Trees’ Collectibles Pt.7
June 25th, 2009 by Trees
My collectible today is more of a EZMU “Past” games segment actually. It’s the game Elemental Gearbolt for the PS1.
This was a Working Designs published title licensed by SCE. Working Designs were famous in their heyday for publishing very niche Japanese games and bringing them to the US. Among many kick-ass games including Arc the Lad, Alundra, Popful Mail, and Magic Knight Rayearth, with their most popular being the Lunar series.
What I most remember about this game is that it was a total pain in the ass to find. I don’t think a lot were put out on store shelves. I eventually found one at a EB in some rinky dink strip mall. It was buried on the shelf behind some other games. Like all Working Design published games the packaging is quality! The front and back of the jewel case is done in foil so it changes color with the light (something hard to tell in the photos). It also looks like it’s a two-disc game judging from the jewel case but it’s only one disc and a thick ass 50 page manual complete with awesome character artwork, story, and pictures and bio’s of producers, musicians, etc. It’s very cool.
What’s unique about this game and made it very niche is that it’s actually a “On-Rails” light gun shooter in a fantasy setting with heavy RPG elements. I won’t go into the story of the game, you can look it up on Wiki-pedia for more. You use the Namco Gun-Con with this game and you have to had already bought the light gun (bundled with Time Crisis) because this game does not come with one.
You would earn XP from shooting combos and also based on your score awarded at the end of a level. You would be able to spend your points to level up your characters attributes. EG also had an original anime weaved throughout the game and beautiful original orchestrated soundtrack.
The thing I remember most of this game is that Working Designs held a contest and winners were to be awarded the “Assassins Case”. There is only a rumored 40-50 of these cases made and they included a copy of the game plus a gold plated Gun-Con and memory card in a cool metal case. The Assassins Case pic CLICK HERE Now that my friends would be a true Tree’s Collectible! (sigh)
So until next week where I find something else to pull out of my ass….latah!
Elemental Gearbolt Gameplay CLICK HERE
Elemental Gearbolt Opening Movie CLICK HERE
Tags: Elemental Gearbolt, Gun-Con, Playstation, Trees' Collectibles
June 25th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Keep up the great write-ups Trees.
June 25th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I also went on a long search for this game. Light gun shooters where my favorite back in the day and this was the last one I hadn’t played so I persevered until I found it at a used electronics scrap shop. This damn game was so hard in spots, after watching some videos I realized that, still today, I know when and from where most of the creatures appear.
You and your Asian artsy fartsy anime jrpg crap usually puts me to sleep, but I actually enjoyed this one, a lot. Totally forgot I ever played this, thanks for the reminding me!
July 1st, 2009 at 8:50 am
It means whatever you want it to mean Tree’s… whatever you want it to mean…