The year is 212 Chronicle Systems B.
The world has given birth to a resurgence in civilization ever since ‘the Change’. Technology has also been advancing at an ever-piquing rate ever since nanotechnology has emerged into the known world, and communication between people reaches the point to which privacy is but a concept that can never exist. However, along with a second technological revolution, eco-awareness has been spreading to the point that some of the governmental decisions of the world have been revolving around these creatures called Deathlies.
Exceptionally gifted Deathlies, otherwise known as Deified Deathlies have now realized that they can obtain power and control over human beings. Hakuryu, the White Flare/Draconic Deathly has taken four people under her wing, while her rival, Kokuryu, took four people in as well. These dragons fight to determine who has the capacity to rule the universe and the people that live in it, while their servants battle it out in an event called the Conflict. These servants tend to have differing views on world issues that they feel can be solved by their Sole Virtue. The servants of Hakuryu believe in truth, hence their name being the White Reality, while the servants of Kokuryu abide by dreams, hence their name being the Black Ideal. Stop us if this sounds familiar.
Kakeru Wanao, an 18-year old high school pre-graduate forms a group with his friends that he feels will change the world in their own way, first by quelling the Conflict that could potentially replace their so-called 'progress' with the destruction of humanity. Will he really be able to end the violence he calls the Conflict and try and save Japan for himself? Or will he be able to become the arbiter of destruction and destroy not only his home country, but his world? Or will he be able to achieve his destiny and become a member of the Reality or Ideal? Only he can decide for himself, and it's up for you to step in to his world and explore your options.
Hubspace, as according to creator Rallen Rolando of famed Xenoblade Chronicles 1 developer Monolith Soft, is a Conflicted Action RPG, released for the Wii U. Like many games that came out during the tail end of a console's lifespan, Hubspace is known for being one of the games that pushes its platform, in this case the Wii U, to its limits. And yet, despite its very modern, if not Post Modern approach, it retains a lot of influences from traditional Eastern RPGs.
Designed as an obvious Spiritual Successor to Pokémon, specifically, Pokémon Black and White and Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, Hubspace tries to deconstruct and subvert several Mons Series tropes all while bringing its own flavors to the table. Many concepts from Pokémon have been undoubtedly carried over, such as elemental weaknesses, trading and breeding, IV's and EV's, hold items and Relationship Values. However, it's also linked these concepts with several different original aspects, such as a seamless battle system, Socketed Equipment, a system of sidequests based on social networking, and the Ability Utilization System.
Aside from these, the game also features Multiple Endings and a New Game Plus. The New Game Plus is told from the perspective of Kakeru's friend's brother, Dylan after a traumatic experience that takes place after the Second Battle of the Conflict. Because of that, please read with caution.
This video game provides examples of:
- Alternative Calendar: Chronicles System B has replaced the year system of the Gregorian calendar (as well as the BCE-CE systems) after 'the Change' had immediately imbued nanomachines into animals, effectively evolving them at an alarmingly rapid pace. Deichind was the first one, and then his release of nanomachines then grafted itself onto animals like a virus.
- Apocalypse How: Barely a Class 1. Society remains largely the same, yet most countries have to reconstruct in order to adapt to the nanomachines that have spread around them.
- Hostile Terraforming: Brought out by the nanomachines that are formed out of algae in order to absorb the high amounts of carbon dioxide in the air.
- Apocalypse How: Barely a Class 1. Society remains largely the same, yet most countries have to reconstruct in order to adapt to the nanomachines that have spread around them.
- Anachronic Order: Hubspace is canonically the fifth of seven games in the Divergent Sequence.
- Break Meter: A feature of the new battle system, called Seamless Combat Initiatives.
- Deconstruction: Hubspace deconstructs several concepts within its antecedent, the Pokémon franchise.
- For one, the concept of Olympus Mons can be deconstructed in how Kokuryu, Hakuryu and Deichnid treat human beings. All four of them try to gain power over humanity based on the mere fact that they are powerful enough to do so. Hairyu is just sane enough to use humans as its Morality Chain.
- Hell, the sheer realization of how Mons have desires and opinions is just the iceberg that the will to power is just a part of. Overconfident Deathly Strategists that only have a utilitarian bond with their overly powerful Deathlies tend to overlook that the power just makes Deathlies feel contained when commanded.
- The Power of Friendship is also deconstructed here: the game looks at how such friendships can be strained and the consequences of straining them. The game also links this with grief experienced by the characters as Dylan fizzles out into thin air and straining the relationships between Kakeru, Delaney and Kurumi result in the suicide of one or the other.
- Dynamic Loading: Happens all the time. Most cities are huge, and their models are already rendered, while textures are applied as you get nearer and nearer. There are still some loading screens though, such as entering buildings, but most occurrences of loading are mixed in with seamlessly occurring cutscenes.
- Deathlies are also loaded based on their spawning rates just before one enters a route or area that contains them.
- Easing into the Adventure: A tradition carried over from its previous incarnation. Hubspace however, has you walk to school to prepare for grad rehearsal, exploring the game's world as you stroll through the game's Elevator School—however, subverted, as in the case below:
- Action Prologue: Happens as soon as you see two frickin' mighty giant dragons duke it out right in front of you, one using fire and another using electricity. Like any good teenager, you immediately take a picture of it and upload it to your uSe in the hopes that it nets you some followers.
- Fight Woosh: Interestingly enough, for a battle system called Seamless Combat Initiatives, this exists. Kakeru would send out his Deathlies, and the Game Pad for the Wii U will display them growling as they coming out of their Deathly Capsule. This only happens when Kakeru comes into contact with randomly spawning Untamed Deathlies or Deathly Strategists, however.
- Pre-existing Encounters: The spawning however, occurs when the player is far away—Deathlies are also preloaded based on their spawning rates, much like Pokémon's encounter rates.
- First-Person Snapshooter: You'll have to take pictures as early as the first hour of gameplay. Some sidequests even require you to take pictures like these.
- Camera Fiend: What you'll likely become over the course of the game.
- G-Rated Sex: Deathlies can breed, yes. The mother passes down its species while the father passes down techniques and passive ability. Forgive us if this sounds familiar. However, either one of them can pass down 'stat genetics' that determine the stats of their children, as well as other cosmetic things, such as eye color and even paw size.
- Godhood Seeker: What Deichnid hopes to achieve. It tried accomplishing this four different times, to no avail.
- Mons: The Deathlies.
- Randomly Drops: Almost all Deathlies drop something, but what you obtain from them is usually determined by chance.
- Relationship Values: Not just with your Deathlies, but also the characters themselves. They also determine what ending you'll obtain after getting the New Game Plus. You also have these for NPC's and friends that you meet via Brocast, the in-game social network.
- These can be increased or decreased by failing to give them a gift, taking them to a restaurant, playing video games with them or even completing Solids that they make you do.
- Side Quest: 'By the ton. It even takes it onto a whole new level by offering you player-created sidequests called, amusingly enough, Solids.
- Stat Grinding: The more of a certain Deathly you will defeat, the higher the chance that a corresponding stat (known as the Deathly's Gift) goes up by about two more points.
- Sliding Scale of Linearity vs. Openness: Class 5, much like most SaGa games, as well as its other antecedent, Xenoblade Chronicles 1.
- More specifically, you have the same Cartography Sidequest Xenoblade gives you (albeit much larger in terms of scale), secret areas, unique encounters and tons upon tons of sidequests. The SaGa games give you an incredibly deep level of customization. non-linear story (complete with diverging outcomes), events of which can be completed in any order despite there being a canon sequence.
- Socketed Equipment: These are known as Augments, made from clustered and linked nanomachines. You have your usual stat-boosters, while some give you instant Status Effects at the start of any battle.
- Equipment-Based Progression: The more battles you enter with these Augments equipped, the stronger they become. Sound familiar?
- Virtual Paper Doll: Your Deathlies and even their Strategist can even strut their stuff in battle. Some of the hold items Deathlies can carry are scarves, shades, and even outfits. They can carry three of these clothes at a time, which are purchasable at specialty Deathly clothing stores—brands tend to focus on a certain stat or status effect.
- Strategists, however, can buy clothes from just about anywhere. Their effects on Deathlies are much more universal, such as increasing attack power or the critical-hit ratio for all Deathlies that are in-play. Howeer, these clothes do not come with the requisite sockets that Deathlies have. Humans already have enough nanomachines as it is.
