Compile Heart released a new trailer for its upcoming PS4 RPG Varnir of the Dragon Star, along with details on the basics of battle such as the different kinds of skills and Dragon Awakening system, and more on the official website.
First, here’s a look at a new trailer to introduce the game’s battle:
Here are the laters battle system details:
Basic Rules
The battles in Varnir of the Dragon Star are al mid-air battles. They’re split between upper, middle, and lower layers, and you’ll get to freely move between all three. A big part of the battle system is the “Devour Skill” that involves eating dragons.
On the upper-right part of the screen you see the order of your characters and enemies based on their speed. You can also quickly check who is on what layers by checking the three lines representing upper, middle, and lower layers.
Physical Skills & Magic Skills
Attacks with weapons use “Physical Skills” which can only be used on enemies on the same layer. Each character has different attack types from slash, hit, pierce, and shoot. By landing a critical by hitting the enemy weakness, you can crush their order turn.
Magic Skills, on the other hand, can hit enemies in other layers other than the one of the caster. It allows you to attack enemies that aren’t on your layer and from a safe distance, but its downside is that it doesn’t go critical. Elements are earth, water, fire, wind, light, and darkness. You can deal extra damage by hitting the right elemental weakness.
Eat Dragons with Devour Skills
By attacking enemies, their “Fear Meter” goes up. The more it rises, the easier it is to devour enemies. When you eat an enemy with a “Devour Skill” you can acquire a “Skill Tree” possessed by the enemy.
When the Fear Meter goes up to 100% the “Weakness Rush” activates. This is a three-person combo rush that finishes with a Devour Skill. If you can make the enemy’s HP hit 0 during a rush, it guarantees a successful devour to take their Skill Tree.
The Reassuring Support Members
You can only have three members participate in battle at once, but each one has their own Support Members. Supper Members can be switched in during battle at any time but they can do more:
- Guard when attacked
- Counter attack an enemy
- Perform follow-up attacks
- And more
Take advantage of “Battle Formation Effects”
Before advancing into battle you can set “Battle Formations” that can activate “Battle Formation Effects” during battle.
Here’s an example:
- Delta Force – Must have two battle members on the middle layer and one on the lower layer. The members on the middle layer increase attack and defense by 3%, and the member on the bottom layer increase magic attack and magic defense by 3%.
Keep in mind that Battle Formation Effects depend on the layers, so you won’t have the same one if you move, but can gain a new one based on your next formation.
The formidable power of dragons, “Dragon Awakening”
A party member’s “Dragon Meter” accumulates each time they hit an enemy. The meter carries over from battle to battle, and is used to activate “Dragon Awakening” when it fills up all the way. When activated, the power of a dragon wraps their bodies in the form of an armor and vastly increases their stats.
During Dragon Awakening state, party members gain access to “Special Devour Skills.” However, using it when the character’s HP is low makes them go into a “Berserk Dragon” state that provides a major boost in attack and evasion but massively drops defense. It’s considered a super risky move for do-or-die moments.
Here’s a look at the protagonist Zephy and heroine Minessa in their Dragon Awakening states:
- Zephi (Dragon Awakening)
- Minessa (Dragon Awakening)
Giant Dragon Battles
There are boss fights that put you up against Giant Dragons that take up all three layers. By making the HP of each layer’s part hit 0, you can disable that part’s attacks or even temporarily stun the boss. Checking out the battle situation and destroying the parts accordingly is a big part of the strategy.
Varnir of the Dragon Star releases in Japan on October 11, 2018 for PlayStation 4. Check here for a look at the Falcom collaboration dragons, and here to learn more about its dragons, witches, and the gruesome details on how the dragons are born.
