Ehrgeiz

Ehrgeiz
Developer(s)	Dream Factory
Publisher(s)	Arcade Namco PlayStation
Designer(s)	Seiichi Ishii
Platform(s)	Arcade, PlayStation
Release	1998 (Arcade) December 17, 1998 (JP, PlayStation) May 4, 1999 (US, PlayStation) February 8, 2000 (EUR, PlayStation)
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players simultaneously
Arcade system	Namco System 12

Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring (German: lit. "Ambition" Japanese: エアガイツ Eagaitsu) is a fighting game developed by Dream Factory and released by Namco in 1998 for the arcade platform. It was ported to the PlayStation and published by Square Co. in 1998.

Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the game is the inclusion of characters from Final Fantasy VII. Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, Sephiroth, Yuffie Kisaragi, Vincent Valentine and Zack are playable fighters, although the last three must be unlocked by various means. In fact, Ehrgeiz is sometimes affectionately known as "The Final Fantasy Fighter" by its fans due to the appearance of these characters. Ehrgeiz is highly sought after by Final Fantasy game collectors, due to it not making the Greatest Hits list and not being re-released.

Gameplay

Battle system

Ehrgeiz differs from most 3D fighting games by drawing heavily from the concepts of wrestling games and Dream Factory's own Tobal series, which allows for full 360-degree movement and does not require fighters to be facing one another at all times. This restricts the camera to a more or less fixed position, zooming in and out with the action, but not tracking around the arena as would be common in most other 2D and 3D fighting games. The fast-paced fighting allows for characters to move freely in a 3-dimensional stage which is filled with many interactive objects and changes in elevation, allowing characters to leap on top of crates or use them as weapons, for example.

The character development system revolves mainly around a 5-point chart representing which statistics will be increased in the character upon raising his/her level. Raising Protein, Vitamins, Minerals, Carbohydrates, or Lipids on the chart will in turn increase Attack, Magic Attack, Dexterity, Defense, or Speed, respectively. The diagram points and stretches towards each of these points. As one point is focused on, the diagram will contract on the other points of the diagram. Thus, increasing how much one stat will raise will lower how much the other stats will raise.

Quest mode

The PlayStation version includes a Dungeon mode similar to Tobal 1 and 2's Quest Mode. Players fight through an extensive dungeon crawl, much like the Blizzard title Diablo, and can equip different weapons and items. There are also several smaller mini games, such as a race mode, where players run laps around a course, engaging in combat to slow down their opponent, and a board game similar to Reversi.

Quest mode is a "Hack and Slash" Action RPG styled mode of gameplay in Ehrgeiz. It begins in a dungeon in a parallel universe, and later moves to a nearby inn. The player can explore the town and enter the dungeon, which contains randomly generated maps. Somewhere on each floor of the dungeon will be a stairway to the next level downward in the dungeon. Since the main characters are archaeologists, the goal revolves around going as deep in the dungeon as possible in the hopes of finding great artifacts.

There are several recipe books hidden throughout the Quest portion of the game's dungeon. Wine trading is available after getting the second recipe book and talking to a man in a restaurant in the town. The player can buy and trade wine here much like a stock market, where the value of the wine will go up and down periodically. Players can then trade back the wine (sell your stock) either to earn or lose profit.

Characters

Original characters

• Ken "Godhand" Mishima - Once a mercenary for Red Scorpion, Godhand decided to leave the organization and take with him the knowledge of the ancient ruin. Resigning from the organization meant cutting off one's right hand. As painful as it was, Ken did the deed then betrayed Red Scorpion by selling the information to a large wealthy syndicate group. Together they formed an excavation company to seize control of the ancient ruin in the Middle East. As part of his deal, he was given a new prosthetic right arm, plus was told the theory that the Ehrgeiz stone was the key to the door. He now believes he must become the champion and bear the sword. Vincent Valentine (FFVII) uses Godhand's moveset.

• Han Daehan - A master of Tae Kwon Do and a young action star without need of a stuntman, Han is a popular lad amongst the public. What the public does not know is that his right leg is actually artificial. During a movie shoot a year ago in the Middle East, a mysterious cloud of black smoke engulfed Han's leg. Peculiarly, although his leg has disappeared, he continues to retain a sensation of its existence. As he continues to seek an explanation for this particular phenomenon, he stumbles upon information that similar incidents have occurred every few decades in the area containing the ancient ruins. Han is another who becomes drawn to the mysterious surroundings of the ancient ruins.

• Prince Doza - His motto is, "I’ll destroy anyone who stands in my path!" Each day, Doza seeks a more powerful opponent. However, in the world of Kickboxing, he is already without equal. Able to defeat his opponents with his bare fists, Doza has become bored and is in need of a challenge. In the midst of his unrest, he receives word of the Ehrgeiz tournament, where weapons, psychic powers, and projectile weapons are permitted. Thrilled, he is determined to test his skills. Although he has no interest in the secret that Ehrgeiz holds, his fighting spirit is fueled by the appearance of opponents that are more powerful than he has ever imagined. In the Japanese version of the game, the character is known as Prince Naseem. This name and the character's arrogant demeanor are clear references to British boxer "Prince" Naseem Hamed.

• "Yoyo" Yoko Kishibojin- Yoko's father is an explorer who teaches archaeology, and her mother is an expert in Kishiboujin ryu Jyujutsu. At age 10, her parents divorced, leaving her to be raised solely by her mother. Although still in high school, her talents in Jyujutsu have been acknowledged by the ICPO which enable her to participate in their hand to hand combat research team. One day, she received a letter from her estranged father, entrusting her to carry out the duties necessary to acquire Ehrgeiz. In addition to this, she has been ordered by the ICPO to enter the tournament to investigate suspicious activities surrounding Ehrgeiz.

• Lee Shuwen - Known as the master of lethal Kempo, Lee holds the power and technique that can kill a man in a single strike. It has been said that Lee, founder of the Hakkyoku Ken, was killed some time ago through lethal poisoning. However, through the power of a legendary elixir found in the tomb of the first emperor, Lee has miraculously been brought back to life. Not only did this elixir bring him back to life, it is also making him younger as time proceeds. At this rate, he will ultimately become younger and eventually return to the void. In an attempt to avoid such a fate, he embarks on a mission to acquire the true key to immortality. Thus, he begins his journey to uncover the mystery behind the legendary ancient ruins.

• Sasuke - Although it is evident by his appearance that he is a Ninja, Sasuke’s true identity remains unknown. Presently, he works as an agent for Red Scorpion, but since he has a mild case of amnesia, he cannot remember his true name. However, during a mission in which he was to assassinate the adventurer, Koji Masuda, he notices a mysterious stone embedded within a broken sword held by Masuda. Believing that this precious stone will enable him to recover his long lost memories, Sasuke aims to acquire the legendary weapon, Ehrgeiz. Yuffie Kisaragi (FFVII) uses Sasuke's moveset.

• Dasher Inoba - Inoba is a prominent wrestler and a disciple of Karl Schneider, the founder of the Ehrgeiz Tournament. He is also a member of the Ehrgeiz supervising committee. With the recent death of his master, Inoba discovers a note left behind by the late Schneider which suggests that he had been investigating the connection between the stone embedded within the Ehrgeiz and the ancient ruins. Ever since laying eyes upon the mystical stone, Inoba has been fascinated by its presence. Compounded by his urge to obtain the stone and to uncover the mystery behind his master’s investigation, he is determined to get his hands on the legendary weapon. Inoba's name, wrestling style, and appearance all add up to an obvious homage to legendary Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki.

• "Wolf Girl" Jo - As an infant, Jo survived an airplane crash in the Amazon while sustaining only minor injuries to her head. Raised by wolves, she gained physical strength that exceeds and surpasses normal human capabilities by as much as 3 times. Following the death of her "wolf" mother, Jo became known as the "Man-eating wolf girl", and is eventually captured and imprisoned. There, she exhibited uncontrollable hostility towards her supervising officers. Having heard about this girl through various rumors, Red Scorpion scouts her and gives her the name, Jo. She is given direct orders by Red Scorpion to seek the Ehrgeiz without knowing or understanding the reason why. She has a handcuffed fighting style similar to that of Cody Travers.

• Koji Masuda - Father of Yoko Kishibojin (Yoyo Yoko), and 3 time consecutive reigning champion of the Ehrgeiz Championship Tournament. He is also an archaeologist seeking to uncover the truth behind the mysteries surrounding the ancient ruin.

• Clair Andrews - A child prodigy who entered the university at the tender age of 16, Claire is one of Koji Masuda’s archaeology students. Although she is relatively independent, she is still considered naïve. When Koji begins his journey, Clair impulsively joins him as his assistant.

• Django - Django is a wolf character that plays the role of the sub-final boss. He can be unlocked as a playable character by meeting certain conditions in the game. His first costume is gray fur, however his alternate costume (red fur) has many resemblances to Red XIII. His attack names reference Red XIII, his father Seto and Final Fantasy summons.

• Red Scorpion - Red Scorpion is the final boss, and main antagonist. He is the mastermind behind the tournament in the hope to succeed and obtain the materia. Godhand betrayed Red Scorpion by selling information about him to a very rich syndicate group.

Final Fantasy VII characters

• Cloud Strife, a.k.a. The Guardian in story mode.
• Tifa Lockhart, a.k.a. The Summoner in story mode.
• Sephiroth
• Vincent Valentine
• Yuffie Kisaragi
• Zack

Release and reception

After the game's US release on the PlayStation, Square Electronic Arts sponsored the "Ehrgeiz Championship Tour," a series of contests in which players competed against one another playing the game. The contests were held at Electronics Boutique and Babbages stores across America, beginning on July 10, 1999 in New York.

External links

• Ehrgeiz Official Website
• Ehrgeiz at the Killer List of Videogames
• Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring at MobyGames