Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War

Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War
Game Information
Developer(s)	Omega Force
Publisher(s)	Koei
Genre(s)	Real-Time Tactics
Mode(s)	Single Player
Platform(s)
PlayStation 3
Date: 08/30/2007 Digital Date: 07/06/2013
Date: 08/30/2007 Digital Date: 07/06/2013
Date: 11/02/2007
Date: 11/02/2007
Date: 11/06/2007
Date: 11/06/2007
Xbox 360
Date: 10/25/2007
Date: 10/25/2007
Date: 11/02/2007
Date: 11/02/2007
Date: 11/06/2007
Date: 11/06/2007
Rating(s)

Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War (ブレイドストーム -百年戦争-) is a game is based on the Hundred Years' War which saw the forces of England face off against the forces of France. It is one of the few Koei produced titles to keep the same language track internationally.

Shinobu Tanno designed character designs, with Akihiro Suzuki as director and Shinichiro Nakamura as sound director. Jamie Christopherson composed the soundtrack, with orchestral performances by Thanh Tran, Adam Klemens, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Evelina Christopherson, and others.

Kenichi Ogasawara, one of Omega Force's founders, said his next future project would be to someday create Bladestorm for the PlayStation Vita. He wants to include online capabilities for Bladestorm fans, feeling that it would fill in a missing gap from the original game. Suzuki commented in an interview during 2010 that the developers were interested in making a follow-up for this title, which was finally announced in 2014.

Gameplay

Bladestorm is a game where players play as a freelance commander with mercenary units, choosing to align with the French or English. Each conflict has a specific mission, such as capturing or defending a base. Players can also take command of infantry, cavalry, and archers, which can be unlocked by collecting special tomes. The game focuses on capturing territories within each battle, with each side leading campaigns in different areas. Leaders and soldiers accompany the player, and defeating enemy officers earns fame, items, and denier. The game is divided into campaigns, with each side aiming to capture every base within an area.

The storyline features sub-stories involving mercenaries who can accompany the player in battle. Each battle involves a group of units with specific courses, and the player must decide who to aid to achieve victory. Allied and opposed officers can defend or take over bases, and careful observation of units' movements can lead to greater advantage. The gameplay resembles Kessen III, possibly Kessen IV set during medieval Europe.

Characters

Kingdom of England

• Edward the Black Prince
• King of England
• Philippa
• John Chandos
• John Talbot
• John Fastolf
• Henry Percy
• Hal
• Richard Beauchamp
• Iamarl
• Branwyn
• Captal of Buch
• Count of Montfort
• John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford
• Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence
• Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter
• John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
• John de Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk
• Edmond Beaufort, Duke of Somerset
• Richard of York, Duke of York
• John Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel
• Edward de Courtenay, Earl of Devon
• William Neville, Earl of Kent
• William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton
• John de Vere, Earl of Oxford
• Ralph Stafford, Earl of Stafford
• Robert Ufford, Earl of Suffolk
• Henry Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick
• Marquess of Salisbury

Kingdom of France

• Joan of Arc
• La Hire
• Gilles de Rais
• Philippe le Bon
• Arthur de Richemont
• Bertrand du Guesclin
• King of France
• Christine de Pizan
• Jean de Metz
• Marie
• You Ji
• Robert
• Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
• John III, Count of Auxerre
• Guy I, Count of Blois
• Count of Clermont
• Jean d'Orléans, Count Dunois
• Raoul II of Brienne, Count of Eu
• Archambaud, Count of Foix
• John I, Count of La Marche
• Louis III, Count of Nevers
• John I, Count of Penthièvre
• Charles, Count of Valois
• John I, Duke of Alençon
• Louis I, Duke of Anjou
• John the Magnificent, Duke of Berry
• Charles I, Duke of Bourbon
• Charles, Duke of Brittany
• Charles, Duke of Orléans

Mercenaries

• John Hawkwood
• Magnus
• Marc and Georges
• Karen
• Diane
• Naran
• Yoshimasa
• Shakti
• William

Achievements

• Regular
• Secret

Icon	Name	Unlock Method	Xbox Points
	Cleared Story	Self-explanatory.	150
	Book of Axes	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Bows	Acquire book after creating a new character.	50
	Book of Camels	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Chariots	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Clubs	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Elephants	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Halberds	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Horsebows	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Horses	Acquire book after creating a new character.	50
	Book of Knives	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Long Spears	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Magic	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Rapiers	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Spears	Acquire book from a chest in battle.	50
	Book of Swords	Acquire book after creating a new character.	50

Icon	Name	Unlock Method	Xbox Points
	Book of Explosives	Acquire a book describing how to use firearms.	50
	Book of Engineering	Acquire a book describing a special style of fighting.	50

Image Song

• Rin toshite...

Performed by Rin

*used for commercials

Allusions

• Some of the rarer weapons in the game are exact replicas of fourth weapons found in the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. In the former's case, the game features the Dynasty Warriors 5 version of their weapons. Characters mentioned are:
  • Guan Yu and Lu Bu for the halberd class.
  • Zhao Yun, Zhang Fei, Yukimura, Tadakatsu, and Xing Cai are referenced in the spear category; Xing Cai's shield also appears as a separate rare item.
  • Cao Cao, Nobunaga, and Kenshin for long swords.
  • Lu Xun appears for daggers.
  • Zhou Yu in the shamshir category.
  • Ina in long bows.
  • Magoichi for the guns.
  • Yoshihiro in hammers.
  • Nagamasa for the knightly lances.

External Links

• Official European site
• Official American site
• Official Japanese site, Xbox Market Place listing
• Official Taiwanese site
• Official Korean description
• Official Japanese PlayStation site
• Original wallpapers for Gpara
• Japanese wiki