Hello one and all, and welcome to a half blind Liveblog of Radiant Historia, a 2011 DS release. This is a wonderfully engaging game with a complex storyline, an astounding approach to time travel, and an interesting combat system. I've only played up to a point, but I felt like doing a liveblog, so I figured I'd use one of the other save slots and have at it.
Now then, we begin our story in a desert wasteland. Standing alone, amidst the sand, two children sullenly talk. The boy, in an orange robe, silver hair, and a blank expression, laments over how they failed to save the world once again. Apparently, they've lost track of how many times they've been at this gig. This shouldn't be a sandy wasteland. He complains to his sister, also of silver hair, blank expression, but with a lovely blue gown as opposed to his orange one. She is as well, but she points out that they cannot stop. With reluctance, they decide to begin again, in order to write "The True History". With that, they dissapear into a flash of white.
- Note: This is amazing, beautiful music playing here. It makes this feel like an epic opening.
Now the subtitles give us an opening infodump. This is the continent of Vainqueur. As of now, everything has been swallowed by sand, which spread across the continent in the "Desertification" from the ruins of a long gone empire. If that's not enough, a war is going on between two rather large countries. To the east, Alistel, which has been under attack from the western nation of Granorg. Our story moves to a young man.
This is Stocke. Long, blond hair, red coat, sword and shield. He is employed by the Special Intelligence agency, making him a man of espionage. Currently, he has just arrived for a meeting with his superior.
Prolouge: Stocke
Stocke walks into the office of his boss, Heiss, an old man with hair that you wouldn't want to be behind him if he falls backwards and a beaky nose. Stocke is, as always, prompt to follow orders. He also cuts to business, asking what his reason for being here is. Heiss is slightly annoyed, but he'll let results trump manners. Heiss has a mission for Stocke to fulfill. Heiss explains that Granorg's reason for going to war with Alistel is that they are currently facing the worst of the desertification and are desperate for fertile land. The situation is getting worse each day. The special intelligence force has been sending numerous agents to Granorg, though they've been coming up against unexpected things. This is what's happening now. An agent has gotten himself into a fix.
Stocke is to rescue the agent and escort him back to Alistel. Rescue detail should be an army job, but...anywho, Stocke is to get the agent back promptly, preferably before the military higher-ups catch wind of it. The army doesn't exactly like special intelligence, apparently. If they get the agent, they'll claim right to the info, and the special intelligence looses credibility.
So no backup, time limit, and before the military finds out. Stocke is Heiss' best man for the job. He swears to get it done all right. Heiss then tells Stocke that he will be assigned two teammates for this mission. Stocke isn't thrilled, having apparently had some issues with being the lone survivor after a couple of incidents. Heiss says tough taters. Consider them tools if it helps, though. They have a couple of talents that might be useful. Heiss let's him figure that out on himself.
On a final note, Heiss entrusts Stocke with an old book, which Heiss refers to as the White Chronicle. It's empty, but Heiss tells him that it may be necessary to the mission. Stocke is confused, but Heiss remains unsettlingly cryptic. Stocke heads out, and Heiss quietly mutters to himself that he'll be waiting for Stocke to reach his point.
In the hallway outside Heiss's office, Stocke meets a gray haired girl in blue and a short blond boy with green armor and a helmet that has what looks like cat ears on it(Also green). He's also holding a bottle of mysterious liquid. I suspect he's an alchoholic. The girl is Raynie,the boy is Marco. Stocke asks them their combat specialties. Raynie is a spear fighter and dabbles in offensive magic, while Marco is a swordsman and healer, though he does mention he has some talent in observation.
Stocke introduces himself, and Raynie admits that they already know him as Special Intelligence's golden boy. Stocke responds with his trademarked Visible Silence. Raynie notes that he's just as aloof as Heiss said he'd be. Raynie actually thinks it's a good quality, though, considering their line of work.
Stocke shares their mission, to meet their target in Lazvil hills and escort him back to Alistel. Raynie thinks it'll be easy. Marco is annoyed by her jumping to conclusions, pointing out that Granorg has lately been advancing on the hills. If the spy has the info they need, though, they can turn the war around on Granorg.
Just then, there's a sound of shattering glass from the DS, and a flash of white. Stocke suddenly feels faint, and notices his new book is glowing. He sees a vision now. A green field in the middle of a rainstorm, with two people laying dead on in the middle; Raynie and Marco. Just as it arrived, the vision fades away, leaving Stocke and his subordinates still standing before Heiss' office. Raynie and Marco notice he just spaced out, but he waves them off, and they prepare to head out. Raynie hands over 500 gold for pre-op preperations, while Marco and Raynie officially join the party.
On that note, I save the game and end this chapter.
Current Party Stats
- Stocke- Level 1
- Raynie- Level 1
- Marco- Level 1
These three will be my primary fighting force through most of the game. Stocke is required to be in the party at all times, and occaisonally the party will be split up, but mostly I'll rely on Stocke for physical assault, Raynie for spellcasting and physical help, and Marco for healing. But more on that later.
I shall see you again when the pages turn. Farewell!
