Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
Encyclopedia
Rygar: The Legendary Adventure, known in Japan as , is a console game
for the PlayStation 2
first released in November 2002
. It is an update of the original Rygar released for arcade machines and various consoles. The new features are a transition to 3D graphics
and portions of the environment are destructible. It was released to generally positive reviews. The game is inspired by Greek
and Roman mythology
and has many enemies and worlds named after them. This game was ported to the Wii
as Rygar: The Battle of Argus in 2008.
There are three types of Diskarmor acquired in the game, each with their own summon ability:
suddenly attack led by Echidna. After she and Icarus
capture Harmonia, Echidna has the Minotaur dispose of Rygar with a pit torn open in the ground. Surviving the encounter, Rygar finds the Diskarmor, a legendary shield of the gods and is given task to stop the Titans in order to rescue Harmonia and bring peace to Argus.
(Izzy). The song was also available on CD single format, coupled with the karaoke version.
and the Roman Empire
were used as a reference to help design the world. At the start of production, in-house staff members traveled to Greece
to look at subject matter. Photographs were taken to help create textures. 3ds Max was used to develop the stages and character models. The character models were then converted into Tecmo's original format and imported into Softimage
3D to animate them. Model textures were edited in Photoshop. The opening movie began production before the game sections.
The Wii version was first announced as "Tecmo New Style Action Game" in Famitsu
and later as Project Rygar on May 11 at the "Tecmo's Nite Out 07" event.
and won Worst Remake in 2009.
Console game
A console game is a form of interactive multimedia used for entertainment. The game consists of manipulable images generated by a video game console, and displayed on a television or similar audio-video system. The game itself is usually controlled and manipulated using a handheld device connected...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
first released in November 2002
2002 in video gaming
The year 2002 in video gaming saw the release of many games to sixth-generation video game consoles, predominately, the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.-Events:...
. It is an update of the original Rygar released for arcade machines and various consoles. The new features are a transition to 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
and portions of the environment are destructible. It was released to generally positive reviews. The game is inspired by Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
and Roman mythology
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
and has many enemies and worlds named after them. This game was ported to the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
as Rygar: The Battle of Argus in 2008.
Gameplay
In Rygar: The Legendary Adventure, the player traverses the landscape armed with the Diskarmor, defeating enemies, collecting power-ups, and so forth. The camera is fixed in one location, but rotates when the player moves around accordingly. The game has many unlockable features, like picture and movie galleries. Completing the game and meeting certain requirements enables the use of a number of special Diskarmors as well as allowing the player to select any level. If certain requirements are met, a secret boss battle is unlocked.The Diskarmor
As mentioned above, the Diskarmor is a shield that is the main focus of gameplay. The player can equip special stones found throughout the game to increase its power and so forth. Also, abilities can be found that add other functions to the Diskarmor, such as a grapple ability that allows the player to swing between specially marked icons and pull themselves up to otherwise unreachable areas.There are three types of Diskarmor acquired in the game, each with their own summon ability:
- Hades Diskarmor: This type of Diskarmor is the one used at the beginning of the game. It is good for long-range attacks. CerberusCerberusCerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...
is the summon used with it. - Heaven Diskarmor: This Diskarmor is good for medium-range attacks and against groups of enemies, since it has a wide swath when swung. TalosTalosIn Greek mythology, Talos or Talon was a giant man of bronze who protected Europa in Crete from pirates and invaders by circling the island's shores three times daily while guarding it.- History :...
is the summon used with it. - Sea Diskarmor: The final Diskarmor acquired is used only for short-range, melee attacks. SirenSirenIn Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
is the summon used with it.
Plot
Rygar: The Legendary Adventure takes place on an island in the Mediterranean Sea called Argus. Rygar is about to receive a wreath from Princess Harmonia in a ceremony for a victorious naval battle, when TitansTitan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
suddenly attack led by Echidna. After she and Icarus
Icarus (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Icarus is the son of the master craftsman Daedalus. The main story told about Icarus is his attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax...
capture Harmonia, Echidna has the Minotaur dispose of Rygar with a pit torn open in the ground. Surviving the encounter, Rygar finds the Diskarmor, a legendary shield of the gods and is given task to stop the Titans in order to rescue Harmonia and bring peace to Argus.
Setting
The environment combines elements of the Mediterranean.- The Coliseum — The first area explored in the game.
- GeryonGeryonIn Greek mythology, Geryon , son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe and grandson of Medusa, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. A more literal-minded later generation of Greeks associated the region with Tartessos in southern...
Hill — This acts as the overworld for the game. - Elysian Shrine — The tomb of great Grecian warriors.
- ArcadiaArcadia (utopia)Arcadia refers to a vision of pastoralism and harmony with nature. The term is derived from the Greek province of the same name which dates to antiquity; the province's mountainous topography and sparse population of pastoralists later caused the word Arcadia to develop into a poetic byword for an...
— The city in the skies. - TartarusTartarusIn classic mythology, below Uranus , Gaia , and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros . It is a deep, gloomy place, a pit, or an abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering that resides beneath the underworld. In the Gorgias, Plato In classic mythology, below Uranus (sky), Gaia (earth), and Pontus...
— The realm of the Titans.
Characters
- Rygar — A member of the Argus infantry, chosen to fight the Titans. He has no known memories of his childhood. He wields a shield-like weapon called a Diskarmor that was given to him by Zeus. His name was in the Japanese version.
- Harmonia — The founder of Argus, descended from a line of sea combatants. She was abducted by the Titans.
- Queen Argo — Guardian of the sanctuary of Argus and Harmonia's ancestor.
- Echidna — The leader of the Titans, she was originally a human from Egypt made immortal when the Romans seemingly killed her son. However, learning her son lived and grew into Rygar, Echidna rebelled before Cronus took over her body.
- IcarusIcarus (mythology)In Greek mythology, Icarus is the son of the master craftsman Daedalus. The main story told about Icarus is his attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax...
— A Titan Rygar fought two times in the game, armed with two swords. Originally the Warrior of Hades Aristotle, Icarus serves Cronos with delight in others' suffering. However, learning that Harmonia is his descendant though his union with Argo, Icarus later saves Rygar from the collapsing netherworld - CronusCronusIn Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky...
— The infamous titan sealed until Echidna released him. The final boss. He wields two purple swords and can stop time.
Music
The music from the game was composed by Takayasu Sodeoka, Riichiro Kuwabara, and Hiroaki Takahashi. The soundtrack for the game includes 27 tracks, including the main theme "Wish," performed by opera singer Isobel CooperIsobel Cooper
Isobel Cooper , known professionally as Izzy, is an English Operatic pop soprano singer.Born in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, she trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London....
(Izzy). The song was also available on CD single format, coupled with the karaoke version.
Development
Actual remains from ancient GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
were used as a reference to help design the world. At the start of production, in-house staff members traveled to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to look at subject matter. Photographs were taken to help create textures. 3ds Max was used to develop the stages and character models. The character models were then converted into Tecmo's original format and imported into Softimage
Softimage
Softimage, Co. was a company located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that produced 3D animation software. Their flagship products, Softimage 3D and Softimage XSI, are used in the creation of computer animation for films, television advertisement, and video games...
3D to animate them. Model textures were edited in Photoshop. The opening movie began production before the game sections.
The Wii version was first announced as "Tecmo New Style Action Game" in Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
and later as Project Rygar on May 11 at the "Tecmo's Nite Out 07" event.
Reception
Rygar was met with fairly positive reviews; criticism was aimed at the poor camera, but the Diskarmor was praised. However, the Wii version received a 1 out of 5 stars by G4G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
and won Worst Remake in 2009.