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Breath of Fire IV:
Platform: Playstation Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Projected Release Date: Now (Japan)
Look out people! It's almost time for another chapter in the dragon laden, fishing peppered Breath of Fire series. Once again players will be out to fight a just cause with Ryu and Nina as they head out to save the Queen and bring peace to the land in Breath of Fire IV for the Playstation.
Staying with a quasi retro vibe, this new addition to the series will again have 3D environments, while the characters themselves will be sprite-based. Adding to the eye candy is an astounding 3,000 frames of silky smooth animation for the game's characters. Seeing this game in motion will be a real treat.
All isn't looking well for the series however, as the story line is looking quite average. There are two warring nations that are separated by a vast ocean, and who have been at each others throats for centuries. Eventually things die down for a little while, so the Queen decides to go out and help those who have suffered from the conflict. As luck would have it she disappears, leaving Nina with the responsibility to find her. Not too long after she begins, she runs into Ryu who quickly joins her and their off to start their quest.
Battles will have the party divided into a from and back row. Those in the front will partake in melee combat, but will receive far greater damage when hit. Those in the back will use ranged weapons like bows, and also cast spells. A combo system has also been implemented, allowing players to string several moves together for some mass destruction. It's even speculated that it will be possible to make 100 hit combos.
While this new chapter doesn't look terribly unique, the Breath of Fire series has been quite good at delivering traditional RPGs. Hopefully with its interesting battle system and an engaging Breath of Fire IV will have it where it counts.
Previewed by Kaspian May 11, 2000
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