Summon Night - Swordcraft Story Gameboy Advance game

Summon Night: Swordcraft Story

Overview Summon Night: Swordcraft Story is an action role-playing game developed by Flight-Plan and published by Banpresto in Japan and Atlus in North America for the Game Boy Advance. Released on April 25, 2003, in Japan and July 25, 2006, in North America, it is part of the larger Summon Night series. The game features both single-player and multiplayer modes and is noted for its combination of engaging storylines, intricate gameplay mechanics, and character-driven plot.

Plot The story centers around the player character, either Cleru (male) or Pratty (female), the child of Shintetsu, the revered Craftlord of Iron who sacrificed his life to save the city of Wystern. Three years after his death, a tournament is held to find his successor. As the player competes, they uncover a deeper conspiracy involving the foreign nation of Deigleya and the awakening of Parista, the destructive Spirit of Swords, sealed beneath the ocean. The protagonist must forge powerful weapons, defeat rivals, and ultimately face Parista, following in Shintetsu’s footsteps to save the world and claim the title of Craftlord of Iron.

Gameplay The game is structured around a 10-day cycle where the player explores Wystern and delves deeper into the Labyrinth Dungeon, unlocking new levels each day. Key gameplay elements include:

• Weapon Forging: Central to the game is the ability to forge and enchant weapons using techniques and materials categorized into four elements: fire, water, lightning, and wind. Techniques are obtained from the character Bron or through quests.
• Combat: Battles are random encounters in side-scrolling arenas where the player can use up to three weapons and summon a guardian beast. Weapons have durability, and using them reduces their effectiveness until they break.
• Character Development: The player’s stats (strength, defense, agility) and weapon proficiency (TEC score) improve through combat and leveling up.

Characters

• Protagonists:
  • Cleru: The main male character, training under Craftknight Bron, driven to become a Craftlord like his father.
  • Pratty: The main female character, following her father’s legacy to understand the true meaning of becoming a Craftlord.
• Guardian Beasts: Acquired through a series of questions at the game’s start, each beast provides unique magical support:
  • Sugar: A fairy specializing in water spells and healing.
  • Rasho: An oni with fire spells.
  • Zantek: A mechanoid with electric spells.
  • Kutty: A beast type with wind spells.

Supporting Characters:

• Sanary: A Silver Guild member and potential love interest for Cleru.
• Razzy: Bron’s niece, who dreams of filling Wystern with flowers.
• Varil: A genius from the Gold Guild who wields a spear.
• Sakuro: A former student of Shintetsu involved in the main plot.

Reception Summon Night: Swordcraft Story received generally favorable reviews, with an average Metacritic score of 77/100. Reviewers praised its engaging combat system, deep weapon crafting mechanics, and compelling storyline. Famitsu scored it 32/40, while other publications like IGN and Nintendo Power rated it 8/10.

Legacy The game’s success led to a direct sequel, Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2, continuing the blend of action RPG elements with a rich narrative and detailed character development, further solidifying its place within the Summon Night series.