~Cue Brandish music~
- Title: Brandish: The Dark Revenant
- Developer: Nihon Falcom
- Publisher: XSEED Games
- Genre: Dungeon-crawling Action RPG
- Platform: PSP (PSVita/VitaTV compatible via Backwards Compatibility)
- Release: North America: January 13, 2015 | Europe: April 15, 2015
- Format: Digital (through PSN)
- Game size: 246 MB
- Website: http://brandishpsp.com
- Age Rating: ESRB T | PEGI 12
- Price: $19.99
- PSN Link: North America | Europe
In Brandish: The Dark Revenant, the player's objective is to escape from a labyrinth
and return to civilization - fighting occurs in real time on the same movement grid as
dungeon exploration (i.e. tile-based), with weapons that break and monsters that don’t
always follow the rules. This allows for great variety and a high degree of precision in
both offense and defense, and makes it absolutely crucial to keep a close eye on your
inventory and learn as much as you can about the individual behaviors of every
potential enemy.
The Brandish series is known for its rather unique perspective - instead of the character
turning left and right, the player’s character is always facing upward, and the world
“rotates” around them. It's sort of like if you took a typical first person dungeon crawler
like Dungeon Master, Wizardry or Etrian Odyssey, but from an overhead viewpoint/the
top down. In Brandish: The Dark Revenant, you use the directional buttons to walk
forward, backward, side-step left or side-step right, and use the L and R buttons to turn -
Ares is always shown facing forward, so when he turns, the world itself smoothly spins
around him, giving the player a greater sense of what he’s seeing and experiencing
without any of the drawbacks inherent in a first-person perspective.
In trying to escape from the labyrinthian depths of this hellish place, players must use
their swords and shields to ward off gargoyles, skeletons, minotaurs, wizards, and many
other types of creatures intent on your death. Along the way, you can find, purchase,
or sell many different items, including different magics, potions, steel balls,
sledgehammers, keys, and other things to aid you in your quest. All while carefully
budgeting your gold.
Brandish: The Dark Revenant also features an interesting level-up system in which you
can normally gain a new level while increasing your attributes: "Strength", "Defense",
"Intelligence" (INT) and "Magic Resistance" (MGR). Each of them have their own 'level',
and as you attack, take damage and use magic, these stats will slowly increase as well.
For instance, you'll get better at magic by casting spells at enemies, and your "Strength"
will increase faster by fighting enemies barehanded. Your total physical attack/defense
power also depends on your basic attack/defense power + the sword and armor/shield
you're currently wearing.
During their treacherous journey in the dungeons of Vittoria, players will find
a bunch of plaques with hints and clues all over the walls, ranging from
“highly helpful” to “downright strange”.
No Brandish game is complete without deadly traps and whatnot - rolling boulders,
pits, spiked floors, slippery surfaces, enemy ambushes, fake treasure chests,
poisoned potions, you name it. Ares can’t simply force his way through the challenges
before him, and each of them requires a different approach in order to be successful.
At various points throughout the game, you will find various shopkeepers and other
lost souls trapped in those ruins. You can try to get helpful information by
communicating with them, as well to finding out how they cope with their seeming
imprisonment.
As being a remake of a game originally released in 1991, Brandish: The Dark Revenant
has new character artwork created specifically for it, all drawn by Japanese illustrator
Jun Suemi (who also draw the cover art for all the Brandish games since Brandish 2
in 1993, Renewal re-releases included). The original PC-98 FM soundtrack, composed
by Falcom Sound Team J.D.K. members Mieko Ishikawa (the beautiful woman who
composed most of the music for Ys III and many other Falcom classics) and Atsushi
Shirakawa (aka Tenmon, now a big anime composer), has also been re-arranged by
arranger Yukihiro Jindo - best known for arranging the music from Ys I, II and III for
Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys I & II Chronicles -, with a few tracks performed by
Falcom’s jdk Band. Alternatively, you can also choose to play with the original
soundtrack (not the SNES version) if you like, just like in Ys I & II Chronicles and the
PSP version of Ys: The Oath in Felghana.
Ruins (Original) - Ruins (Arrange)
In addition to auto-mapping, Brandish also includes a map editor - players can
let the game map dungeons for them, or take a more active role by adding markers
to areas of interest that might be worth revisiting later on. Multiple colors and styles
are available and existing auto-mapped sections can be edited at will, making it
possible to add extra detail and personalize the dungeon-crawling experience.
Those seeking a moment of respite can also play the slots or an original card game
called “Blade,” but that’s only if they can find “one” of the game’s well-hidden casinos…
and return to civilization - fighting occurs in real time on the same movement grid as
dungeon exploration (i.e. tile-based), with weapons that break and monsters that don’t
always follow the rules. This allows for great variety and a high degree of precision in
both offense and defense, and makes it absolutely crucial to keep a close eye on your
inventory and learn as much as you can about the individual behaviors of every
potential enemy.
The Brandish series is known for its rather unique perspective - instead of the character
turning left and right, the player’s character is always facing upward, and the world
“rotates” around them. It's sort of like if you took a typical first person dungeon crawler
like Dungeon Master, Wizardry or Etrian Odyssey, but from an overhead viewpoint/the
top down. In Brandish: The Dark Revenant, you use the directional buttons to walk
forward, backward, side-step left or side-step right, and use the L and R buttons to turn -
Ares is always shown facing forward, so when he turns, the world itself smoothly spins
around him, giving the player a greater sense of what he’s seeing and experiencing
without any of the drawbacks inherent in a first-person perspective.
In trying to escape from the labyrinthian depths of this hellish place, players must use
their swords and shields to ward off gargoyles, skeletons, minotaurs, wizards, and many
other types of creatures intent on your death. Along the way, you can find, purchase,
or sell many different items, including different magics, potions, steel balls,
sledgehammers, keys, and other things to aid you in your quest. All while carefully
budgeting your gold.
Brandish: The Dark Revenant also features an interesting level-up system in which you
can normally gain a new level while increasing your attributes: "Strength", "Defense",
"Intelligence" (INT) and "Magic Resistance" (MGR). Each of them have their own 'level',
and as you attack, take damage and use magic, these stats will slowly increase as well.
For instance, you'll get better at magic by casting spells at enemies, and your "Strength"
will increase faster by fighting enemies barehanded. Your total physical attack/defense
power also depends on your basic attack/defense power + the sword and armor/shield
you're currently wearing.
During their treacherous journey in the dungeons of Vittoria, players will find
a bunch of plaques with hints and clues all over the walls, ranging from
“highly helpful” to “downright strange”.
No Brandish game is complete without deadly traps and whatnot - rolling boulders,
pits, spiked floors, slippery surfaces, enemy ambushes, fake treasure chests,
poisoned potions, you name it. Ares can’t simply force his way through the challenges
before him, and each of them requires a different approach in order to be successful.
At various points throughout the game, you will find various shopkeepers and other
lost souls trapped in those ruins. You can try to get helpful information by
communicating with them, as well to finding out how they cope with their seeming
imprisonment.
As being a remake of a game originally released in 1991, Brandish: The Dark Revenant
has new character artwork created specifically for it, all drawn by Japanese illustrator
Jun Suemi (who also draw the cover art for all the Brandish games since Brandish 2
in 1993, Renewal re-releases included). The original PC-98 FM soundtrack, composed
by Falcom Sound Team J.D.K. members Mieko Ishikawa (the beautiful woman who
composed most of the music for Ys III and many other Falcom classics) and Atsushi
Shirakawa (aka Tenmon, now a big anime composer), has also been re-arranged by
arranger Yukihiro Jindo - best known for arranging the music from Ys I, II and III for
Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys I & II Chronicles -, with a few tracks performed by
Falcom’s jdk Band. Alternatively, you can also choose to play with the original
soundtrack (not the SNES version) if you like, just like in Ys I & II Chronicles and the
PSP version of Ys: The Oath in Felghana.
Ruins (Original) - Ruins (Arrange)
In addition to auto-mapping, Brandish also includes a map editor - players can
let the game map dungeons for them, or take a more active role by adding markers
to areas of interest that might be worth revisiting later on. Multiple colors and styles
are available and existing auto-mapped sections can be edited at will, making it
possible to add extra detail and personalize the dungeon-crawling experience.
Those seeking a moment of respite can also play the slots or an original card game
called “Blade,” but that’s only if they can find “one” of the game’s well-hidden casinos…
- Falcom's original trailer
- Falcom's demo movie (narration-less version)
- XSEED’s E32014 (kind of crappy) trailer
- XSEED’s NA Launch Trailer
- Brandish: The Dark Revenant - Localization Blog #1
- Brandish: The Dark Revenant - Localization Blog #2
- Brandish: The Dark Revenant - Localization Blog #3
Coming soon.
Shamefully stolen from XSEED's website. I'll make a few more if there's demand for it.
(Those below were taken from the Japanese manual and translated into English. Scanned by me and translated by Gu4n.)
- Question: What is Brandish? Anything to be excited about?
Answer: Brandish is the name of a series of top-down dungeon crawler action-RPGs by Falcom that made its debut on the Japanese personal computer known
as the PC-98, with an exquisite sense of exploration, stellar level design, pure gameplay and fantastic soundtracks. It’s kinda hard to relate it directly to anything,
since Brandish is a rather unique series - the closest comparison to an existing franchise would probably be the Etrian Odyssey series, although Brandish
is much darker, has a third-person perspective, and battles occur in real-time (as opposed to being turn-based). Another good comparision would be something
like Legend of Grimrock, but more simpler/streamlined and in a third-person view.
Regarding the latter question… the remake of Brandish on the PSP is pretty much one of the best games I played in recent years. Take it as you want though,
but personally I think it's great that more people will be able to play it, and it being in English will give more people a chance to discover the beauty of the
Brandish series.
- Question: Is this game a brand new entry in the series?
Answer: It’s a remake of the very first one.
- Question: Wait… Brandish? Isn’t that the name of that supposedly “awful” SNES game?
Answer: Same Brandish, yes. The thing is, the SNES version of Brandish is actually an out-sourced port developed and localised by Koei, which had some problems -
you need to switch to the map and back a lot due to the lack of an on-screen mini-map (every single other Brandish game has an on-screen mini-map), and the games
were originally developed for playing with a mouse+keyboard, which caused some problems in the console versions (when managing your items for example,
but it's still doable). It also doesn’t help that it was a port of 1991 game released in 1995 that looks like an early generation SNES game, and that it pales in comparison
to the original in terms of graphics, controls and music.
(That said, I’ve beaten both SNES Brandish games, so they really aren't awful or anything like that. It's just that they aren't the best ports ever.)
The other reason for its "bad" reputation is... well, you've probably seen a few (if not many) English "reviews" about the SNES version saying that it's a "terrible" game.
This is largely due to the fact that the Brandish series has an interesting camera system in which every time your character turns, the entire world "rotates" 90 degrees
around him/her (by re-drawing the entire layout in four individual ways), mimicking a pseudo-3D effect into a 2D game. Many players found this rather "disorientating",
"incredibly confusing" and a "poorly executed gimmick", which resulted on people bashing on the game without giving it a fair chance, despite it allowing for unique
features (such as being able to hide on every viewpoint of the dungeon). Those players who did get used to it, however, found a beautifully-designed, wholly
engrossing, and satisfying experience waiting for them, with large, imposing maps, a balanced challenge, clever puzzles and absolutely devious traps.
- Question: I tried the SNES version and didn't really like it because of the controls and the camera. Would I like this?
Answer: I’ll say give it another shot here. It's fully native 3D, so you don’t have to redraw each viewpoint. It also has a friendly (and optional) tutorial that sums up
most of the game's mechanics. People shouldn't have a problem with this game anymore.
- Question: What does this version has over the others?
Answer: Full 3D graphics, new character portraits, smooth rotation, arranged sountrack and the addition of (not exactly a spoiler, but just in case)
Dela Mode, which is unlocked after beating the game and allows players to play as Dela Delon over new additional floors.
- Question: Is the gameplay as clunky as the trailers suggest?
Answer: I personally don't find it clunky at all (unless you consider grid-based games to be "clunky"...?) It's honestly not much different than old tile-based RPGs.
- Question: Why couldn't they translate the Zwei!! games or Nayuta no Kiseki instead?
Answer: Because Brandish is the superior franchise.
XSEED (well, Tom) is constantly pushing for them and pretty much everything Falcom on PC. As for Nayuta no Kiseki, it would first need to be released on a system
they can justify putting a localised version (considering the amount of text), but that’s up to Falcom.
- Question: Will there be a physical version?
Answer: I’m afraid not, as it’s a PSP game and retailers don’t even sell the PSP games anymore in the West (outside of clearing old stock). I'd love a physical release
as well, but we should all know that it's impractical at this point.The only way to get a physical release on the West would be it getting ported to a “newer” system, but that’s up to Falcom and not XSEED, since XSEED isn’t a(Unless you're Victor Ireland, lol.)
developer and can’t port anything to anywhere.
- Question: Europe release when?
Answer: According to Tom on Ancient Land of Ys' shoutbox...
- Question: Is Brandish: The Dark Revenant the best Brandish game ever?
Answer: No, Brandish 2 and 3 are even better.
- Question: Just beat this game and I absolutely love it! Now I feel like I can overcome the disorientation of the original games! What other games are there from this series?
Answer: Well, here are your options as for other Brandish games:- Brandish 2: The Planet Buster (PC-98 / SNES) (1993) – A very worthy sequel to this game that takes the Brandish experience to the next level by introducing
a dual-wielding combat system and a large world through which you can freely travel. Check it out!
• The PC-98 version is the original and best version of the game, but it isn’t available in English at the moment of this post. Friend Veleskola is attempting to tackle
the Renewal version of Brandish 2 for the PC-98.
• As of now, only the SNES version is available in English (through fan-translation, thanks to the efforts of Synchronicity Translations), and while still ported by Koei,
it’s a bit more bearable than its prequel on the SNES (and the soundtrack sounds really good on the SNES, unlike in its predecessor's port). Unfortunately, Koei
removed a bunch of content for the SNES port (namely a few areas and music tracks). Also, obligatory mention to THE English trailers, which are some of the finest ever. - Brandish 3: Spirit of Balcan (PC-98) (1994) – The final game in the original trilogy, taking the Brandish experience even further by adding even more gameplay
elements, four playable characters and some of the most amazing music in the series. Considered by many Japanese fans to be the best game in the series.
Also playable ninja, because everything is better with ninjas. - Brandish VT (PC-98) (1996) / 4 (Windows) (1998) – The forth and currently final entry in the Brandish series. The overhead rotating viewpoint has been ditched
entirely and replaced with an isometric stationary viewpoint, but other than that it plays and feels like Brandish should (sans the tank controls). And while it is
set in the same world, the characters and story are all-new to this game.
• Brandish 4 is basically a straight port of Brandish VT with enhancements released two years later for Windows, which also includes a new playable scenario
and arranged soundtrack (though personally I find it inferior to the original FM music of VT). Brandish 4 is currently being translated by DTagg (hacker)
and Gu4n (translator) - more info about that here and here.
Even though you think it is really tough to get into the 90s Brandish games or that they are "unplayable", there's a possiblity that, after playing Brandish: The Dark Revenant,
it will make it exponentially easier for you to comprehend and enjoy the other games in this series. I know because it happened to me - played Brandish PSP for the first time
and then... everything made *click* in my mind, and now I find the original versions of Brandish to be highly enjoyable, which... I honestly never thought would happen. - Brandish 2: The Planet Buster (PC-98 / SNES) (1993) – A very worthy sequel to this game that takes the Brandish experience to the next level by introducing
- Question: Can we expect XSEED localising more PSP games after Brandish?
Answer:
You know what to do.Make this game sell like hotcakes so Falcom greenlights that Brandish 2 remake.
;_;
- Question: Do you like Brandish, man?
Answer: Yeah.
- Truner for helping me out with some of the images.
- Gu4n for translating the tips and tricks section from the manual. Be sure to check out his Brandish 4 translation!
- krYlon for selling me his Japanese copy of Brandish: The Dark Revenant back in Summer 2013. The first step to becoming the huge Brandish nutcase I am today!
- Falcom for making a great game.
- All the wonderful guys and gals at XSEED who made this game’s localisation possible - check the game credits.
- Me for eternal begging and flooding XSEED’s inbox with loads of raving messages.*
And that's it I guess. My first OT on NeoGAF... I hope I did alright. Any suggestions are appreciated!
This game is fantastic! Play play play!!
(Source)
* - did not happen
