Angelique (アンジェリーク) is the first game of its series, the first game to be developed by Ruby Party and the first Neoromance IP. It is considered the first game for the Otome game genre.
Keiko Erikawa oversaw its production and Kou Shibusawa was the main programmer. Chinatsu Kuzuu composed the music for this game and remains the main music composer for the series until étoile.
Angelique was devised to be the "women's Nobunaga's Ambition": it was made with the hopes of including the appeal of Koei's extensive simulation titles without being too overcomplicated. To contrast the historical setting of its spiritual predecessor, the goal was to create a new world with an European fantasy focus. Ruby Party members wanted to make the script "sweet and feminine" to emulate their target audience's comic demographic and to help ease the learning process for people new to video games. The romancing aspects were included to cater to an audience Erikawa felt was largely ignored during the game's conception. To this day, she believes Angelique helped pave a new perspective for the Japanese video game market.
Consumers who purchased the Super Famicon Premium Box edition (December 8, 1995) received the game and the following merchandise: a colored comic book titled Kiniro no Tsuioku (Golden Recollection), a character message CD titled Kouen no Sasayaki (Whispers in the Park) and artcards of the Sacred Guardians. The Premium Box edition for Special included five postcards, a pencil case with a mechanical pencil and eraser, a memo pad and a jigsaw puzzle. Special's Premium Pack includes a 1997 calendar card, a character card, and a trial version of the Sweet Guide guidebook.
Plot[]
In the Sacred Bird Cosmos, a magical realm ruled by an anointed queen, the 255th Queen chooses two students from Simolny Girls Academy to work with the Sacred Guardians at the Flying Capital to foster two continents. The most capable guardian will be named the next Queen. The protagonist, the least experienced, possesses promising potential.
Gameplay[]
During the introduction sequence, the player is given the choice of naming their protagonist, determining her astrological sign, her bloodtype, and the name of her continent. The Queen's Aide, Dia, offers to explain the Holy Land's facilities and functions for first time players. Facilities are:
- Palace (聖殿) - place to visit the rooms for each guardian and Dia. Character icon indicates their room. Characters may not always be present and may appear at another area or visiting another guardian's room.
- Royal Institute (王立研究院) - location to update information about player's continent. Protagonist is required to visit it on Saturday.
- Park (公園) - place for dates and gossip.
- Forest Lake (森の湖) - leisurely spot. Used to trigger romance events at higher levels.
- House of Divination (占いの館) - check and alter character affiliations.
- Rosalia's Room (ロザリアの部屋) - converse (1 ♥) with the protagonist's rival, Rosalia, if she is present.
- My Room (私の部屋) - the protagonist's room for checking information about continent and character stats. Save, load and quit option at the center table. Sleep at bed to proceed with next day.
The player aims to become the next Queen and can pursue it or choose romance with one of the Sacred Guardians. Each character has two attributes: "Intimacy" and "Affinity". Intimacy can be altered by spending time with a guardian and visiting the fortune teller, Sara. Energy is needed for most actions and rejuvenation. To win the competition, players must answer Sacrea demands from their continent. They can visit guardians and make Sacrea-related requests or converse with them, gauging their preferences and relationships.
The game allows players to request guardians to nurture their protagonist's continent or hinder Rosalia's progress. The amount of guardian assistance depends on their Intimacy ratings for the Queen Candidates. Guardian bias can be checked visually based on the number of manors erected in their image. The House of Divination can update character parameters and initiate the "Love Love Flash" sequence. Guardians can be found in parks or forests, and the protagonist can invite them for a Sunday date or give a polite greeting. On Sundays, the Holy Land takes a break, and the protagonist can invite a guardian for a date. Dates drain the protagonist's energy, allowing them to explore the park, lake, or chat. Successful answers lead to a personal facet and an Intimacy boost.
Lake visits provide Intimacy boosts and can initiate romantic events for the protagonist if specific ratings are reached. Conversations within the protagonist's room provide randomized facts about their guest. Guardians may randomly seek the protagonist's company, and the protagonist must decide whether to answer or ignore them. Private invitations are needed for romantic events but not mandatory for competition. Activities are halted every second Saturday for the Queen's judgment, with a maximum of 999 days to decide a victor.
Six different endings are available for the default story. Two different romance endings exist for each guardian, or eighteen alternate endings.
Modes[]
New Game[]
Self-explanatory.
Continue[]
Self-explanatory. Proceed from previous save.
Characters[]
Queen Candidates[]
- Angelique Rimoge
- Rosalia de Catargena
Sacred Guardians[]
- Sacred Guardian of Light Julious
- Sacred Guardian of Darkness Clavis
- Sacred Guardian of Wind Randy
- Sacred Guardian of Water Lumiale
- Sacred Guardian of Fire Oscar
- Sacred Guardian of Greenery Marcel
- Sacred Guardian of Steel Zephel
- Sacred Guardian of Dreams Olivie
- Sacred Guardian of Earth Luva
Other Residents[]
- The Queen
- Queen Aide Dia
- Pastha and Sara
Expansions/Spin-offs[]
- Angelique Special - PC-FX version: December 22, 1995. PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Windows '95: March 29, 1996. my GAMECITY Premium (PC browser): January 30, 2013. Revised game graphics, sound, and credits, including animated and voiced openings and character events. Windows version features miniature versions of characters.
- Angelique Voice Fantasy - SNES with Voicer-kun: March 26, 1996. Reprint of the SNES game with extra CD deck for playing audio voices. Only other game to use the Voicer-kun hardware aside from Emit.
- Angelique History - March 30, 2000. PlayStation version repackaged with four other Angelique games.
- Mobile Angelique - October 18, 2004. SNES emulation with an additional gallery feature which can be accessed after witnessing a character ending. Character messages change after viewing an ending.
- Fushigi no Kuni no Angelique
- Angelique Duet
- Sweet Ange
- Angelique Retour
Related Media[]
Since the SNES was originally unvoiced, Angelique characters first gained their voice actor credits in the game's various drama CDs series for original side stories. The majority of the starting voice actors were kept and used for the rest of the series thus far. Mooks for these stories were also published for commentary and written summaries. Other CDs include character image songs and voice actor commentary.
Two of the game's voice actors were namesakes and MCs for the 1996 radio program for PC-FX games, Toshi to Yuri to Haruna no PC-FX Club. Toshihiko Seki (Luva), Yuri Shiratori (Angelique Rimoge) and Haruna Ikezawa were the MCs. One corner of the program was dedicated to featuring Angelique trivia and announcements.
Aside from various guides and databooks, three light novels, the Angelique EXTRA VERSION series, were published by the now defunct ASUKA Novels. The books were written by Mie Takae; Kairi Yura did illustrations for the first book while the rest were illustrated by Kiya Otomo. Each book features stories of the Sacred Guardians' duties or daily lives before the Queen Candidates arrive to the Holy Land. Yuri Suwa wrote another original story for this cast in the light novel, Angelique Guardian Rhapsody. Saori Kumi wrote two Japanese parallel versions of the cast in the Edo period, or their Ibun series, Angelique Ibun Kengou Kurabisu Mukanshin no Suke and Angelique Ibun Shugosei Edogoyomi. Ruby Party wrote an Angelique fortune book with character related divinations and compatibility tests available for readers' experimentation. These fortunes could later be used to decipher their fortunes in Duet.
Kairi Yura's comic adaptation of the first game's characters was published by Asuka Comics, republished with new illustrations to celebrate the TV anime broadcast of the fourth installment.
Older Windows systems can run two Angelique softwares. Angelique Bijutsukan includes desktop wallpapers and screensavers. Letter Koubou Angelique Post Clip includes patterns for printing cards and other stationary.
A three part OVA series was created to celebrate the tenth anniversary for Neoromance IPs. The anime production is an original story based on this game; it reuses voice actors, music and game quotes seen within it. AV Watch has commentary from the voice actors for the first volume. Its opening theme is Shoushin by Key Of Lover -access- and its ending theme is Yume no Arika ~realize your dream~ by 2HEARTS.
Allusions[]
- A remixed version of Yasashii Ai no Uta (the song for romance endings in the series) can be learned and played by the protagonist in Kiniro no Corda.
- References to this game and cast appear in That's QT. The band, Ange, has their song "Love Love Flash!" available as a collectible record.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Angelique is one of the games referenced in Obaachan to Game. Sho-chan and her friends struggle with the park dates.
External Links[]
- Neoromance official series page
- Gameboy Advance product page
- Mobile product page
- myGAMECITY Classic Game entry - experience trial is free and can be played without a myGAMECITY account
- Girl's Style issue noting this game as the first for Japanese video game marketed towards women
| Angelique • Fushigi no Kuni • Duet • Retour |
| Angelique Special 2 • Requiem • Sweet • Maren no Rokukishi |
| Angelique trois |
| Angelique étoile • Prologue • Lovelove ♥ Tenshi-sama |
| Angelique Luminarise |
| Characters |
| Sacred Bird Cosmos |
| Angelique Rimoge • Rosalia de Catargena • Julious • Clavis • Randy • Lumiale • Oscar • Marcel • Zephel • Olivie • Luva |
| Sacred Beast Cosmos |
| Angelique Collet • Rachel Hart • Leonard • Francis • Heuye • Timka • Charlie • Sei-Lan • Ernst • Mel • Victor • Arios |
| Emperor's Cosmos |
| Teresa • Leviath Ragna Alviss • Kiefar • Cain • Giovanni • Eugene • Gerhard • Sionna • Renaud • Ka-Fai • Walter |
| Commanding Owl Cosmos |
| Ange • Yue • Noah • Vergil • Kanata • Shuri • Milan • Xeno • Felix • Lorenzo |
| Étoile |
| Ange • Tantan |
| Major Characters |
| The Queen • Dia • Pastha and Sara • Catis • Alphonsia • Roxy • Ellis • Tian Shi • Johannes • Maria • Maximillias • Mayleath • Varn • Masaki Sakuragawa • Brian • Gerard and Silvan |
| Other Information |
| Series Terminology • Neo Angelique |