Sigma Harmonics
| Sigma Harmonics | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Developer(s) | Square Enix Think Garage[1] |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Director(s) | Hiroki Chiba |
| Producer(s) | Yoshinori Kitase |
| Artist(s) | Yusaku Nakaaki |
| Composer(s) | Masashi Hamauzu |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) |
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Sigma Harmonics (シグマ・ハーモニクス Shiguma Hāmonikusu) is a role-playing video game developed and produced by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
The game is played using the Nintendo DS system's "book" orientation. Solving one chapter’s case changes the past which leads to a new murder.
[edit] Plot
The story revolves around Sigma Kurogami, a high school student and "sound user" whose family guards a huge clock sealing off the demon Ōma. One day, his past is rewritten, causing chaos in his present. He then works with his friend Neon Tsukiyumi to solve an increasingly complex string of murder cases and return his life to normal.
[edit] Characters
- Sigma Kurogami (黒上 シグマ Kurogami Shiguma) (voiced by Daisuke Ono).
- Ōma (逢魔)
- Neon Tsukiyumi (月弓 ネオン Tsukiyumi Neon) (voiced by Aya Hirano).
[edit] Development
Sigma Harmonics was first revealed as one of the trademarks registered by Square Enix.[4] The game was developed by Think Garage, which had developed two titles in the Itadaki Street series and Lord of Vermillion.[1] Key members of the development team previously collaborated on Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII.[5] The game was produced by Yoshinori Kitase and directed by Hiroki Chiba, respectively the co-director and co-event planner of Chrono Trigger. Chiba was inspired by Shōwa period writers such as Seishi Yokomizo and Rampo Edogawa, and wanted to create a video game with a similar vibe.[5] The game features character designs by Yusaku Nakaaki. Chiba admired Nakaaki's previous illustrations and recommended him to Kitase, stating "not using Nakaaki's drawings would be a horrible waste [even though] there are lots of awesome designers at Square Enix."[5]
[edit] Music
The game's soundtrack was composed by Masashi Hamauzu,[6] who provided music for Final Fantasy XIII, SaGa Frontier II, Final Fantasy X, Unlimited Saga and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. The theme song "Harmonia vita" was performed by Aya Hirano.
[edit] Reception
Sigma Harmonics debuted on the Japanese sales charts at number 8, selling 23,000 units.[7] As of September 30, 2008, the game has sold 70,000 copies in Japan.[8] Famitsu gave the game a score of 31 out of 40.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Think Garage Works History". http://www.thinkgarage.co.jp/products.html.
- ^ Square Enix (2008). "Sigma Harmonics". http://www.square-enix.co.jp/sigma/. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
- ^ Tanaka, John (2008-03-26). "New From Square Enix: Sigma Harmonics". ds.ign.com. http://ds.ign.com/articles/862/862207p1.html. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ Spencer (2008-02-17). "Crystal Chronicles WiiWare trademarked? Namco Bandai battles ghosts? Ubisoft goes Jurassic?". siliconera.com. http://www.siliconera.com/2008/02/17/crystal-chronicles-wiiware-trademarked-namco-bandai-battles-ghosts-ubisoft-goes-jurassic/. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ a b c Balistrieri, Emily (April 7, 2008). "Famitsu Interviews Sigma Harmonics Devs". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167278. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ Jérémie (2008-03-27). "Sigma Harmonics pour Hamauzu". http://squaremusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/sigma-harmonics-pour-hamauzu.html.
- ^ Jenkins, David (August 28, 2008). "Japanese Charts: Soccer Releases Dominate In Slow Week". Gamasutra.com. http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20017. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ "Results Briefing Session: The First-Half of the Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2009". Square-Enix.com. http://www.square-enix.com/eng/pdf/news/20081107_02en.pdf#page7. Retrieved 2008-12-26.
- ^ Riley, Adam (August 6, 2008). "Level-5's New Nintendo DS RPG Highly Rated by Famitsu". Cubed3.com. http://www.cubed3.com/news/10542/. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
[edit] External links
- Official website (Japanese)
- Sigma Harmonics official blog (Japanese)
