Saiyuki: Journey West
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| Saiyuki: Journey West | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Koei |
| Publisher(s) | Koei |
| Designer(s) | Akihiro Yamada (character design) |
| Platform(s) | Sony PlayStation PlayStation Network |
| Release date(s) |
PlayStation Network
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| Genre(s) | Tactical role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E |
| Media/distribution | 1 CD-ROM |
Saiyuki: Journey West is a tactical role-playing video game released for the Sony PlayStation by Koei. It is based loosely on the Great Classical Novel Journey to the West. The game's Japanese title is simply Saiyūki (西遊記), which is the Japanese name Journey to the West.
It follows the basic outline of the plot of the novel, in which the main character, a Buddhist practitioner named Sanzo, travels from China to India on a religious mission and has a variety of adventures along the way. The game also features several other characters from the novel, including Son Goku, the monkey king. In contrast to other renditions of the story, the game allows Sanzo to be played as either a male or a female character at the player's choice.
A gameplay twist is that every character except Sanzo can transform into a monstrous form for a limited time. Instead of transforming, Sanzo has access to summon spells that each boost the party's stats in different ways for a number of rounds and allows him/her to use an extra spell at will. Furthermore, each character has a native element that powers their spells and weakens them to opposing elements.
The game softens the original story, with most of the heroes' negative characteristics removed, and most of the villains surviving at the end.
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[edit] Characters
Characters in recruiting order, consists of 6 main characters and 6 optional characters. The 5 main characters (except Sanzo) have 6 WereAttacks instead of 3 like optional characters, and the main characters WereAttacks are all the exact nature of his/her element. The WereAttacks can be obtainable during fights (except Dojo) by raising the Were Gauge level.
Sanzo - Portrays the righteous Buddhist monk, based on Xuanzang. His/her element is Wood. Although player can choose either gender, the original Xuanzang is a male and thus usually depicted in the game also as male (in the game cover and in the opening). He/she has the ability to summon Guardians in the battle.
Son Goku - Portrays the rebellious Monkey King, Sun Wukong. His monster form is a giant fire-breathing ape, and his element is Fire.
Cho Hakkai - Portrays the lustful pig demon, Zhu Bajie, here rendered as childlike and food-obsessed, with an overall goal of becoming a great chef. His affiliation is Earth. He transforms into a monstrous humanoid boar.
Shu Ryorin - Haughty but kind-hearted daughter of the King of the Eastern Dragons, on the run from her father and a forced marriage. She fights the party before joining, because she thought her father had sent them to capture her. Her monster form is a powerful bronze dragon, and she is consequently aligned with Metal. Based on Long Nu.
Sha Gojo - Portrays the man-eating sand demon, Sha Wujing, here an intellectual human cursed with a monstrous fishman alternate form. He's ashamed of his monstrous nature, and at first rejects the party's help before Sanzo (and his/her refusal to see his/her friends as mere "monsters") convinces him to join. His element is Water.
Lady Kikka - A dryad-like spirit who is found trapped in her tree. Her monster form is a giant humanoid butterfly. Like Sanzo, her element is Wood.
The main six characters above are 100% obtainable. Thus creating 5 elemental circle from Chinese elements. The characters below are optionally obtainable characters which can be obtained through some circumstances. The optional characters WereAttacks are only 3, and their attacks are usually combination of 2 his/her element and another attack is the element of another element. Example: 2 of Lady Tessen's WereAttacks are fire element, and another one is water element. 2 of Lord Taurus' WereAttacks are earth element, and another one is fire element.
So Kinrei and So Ginrei - Twin girls accidentally transformed into monsters during the course of the story. Their monster forms are identical giant humanoid golems with oddly technological attacks (including missiles and lasers), with Kinrei changes as yellow golem and Ginrei as blue golem. Their elements are Metal, and are a few of characters (along with Genshi) who don't take Wereforms as animals. Players can obtain Kinrei and Ginrei by fighting them with a limited amount of time when facing them.
Chin Genshi - Grandfather of Lady Kikka, and formal teacher of Cho Hakkai. He may or may not join the party, depending on Sanzo's actions. Like his granddaughter, his element is Wood, and he transforms into a tree-like form (who along with Kinrei and Ginrei is one of a few character who doesn't change into animal). Players will obtain him if Sanzo forbids Goku to take his Angel Fruit, and says that Goku and the others are considered as friends rather just depending on them.
Reikan - Ryorin's fiancé, who is trying to get her back. Starts out as an enemy, and will only join the group if the Sanzo says the right things to him during previous meetings. His element is Water, and he transforms into a turtle-demon. Players will get him if Sanzo choose "No" on both gender versions when the group confronts him for the first time (Ryorin tells lie that Sanzo is her boyfriend if Sanzo is male, and asks to Sanzo if Reikan is annoying if Sanzo is female).
Taurus and Tessen - Portrays the Ox-Demon-King and Jade-Faced Princess from the novel. They start out seeming to be the main villains (though neither are really shown to be truly evil, just petty and bad-tempered), before plot developments cause them to reform and join Sanzo's side. Their monster forms are a minotaur-like bull demon and a humanoid scorpion respectively, and their elements are Earth and Fire. Players will get them if players complete the whole roads in Chapter 2, North and South and back and forth for 1st branched road, and South and North and back and forth for 2nd branched road (not countable the additional Post road).
Lady Kikka is not based on any characters from the novel, but is made up for this game.
[edit] Other Characters
Lady Kannon, Guan Yin, Bodihisatva who guides Sanzo throughout the Journey.
Sei Obou, Xi Wangmu, is a female summon Guardian. Her element is Wood, and her attack, Charmblade, can possibly charm the enemy. Her special status is healing party members' HP based on range from Sanzo for each turn.
Hei Reiko, Huang Tianhua, is a male summon Guardian. His element is Metal. His special status is raising party members' physical defense.
Nata Taishi, Ne Zha, is a male summon Guardian. His element is Fire. His special status is raising party members' physical offense.
Kano Usenko, Yun Xiao, is a female summon Guardian. Her element is Earth. Her special status is raising party members' MP based on range from Sanzo for each turn.
Jiro Shingun, Yang Jian, is a male summon Guardian. His element is Water. His special status is levitating Sanzo, makes his movement added for a few squares.
Kyuten Raitei, Wen Zhong is a male summon Guardian. His element is Non-elemental. His special status is all from the other 5 Guardians, which makes him the strongest Guardian. He is also the only optional Guardian, which players must collect his items during journey (Emperor Helmet: in a treasure box during first fight with Mahoraga; Emperor Armor: in a treasure box during first fight with Tigra in Biku; Emperor Band: in a treasure box during fight with Master Ko beside the hut; Emperor Soul: in a treasure box behind Taurus' chair during fight with Taurus - must go out from Chemist in Pine City first to trigger a scene for the 4th Emperor's part).
