Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6 (遙かなる時空の中で6) is the sixth installment in the Haruka series. It was one of the surprise announcements during the Neoromance 20th Anniversary stage event, the other being Angelique Retour. It's the first main entry of the series to be available on the PS Vita and to receive a Cero C rating.

Tohko Mizuno returns for character designs. Background illustrations are done by munashichi. According to early written interviews, the overall goal of this title is to "engage players in antique Japanese-Western flair" for the series's transition onto another portable console.

Purchase the game new to receive a reversible cover slip for the packaged version. Various stores are offering different reservation bonuses which can be seen on the same page as the Treasure Box edition. The Treasure Box edition will include a character artbook, a collection of the event illustrations, a soundtrack CD, a drama CD, and keychain charms based on illustrations done by Kazuo Funaki. The Gamecity Set includes the Treasure Box edition merchandise and a pouch and butterfly charm. Get the game from Gamecity Shopping to receive an exclusive prologue drama and two clear files.

Plot
The parallel world setting is Taishō Period, and the protagonist is the Black Dragon Priestess. A peculiar upsurge of vengeful spirits has led to the Star Clan summoning for the dark Dragon Priestess. Rather than arrive in the Imperial Forces as planned, she is taken by the Demon Clan and soon becomes engrossed in their struggle near the capital. She must have her comrades work together and subdue the spirits to find a way back to her home world.

Gameplay
Main story progress reverts to a style reminiscent to the first two games. The player is given a mandatory main story objective to fulfill within a set deadline. A few days between objectives will be dedicated to unavoidable main story events that may hamper neglectful players. A notice will be posted once the player has fulfilled an objective. Failing to succeed it results in an automatic game over. If the protagonist has gone beyond the mandatory requirements at the time of her evaluation, she will receive a high affinity boost with her party members.

Before the protagonist heads out, she must choose one or two characters to accompany her for battles. The party can fight vengeful spirits or choose to search a non-haunted area for strengthening talismans to help the party. Days progress in three phases (morning, noon, and evening); visiting one location drains a phase of the day. Once evening passes and the protagonist goes to sleep, the cycle repeats for another day.

The story concludes in six chapters.

Combat System
Battles are still turn based. The auto battle function from the fifth title carries over into this system. Levels continue to be the main method for strengthening characters, and defeat is determined if the entire party's health drops to zero. Party members continue to randomly protect the protagonist from hits. Players can rearrange the starting team formation if their team has the initiative.

This game has battles take place on a 4x5 overhead square grid for a simplified tactical role-playing experience. Each participant is given a range of movement and attack that is indicated by the highlighted squares above their portrait. Party members can be moved by selecting their portrait and moving them accordingly across their grid. Only one participant can move at a time. Attacks are automatically triggered once a character/spirit is adjacent to viable targets. Vengeful spirits can attack indefinitely; party members attack only if the player moves them.

When two party members are adjacent to the same enemy, a powerful group attack called "Co-op Skill" (協力技) will trigger. These special attacks include short character exchanges and portrait cut-ins. The protagonist can contribute if she is a part of the formation. When higher affinity ratings are reached, their dialogue will change and trigger stronger attacks. Be aware that enemies can do the same technique against the party. By chapter 3, the player may optionally retrieve the Divine Aides talismans for their party. Two male characters will receive Divine Aide version of their talismans to use; if the appropriate duo perform their Co-op Skill together with at least one partner equipping it, they will summon the deity for their attack.

Obstacles may randomly take a square on a battle grid. Squares are limited to one unique effect at a time:
 * River: cannot be crossed by foot unless participant has the Water attribute.
 * Boulder: cannot be crossed by foot. Users with the Destroy ability can break them. Can be traversed by flying spirits.
 * Heart: restores lost health. Does not discriminate between ally or foe.
 * Star: boosts character affinity. The character silhouette indicates whose bonds are strengthened with the protagonist. Can be picked up by any party member. Tends to appear with a higher frequency in one of his favorite spots.
 * Flame: damages all who land on its square.

Defeated spirits can drop treasure boxes that has them become talismans for the protagonist to use. Spirits can be fused for experience to level up party members. When a party member's talisman reaches a specific level, a voice clip is unlocked of the pictured character. These voice clips can be heard in the main menu.

After a particular story event, the protagonist gains the ability to tame a defeated spirit if she meets the required amount of Priestess Power. Tamed spirits can become the party's guest for battles. By chapter 4, the same cost is expected to summon the Four Gods into battle. If a male character has the Divine Aide version of his talisman equipped, he automatically summon his anointed divine beast when attacking.

Character Routes
Character events for the main cast are clearly labeled for the player's convenience via character icons on the map screen. The player will need to juggle their schedule with the main story to accommodate a character's events. Players can read hints for obtaining these character events by reading each character's profile in the main menu. These hints will specifically state when to trigger these events and when they are missed. Similar to Neo Angelique, character events may include slight variations of the dialogue based on the current party.

Like the first two games, romanceable characters have three locations they like to visit within the capital. Visit these places while he is in the party to receive an affinity boost and to learn trivia about them. Multiple events can be completed for multiple characters, but the cut off point for all character routes is chapter 3. One ending can be seen per playthrough.

Players can choose to hear the character's ending monologue using a special surround sound feature, or "3D Voice Mode". Wear earphones to listen to a simulated experience that has the character being next to the player. This feature is optional and can be turned off.

Dragon Priestesses

 * Azusa Takatsuka
 * Chiyo Komano

Japanese Imperials

 * Hajime Arima
 * Shuhei Katagiri
 * Kudan Hagio
 * Seishirou Katagiri
 * Tatsuo Tomobe

Demon Clan

 * Darius
 * Kohaku
 * Rudkhaneh
 * Masatora Honjo

Residents of Tokyo

 * Murasame Satoya
 * Newspaper Reporters Sorizawa, Kanta, and Yuuki - voiced by Infini

Continue
Load from a previous save. There are a total of thirty-five save slots available.

New Game
Self-explanatory. Repeated playthroughs unlocks the ability to keep earned Priestess Power and earned talisman levels for the main cast from their previous cleared game save. Completing the game with any ending once gifts protagonist talismans with every element. If the player has seen a character's romance ending, an option to unlock his third talisman shall be additionally available.

Extras
Includes an image gallery, event collection, and music selection. The gallery includes alternations of the same image when present. Every event from every possible scenario is kept within the event gallery. The player can take pictures during the game and view them as a slide show within this mode. Downloadable scenarios can be viewed in this mode.

Settings
Lets the player adjust the speed of text being displayed on screen, the auto play speed, and the skipping speed of the game's events. Volume adjustments for sound effects, music, and voices (as well as a muting option for certain characters) are included. The player can choose to remove the tutorial guides throughout the game.

Enemy strength can be altered from weak, normal, or strong. Completing a battle that occurs during a character event once also unlocks the option to skip these occurrences in future revisits.

If these settings are changed before starting a new game, they will automatically be in effect.

Mobile Joy
Insert passwords given in the game box to grant wallpapers, icons, and character audio files for personal cellphone.

Install
Installs a digital copy of the game.

Differences between ports

 * The PSP port will have rasterized portraits (square pixels); the PS Vita will have vector images (smooth lines).
 * Inline encyclopedia references in dialogue can be tapped on the touch screen.
 * Players can tap their locations on the map screen for the PS Vita.
 * PS Vita users can purchase map data and talisman (fuda) data from the PS Store and use it in their game. The same data can be simultaneously bought as a set with the downloadable PS Vita version.
 * A custom theme is available for PS Vita players.

Related Media
B's Log has been revealing tidbits and voice actor interviews ever since its teaser announcement. Arima and Shuhei are on the cover for its February 2015 issue and a secondary publication resembling the in-game newspaper publication has been released within its shop. A limited edition Animate Premium tea set included tea ware and two character inspired teas to try.

Yokohama City Transportation Bureau is collaborating with Koei for the Romantic ♥ Game Festival, an Otome game themed stamp rally scheduled to take place February and March. Participants can ride trains decorated this title, Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆, and/or Kiniro no Corda 3 to receive original Haruka 6 character merchandise at specially marked stations. The February route included limited accommodations for the anniversary event.

The PS Vita port was teased during SCEJA Press Conference 2014. Attendees to Haruka Matsuri 2015 ~Juu-gonin no Utage~ could be the first to view Darius's character movie and to purchase the game's character databook. Event merchandise was dedicated to this game's cast.

Internet radio show Tsukai☆Otome Game Tsushin showcased information for the game for their eighteenth episode and twenty-first episode. The program's special guest will be Michael Shitaanda (Kudan Hagio). Interested listeners could send messages and/or questions to each episode.

Nico Nico users can watch a special live broadcast to commemorate the game March 3, 19:00 (JST). Four voice actors are the MCs: Takuma Terashima (Hajime Arima), Atsushi Abe (Kohaku), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Shuhei Katagiri), and Eiji Takemoto (Masatora Honjo). Interested fans can send in their questions and well wishes early through the promotional email address linked within the video description. The March 18 PlayCommu Cafe showcased the title.

A comic adaption by Mizuno is planned to be serialized in ARIA magazine March 28. There are two guidebooks. Guidebooks and CDs are currently up for sale. The first guidebook includes the default scenario and an explanation for the game's system; the second one includes all of the romance endings, character quotes, and sub-events. Kaleidoscope 1 has Rudkhaneh and Tora's image songs; Kaleidoscope 2 has Shuhei and Kudan's image songs.

Quiz Battle Toukiden held a Haruka 6 episode event which preludes the main events in this narrative. Arima, Shuhei, and Darius were also event Mitama.

Merchandise for this title will be available at Real Order Girls Attraction Spring Carnival 2015, a real escape game that will have Koei-Tecmo's participation.

Another Karetsu Karaoke collaboration shall be held March 12~May 6. Singers can order Haruka 6 themed drinks and sing to previously made character image songs from the series. A Twitter campaign to celebrate the game's sales date is available for application until April 5.

Image Songs

 * Toki wo Tabisuru Kimi he
 * Performed by Takuma Terashima (Hajime Arima), Kenichi Suzumura (Darius), Atsushi Abe (Kohaku), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Shuhei Katagiri), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Rudkhaneh), Eiji Takemoto (Masatora Honjo), Michael Shitanda (Kudan Hagio), Hiroki Yasumoto (Murasame Satoya)


 * Seasons~Harukanaru Sora
 * Performed by Infini

Voice actor song plays during character endings. Infini song is for the normal endings.