''Ape Quest'' (known as ''Sarugetchu: Piposaru Senki'' in Japan) is a

role-playing video game A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...

spin-off from the '' Ape Escape'' series by

Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...

. It is a

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...

title and was released in North America and Europe exclusively on the

PlayStation Store The PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital media store available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The store offers a range of downloadable content ...

and a UMD in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

only. It is downloadable as a free Starter Pack, with the remainder of the game available as three separate downloadable chapters.

Premise

The king of the Toqsica Kingdom sends his son with the respected knight D' Apetagnan on a pilgrimage to the seal that holds the Apetron, a group of apes that terrorized the kingdom ages ago, who also are known as the Pipotron Brothers. However, the king's son impulsively eats the banana-shaped seal, releasing the Apetron upon the land again. Now, the prince must save the land from its curse.

Gameplay

The player takes control of the prince and travels across various areas, meeting Ape Team members, fighting monsters, earning Chips (the game's currency) and carrying out quests. The player must choose from predetermined routes consisting of turns, in the way of a

board game Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well. Many board games feature a comp ...

. The player traverses across these routes, but once chosen, the player cannot move or stop. On each turn, the player can open the menu, which allows the player to save, equip items and perform other actions (this can be done at the end of each route as well). Turn-based battles and minigames can also occur randomly. Battles rely on the equipment used and strength. Minigames, on the other hand, are entirely based on skill (these can deduct

hit points Health is an attribute in a video game or tabletop game that determines the maximum amount of damage or loss of stamina that a character or object can take before dying or losing consciousness. In role-playing games, this typically takes the for ...

, or "Guts", as well). The player can also visit towns and dungeons as well as members of the Ape Team.

Ape Team

The Ape Team is composed of ape warriors that the player can summon in a fight (at the cost of Chips) if the player is in a tough spot. The player can collect different members by talking to them around the area, who are all supply peddlers. After talking with them, they are added on the list of Ape Team members. Also, all Ape Team members have a relationship value, which increases when purchasing items from them.

Bosses

The game's storyline revolves around destroying various

golems A golem ( ; he, , gōlem) is an animated, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is entirely created from inanimate matter (usually clay or mud). The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...

throughout each area. These take the form of a lion, a wolf, a snake and a crab, among others. These are in minigame form and usually involve dodging attacks until the foe moves in, then attacking.

Reception

References

External links

Profile on PlayStation.com
{{Ape Escape series 2008 video games Ape Escape games PlayStation Portable games PlayStation Portable-only games PlayStation Network games Role-playing video games Video games developed in Japan Single-player video games Sony Interactive Entertainment games