Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 'Persona 5 Crossover'
By Tayla Drago
Episode #3 - York, Mika, and Troy
So you guys wanted to know who the other three characters are...? From Cross Edge tactic RPG video game to be a crossover game between Persona 5 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate here, I couldn't put it in but since there are different gaming companies of the same a bit from Cross Edge, you know where it's from...Three good friends to grow up and do things to playing games and live good teenage lives; from half American and half Japanese to be back to their hometown for the upcoming video game today. Them too, huh? The characters are...
*York Neely – His parents have a dojo of the old martial arts, himself familiar with the jiu-jitsu in its influence. However, the jiu-jitsu because it was inculcated forcibly anaerobic has pointing, has been immersed in the shooting since I was a junior high school. Arm of shooting self-styled Olympic class. Impulsive and it is a fast Tsu cheap quarrel up blood to the head, only to Miko Aiba of childhood does not increase the head. Although there is a hate studying, performance itself is not bad, thanks to the life.
*Miko Aiba - Miko's parents died while she was young, so some of her other relatives raised her. From a young age, she was able to see beings, known as "spirits". Despite having such a unique ability, none of the members of her current family wanted anything to do with her, so they sent her elsewhere. After befriending York Neely, their family accepted her into their home. Eventually, she aged into becoming a normal girl, her ability to see spirits diminishing. However, she began having mysterious nightmares that she keeps to herself. Miko excels in martial arts, education, and cooking and is able to calm down York whenever he gets mad.
*Troy Ijūin - York Neely and Miko Aiba of a friend. Father in the assistant instructor of kendo, it has served as police officers of the instructor. The impact or, he himself has been good at kendo, about its prowess is comparable to the father.
Now that you know who they are, back to the story again. For they to be walking around Shibuya on how busy it was for lots of people to be walking around – eating, shopping, drinking, chatting with others, seeing things, and so on. For them to be close childhood friends for Troy to be the calm type, York...a bit picky to be a good person deep down to help out others, and of course Mika to care for them both 'even for York to have a major crush on her the most'. For York's parents were hard workers to have their only son live somewhere with a good home, for Mika to be staying in after losing her parents sadly, and for Troy to have his only father to have his own home, life was hard. Other going to school, working, hanging out, and training to protecting themselves to using 'certain' weapons when needed – the most important one they all have in mind were lots of video games to play, even crossover parts to fighting ones the most. All for getting the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game today 'and then downloaded bonuses ones later on, and unaware they each have special type of powers ever since they were born with it. Weird...
York: Is this the place?
Troy: Akihabara, the one with the best video game store in Japan. And the same spot we'll be meeting with "him" today.
York: Really, Troy?
Miko: Come on, boys, please no fighting. We traveled a lot to do things for so many years now. Having a new fighting game will do all of us well.
It's always Miko's words to calm York a lot as Troy was cool with it.
Troy: I know where we are.
York: But...Dammit. Fine, let's wait for the game while waiting for this certain someone while we're at it.
Miko: There we go. You see, York?
Lots of waiting in line was happening at this store for the three to be the first ones there, along with Keiko and Morgana walking there before the others to show up with them for the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate video game 'it must be a very huge thing going on'.
Morgana: Whoa...This line will get big if we didn't make it first. Three other people here already, we got lucky.
Keiko: Very lucky, Morgana. I guess all we can do now is wait. (From a very popular game to be such a huge thing. Everyone wants to play this Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I can't wait. A best way to have a two week Halloween holiday thing for Morgana, Akechi, and me to come and visit again after two in a half months.)
While waiting for the three see Keiko and Morgana, the same with York, Miko, and Troy do the same thing with those two – of their first encounters like this.
York: A friend group meeting. Lucky them. But why a cat?
Troy: For luck?
York: Very funny, Troy. And I thought black cats bring bad luck.
Miko: Aw, I think it's cute.
Still doesn't like being called a cat.
Morgana: Grr...Madame Keiko.
Keiko: Come on, we know you're a good friend to us to be more than a cat.
Morgana: Thank you!
While waiting around some more, something of an odd pink, round, and movement thing was wondering around town. For no one else in the city doesn't know about this character being real to see or hear him; only the other five do for some reason to be from a different world which isn't a Shadow or a Persona.
Miko: Look, across the street.
York: It's a walking balloon.
Troy: It's an odd looking beach ball.
Keiko: It has little feet, arms, eyes, mouth, and it's alive! Morgana?
This was very confusing on what it was...
Morgana: I don't know either, Madame Keiko. Shadow? Persona? From the Metaverse. No. This is a being I never seen before for you and me to see and hear it being real.
Keiko: Not just us, the other three sees it too.
Morgana: Really?
That is weird, huh? It was none other than my favorite Nintendo character Kirby to be in Japan and wondering around out of nowhere. Doesn't speak a lot to be saying weird noises to walk around, eat, and such to spot to those who see these five.
Keiko: It spotted us!
Running away for Morgana goes off before the others could do the same thing.
Morgana: I got this, Madame Keiko, just save the line for the others arrival!
Keiko: Morgana?
Morgana: Don't worry, I got this!
Following Kirby down the alley way for Morgana to do, the other three looked to have Miko fall on the streets for the light to go green of oncoming car to drive too fast on the streets.
Troy: Look out!
York: Miko!
Unable to move, Keiko then rushes to Miko's rescues to saving the girl just in time for the car to stop really rough like. Because of the mess for other people to see and hear, the cops arrive to report the driver for almost a hit and run. Ha! This idiot was about to get written a ticket.
"What was that?"
"That maniac was going too fast and almost killed someone!"
"My god...! Someone call the cops!"
"OK, people! Clear the area! We got this!"
Well, that's being taken care of. With Keiko helping out another someone she only met today by luck. Miko was unharmed.
Miko: Oh! You saved me.
Keiko: Well, I couldn't let you get hurt now. (Should I even ask them about the strange blob or I just leave it to Morgana?)
Holding that part off for now...
York: Miko! Geeze, I thought you could've died!
Miko: I'm fine, York, see? This girl save my life.
Keiko: Friends of yours?
First time to be talking to these guys. By the way, for them to take place after the Cross Edge game before the ending was shown. Just so you all know that part.
Miko: Yes, very god childhood friends in fact.
York: A girl?
Troy: Well this girl saved Miko's life. We should be grateful.
York: An odd way to be rescued during the game release big day. Still, it was cool on what you did for our friend. So yeah.
Keiko: Excuse me?
Introduction time...
Miko: Wait now, let's all introduce ourselves first while we're waiting. And the troublemaker in the car is in trouble from the looks of it. So were safe. Come now, who wants to go first.
Keiko: (I guess the weird thing for Morgana to deal with and these guys will have to wait for later.) Well, I'm Keiko Amamiya. Just visiting on my home town with my fiance and pet cat with our friends here. What are your names?
Holding up those other things aside for now...The three were up after Keiko says her name to them, now it was there turn.
Miko: My name is Miko Aiba. I knew these boys since we were growing up after losing my family to take me in. I can fight, cook, and sew clothing.
York: I'm York Neely, I guess I can do martial arts who taught Miko some of my moves. As well in my family also learn jiu-jitsu moves, with a kick ass dojo.
Keiko: Are you and Miko close?
Looking at each other, those two make a cute couple after their first adventure they had.
Miko: York and me...?
York: So?! What of it?!
So that was a big yes there.
Troy: And I'm Troy Ijūin. My Father in the assistant instructor of kendo, it has served as police officers of the instructor. Since then, I work hard while I keep these two love birds in line. York's a hard kid with a good heart. Miko's amazing than her cute appearances, and I'm just your typical guy with great skills if you like to call it.
Keiko: (Yep, couples here and a good friend to keep one of them in line just in case, they're good people.) Then it's nice to meet with you three. York, Miko, Troy.
York: What's up, Keiko?
Miko: Hello, Keiko.
Troy: Nice to meet you too, Keiko.
Keiko: So, you three are waiting for the gaming release too?
Holding on to that part for a bit, Morgana continues to chase down Kirby while he was running away.
Morgana: Hey! I know you saw us and you can hear us talking to you...Whatever you are! Stop running away and talk to me!
Running through a construction sight, bad timing for some metal things to come falling down on Morgana to be unable to move away, but...Kirby uses his inhale abilities to place in his mouth real quick from the crash to fall. And then spits Morgana back up to be rescued. Covered in drool, but happy to be alive.
Morgana: Huh? Wow...I'm alive! Thanks for the saved-! Ew, saliva! Yuck! Well, you did save me. Thanks for that.
Drying off the best he could, Kirby found some food he saved from falling a a bottle of water to drink and eat it all.
Morgana: Hey! Don't take something that doesn't belong to you!
But Kirby leaves money for the workers afterwards.
Morgana: Huh...? Real money...? Hey, where did you get this? Wait...I've seen you in video game poster of Nintendo and the new one coming out with you in it...Kirby?
*Kirby - Kirby's ability to copy other fighters is totally unique! While he is light and can be launched easily, he can also jump up to five times in the air, so he has great recovery. Look for his new Stone transformation, too.
It is Kirby 'the one and only' to be surprise for someone to see and hear him with powers only. Like Morgana, same with Keiko, York, Miko, and Troy too. Unknown of the other three, they don't seem like a threat nor neither is Kirby of course. Soon to be leaving some note on the ground, he then flies off for Morgana was unable to catch with his own speed, but he knows Kirby will show again.
Morgana: Hey! Hmmm...Not a threat and neither is those other three humans... (So what's going on? And this note...)
Taking it with him 'for Morgana to use his mouth to hold on to it', he then runs into another familiar face.
Akechi: Morgana?
Morgana: Akechi?
Akechi: What are you doing here all by yourself?
Morgana: Funny, I can ask you the same thing.
They have a lot to talk about from the looks of it, then Akechi might've seen Kirby too by luck. Now back with the other three teens talking to Keiko while still waiting in line for the game.
York: Let me guess. You're waiting for the game to come out today with the line on hold like us?
Keiko: Yes we are. (Lucky guess there) Is that why you're here too?
Miko: Well, we do like playing video games, yes.
Well, there was more to it for them to be around besides that one.
Troy: Two things. The game to buy and play, yes. But also there's someone we need to meet. There's been something odd happening lately. Nothing normal at all, I got a bad feeling about it already.
Keiko: Excuse me?
Sensing something was up for Keiko to know already, the others were trying to keep things a big secrets from others who don't get it.
York: Troy, c'mon! We're trying to keep this a secret!
Troy: What? She's like us, but with different powers.
York: Really?
Not knowing of Keiko was a Phantom Thief member 'yet'.
Miko: I thought I felt something about this girl. We're a lot alike. So it's okay to say it. Just like we saw a look alike Kirby.
Keiko: So you all saw him too? Kirby... (A real life character from Nintendo appeared before all of us. Yep, these guys are very much trust worthy. I don't know how and why, but they are to me.) Is it wrong to say this in public?
Seems like it was all right for everyone else to be walking by didn't look like they care at all.
York: Ah, give me a break. I think it's fine. It's normal to be born different. No one's perfect, now that will be stupid.
Such a tough guy meant well for Miko loves about York's true self 'he won't admit it but he's a nice guy'.
Troy: Heh, well said.
Miko: What he's saying is this, he's fine. Are you the only with these powers?
It was fine to say some truth to stretch out of it.
Keiko: Like you guys, my fiance and me are born with them. I have friends a little different compare to us. Just saying...
With Kirby to be around, he sees others who can see in crossing from different worlds, from two other familiar faces. From Raiho the Jack Frost 'along with his family of Jack Frosts, Black Frosts, and King Frosts. And Sophia/Sophia. Same with Aika Iwamura/Kaguya Picaro and Hitomi Kanakubo/Kaguya Picaro, along with Hans Guyver and Ellen Guyver; same with Kuon Ichinose, besides Caroline and Justine who's Lavenza into one, and...Zenkichi Hasegawa/Wolf. Hey, remember these guys? They'll be shown in this story like we saw them all last time from Persona 5 Strikers. Same with the Phantom Thieves' other Personas too. Knowing about video game character coming to life, other news of missing teens to go missing was getting much worse now all over the news, from the United States and soon to whole world. With Morgana telling Akechi about what he did while walking back where Keiko was at, there was a lot on Akechi's mind.
Morgana: ….And that's what happened.
Akechi: Hmmm...Kirby? The Kirby from Nintendo's real? He saved you and three other teens have powers like Keiko and me? Those are the people I'm suppose to meet with in a bit while this video game is coming out.
Morgana: I don't know what's going on today. Four things to not be life threatening, Shadow, nor a Persona in the Metaverse? None we haven't seen before. A connection?
Akechi: I'm beginning to think so now. From the news on the missing teenagers were all kidnapped from every state and country so far.
Morgana: "Missing teenagers"?
Akechi: You and the others haven't heard yet?
With those two talking 'while Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru take different trains to Akihabara to meet up with Keiko, Morgana, and Akechi with a lot to talk about. From seeing Kirby with three other kids with powers like them but different...the news goes on about the other missing teenagers to be happening lately since August started to be much worse. From the Phantom Thieves, York, Miko, Troy, Ichinose, Hans, Ellen, Kaguya, Picaro, Raiho, Caroline, Justine, other Personas and even Loki to be part of Akechi's of course, Zen, Raiho's family, and Sophia learns about this news. That includes other characters from the fighting game to hear it all while Kirby was hiding; and let's not forget some other living being with glowing red eyes. Huh? Who was that? Anyways, the news update says this...
News Reporter: [This just in – this past two in a half months had teenagers go missing out of nowhere from a mysterious group. One minute for them to with their family with a normal school life and playing video games, and the next thing for about lots of them all over the world with no clues left behind. No murders, stealing, or anything like it at all. It just happen from the United States last night. Only when it started out in Hawaii a bit, then one by one other children go missing from other countries around the world so far but Japan. Could this country be next of the teenagers go missing? Whose to say for sure...With the police looking into it there with the Ace Detective Prince Goro Akechi with any other help will put a stop the master who's behind this terrible mess with the children to hopefully be rescued to return to their homes somehow. Other news might be related to this case, rumor has it of the most wanted criminals who are still on the run could be responsible for this mess; a group known as Shadow Law who have been having fighters to their down fall or killed are at large a very dangerous. Unknown of any of the members true identities and their true goals otherwise. If anyone in Japan or other countries known about the crisis at hand and/or the missing children's whereabouts, then please call the police to report anything to be useful to them all. With all the children should return back to their homes around eight o'clock for their safety and everyone else from the terrorists. Thank you. And now on other news...]
Tayla: What? I know it's a different name of the Street Fighters' bad guys names, but it's from Street Fighters 2 V Anime series, so I wanted to use it.
Hearing all of this, being very big. Kirby looked serious besides being himself to know what he needed to do next. Off her goes again. The others hear and see the the TV city screen from one of the buildings to get the entire message.
Miko: York...Troy...
York: We know already...!
Troy: This is rather troublesome.
Not good, I think Keiko sees what Akechi was doing for this type of work while visiting.
Keiko: No... (Children gone missing but Japan and some group known as Shadow Law? Does Akechi-Cun know about this?)
Soon the store opens for the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate video game for Nintendo Switch was now open to buy for the line to start up but some spots for Keiko to save for her friends.
Miko: Then let's get our game and then go meet with you know who. We'll worry about the mess in a bit.
With those three going first, finally...Keiko's friends show up. Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru.
Ryuji: Keiko! Hey!
Ann: We're here!
Yusuke: Sorry we're late.
Makoto: You did save a spot for all of us.
Futaba: Just in time too, it just started. Yes!
Haru: Please save the line, Keiko-chan.
And last to be both Morgana and Akechi were the last ones for the line to grow more once they get there.
Morgana: Madame Keiko, I'm back! Oh, everyone else made it.
Akechi: Sorry were late, Princess!
Hugging her lover while Morgana joins back in Keiko's back.
Keiko: Hi, everyone. Morgana, hey. (We'll talk later on on the Kirby character.) Akechi-Cun, I'm glad you took your time from work to see me. I take it you ran into Morgana on the way here?
Akechi: A lot has happen, yes. But seeing you makes my day a lot better. I'm also meeting with three people-! Oh! Well, what do you know...There they are.
I take it that Akechi was suppose to meet up with York, Miko, and Troy as promised.
Keiko: Huh? These guys?
Morgana: Seriously?!
For Morgana to say it even louder for the others to hear, these three teens were the ones with power for Akechi and Keiko 'for her to finally pick up on', know they are the ones. York, Mika, and Troy van also understand Morgana in his cat form 'even without being in the Metaverse yet'. Who knew. Some people are born a bit special.
York Wow! This cat can talk?!
Mika: Oh, wow.
Troy: And I thought we've seen much more weird things.
Morgana: You guys can hear me talk?! Akechi, who are these guys?
Mika: And the Nintendo Kirby character who was running around earlier...I hope the cat manage to talk to him.
Now the others even bigger news.
Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, and Haru: Kirby's real?! These three can understand Morgana?!
Akechi: Ah, well...this is awkward...
Causing a odd scene for others who don't get it...
Keiko: Ah guys, keep it down please...?
….Soon someone makes a whistling sounds for Futaba to calm everyone down, only then for everyone can handle everything well with words than in action more.
Futaba: Hey! Hey! Calm down, nerds. Let's gather in a circle while waiting in line for our game to be out. C'mon, huddle up.
Morgana: Oh! Good idea, Futaba. (Other humans don't can hear me talk, so this will make things much safer.) Ah, meow?
Others just let them be and still wait in line from behind the others. With the Phantom Thieves together, soon the three do the same thing by Akechi's single to move in without causing a scene.
Troy: I think Akechi wants to join and talk with them quietly. York...
York: Hey! I can be quiet...!
Now they all started chatting at one another since it does involved with Akechi to aid York, Mika, and Troy. As well as the members of the Phantom Thieves.
Futaba: There, you see? This will work out just fine. Now let's begin our talk. Akechi, what do we have here? Three loss kittens.
Morgana: Not including me...!
Joking aside...
Akechi: Apologies, everyone. There are some events going on and during our time doing some Phantom Thief business. I don't know where to start things off.
Keiko: Introduction first. Everyone, these are York Neely, Mika Aiba, and Troy Ijuin. And you guys, these are my friends. Morgana...Please keep a secret on what we do too along with Morgana who's more than a cat. Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitagawa, Makoto Niijima, Futaba Sakura, Haru Okumura, and I see you guys were meeting with Goro Akechi. He's also...
Akechi: My fiance to be married real soon.
Showing their engagement rings for these two, they see how it was different of them with powers.
Mika: Aw, how cute.
York: And Phantom Thief business...Wait! You guys-! Right...Ah, you guys are the Phantom Thieves?
Keeping it down for York calms down quick enough.
Ryuji: How the hell can you tell-?! Ouch! Ann!
Hitting Ryuji upside the head by his girlfriend Ann again.
Ann: Shhh...Keep quiet. But Ryuji's right, how can you tell.
Troy: I believe I can explain. Sorry, my father's a cop. Since York, Mika, and me grew up together. Mika loss her parents after York's took them in and my family became their guardian too. So, we had goals after our own adventure we had.
Akechi: I heard about your work. Mr. Troy. Not bad. Let just say he and I work well outside of the country sides, from the United States to Japan. They wrote me a letter from the event we've went through. Met other character from other worlds, awake to our powers, save another one, and learned something.
Tayla: And if you wish to see the game play from Cross Edge on YouTube, go and watch it to see it all for yourselves, it's good. Remember, this takes place afterwards, and before the reuniting of a true ending after this story. OK? Good.
Cool to see Troy and Akechi do reports from overseas to solve cases and such differently.
York: We'll tell you our story from time to time.
Mika: And don't worry, we all heard about you guys as the Phantom Thieves. Mr. Akechi told us everything. Saving the world more than once, but twice now. Maybe again on what's been going on. Kirby isn't the first character we came across.
News there, others were showing up in Japan the most and other kidnapped kids in other countries.
Yusuke: Good, keep each others' secrets are more trustworthy ones.
Haru: So there have been others. There must be more to it.
A lot more on the cell phones on news update and some shown on TV's a big hit.
Akechi: I'm afraid so. Lots of kids all over the world but here have gone missing, but it's more like from the strange events connected to these three and the terrorists behind this mess...It has to be the work of Shadow Law.
So both Troy and Akechi are already aware of Shadow Law's work to be very real.
Makoto: "Shadow Law"? From the Street Fighters series, correct? So a made up group of villains are actually real. Kirby. Others with powers, other Nintendo characters, and...None of this is making any sense.
Futaba: Ooo...I know them. Different in the Street Fighter 2 V Anime series with 29 episodes, with some characters from the popular video game, Super Street Fighters 2 of many versions. Good game series. Fighting adventure! The villains in it from the video games are Sagat, Balrog, Vega, and their boss M. Bison. Only...in the Anime series has Zangief, Balrog, Vega, and M. Bison. A little different. Sell drugs, powers on fighters to control, take over things, and such...yeah, you name it.
All of this to be all true.
Mika: Video games coming to life. Only for some to be evil and some to be in our world.
Akechi: That's what been bugging me a lot. But I can do this alone or Troy, we all need to work together on this one.
Ryuji: The Nintendo characters are real.
Ann: As well as some terrorist group to kidnap teens and children like us.
York: And to like video games, dammit. This sucks.
Troy: This is why we need to work together on this, Phantom Thieves. Please?
They are all telling the truth, so what's it going to be?
Morgana: So, what's your call, Madame Keiko? Akechi?
Sensing out York, Mika, and York on her on of their background story with Akechi doing the same thing.
Tayla: I'll explain it from fan's theory of the video game. Over time, memories are created. And people live extraordinary lives. But what happens when those people, and those memories, are forgotten? They end up in a "magical land." Or rather, they're thrown into a cheap crossover RPG.
I was paraphrasing the prologue sequence to "Cross Edge" there. Apparently, the premise of the world you end up in is that "forgotten" characters, like those in the Land of Misfit Toys, find themselves stuck in this world together. And they'll have to find their way back out.
Cross Edge combines franchises from Capcom (Darkstalkers), Idea Factory (Spectral Force), Nippon Ichi (Disgaea), Gust (Atelier), and Gust/Banpresto (Ar tonelico) in one ridiculous game. And by "ridiculous," I mean it in the original meaning: "worthy of ridicule."
Disclosure Statement
RPGFan's policy regarding reviews is that we beat the game (reach the end credits) before putting pen to paper… or, in our case, fingers to keyboard. The corollary to this policy is that, if we cannot finish the game due to extenuating circumstances, we at least reach a "halfway point," some significant milestone in the game, or, at the very least, 10 hours of play. Coming with that corollary is that, if you didn't finish the game, you say so in the review.
This Cross Edge review is coming to you one year after publication. The game was tossed back and forth between RPGFan editors, and few of us could stomach the thought of having to play this game. Eventually, it fell to me. I played 15 hours in the first month of 2010 and stopped. After playing through Final Fantasy XIII and some of Record of Agarest War (with all its striking similarities), I put another five-hour stretch into Cross Edge, just to see if I could force myself to take it to completion. In this case, the extenuating circumstance is that I think this game sucks and I have other more important RPGs to play. So, no, I did not beat Cross Edge. I refuse to. Putting in 20 hours is more than I wanted to do, but I think it's enough to tell you why you'll want to avoid this game. Not that there aren't dozens of other reputable sites who have told you the same. But in case you only trust us, well, I guess this review is for you three crazies standing in the back.
Fanfics
Have you ever read a fanfic? Better yet, have you ever written one? Years ago, RPGFan used to host a "Fan fiction" section, a repository of people bringing Aerith back to life only so she could marry Zell from FF8 or some other ridiculous plot.
Okay, so not all fan fiction is that inane. I've read enough of it to know that some people have had some good "non-canonized" ideas for the characters of popular RPG and anime. But for the most part, the World Wide Web's fan fiction is inundated with really bad (and really naughty) writing. With this in mind, let me give you a one-sentence summary of Cross Edge's plot and character interaction:
Cross Edge is a bad fanfic.
The game opens with a red-haired boy and a green-haired girl (where have I seen that before? *cough* Chaos Wars). These two generic characters become the protagonists that will weave their way through a strange fantasy world that is sucking up characters from three primary places: "magic world" (Atelier characters come from here), "demon world" (Disgaea and Darkstalkers), and "normal/modern/technological world" (the generic protagonists). Some strange, nameless villains are trying to suck up everything so they can bring life and goodness to their master, whose identity I never found. But it was probably just some other Misfit Mascot. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a final boss design left on the cutting room floor from a previous Idea Factory game. That would be fitting.
There are a few moments where I did actually find humor. Since Etna and Prinny are the chief representatives of the Disgaea universe, they're always good for a laugh or two. And Morrigan, one of the first members of your party, is always ready to make you feel aroused and creeped out at the same time. So that's all fitting. Marie (of Atelier Marie) gets old, the Mana Khemia 2 characters are too new and too unlovable to be worth having in the game, the Ar tonelico characters act nothing like they ought to based on past games, and the Idea Factory characters? Well, we Americans don't know who many of them are. But in short, they're more generic anime characters.
As to why some characters acted out of character in this story, apparently a lot of the people who show up in this magical crossover-world are suffering from amnesia. Morrigan only barely remembers some of her fellow Darkstalkers, and while the Ar tonelico cast remembers one another as individuals, they cannot remember much of anything specific. If they did, they'd probably show animosity towards certain characters and Lyner would probably be hitting on all the ladies more than does already.
It's appropriate that NIS America localized this title. Having also done some Spectral games, all the Gust titles (Atelier / Mana Khemia / Ar tonelico), and of course all NIS games (Disgaea), they already knew how to translate the text and voice the characters. But I still have to wonder why they even bothered bringing the game here. Not just because the game is a bad fanfic, but also because it's not a terribly fun game to play.
Point Man
EP SP AP XP HP TP PP BP (BP? Oil Spill?). Anyone who plays RPGs is used to juggling different points which are gained, lost, and managed through a variety of interacting mechanisms. I don't really remember what all the "P"s are in Cross Edge. All I know is that the system is terribly irritating.
The key in-battle points are those that allow you to act, those that are built up to perform special attacks, and of course your HP for health. After battle, you earn gold, exp, EP (for enhancing equipment), and TP (for a variety of functions). After leveling, you gain points to build character stats. Unlike Record of Agarest War, exp is awarded to party members outside battle, though in a diminished capacity. And since team members can be swapped mid-battle in this system, you can build exp for groups far larger than the four-at-a-time found in combat.
The game's shopping system(s) and currency is a little wild. If characters die in battle they have to be healed at a rest point, and the cost of healing is their current level times 100 (standard Idea Factory rules). Fortunately, even if you break the bank, you can revive everyone, you'll just go into negative money-zone, and that means you can't buy anything until you've repaid your debt to the medic (in this case, Morrigan herself).
Buying and selling equipment, mixed with being able to upgrade items (from level 1 to level 5) is a bit of a mess. Well, it's a big mess actually. See my review of Record of Agarest War for more details. It's the same system.
Strategery!
Cross Edge is a pseudo-Strategy RPG. We're calling it a mix of traditional turn-based and strategy. Battles take place on a grid, but not like in Agarest War. This grid draws a line in the middle to separate ally and enemy sides, and never will one cross the other. So this is a battle system akin to the original Rhapsody on PlayStation, or Enchanted Arms. The grid is specifically a 3×8, with the line in the center creating two 3×4 boxes. Moving characters, switching characters, and performing attacks all consume AP which is replenished from one turn to the next. As usual for Idea Factory games, combo attacks are key to taking down enemies.
I played this game on Easy mode, and I dare not think about what it's like on Hard. I avoided any opportunity to "grind" battles on the world map. I fought the bare minimum of fights. So when I reached a major event boss fight, I usually lost half my total party in the process. I'd have fourteen characters total, and nine would be dead by the end of the fight, so only a few would benefit from the experience points. If that's "Easy" mode, all I can say is that this game has balance issues. That or I'm just really bad at Strategy RPGs (and my experience in Fire Emblem would suggest otherwise).
One significant convenience to the game is the ability to disable or quickly skip battle animations. The button-mapping for this is a little better than what I saw in Chaos Wars and Agarest War. Holding an R button down instead of having to repeatedly tap circle to skip through battle animations is pretty handy.
Other than that, though, there are some really weird button mappings. The L and R analog sticks have certain inputs that act as "hot keys" for particular menus in battle. If you memorize that, you can make battles go a lot faster… but it really does take some getting used to.
Unfortunately, I found little reason to want to master the battle system. Why? It's boring. It's painfully boring. I know that's a relative term, but keeping in mind that this game was swapped among multiple RPGFan staff members, all of whom couldn't stomach playing it, before it reached me… I think that says something.
Re-Recycle
Quick history: Record of Agarest War came out in the US in 2010, Cross Edge in 2009. But in Japan, Agarest was 2007, and Cross Edge 2008. So Agarest came first.
With that in mind, note the following points of recycled images. The world map design of Cross Edge is just like Agarest, except that you can now free-roam instead of walking set paths. The environmental backgrounds (for dialogue cut scenes in towns, fields, etc.) include some taken from Agarest and Chaos Wars. The character art, obviously, comes from all their respective games. The original "art" for this game comes in the form of sprites, the ugly 3D environments for the tower dungeon exploration zones, and the ugly 3D enemies. If I can be totally honest, I want Idea Factory to stick to what they're good at, and what they're good at is 2D. Just make it high-res, throw in more animation, and develop a challenging but balanced battle system. I'm still waiting for this!
As far as battle effects go, I think our image gallery shows what you'll see: a lot of colorful expanding spheres. Paying attention to the little details goes a long way. Idea Factory doesn't seem to get this, and as a result, we are even getting palette swaps on skill and spell effects. Let's work on our diversity in this area as well, please.
Dress-Up Party!
So the big draw with this game was supposed to be that you can change characters' costumes, and that would drastically alter their base stats and play style. For those who have played Ar tonelico, think about the outfits for your Reyvateil. Of course, in the case of Misha, Aurica, and Shurelia, those are exactly the costumes they'll be wearing. But everyone else? Okay, there are some original costumes here and there. But unlocking them is a bit of a challenge, particularly early in the game. Besides, it takes a little too long to get what was advertised as one of the key "features" of this game to get started. Of course, other PS3 games of late have been making this same mistake.
VA/VGM
Per the NISA standard, this game offers dual-language audio. The Japanese voice acting is decent at all times, and the English voice acting wavers between really good and mediocre. It's never Chaos Wars-embarrassing, but there are some poorly acted characters and poorly-acted moments. I generally switch to English before entering any event that involves Etna and Prinny, because NISA does such a great job bringing these characters to life. I know some gamers are tired of it, but I'll never ever get tired of prinnies saying "Dood!"
The soundtrack to Cross Edge is, in a word, weak. It occasionally borrows from "source material" (more recycling), but the original music did not impress me, particularly in the context of the game. As a soundtrack collector, the import Cross Edge OST was somewhat worthwhile, and is more enjoyable than the OST for the upcoming crossover "Trinity Universe" (publisher NISA, developer Idea Factory / Compile Heart, i.e. more of the same).
Regarding Crosses and Edges
I keep a list of RPGs I want to play, or think I should play, or have to play for the sake of writing a review. Cross Edge was right on the bottom "edge" of the list. Now, I happily "cross" it off the list.
Crossovers aren't known for having interesting plot arcs; their strength in terms of story is supposed to be interesting character interaction. But the conversations here are usually insipid and boring. Marie tries to cook something and fails. Shurelia whines about her frailty. Morrigan and Etna compare bust size (okay, that part had me letting out a few laughs, but they're cheap laughs). And then there's the entirely unlikable male protagonist, something JRPGs love to specialize in. I can't take it anymore. Give me Zidane over Squall any day of the week, right?
If you think you could somehow, possibly, enjoy this game, either because of its large cast of characters or because you think you might like the battle system, I've given you my warnings. If I can't convince you, then go check it out. As a perpetual optimist, I still believe Idea Factory can make better games than this, and I also believe NISA can put their efforts into localizing more interesting titles than this one. So I'm not going to gripe anymore about the companies behind this game. But, as a stand-alone product, I offer this game little more than the condemnation you've read heretofore.
As for the other characters in the game were -
Original characters
May
A character that Yūto met in the world. She is a NPC that frees souls from the various realms that are explored. Despite her childish demeanor, she surprises the group with her maturity and open-mindedness.
Vivi
One of the caretakers of the world. He is the oldest among the triplets, yet his shy and weak personality leads to him being bullied and pushed around by his younger siblings. Vivi is also the only one who can hear the "will" of the Empyreal One.
Iruma
One of the caretakers of the world. She, Vivi, and Eruma are triplets. In the North American version, her name is Cece. She tries to hide her true doubts and feelings behind a strong-willed personality, and often described as the voice of rationality between the triplets. Iruma also acts the most maturely among them, and designates orders to the Twelve Knights according to the Empyreal One's will.
Eruma
The youngest of the triplets. In the North American version, her name is Mimi. She is quite impish and playfully cruel, thinking of others around her except Iruma as toys and the chain of events happening is only a game in her eyes. The one thing Vivi fears more than anything is when Eruma starts to get bored.
Anesha
Judas
Raizen
Lazarus
Voiced by (English): Keith Silverstein
One of the Twelve Knights. He's a carefree, eternally optimistic gunman. He often appears bored and lazy, but his ability with a gun is amazing. He's always excited to find a challenger willing to fight to the death. But until now, he never really took fighting seriously. If his enemy is weakened, he will refuse the killing blow even if given a direct order. Surprisingly, his strength can nearly match Judas's, which may explain why he often seems uninterested in his surroundings.
Augustine
The most cruel, merciless, and brutal of the Twelve Knights. He's obsessed with hunting down those who are brought into his world, and will achieve his goals by any means necessary. This blood lust causes him to often butt heads with Raizen. He's not happy that certain outsiders have been accepted as part of the Twelve Knights, despite the facade he puts on in front of his superiors. In his eyes, these newcomers are simply stealing his rightful kills.
In the post game, he is called Augee or Augustink.
Atelier Marie characters
Marlone
She is the main character and only representative of Atelier Marie and is known for having the lowest GPA in the academy. Her nickname is Marie. This is Marie's second appearance in North America, after her costume cameo in Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia, but technically her first physical appearance as a character.
Mana-Khemia
Liliane Vehlendorf
In the North American version, her nickname is Lily.
Rozeluxe Meitzen
In the North American version, his name is changed to Raze.
Whim
Liliane's maid who has to put up with her temper tantrums from time to time. She is actually a water mana.
Rewrich Wallach
In the North American version, his name is changed to Reicher.
Darkstalkers characters
Demitri Maximoff
One of the main characters of the Darkstalkers series alongside Morrigan. He is a vampire that can shape-shift into a bat-like monster and lives as a noble of the Makai.
Morrigan Aensland
Voiced by (English): Erin Fitzgerald[7]
One of the main characters of the Darkstalkers series alongside Demitri. Morrigan is a succubus who fights for her desires and pleasure. She is the first recruited character that joins York and Miko, and also the first to figure out how the Cross Edge world works.
Felicia
A cheerful and kind-hearted cat-girl who never wants to hurt anyone.
Lilith
A younger succubus who is exceedingly cruel. She is part of Morrigan's soul which was split in two years ago in the Makai.
Jedah Dohma
The head of the Dohma clan of the Makai. He constantly views existence as a stage on which everyone must perform, and has a habit of making eloquent if not long-winded speeches.
Disgaea characters
Etna
Prinny
Ar Tonelico characters
Lyner Barsett
Aurica Nestmile
Misha Arsellec Lune
Shurelia
Ayatane Michitaka
Bourd Rade
Spectral Souls characters
Meu
Meu is quite energetic and very outspoken, as she is stubborn and can be silly at times. She strives to become a great hero like her grandfather and has much potential, certain she will become one.
Blazing Souls characters
Zelos
And now back to the story.
Again, see the game play of Cross Edge. From the good hearts of these three, I think it's safe to say for Keiko and Akechi can feel them being very trust worthy.
York: Ah, hello?
Troy: Powers like us to feel our background out, remember?
Mika: Unlike ours to do some good to help and use on others who are bad.
York: Oh, I knew that.
Going along with it all, Keiko and Akechi have finally made their decisions...Then let's hear it out, you two lover birds.
Keiko: They're trustworthy. I can feel it out. Let's all help out each other.
Haru: Oh, thank goodness.
Yusuke: Wonderful.
Futaba: We'll be glad to help out.
Makoto: Of course.
They were all in then.
Morgana: Heh, now we're talking.
Ryuji: For real? The Phantom Thieves are back!
Ann: Anyone who needs help and give them all courage, I want to do all I can.
From all of this, they were all in. Now it was time to get the game for the first few people in line.
Futaba: Talk later! Game is here! Let's get it!
For the Phantom Thieves 'since Akechi, Keiko, and Morgana to have their one game', and the others of their own. Same with York, Mika, and Troy to share to get theirs and the others just in the nick of time. Leaving the game shop to finish talking.
Akechi: We all got the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at last. Now, shall we continue where we left off on?
Keiko: We got our game so we might as well finish our conversations.
And a little bit more to it from the next chapter/episode for sure. Trust me, it's going to be even better of the entire things soon enough in my...made up fan fiction of a crossover story here. For what everyone was learning about each other and the case to be going on, there was a lot more to it for more to be coming around – Shadow Law is making their way to Japan to gather up their next children and teens in their collection. Not good at all to even worry Kirby to do something about it. A few more enemies come flying around the area than the four other ones from the beginning of the story. With some looking like clones, another one was a giant...hand with a white glove on it? Huh...?