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| Arcana Heart 3 (アルカナハート3, Arukana Hāto Surī) | |
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| Information | |
| Developer(s) | Examu (Vanilla - Six Stars) Team Arcana |
| Publisher(s) | Arcade Examu Console, PC JP/WW Arc System Works NA Aksys Games EU pQube / NIS America |
| Genre(s) | Fighting, visual novel |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Arcade EX-Board Taito Type X² exA-Arcadia Console, PC PlayStation 3* Xbox 360 PlayStation Vita Microsoft Windows (Steam*) |
| Rating(s) | CERO: C PEGI: 12 ESRB: Teen |
| Release(s) | Vanilla Arcade JP September 20, 2011 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 JP January 10, 2013 NA April 16, 2013 EU August 16, 2013 Love Max Arcade JP May 8, 2013 PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita JP May 25, 2014 NA September 23, 2014 EU November 20, 2014 Steam WW September 29, 2015 Six Stars Arcade JP December 4, 2014 Steam WW December 12, 2017 XTEND Steam WW April 30, 2021 Arcade JP Spring 2023 |
Arcana Heart 3 is the third entry in the Arcana Heart series. It was originally released for Arcade in Japan on September 20th, 2011. It was then released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in Japan on January 10th, 2013, in North America on April 16th, 2013 (only for PS3 digitally), and in Europe on August 16th, 2013.[1]
It has since received three updated re-releases on alternate systems.
Story
It has been two months since the Kantou Incident, the name given to Angelia Avalon’s failed attempt to punch through the walls between dimensions in the Kantou region of Japan.
During the Incident, the Drexler Institute, an organization with ties to demons, began to stir, re-activating various projects in different parts of the world. The Japanese branch of the Drexler Institute was annihilated by the European Celestial Union, but found new life as the Rosenberg Branch of the European Celestial Union.
Soon after the Kantou Incident, large-scale dimensional rifts began to open all across Japan. This sudden uptick in celestial phenomena was seen as exceptionally odd by many, and some even whispered that it could be the result of secret research by the Drexler Institute. The Japanese branch of the Celestial Union was dispatched to investigate the phenomena, and they called on several angels from the National Academy of Metaphysics.
Several angels from the Rosenberg Branch of the Celestial Union were also dispatched, but they were soon intercepted by the Aesir.
Only six days remain until the destruction of Japan...
Gameplay
Gameplay in Arcana Heart 3 has remained the same since earlier games. A new meter was added to the game, called the Force Gauge. When completely filled, the Force Gauge allows the player to perform an Arcana Burst or an Extend Force, a maneuver similar to the Arcana Burst. During Extend Force, your character will be powered up for a short period, boasting increased speed and altered attacks, depending on the Arcana your character is using. Love Max would add Arcana Eclipse, a new move that can only be used once while in Extend Force.
The game also adds a "Simple Mode" which simplifies the control layout into a single button for each major function: one button for normal attacks, one button for special moves, one button for moves involving Arcana, and one button for the game's Homing Dash ability.
Characters
Returning Characters
Heart Aino - Partinias
Saki Tsuzura - Bharni
Kamui Tokinomiya - Anutpada ‡
Konoha - Moriomoto
Maori Kasuga - Ohtsuchi
Mei-Fang - Lang-Gong
Lilica Felchenerow - Tempestas
Lieselotte Achenbach - Gier
Yoriko Yasuzumi - Dieu Mort
Kira Daidouji - Niptra
Fiona Mayfield - Oreichalkos ‡†
Petra Johanna Lagerkvist - Zilrael
Zenia Valov - Almacia
Elsa la Conti - Koshmar
Clarice di Lanza - Sorwat'
Catherine Kyoubashi - Medein
Dorothy Albright - Heliogabalus
Akane Inuwaka - Phenex
Nazuna Inuwaka - Kayatsuhime
Angelia Avallone - Mildred
New Characters
Vanilla ver.
Six Stars
Minori Amanohara - Ichor ‡‡
Six Stars DLC/XTEND
Pistrix - Parace L'sia
Dark Heart - Love Prison Geist
Boss
† - Boss of Score Attack mode in Vanilla ver. and Gold run of Trail mode in Love Max.
‡ - Boss of Survival Score Attack mode in Love Max.
‡† - Boss of Time Attack mode in Love Max.
‡‡ - Boss of Story Mode in Six Stars.
(*) - Unplayable in the Arcade version of the Vanilla ver. Became playable in the console version and in later revisions.
Modes
- Story Mode
- Versus
- Score Attack
- Training
- Network (PlayStation Network/Xbox Live)
- Gallery
- Replay Theater
- Options
Love Max/Six Stars/XTEND
- After Story
- Survival Score Attack (separate as Survival and Score Attack Modes in XTEND only)
- Time Attack
- Trial (Love Max/Six Stars only)
Updates and Patches
Love Max
The first updated version of the game, Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! (アルカナハート3 LOVE MAX!!!!!, Arukana Hāto Surī Love Max!!!!!), was released for Arcade on May 8th, 2014. The game would then be released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita on May 25th, 2014 in Japan, September 23rd, 2014 in North America, and November 20th, 2014 in Europe.[2] The game would also be released worldwide on Steam on September 29th, 2015.[3]
It included rebalanced gameplay, new game modes like Survival Score Attack and Trial Mode, a Training mode in the arcade version, and an After Story mode for the console releases.[4]
Six Stars
The second updated version, Arcana Heart 3 Love Max: Six Stars!!!!!! (アルカナハート3 LOVEMAX: SIXSTARS!!!!!!, Arukana Hāto Surī LoveMax: SixStars!!!!!!), was originally released for Arcade on December 4th, 2014. It included one new character, Minori Amanohara, and her Arcana, Ichor.[5]
Thanks to the support of fans on Kickstarter, Examu began work on a Steam port of Six Stars. The developers set a goal of $100,000 and raised a total of $324,639 from 2,987 backers.[6]
The Steam version of Six Stars released worldwide in December 12th, 2017, after the passing of the series' writer, Tohru Sakurai in May 15, 2017.[7]
XTEND
The third and recent updated version, Arcana Heart 3 Love Max: Six Stars!!!!!! XTEND (アルカナハート3 LOVE MAX SIX STARS!!!!!! XTEND), was announced by Examu on April 24, 2019.[8]
Originally, XTEND was slated for a Fall 2019 release[9], but it was delayed due to unexpected bug fixes and lack of staff.[10][11] It would eventually be released on April 30th, 2021[12] as a free update for those who bought Six Stars on Steam,[13] with Pistrix (with Parace) and Dark Heart as paid DLC at $5.99 each.
XTEND would be getting an Arcade port courtesy of exA-Arcadia. It was originally slated with a release window of Summer 2021[14], though it is now expected to release sometime in 2022. However, the release date moves to Spring 2023, following its reveal in JAEPO 2023, before ultimately decide to be released on December 15, 2023.[15][16]
- During Production
On February 10th, 2020, due to its impending closure by the end of the month, Examu would pass the development of XTEND to its former subsidiary, Team Arcana, including other development works and product supports which Team Arcana involved.[17]
On February 14th, Team Arcana released an early test version for backers, with Pistrix fully playable.[18]
On May 5th, 2023, following the reveal of its arcade port for eXa-Arcadia in JAEPO 2023, it is revealed that the contents which were not reached in previous Kickstarter's crowdfunding for the initial Steam launch of XTEND, such as Dark Heart's Arcana, Love Prison Geist, and a main antagonist of "World Extinction" story chapter named Omega will be included, albeit as post-launch contents after the eXA-Arcadia Arcade port's official release date. Although it is unknown whether Omega will be either playable or NPC boss character, and whether the previously unreached crowdfund contents will start out to be added in either arcade, PC or both versions.[19] Additionally, the latest update which starts from Arcade launch retains the voice overs which were not include at the PC launch of the game, adds newer full body artworks for the characters' character select portraits, allowing to play Xtend-added characters in the story mode, brand new graphic rendering, and improved performance. The Arcade version only has four modes consist Arcade Mode-based Story, Survival, Time Attack equivalent mode called Score Attack, and Training Modes.
Trivia
- This game has the least amount of new characters introduced in the series.
- In the beta screenshots in the vanilla version, all of the characters (except Weiss) used their artwork from Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2.
- This is the only game in the series that has had multiple re-releases on both Arcade and on consoles.
- The XTEND update marks the first game in the series to not involve Examu in development due to their closure in 2020.
Videos
Openings
References
- ↑ Arc System Works Bringing Arcana Heart 3 to Consoles - Siliconera
- ↑ Arcana Heart 3 Love Max Coming to PS3 and Vita - Gematsu
- ↑ AH3LM Steam Announcment - Siliconera
- ↑ http://www.siliconera.com/2013/05/08/arcana-heart-3-love-max-adds-new-moves-like-the-arcana-eclipse/
- ↑ Arcana Heart 3 Love Max Six Stars Announced - Gematsu
- ↑ AH3LMSS Kickstarter Page
- ↑ Anime News Network - Arcana Heart Writer Tohru Sakurai Passed Away
- ↑ https://twitter.com/examu_PR/status/1120947560154161152
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1159990612965220352
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1208713419295088640
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1349193288780107779
- ↑ https://www.gematsu.com/2021/04/arcana-heart-3-lovemax-sixstars-xtend-update-now-available-for-pc
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1291631579782029314
- ↑ https://twitter.com/exaarcadia/status/1387936057690189827
- ↑ https://exa.ac/en/games/arcana-heart-3-xtend/?v=0f177369a3b7
- ↑ https://exa.ac/en/arcana-heart-3-xtend-available-now/?v=0f177369a3b7
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1226872799790170114
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1228205597293563904
- ↑ https://twitter.com/team_arcana/status/1653990315186061315
External Links
- Store links - Love Max (Steam) / XTEND
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