Welcome to Zentendo's second look at the upcoming RPG for the Nintendo DS "Nostalgia". As you can probably guess just from the logo, "Nostalgia" features heavy use of airships. However, they are not just for crossing the world map, the feature heavily into the gameplay as well. They even include their own battle screens!
Airship battles and building:
When engaged in battle while riding the airship, the battle screen that comes up may appear normal at first, however a quick glance at the bottom screen will reveal the real difference. When figting in the ship, each of the four main characters operates a different area of the ship. Eddie will pilot the ship, which means he will use the massive blade hanging off the bow to ram into enemies. Melody will man the cannons for heavy fire. Pad wil operate the guns for quicker backup fire, and Fiona will operate what is known as the "orb". This basically means that she is in charge of all magical spells while airborne, particularly the healing of the ship and status enhancements. Early videos may draw some similarity to the classic "Skies of Arcadia". However, the truth is, that Airship battles are closer in line to the traditional turn based set up. You do still have to worry about timing and what to cast, adn when to attack, so strategy is still very much apart of dueling in the sky.
One of the more exciting aspects of "Nostalgia" is that you get to actually customize your airship. The starting ship is the "Maverick" but that is not the only ship you get, nor is its stats and features a fixed feature. When docked in a city such as London, you can buy, sell, and repair different parts of your ship. Taking a cue a bit from "The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass" your airship is a big part of the game and its massive emphasis on exploration. Matrix and Red have gone the distance to make sure your airship is not a one-size-fits-all, stock experience. Your gonna need to upgrade the ship with armor and weapons just like you would a main character. If your going to be a world famous explorer, you would want to fly the skies in style wouldn't you?
Fiona:
Every RPG has their healer character. Unsurprisingly this tends to fall to the priest, or light mage. Fiona fits the bill perfectly then to the healers of old. She is a priestess though much of her history is shrouded in mystery. The enemy group of the game known as the "Cabal" are looking for her in particular. Though even she is unsure of why. Early videos of the game seem to indicate that possibly she was involved in the last known expedition of Gilbert, Eddie's father, when they were attacked by the Cabal.
She is genreally more reserved then the rest of the group. As such, she tends to be a little more shy. That doesn't mean she is without a stroing inner character. Once her mind is made up, Fiona becomes determined to see her way through. Though it might be a bit early to say, it is possible that she might become a love interest with Eddie, or even Pad as unlikely as that is. Being a Priestess probably limits her world traveling and street smarts. While it is assured the rest of the group will rely heavily on her healing magic, Fiona will need to rely on the rest of the group to help her discover her forgotten past.
Frozen Tower:
As you travel across the globe, you will face extermes in heat and sand in Cairo, but also in cold and ice here. It is not known where exactly this frozen monument lies. One of the cities within the game is St. Petersburg, which itself is fairly far north in the snowy tundra of Russia. The architecture is unlike any known building, current or historical. "Nostalgia" is of course, an alternate history of Earth, so many new and unknown adventures and ruins await within the game. After all, a good journey is nothing without unbelievable sights and perils from one corner of the map to the other.
Well that should keep you up to date on "Nostalgia" for now. The next look into the game will feature a view into the mezzo-american rainforests and ruins and get the low down on a fiesty wizard girl.
