Review of Stella Glow for 3DS: the Faint Glow that is Not Quite Stellar

[Containing SPOILERS; You have been warned]

The first time I heard about Stella Glow is when I finished playing Fire Emblem Awakening. However, at the same time, I also got struck on Ar Nosurge fighting the 8th Dimension. The short story¹ is that I need a tactic RPG to hold me over till the release of Fire Emblem Fates, ideally with good music but not too much grinding. Since I was also a big Touhou doujin fan in the past, ideolo's distinct use of bold black lines guaranteed that the 2D sprites are beautiful to look at (and possibly to fantasize as well, because I doubt Atlus will spend that much on animating the sprites). Wal-lah, Stella Glow seems to be the perfect fit (recommended by Amazon Prime by the way)--a game that is supposedly a Fire Emblem with Song Magic with deliberately composed character designs.

Sounds good to me, and here is my money, Atlus.

I mean is it even a surprise that #FE is combining Fire Emblem and Persona?...and here is my money again, Atlus.

So I went with the launch edition, coming in a nice card box that said "English audio blends with songs from Japan's top voice talents." Should have done my research that the game is almost ENTIRELY in English audio, with exception of songs in Japanese.

Zetsuboushita! (The Lack of Nihongo Audio) Zetsuboushita!

No, not quite. To be honest, the English voice acting was quite alright. A lot of the characters turned out well (like sluggishness in Mordimort and quirkiness of Veronica, Ph. D.?). The part that really bothers me every single time is the difference between a mature speaking voice and a fairly pubescent singing voice of Hilda. Maybe I should not be. For a thousand-year queen witch nabe shogun, there are a lot of inconsistency to state in the character setting. Of course, the crystal garden fabric poster is a dead give-away for Hilda to become one of the main heroines. In addition, I thought Sakuya's singing voice is a bit too deeper for the snappy teenager edition. However, the English tsundere rendition has its own merits...?

What merits? Real life tsunderes are rare--if people snap at you, they probably are not likely to hold affections for you, even secretly. Game world is game world indeed, so idol dating is completely alright for my version of Alto. Yes, no head shaving for idols in games, although I was surprised that all the fans were instantly converted without any mishaps.

Alto...where did I hear that before...right...surprisingly the name of main character in Ar Tonelico 3.

On the other hand, your conveniently-plot-deviced-water-witch-childhood friend is probably going to get shafted. It is almost a trope now. Too bad the official-website did not have a character popularity poll, but the first- and second-place finishers on Gamefaqs end up with Hilda and Sakuya, as expected for strong female characters. In terms of supporting characters, Anastasia was interesting and also endearing, but unfortunately her screen time was fairly limited. Elmar was actually not as annoying as I would initially expect, especially when he actually demonstrated leadership during the time of crises. Klaus/Xeno was also interesting as an ally, especially his dessert loving alter ego. But man, he is such a boring and shallow villain. It would be much more interesting if Xeno was convinced rather than simply brainwashed.

Although Marie and Eve are supposedly people I should be caring about, the emotional attachment was relatively minor. It was even a bit disturbing that I preferred the normal ending than the true ending.²

Even Ar Tonelico let you really save the world if you try hard enough.

By the way, Hilda best girl (What do you mean I can't get Anastasia? Oh, right..."Stab")

In the end, the voice acting is passable. Music scores, which carried hopes of a strong point with the abundant voice talents, ended up passable as well. In other words, they made fairly limited impact on me as a gamer, unlike the Ar Tonelico series, where some of the stage themes were absolutely superb. I heard this is supposedly a spiritual successor from Luminous Arc, but I never played it so I cannot tell if those two are comparable.

Game mechanics are simple, but bosses at the end of the game are fairly challenging. It is fairly easy to abuse move disabling songs with Alto equipped with song orbs to gain gauges, a tactic I did not find necessary throughout. There are a few subtle touches on terrain effects and character movement affinities, but it was not a quintessential part of the game. Unlike Fire Emblem, where your characters are decidedly fragile and exit permanently upon death, Stella Glow allows some breathing rooms where resetting was not a part of the daily routine. For that, I give them a plus--Sunday gamers like me are not slaves to random number generators.

However, the game mechanics have some simple imbalances, which can be easily discerned within the first few chapters. High speed and high movement characters, with area damaging skills and counter abilities, have an absolute edge over anything else.

Simply put, Rusty is OP.

And team formation, which was essential in Fire Emblem to protect the glass canons, became more or less obsolete in Stella Glow. Sure that character boosts are nice; sure back attack does more damage and provokes no counter attacks--yet the actual effects on combat gameplay are rather underwhelming. Similarly, unlocked new skills do make battle flow differently. Although the small details make the combat system refreshing, it seemed each character is locked into a particular role in the party with few options, once their abilities and skills are determined. Sakuya and Hilda, traditionally the support bombard squad, are perfectly capable on the front line. That said, I do find the orbs to be an essential part of the battle system throughout the game. Pairing the right characters with the right weapon effects was rather enjoyable. The limitation on inventory, where characters can only use equipped items, also made decision making in battles a bit more challenging.

However, these game play gimmicks in the end do not hide the shallow characterization and even shallower ideology and the good-versus-evil plot line. The top voice talents for each character, probably the biggest selling point besides the gorgeous 2D sprites, are nowhere close being preserved through the localization. A saving grace (?) is that the innuendoes are preserved without distortion, just like pickled vegetables...if you are into that kind of things.

In the end, with uncertainty on Gust's next move on the Surge Concerto and the official American release of Fire Emblem Fates, Stellar Glow will fade into obscurity among other JRPG that made to the West but did make quite enough impact to be remembered. I personally did not find replayability to be a significant decision or quality of a video game, aside from online multiplayers. Of course, you can replay the entire game to max out relationship gauges, but I have a fairly narrow taste on characters, and there is this thing called Youtube.

In the end, Stellar Glow is an entry-level strategy RPG that brings straightforward characters, simple gameplay, and an unfulfilled promise of top Japanese voice talent. Although not a master piece, it certainly gave me the entertainment for a transition downtime.

[¹The long story is that I don't mind grinding at all. Heck, my Morgan's mother is a Rally-based Bride Emmeryn that passed down Lancefaire. For Ar Nosurge, I eventually grind through 8th Dimension, albeit after a few tries. Considering how much I ground for Kanoyeel's CG, I guess I only need to believe that the boss is a bishoujo in disguise and will purge like Soma in AT3.]

[²YOU CALL THAT THE TRUE ENDING? A LONELY GIRL SINGING FOR THE ETERNITY TO KEEP HUMANITY SAFE? HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING FROM AR TONELICO? That's why Phase 3 exists.]

The Sword of Promised Victory

Faith is for the transient people.

A spark that brightens the vast empty space
A ripple that tickles the everlasting eternity

It brings peace of acceptance
exclamation of camaraderie
and fulfillment of a greater destiny

Yet it is not perfect at times

It brings condescension of ignorance
malignancy of segregation
and rejection of a greater union

A refuge for our likeliness
and a cauldron for our conflicts

Then
whose responsibility to make so?
how far would these hands extend?
what means are not justifiable to the end?
All against the wheel of fortune,
ever-turning machinery of time...

The concrete limitation of being human


Yet indecision
among overwhelming confusions
does not obscure the spot of hope,
the eternal sunshine guided by reasons
and an unparalleled optimism

Thus, I placed my fate
into the hands of my brothers and sisters
entrusted with common decency.
Together a haven is built
not to shelter our fears or faults
but to cherish our shares of duty.

Victory may seem intangible
and by my arm's length,
out of reach
But in each of our heart,
a sincere wish for the happiness of all
will become a golden blade that pierces through the blinding darkness


PS: I will be switching to embedded code from pixiv on all the images that I manage to find, so look out for some updates on old pieces. 

Chronicle Keys

Through the morning mist
The shouts of the golden horns
draw the curtain of dawn

Over the night frost
The dew on the silver thorns
brew the gown of twilight

Cycling suns and stars
My footsteps never paused and never halted
Where is my destination
What will be my consolation

Ambition makes me sneer
Despair makes me hollow
Indignation makes me screech
followed by endless sorrow

It is too late to stop
It is too late to return
Maybe the road is full of madness
But there is nowhere to turn

Straightforward I say
Into the dark and uncertain fray
Even gods I will slay
If they do stand in my way

But no, this is not what I wanted

"Neither elegance nor dignity,"
fury stroke a march on cord
Give me instead,
a method to make a gentler world

A song that will free the hearts
A song that will link our hands
Turn another page in the chronicle
Turn another key for a future
not ordained by an oracle

I offer my prayer and my labor

Again, Blossoming of the Earth

Even if the world comes to an end
With a crumbled destiny that no one can mend
Stroke the melody of silent howls
Again, blossoming of the earth

Would you change the world?
Or, would you change yourself?
Trivial daily boons
swept away by the maelstrom of fate

Passing flurries of cherry blossoms
Last regret and first yearning
And the world ends
with the fulfillment of servitude

Bustling fields of sunflowers
Assured decay and chanced salvation
And the world ends
with the antidote to loneliness

Palliating wellsprings of daisies
Selfish wishes and encumbering duties
And the world ends
with the cognizance of reality

Star-crossed paths of catnip
Simple happiness and despairing chaos
And the world ends
with the promise of reunion

Blood-stained ladders of roses
Vanishing self and encroaching madness
And the world ends
with the atonement to sin

Life blossoms one thousand times
Withering fated and unaltered
in the desolated search with endless failures

Would love be the singularity?
Possibilities will rise from ashed branches
Burden is not yours alone

Keep dreaming
Cry out in the acrimony of the powerless
Repudiate weaknesses and corruptions
and march forward with all my might

Go on
Your million-year journey
When you finally rest
we will meet again

Ah, these ineffable feelings...


*Reconstruction from previous post of "Again, Blossoms of the Earth."

Heavy spoilers, maybe.

It took a while to finish the video, but hopefully it will stay out of the audio claim mute. Yuuhei Satellite's song was really the driving force behind the reorganization, as Senya's vocal is just amazing. BTW, this is their original and not a Touhou remix.

With regards to Rewrite, I definitely enjoyed it better than Clannad due to its more simplified flag paths. I seriously don't have that much time for gaming, so cramming the humor, the action, and the Key-special heart wrenching story into one package was rather thankful. So the heroine ranking follows:  Lucia = Chihaya > Kagari > Akane > Kotori = Shizuru. Maybe I am not a fan of classic Key heroine archetypes. Yoshino and other side characters didn't really fit into the music, so their cameos are rather limited.

This will make up for my blogging absence in the past nine months. Enjoy!

Katana

A katana is a type of sword specialized in cutting.
Its silhouette is curved but will not bend.
Its edge is hardened yet inside soft.
It embodies the pride of a warrior and safeguards the soul of a hero.
It is a cross in reverse, a prayer of sublime devotion.
It is a mark of passing, an icon of a finished journey.
It is a symbol of force, separating parts through sheer strength.
It is a keeper of memories, a chronicle of humanity in glory and in writhe.
It may be an offering for peace,
but not to forget,
its purpose may also be an instrument for death.
It cuts, or it breaks, or it is sheathed.
It is neither good or evil.
Instead, it prints the will and the nature of the wielder.
But not all,
for some, it is an extension of fresh;
for some, it is an burden of heavy steel.
It may grant great power, at the cost of great effort.
It may change the course of history,
but it may just be as useless as its target.
So many and so many aspects of it are unsure,
but its purpose remains certain,
it is born and lives to cut.

Lady of the Lake, Prelude

The Pact of Dressiden was often considered to be the conclusion of the Ahnmes-Leighu alliance that had dictated the political landscape of Ednia over three decades. The assassination of the former head of House Ahnmes, Cassius O. Ahnmes, by his brother-in-law, Jyn Leighu, also brought an abrupt end to more than two decades of Ednia's militant foreign policy towards the Nations of Yashu. The infighting over succeeding the household title severely crippled the influence of House Ahnmes over the rising houses of merchant nobles, whose interest lies in the construction of roads and bridges near the border to facilitate the exchange of wheat for timber and precious metals, which were abundant in Yashu territory. With the death of Cassius, the Western Campaign against the Nations of Yashu never came to fruition, which allowed the progressive moderates to take control of the aftermath. The equipment and resources prepared for the Third Western Campaign were taken advantages by the merchant nobles, notably House Glijja and House Miles, to lay down the foundation for what would later become the Crystal Trail. Shu Miles, the head of House Miles, led the rise of the progressive moderates in the Council of the States and put forth sets of rather radical foreign policy at the time, those which later would make Ednia an economic powerhouse on the continent. House Leighu did not openly support the expeditions proposed by the progressive moderates, but it was widely believed that the head of House Leighu facilitated the transfer of equipment and resources from Dressiden.

...

On a side note, due to Jyn's suicide following the assassination, the motive behind the act was never elucidated. While Cassius's political rivals are numerous, he is too formidable of a state man to succumb to his political enemy. Even with all their combined powers, the struggle would still be a mismatch. Though Cassius took concubines, Jyu Ahnmes, older sister to Jyn, was well-respected and in good relation with the rest of House Ahnmes. For many from House Leighu, the act of assassination was a shock because Jyn was often regarded as a well-mannered and kind young man, even though eccentric and quiet at times. However, Jyn did spend a year near the Yashu border during his time of service and might have developed some sympathy towards the Yashu'n from personal experience of fairly frequent harasses by the corrupted boarder patrols and greedy merchants. At this time, the record is incomplete and would require some further analysis.

#Stop here. The next paragraph is purely of speculations without concrete evidence for any claims. Focus on the effect on Yashu after the Pact of Dressiden. --KW

Furthermore, from disclosure of private sources as well as records in the Ednia Military Academy, Jyn was a part of a small survey squad that decided to embark on an expedition to uncharted mountain region west of Cymeblin as part their graduation thesis. By presenting the cartographical data for a significant amount of territory between Cymeblin and Lake Letra, all members of the survey squad eventually graduated the Academy with the highest distinction. Considering the geographic details in their map and the fact that the squad returned to their outpost headquarter ahead of the schedule, the efficiency of their teamwork was rather extraordinary. Since the Cymeblin territory was historically Yashu until the end of the sixth century, it is likely that the team had a local guide, possibly of Yashu descent. Interestingly, the report did not mention the existence of a guide and was particularly vague on some deviations from the original expedition route. While the private sources seemed to skit around the truth, the lack of contact with locals in the final report arose suspicions. There were a few days' worth record that read rather artificial and generic, contrasting the rigorously detailed descriptions in earlier and later sections of the report. The difference in style was especially noticeable when the team was exploring areas around Lake Letra before their departure returning to the outpost headquarter. As of now, something seemed amiss, yet no records could pinpoint the conflicts.


--- Excerpts from the draft of The Evolving Foreign Policy towards Yashu after the Second Western Campaign, Fumi Noya

The Status of the Ednia Project

I hope everyone has been enjoying the short sections on the Ednia project. There are still a lot of world-building I am trying to accomplish before diving into plots, so there will be a while before the entire story focuses on the journey of Sharron Miles. At this point, I am very happy that I was finally able to complete the Perspective series, showcasing some personnel that would directly affect the mindset and the actions of the said protagonist.

As a recap to the work has been previously posted here, I am just going to give a little bit of contexts.

Exchange series Prelude Part I Part II  Part III

On this day, I swear to you that this sword in my hand will answer to no one but you, who carried the blood of Le-Tel. Take my life to be your spear confronting your foes and your shield sheltering from harm. Your smile will be my ultimate glory. 

Mind Game series Prelude Part I Part II

If I have the chance to save the world again, would I do it as a dutiful tool performing its function or as a being with doubts and concerns? How many sacrifices is the maximum I can do away that the world would be saved? 

No, do you not understand? You cannot save the world without making sacrifices.  

Match with Kathy series Prelude Part I Part II Interlude Part III Part IV

I never wanted to become your enemy. You have always been a kind person, and I have always admired that. When we reincarnate in the next life, would you consider becoming my friend?

Of course, more will come, but at some slow paces. There are a couple of ideas being tossed around, but for now. 

Now, previews for the next three Ednia projects are

Wanderer on the Prairie series

Theme:  I know you are born to the nobility. But at least try to blend into crowds. 

Lady of the Lake series

Theme:  Maybe my prayer will not be answered, and that is also acceptable. 

First Encounter series

Theme:  You are one weird kid.

Happy New Year, everybody.