Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen
| Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Studio Alex, Game Arts |
| Publisher(s) | Game Arts |
| Series | Lunar |
| Platform(s) | Game Gear |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Lunar: Sampo Suru Gakuen (Lunar さんぽする学園, lit. "Lunar: Walking School") is a role-playing video game in the Lunar series released for the Sega Game Gear in Japan in 1996. Since then, no international versions or translations have officially been released, though an unofficial English translation was released in 2009. It was developed and produced by the Japanese software company Game Arts and Studio Alex, their in-house development team responsible for other Lunar titles.
Even though the game was released after Lunar: The Silver Star, it is set hundreds of years before it. Several creatures and places from the game also make an appearance. The game was remade two years later for the Sega Saturn as Magic School Lunar!.
Gameplay
The game has several elements common to role-playing video games, with 2D character sprites and environments. During the game, the player will encounter monsters that are fought randomly within dungeons, and gain experience from winning battles. Magic and additional skills are unlocked through leveling up, as well as allowing the characters to grow stronger. The battles take place from a first-person perspective, with menus appearing along the left edge of the screen.
The character menu can be accessed at any time and allow the use of items, magic, or other gameplay settings. A player's progress is saved on one of three possible slots using the Game Gear's battery back-up.
Plot
Walking School tells the tale of a young girl named Ellie and her best friend, Lena, as they leave their quiet lives as field workers in the town of Burg to enroll in a newly established magic school located on an island called Ien. There, along with several other youths, the girls find the school and the area around it completely deserted, and try to establish order by getting all the students together within the surrounding town. During their stay, they encounter several magical creatures and monsters who also call the island home, all while they continue to search for their instructors.
The game itself is divided into 12 chapters, each one presented with a curtain closing and opening.
Characters
Playable characters:
- Ellie: The main character of the story who grew up in a small town working on her father's farm. She is selected along with her best friend Lena to attend the floating magic school. Somewhat quiet and reserved, she is very loyal to her friends and has a naturally curious personality.
- Lena: Ellie's best friend since childhood. Unlike Ellie, she is very talkative and often sticks up for herself when bullied about her height. She likes to wear fancy clothing and is quite self-confident.
- Senia: A young Beastwoman who attends the magic school with Ellie and Lena. Though she is very strong and athletic, she can command some powerful magic as well. Almost as vocal as Lena, and the two of them became fast friends.
- Wing: A mysterious and quiet boy who is a later addition to the school's roster. Naturally gifted at using magic, Wing makes a name for himself early, and is actually enrolled on a scholarship.
Other characters:
- Ant Kule and Rick: Three boys accepted into the magic school who make it their business to tease and otherwise make life difficult for Ellie and Lena. Eventually, they warm up to each other, but only after a lengthy exchange of insults.
- Barua: Second-in-command of the Vile Tribe who has an interest in Wing. Commands a wide assortment of dark magic.
- Memphis: Power-hungry leader of the Vile Tribe who worships an entity known as "D".
References
- ↑ [セガハード大百科] ゲームギア対応ソフトウェア（ソフトライセンシー発売） (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2015-11-15.