Project Sylpheed
European box cover art for Project Sylpheed
Developer(s)	Game Arts, SETA Corporation, Anima
Publisher(s)	JP Square Enix Microsoft
Native resolution	720p
Platform(s)	Xbox 360
Release date	JP September 28, 2006 EU June 29, 2007 NA July 10, 2007
Genre(s)	Space combat simulator
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	CERO: B PEGI: 12+ USK: 12 ESRB: T (Teen)
Input methods	Standard Xbox 360 Controller

Project Sylpheed (プロジェクト　シルフィード, Project Sylpheed^?) (also called Project Sylpheed: The Arc of Deception in North America) is a space simulation console game developed by SETA Corporation and published by Square Enix. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video is a video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company they have since expanded SETA Corporation (Full company name Super Entertainment and Total Amusement is a Japanese Computer gaming company founded on the first of October 1985 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer The display resolution of a Digital television or Computer display typically refers to the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed 720p is the shorthand name for a category of HDTV video modes In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction "Space combat" redirects here For hypothetical combat in space see Space warfare. In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The ( CERO) is the Organization that rates video games and Computer Software in Japan with levels of rating that informs the customer Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. USK redirects here For the Usinsk airport see Usinsk Airport. The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and This article is about games played on consoles Video gaming is about this form of gaming in general SETA Corporation (Full company name Super Entertainment and Total Amusement is a Japanese Computer gaming company founded on the first of October 1985 is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon It is acknowledged as the current spiritual successor to the Silpheed video game series,^[1] which were scrolling shooters. A spiritual successor, sometimes called a spiritual sequel or a companion piece, is a successor to a work of fiction that instead of being a standard Sequel Silpheed is a Video game series developed by Game Arts. It made its debut on the Japanese PC-8801 in 1986. A shoot-'em-up (also known as shmup) is a Video game genre of Shooter game in which the player controls a vehicle or character and fights large Project Sylpheed, however is fully 3D, allowing dogfights in all three vectors of space. 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer A dogfight or dog fight is Aerial combat between Fighter aircraft.

Placing the player at the start of a rebellion in a fictional 27th century, the game has a huge variety of weapons and augmentations to configure the protagonist's starfighter with, providing fast paced action against small enemy fighters and large warships alike. Rebellion is a refusal of obedienceIt may therefore be seen as encompassing a range of Behaviours from Civil disobedience and mass Nonviolent resistance " Starfighter " is a Science fiction term used to describe small fast usually one-manned craft designed for armed combat (cf Starship) The game also bears Square Enix's traditional integration of a story into the gameplay. Project Sylpheed was received with mixed results, most of its features receiving praise and criticism.

Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Plot and setting 2.1 Characters 2.2 Story 3 Development 4 Reception 5 References 6 External links

Gameplay

Gameplay in Project Sylpheed involves flying a series of 16 story missions,^[2] and six bonus missions in the game's star vehicle, the Delta Saber. ^[3] A typical mission involves either destroying specified enemies, or protecting allied ships from enemies. Initially, the player takes on enemy fighters while armed with only basic weaponry, but eventually the player will gain access to more advanced weaponry (more destructive, or longer ranged, or with greater fire-control system functions such as overlapping lock-ons and sight homing), allowing the player to take on more dangerous targets, and destroy large enemy warships. Note the term " fire control " may also refer to means of stopping a fire such as sprinkler systems A fire-control system

The player has total freedom to fly around in the game world, controlling all three flight angles of the Delta Saber. Flight dynamics is the science of air and space vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions ^[4] The viewpoint can be switched between first person in-cockpit and third person behind-the-ship perspectives. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War Third-person shooter ( TPS) is a genre of 3D computer and video games in which the Player character is seen at a distance from a number Perspective, in context of vision and Visual perception, is the way in which objects appear to the Eye based on their spatial attributes or The player can apply afterburner for greater speed, or cut all power to move on inertia alone along the last trajectory. The AfterBurner is a lighting solution for the Game Boy Advance system that was created by Triton-Labs The vis insita or innate force of matter is a power of resisting by which every body as much as in it lies endeavors to preserve in its present state whether it be of rest or of moving Trajectory is the path a moving object follows through space The object might be a Projectile or a Satellite, for example Various button-joystick combinations allows the player to aileron roll, perform 180 degrees turns (half-loops), and match speed with targeted enemies. The Aileron Roll is an Aerobatic maneuver in which the aircraft does a full 360 degree revolution about its longitudinal axis ^[5] Certain moves will expend shield energy, a rechargeable protective shield which absorbs damage before it gets to the craft's armor. In Science fiction and Fantasy literature a force field or protective shield is a barrier made up of energy to protect a person area or object from

There is a great variety of equipment to customize the player's starfighter in the game. ^[6] 55 pieces of equipment fall into categories such as missiles, guns, beams, bombs, and special equipment for the player to choose from, each varying in range, damage, rate of fire, etc. A missile (see also pronunciation differences) is a self-propelled explosive Projectile used as a weapon towards a target A gun is a particular Weapon that propels Projectiles The projectile is generally fired through a hollow tube known as the gun's barrel. This article is about fictional weapons For other meanings see Raygun (disambiguation. A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely The more powerful, better weapons are generally only unlocked for the player's selection further into the story, or on completion of the bonus missions. There are also weapons which require the player to purchase with points earned from completing the earlier missions.

While flying missions, the player can also attempt to complete sub-objectives. These sub-objectives include protecting specific friendly targets, destroying specific enemies, or completing an objective either within a time limit or without taking damage. After each mission, the player is given points based on certain statistics like number of enemies destroyed, number of objectives completed, completion time, and friendly fire. ^[7] The points can then be used to develop new weapons which can be used for future missions. These number of moves might be initially hard to master with the controls. ^[8][9] The player is also allowed to customize them. ^[10]

Project Sylpheed allows the player to go through the game again with all current unlocked weapons in a New Game Plus mode. New Game Plus (usually written as " New Game+ " is a Video game mode that allows the player to start a new game after they finish the game at least once ^[11] With the more advanced weapons at the player's disposal from the start, the player is better equipped to complete more sub-objectives for each mission.

Plot and setting

The game takes place in a 27th century where humanity has expanded throughout the stars for the last 500 years. Many worlds have been colonized and are ruled by the Terra Central Government (TCG), seated on Earth. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 The story is told in a in media res manner, the very first mission placing the player at the outbreak of a war between the TCG and the ADAN Freedom Alliance. In medias res, also medias in res ( Latin for "into the middle of things" is a literary and artistic technique where the Narrative The events leading up to this war are frequently told via flashback sequences. In history film television and other media a flashback (also called analepsis) is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current The game depicts the TCG as a tyrannical iron-fisted government which ruthlessly suppress any uprisings. In modern usage a tyrant is a single ruler holding absolute power over a State or within an Organization. ^[12] Four star systems band together as the ADAN Alliance, seeking independence from the TCG by political means. A star system or stellar system is a small number of Stars which orbit each other bound by gravitational attraction. ^[13] The TCG military responds by destroying the terraforming facilities of a world named Acheron, killing a lot of its inhabitants and causing the world to become inhospitable. The terraforming (literally "Earth-shaping" of a Planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its ^[14] The incident is covered up,^[15] but becomes the key cause for the war. A cover-up is an attempt whether successful or not to conceal evidence of wrong-doing error Incompetence, or other embarrassing information

Characters

The player takes the role of Katana Faraway, a young pilot for the Terra Central Armed Forces (TCAF). Through cutscenes, Katana's character is evidenced to be brash, and emotional. He possesses a sense of strong loyalty to his friends, and affiliation. The player gets to experience Katana's interactions with many of his fellow soldiers, including the gradual falling in love with Ellen Bernstein, a close friend of Katana who has been with him since their days at the pilot training school.

The game's antagonists are the ADAN forces. The most prominent among them is Margras Mason, a close friend of Katana and Ellen. He is evicted from Earth, and witnesses his homeworld's (Acheron) death at the hands of the TCAF. ^[14] He joins the ADAN forces, and leads his Night Ravens to exact vengeance on the TCAF. ^[16] Commanding the ADAN forces is Doris Egan, the daughter of a prominent anti-government activist who is killed during the TCAF's attack on Acheron. ^[17] Like Margras, she is also pursuing vengeance but with extreme methods. ^[18]

The character designs are likened to those seen on current Japanese animation, dyed hair of various colors, generously endowed female chests, and pretty boys. (anime in Japanese, ^[19][20] Katana's character is typical of most Square Enix games' protagonists - androgynous but deadly, a humorous combination. Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ ( anér, meaning man and γυνή ( gyné, meaning woman that can refer to either of two ^[11] It has also been commented that the character designs are very similar to Square Enix's Final Fantasy line,^[19] and prone to being overly emotional. ^[8]

Story

The story starts off in the Lebendorf star system. Katana's squadron is training in their new prototype Delta Saber fighters, and are ambushed by ADAN forces. A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army A prototype is an original type form or instance of something serving as a typical example basis or standard for other things of the same category " Starfighter " is a Science fiction term used to describe small fast usually one-manned craft designed for armed combat (cf Starship) Suffering one loss, the Delta Saber squadron fends off its attackers, and escapes the ambush with its mother ship, the TCAF ACROPOLIS [sic]. A mother ship is a vessel or aircraft that carries a smaller vessel or aircraft that operates independently from it Sic is a Latin word meaning "thus" "so" "as such" or "just as that" The Night Ravens are dispatched against the withdrawing TCAF, and Katana meets Margras on the battlefield. Margras warns Katana to leave the TCAF or the next time they meet, he will shoot the latter down. After the surprise attack, the ADAN Freedom Alliance officially declares war on the TCG, stating their aim to break away from the TCG's tyrannical grip by use of military force. ^[21]

The TCAF withdraws to the planet Hargenteen which is also the next target of the ADAN forces. ^[22] To draw away a portion of the ADAN's full out assault, the TCAF sends out a small fleet, the 17th Independent Fleet which includes the ACROPOLIS, to raid ADAN territories. ^[23] During the operation, the 17th discovers a large enemy presence gathered around Acheron and moves in to attack. It turns out to be a trap and the 17th flees, leaving behind the ACROPOLIS, which had moved off to investigate the wreckage of Acheron's orbital terraforming units. In the Night Ravens attack on the ACROPOLIS, Katana's deeply respected commander, dies in a collision with a Night Raven while saving him. Katana goes off in a rage, and shoots down Margras, following him down to Acheron's surface. They engage in a small fisticuff, and Margras tells him the truth of Acheron's destruction before being picked up by a fellow Night Raven. See also Bare-knuckle for other uses Bare-knuckle boxing (also known as bare-knuckle, prizefighting, or fisticuffs

Katana and the ACROPOLIS manage to get back and join the defense of Hargenteen. Their valiant efforts prove useless when the Prometheus Driver is introduced into the battle. The Driver, a Death Star-like superweapon wipes out a majority of the defenders, and turns Hargenteen's atmosphere into a swirling firestorm. The Death Star is a Fictional Space station and Superweapon appearing in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe. A superweapon is an extremely powerful Weapon by the standards of its time and its scale The surviving TCAF flees to Earth to regroup. Egan announces the Driver's next target is Earth, a decision Margras angrily disapproves of. ^[24]

The Night Ravens move out as the ADAN's vanguard and engage Katana's White Griffons. They are defeated and Margras is captured. He is persuaded by Katana and Ellen to help stop the genocide of Earth. Margras' Night Raven Squadron is resurrected under the TCAF,^[25] and flies out alongside the White Griffons to destroy the Prometheus Driver before it can reach Earth and fire. The TCAF clears a path to the Prometheus Driver for Katana and Margras to go in and destroy the latter's only weak point, its firing mechanism. ^[26] Margras sacrifices himself, shielding Katana and destroying all of the internal defences. Katana destroys the Driver's firing mechanism but finds himself caught in the gravity well of the imploding Driver. In Physics, a gravity well is the Gravitational potential field around a massive body (a particular kind of Potential well) Implosion is a process in which objects are destroyed by collapsing in on themselves Margras' spirit reactivates Katana's fighter, and aids it in escaping. The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath

In the post-credits scene, Katana and Ellen are shown in casual clothes standing on a revitalized Acheron. A post-credits scene (also called a stinger, tag, or coda) is a short clip that appears after some or all of the Closing credits of a Film Life has been restored to the planet and the world is again habitable.

Development

On 5 April 2006 during Microsoft's Xbox 360 conference in Tokyo, Square Enix surprised the gaming industry, announcing they and Game Arts are working on Project Sylph, a space shooter designed exclusively for the Xbox 360. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon is a video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company they have since expanded Shooter games are a subgenre of Action game. Because "shooters make up the majority of action games" Shooting gallery Often interchangeable with ^[27] The game will be a combination of Square Enix's story telling prowess with Game Art's experience from developing Silpheed. Silpheed is a Video game series developed by Game Arts. It made its debut on the Japanese PC-8801 in 1986. Square Enix explained its decision as market diversification. Diversification is a form of growth marketing strategy for a company ^[28] They wished to support the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and the Wii as equally as possible. Project Sylph is their first exclusive title for the Xbox 360 in this endeavour.

On 7 July 2006, the game was renamed to Project Sylpheed to recognise its predecessor,^[1] and was later listed as playable for Tokyo Game Show 2006. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The is a Video game Expo / convention held in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. ^[29] Impressions of the journalists, who played the game during the show, were of a space shooter with nice and sharp graphics, and gameplay leaning more towards an arcade nature. An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in businesses such as Restaurants Pubs Video arcades and Family Entertainment ^[30][31] Despite Game Arts' presence on the team, the true developers are the Ikusabune team in SETA Corporation, who were former Game Arts employees and had previously worked on the Silpheed series. SETA Corporation (Full company name Super Entertainment and Total Amusement is a Japanese Computer gaming company founded on the first of October 1985 ^[2] They are also the ones who brought up the concept for Project Sylpheed to Game Arts' attention. The team chose to make the game fully 3D for a full freedom of movement instead of a rail shooter with better effects, a decision influenced by the power of next generation hardware. A shoot-'em-up (also known as shmup) is a Video game genre of Shooter game in which the player controls a vehicle or character and fights large Instead of Square Enix, the game's story and artwork were handled by the CG studio, Anima. Computer graphics are Graphics created by Computers and more generally the Representation and Manipulation of Pictorial Data

While Square Enix published the game in Japan on September 28, 2006, it was Microsoft who published it for the rest of the world, releasing it for Europe and North America roughly nine months later in 2007. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^{[32][33][34][35]} The time difference was spent on localizing the game for the English-speaking market, bringing in voice actors known for their work in the Western anime industry. Language localisation is the process of translating a product into different languages (see Language translation) or adapting a Language for a specific country or (anime in Japanese, Vic Mignogna, known for his work in Fullmetal Alchemist and The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, was brought in to voice Katana. Victor Joseph Mignogna (Italian Name Vittorio Giuseppe Mignogna (born August 27 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania) is a prolific American Voice commonly abbreviated as FMA or Hagaren, is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. is an Anime Television series According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a small love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" Kari Wahlgren, whose numerous works include Blood+ and Final Fantasy XII, voiced Ellen. Kari K Wahlgren (born in 1977 in Hoisington, Kansas) is an American voice actress who has provided English language is an anime series produced by Production IG and Aniplex and directed by Junichi Fujisaku. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for Sony 's PlayStation 2, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy

A demo of the English version game was available on Xbox Live on June 14, 2007, which featured an escort mission and a full tutorial, along with several weapons available for the player to try out. Xbox Live (trademarked as Xbox LIVE) is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The escort fighter was a World War II concept for a Fighter aircraft designed to escort Bombers to and from their targets Academia In British academic parlance a tutorial is a small class of one or only a few Students in which the Tutor (a Lecturer ^[36][37] Various press releases by Microsoft soon followed, detailing the background, controls, and features of the game. ^[38][5][6] Free downloadable content was available for Project Sylpheed from July 25, 2007 onwards. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[3][39] The update adds six bonus missions with online leaderboard support to the game. The missions are played separately from the standard story missions. Completing each bonus mission will also unlock a new weapon.

Reception

Project Sylpheed's reviews are mixed, with scores as high as 7. 5/10 and as low as 2/5. The average of these scores as measured by Metacritic and Game Rankings would classify the game to be rated as above average (~65%). Metacritic is a Website that collates reviews of music Albums games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and Books. Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game Criticism and praise of the game's features are just as mixed as the scores given for it.

Reviewers are split on Project Sylpheed's graphics. While Gaming Excellence said the ships were "intricately detailed",^[49] Hooked Gamers decried a lack of details on them. ^[50] GamesAreFun talked about how captivating it is to see the "missile contrails and thruster wash streaking across the stars",^[7] but IGN claimed the explosions looked like "bloody snot". IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video ^[42] All of the reviewers however agree that there are slow downs in the framerate when a lot of ships and details are on screen, though their opinions vary on how much this affects their game play experience.

The integration of a story into the game was to make Project Sylpheed stand out amongst the other space shooters, and has succeeded to a degree with reviews which called it "absolutely the best part of the game". ^[8][42] It was even called mature, presenting moral ambiguity in a well told tale. ^[7] On the flipside, the story has been called just as cliched as the characters,^[19][45] especially to those who have viewed lots of science fiction action anime series. (anime in Japanese, ^[43][11] ZeroTolerance however states even though the material is cheesy, the presentation is engaging and well done to the point where the player might care about it. Kitsch /kɪtʃ/ is a term of German or Yiddish origin that has been used to categorize art that is considered an inferior tasteless copy of an existing ^[51] The cutscenes are also considered intrusive to reviewers who are more partial to the dogfighting. A dogfight or dog fight is Aerial combat between Fighter aircraft. ^[52] While most reviews consider the voice acting to be adequate or good, Gaming Excellence found them to be most annoying, saying they only assume perky, excitable, or imperiled tones.

Project Sylpheed's gameplay was praised for its intense dogfights taking place in space. However the A. V. Club and G4tv, says the small distant targets force the player to constantly focus on the instruments, taking away the feeling of being in a dogfighting spacefighter. G4tvcom (also known as G4tv The Show or simply G4tv) was a weekly Video game Talk show that aired on ^[53][45] Likewise the time and effort needed to be master the controls could turn away some gamers. Reviewers from AtomicGamer, G4tv, GamersHell, and GamePro have also found the gameplay could be reduced to a repetitive "find target, lock on, shoot and kill, resupply, find target. GamePro is an American Video game magazine published monthly The magazine was first established in Redwood City California in 1989 by Pat Ferrell . . " sequence,^[8][54] which is not helped by what TeamXbox calls a one-dimensional mission design. TeamXbox is a gaming media web site dedicated to the Microsoft 's Xbox and Xbox 360 platforms ^[8]

The hidden time limits garnered the most negatives among the reviewers, with several reviewers calling it the "most frustrating part" of the game,^[46][49] as they failed their missions, after being given only a short time frame to chase down the last remaining objectives. Most of the reviews were united in being critical of Sylpheed lacking online content, and even though this is slightly mitigated by the free downloadable content later, there is still a bit of disappointment, succinctly summed up by the Armchair Empire's preference to "blow up my friends over Xbox Live than just have rankings and downloadable content". ^[55] Despite the mixed reviews, Project Sylpheed has sold enough copies to make it into Xbox' Platinum Collection on January 11, 2007. Platinum Hits is a term used to refer to a line of select Xbox games that have sold over 400000 units on the platform in the nine months after release and have dropped in price ^[56]

References

External links

• Official Project Sylpheed site
• Official Project Sylpheed Japanese site
• Project Sylpheed at the Internet Movie Database
• Project Sylpheed Official Soundtrack site

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