Sigma Harmonics

Sigma Harmonics
Developer(s) Square Enix
Think Garage
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Director(s) Hiroki Chiba
Producer(s) Yoshinori Kitase
Artist(s) Yusaku Nakaaki
Writer(s) Hiroki Chiba
Composer(s) Masashi Hamauzu
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release date(s)
Genre(s) Role-playing video game
Mode(s) Single-player

Sigma Harmonics (シグマ・ハーモニクス Shiguma Hāmonikusu) is a role-playing video game developed and produced by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.[2] The game involves two friends who travel through time, attempting to restore an altered past and solve murders along the way.

Gameplay

The game is played using the Nintendo DS system's "book" orientation. Solving one chapter’s case changes the past, which leads to a new murder. The game is told through a series of illustrations like a book.[3] The game features random battles but is told in a mystery story format.[4] Neon does the fighting against enemies in the game, and can become a sharpshooter, knight, and other jobs.[5] If players solve a mystery through guessing or illogical means, their boss battles become more difficult as the boss becomes stronger and the player becomes weaker.[4]

Plot

The story revolves around Sigma Kurogami, a high school student and "sound user" whose family guards a huge clock sealing off the demon Ōma. One day, his past is rewritten, causing chaos in his present. He then works with his friend Neon Tsukiyumi to solve an increasingly complex string of murder cases and return his life to normal. They use Sigma's abilities and the clock to go through time, and as each murder is solved, the future changes and unlocks a new history with other crimes to solve.[3]

Characters

Characters include Sigma Kurogami (黒上 シグマ Kurogami Shiguma) (voiced by Daisuke Ono), Ōma (逢魔), and Neon Tsukiyumi (月弓 ネオン Tsukiyumi Neon) (voiced by Aya Hirano). Sigma has the ability to cause miracles with the sound of his voice, a hereditary family trait.[3] Neon is part of a clan of "card wielders" that have fought against the Ouma, and also possess the power to change forms through meditation.[5]

Development

Sigma Harmonics was first revealed as one of the trademarks registered by Square Enix.[6] The game was developed by Think Garage, which had developed two titles in the Itadaki Street series and Lord of Vermillion. Key members of the development team previously collaborated on Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII.[7] The game was produced by Yoshinori Kitase and directed by Hiroki Chiba, respectively the co-director and co-event planner of Chrono Trigger. Chiba was inspired by Shōwa period writers such as Seishi Yokomizo and Rampo Edogawa, and wanted to create a video game with a similar vibe.[7] The game features character designs by Yusaku Nakaaki. Chiba admired Nakaaki's previous illustrations and recommended him to Kitase, stating "not using Nakaaki's drawings would be a horrible waste [even though] there are lots of awesome designers at Square Enix."[7] The game was playable at the DKΣ3713 gaming event in June 2008.[8]

Music

The game's soundtrack was composed by Masashi Hamauzu,[9] who provided music for Final Fantasy XIII, SaGa Frontier II, Final Fantasy X, Unlimited Saga and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. The original soundtrack was released in September 24, 2008 in Japan and covers 37 tracks. The theme song "Harmonia vita" was written by Aki Hata[10] and performed by character voice of Neon Tsukiyumi, Aya Hirano. The illustration, which was painted the protagonist Sigma Kurogami, was designed by game's character designer Yusaku Nakaaki.[11] Square Enix Music scored the album 9/10.[12]

All music composed by Masashi Hamauzu. 

Reception

Sigma Harmonics debuted on the Japanese sales charts at number 8, selling 23,000 units.[13] As of September 30, 2008, the game has sold 70,000 copies in Japan.[14] Famitsu gave the game a score of 31 out of 40, with grades of 8,8,7,8.[15] In 2009 Square Enix registered a trademark for "Sigma Harmonics Coda".[16] This became the name of a port of the game to mobile phones only divided into episodic pieces for players to download.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Square Enix (2008). "Sigma Harmonics". Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  2. ↑ John Tanaka (March 26, 2008). "New From Square Enix: Sigma Harmonics". IGN. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 JC Fletcher (2008-04-21). "Investigating Square Enix's adventure RPG, Sigma Harmonics". Joystiq. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
  4. 1 2 Spencer (August 25, 2008). "Sigma Harmonics: A journey of songs, cards, and time traveling homicides". Siliconera. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Sachi Coxon (2008-08-21). "Items of Import: Sigma Harmonics preview". Joystiq. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
  6. ↑ Spencer (2008-02-17). "Crystal Chronicles WiiWare trademarked? Namco Bandai battle ghosts? Ubisoft goes Jurassic?". siliconera.com. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  7. 1 2 3 Emily Balistrieri (April 7, 2008). "Famitsu Interviews Sigma Harmonics Devs". 1UP.com. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  8. ↑ JC Fletcher (2008-06-19). "Kingdom Hearts, Sigma Harmonics playable at Square Enix event". Joystiq. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
  9. ↑ Jérémie (March 27, 2008). "Sigma Harmonics pour Hamauzu". Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Game Music :: Sigma Harmonics Original Soundtrack :: Album Information". Squareenixmusic.com. 2008-09-24. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
  11. ↑ 『シグマ ハーモニクス』のオリジナルサントラが9月24日に発売！ - 電撃オンライン (in Japanese). News.dengeki.com. 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
  12. ↑ "Game Music :: Sigma Harmonics Original Soundtrack :: Review by Katchum". Squareenixmusic.com. 2008-09-24. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
  13. ↑ David Jenkins (August 28, 2008). "Japanese Charts: Soccer Releases Dominate In Slow Week". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  14. ↑ "Results Briefing Session: The First-Half of the Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2009" (PDF). Square-Enix.com. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  15. ↑ Riley, Adam (August 6, 2008). "Level-5's New Nintendo DS RPG Highly Rated by Famitsu". Cubed3.com. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  16. ↑ Spencer (2009-09-02). "Sigma Harmonics Coda Sounds Like A Square Enix Sequel". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
  17. ↑ Spencer (2010-01-31). "Sigma Harmonics Coda Is A Cell Phone Port". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
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