上古封魔录刀剑传说连招

Introduction

As an avid player of the classic RPG series "Seiken Densetsu" or "Mana" outside Japan, you must have heard of "Sword of Mana", also known as "Final Fantasy Adventure" on Game Boy, and its revamped version "Adventures of Mana". Yet few know of its predecessor, "Seiken Densetsu: Sword of Mana Gaiden - Dark Sword of Chaos", also known as "Legend of the Sacred Sword 2: Sword of Mana Legend - Sealing Demon Sword". Released on Nintendo's ill-fated console Virtual Boy in 1995, the game has largely been forgotten due to its platform and lack of overseas release, but it still has a loyal fanbase in Japan and deserves a closer look.

Story

The game takes place prior to the events of "Final Fantasy Adventure" and features two protagonists, Kyriel and her childhood friend, the silent hero. They team up to vanquish an evil sorcerer named Julius, who seeks to break the seals that imprison the four elemental spirits and unleash the demon sword upon the world.

Characters

Kyriel is a 15-year-old girl from a village of magic wielders who specializes in offensive spells and can levitate over obstacles. She has a lively and adventurous personality and harbors romantic feelings for the hero, but is too proud to confess them. The hero is a 16-year-old boy whose village was destroyed by Julius, leaving him with a scar on his forehead, a solemn demeanor, and a thirst for revenge. He wields the legendary sword and can use different techniques, including charging, spinning, and throwing it like a boomerang, as well as jumping and slashing mid-air.

Gameplay

The game's Virtual Boy controls consist of a directional pad, two action buttons, and two pause buttons that switch the color of the graphics to alleviate eye strain. The game features both overhead exploration and side-scrolling combat across various environments, including forests, caves, deserts, and mountains. The enemies range from goblins, spiders, and golems to wizards, dragons, and demons. The bosses are named after the seven deadly sins and require different strategies to defeat, such as damaging their weak points, dodging their attacks, or exploiting their patterns.

Combo System

What sets "Seiken Densetsu: Sword of Mana Gaiden - Dark Sword of Chaos" apart from its predecessors is its combo system. Unlike the simpler action RPG mechanics of "Final Fantasy Adventure", the game allows the hero to chain together up to four different sword techniques in quick succession, dealing more damage and stunning the enemy. The combos are performed by pressing different directions and buttons in a specific order, and can be customized by purchasing new moves or upgrading existing ones from a blacksmith. Some moves have different elements, such as fire, ice, thunder, wind, light, and dark, and can interact with the enemies' weaknesses and resistances. Mastering the combos and their timing adds a layer of depth and replayability to the combat, and rewards the player with satisfying animations and sound effects.

Conclusion

"Seiken Densetsu: Sword of Mana Gaiden - Dark Sword of Chaos" may not be the most polished or popular entry in the "Seiken Densetsu" series, but it remains a hidden gem for those seeking a challenging and innovative action RPG. Its combo system showcases the Virtual Boy's capability to combine simple graphics with complex gameplay, and foreshadows the combo mechanics of later games in the series, such as "Legend of Mana" and "Dawn of Mana". If you have a chance to play it, don't hesitate to pick up the sword and unleash your combos against the dark forces.