Before the Operation Rainfall trilogy, I was not aware of how much I really loved Role-playing games. I had enjoyed a number of titles from the genre in the past, but understanding the need and lack of representation on Nintendo's seventh generation console helped me realize why iterations in the Paper Mario and Crystal Chronicles series that appeared on the Wii were dissatisfying experiences. I longed for numbers-based combat, meaningful character progression and growth, and the wackiness that comes with a good, old, far-fetched Role-playing game.
I was not alone in this desire. The power of a vocal community can be a compelling catalyst, though Nintendo themselves would only bring Xenoblade Chronicles to North America after the Operation Rainfall petitioning began. However, localization and publishing company XSEED recognized the potential of bringing these already-translated titles over from Europe, and thus, three of the Rainfall titles headed to North American shelves. While there were still other titles that remained Europe- and Japan-only, like Disaster: Day of Crisis and Captain Rainbow, there were at least a trifecta of Role-playing games to be had.
In many ways, the three titles in the Rainfall trio are rather unlike one another. Xenoblade Chronicles wows players with scope and character variety, While The Last Story focuses on a more intimate plot and linear chapter progression. In terms of intimacy and scope, Pandora's Tower is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum in comparison with Xenoblade, but this is not to say that one game is particularly better than another. Part of the reason I came to love and respect this genre was because of its breadth of style and substance, which results in drastically different products. The Rainfall trio is a perfect example of this, with two titles featuring active-selection combat that are wholly unique, and one action-based combat system that absolutely rocks.
Having already discussed Xenoblade Chronicles in full and the origins of The Last Story, I feel it is only proper to cover Pandora's Tower in some respect. While its format, gameplay, and character progression systems are certainly different, I'd instead like to cover what I feel is its strongest suit in comparison with the other games in the Rainfall trio- namely, its New Game Plus. For those unfamiliar with the term, a New Game Plus is a frequent occurrence in the Role-playing genre, where players can essentially restart their journey from the beginning for a variety of reasons. Some NG+ feature difficulty scaling, with tougher enemies and bosses to take on, while others include multiple narrative conclusions to tempt the player with additional hours of gameplay. However, the purpose of a NG+ is its most essential trait, as players will only be incentivized to return to. In an RPG seventy hours and upwards of gameplay, this sort of feature may not be necessary- sometimes, a NG+ can be nice for those who would simply like to experience the story once again whilst creaming every enemy and boss encounter.
The most effective usage of a NG+ is one that has purpose within the context of the game's own mechanics. Thus, we come to what exactly Pandora's Tower really is: a fixed-camera, dungeon-crawling, action-based role-playing game with elements of inventory and time management and relationship simulation. What a mouthful. In actuality, the gameplay loop is rather simple: enter one of the thirteen Towers suspended above a place known as The Scar in order to retrieve the flesh of the Masters, large monsters whose essence will (hopefully) heal the damsel in distress Elena. These towers are themed and possess their own gimmicks and shortcuts, and understanding as well as exploration are key because of Elena's slowly advancing curse, which is turning her into a monster. The player will receive a fail state should they not return to feed Elena the flesh of the lesser monsters infesting the Towers in order to reset her timer. Elena's timer does not recede while the player is in a safe zone known as the Observatory, a place where they can barter with mysterious merchant Mavda, speak with Elena, and discover elements of the world's lore.
There are a variety of enemy drops and collectable trinkets to be found within each of the Towers, and trading them with either Mavda or Elena offers specific benefits. Mavda often grants pieces of equipment and upgrades that help the player overcome enemies with greater ease, though she can also offer some gifts to give to Elena. These allow Elena to decorate the Observatory and trigger cutscenes that strengthen the bond between her and player avatar Aeron. The strength of their bond will decide which of the five possible endings the player achieves in their first playthrough, ranging from horribly depressing to oddly satisfying.
Enter New Game Plus, which allows the player to restart the game at the point of their choosing in order to run through the Towers once more and attempt a different ending, if they should be dissatisfied with their first result. Though it may seem like restarting only allows the player to strengthen the bond between Aeron and Elena, this is not the case, as giving certain unrefined material drops can actually damage and lower their affinity. The ability to choose freely from the entire chronology of events is important as well, since the ending cutscenes and the boss battles that accompany them take place at different points in the narrative. This mode also allows the player access to previously inaccessible areas of the towers thanks to a key from Mavda, unlocking new combat options, items, and other goods. While the enemy difficulty never really scales, the player is free to experiment with the environments, and much more importantly the boss battles in whichever way they choose.
By the developers possessing deliberate intentions to include relationship simulation elements, they easily mapped out an answer for their potential NG+. This highlights one of the most important aspects of this feature as a whole, which is that it should incentivize a return to the gameplay in a forgiving manner. Before you cry foul at my choice of words, I am not advocating for NG+ to be easier than the original playthrough, as I believe there is something to be said for the mode that challenges the player further and enhances their feeling of satisfaction. What a NG+ should do, however, is acknowledge that, even within a seventy hour and upwards playthrough, there may be elements and options the player simply was not aware of, and seek to heighten their awareness and encourage them to experiment. These modes should also offer potential bonuses, as a full-playthrough may reveal cracks in the gameplay foundations which can be overlooked if the developers themselves are willing to crack open and experiment with the systems of the game. The Explosive Stake weapon, unlocked upon discovering it through these locked NG+ doors, is a rare treat that plays completely different from any of Aeron's other weapons, and its all the better for it.
Pandora's Tower gives players a reason to keep returning to the game, providing more for them to do and invest in, should they wish to maximize their potential in any number of the game's various sub-systems. There are some role-playing games that achieve this in other ways- allowing players to carry over progress, or offering new content for players in a second playthrough. Something I cannot understand, however, is limiting player freedom upon a second playthrough, having them reset all of their progress and/or locking out already obtained items. I have actually stopped myself from returning to games because they only allow a specific amount of equipment, gold, or items to be carried over. A NG+ should feel like a reward for the player completing the experience for the first time, and games like Chrono Trigger, which allow players to access new endings and content much earlier on because of their buffed status resulting from player progression, execute this idea flawlessly. However, Pandora's Tower manages to maintain both its general macabre atmosphere with its alternate endings as well as a consistent degree of momentum thanks to its time-management systems. While certain environmental puzzles will become more easily surmounted thanks to player experience, they will never be able to overcome the need to return to the Observatory. Subsequent runs of the thirteen Towers become a mad dash towards the domains of their Masters, starting the climatic boss battles that temporarily freeze Elena's timer so that you can focus on a good, old-fashioned beatdown.
There's much more to love about Pandora's Tower- its grimly aesthetic, varied dungeon and puzzle designs, the subtlety of its narrative, and its touching musical selections that reflect upon the nature of love. Its boss battles in particular are some of the most enjoyable I've experienced, with Zelda-like gimmicks that the player must parse before being able to wail on them. But in particular, the way its NG+ is designed to shift priorities and make a completionist out of the player helps it stand apart from the other Rainfall titles, as the Last Story only buffs its boss encounters to absurd levels and Xenoblade does little other than carry some equipment and character progression into their respective replays.
However, the most important aspect of this game's NG+ is that it clearly and concisely answers questions that the player themselves must ask: should I continue to play this game, and why? With tantalizing clues like Mavda's key, the ranking system of its individual endings, the retention of equipment and money, and the multiple points of re-entry, the player is eased back into replaying their favorite moments and working towards a larger goal. That is certainly something worth celebrating, and it's just one more reason to pick up an already different, yet very satisfying JRPG.
Now, if they'd only make a sequel...
Have you completed all of the endings in Pandora's Tower? Did you play with a pro controller or a nunchuk setup? Which of the Operation Rainfall games is your favorite? As always, we encourage discussion either below or on social media. If you like what you read, feel free to check out the rest of the site, subscribe, and share for more content in the future.
I was not alone in this desire. The power of a vocal community can be a compelling catalyst, though Nintendo themselves would only bring Xenoblade Chronicles to North America after the Operation Rainfall petitioning began. However, localization and publishing company XSEED recognized the potential of bringing these already-translated titles over from Europe, and thus, three of the Rainfall titles headed to North American shelves. While there were still other titles that remained Europe- and Japan-only, like Disaster: Day of Crisis and Captain Rainbow, there were at least a trifecta of Role-playing games to be had.
Having already discussed Xenoblade Chronicles in full and the origins of The Last Story, I feel it is only proper to cover Pandora's Tower in some respect. While its format, gameplay, and character progression systems are certainly different, I'd instead like to cover what I feel is its strongest suit in comparison with the other games in the Rainfall trio- namely, its New Game Plus. For those unfamiliar with the term, a New Game Plus is a frequent occurrence in the Role-playing genre, where players can essentially restart their journey from the beginning for a variety of reasons. Some NG+ feature difficulty scaling, with tougher enemies and bosses to take on, while others include multiple narrative conclusions to tempt the player with additional hours of gameplay. However, the purpose of a NG+ is its most essential trait, as players will only be incentivized to return to. In an RPG seventy hours and upwards of gameplay, this sort of feature may not be necessary- sometimes, a NG+ can be nice for those who would simply like to experience the story once again whilst creaming every enemy and boss encounter.
There are a variety of enemy drops and collectable trinkets to be found within each of the Towers, and trading them with either Mavda or Elena offers specific benefits. Mavda often grants pieces of equipment and upgrades that help the player overcome enemies with greater ease, though she can also offer some gifts to give to Elena. These allow Elena to decorate the Observatory and trigger cutscenes that strengthen the bond between her and player avatar Aeron. The strength of their bond will decide which of the five possible endings the player achieves in their first playthrough, ranging from horribly depressing to oddly satisfying.
By the developers possessing deliberate intentions to include relationship simulation elements, they easily mapped out an answer for their potential NG+. This highlights one of the most important aspects of this feature as a whole, which is that it should incentivize a return to the gameplay in a forgiving manner. Before you cry foul at my choice of words, I am not advocating for NG+ to be easier than the original playthrough, as I believe there is something to be said for the mode that challenges the player further and enhances their feeling of satisfaction. What a NG+ should do, however, is acknowledge that, even within a seventy hour and upwards playthrough, there may be elements and options the player simply was not aware of, and seek to heighten their awareness and encourage them to experiment. These modes should also offer potential bonuses, as a full-playthrough may reveal cracks in the gameplay foundations which can be overlooked if the developers themselves are willing to crack open and experiment with the systems of the game. The Explosive Stake weapon, unlocked upon discovering it through these locked NG+ doors, is a rare treat that plays completely different from any of Aeron's other weapons, and its all the better for it.
Pandora's Tower gives players a reason to keep returning to the game, providing more for them to do and invest in, should they wish to maximize their potential in any number of the game's various sub-systems. There are some role-playing games that achieve this in other ways- allowing players to carry over progress, or offering new content for players in a second playthrough. Something I cannot understand, however, is limiting player freedom upon a second playthrough, having them reset all of their progress and/or locking out already obtained items. I have actually stopped myself from returning to games because they only allow a specific amount of equipment, gold, or items to be carried over. A NG+ should feel like a reward for the player completing the experience for the first time, and games like Chrono Trigger, which allow players to access new endings and content much earlier on because of their buffed status resulting from player progression, execute this idea flawlessly. However, Pandora's Tower manages to maintain both its general macabre atmosphere with its alternate endings as well as a consistent degree of momentum thanks to its time-management systems. While certain environmental puzzles will become more easily surmounted thanks to player experience, they will never be able to overcome the need to return to the Observatory. Subsequent runs of the thirteen Towers become a mad dash towards the domains of their Masters, starting the climatic boss battles that temporarily freeze Elena's timer so that you can focus on a good, old-fashioned beatdown.There's much more to love about Pandora's Tower- its grimly aesthetic, varied dungeon and puzzle designs, the subtlety of its narrative, and its touching musical selections that reflect upon the nature of love. Its boss battles in particular are some of the most enjoyable I've experienced, with Zelda-like gimmicks that the player must parse before being able to wail on them. But in particular, the way its NG+ is designed to shift priorities and make a completionist out of the player helps it stand apart from the other Rainfall titles, as the Last Story only buffs its boss encounters to absurd levels and Xenoblade does little other than carry some equipment and character progression into their respective replays.
However, the most important aspect of this game's NG+ is that it clearly and concisely answers questions that the player themselves must ask: should I continue to play this game, and why? With tantalizing clues like Mavda's key, the ranking system of its individual endings, the retention of equipment and money, and the multiple points of re-entry, the player is eased back into replaying their favorite moments and working towards a larger goal. That is certainly something worth celebrating, and it's just one more reason to pick up an already different, yet very satisfying JRPG.
Now, if they'd only make a sequel...
Have you completed all of the endings in Pandora's Tower? Did you play with a pro controller or a nunchuk setup? Which of the Operation Rainfall games is your favorite? As always, we encourage discussion either below or on social media. If you like what you read, feel free to check out the rest of the site, subscribe, and share for more content in the future.
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