Hyper-Radiance (Pacifica)

Hyper-Radiance
Genre(s)	P-RPG
Developer(s)	Seikokashi Software
Creator(s)	Fuyuhi Aiyasa
Platform(s)	PC Sakanoba Tyr Sakanoba Porea Sakanoba Tillsi Setako Fold2
First release	Hyper-Radiance: Fuyuko Vs. the Blue Slime October 7, 2005
Latest release	Hyper-Radiance VIII: Sweets in the Sky November 24, 2022

Hyper-Radiance (Pelinese: ハイパーラディアンス) is a Pelinese series of Pelinese role-playing video games developed by Seikokashi Software. The series is well known in Pelinai primarily for its highly complex RPG character mechanics and extremely humorous writing. Its first title, Hyper-Radiance: Fuyuko Vs. the Blue Slime, was first published in 2005 to popular acclaim and later went on to become the best-selling video game in Pelinese history. It has since received seven more main-series games as well as an anime series, and has achieved a combined 90,000,000 sales of all released games as of 2023. Its primary platforms are PC and Sakanoba consoles, though older games in the series have received rereleases for the Setako Fold2.

The Hyper-Radiance series first began development in 2003 as a development of the gameplay mechanics in Seikokashi’s then-recent RPG release Starry Lance, with it being planned to feature much more complicated character stats, abilities, and leveling mechanics than its predecessor. Its characteristically humorous plot lines and character writing were added early in the development to help distinguish itself from a contemporary Pelinese RPG market, including the original Starry Lance, which had a strong tendency towards serious, emotional writing after the release of the landmark Pelinese RPG Yumenohaka in 1997.

Like most Pelinese video game and other media series, the Hyper-Radiance games have only rarely received official localizations or releases outside of Pelinai. The last official localization to be released was the Alman translation of Hyper-Radiance V in 2014, and there are no public plans for further international releases as of 2021.

Common elements

Gameplay

Hyper-Radiance games consist of a large number of dungeons, each accessible from an overarching world map, as well as a hub menu that gives access to character and inventory management as well as various visual novel-style dialogue sequences and CG events.

Dungeons in the Hyper-Radiance series are typically large in both number and size, and allow the player to walk the character designated as party leader throughout them. The character navigates with the help of a minimap and may interact with a variety or dungeon contents: gathering points are harvested for crafting materials, chests can be opened for consumable items and equipment, and event points can be interacted with to trigger scripted dialogue sequences or boss fights. Dungeons are populated by monsters and begin combat sequences when they contact the player, who can gain or lose an extra starting round by attacking the monster in-map or by being contacted from behind.
In addition to normal dungeons, Hyper-Radiance also includes two types of challenge dungeons named raids and boss lairs. Raids resemble normal dungeons with significantly increased monster difficulty as well as more powerful rewards, while boss lairs are similar challenge dungeons than contain a single encounter with a powerful monster featuring abilities and combat mechanics that are much more complex than those of normal bosses or other monsters.

Combat is turn-based and takes place in combat instances: both player-controlled characters and enemy monsters are free to move around within their movement range on their turn until they take an action, which can consist of an attack sequence, the use of an item, or a block. Attack sequences in Hyper-Radiance use a time points system allowing the player to choose between performing many different types of action in order to min-max or compromise between metrics like per-hit damage and volume of attacks, as well as forego attacks to apply positive or negative status effects to enemies and allies. Each type of attack is assigned one of 20 types and can have more or less of an effect on targets with vulnerability or resistance to it. Executing or sustaining large number of attacks fills the player’s power gauge, which gives more time points to player characters when depending on its fill level and can be expended in whole or in part to perform various high-damage special attacks. Killing monsters provides leveling experience and weapon proficiency experience as well as various loot items that can be sold, handed in to resolve quests, or used craft or improve layer equipment.
Build variety in Hyper-Radiance games is extremely high: each player character can enter a dungeon with 2 subclasses active from a choice of 4, each of which provides additional passive abilities and weapon proficiencies as well as additional options for attack sequences that favor different types of playstyle. Characters can also learn generic moves and passive abilities from items, as well as apply different equipment enchantments that increase stats, change the damage type of weapons, allow special weapon attacks, change equipment appearance, or increase the character’s supply of time points. Each character can level up to level 999; levels increase stats and provide access to more and improved subclass traits, additional character-unique passive and active abilities, better proficiency scaling with weapons, and the ability to use higher item level equipment.

Hyper-Radiance uses a dual overworld map/town map system to provide access to dungeons and player utility services. The overworld map is freely accessible from town and shows the selection of normal and challenge dungeons accessible to the player both as icons on the map and as a collapsible list for easier access. The town map uses a similar arrangement with icons of characters to show available dialogue and CG events, as well as player services such as the equipment shop, equipment crafting, character management, inventory management, the review menu, and the quest acceptance & resolution menu. The review menu may be used to look at various player achievements and statistics as well as re-watch previously viewed visual novel dialogue sequences and CG events.

The central plotline of a Hyper-Radiance game is advanced by clearing dungeons, watching the dialogue sequences that occur, and fighting story bosses when they appear. The typical story length of a main series title is 40-50 hours when including side quests, alternate endings, and other content, after which the player is able to play through an extended post-game/NG+ sequence featuring new post-game dungeons and equipment, significantly increased difficulty, and the ability to unlock a secret ending.

Recurring characters

The primary cast of Hyper-Radiance has remained stable since the third game, though each title also includes a small number of new and recurring additional characters.

• Fuyuko: The self-declared main character of the Hyper-Radiance series, Fuyuko is a young, inexperienced angel of Celestia whose commitment to exterminating trash mobs and farming daily quests in the name of love and justice is matched only by her twin obsessions with gaming and sweets. Her daydreaming, carefree nature sometimes brings her into conflict with Celestia’s more by-the-book angels. Her design is that of a slightly shorter-than-average angel with long pink-tinted blonde hair, a glowing pink halo, and three pairs of small white wings, while her most common outfit consists of a white sweater and pleated skirt with magenta-pink trim, white overknee socks, and red sneakers.
  Fuyuko possesses a great love for all sweets and other similar sugary foods and beverages; however, she strongly favors fruit-flavored and especially cherry-flavored sweets such as the cherry cream soda that she is often seen drinking.

• Haruhi: As the first non-angel that Fuyuko met after traveling away from Celestia for the first time, Haruhi is one of Fuyuko’s closest friends and a frequent companion on her many adventures through Celestia and beyond. While she broadly resembles Fuyuko in terms of personality, she is somewhat more grounded and often tries in vain to keep Fuyuko focused; she also often bets fictional 4D-Tetropoly money with the other girls on strange predictions about various aspects of their travels. Her design is an elf with mid-length light brown hair and amber eyes, while her typical outfit consists of silver-and-turquoise, Sevar-style metal armor sans helmet.
  Haruhi’s favorite dessert is peach cobbler with whipped cream, though cola-flavored ice cream is a close second.

• Hanako:

• Izumi: Izumi is a human priestess that joined Fuyuko, Haruhi, and Hanako on their adventures during the events of Hyper Radiance III and has remained with them ever since. She is much more conscientious and well-organized than her friends and often performs the roles of record keeper and navigator while still participating in their fun by keeping track of Haruhi’s many bets with 4D-Tetropoly money. She is taller than her companions, with neck-length black hair and cobalt blue eyes, and wears a fantasy-styled version of a Pelinese priestess’s outfit.
  Izumi eats sweets less often, but her favorite dessert is Dimmyj. She once referred to her favorite dessert as “that Sedunnic thing” after having difficulties pronouncing its name in Hyper-Radiance V, leading to a running meta joke where she and other characters make references to the fact that nobody knows where it is actually from in-universe.

See also

• Video games in Pelinai