Changes: Epic Battle Fantasy

Revision as of 04:01, 29 October 2014

The opening title screen menu

Epic Battle Fantasy is the first game in the Epic Battle Fantasy series. It is based primarily upon the two main characters, Matt and Natalie, on their seemingly aimless "epic battle fantasy" quest, fighting through a legion of foes. It is followed by a direct sequel - Epic Battle Fantasy 2.

Gameplay

The game progresses in a simple turn-based RPG style, with fight screens and backgrounds somewhat reminiscent to Final Fantasy IV. Several characters have been adapted from other well-known games, such as Pokémon. Battles are separated into different areas depicted by the background, each area revealing new foes that are harder to defeat. Apart from that, the game is very limited as there is lack of any evident storyline, and none of the other common RPG elements are included. There are no explorable maps or real-time navigation, NPCs or additional character interaction, and the party is set to the two main characters. Items can be bought in a shop screen which appears at designated breaks in the game (usually after 3 boss fights).

Opening

After the title screen, a quick "How To Play" dialogue appears outlining the basic instructions, with tips such as using Slimes for practice. The background features an array of Matt and Natalie's weapons. This is followed by an option dialogue for difficulty setting. A difficulty of Easy will decrease foes' damage to 80% of Normal, whereas Hard will increase to 120%, and Epic 140%. The player is taken to the standard shop screen, with 14,000 funds to spend on common healing items such as Potions, stat raisers, and Bob-ombs for offensive. A message warns about the irregularity of shop screens, before launching the player into the first battle, revealing no background or story.

Fight Interface

In every fight screen, Matt and Natalie are on the left while foes are placed on the right, facing them. The players' health and mana bars are displayed in the bottom left corner, and next to it a list of available commands. A retractable Options menu is found in the bottom right corner. Unlike the sequels, the health of foes is not permanently displayed anywhere, however a white vertical indicator bar briefly appears when successfully attacking a foe. Both characters start with a maximum HP of 9999, and MP of 999. During battle, Mog may randomly appear with a healing item and restore one of the characters' health, mana, or status. Matt and Natalie may also utter emoticons when attacked.

Player Commands

From the command menu, the player can choose for each character to make a standard attack, defend to minimize damage, invoke a special attack, or use an item. Matt can also swap to an alternate sword to change his stats and enhance a specific move. Both characters have differing special abilities. Matt can perform magic-imbued attacks with his sword, called "Bushido", or choose from several defensive and offensive Special skills. On the other hand, Natalie has a poor primary attack, but she can unleash powerful White and Black Magic spells, as well as call in one of four different Summons. The order cannot be altered, Matt will always act first before Natalie, unless he is stunned or dead.

Defeating Foes

When defeating foes, there is no experience gain or any levelling system. However, random items may be dropped. Both characters will jump up and exclaim a word or emoticon.

The difficulty will increase as the game progresses, the number of opponents generally increasing when a new wave of foes replace the ones defeated. After three or so waves, a formidable boss will appear, also marking the end of the area.

Foes have no names or descriptions, but come in different species, colours and varieties. It is unclear how much of a factor elements have in the damage given to the foe, though it is safe to assume that for example Fire will be most effective on a Haunted Tree or Thunder against Mecha. Here is an example of an unofficial list of foe weaknesses.

Options

The Options menu provides sections for changing three available settings: Help, Text, and Quality. Turning Help off (on by default) will remove the extra Help dialogue attached when selecting from special abilities, swords, and items. This may deprive important information such as stats, type of damage inflicted, effect on players and/or foes, and useful tips, so is only recommended for advanced players. Changing the Text speed will quicken the narration during cutscenes. If your computer's graphics are not capable of running the flash smoothly, you may want to lower the Quality. Clicking the X button will retract the menu into the corner, while clicking it again will bring it back up.

Synopsis

Spoiler warning

The game begins with Matt (P1) and Natalie (P2) in a shop, where they buy supplies for upcoming journey. After buying some items, Matt and Natalie are plunged into an unidentified forest or grassland-like environment, typical of a starting area in RPGs. They battle a number of Slimes before being confronted by the area's boss, the King Slime with a stone, turret-like structure on top of it, seemingly commanded by NoLegs.

After defeating the foe, the players move to a new area, one with a blood-red sky and filled with dead trees. Here, the players are introduced to Eyeballs, after few waves Beholder, the boss of this area, appears and battles Matt and Natalie. Afterwards, the players advance to a depressing area filled with fog, mud, and little else. The zone lacks a boss, and the only enemies are Haunted Trees. The next realm that the players plunder, however, is comprised of only a boss, in the form of the Defender. Following this battle, a witch-like shopkeeper offers to sell them more wares.

After the second shop, Matt and Natalie and enter a rocky beach area. After slaying multiple Crabs, the first Legendary Golem, Regice presents itself to the players. This impressive entrance is cut short when the players promptly beat it up, but Regice retreats before the heroes can kill it. As the players chase the Golem into a sparkly backdrop, Regirock appears to cover its brother's retreat. After some time at battle, the two Golems team up against the players, only for both of them to be defeated once again.

The players, undistracted by their recent victory, proceed to a volcanic area that where Eyes are encountered. The next zone appears to be some sort of underground bunker, protected by a mighty Mecha. Finally, the players arrive in an ominous graveyard guarded by Skull Ghosts. In the center of the cemetery, Zombie Goku awaits them, along with Duskull assisting him in a final climactic duel for the fate of the Earth.

Ultimately, Zombie Goku is put back to grave, but his death throes cause a massive explosion, spreading radiation far and wide, which sets up the stage for certain ambitious man to unite devastated earth under his dictatorship. Meanwhile, the wounded players are taken in by the Kitten Kingdom...

Spoilers end here.

Other

Trivia

Matt and Natalie are referred to as Player 1 and Player 2 in the game, but have their names revealed in the Gallery.
Bob-ombs are adapted from the Bob-omb character of Nintendo's popular Mario series.
There is a glitch when turning Help off while a Help dialogue is showing--the dialogue will not disappear but stay frozen on the information it is displaying, until a different menu command is selected.
There is a glitch where the Options dialogue will not stay retracted after a shop screen.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:EBF1_Opening_Title_Screen.png|thumb|300px|The opening title screen menu]]
 '''Epic Battle Fantasy''' is the first game in the {{EBF|s}}. It is based primarily upon the two main characters, [[Matt]] and [[Natalie]], on their seemingly aimless "epic battle fantasy" quest, fighting through a legion of [[foes]]. It is followed by a direct sequel - {{EBF|2}}.
-==Synopsis==
-{{spoilers}}
-The game begins with Matt (P1) and Natalie (P2) in a [[shop]], where they buy supplies for upcoming journey. After buying some items, Matt and Natalie are plunged into an unidentified forest or grassland-like environment, typical of a starting area in RPGs. They battle a number of [[Slimes]] before being confronted by the area's [[Boss|boss]], the [[King Slime]] with a stone, turret-like structure on top of it, seemingly commanded by [[NoLegs]].
-After defeating the foe, the players move to a new area, one with a blood-red sky and filled with dead trees. Here, the players are introduced to [[Eyeball|Eyeballs]], after few waves [[Beholder]], the boss of this area, appears and battles Matt and Natalie. Afterwards, the players advance to a depressing area filled with fog, mud, and little else. The zone lacks a boss, and the only enemies are [[Haunted Tree]]s. The next realm that the players plunder, however, is comprised of ''only'' a boss, in the form of the [[Defender]]. Following this battle, a witch-like shopkeeper offers to sell them more wares.
-After the second shop, Matt and Natalie and enter a rocky beach area. After slaying multiple [[Crabs]], the first [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Legendary_golem Legendary Golem], [[Regice and Regirock|Regice]] presents itself to the players. This impressive entrance is cut short when the players promptly beat it up, but Regice retreats before the heroes can kill it. As the players chase the Golem into a sparkly backdrop, [[Regice and Regirock|Regirock]] appears to cover its brother's retreat. After some time at battle, the two Golems team up against the players, only for both of them to be defeated once again.
-The players, undistracted by their recent victory, proceed to a volcanic area that where [[Eyes]] are encountered. The next zone appears to be some sort of underground bunker, protected by a mighty [[Mecha]]. Finally, the players arrive in an ominous graveyard guarded by [[Skull Ghost]]s. In the center of the cemetery, [[Goku|Zombie Goku]] awaits them, along with Duskull assisting him in a final climactic duel for the fate of the Earth.
-Ultimately, Zombie Goku is put back to grave, but his death throes cause a massive explosion, spreading radiation far and wide, which sets up the stage for [[Lance|certain ambitious man]] to unite devastated earth under his dictatorship. Meanwhile, the wounded players are taken in by the [[Kitten Kingdom]]...
-{{endspoiler}}
 ==Gameplay==
@@ Line 36: / Line 23: @@
 ===Options===
 The Options menu provides sections for changing three available settings: Help, Text, and Quality. Turning Help off (on by default) will remove the extra Help dialogue attached when selecting from special abilities, swords, and items. This may deprive important information such as stats, type of damage inflicted, effect on players and/or foes, and useful tips, so is only recommended for advanced players. Changing the Text speed will quicken the narration during cutscenes. If your computer's graphics are not capable of running the flash smoothly, you may want to lower the Quality. Clicking the X button will retract the menu into the corner, while clicking it again will bring it back up.
+==Synopsis==
+{{spoilers}}
+The game begins with Matt (P1) and Natalie (P2) in a [[shop]], where they buy supplies for upcoming journey. After buying some items, Matt and Natalie are plunged into an unidentified forest or grassland-like environment, typical of a starting area in RPGs. They battle a number of [[Slimes]] before being confronted by the area's [[Boss|boss]], the [[King Slime]] with a stone, turret-like structure on top of it, seemingly commanded by [[NoLegs]].
+After defeating the foe, the players move to a new area, one with a blood-red sky and filled with dead trees. Here, the players are introduced to [[Eyeball|Eyeballs]], after few waves [[Beholder]], the boss of this area, appears and battles Matt and Natalie. Afterwards, the players advance to a depressing area filled with fog, mud, and little else. The zone lacks a boss, and the only enemies are [[Haunted Tree]]s. The next realm that the players plunder, however, is comprised of ''only'' a boss, in the form of the [[Defender]]. Following this battle, a witch-like shopkeeper offers to sell them more wares.
+After the second shop, Matt and Natalie and enter a rocky beach area. After slaying multiple [[Crabs]], the first [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Legendary_golem Legendary Golem], [[Regice and Regirock|Regice]] presents itself to the players. This impressive entrance is cut short when the players promptly beat it up, but Regice retreats before the heroes can kill it. As the players chase the Golem into a sparkly backdrop, [[Regice and Regirock|Regirock]] appears to cover its brother's retreat. After some time at battle, the two Golems team up against the players, only for both of them to be defeated once again.
+The players, undistracted by their recent victory, proceed to a volcanic area that where [[Eyes]] are encountered. The next zone appears to be some sort of underground bunker, protected by a mighty [[Mecha]]. Finally, the players arrive in an ominous graveyard guarded by [[Skull Ghost]]s. In the center of the cemetery, [[Goku|Zombie Goku]] awaits them, along with Duskull assisting him in a final climactic duel for the fate of the Earth.
+Ultimately, Zombie Goku is put back to grave, but his death throes cause a massive explosion, spreading radiation far and wide, which sets up the stage for [[Lance|certain ambitious man]] to unite devastated earth under his dictatorship. Meanwhile, the wounded players are taken in by the [[Kitten Kingdom]]...
+{{endspoiler}}
 ==Other==