Video games - Phantom Dust

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	Video games - Phantom Dust

Phantom Dust is a video game for the Xbox console. It was developed by Microsoft Game Studios and licensed for release in the U.S. by Majesco. Phantom Dust is a fighting-style game in which the player collects skills (over 300 total) and takes missions in which the player must go above ground and engage enemies for various reasons. At its core it is similar to a strategy card game but mixed with advanced graphics and gameplay. Players construct "arsenals" similar to decks of cards and then use them to do battle against other players. The game incorporates this strategy element with a third person action element for battles that test mind and reflexes.

The game supports Xbox Live. It debuted with a retail price of $19.99 and remains a cult hit.

Sequel

Information was released that there are plans to make a sequel. This sequel is not in production at the moment, and when it is started is still unknown. The sequel will feature the same elements of gameplay as the original, however it will not be named Phantom Dust 2. Also, it is said that the new game will feature a different theme, but it is not known what kind of theme.

Playing style

The game is played from an over-the-shoulder view of your main character. The games camera works quite well in almost all situations, even switching to a pseudo-FPS when backed against walls. The game involves locating the spawning point of various skills from your arsenal and assigning them to buttons on the controller for speed of use.

Story

You begin the game watching a cut scene which shows humans with powers opening two casket-like containers on a desolate earth. Inside each casket is a human, ones name is Edgar, the other is called "The Protagonist" (this is the character you will control). The humans take these two men underground, where humans have to live in this era. Neither of the two people can remember anything, although Edgar has a locket with not only his name on it, but it also contains a photo of a woman. We find out that the humans who have special powers are called Espers, they are humans who can turn their will into physical form. The Protagonist and Edgar are unnaturally talented at this ability. The Espers only have one memory, they can all remember a place called The Ruins. Demonic monsters rule the surface world, and you have to fight them with an ally. The Protagonist eventually runs into the woman in Edgar's locket, her name is Freia. Freia attacks The Protagonist, but she is defeated. After you encounter her again, Edgar sees her, and Freia mentions that she can't allow you to hurt "Him" again. The Espers underground form a search party for Freia, as they believe her to be of some importance. Edgar is on this search party, and soon evryone in the party is dead- except for him. The Espers underground say that Edgar has betrayed them, and they want you to look for him, and Freia too. Once you find them, Edgar seems to remember more of his past, he and Freia leave the scene, leaving you to fend for yourself against a huge monster, which Edgar created. You soon find Edgar again, at a refinery. After you defeat him, he gives you a memory box (a chip), explaining about half of what is really going on:

It turns out that Edgar was an astronaut who was sent to the event horizon of a black hole far away in outer space when he returned to Earth, 3 days had passed for Edgar, while 12,000 years had gone by on Earth, and humans had completely destroyed themselves in the time alotted. Edgar soon noticed the phantom dust, which gave him the power to turn his will and thoughts into physical form. He could create new plants and transform the geography into what he wanted, but he was very lonely. He decided to try and create a human being. He attempted for a couple years to make a human, and finally, he created the one woman he had cared for so long ago, her name was Freia. Next, he created his best friend, The Protagonist. After a while, Edgar stopped worrying about design so much, and just made quick people who faded away frequently. He was still lonely even after he made thriving cities and thousands upon thousands of people, he knew that they weren't real. He called them Visions.

Back underground, The Protagonist showed this memory to the Leader and the officers of the Espers. They disintigrated immediately, it was too much for them to take in at once- the fact that they weren't real and were created by the last real human. The Protagonist hunts down Freia now, and fights her and to copie of her. After she is defeated, she explains that everything- the scenery, the geography, is built in Edgars image- the way he remembers it all, and even if something is destroyed, it will come back the way he remembers it. And with that, Freia gives The Protagonist a memory box, and disintgrates, because she knows she has failed Edgar and he doesn't want her anymore. Here's whats in the memory:

This takes place many years ago: Edgar is in the middle of a column of swirling energy, and he's hopping mad. He says he wants to "destroy it all" as Freia approaches him, he says he can make the phantom dust destroy humanity all over again. At this time, Freia realizes she isn't a real human, and seems sad. Edgar makes the Phantom Dust cloud people's memory, and places the monsters on the surface. The Protagonist comes into the swirling energy, "Don't tell me you're SAD!", says Edgar. The Protagonist lunges at Edgar, and Edgar lunges back, and they create a huge explosion, forming the crater where the two caskets were found. Freia puts them in the caskets, hoping someone will revive them- keep in mind they are not dead, just unconscious. So form then until now, Freia "lived" to protect Edgar and keep his memories safe.

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