Pandoras Tower was developed by a company called Ganbarion. Ganbarion is primarily a licensed game company. Theyve been producing One Piece games for Bandai for over ten years. I know very little about these games or the One Piece franchise, so I have no idea whether theyre good or not.
The company developed two of my favourite games: Jump Superstars and Jump Ultimate Stars. They are easy to think of as Smash Bros. clones featuring manga characters. However, they are actually a much different beast in execution; they focus more on tactical use of the special meter and attacks than twitch skills and movement. Its deck-building was a brilliant use of the DS second screen, adding more variety to combat giving my friends and I more incentive to battle over and over. Despite the multiplayer focus, the games were also full of single player content and unlockables.
In 2011, Ganbarion showed off its first original game. Though Operation Rainfall had yet to form, there was still fuss about Xenoblade and The Last Story. As the game looked somewhat like a Final Fantasy game perhaps too much like one it was swept up into the excitement as well. But as an adventure game by a humble developer among RPGs from big names it was naturally perceived as the runt of the litter.
The premise of Pandoras Tower is a fairly grisly one. Elena is a girl from a small village. Aeron is her lover; a former soldier from a formerly enemy country. At a national festival, Elena experiences a curse that gradually begins to transform her into a monster. With the help of a mysterious merchant, Mavda, the two evade army pursuit and are brought to the Thirteen Towers. Aeron sets out on Mavdas instruction to retrieve the flesh from the Masters within the Towers, the only cure for Elenas curse.
The game combines elements from different genres. The Thirteen Towers themselves seem similar to the dungeons of Zelda. Aerons growth and equipment are similar to RPGs, with item crafting making an appearance. Theres also some light dating game elements with Elena. None of these aspects are neglected and they tend to tie together.
Ganbarion produced two of my favourite games ever, but I was still quick to dismiss Pandoras Tower. I liked the concept, but I wasnt sure about the gameplay. The videos didnt excite me and what I was reading made the game seem too simple. Youve probably figured it out by now; Ganbarion managed to impress me yet again. Its hardly groundbreaking and I don't think it's as good as the Jump games. But its a solid, fun game that doesnt seem to have gotten the attention that I think it deserves.
I initially stopped playing halfway through for some reason I cant recall. After returning to beat the game, I couldnt help but think of how little discussion of it Ive seen in the meantime. I suddenly had the urge to create a write-up explaining exactly what the game is. Hopefully, it can at least help people learn whats inside this box.
If one were to open up the tutorial section of the in-game notes they may find it to be excessive. For the most part, Pandoras Tower is an action adventure game. Aeron spends most of his time doing two things: he maneuvers around the tower and he fights things. Both activities are pretty intuitive. However, youll often find yourself thinking about how to go about them.
As a strong believer of the adage the Devil is in details, I was happy to find little details present in the controls. Holding the C button prevents Aeron from grabbing onto ledges as he falls. Attacks can be dodge cancelled. Pressing the Z button at the home base turns the camera towards Elenas location. Theyre little things, but they add up.
Like other familiar adventurers, Aeron does a lot of climbing, jumping, and solving puzzles. The chain plays heavily into getting from point A to point B. He can use it to grab onto ledges and ladders, of course, but he also frequently uses it to create a path. He can use the chain to throw spikes into walls in order to climb. He can use it to pull out platforms and anchor them.
While you could mash the A button to attack, the bread-and-butter move of the game is actually the charged attack. Charging and releasing the A button unleashes an automatic combo of attacks with greater strength and invaluable knockdown power. Tapping the A button with proper timing indicated by a blue ring shrinking down on Aeron adds more attacks. I think button mashing works too, but the rhythm isnt so hard to get.
Different weapons have different combos with different timing. Weapons can be charged further for different, stronger combos after being upgraded enough. While there are only a handful of weapons in the game, the differences in their ranges, speeds, and timings are enough to feel a difference. They can also be switched at any time by going into your menu.
Automatic combos may not sound exciting, but theyre much more comfortable than button mashing. On top of that, cancelling out of attacks is important. Aeron is just as vulnerable when attacking, so one enemy might strike from behind while hes chopping another one up. Another issue comes about from the need to get monster flesh. The monsters body has to be intact when extracting the flesh. Theres an invulnerability period after you kill them, but allowing a combo to last two attacks too many will probably destroy it completely. Thankfully, theres usually another item dropped when destroying a monster.
The multifunctional chain also injects strategy into the combat. It can perform the damage dealing function of the charged attack by tearing and shooting, but its mostly in specific circumstances mainly the Master fights when thats the thing to do. The chain is usually better used to control the battle.
The chain can grab and throw most enemies, leaving them in a prone position. You can use this to move the enemy into attacking range, attack two enemies at once, or just keep an annoying monster still a moment. You can pull a sword from an enemys hand and then swing it around you to bowl them over. You can bind a monster up to keep them still or tie two of them together to damage them both at once.
While the Classic Controller is also an option, the game plays smoothly with the Wii Remote. The pointer is used to target your chain. Just point and shoot. Holding down the B button slows down time and shows a magnifying glass effect around the cursor. While the chain can be deployed instantly just by tapping the button, this serves to allow easier targeting of enemys body parts.
Pandoras Tower may not be the greatest of action games or the greatest of adventure games. But its still good at both. Perhaps thats one of the defining features of the game: it doesnt do any particular thing spectacularly, but a lot of things very well.
Pandoras Tower has an easily-identified game flow. The door to the towers Master is bound with chains. You venture into the tower to find those rooms that let you break the chains. You periodically return to the Observatory to give flesh to Elena and restore her to human form. When you finally beat the Master and obtain its flesh, you give it back to Elena and move on to the next tower.
So, the game is easily divided into the times when you are in the Thirteen Towers and in the times when you are in Observatory. Its good to know that the Observatory is also developed. Beyond just housing Elena, it serves as a place to regroup and house many of the non-action aspects of the game.
Giving flesh to Elena is a regular part of the game. Its a simple task. You only have to give Elena one piece of flesh per tower visit, and better quality flesh will allow for a longer time limit midway through the game.
Still, there is effort placed to keep even this activity from being too routine. Elena does not stand around waiting for Aeron, but does different things around the house depending on the in-game time, as well as on the time limit. Since the Z button reveals her location in the Observatory, she isnt hard to find. Even the act of eating the flesh is given some variety; her attitude changes as the game progresses.
Besides flesh, Elena can be given gifts to change your relationship level. If you give her pieces of equipment shell often wear it. If you give her dedicated gift items, shell usually decorate the Observatory with them. Its mostly to determine the games ending, but she will also reward you with items after a milestone has been reached.
Elena isnt the only character you can meet in the Observatory. Mavda the merchant is another frequent stop. As you can expect from a merchant, she mainly helps you with items. You can buy and sell items, repair broken items for a price, or combine items for free.
Some of the equipment Mavda sells just boosts a certain stat, while others provide immunities and other special abilities. The sage stone, for example, revives Aeron automatically when he dies. Your equipment is placed in a grid. The only limit on your equipment is how many items you can fit there. The size of the grid increases slowly as Aeron levels up.
Another free service Mavda provides is weapon forging. Each weapon has ten different upgrades that can be added to them. Each upgrade increases the attack power of the weapon by a different value, but also requires a different set of materials. Each upgrade can only be performed once. They can be done in any order. Upgrading your weapon for the third, sixth, or tenth time allows you to charge your attack longer in order to perform a different, stronger auto combo.
Mavda also buys up your spare flesh and rewards in cash you for the texts you collect. If enough flesh is collected she might throw in a free item. Only one piece of flesh is needed to restore the time limit and Aeron doesnt own a refrigerator, so its a convenient service.
Both Elena and Mavda are up for some chitchat, of course. Mavda tends to be focused on gameplay advice and details of the game world. Elena is more focused on Aeron, her family, and the situation they find themselves in.
The Observatory is small, but theres some benefit from wandering around. The birds by the fountain will often drop small items, and sometimes youll find texts and notes from Elena lying about.
While the Observatory is a smaller part of the game than the towers, it ends up being just as important for the player. Its more than an obligation. Its also a chance to prepare for the next portion of your adventure.
Pandoras Tower does not go out of its way to be difficult. There are no instant kill traps. There are plenty of health items, bombs, and equipment you can use. But sometimes, for a few moments, the game can feel unforgiving.
The towers are all in a state of disrepair, so there are often locations where Aeron can fall several floors down. Its actually pretty hard to fall down by accident Aeron automatically clings to ledges and its often easy to get back up. But you might sometimes make a mistake when swinging from one ledge to the next, and theres no way to reverse time and go back up. You have to take the long route.
Aeron doesnt have a companion to give him hints in the towers. If you have no idea where to go, you may have no choice but to look around. Thankfully, the chains winding through the tower suggest the direction. But thats only a subtle hint.
The primary sources of difficulty in the game are the groups of enemies. Even the stronger enemies tend to gang up on you in this game. If you dont make an effort to dodge their attacks and restrict them with the chain youll likely find yourself knocked down by a lot of attacks. Besides dealing heavy damage, these attacks tend to break your items. Crowd control and knockdown are crucial.
Not all enemies are simple damage sponges either. Its also important to know how to deal with certain enemies. Breaking an enemys armour to make them easier to damage is one example. It also shouldnt be surprising if, after binding a trolls arm, the creature yanks back on your chain and leaves you flat on your face. Many of the stronger enemies are introduced as minibosses first, so these harder foes shouldnt find you totally unprepared.
The bosses of the game resemble the puzzle bosses of Zelda somewhat, but theyre much more action-focused. The puzzle part of the battle is mostly explained by a note easily found in the tower. However, many of the bosses are not so unrelenting as to slow down their attack when youve exposed their weak point. Youll often have to find yourself dodging even while on the attack.
Regardless, since the game offers checkpoints, dying is not such a massive setback.
The time limit system may sound stressful, but it isnt at all. The meat needed to restore the meter is easily found, with the high quality meat being common by the early middle part of the game. The limit is generous enough to allow you to regularly break one or two chain rooms on each tower visit, even when engaging all enemies and collecting all the loot you see.
I think that most people who play this game will experience at least one challenging moment. But if you keep calm and consider all the tools at your disposal, you should pull through just fine.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of Pandoras Tower is its ability to define a world larger than itself. The game takes place entirely within the Thirteen Towers and the Observatory. But we hear much about the surrounding world; its a major part of the story as well. For example, its constantly reminded that the heroes are sought after by the unseen Elyrian army.
The main vehicle for this information is through the notes left around the towers and Observatory. Some contain information on how to fight certain enemies or interact with puzzle objects, but many of them add more details to the world and the story. The tower is quite old, so many of the notes have to be given to Elena for translation first.
Of course, the game features in-engine cutscenes as well. While the more notable ones are done at obvious points the end of towers or sets thereof there are many slipped into various places. You may see a cutscene from entering the door at a certain time or going to sleep in the Observatory. I suspect that this was an attempt to make things feel more natural. Personally, I thought it worked well.
At the beginning of the game, we learn that the followers of the Aios religion are vegetarians. Elena is a follower, so the act of eating raw beast flesh is particularly disgusting to her. Aios does not seem to be based on any single real religion. Its something of a combination of yin-yang and wu xing (the five Chinese elements) in a Greco-Roman package. While its not discussed in particular depth, its details like this that I found particularly striking. The varied economies of worlds countries are another such detail that is lightly mentioned.
It should be noted that this is by no means a horror game, but it is on occasion a dread game. That is to say, the game does not have monsters popping out to say boo, it does not try to make the player feel powerless, it doesnt hit you with extremely disturbing images. What it does often offer is tension.
There are points where the player isnt exactly sure what is happening and is made to feel uncomfortable about it. This may be something of a minor spoiler, but heres a small example. When the time limit is low, youll return from the towers to an Observatory with dead plantlife and a dark sky. The music becomes similarly uncomfortable. It is extremely evident that something is wrong.
That said, it should also be noted that the game isnt entirely a dark fantasy game either. As is noted in the Iwata Asks, true love is a theme of this game. Someone expecting an extremely dark game might find it to be sappy at times. However, there are also such themes as despair and hubris. While these themes are strongly present throughout the game, there isnt a single one that dominates the atmosphere of the game completely.
The weakest part of the story is probably the two lead characters themselves. Aerons actions are that of a superman, surviving huge falls and toppling giant enemies. But what we see of his personality makes him seem like little more than a slightly squeamish Elena-saving machine. Elena tries to help Aeron out through translation and making medicine, but most of the time she engages in homemaker-like activities. Theyre both rather quaint compared to their world and the scenario theyve found themselves in.
Mavda is much more interesting. She provides you with a lot of vital services and guidance. However, her demeanour inspires immediate distrust. The way she speaks seems rather cold. Her constant chuckling seems inappropriate considering the dangers she speaks of. She tends to be vague about herself as well.
This is purely my own opinion, of course, but I feel that story is the one point of Pandoras Tower that is clearly the best of the Rainfall games. While its still not notably ambitious, its the only one that strikes me as genuinely trying to make itself feel unique. The only one that seems to be trying to distance itself from oft-mocked JRPG clichés.
The Observatory has several points providing a scenic view of the Thirteen Towers. It neatly summarizes the appearance of the game. The Thirteen Towers are fantastic aesthetically. Gigantic chains, perhaps a mile long, suspend the gothic complex over a seemingly bottomless pit. At the same time, its also painfully apparent that its a flat background in the distance.
The towers are all ultimately stone buildings. The game does not have much in the way of varied scenery in that sense. However, the theme and content of the towers vary, and a certain effort to make the appearances of the towers appealing is visible. The long-abandoned towers are all clearly crumbling apart. You can sometimes spot little details if you pay attention, such as the dripping of water from above.
The scenery makes a nice match with the games fixed camera. Thankfully, it isnt quite as awkward as some other implementations of that have been.
The music is something of a problem in the game. It isnt so much thats particularly bad, but there isnt a lot of it. By the end of the first tower, the player may have heard some variation of most of the games music. Much of the soundtrack is based off classical, primarily romantic music that has fallen into the public domain. It includes Giulio Caccini, Franz Liszt, Bedřich Smetana, and Giuseppe Verdi. There might be more, but Im not familiar with this kind of thing.
I suspect that the use of sound in this game would affect people differently. A sudden, powerful melody introduces certain rooms of the tower, and then fades into silence.
My run of the game took just under 27 hours. I didnt do any sort of backtracking or grinding, but I do tend to play games somewhat slowly and got stumped once or twice. Being an adventure game with lots of puzzles, it shouldnt be surprising if others have different playtimes.
After completing a tower, Mavda will inform you about rare items that can be found there at specific in-game times. You can sleep in the Observatory if you want to change the time. Its meant to encourage backtracking: the items are often parts of weapon upgrades. However, its not at all necessary to complete the game, and many of these items can be created by combining items.
The game features multiple endings based on your relationship level with Elena. Theres also a new game plus feature, but its a little strange. Not only do your items and levels remain from the completed game, but it seems that only the chains in the towers are restored to their original state. There are new items are areas that can only be accessed after beating the game. However, many of these new rooms dont have much of interest in them, so one has to wonder what the point is.
If youre interested in the game, you should be able to pick it up for fairly cheap. $29 dollars on Amazon.com, £18 on Amazon.co.uk, and ¥4880 on Amazon.co.jp were the prices for a new copy I saw. The American version is also available off Xseeds store for $30.
It would be unfair of me to describe this game without including the major bugs. Basically, the game may freeze when loading up some of the final towers. It seems to be more of an annoyance than an obstruction. Since the player would likely be entering the tower from the Observatory, youre likely to have saved your progress before the freeze. There are also a number of workarounds, which may be as simple as saving to a different slot or removing the disc.
Pandoras Tower seems to be a self-contained story. I only saw one ending, but I find it hard to imagine a direct sequel or prequel. Furthermore, the game was hardly a sleeper hit, so Nintendo wont likely be knocking on Ganbarions door for another one. But I suspect that there were ambitions to further explore this world.
The continent of Imperia has nine countries, four of which are named. The game deals primarily with the country of Elyria. However, the country of Athos is also described, and Certes is mentioned a few times despite having a minor role. Its also strange that the Elyrian capital, Helcyon, is even named. It doesnt have a particularly important role in the story either.
Maybe Im overthinking things, but I cant help but feel that this was meant to set up future adventures. Certes and Athos seem like the likely candidates for the next games location. Rather than returning to the Thirteen Towers, perhaps the game would be a Pandoras Factory or Pandoras Temple.
Again, Pandoras Tower isnt a groundbreaking game. Its simply has no ambitions of being one. But its a game that tries to do a lot of different things and succeeds. Its interesting and its fun; a solid game on its own merits. I think that deserves some attention too. My hope is that you agree.
tl;dr: Aeron for Smash.
Additional resources:
Xseed website
Pandoras Tower wikia (Spoilers abound)
Google docs guide
