Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
Developer(s)Game Arts
Publisher(s)
Artist(s)Toshiyuki Kubooka
Composer(s)Noriyuki Iwadare
Platform(s)PlayStation Portable
Release
Genre(s)Console role-playing game
Mode(s)Single-player

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, known in Japan as Lunar: Harmony of Silver Star, is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts for the PlayStation Portable handheld system. It is the third major remake of Lunar: The Silver Star behind Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, released in 1996, and Lunar Legend, released in 2002, and features enhancements such as improved graphics and sound that will take advantage of the title's new hardware platform. The game will be released initially in Japan in Fall 2009 by Game Arts' parent company GungHo Works, with an English version later made available in North America by Xseed Games. Much of the game's development is headed by the same staff who produced the original version of the game, including composer Noriyuki Iwadare, character artist and designer Toshiyuki Kubooka, and scenario writer Kei Shigema, who are joined by members of Japan Art Media.

Gameplay

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Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is a traditional console role-playing game featuring two-dimensional character sprites and environments. Unlike previous versions, the game is presented from an isometric viewpoint rather than a top-down perspective, and features completely re-drawn graphics and backgrounds that take advantage of the PlayStation Portable's native 16:9 widescreen display.[3] Players advance through the game and take part in the story by navigating through a number of areas, defeating enemies, and interacting with non-player characters in a fantasy world. The narrative is told through a combination of on-screen text and animated cutscenes accompanied by voice-acting in certain instances, with new scenarios becoming available as the player progresses through the game. Like Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, the player will encounter enemy creatures in dangerous areas such as dungeons and forests that are visible on the screen and will begin a combat sequence when touched.[4]

Battles in Silver Star Harmony use a turn-based strategy approach where players input commands for each individual character at the start of each combat round which are then carried out in order of their "speed" rating. Like Silver Star Story Complete, a player may choose to manually select commands or turn control of characters over to the game's AI.[4] In any given turn, a player may choose to attack an enemy, use a magic spell, defend, or use a beneficial item from their inventory. In order to attack an enemy, a character must first move close enough to strike them, with the maximum distance indicated by their "move" statistic.

References

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  1. ^ "XSEED Games Announces Lunar: Silver Star Harmony and Half-Minute Hero for the PSP; Confirms E3 2009 Lineup". Xseed Games. 2009-05-29. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  2. ^ "LUNAR: HARMONY of SILVER STAR" (in Japanese). GungHo Works. 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  3. ^ Des Barres, Nick (2009-05-12). "Lunar The Silver Star Remake Coming to PSP". 1up.com. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  4. ^ a b "Lunar: Harmony of Silver Star Preview". Weekly Famitsu (1067). Enterbrain, Inc.: 34 2009-05-13.
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