Magna Carta: Crimson Stigmata
Encyclopedia
Magna Carta: Crimson Stigmata is a PlayStation 2 RPG released in 2004 in South Korea
by Softmax
, and in Japan
by Banpresto
. It is the sequel to the 2001 CRPG, Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalanche
, and the second installment in the Magna Carta series. Sofdec was also associated with the game's development.
The game was released on November 15, 2005, in North America
by Atlus
, under the name Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, and in Europe April 7, 2006, simply named Magna Carta.
series. Battle consists of up to 3 characters who may move around the battlefield in real time. The player can only control one character at a time and can only attack when the "leadership meter" (which will not fill as long as a character is moving) fills up to an appropriate amount. When that happens, a character initiates an attack by performing a series of 3 timed button presses (known as the Trinity Ring). If successful, the attack initiates, but if not the leadership meter empties and the player must wait for it to refill.
There are three modes of combat that are uniquely embedded in this game: Standard, Combo, and Counter. Standard is excellent for offensive and defensive attacks, by continuously perfecting the timing of buttons, characters will learn stronger attacks. Combo attacks lack defence, but generally used to create powerful offensive attacks by combining all attacks in one turn. Counter does what it name implies, not only is the user able to block but also attack by predicting their enemies attacks. Players are able to keep their leadership meter without exhausting it like Standard Mode. Characters may attack with various combat "styles" learned in the game, which use different chi (energy) types to increase their utility. There are eight different types of chi present in all area, but in different exhaustible quantities. Through the altering of chi lanterns the player can change which chi is most abundant in an area.
; and Haren, a martial artist. Save for Azel, they all have a heavy grudge against the Yason for the deaths of friends and family. On the other side is the Blast Worms, Yason elite soldiers. They are led by the Four Warriors, who wield great power and magic.
During a flawed battle plan, where the Alliance's use of the forbidden magic fails, Calintz stops an assault of one of the Four Warriors' summoned familiars, Roxy's "Steelheart." After destroying a bridge to prevent enemy advancement, he finds himself in a cavern being healed by an unfamiliar woman. Because of her amnesia
, all she remembers is her name, Reith, and that she can use very powerful healing magic. Eventually, they find their way out of the cave, and as a show of thanks for saving him, Calintz offers to take her to Amabat, a city of high-ranking and powerful priestesses, thinking her to be one of them.
As the story progresses, Reith, as well as the Tears of Blood and Blast Worms, learns that she is a much more important piece of the puzzle than anyone had realized.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
by Softmax
Softmax
Softmax is a Korean developer and publisher of game entertainment, computer and video games. They are best known for their War of Genesis series, Magna Carta series, and MMORPG Talesweaver. It is currently enlisted in the Korea Stock Exchange ....
, and in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Banpresto
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
. It is the sequel to the 2001 CRPG, Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalanche
Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalanche
Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalanche is a CRPG released in 2001 in South Korea by Softmax, and is the predecessor to the PlayStation 2 title, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood. It is the first installment in the Magna Carta series...
, and the second installment in the Magna Carta series. Sofdec was also associated with the game's development.
The game was released on November 15, 2005, in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by Atlus
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
, under the name Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, and in Europe April 7, 2006, simply named Magna Carta.
Battle system
The game uses a battle system that takes elements from Shadow Hearts and the Star OceanStar Ocean
is a franchise of action role-playing video games developed by tri-Ace and published and owned by Square Enix .-Creation and influence:...
series. Battle consists of up to 3 characters who may move around the battlefield in real time. The player can only control one character at a time and can only attack when the "leadership meter" (which will not fill as long as a character is moving) fills up to an appropriate amount. When that happens, a character initiates an attack by performing a series of 3 timed button presses (known as the Trinity Ring). If successful, the attack initiates, but if not the leadership meter empties and the player must wait for it to refill.
There are three modes of combat that are uniquely embedded in this game: Standard, Combo, and Counter. Standard is excellent for offensive and defensive attacks, by continuously perfecting the timing of buttons, characters will learn stronger attacks. Combo attacks lack defence, but generally used to create powerful offensive attacks by combining all attacks in one turn. Counter does what it name implies, not only is the user able to block but also attack by predicting their enemies attacks. Players are able to keep their leadership meter without exhausting it like Standard Mode. Characters may attack with various combat "styles" learned in the game, which use different chi (energy) types to increase their utility. There are eight different types of chi present in all area, but in different exhaustible quantities. Through the altering of chi lanterns the player can change which chi is most abundant in an area.
Story
The game takes place in the land of Efferia, where a seemingly endless war has raged between the continent's two species, humans and Yason, who in appearance are like humans only lighter in skin tone and with different shaped ears. The protagonist of the game, Calintz, is a high-ranking leader of the Tears of Blood, a mercenary squad hired out by the human Alliance to deal with problems they otherwise won't, or can't touch. Since they are not part of the official army they aren't well liked by the Alliance soldiers. The core group also consists of Azel, a youthful sword wielder who looks up to Calintz; Eonis, a powerful mageMage
Mage may refer to:*Magi, a tribe from ancient Media of Iran*Mage, Burma*Magician , a practitioner of paranormal magic*Magician , a practitioner of magic as portrayed in works of fiction...
; and Haren, a martial artist. Save for Azel, they all have a heavy grudge against the Yason for the deaths of friends and family. On the other side is the Blast Worms, Yason elite soldiers. They are led by the Four Warriors, who wield great power and magic.
During a flawed battle plan, where the Alliance's use of the forbidden magic fails, Calintz stops an assault of one of the Four Warriors' summoned familiars, Roxy's "Steelheart." After destroying a bridge to prevent enemy advancement, he finds himself in a cavern being healed by an unfamiliar woman. Because of her amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
, all she remembers is her name, Reith, and that she can use very powerful healing magic. Eventually, they find their way out of the cave, and as a show of thanks for saving him, Calintz offers to take her to Amabat, a city of high-ranking and powerful priestesses, thinking her to be one of them.
As the story progresses, Reith, as well as the Tears of Blood and Blast Worms, learns that she is a much more important piece of the puzzle than anyone had realized.