Aveyn Knight
Member
Developer: S_Kaga and Vestaria Project
Platform: PC
Genre: Strategy RPG
Release dates:
- Japan: 5th September 2016
- Everywhere else: Officially, probably never
Size: Approx. 400 MB
Vestaria Saga I: The Exiled Knight and the Star Maiden is a free indie (in the loosest sense) strategy RPG for PCs developed by S_Kaga and Vestaria Project. The game is inspired by S_Kaga's previous works and plays a LOT like the Fire Emblem series (for, er, reasons). It was created using the SRPG Studio software, essentially the strategy RPG version of RPG Maker.
First announced back in May 2015, the game--or the first part (hence the "I" in the title) at least--was released during 5th September 2016. Originally, it was envisioned as one title, but due to various limitations and complications, it was split into two standalone, but deeply connected games. Development of the second part is expected, but has not been formally announced.
Before continuing, keep in mind that the game was developed by one man and a group of volunteers and friends, with nary a budget. So do not expect much presentation-wise. However, their passion and love of the strategy RPG genre has created a very unique game experience, which potentially has the makings of a genre masterpiece.
Before you get your hopes up, the game is completely in Japanese. Since it's essentially a pet project, the developers simply do not have the capacity to create an English translation. As for a fan translation, well, it's complicated (see the "Download" section later on)...
Now, it is possible to play the game without knowledge of Japanese, especially if you're familiar with strategy RPGs (and especially Fire Emblem). However, the game is pretty dang tough, so you may have difficulty progressing if you don't understand the menus or what's going on.
Additionally, in his blog, the game's creator states this:
What this means is that he doesn't want his real name to be used, nor does he wish to be the subject of any discussions. So if you want to discuss in this topic or want to share this game to others, please bear this in mind and do not stir up any drama. Basically, try not to make a big deal out of it and just enjoy the game : )
As mentioned, Vestaria Saga I is a strategy RPG. If you've never played one, it's a bit like chess, except during each turn, you move all of your units in any order you wish. Units can move as far as their movement stat allows. Once a unit has an enemy unit in their attack range, they can attack the enemy unit, reducing their HP and potentially KOing them, removing them from the map.
The RPG bit should be pretty obvious. As you probably expect, there's a grandiose story, with tons of dialogue and a colourful cast of characters. In fact, each unit under your command is a unique character with their own distinct personality, stats and skills that can gain experience and level up to become stronger.
The key part of a strategy RPG is using your units effectively to complete maps with the least amount of casualties. This is very important because like the Fire Emblem series, Vestaria Saga I features permanent character death. So if one of your characters kicks the bucket, they're gone for good. Better watch your units and keep that reset button handy...
What separates Vestaria Saga I from other strategy RPGs is the large variety of mid-stage events, which makes each battlefield feel alive and keeps you on your toes. The game could very well be the first "puzzle strategy RPG" since many missions require an element of puzzle-solving to complete or get the most out of.
Here's an example. During Chapter 5, the sixth mission, you need to thwart a coup d'etat, but the rebels have closed off the city gates and there's no way in. However, during the chaos, a ship owner has lost his daughter and if you bring her back, he'll ferry up to four of your characters to the other side.
From here, you can fight your way around the backstreets to reach the lever that opens the city gates, allowing your main force to proceed. ...And that's just the one third of the mission, which also involves figuring out how to deal with a pair of super-powerful mercenaries and how to rescue the political hostages on the far side of the map.
In addition, the game is difficult; the creator even asserts that anyone who's less than an expert at Strategy RPGs will be unable to beat it. This isn't an empty boast either, as people who have played the game can attest to its difficulty. Players will need to carefully strategise and use all of the resources available to them to reach the end.
Rescue Mode: For those concerned about the difficulty or who need a helping hand, you can make the game slightly easier by picking "Rescue Mode" (the option on the right) when starting a new game. In this mode, characters will gain more experience and, so long as Atol is fielded, characters will receive a minor stat boost.
The story in Vestaria Saga I is your classic heroic war story set in a medieval fantasy world. But since it's a S_Kaga game, the story is very well thought out with lots of nuances.
Long ago, the island of Vestaria was liberated from the clutches of the Dark Lord, Magul. Thereafter, the heroic warriors who saved Vestaria created their own nations and strove to forge an era of everlasting peace. Centuries later, that peace threatens to be shattered as the nations of Vestaria begin lining up for war.
While visiting the Kingdom of Meleda, an imperial ship from the mainland continent of Celeron was set ablaze. Believing this to be an act of aggression, the Celeron Empire declared war on Meleda. While repelling the imperial invasion, Meleda was dealt a devastating defeat after its allies pulled out or turned coat, and its king was slain in battle.
Zeid, the game's hero, is a nobleman from the Meledan Duchy of Redessa. Moments before the empire reaches his homeland, he is ordered by his elder brother Zechs to flee with Atolfis, the princess of Meleda and also the Star Maiden in the service of the Vesta Shrinedom. So begins the story of the exiled knight and the star maiden...
You can find more details about Vestaria island and the various nations here.
Zeid (Zeidreese): A nobleman from the Duchy of Redessa, a territory of the Kingdom of Meleda. With the Lord Asral entrusted to him by his late father, he must confront a terrible fate. The hero of this story.
Atol (Atolfis): The Princess of Meleda and the Star Maiden of Vesta. Has the Princess’s Charisma and Maiden’s Blessing skills and can heal allies with sacred staves. The heroine of this story.
Zechs (Zechsrias): Zeid’s brother, a hero to the Meledans. Serves as the acting commander of the Meledan military in place of his late father. He was engaged to Princess Atol by orders of the king.
Garland: An earl from the Duchy of Redessa with a tactical acumen. Although he was his brother’s right-hand man, after their defeat, he journeys with Zeid as his assistant. As a tactician, he makes cool-headed judgements, but he’s a complex person who sometimes shows an emotional side.
Alicia: A neat and tidy cleric who’s staying in Lucca Village. Perhaps because of some deep reason, she hardly talks about herself. She’s a kind-hearted girl who’s admired by the village for her healing abilities. Definitely not one of the seven maidens of the Shrinedom in disguise.
Caesar: A nobleman from Fral, a territory of Meleda, and Zeid’s best friend since childhood. He studied at the Vesta Shrinedom to assist the mage knights. In addition, he can protect himself from attacks with his Magic Shield.
Lytton: The governor of the Republic of Venecia and Zeid’s brother-in-law. He has a great understanding of Zeid and supports him both openly and secretly. He aims to reform the corrupt republic, which has created many enemies for himself. At home, he’s a good husband and father.
Valerius: The Archmage responsible for the Empire’s acts of conspiracy. He invaded Vestaria ahead of the imperial invasion and is working to prevent an alliance between the 7 nations. The movements of the Garakia Bandits are also a part of his plot.
You can find more profiles here.
You can download the game from the download button(s) provided from the official download page. At the time of writing, there are 2 buttons. The first button is always the official download link, while the other buttons are temporary mirrors.
Version 1.02 is the latest version of the game (with several bug fixes).
Before downloading the game, please read the (simplified) terms and conditions below.
After downloading Vestaria.zip, simply extract the files using your favourite program. Then double click the Vestaria.exe file.
Be careful that there may be a long delay between clicking the file and loading the game, so if nothing seems to be happening, don't bother clicking again unless you want the game open multiple times.
Keyboard controls
Z (Enter): Confirm command/advance text
X (Ctrl): Cancel command/speed up text
Space: Skip dialogue and battle scenes
F4: Toggle full screen and windowed mode
F12: Reset game
A: Move cursor to previous character
S: Move cursor to next character
You can find the other useful information from this page.
Q. Is this just Fire Emblem?
A. Pretty much.
Q. Translation when?
A. I dunno.
Q. Why does the creator not want to be named or talked about? What's the history behind this?
A.
After the fifth Fire Emblem was released, the creator of the Fire Emblem series left to make his own company and create his own Fire Emblem-like game. However, his company was hit with a lawsuit from Nintendo, which failed, but eventually Nintendo won a second lawsuit. Later, he developed a sequel, but his involvement was kept a secret. Finally, he retired afterwards and it's thought he created this game in his spare time with some ideas he still had.
Q. Are we sure S_Kaga is who we think he is?
A. There's no way to know for sure, but S_Kaga has been managing a blog since at least 2008 and many of his posts contain a lot of in-depth (and often previously unknown) details about the games he's worked on. Plus Vestaria Saga could be considered the ultimate proof of his identity. The other possibilities are simply too crazy.
Q. Is this connected, story-wise, to any of S_Kaga's previous games?
A. As far as I can tell, not really. The general world view is very similar and I wouldn't be surprised if there were some throwbacks sneaked in somewhere.
(More to be added once people actually ask questions.)
- Official website
- Serenes Forest: Discovery topic / News archive
- Reddit community
(You can use these to link to the game's official website.)
Note: This is my first OT, so feedback is welcome.
