| Breath of Fire II |
|
| Developer(s) |
Capcom |
| Publisher(s) |
Super NES
JP/NA Capcom
EU Laguna
Game Boy Advance
JP/NA Capcom
EU Ubisoft
|
| Designer(s) |
Game Design
Yoshinori Kawano
Producer
Tokuro Fujiwara |
| Composer(s) |
Yuko Takehara |
| Platform(s) |
Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console |
| Release date(s) |
Super NES
JP December 2, 1994
NA December 10, 1995
EU April 25, 1996
Game Boy Advance
JP December 21, 2001
NA April 16, 2002
EU June 28, 2002
Virtual Console
JP June 26, 2007
NA August 27, 2007
EU August 10, 2007
|
| Genre(s) |
Role-playing game |
| Mode(s) |
Single-player |
| Rating(s) |
Super NES
ESRB: K-A (Kids to Adults)
Game Boy Advance
ESRB: Everyone
|
| Media |
24-megabit Cartridge |
Breath of Fire II, known in Japan as Breath of Fire II: The Fated Child (ブレス オブ ファイアII 使命の子, Buresu obu Faia Tsū Shimei no Ko?) [1], is a console role-playing game developed and published by Capcom. First released in 1994, the game was licensed to Laguna for European release in 1996. It is the second entry in the Breath of Fire series. It was later ported to Game Boy Advance and re-released worldwide. The game has been rated by the ESRB for release on Wii's Virtual Console. Nintendo of Europe's website mistakenly announced it for release on July 27, 2007, but it was in fact released two weeks later, on August 10, 2007. The game was released on the Virtual Console in North America on August 27, 2007.
Unlike later installments in the series, Breath of Fire II is a direct sequel to Breath of Fire. Set 500 years after the original game,[2][3][4] the story centers on an orphan named Ryu Bateson, whose family vanished mysteriously long ago. After his friend is falsely accused of a crime, Ryu embarks on a journey to clear his name.
Gameplay
Navigation on a town's field map
Of the five games in the series, Breath of Fire II bears the most similarities to the original entry. Like Breath of Fire, the game consists of four modes of play: the world map, the field map, a menu screen, and a battle screen. The world map is seen through an aerial view display in which players navigate across a small-scale version of the game world. As the player character moves around, other members of his traveling party walk behind them in a line. The group's lineup can be rearranged at any time, allowing another character to become leader. Every character has a unique skill that is used outside of battle; depending on who is currently leading the group, the player can use these skills to fish, hunt animals, bridge chasms, or swim across water.[4][5]
As in the previous game, the color palette of outdoor areas and towns changes depending on the time of day. Whenever the overworld screen appears, the sun rises and sets with each minute of real time. Non-player characters are found milling about inside towns at daytime, whereas they retire to their homes at night and early morning.
Fishing and hunting once again play a role in the game, this time as short minigames.[4] Hunting areas (indicated by tufts of grass) randomly spawn on the world map.[4] These spots transport the party to a small forest that is populated by animals. Very few characters have the ability to hunt; Bow comes equipped with a crossbow, while Katt attacks with her staff. Depending on their size, animals take anywhere from 1-10 hits to defeat, whereupon they transform into a restorative item.
Fishing spots (indicated by a leaping fish) behave in a similar manner, with the exception that they always respawn in the same location. During these sequences, the game switches to a side-view camera angle of Ryu standing over a coral reef. Ryu must be outfitted with a rod and a lure before he can catch fish. A on-screen gauge measures the strength of Ryu's fishing line; if a fish bites the lure, the Tension meter steadily rises until Ryu reels in the fish. If the meter reaches maximum, the line snaps and the fish goes free. Additionally, it is possible to hook a Manillo salesman (a recurring species in Breath of Fire) by replacing bait with Gold as a lure. The Manillo then offers to sell his wares, which often includes equipment from areas that Ryu has not visited yet.
Breath of Fire II introduces the gameplay element of building a town, soon to be revisited in later entries. At a mid-way point in the game, Ryu is given a choice between distinct style of houses to build, including standard two-story houses, wooden cottages on stilts, and Arabian-style dwellings. As the town expands, players are allowed to seek out potential occupants who are scattered throughout the game. Some of these characters perform a restorative function, while others set up taverns or shops.[4][5]
Combat
Turn-based combat in Breath of Fire II is visually similar to the previous game,[6] with up to four characters participating in battle at a time. Enemies are randomly encountered while traveling though dungeons or the world map. Each party member have the option to attack, cast a magic spell, use a restorative item, or escape the fight by running away. The Hit Points (HP) and Ability Points (AP) of each party member is visible via a heads-up display at the bottom of the screen. Enemies' HP remains unseen, though a life bar measuring an enemy's health will appear whenever a foe takes damage. The player has the option of arranging the party's position on the field in relation to one another, which allows stronger characters to absorb the brunt of the enemies' blows, while distance fighters and magic-users sustain less damage.[7] Just as each character has special ability to use on the world map, they have a unique option to use in battle, as well.
Katt, before and after fusing with a Shaman
Ryu begins the game as a fighter with no magic ability. As the game progresses, he gains the ability to morph into various dragons and inflict greater damage on enemies.[6] Unlike in the previous game, Ryu's dragon form essentially functions as a one-shot spells which fully depletes his AP. Total damage is dependent on the amount of AP consumed; if Ryu morphs into a dragon while his AP is low, the resulting damage will be significantly lower than with full AP.
The "fusing" mechanic from Breath of Fire also makes a return, though several changes have been made. Rather than fusing various party members together, players may locate a total of six female Shamans hidden throughout the game's world. Up to two different Shamans can fuse with any one character, with varying degrees of success. A mildly-successful fusion sharply increases a character's stats, while an improved fusion results in a palette swap of their respective character sprite. Lastly, a perfect fusion will generate a hybrid creature (in the vein of Karn from Breath of Fire) with a completely new sprite and wider array of skills.[4][5][6]
Plot
Setting
The fictional world of Breath of Fire II is very reminiscent of the previous game, though very few locations have endured the 500-year transition. Windia, home to the royal Wing Clan, still resides to the north. The island of Tunlan, home to a people who communicate entirely though flute-playing, also makes a return. New species include the Shell Clan, a race of giant armadillos, and the Creeping Clan, a monarchy of artisan frogs. The Dragon Clan from Breath of Fire has all but perished, leaving only scattered statues as proof of their existence. Somehow, Karn (a standard human) and Bo (a Forest Clan member), two playable characters from the original game, have endured the 500 years and now live in a hut on a secluded island.
A new religious idol named St. Eva has replaced the Dragon God, and the St. Eva church is rapidly becoming popular all over. Unbeknown to its followers, the church is actually a front for demons in order to channel the people's prayers into energy and send it to their master, Deathevn.
Long ago, a demon attacked the woodland town of Gate. According to local legend, a huge dragon suddenly appeared and banished the demon away. The dragon can still be found slumbering on the outskirts of Gate, where it guards the entrance to the demon realm.
Original
SNES designs of the main playable characters in
Breath of Fire II
Characters
The nine main playable characters of Breath of Fire 2 are:
Ryu Bateson:
A descendant of the Dragon Clan. His power to use Dragons transformations was awakened after a botched fusion attempt. He is the rumored "Destined Child" that will destroy the evil God. His father, Ganer, was a preacher at the church at Gate. He has a sister named Yua, who is heavily hinted to be the female thief Patty. He can be played in two different stages of his life. At the beginning of the game he can be played in his child form for the first two battles of the game. After this, the game advances 10 years and he is then played as his adult form. Like his predecessor, he wields a sword in battle (and can inflict a great deal of damage with it) and can fish out on the field. He's the only character that can't fuse with Shamans, besides Bleu. He has his own spells that turn him into a dragon, but they consume all of his AP current whenever used.
Bow ("Bouche Doggy" in Japan):
An anthropomorphic dog, Ryu's best friend since childhood. He is a skilled thief who wields a crossbow in battle. Shortly after the game begins, Bow is framed for a robbery and the adventure begins as the player must find the real thief and prove his innocence. The player eventually does find the real thief and Bow is able to rejoin the party. On the field, Bow can use his crossbow to hunt meat for the party. His Fusion form is that of a giant mech who launches cannonballs at the enemy.
Katt ("Rinpoo Chuan" in Japan):
A woren girl who joins the party after Ryu saves her from a poisonous needle. Several times throughout the game, it is hinted upon that she has romantic feelings for Ryu. She wields a staff in combat, with the one end decorated with tiger-like claws. Her damage rivals Ryu's, and she possess greater speed, but she can't take nearly as much damage as him. Alongside Bow, she can hunt for meat although she must use close range attacks to kill. Katt can use several very powerful magics, but has barely enough magic skill to use them. Her Fusion form is that of a purple panther like creature which attacks with a high kick to the enemy.
Rand Marks:
A giant armadillo like creature. Rand is first encountered as a provider of information for Ryu. He is the biggest and physically strongest character in the game. Due to his massive size, he doesn't require the use of weapons as he fights with his fists. He also cannot use several pieces of armor due to his size. Rand is considered the tank of the game, possessing massive amounts of health and, despite not being able to use some of the more powerful armor, can absorb massive amounts of damage. He doesn't hit as hard as Katt and Ryu, however. On the field, he can curl into a ball and roll around to decrease the chance of encountering enemies. Rand is a skilled user of healing spells. His Fusion form is that of a small pink armadillo creature that rushes the foe with a tackle.
Nina Windia:
A Princess from the Winged Clan of Windia. She has a sister named Mina who sacrifices herself to become The Great Bird, allowing the party to fly. She is later revealed to be the Great-Great-Granddaughter of the original Breath of Fire character Nina. It is not confirmed but it is heavily hinted upon that she fell in love with BOF I Ryu, as BOF I Nina mentions she fell in love with a man of another clan. It is hinted, although not as much as Katt, that she harbors romantic feelings towards Ryu. Unlike her ancestor, Nina is a master of offensive spells and has black wings. Nina is the physically weakest character in the game and therefore depends on her magic to battle, though she does wield a variety of rings in combat. Her Fusion form is that of a highly decorated angel who attacks by launching a barrage of feathers at the foe.
Sten Legacy:
An anthropomorphic chimpanzee. Sten is first encountered performing a magic act. He joins the party after he apparently became grateful to Katt, although the real reason may be because he is highly attracted to Katt and Nina. Sten is later revealed to be a former General in the Highfort army, where he was the lover of the princess. Sten is presumed dead in Highfort as he has not been home in years. Sten uses a dagger in battle and on the field he can use his long arms to reach across cliffs. His Fusion form is that of a djinn, a no legged beast that attacks by throwing fireballs at the enemy.
Ekkal Hoppa de Pe Jean ("Tapeta" in Japan):
An anthropomorphic frog, Jean is the prince of Simafort. He was first encountered in a forest where he was cursed to be a large scale version of a regular frog. He speaks with a French accent and wields a rapier in battle. On the field, he possesses the ability to transform into a giant frog which can leap up short cliffs and cross water. His Fusion form is that of a tall fish warrior/samurai creature that slices foes with a blade.
Spar ("Aspara Gus" in Japan):
A walking plant who possesses the ability to communicate with nature by talking to trees. Spar is first encountered held captive in a travelling circus as a side attraction. He wields a whip in battle and possesses the most amount of Fusions than any other character. He also can move freely in the woods, allowing the party to walk through dense forests. His three Fusion forms include a mushroom-esque female who throws her hat to attack, a small seed-like foe who can bud into a flower doubling its power but only resulting in attacks, and a giant snapdragon like creature. Unfortunately, despite possessing high HP and MP, he doesn't have any strong offensive or defensive spells, and his physical attacks are weak.
Bleu ("Deis" in Japan):
A naga-like sorceress of amazing power. Bleu makes a return to the Breath of Fire world, having been a playable character in the original game. Bleu can be recruited by finding her hub in a secret desert area and speaking to her spirit guardians. She can then be found in Magic School of Hometown. Bleu possesses the most powerful array of magic in the game, having several powerful spells that can obliterate the enemy. She is assumed to have joined the party because Ryu reminds her of her old friend, the original Ryu.
Reception
Breath of Fire II received generally positive reviews upon its original Super Nintendo release. The game has an aggregate score of 79% on GameRankings.[8] In 2006, the game was ranked number 171 in Nintendo Power's top 200 games of all time, just ten places behind Breath of Fire.[9]
Re-release
Breath of Fire II was ported to the Game Boy Advance handheld console in late 2001 in Japan and in 2002 abroad. Several gameplay changes were made to the port, including the ability to dash, quick saving, and being able to trade items with other players. This version holds a 75% rating on Game Rankings and an 81 out of 100 on Metacritic.[10][11]
References
External links
