A'kara: Silhouette
Introduction:
A'kara: Silhouette is the third chapter in my A'kara series following 'A'kara: Premonition' and 'A'kara: Epochulous'. The previous two titles, due to entirely different reasons,
were cut short in their development and are short chapters in their current forms (Around 2 hours long each). However this has helped to encourage me to present the A'kara
series as a set of chapters rather than one or two long games. A'kara Silhouette is designed to be much longer, but still a chapter on its' own.
As with previous A'kara titles, the storyline of Silhouette follows two professional assassins known as Daizu and Seline as they find themselves in a world they don't understand,
and forced to rival a powerful and shadowy corporation that's seemingly hell-bent on reforging the timeline to their own ends.
The world of A'kara is highly-detailed and features many interactive elements, allowing the player to examine most items of interest and in some ways help shape how the storyline
unfolds. The protagonists each have their own wildly different personalities and their struggle is not only one of tension, but has moments of humour and action. A'kara is very
story-driven and as such is more suited to a player that wishes to experience the setting rather than test themself in combat.
Story so far...
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A'kara: Premonition:
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Daizu, a relatively skilled assassin suffering from what he thought was amnesia, returned from a routine contract to his home on Cander island to find that his close friend Seline
has been kidnapped by Lucretian soldiers. His attempt to rescue her was aided by his follow assassin accomplice, Fane; an individual who often resented Daizu's level of skill, in
spite of his own mastery with a blade. After rescuing Seline and attempting escape, the pair were confronted by Fane, who demanded Daizu allow him to kill the woman. This
act of betrayal confused and devestated Daizu, but nontheless he stood his ground and with Seline's aid they defeated Fane and demanded answers.
A'kara: Epochulous:
Having been bested at the summit of mount Hyral by skilled assassins Daizu and Seline, Fane made a swift escape aboard the docked, futuristic 'Celsior Airship'. While attempting
to find the villain and gain answers, Daizu stumbled across the Celsior's powerful female AI, Saph and under her guidance escaped the vessel with Seline shortly after it performed
a jump 700 years forward into the future. Arriving in Ahnoleas, the two assassins were captured by a clan of fellow contract-killers known as the 'Frostbitten'. After skillfully escaping
their confines, Daizu and Seline were encouraged to cooperate with the Frostbitten in their bid against the shadowy corporation 'NuTek', that Fane was apparently affiliated with.
It became apparent to the wayward assassins that NuTek were moments away from uncovering an ancient Temporus device known as the Epochulous that could rewrite history...
A'kara: Silhouette:
The events of Silhouette begin three weeks after the previous chapter and see Daizu and Seline following a NuTek convoy as it delivers the Epochulous from its' original location
of the desert-city Ahnoleas to the rural forests of Rholme...
Characters...
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Daizu
Class: Assassin
Due to reasons he does not yet fully understand, Daizu only has memories up to a year ago. However as he recently learned, this was not due to amnesia as he had previously
thought, but rather due to his origin as the world's first Artifical Human. Designed as the ultimate assassin and programmed with the combat styles of the ancient A'karans, Daizu
is a revolution in offensive technology. However Daizu also boasts breakthroughs in sentience and artificial intelligence as he is an extremely smart and inquisitive individual.
Not quite accepting of his history, but rather avoiding it in favour of more pressing concerns, Daizu's primary focus is stopping NuTek from using the Epochulous as well as finding
his former brother-in-arms, Fane - a fellow assassin who he regarded readily as a brother and who betrayed him for unknown reasons. Daizu is A'kara's central protagonist and
through who most of the players actions will be taken.
Combat Role: Daizu is a damage-dealer and focuses on buffing himself in several ways and primarily using his default attack. When he stores enough TP from offensive actions,
Daizu unleashes his powerful 'Assassination' skill and obliterates the enemy.
Seline
Class: Blademaiden
Extremely irrational and aggressive, Seline is no princess. Having spent most of her life running and hiding from persuers that have wanted her dead, Seline has developed a fiery
and temperamental personality that echoes in most everything she says and does. As the last in the bloodline of the ancient Temporus race, Seline has the unique ability to
manipulate Temporus technology that is otherwise locked to any other user. She has rarely used this gift, however it has made her a target of NuTek's time-travelling enforcers
and ultimately forced her to turn on them in defence.
Seline is, for want of a better term, borderline psychotic. While often preferring to stay quiet and be an observer, when brought into a conversation Seline chooses her words very
quickly and often through lack of patience or anger. Her temper has gotten her and Daizu into trouble on several occassions and most of all she does not abide sexist remarks of
any kind, often retaliating by eviscerating the offender without remorse.
Combat Role: Seline is the party's primary damage dealer and strikes twice with every default attack. She is capable of blinding her targets, hitting multiple enemies at once and
if necessary picking their pockets with her slight of hand.
Katarin
Class: Bounty Hunter
Little is known about the elusive Katarin other than her trademark smile and her equally deadly aim. Seductive, optimistic and extremely professional, Katarin finds herself in the
company of Daizu and Seline via a lucrative contract and agrees to aid them in their assult on NuTek's Rholme headquarters.
Curiously evasive about her profession and her past, Katarin is otherwise an open and approachable woman with an air of confidence and obvious skill with ranged weaponry. It
becomes quickly clear she has an interest in Daizu on a less-than-professional level.
Combat Role: Katarin is the party's 'controller' and is adept at stunning, poisoning and lowering the defence of enemies. Her high agility makes her a fast attacker and
when combined with her Headshot ability, she becomes a powerful, albeit unreliable force.
Gorbran
Class: Mercenary
As a weathered axe-for-hire, Gorbran has seen it all and done it all. Highly proficient with melee weaponry and perfectly adept in heavy armour, the rugged Dwarf is essentially
a walking tank and has the battle-confidence to match. Never afraid to speak his mind and bizarrely influential when he does, Gorbran stands as a reliable and inspiring
warrior.
Crossing paths with Daizu and Seline shortly after his mercenary band is ambushed by thugs, Gorbran insists on aid from the dubious assassins and uses their assistance to
force reckoning on his attackers. With a personal investment in their cause, he joins the pair and offers his expertise in hopes of gaining the vengeance he deserves.
Combat Role: Unsurprisingly for an individual of his build, Gorbran is the party's defender capable of increasing the defences of his allies, as well as granting them health
regeneration or interestingly, healing their wounds outright with his healing augment. He's not bad with an axe, either.
Screenshots:
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Features:
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* 1.5 - 2 Hours Gameplay in the demo (Testers reported up to 3 hours)
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* 4 Party members each with different roles, skills and personalities
* 100's of Highly-interactive scenery that Daizu will comment on when examined
* Customised soundtrack composed mostly of non-RTP music
* Player choice system and party member reputations - Your decisions matter
* Easily-identifiable sidequests with unique rewards
* Balanced and challenging combat - Game is not easy, but not overwhelming either
* NO random battles
Thankyou for reading! If you have any advice, critiques or comments, I would love to read them!
:)
:)
