresponding colors to schools of magic and affiliations.
129	* RandomEncounters: Egad. This is one of the game's major criticisms.
130	* {{Retraux}}: Somewhat. The game was intentionally designed to resemble ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', but has been in development since the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance was released.
131	* RuinsForRuinsSake: The House of Black Stone has an unnecessarily time-consuming system of using flying platforms to get around. Other than what it holds, it seems to serve absolutely no purpose.
132	%%* SavePoint
133	* SceneryPorn: The backgrounds look ''great'' and better than many SNES [=RPGs=].
134	* SealedEvilInACan: There's a reason they call him [[spoiler:The Forbidden]]. Yet people love to ignore this...
135	* ShoutOut:
136	** A book in Genufa gives you Survival Tip #4: [[Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Never leave home without your towel.]]
137	** Kairu and Rogurd have a combination attack that's a complete {{Expy}} of [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger X-Strike]]. Its menu icon is even an X.
138	** The reaction Aurora has to meeting Rogurd is rather similar to [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI another natural-magic waif meeting an older blonde bruiser]]...
139	* SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear: Your party members will take their gear with them when they disappear ever so often. Curse you, Nephi!
140	* SortingAlgorithmOfWeaponEffectiveness: Played completely straight, though you'll find yourself keeping a lot of old equipment for the effects/resistances they confer.
141	* StatusBuff: Several abilities can do this, and you have Hero Drinks. You can also find (stat) Potions, which permanently increase the associated stat.
142	* SummonMagic: Nym is the resident summoner. If his summon needs a combination technique, it will usually be of the element the other character is proficient at.
143	* SurroundedByIdiots: Mondu constantly shouts this at his soldiers.
144	-->'''Mondu:''' SHUT UP! Don't make me repeat myself, you ''gangrenous ball of slime!''
145	* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Kairu's Sword of Averay fills this role multiple times in the game.
146	* TeleportersAndTransporters: There are some in Bel Lenora's capital, and Zodiat's kingdom surely had them as well.
147	* TemptingFate: One NPC in Cythere invokes this:
148	-->'''NPC:''' There's talk of an imminent attack by [[TheEmpire Sammarkand]], but I'm sure our military can handle it.
149	* ThinkNothingOfIt: Nephi and Rogurd often invoke this when they show up in the nick of time to save the protagonists.
150	* TimedMission: You get 10 minutes to climb down Apogea Tower before it collapses. ''This includes time spent in battles''.
151	* ToThePain: Played to hilarious effect when the party has to interrogate a pirate. Each of the characters offers their own unique method of extracting information.
152	%%* TraumaInn
153	* UndergroundMonkey: Mostly averted, you'll generally see enemies appropriate to the environment (worms and slimes underground, mammals aboveground).
154	* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: While the game was originally supposed to be released on the Game Boy Advance, development moved it to the Nintendo DS. Unfortunately, the game has a bit of notable bugs to the point where you have to use your 3 save slots wisely. Some of the {{Timed Mission}}s may have random encounters to where there is not enough time left to make it out.
155	%%* UniversalPoison
156	%%* UnSorcerer: Kairu.
157	%%* {{Utopia}}
158	* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: King Zodiat [[spoiler:gives up his body to the Forbidden in exchange for magic for his kingdom.]]
159	* VideoGameStealing: Nym can steal.
160	* VillainousCrossdresser: [[spoiler:'''[[FanDisservice Mondu.]]''' Kairu's party finds his taste in admirers... questionable.]]
161	* WarriorPrince: Sir Flume Rogurd Rogueb, lord of Tradefair and [[AdventurerArchaeologist treasure hunter]].
162	* WeaponBasedCharacterization:
163	%%** {{BFS}}: Kairu.
164	** KatanasAreJustBetter / DualWielding: Isa. Her ultimate weapon are the Lost Samurai, a pair of katana.
165	%%** Hammer: Rogurd.
166	** BladeEnthusiast: Nephi, with throwing knives. He throws other things too, like silver balls and [[PowerGlows glowy... stuff]].
167	** PowerFist: [[spoiler:Secret Character Doll. He ''actually equips hands''.]]
168	** CoolSword: Kairu and Isa can use some of the same swords.
169	** RoyalRapier: Asi. [[spoiler:Therefore, Vai as well.]]
170	* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Vai tries to conquer every free city in the world to get ahold of the game's PlotCoupons, and use it to create world without violence. Shame he didn't know what he was getting into when he did it.]]
171	* WhereItAllBegan: [[spoiler: Bel Lenora is the island where the main character began his journey. It becomes the final area unlocked after certain events and serves as the entrance to the final dungeon in the game. Additionally, the final boss's music is the same music as the battle music played in first battle.]]
172	* WhipOfDominance: Aurora is a bossy and flirtatious FieryRedHead who uses a whip as her weapon. One of her whips is even called "Love Whip" Its description? "Kinky!"
173	%%* WildChild: Nym.
174	* YouCantThwartStageOne: [[spoiler: You can't stop Vai from gathering the Armaments and releasing the Forbidden, and you can't stop the forbidden from entering their true body and starting to fuse Artania with the black rift.]]
175	* YouAllLookFamiliar: A bunch of NPC sprites are reused, but there's much more variety than the typical EasternRPG.
176	* YouKnowTheOne: Rogurd and Gavin constantly refer to the treasure they're hunting as "IT", [[CapitalLettersAreMagic capital letters and all]].

Context VideoGame / BlackSigil