''Breath of Fire IV'' 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 ...
developed by
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
, and is the fourth game in the ''
Breath of Fire
''Breath of Fire'' is a role-playing video game series developed by Capcom. It originated on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993. The series is notable for its recurring characters and ambiguous continuity; though each game is its ...
'' series. It was originally released for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
home console in Japan and North America in 2000, and Europe in 2001. The game was later ported to Windows-based PCs in Europe and Japan in 2003.
Just as in previous games of the series, ''Breath of Fire IV'' follows the adventures of a young man named Ryu, who has the power to transform into powerful
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
s. The Ryu in this game must team up with several other skilled warriors to combat an awakened immortal
emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
from ascending to godhood and destroying the world of man. Like ''
Breath of Fire III
''Breath of Fire III'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Capcom originally for the PlayStation console as part of the ''Breath of Fire'' series. Initially released in Japan on September 11, 1997, the game was later released ...
'', the game utilizes a mix of
two
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
and
three-dimensional
Three-dimensional space (also: 3D space, 3-space or, rarely, tri-dimensional space) is a geometric setting in which three values (called ''parameters'') are required to determine the position of an element (i.e., point). This is the informal ...
computer graphics and turn-based battle sequences.
Gameplay
''Breath of Fire IV'' is a traditional role-playing video game with an overhead,
isometric
The term ''isometric'' comes from the Greek for "having equal measurement".
isometric may mean:
* Cubic crystal system, also called isometric crystal system
* Isometre, a rhythmic technique in music.
* "Isometric (Intro)", a song by Madeon from ...
viewpoint. The game's camera can be manually rotated by the
player
Player may refer to:
Role or adjective
* Player (game), a participant in a game or sport
** Gamer, a player in video and tabletop games
** Athlete, a player in sports
** Player character, a character in a video game or role playing game who is ...
up to a full 360 degrees in some instances, though unlike ''
Breath of Fire III
''Breath of Fire III'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Capcom originally for the PlayStation console as part of the ''Breath of Fire'' series. Initially released in Japan on September 11, 1997, the game was later released ...
'' it cannot be tilted up or down. The game environment is rendered in full
3D, while characters are presented as
two-dimensional
In mathematics, a plane is a Euclidean (flat), two-dimensional surface that extends indefinitely. A plane is the two-dimensional analogue of a point (zero dimensions), a line (one dimension) and three-dimensional space. Planes can arise as s ...
hand-drawn
sprites. While moving about the world, players can interact with computer-controlled characters and objects, gain knowledge about the world around them, and gather clues on how to advance the story. Each playable character is given a special "field skill" that can be used to destroy obstacles or solve puzzles outside of battles, which occur randomly in hostile areas or dungeons.
The "Master System" from ''Breath of Fire III'' returns, allowing players to customize each character by having them apprentice under different masters found throughout the world. Under their guidance, these characters may gain new skills and special statistic increases by fulfilling certain tasks, such as participating in a certain number of battles, or finding specific items. The
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
mini-game common to the rest of the series also returns, along with the village-building Faerie Town feature from the previous title that allows players to construct a special village that opens new features.
Battles take place with teams of three characters against any number of enemy opponents. During these combat sequences, the player can choose which characters will perform an action in any order, as well as switch in any available reserve characters from the back row. While positioned in the back row, a character may not participate in battle, but may regain lost
health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
or
magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
every combat round, as well as become unaffected by any attacks. Battles end when either all enemies are defeated, or all playable characters (both the front row and reserve) are out of health. Each battle yields experience points that go toward earning levels for each character, which in turn grants increased statistics and new skills.
New to ''Breath of Fire IV'' is the Combo System, which allows certain
spells
Spell(s) or The Spell(s) may refer to:
Processes
* Spell (paranormal), an incantation
* Spell (ritual), a magical ritual
* Spelling, the writing of words
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Spell'' (1977 film), an American ...
or skills to be cast in a specific order to gain bonus damage or other effects.
Casting two ice spells in sequence, for example, will produce a stronger ice attack, while a fire spell followed by a wind spell will create an explosion-based attack. Combos may also automatically occur in single attacks that have more than one effect.
Plot
Characters
The principal characters of ''Breath of Fire IV'' were designed by series artist
Tatsuya Yoshikawa
is a common masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
Tatsuya can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*達也, "master/accomplished, to be"
*達矢, "master/accomplished, arrow"
*竜也, "dragon, to be"
*竜哉, "d ...
, and consist of Ryu and his companions, each with their own individual skills and personality traits carry the story forward. Ryu (voiced by
Kappei Yamaguchi) is an
amnesic
Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
young man with the mysterious ability to transform into powerful
dragons
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
, with his "other half" being Fou-Lu (voiced by
Isshin Chiba
is a Japanese voice actor who appeared in 35 films since he first started acting in 1990 and is best known for doing the voice of Jin Kazama from the ''Tekken'' series.
Biography
Isshin Chiba was born in Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. He graduated f ...
), the principal
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
and founder of the Fou Empire centuries ago with similar abilities, yet a much more malevolent personality.
Aiding Ryu on his quest to confront Fou-Lu are several other heroes including Nina (voiced by
Kyoko Hikami
is a very common feminine Japanese given name. Not to be confused with Kiyoko.
Possible writings
The final syllable "ko" is typically written with the kanji character for child, 子. It is a common suffix to female names in Japan.
The first sy ...
), a winged magic-user and the reigning
princess
Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince.
Princess as a subst ...
of the Kingdom of Wyndia; Cray (voiced by Isshin Chiba), a burly member of the
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
-like Woren tribe who wields a large wooden post and holds romantic feelings for Nina's sister, Elina; Ershin (Master in the Japanese version,
voiced by
Inuko Inuyama
Meowth ( or , known as in the original Japanese version) is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's '' Pokémon'' franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Meowth first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' and subseque ...
), an enigmatic robot-like armor who speaks in third-person; Scias (voiced by
Unshō Ishizuka
was a Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator and theatre director from Katsuyama, Fukui. He was affiliated with Aoni Production at the time of his death and was known for providing the voice of both the narrator and Professor Oak on the Japanese a ...
), a lanky mercenary and swordsman from the
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
-like Grassrunner clan who lives for money; and Ursula (voiced by
Kumiko Watanabe
is a Japanese voice actress.
She played Sergeant Keroro in '' Sgt. Frog'', Shippō in ''InuYasha'', Mother in ''Atashin'chi'', Klonoa in '' Kaze no Klonoa'', and Regina in '' DokiDoki! PreCure''. She married Kōji Tsujitani in 2012.
Filmogra ...
), prideful granddaughter of a military commander with
kitsune
In Japanese folklore, , are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser. According to ''yōkai'' folklore, all foxes have the ability to shapeshift into human form. While some folktales speak of employing t ...
-like features and skilled with guns.
Primary supporting characters include Yohm, a
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
from the modern Fou Imperial Army with the ability to summon monsters to his aid who see Fou-Lu as a threat to the world; Rasso, an elitist company commander dispatched to the Eastern Kingdoms to search for Ryu, Fou-Lu's key to obtaining his lost godhood; Yuna, a cruel
geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic processe ...
and
occult
The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...
ist who participates in horrific acts of genetic manipulation with dark magic; and Kahn, a muscle-bound chauvinist and
comic-relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humour, humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a com ...
villain who constantly encounters Ryu's party.
Backstory
A long time ago an emperor called Muuru was having problems with the empire which was in a civil war, so he tried to summon a god named アルカイ「arukai」 (which was translated as Yorae) to unify the empire through its divinity. The summoning was imperfect, which made the god to be split both in time and bodies. The summoned god was called Fou-Lu. After ten years he was able to unify the western continent into the Fou empire. Meanwhile, the western continent was repeatedly attacked by the eastern continent, so Fou-Lu decided to create a bridge that would transport people and things to the other continent. Carrying the ambitions of Muuru, Fou-Lu wanted to unify both continents and cease the war. But due to the imperfect summoning Fou-Lu entered a sleeping state (sealed) and the empire lost its strike on the eastern continent keeping the war in a deadlock. Without Fou-lu's presence the war kept going on for many years of truces and war. Several years later, the second half of the god came into the world, waking up Fou-Lu that was sealed in a long sleep recovering his powers. And so the game begins...
Story
The story of ''Breath of Fire IV'' begins with a search team consisting of Nina, princess of the Kingdom of Wyndia, and Cray, leader from the plains-dwelling Woren clan. They are heading to the town Synesta for information on the whereabouts of Nina's older sister and Cray's love interest, Elina, who went missing several weeks earlier on a diplomatic mission. They are soon attacked by a berserk dragon and their sandflier crashes, forcing Nina to go to Sarai for spare parts while Cray guards their ride. Happening upon a crater left when a strange object landed from the sky, Nina confronts a large
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
who transforms before her eyes into a young man. Remembering nothing other than his name, Ryu, Nina surmises he must have
amnesia
Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
and persuades him to help her search for her sister. Meanwhile, across the world in the western Fou Empire, the ancient Emperor Fou-Lu rises from his burial tomb, declaring that it is now his time to regain his throne, as he promised over six centuries ago. He commands one of his Guardian dogs, Won-Qu, to guard the tomb before heading south. In his vulnerable, newly awakened state, he is attacked by Yohm, a general in the modern Fou army who is privy to Fou-Lu's long-prophesied resurrection, and aims to kill him before carrying out his plan. Fou-Lu is overpowered in the struggle and is struck down into a ravine.
Elsewhere, Ryu and Nina run into trouble with a Fou Empire captain named Rasso and cannot get the needed spare parts in the end. While escaping the Fou soldiers, they travel to a town blighted by an evil
miasma known as "hex" to get back to Cray, where they meet Ershin, a mysterious robot-like armor who leads them through the poisoned side of town. Re-uniting with Cray, the team makes their way west to gather more information. The story shifts back to Fou-Lu, who has awakened after his ordeal with Yohm and finds himself in the care of a man named Bunyan. After recovering enough, Fou-Lu departs down the mountain only to find Yohm and his soldiers blocking the path. After a struggle, Fou-Lu is forced to flee by transforming into a dragon and flying away, declaring that he must find his "other half", Ryu, and re-unite with him before the Empire finds him first. Yohm summons another creature to chase and strike Fou-Lu down. It succeeds and Fou-Lu crashes into the forest below.
By this time, Ryu and his friends arrive at the border town of Kyojin, where they meet Captain Rasso again who attempts to block them from entering the Causeway's gates. Quickly escaping past the guards in Fou Empire's continent, the team make their way north where they meet Yuna, an Imperial scientist who knows of Elina. He claims that she was here but is no longer. The soldiers then capture and return them to the Eastern Lands with accusations of breaking the pre-war peace treaty by trespassing in their lands. The group is detained in the town of Ludia and Cray is set to stand trial on their behalf. The group tries to help by "lessening the evidence" against Cray but to no effect with the judge. With no other choice Ryu, Nina and Ershin break him out of captivity with the help of Scias, a tall,
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
-like mercenary who joins their cause. Determined to clear their names and find Elina, they travel past a swamp and through a volcano to arrive in Wyndia, where after an audience with Nina's father, the
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
, the group continues west. After seeking the Wind Dragon at the top of an ancient temple and brought to an ancient summoners' village, the group learns of Ryu's heritage, why the Empire is after Ryu, and the danger he would be in should he and Fou-Lu ever meet. They also learn that Ershin is carrying an Endless' spirit named Deis. While the group learns all this, Captain Rasso tracks Ryu to the summoners' village and kills most of the villagers. They then meet Ursula, granddaughter of a high-ranking Fou Empire official, who is against Rasso's savage methods. After attacking the villagers, Captain Rasso pulls out his trump card against Ryu. Ryu goes berserk and incinerates all the soldiers and Rasso and almost kills Ursula too, but Nina manages to calm Ryu down. Before leaving for Kyojin again along the western border, Ursula joins the group to keep an eye on them. Learning that the Causeway broke down after their initial visit, they find that they need a ship in order to proceed with their journey.
However, when the gang reaches the western continent, they find it in chaos. Strange, inexplicable things are occurring there, most of them happening in the city of Astana, where the Imperial Headquarters are situated. When they search the Imperial Headquarters, they find it horrifically transformed. When they are unable to pass through a certain obstacle, Elina's voice suddenly rings out, telling them that they cannot pass without first acquiring the Dragonslayer, a sword that is currently in the keeping of Yuna. Tracking Yuna down to a nearby city, Ryu attacks him, forcing him to discard the Dragonslayer. The party returns to Astana, but an atrocity occurs there: unbeknownst to the party, Yuna had the idea of modifying Elina's body and transform her into an artificial Endless but unexpectedly fused her with the Imperial headquarters. Elina has no wish to exist in this form, so she begs Cray to kill her with the Dragonslayer. After an internal debate, he complies, destroying the Imperial Headquarters and dealing a devastating blow to party morale.
After regaining their composure, Ryu and his team travel to the Emperor's
pagoda
A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
to stop him, and find Ursula's adopted grandfather, General Rhuh, holding off several monsters and A-Tur charging the palace area. Dying in the struggle, Ursula's grandfather tells his daughter to stop Fou-Lu with her new friends, and restore the empire to its former glory. She agrees, and the group makes their way to the palace's inner sanctum, where Ryu personally confronts Fou-Lu and questions his motivation to destroy humanity after they have done so much for him in the past, recalling and comparing their memories. After an intense battle, Fou-Lu finally understands Ryu's defense and merges with Ryu to become the complete Yorae Dragon God, which decides to send the gods back to their own world. Then Ryu rejoins the group as a mortal, and they leave the palace together.
There is an alternative ending of the story where Fou-Lu absorbs Ryu, making him the dominant half where he then plans to destroy humanity, starting by killing Ryu's friends.
The manga adaptation, ''Utsurowazaru Mono: Breath Of Fire IV'', gives a third ending with Ryu refusing to fully absorb Fou-Lu as the gods disappear from the world. While Ryu's friends wait hopefully for his return, he and Fou-Lu are wandering the world side by side as mortals, both relearning and experiencing the joys of humanity.
Development
''Breath of Fire IV'' was developed by
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
Development Studio 3, which contained many of the same staff members who produced ''
Breath of Fire III
''Breath of Fire III'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Capcom originally for the PlayStation console as part of the ''Breath of Fire'' series. Initially released in Japan on September 11, 1997, the game was later released ...
'', including director Makoto Ikehara, and character artist Tatsuya Yoshikawa, who provided designs for the game's hand-drawn sprites. In May 1999 industry rumors began speculating that the title would appear on the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
console when Capcom's Yoshiki Okamoto remarking that their next role-playing game would be a "giant project" that would make use of the system's network capabilities.
The following July, however, it was confirmed that the game would instead be heading to the original
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
, with development having been underway for "some time" beforehand, and was officially unveiled in an issue of Japanese ''
Weekly Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both we ...
'' magazine the same month.
Due to time constraints, some intended features were not included in the final release of the game, including a scenario that would have involved defeating Yuna, an antagonist who otherwise lives in the end. The title would appear at the 2000
Tokyo Game Show
, commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. The ...
trade show in Japan, and would later be released in the region the following April.
In February 2000, Capcom USA officially announced that an English version of the game would be made available in North America.
This version would contain a number of differences from the Japanese release, including the censorship of four different scenes that take place during the game that involved Fou-Lu decapitating Emperor Soniel, Ryu spying on Nina and Ursula bathing in a pond, Ryu accidentally grabbing Ursula's breast, and Ursula dropping her pants on a dare.
One of Scias's abilities, ''Shikibetsu'' (しきべつ, literally, "Identify"), which allowed him to view the statistics of an enemy during battle, as well as a short description of their abilities, was also completely removed.
Exclusive to the Japanese version was also a hidden store area that was accessible only by using a save file on a CD distributed through an issue of the ''
Dengeki PlayStation
is a Japanese video gaming publication by ASCII Media Works (formerly MediaWorks). It primarily features information pertaining to the PlayStation brand. Dengeki was originally founded as a magazine in 1994 and ran until 2020, when it ceased p ...
'' magazine.
In May 2003, ''Breath of Fire IV'' was ported to
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
-based
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
s in Japan by SourceNext.
This version, though identical to the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
release, contains a filter for sprite smoothing on
2D visuals, as well as shorter load times. The PC version was released in English exclusively for European audiences the following September.
Audio
The music of ''Breath of Fire IV'' was composed entirely by
Yoshino Aoki
(born 19 August 1971) is a Japanese video game music composer. She began her career with video game company Capcom, and later co-founded the music studio Unique Note with another ex-Capcom composer, Tetsuya Shibata.
Life and career
Yoshino Aoki ...
, who had previously collaborated with
Akari Kaida
is a Japanese people, Japanese video game music composer. She composed various soundtracks for Capcom games, including multiple in the ''Mega Man series, Mega Man'' series. She has occasionally been credited as Akari Groves, taking the surname of ...
on the soundtrack to ''
Breath of Fire III
''Breath of Fire III'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Capcom originally for the PlayStation console as part of the ''Breath of Fire'' series. Initially released in Japan on September 11, 1997, the game was later released ...
''.
Aoki would also provide the vocals for the game's ending theme, "Yume no Sukoshi Ato" (ゆめのすこしあと, literally, "A Little After the Dream"), and would write an arrangement of
Maurice Ravel
Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...
's "''
Pavane pour une infante défunte
''Pavane pour une infante défunte'' (''Pavane for a Dead Princess'') is a work for solo piano by Maurice Ravel, written in 1899 while the French composer was studying at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gabriel Fauré. Ravel published an orchest ...
''" titled "Pavane for a Dead Princess", while composer
Taro Iwashiro
is a Japanese composer.
Career
Iwashiro has composed the music for many Japanese television series and films. He has composed for both '' Red Cliff'' films, '' Shinobi: Heart Under Blade'', ''Azumi'', ''The Prince of Tennis'', '' Rurouni Kenshin ...
provides the game's opening theme song "Breath of Fire IV ~Opening Animation~".
In May 2000, Capcom would release the ''Breath of Fire IV Original Soundtrack'' on the company's in-house music label
Suleputer
Suleputer (セルピュータ) is a record label the Japanese game development company Capcom uses for its releases. Its name derives from the full name of Capcom: "(CAP)(''SULE'') (COM)(''PUTER'')(S)".
Discography
* Biohazard 2 ReMIX ~met@morPhos ...
, which contained all music from the game across two discs.
In June 2006, the entire soundtrack would be re-released as part of the ''Breath of Fire Original Soundtrack Special Box''
boxset
A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists and bands ...
, which contained music from the first five games in the series.
Reception
PlayStation Version
''Breath of Fire IV'' was well-received during its original release in Japan, earning a 31 out of 40 from ''
Weekly Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both we ...
'' magazine.
The game was the best-seller of July 2000,
Dengeki PlayStation
is a Japanese video gaming publication by ASCII Media Works (formerly MediaWorks). It primarily features information pertaining to the PlayStation brand. Dengeki was originally founded as a magazine in 1994 and ran until 2020, when it ceased p ...
sales chart, July 2000, published in Official UK PlayStation Magazine
An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority, (either their own or that of their s ...
issue 60 and would go on to sell an estimated 334,000 copies in the region in 2000,
which would qualify it for
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
's "PlayStation the Best" label, allowing it to be re-released in September 2002 at a reduced price.
The game's English release in North America and Europe met with a similarly good response, with ''
GamePro Magazine'' awarding it a 5 out of 5 and an Editor's Choice award, claiming "If you believe ''
Final Fantasy IX
is a 2000 role-playing video game developed and published by Square (video game company), Square for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation video game console. It is the ninth game in the main ''Final Fantasy'' series. The plot focuses on a wa ...
'' is the last word in RPGs this year, think again," citing the game's "well-illustrated" graphics and "beautiful score" as its high points.
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
conversely stated that "It may not have the looks and sheen of Final Fantasy, and it certainly doesn't equal it in tale," calling attention to the game's "predictable" plot, but concludes that ''Breath of Fire IV'' "remains an extremely compelling and often rewarding RPG".
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
called the title "as solid of a game as any of its predecessors" but found it to be lacking in innovation, claiming that "though it doesn't improve upon the standard RPG formula, it's hard to fault in any specific way."
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
found the game's graphics to be "colorful and cute, but something
d like to see improved upon if and when a fifth game comes out", and faulted the game for its "irritating"
camera system
In 3D video games, a virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in video games where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; m ...
.
The game placed 6th in ''
PSM
PSM, an acronym, may refer to:
Organizations
* Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia ( ms, Persatuan Sepaktakraw Malaysia; PSM), a national governing body in Malaysia.
* Pakistan School Muscat, a Pakistani co-educational institute in Oman
* Palest ...
''s "Best Games of 2000" awards feature, with the editors claiming that "
eve always been fans of the ''Breath of Fire'' series, and part IV might be the best one yet."
While some critics praised the game's two dimensional graphics as "visually breathtaking", and "the most arresting of any game in the series",
others such as
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
found them too stale and grainy, yet still a marked improvement over ''Breath of Fire III''.
The return of series mainstays such as the fishing minigame and
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
transformations was seen as a welcome recurrence, and though the title brought many new changes to the series, it did nothing to change the standard role-playing game formula.
The game's camera, while able to be rotated at any time, was often seen as cumbersome given the tight spaces most environments were rendered in.
Francesca Reyes reviewed the PlayStation version of the game for ''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'', rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "A quirky but memorable RPG that fans of the series will immediately embrace."
PC Version
The
PC version saw a limited release in certain regions of Europe and Australia, while the Japanese version sold enough copies to qualify for the "Quality1980" label, and was subsequently re-released on July 8, 2005.
Manga
Three officially licensed
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
were produced for Japan by Enterbrain Company, including two four-panel parody comics and an anthology comic, both released in 2000. An official novelization of the game's story, ''Breath of Fire IV: The Unfading Ones - The Arukai Dragon -'' was written by Yayoi Joumon and released in 2000. Additionally, an official manga adaptation by Hitoshi Ichimura under the title ''Utsurowazaru Mono: Breath Of Fire IV'' (うつろわざるもの―ブレス オブ ファイアIV) has been serialized since November 2007 in
Comic Blade Avarus
is a Japanese shōjo manga (for girls) magazine published by Mag Garden.[Avarus manga awar ...](_blank)
,
with a compilation of the first five chapters from November 2007 to March 2008 published by
Mag Garden
is a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix ...
in May 2008 in book format.
The Comic Blade Avarus manga adaptation, which is a pure "graphic novelisation" of the game, is still being published in serial format as of the September 2008 issue
and is officially being produced under supervision from Capcom.
Notes
References
External links
Official PlayStation version website
{{Authority control
2000 video games
Breath of Fire
Japanese role-playing video games
Mag Garden manga
PlayStation (console) games
Video games about dragons
Video games about shapeshifting
Video games developed in Japan
Video games scored by Taro Iwashiro
Video games scored by Yoshino Aoki
Video games with isometric graphics
Windows games