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Saint Seiya: The Hades
Developer(s)Dimps
Publisher(s)Bandai Namco Entertainment
SeriesSaint Seiya
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: December 20, 2007
  • EU: September 29, 2006
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)Singleplayer, multiplayer

Saint Seiya: Hades is a three-dimensional fighting video game developed by Dimps and published by Bandai for PlayStation 2. Released on September 29, 2006 in EU and December 20, 2007 in Japan, it is the seventh video game based on the Saint Seiya franchise, a manga series written by Masami Kurumada.

The game features the Bronze Saints, holy warriors dedicated to protecting the reincarnation of the goddess Athena, led by Seiya, as playable characters. Following an assassination attempt, Athena's life is in danger, and the Saints of Bronze must travel across the Sanctuary, the sacred home of the Saints, to restore Athena to her throne, usurped by the mastermind of the assassination attempt, the Great Pope. Along the way, they will have to face various adversaries, including the Gold Saints, most of whom are unaware of the Great Pope's betrayal. After saving Athena, the Bronze Saints must confront Hades, the god of the Underworld who has resurrected the Saints who died in the battle for Sanctuary. The latter wish to take revenge on Athena, and it's up to the surviving Bronze and Gold Saints to protect her.

A direct sequel to Saint Seiya: The Sanctuary, and developed by the same team, Saint Seiya: Hades uses the same graphics engine as its predecessor, as well as a substantial part of its storyline, while improving certain criticisms of gameplay and adding a new narrative arc.

The game was better received than its predecessor by the specialized press, who appreciated the improvements made to the gameplay, which is now less rigid and more dynamic, but still regretted a game with inadequate graphics, and which capitalized mainly on the nostalgia and love of fans for the franchise, without making any real effort.

Plot

Context and universe

Several cosplays of the characters from Saint Seiya: Hades. From left to right: Seiya, Saori and Saga.

The adventure of Saint Seiya: The Hades[Note 1] takes place in the universe of the Saint Seiya franchise. In a contemporary world, certain teenagers are chosen to defend the reincarnation of the goddess Athena: Saori Kido. To protect her, they inherit an cloth inspired by a constellation. Their powers depend on this cloth, but also on their cosmos, a spiritual force originating from the Big Bang.[1][2]

After learning that Saori - the young girl they have been protecting for several years - is the reincarnation of the Greek goddess Athena, Seiya, Shiryu, Shun and Hyôga realize that the Great Pope, master of the saints' sacred place, has attempted to assassinate her. Once in front of the Sanctuary, Saori is hit by a magical arrow, shot by a Silver Saint loyal to the Great Pope. Thinking that the latter will be able to heal Saori and return to reason, the Bronze Saints have twelve hours to travel through the twelve houses of the Zodiac, each guarded by a Golden Saint.[3][4] After several battles, Seiya and the other Bronze Saints discover that the Great Pope has been killed by Saga, the Golden Saint of Gemini, who has since replaced him by usurping his identity. As the Bronze Saints face increasing resistance, Seiya, the only Saint Saint to reach the throne room, thanks to the cosmos of his friends, manages to defeat Saga and heal Saori.[5]

In a moment of lucidity, Saga commits suicide, so as not to harm Saori again, whom he recognizes as the legitimate reincarnation of Athena, in front of the surviving Saints.[5]

Characters

The player takes on the role of several Bronze Saints sworn to protect Saori Kido, the reincarnation of the Greek goddess Athena.[6] The five main characters, Pegasus Seiya, Dragon Shiryu, Andromeda Shun, Cygnus Hyôga and Phoenix Ikki, are united by a strong bond of comradeship, and seek to cross the Sanctuary in order to save Saori.[7]

One of the main antagonists is Saga, one of the Golden Saints. Suffering from a split personality, his evil side finally takes control, leading him to assassinate the Great Pope, master of the Sanctuary, and usurp his position. In this way, he organizes the attempt on Saori's life.[5] The second main antagonist is Hades, the god of the Underworld and Athena's sworn enemy. He wishes to control planet Earth,[8] a plan that has been repeatedly thwarted by Athena and her Saints.[9][10][2] Like Athena, he is incarnated in a human, in this case Shun, a pure-hearted Bronze Saint of Athena. He is accompanied by several fallen Golden Saints resurrected by him, such as Shion, the former Grand Pope, as well as several soldiers from the underworld, such as Minos, Rhadamanthys and Aiacos.[11][12]

The player will also meet several Gold or Silver Saints, each with a particular view of this conflict. Some, like Mû of Aries, trust the Bronze Saints and help them in their rescue attempt, others, like Milo of Scorpio or Aldébaran of Taurus, are convinced after their defeats, while some, like Masque de Mort of Cancer or Aphrodite of Pisces, have sworn allegiance to the usurper.[13] Several of these Saints, killed during the battle of the sanctuary, return under the orders of Hades.[11]

Story

Two people in disguise, wearing sophisticated purple armor and green and blue wigs.
Two cosplays of Aphrodite and Shion, brought back to life by the powers of Hades.

After several years of peace, Hades, god of the dead, unleashes a new holy war on Athena. In addition to his army of Underworld Saints, Hades also resurrects several Golden Saints who fell in battle during the sanctuary, including Camus, Aphrodite, Masque de Mort, Shura and Saga. Shion, former Golden Saint of Aries and now Grand Pope, is also brought back to life by the powers of Hades, and is given twelve hours to kill Athena.[14] The surviving Golden Saints, along with the Bronze Saints, defend Athena with their lives.[15] After several losses on both sides, the resurrected Golden Saints reach Athena, who commits suicide in front of them.[16]

Shion then explains to the surviving Bronze and Gold Saints that he and the Saints never betrayed Athena, but used the time given by Hades to send a message to her without Hades' knowledge. The latter, having received the message from Saga, then committed suicide, so that her blood would allow the appearance of Athena's cloth, the only cloth capable of defeating Hades. The Bronze Saints are then entrusted with another mission: to bring Athena's divine cloth to Saori, who is in the Underworld after her suicide. This brings them face to face with the three Judges of the Underworld, Hades' fearsome lieutenants.[17]

Gameplay

Overview

Saint Seiya: Hades is a three-dimensional fighting game, where the player can choose one of the saga's protagonists or antagonists to fight another player or the computer. The player only controls his character during combat, and can't move around on a map. The story is told through cutscenes and dialogue boxes.[18]

Several game modes are available to the player: the "Hades" mode, which acts as a story mode and recounts the events of the Sanctuary and New Holy War story arcs. In this mode, the player embodies one of the Bronze Saints, and fights computer-controlled characters in a precise order, in specific arenas. These battles are interspersed with commented illustrations, skits and cinematics between the characters, as well as real-time sequences, allowing the story to develop between battles.[19] The "1000 days" mode corresponds to the Versus mode, where the player can fight another player or a computer-controlled character, with no restrictions on characters or arenas.[20] The "Legend" mode is the equivalent of Arcade mode, featuring battles against the three judges of the Underworld, Rhadamanthys, Aiacos and Minos.[19][21] The "Eternal Battle" and "Lightning Battle" modes allow players to fight against hordes of enemies and opponents respectively, within a limited timeframe.[21]

Finally, the "Saints' Rest" mode is a bonus mode, a gallery in which players can consult various rewards obtained throughout the game, and obtain information and illustrations on figurines and merchandise from the Saint Seiya franchise, such as the Myth Cloth, as well as on the game's soundtrack.[20][22]

The game features forty-nine fighters, representing various Saints of Athena or Specter of Hades in a variety of cloths. Each has unique fighting techniques, enabling them to perform combos.[20]

Battles

Stars seen at night, with a white line linking the various stars forming the Cancer constellation.
The constellation of Cancer, one of the many constellations on which Saint Seiya's cloths re based.

Combat takes place in real time. Each character has a range of weak and strong moves, which can be alternated to create a sequence,[23] as well as a life bar.[20] The strength of these blows depends on the length of time the player has pressed the attack button. The player also has a protect button, allowing him to put himself in a guard state, which protects him from the opponent's attacks. By pressing at the right moment, the player can parry the opponent's attack, giving him the opportunity to counter-attack. Special moves, varying according to character, as well as a projection that can bypass the opponent's guard, are also available.[20] These special moves require Cosmos, symbolized by a gauge that fills up thanks to moves made and received.[20][23] The player also has the option of raising his or her own cosmos gauge, while remaining motionless.[23] New gameplay features include the dash, a sudden forward acceleration that allows the player to surprise his opponent.[24]

To counter one of these special attacks, the defender must press specific keys within a limited time to avoid the attack. If two special attacks meet, the two players then engage in a duel, where they must choose an action in a game that resembles a game of rock-paper-scissors, rather than a duel of speed as in the previous version.[20][23] The player can also trigger his seventh sense, to enhance his abilities for a short time, replacing the arena with a galactic background, and which also leaves him vulnerable for a few seconds after use.[20][22]

Once a character's life bar is empty, he or she has a chance to get back up and continue the fight, by rotating the controller's analog sticks as quickly as possible. This mini-game takes the form of encouragement from the goddess Athena, who urges her saints to get up and fight again. For characters obeying Hades, it's Pandora who urges the specter to stand up. If the player fails this mini-game, he loses for good.[20]

Battles take place in arenas, featuring emblematic locations from the saga, such as the various houses of the Zodiac, or the interior of Hades' palace. In these settings, certain elements can be destroyed, such as the columns of the various houses. This has no effect other than aesthetic on the combat.[19]

The beat 'em up phases introduced in the previous version have also been removed, in favor of the new duel system.[25]

Development

Concept and teams

Following the success of the game Saint Seiya: The Sanctuary and the success of the animated series, a sequel was launched. The Dimps studio, familiar with the adaptation of manga into fighting games and responsible for the development of Saint Seiya: The Sanctuary, took charge of the game's development,[2][26] again with Ryu Mito as project manager.[27]

The Dimps studio chose not to adapt the Asgard story arc, exclusive to the animated series, nor the Poseidon story arc, though derived from Kurumada's work, to concentrate on the Hades story, very popular with fans, and in the continuity of the Sanctuary story arc. What's more, at the time of the game's release, the animated series currently airing in Japan was in the process of adapting this arc.[28] The studio's choice of timeliness meant that, at the time of the game's release, the animated series had not yet completed the Hades story arc, which explains why the game didn't finish this story arc either.[19] To compensate for the unfinished storyline, Dimps also considered adapting the unpublished story arc from the film Legend of Crimson Youth. However, as this film presents a similar scenario to that of the Hades arc, with resurrected Golden Saints, the studio felt that this would ultimately harm the project.[19]

Soundtrack and dubbing

Unlike Saint Seiya: The Sanctuary, the dubbing is done in Japanese only, with the original voice actors from the series.[20]

Reception

Marketing and release

Saint Seiya: The Hades was announced by Atari in June 2006, for autumn 2006.[29] At the same time, it was announced that the Hades story arc would be adapted.[30][31] The game was demonstrated at Japan Expo 2006, on the Bandai Namco stand[32], and at the Games Convention in Leipzig in August 2006.[33]

Saint Seiya: The Hades was released in France on September 29, 2006,[34][35] before the Japanese release in 2007.[36][25] Like its predecessor, Saint Seiya: The Hades is not distributed in North America.[37]

Reviews

Saint Seiya: The Hades was better received by critics than the previous version of the franchise, but nonetheless received mixed reviews, with critics appreciating the faithful adaptation of Masami Kurumada's work, but lamenting the still rigid gameplay and poor graphics.

Ian Dean, from PlayStation Official Magazine - UK, laments the chaotic graphics, but says they capture the essence of the series.[18] Jeuxvideo.com deplores "the very rough modeling, exaggerated shine on armor and hair characterized by filthy textures", while acknowledging that "the visual effects do just about fine, although the scenery is generally too empty to catch the eye."[20] Nevertheless, he appreciates the game's soundtrack, which "fits perfectly with the spirit of Saint Seiya and contributes to the dynamism of the confrontations."[20] Luke Albiges, from the specialist site Eurogamer, finds "the graphics shocking by Playstation 2 standards."[23] For Maxime Chao, editor-in-chief at JeuxActu, the game is "just as ugly as its predecessor, and the animation just as mechanical."[24] The Gamekult team also deplores the "3D engine used, which has hardly evolved at all, and still offers a mishmash of aliasing combined with sketchy modeling."[22]

For the British specialized magazine PlayStation Official Magazine - UK, the gameplay is too simplistic and frustrating.[18] Valérie Précigout, from Jeuxvideo.com, appreciates the gameplay improvements, which make combat much more dynamic, but regrets the lack of depth.[20] Fifteen years later, she revisits this opus in her book, "Le mythe Saint Seiya: Au Panthéon du manga", and sums up the game as "a series of unpretentious jousts in the most inspired chapter of the saga, without ever managing to restore its emotional force."[38] Diego Lima, a journalist for IGN Brazil, considers it to be the best Saint Seiya-inspired game released to date, with a "much more precise" combat system.[36] Eurogamer deplores the poor gameplay, calling the game a "disgrace", and advises playing other fighting games on PlayStation 2.[23] This same gameplay was praised by the JeuxActu team, who praised the gameplay as "far more interesting and effective for the cosmo-galactic combat enthusiast."[24] For Gamekult journalist Frédéric Luu, the gameplay is "less soporific than the previous opus, but doesn't reach technical heights". He also deplores the artificially inflated content.[22]

Valérie Précigout, a journalist at Jeuxvideo.com, praises the faithfulness to the source material created by Masami Kurumada, but regrets the "almost non-existent staging, which does no justice to the memorable poignancy of certain passages in the manga."[20] This fidelity is also praised by JeuxActu's Maxime Chao, who also praises the Japanese dubbing, which uses the original dubbers from the animated series,[24] a dubbing also praised by Gamekult's Frédéric Luu.[22]

Posterity

Place in the series and influence on future games

Two people in costume, a brown-haired man wearing gold armor and a woman with long black hair wearing a dress.
Two cosplays of Dohko, Golden Saint of Libra, and Pandora, lieutenant of Hades.

Following the success of Saint Seiya: The Hades, despite its mixed reviews, several other fighting games set in the Saint Seiya universe were developed,[39] again by the Dimps studio and directed by Ryu Mito.[27] Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle, released in 2011 for PlayStation 3, follows the exact same narrative, as well as the principle of one-on-one combat.[40][41] The next two games, Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers and Saint Seiya: Soldiers' Soul, also benefit from the same premise, with an improved graphics engine, more playable characters and the possibility of a North American release.[39] Several characters, such as Shion, make their return to the saga, with special moves very similar to those seen in Saint Seiya: The Hades.[42]

These characters also make their return in a gacha game inspired by the Saint Seiya franchise, Saint Seiya Awakening.[43]

Products derived from and outside the Saint Seiya franchise

The Saint Seiya franchise is famous for its numerous derivative products.[44] As a result, when the video game was released, several Myth Cloth, collectible action figures featuring characters from the series, were marketed, including Shion of Aries in Spectre form, the main character in Saint Seiya: The Hades.[45]

More unusual, a range of men's underwear is also marketed in Japan, with models inspired by the cloth of the Golden Saints or the warriors of Hades.[46]

Characters from Saint Seiya: Hades are also featured in other fighting games, such as J-Stars Victory VS or Jump Force, where Shiryu and Seiya appear, with special moves inspired by those they present in Saint Seiya: The Hades.[47][48][49]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Seinto Seiya Meiō Hādesu Jūnikyū Hen (聖闘士星矢 冥王ハーデス十二宮編), in its original Japanese version.

References

  1. ^ Précigout (2019, p. 68)
  2. ^ a b c Harrison, Dave (June 28, 2006). "Saint Seiya: The Hades brings some". GamesRadar+. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  3. ^ Verlet, Nicolas (December 3, 2004). "Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque en images". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "Saint Seiya passe à la vitesse supérieure". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). June 8, 2005. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Précigout (2019, p. 134)
  6. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 9, 2019). "Netflix's Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya CG Anime Reveals Japanese Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Farnell, Lorna Piatti (2013). "Blood, Biceps, and Beautiful Eyes: Cultural Representations of Masculinity in Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya". The Journal of Popular Culture. 6 (46): 1133–1155. doi:10.1111/jpcu.12081.
  8. ^ Gibson, Ellie (June 28, 2006). "Saint Seiya coming to Europe". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  9. ^ Précigout (2019, p. 156)
  10. ^ Vallet, Marylis (July 15, 2016). "30 ans de Saint Seiya : la relève des Chevaliers du Zodiaque". Le Point (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Précigout (2019, p. 159)
  12. ^ Verlet, Nicolas (June 28, 2006). "Saint Seiya Hadès annoncé". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  13. ^ Croquet, Pauline (March 1, 2015). "Les Chevaliers du zodiaque: les cinq différences entre le film et l'anime". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  14. ^ Chao, Maxime (July 27, 2006). "Saint Seiya : Hades en images". JeuxActu (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  15. ^ Chao, Maxime (June 28, 2006). "Saint Seiya Hadès annoncé". JeuxActu (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  16. ^ Précigout (2019, p. 164)
  17. ^ Précigout (2019, p. 168)
  18. ^ a b c d Dean, Ian (2006). "Saint Seiya: The Hades" (PDF). PlayStation Official Magazine - UK (79). Future Publishing: 107.
  19. ^ a b c d e Satsuinohadou (October 13, 2006). "Una nueva guerra sagrada". UveJuegos (in Spanish). Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Précigout, Valérie (September 29, 2006). "Test du jeu Saint Seiya : Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque : Hades sur PS2". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Saint Seiya : 5 jeux à faire absolument si on est fan des chevaliers du zodiaque". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). May 30, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Luu, Frédéric (September 29, 2006). "Test : Saint Seiya Hadès, un météore passe". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g Albiges, Luke (February 24, 2007). "Saint Seiya: The Hades: Hash of the Titans". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  24. ^ a b c d Chao, Maxime (October 4, 2006). "Test Saint Seiya : Hades". JeuxActu (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  25. ^ a b Verlet, Nicolas (March 12, 2012). "Dossier : la malédiction Saint Seiya". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  26. ^ Verlet, Nicolas (March 22, 2005). "Saint Seiya officialisé en Europe". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  27. ^ a b "Saint Seiya : Soldiers' Soul, l'interview de son créateur". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). April 13, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  28. ^ Verlet, Nicolas (July 27, 2006). "Saint Seiya Hadès : nouvelles images". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  29. ^ Dordain, Julien (July 17, 2006). "Saint Seiya Hades daté en Europe". JeuxActu (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  30. ^ "Images : Les Chevaliers Du Zodiaque reviennent à l'attaque". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). July 27, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  31. ^ "Un nouveau Saint Seiya en préparation". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). June 28, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  32. ^ "Le programme d'Atari au Japan Expo". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). July 6, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  33. ^ Luu, Frédéric (August 24, 2006). "Preview : GC> Saint Seiya : Hadès, nos impressions". Gamekult (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  34. ^ "Saint Seiya : Hades est gold". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). September 14, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  35. ^ Chao, Maxime (September 14, 2006). "Saint Seiya : Hades passe gold !". JeuxActu (in French). Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  36. ^ a b Lima, Diego (December 8, 2019). "Os 5 melhores games de Cavaleiros do Zodíaco". IGN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  37. ^ "Saint Seyia brings gamers to "the Hades"". Siliconera. July 31, 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  38. ^ Précigout (2019, p. 356)
  39. ^ a b Portilla, Claudio (October 11, 2017). "La desconocida historia de los videojuegos de Saint Seiya". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  40. ^ Facchetti, Filippo (March 18, 2012). "Saint Seiya - I Cavalieri dello Zodiaco: La Battaglia del Santuario - review". Eurogamer (in Italian). Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  41. ^ "Test : Saint Seiya : Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque : La Bataille du Sanctuaire". Gameblog (in French). March 16, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  42. ^ Mrhillidan (September 4, 2015). "Saint Seiya Soldiers' Soul : Shion se dévoile en images". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  43. ^ Gregson-Wood, Stephen (December 17, 2020). "Saint Seiya Awakening: Knights of the Zodiac's Christmas update introduces Surplice Shion and a new PvE game mode". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  44. ^ Carantonis, Alexis (January 27, 2017). "Le plus grand collectionneur des Chevaliers du Zodiaque au monde est Montois !". La Dernière Heure (in French). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  45. ^ Garattoni, Matteo (February 11, 2020). "Myth Cloth, le action figure dei Cavalieri dello Zodiaco". Tom's Hardware (in Italian). Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  46. ^ Précigout (2019, p. 358)
  47. ^ Birba, Laurely (December 26, 2013). "J-Starts Victory Versus : Seiya (Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque) sera jouable". JeuxActu. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  48. ^ Adams, Robert (January 10, 2019). "Jump Force open beta lets you fight some of anime's biggest names". GameRevolution. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  49. ^ Kamen, Matt (February 15, 2019). "Jump Force review: An ambitious brawler that suffers from something of an identity crisis". GamesRadar+. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

Bibliography

Précigout, Valérie (June 27, 2019). Le mythe Saint Seiya: Au Panthéon du manga (in French). Third Éditions. p. 376. ISBN 978-2377840977.

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