Glory of Heracles: Proof of the Soul (site)
Developer: PAON
Publisher: Nintendo
System: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
Release: May 22, 2008 (Japan)
Special movie: http://touch-ds.jp/mfs/st90/special.html
TVCM: http://touch-ds.jp/mediagallery/st90_a.html
Intro: http://touch-ds.jp/mfs/st90/intro.html
Famitsu score: 8/8/8/7
Staff
We don't really know much about the staff so far.
Scenario writer: Kazushige Nojima
Prior credits: Glory of Heracles 2, 3, 4; Final Fantasy 7, 8, 10; Kingdom Hearts; Super Smash Bros. Brawl, etc.
Composer: Yoshitaka Hirota
Prior credits: Shadow Hearts 1, 2
Composer: Aki Hata
Prior credits: Dynamite Headdy, Rocket Knight Adventures, Soul Blade, OP/EDs for many TV shows including Azumanga Daioh
Overview
The Glory of Heracles series started on the Famicom and was pretty much a Dragon Quest clone in its first two entries. The major appeal is its setting, which is ancient Greece. When the series jumped to the Super Famicom, it began to come into its own, but ended in 1994 with the release of the 4th entry. Proof of the Soul is the first game the series has seen in 14 years.
Proof of the Soul is a traditional, turn-based RPG with some pretty interesting systems (described below). It can be controlled with either the stylus or the face buttons.
The game stars a young man who has lost his memory and sets out to find out who he is. Eventually, he finds out that he's immortal, and that the friends he's met on his journey are also immortal. They set off toward Olympus to get some answers.
Systems
Items
Items appear to be very important in the game. Pieces of equipment allow characters to use certain skills and abilities, and items such as herbs and antidotes can also be equipped to be used automatically under certain conditions.
There are also several ways to manipulate and even create new items. At the alchemy shop, the player can have their equipment improved using the materials found in the wild. Likewise, materials can be brought to a blacksmith in order to create completely new equipment. Rusted items can be brought to the polishing shop in order to restore them to their former glory.
Battle
Combat is a standard turn-based, command-driven affair. Besides regular attacks, though, there are some other systems available.
Magic - Consumes magic points, and can be strengthened by performing a sequence of commands with the stylus.
Skills - Consumes magic points, can be strengthened similarly to magic.
Abilities - Trigger under certain conditions automatically.
Ether - Five elements exist in the world. Ether is always displayed on the screen during battle, and the amount available changes depending on the environment and a characters' actions. Overall, it sounds similar to Chrono Cross's elemental field system, but with a little more fleshed out.
Overkill - When you deal more than enough damage to defeat an enemy, its body dissolves into ether and you regain some MP.
Characters
Hero - Awoke on a beach with amnesia, though the fairies say that the hero is Heracles...
Lokhos (Λοχος - The man I met at the coast is immortal? It must be fate.
Sicyon (Σιχυών - Journeys with a purpose. His beautiful features cause women to fall at his feet.
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς,) - A mysterious man who introduces himself as the hero Heracles. Imprisoned for bilking restaurants.
Eris (Έρις - Involved in an accident, and lost her memory as well. She's traveled around since then.
Achilles (Ἀχιλλεύς - The hero of Athenai, born to a mortal father and a goddess mother. A hero with a unique personality.
Piazza - The princess of Athenai who, it is said, can open the "Gate of the Sky" connected to Olympus. Her current whereabouts are unknown...
Agon (Αγών - A mysterious man who stands in the heroes' way. His true self is hidden beneath his black helmet.
Screenshots