ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat
Developer: Mistwalker
Publisher: Nintendo
System: Nintendo DS
Genre: Strategy RPG
Release: 4th October 2007 (Japan)
STAFF
Designer: Hironobu Sakaguchi
Prior Credits: creator of Final Fantasy, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey
Art Direction/Character Design: Hideo Minaba
Prior Credits: Super Mario RPG (graphic coordinator); Final Fantasy Tactics (map designer); Final Fantasy IX (art director) Final Fantasy XII (art director); Blue Dragon (monster designer)
Music: Hitoshi Sakimoto & Masaharu Iwata
Prior Credits: Final Fantasy Tactics; Vagrant Story; Ogre Battle; Tactics Ogre; Final Fantasy XII
OVERVIEW
ASH, which stands for "Archaic Sealed Heat," will be the second game (following the Xbox 360's Blue Dragon) created by fledgling studio Mistwalker since Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's return from retirement. First announced 2 years ago at Nintendo's Wifi Connection press conference in late 2005, it's definitely been a long wait for ASH, but the time is finally here.
This time around the game is set to be published by Nintendo instead of Microsoft, and instead of a pure old school RPG, Sakaguchi has created a novel blend of strategy RPG and traditional RPG combat. ASH uses a 2 gigabit cart, which makes it the largest DS game to date. While a good portion of that will be taken up by FMV cutscenes and voice acting, the majority of it will be prerendered battle animations.
MOVIES
ASH uses lots of FMV sequences to tell its story, combined with prerendered battles. Here's how it looks in motion:
opening movie
cinematic collection
gameplay commercial 1
gameplay commercial 2
combat tutorial 1
combat tutorial 2
STORY
Aisha, the Queen of Millinear, has her entire world changed when an ancient power escapes from its seal and assaults her castle. The fiery beast destroys her kingdom and transforms most of its population into ashen zombies. Aisha is the sole survivor. The ashen creatures retain their memories and their hearts. Thus even though they are filled with pain over their deaths, they remain loyal to their Queen, whose new goal it is to uncover the secrets of the sealed flame, why it has destroyed her land, and how it is bringing the dead back to life.
Mistwalker has revealed little else of the story beyond that it is very different in tone from Blue Dragon and will be a much more serious game. To help achieve their goal of telling this story, Mistwalker will employ many full motion videos and lots of voice acting.
HYBRID COMBAT
ASH's battle system is a largely unique combination of strategy RPG and traditional RPG. Similar to games like Bahamut Lagoon and Ogre Battle, the player can form up units of up to three characters (the unit leader must be one of the named story characters, such as Aisha or Bullneck). Once these units are created, they're deployed onto a traditional grid-based SRPG map. Move units across the map, and when combat is engaged it plays out like a traditional RPG with the player selecting attacks and skills from a menu for his party.
Unit formations are the key to victory. Based on a translation by Ducky, the game's producer stated that "a map that might take 2 hours or so to complete if you're struggling, can be beaten in 20 minutes or so if you plan your formations well." Up to five team units can be present on a map. These units can move and act based on an AP gauge that is shared by the entire party. Once the AP gauge is consumed, the battle switches to the enemy's turn.
Additionally, the ashen warriors created and controlled by Aisha can fall within a number of different character classes. As ashen characters level up and acquire skills within their job, they can eventually be destroyed by the main characters, who can absorb the skill and experience mastered by the soldiers. The seven revealed classes available are:
Long Blade
White Mage
Black Mage
Itemer
Battler
Stealer
Monster Mage
IMAGES
IMPRESSIONS
Various gaffer impressions:
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