Ｇｅｔ ｉｔ ｏｎ ： Ｓｔｅａｍ， ＧＯＧ， ａｎｄ Ｈｕｍｂｌｅ Ｂｕｎｄｌｅ！
- Title — Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection
- Developer — Nihon Falcom
- Publisher — XSEED Games
- Genre — Overhead stat-heavy action & dungeon-crawling
- Platform — Windows XP and higher
- Release — 31 October, 2017, around 10 AM - 12 PM PST on Steam (originally 25 September, 2008)
- Format — Digital
- Game size — ~5GB on Steam
- Website — XSEED; Falcom
- Trailers — Launch, Alwen, Ragna; Original
- Game footage — XSEED stream #1; stream #2 on launch day
- Price — $30 with 10%-off launch discount, regionally priced
Click on thumbnails for full-size images.
A Fighting Duo, Unlikely and Likely
No need to brave the unknown alone when you've got a partner by your side. Ragna roughs up foes in melee range, while Alwen fires off salvos of powerful magic, locking down enemies from afar. Switch between the two anytime with the tap of a button to create crazy combos!
Ragna likes to run in and lash enemies with his unique weapon, the Anchor Gear. Is it a whip? A katar? A fancy can opener? Even the NPCs aren't really sure! But the one thing that IS certain is that it's an incredibly versatile weapon, able to be modified to perform a variety of functions.
Alwen is a master of the magical arts. Able to blast foes from a safe distance, some of her spells are also excellent at creating openings for Ragna: her ice magic can freeze enemies for a brief time, while her wind magic lifts them up and spins them right round (baby, right round), keeping them under control.
Explosive, Arcane Potential
Arcanum Skills are secret techniques that combine both Ragna and Alwen's powers to unleash a potent magical effect that can really sock it to enemies. To learn such potent arts, however, requires an equally adept teacher, and in Ilvard, such an individual might be hard to come by...
The humble bomb: simple in construction, simple to use, but who can argue with the results? Every adventurer worth his or her salt will keep a clutch of these on hand. They can open up passageways blocked by debris, shatter boulders to reveal anything hidden beneath, or you can just lob them at monsters and dive for cover. Any way you use them, bombs are always a real blast!
Three-course Cornucopia and Dessert
Zwei dispenses with battling monsters for your Experience Points. Instead, delicious EXP is found in all the food you'll already be eating to keep yourself healed in dungeons! This simple change opens up the game, allowing players who want more of a challenge to limit their use of food, and players who want an easier time to chow down on the most EXP-rich foods in their inventory so they can muscle their way through the opposition. It also means that, if you don't feel like fighting, you can often just run past enemies without worrying that you're missing out on valuable EXP.
But wait...there's more! Chef Huang at Artte's Panda Inn prides himself on his fully-stocked pantry and his ability to cook just about anything a patron might want. If you bring him ten of any one type of food, he'll trade them for one of a fancier food worth even more EXP than the ten servings of the food you gave him! Through judicious use of this "food exchange," you can make sure you're getting the most EXP for your effort and still have plenty of food to fall back on for all your healing needs.
Of Animal Husbandry
Ever felt like you could use an extra hand (or paw) when the going gets tough? In Roalta, Ragna and Alwen will have the opportunity to buy their very own pet from the pet shop. The owner, Bianz, has the perfect cat, dog, or chick in mind, and will supply a partner perfectly suited for a life of adventure.
Each pet fights differently – cats barrel into enemies with abandon, dogs hang back and fling balls of energy at foes (...as dogs do), and the chick is a mad bomber, pooping out egg bombs that blast enemies – and sometimes regular bombs that can hurt everyone, just to keep you on your toes. Or, avoid the difficult decision over which cute, heartwarming pet to get and buy all three like the responsible adult you are. Then, you can switch them out as the situation calls for.
Whichever pet you choose to have active, your loyal friend will also rove around helping you vacuum up any money and food dropped by defeated enemies. They practically pay for themselves in convenience!
There may be other creatures lurking out there in the unknown expanses of Ilvard that would jump at the chance to tag along with you, too. If the opportunity arises, take them under your wing and discover what special abilities they can bring to your team.
Whichever pet you choose to have active, your loyal friend will also rove around helping you vacuum up any money and food dropped by defeated enemies. They practically pay for themselves in convenience!
There may be other creatures lurking out there in the unknown expanses of Ilvard that would jump at the chance to tag along with you, too. If the opportunity arises, take them under your wing and discover what special abilities they can bring to your team.
All Ilvard's A Stage, And All the People and Critters Merely Players
In Zwei, it's not just the main characters who have their own stories – all the people Ragna and Alwen meet have a place in the world, complete with their own lives, problems, and triumphs. If you don't see someone in their usual area, chances are they're somewhere in Ilvard, doing something, and if you poke around and find them, you might learn something new about them. Get to know these individuals and check in on them frequently, because as the game's story progresses, so will theirs.
Legend has it that there exists a mysterious artifact known as "Solomon's Ring," and that whoever wears this mystical band will find him- or herself able to understand the language of all animals, and speak with them in kind. Many animals are smarter than people give them credit for, and they observe with their keen senses things of which humans may be only dimly aware. If you somehow come upon this curious accessory, you can speak with birds, dogs, and cattle to pick up some interesting tidbits. Or, you can just talk to the three cats in Artte and listen to them belittle each other in true feline fashion.
r/Falcom Discord said:
Exhibits and Exhibitions!
Hidden away somewhere in Ilvard is an entertainment center so flashy, so tacky, it's amazing it's not visible from space. Within its halls, visitors can browse a gallery of life-sized enemy models, challenge past bosses through the magic of electronic "arcade cabinets," and participate in the main event – a no-holds-barred battle arena that promises to pit Ragna and Alwen against some familiar faces as they shoot for the top (and whatever reward comes with it). Sure, the staff is a bunch of weirdos, but it's a good time all-around!
In the same building that houses Ilvard's branch of the Treasure Hunter's Guild, you'll find Ilvard's very own museum, stocked with strange curios from Doctor Theo's collection. At the beginning, it's a bit lacking in impressive specimens and displays, but that's where Ragna's penchant for finding treasure comes in.
Discover mysterious treasures in dungeons and bring them back to town for Greyn to appraise. You'll earn money and rewards for your trouble, and also the personal satisfaction of being able to walk through the museum and see your artifacts, bones, jewels, and other finds on display.
Stealing Down the Snowy Slopes
If you can somehow ascend the heights of Starry Peak, you may chance upon a strange kappa. How does it survive on the blizzard-buffeted heights, you may wonder? Well, that's not really important. What IS important is that this is one savvy kappa – he knows a couple ace routes down the mountain perfect for skiing and snowboarding, and he's perfectly happy to let you run them as many times as your heart desires...for a small fee. Unfortunately, Ragna doesn't have a snowboard handy, but he's nothing if not resourceful. He'll find something he can use. And if it goes even faster than a snowboard, all the better.
Voices Resonating in the Void
2000 never-before-voiced lines bring the twists and turns of the main story to life.
XSEED Q&A Spotlight (click on each box below)
Q: What does "Zwei" mean here? Is this a sequel?
"Zwei" is German for the number two, and to Falcom, it's a double entendre. Two of their classic PC franchises, Xanadu and Ys, redefined how the company operates and presents itself to the world. When Falcom made a new original game back in 2001, they had spent years remaking late-1980s games for nostalgia money while iterating on wargames like Vantage Master and Lord Monarch. After X and Y came Z, with Zwei!! heralding an era of new leadership and risk-taking at the company. They soon successfully revived the Ys and Legend of Heroes franchises (giving us the Trails series of games); after 7 years of fans clamoring for a new Zwei, Falcom delivered Zwei II in 2008.
The game XSEED's releasing—Zwei II Plus (a version of the original with extra cosmetic features, a randomized dungeon, and extra replayability and compatibility fixes)—is definitely a sequel to Zwei!! from 2001. However, you can start with this game. It's almost entirely standalone, leaving details about the world of Granvallen and its history to the wayside as Alwen and Ragna trudge onward. Some details about events from the prequel are mentioned in passing, but hardly spoiled in depth. XSEED's expressed interest in localizing Zwei!! later on should Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection sell well enough, but the 2001 game runs on DirectX5, has more limited gamepad support than all Falcom PC releases since then, and was designed with 640x480 2D art/user interfaces, all factors which make a new release unlikely.
For anyone interested in Zwei!!, an English fan patch recently released in a somewhat untested condition. You can buy a Japanese digital copy via DLSite, DMM, Vector, or any competing distributors which host Falcom's Japanese PC releases. The patch automatically fixes incompatibility problems like the unsupported Indeo video codec; keep in mind that the patch still has problems with text overflows, instability, and parts needing an editing pass. I recommend playing Zwei!! if you want a rough but fun, gorgeous, and intriguing story-centric dungeon crawling adventure, albeit one which doesn't control as well or play as nice as its successor.
The game XSEED's releasing—Zwei II Plus (a version of the original with extra cosmetic features, a randomized dungeon, and extra replayability and compatibility fixes)—is definitely a sequel to Zwei!! from 2001. However, you can start with this game. It's almost entirely standalone, leaving details about the world of Granvallen and its history to the wayside as Alwen and Ragna trudge onward. Some details about events from the prequel are mentioned in passing, but hardly spoiled in depth. XSEED's expressed interest in localizing Zwei!! later on should Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection sell well enough, but the 2001 game runs on DirectX5, has more limited gamepad support than all Falcom PC releases since then, and was designed with 640x480 2D art/user interfaces, all factors which make a new release unlikely.
For anyone interested in Zwei!!, an English fan patch recently released in a somewhat untested condition. You can buy a Japanese digital copy via DLSite, DMM, Vector, or any competing distributors which host Falcom's Japanese PC releases. The patch automatically fixes incompatibility problems like the unsupported Indeo video codec; keep in mind that the patch still has problems with text overflows, instability, and parts needing an editing pass. I recommend playing Zwei!! if you want a rough but fun, gorgeous, and intriguing story-centric dungeon crawling adventure, albeit one which doesn't control as well or play as nice as its successor.
Q: The game got delayed from Summer to Fall...why'd that happen? Can my machine run Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection?
According to the game's editor, Zwei: Ilvard Insurrection was delayed to account for new issues found during QA which could affect launch. The game's based on a pre-existing but unreleased fan translation, also, which meant extra time to ensure the base script didn't have any mistranslations before editing those parts. Because XSEED sticks to a general rule of not announcing release dates until they certainly think the game's ready for sale, this delay suggests a number of issues came up at the last minute and forced the QA team to keep working on Zwei: II.
For more comments from the game's editor, Nick @ XSEED, I recommend scanning XSEED's localization blogs for Zwei: II. These don't focus on technical specifics so much as the larger process of localizing a new-ish and unique Falcom game. Meanwhile, here's what Tom @ XSEED, a fellow localizer and fan of older Falcom, has to say about the game's performance and barriers to entry.
For more comments from the game's editor, Nick @ XSEED, I recommend scanning XSEED's localization blogs for Zwei: II. These don't focus on technical specifics so much as the larger process of localizing a new-ish and unique Falcom game. Meanwhile, here's what Tom @ XSEED, a fellow localizer and fan of older Falcom, has to say about the game's performance and barriers to entry.
http://www.xseedgames.com/forum/index.php?threads/zwei-the-ilvard-insurrection-announced-for-e3.29273/#post-948173 said:
Q: How accessible is Zwei: II from the start?
The game takes about 25 minutes of story before you're given the option to leave the hub town, Artte, and start exploring Ilvard. If you so choose, talking to NPCs in Artte and Roalta Village is available right at that point. Equipment shops sell only a limited selection of items, so the clearest objective at the start is clearing Secundum Mines to advance the story and get used to combat and puzzles.
One option that's easy to miss is Alwen's teleport magic, which you can use from the start. If you're having trouble on the first boss or wish to defeat it without healing, for example, you could teleport from Secundum Mines back to Artte to get equipment.
One option that's easy to miss is Alwen's teleport magic, which you can use from the start. If you're having trouble on the first boss or wish to defeat it without healing, for example, you could teleport from Secundum Mines back to Artte to get equipment.
Q: Will this game control and run well with consistent frames per second on-screen?
Due to post character limits on ResetEra, you can find the rest of the questions on this Steam thread.
Sara @ XSEED (their main programmer) is trying to update the game's visuals to run at 60 FPS, which requires a lot of manual adjustment. Game inputs run at 60 FPS, meaning controls work as smoothly as necessary.
Due to post character limits on ResetEra, you can find the rest of the questions on this Steam thread.
Some quotes from Tom @ XSEED (their classic Falcom expert) and a Discord/Reddit acquaintance:
http://www./forum/showpost.php?p=111055012&postcount=74 said:
http://www.xseedgames.com/forum/index.php?threads/zwei-the-ilvard-insurrection-announced-for-e3.29273/page-3#post-948639 said:
https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/6h2vs1/zwei_ii_e3_2017_trailer/div6epm/ said:
- Falcom, under Toshihiro Kondo's leadership, for putting their heart into Zwei: II.
- Tancients and zzblue (along with many others) for working on Zwei: II's fan translation patch for many years, and who can now see their efforts brought to fruition
- Everyone at XSEED for their resolve and dedication to localizing this game.
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