Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light

by Nippon Ichi Software (NIS)

Product Features

• Networking systems for up to 4 players to connect together
• Take on the role of Shane in this fantasy role-playing game
• Anime-style characters; animated movie sequences; full 3-D visuals
• Fighting system slightly different from normal random-encounter systems
• Combine collected items into new items with the "crafting system"

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000F8O1BQ
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches ; 5.6 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 18, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,183 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #63 in Video Games > Sony PSP > Role-Playing
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Blade Dancer is a fantasy RPG featuring anime-style characters, animated movie sequences, full 3-D visuals, and network play. The game places you in the role of Shane, who as part of his training heads off to an island. There, he meets a strange girl, Ferris, who he must help in the midst of great troubles.

Blade Dancer includes fully 3-D fields, with a battle system slightly different from normal random-encounter systems--strike a beast, and you'll end up entering battle. One of the big elements of the game is its "crafting system," where you combine items that you've collected into new items. The game stores recipes for you, although the more adventurous will want to try out their own creations. The game also features networking systems for up to four players to connect together.

Product Description

Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light is a new fantasy adventure RPG that feels like a new anime. An ancient evil called the Dread Knight has returned and the legendary Guardian Of Light has disappeared. As the forces of good and evil collide, a young warrior meets a strange girl. As he tries to help her, he'll become involved in this deadly conflict and try to be a legendary defender called the Blade Dancer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the best RPG for PSP, August 10, 2006

By 

EarthFire "Dave" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light (Video Game)

This is a game that has some outstanding strengths and some unfortunate weaknesses. First, the 3-D anime style graphics are excellent. There is really an immersive 3-D world to play in. The whole game is obviously inspired by the Final Fantasy series. Time passes, and day becomes night and day again. Instead of random encounters, there are monster icons (decorated floating skulls) that are wandering around the environment. You can avoid them. If they are weaker than you, they may run away. If they are stronger, they will chase you, but you can outrun them most of the time if you want to. You get money, XP, and Items from battle. The characters gain levels relatively quickly.

The weaknesses of the game make it somewhat slow and tedious and hard to adapt to portability. First, there is no way to save the game except save points which are not all that common. There is no way to pause the game. The battles run on in real time, and you have to watch a little "Timer" for each character fighting. The only way to take a break from the game is to use the "Sleep" function of the PSP (thank you Sony). Without that, I would consider it unplayable. The weapons are breakable, but they do not break at random, they have a life gauge and they break when their life runs out. You need a supply of them. The crafting system is tedious, especially since any crafting has a very significant chance of "failing", and then you lose a possibly very rare or expensive item. I recommend crafting at save points. The magic system is truly unique. The MP are free in each battle, but must accumulate before they can be used. The twist is that your magical enemies can also use the same MP to cast spells against you. So you have to use `em or lose `em. Not all enemies can cast magic.

All in all it's a very pretty game, and a lot of fun, if you can get by it's negative points. If you liked the real-time battle system in some of the Final Fantasy titles, then you'll probably like this game.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile, but prepare to lose your temper., January 21, 2007

By 

Tyler B. Joyner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light (Video Game)

I finished this game about a week ago. I haven't played through too many games on the psp as yet, so I don't have too much of a basis for comparison.

That said, this game was a good way to spend 40+ hours for my money. I enjoyed the scenery, the combat system doesn't take you long to get ahold of, and the slow addition of characters lets you work up to managing all four of their attacks and special abilities at once.

The storyline seemed a little contrived, not surpising for a handheld rpg. The "blade dancer" himself arrives on the island to "test his skills". Right. The arguments he has with various villains throughout the game are sometimes childish and cliched all to hell, but very occasionally some dry humor comes through. It's very welcome when it's there.

My biggest (and for the most part only) complaint is how much running back and forth you must do in this game, often painstakingly trying to figure out what mysterious hoop you have to jump through to move on.

At one point it was extremely clear where I had to go to advance the story, but the creature I was to slay didn't show up. After about four hours (that's a conservative estimate) of trial and error I figured out that a seemingly unrelated side quest had to be done before the monster would appear. The appearance of helpful portals to jet you around the various areas happens way too late in the game, in my opinion. By that time you either have only a tenuous grip on your sanity or you put the game down for good.

If you own a psp already, I'd say this game is worth buying if it's cheap or used.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars tedium, August 31, 2007

By 

C. Harris (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light (Video Game)

I ADORE RPGs but i absolutely HATE this one!! the battle system has you waiting 20sec or more for the moon to make a full rotation before you attack. Once you destroy and enemy on the 'map' it comes right back, so you must clear out of the area. While you are accessing your menu, you can be attacked. Your weapons break after a couple of battles, so you have to constantly by more materials to make them. You need materials to make everything, or you buy them at super high prices from the store. So if the enemy isn't dropping enough items, then you can't make weapons/potions you need b/c you won't have all the components. While crafting, the character can fail, then you lose materials. Worst of all you spend most of the time running back and forth to the same places. From sepnia Forest back to Jade city, thats like 3~4 min running on the map to get back and waiting for screens to load. The maps are TERRIBLE. While the map is popped up, it covers most of your screen and you can't see where you're going.

But wait, the MOST AWFUL THING ABOUT THIS GAME is lack of save points!!!! there are hardly any, so if you are in a dungeon *in this game, places like the lunar tower* you'd have to go back quite a few screens to get to a save point then battle your way back to where you were b4 if you get tired of playing or want to save before boss fight.

finally to nitpick, the japanese language part of the game, the main character's name is Shane, but the english text is calling him lance.

the lack of save points, the shoddy and extremely slow battle system, constantly breaking weapons....This game pisses me off on so many levels.

i REALLY wish i never bought this game. Unless you are extremely bored with a whole lot of time on your hands and you don't mind running back and forth to the same towns over and over and over, DON'T waste you time/money of this load of crap game.