Destrega

American
European
Japanese

Game Information

Developer(s)

Omega Force

Publisher(s)

Koei

Genre(s)

3D Fighting Game

Mode(s)

Single Player
Multiplayer

Platform(s)

PlayStation

Date: 09/23/1998

Date: 01/31/1999

Date: 10/08/1999

Rating(s)

Destrega (デストレーガ) is the second 3D fighting game developed by Omega Force, the first being Dynasty Warriors. It borrows elements from its earlier title, yet adds the idea of long distance energy blasts and a faster combo system. Destrega plays in a similar manner as the quasi shooting-fighting game series, Psychic Force, which was popular in Japan's video game arcades with its sequel during 1998.

Akihiro Suzuki was the game's director and Kenichi Ogasawara served as the game designer. Hiroshi Kikkawa did the character designs while MASA took part in music production.

Akihiro Suzuki, in an interview for Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2, discussed the development team's goal of creating a 3D game-like experience. Although they were still learning about 3D models, Suzuki acknowledged that the camera work and mechanics didn't deliver the desired punch. Despite this, the team still considered Destrega a masterpiece. Suzuki's philosophy for the series was the simplicity of the battle system, which anyone could easily enjoy with just a few buttons.

The game's narrator for the Japanese dub is Takeshi Endō.

Story[]

In the past, omnipresent beings with power offered prosperity to humanity. However, human greed led to the abuse of these entities, resulting in the end of their empire and the loss of power artifacts. 1,000 years later, civilization was rebuilt under the Empire of Ipsen. The ancient book of Zamu'el retold the power of these artifacts, sparking man's desire for conquest. A war erupted eleven years before the game, leading to the fall of the Empire's royal family and the rise of Prime Minister Zauber.

Gameplay[]

There are two main methods of fighting which is structured based on the distances between opponents. In each case, is the quickest yet weakest, is the slowest but powerful, and is a defensive maneuver with medium speed.
- Short-ranged attacks - is good for quick combos; deals a powerful attack. allows a sidestep blow, which automatically shifts the player's character for an evasive attack. and can be chained together to create different combos whereas is a standalone move that varies depending on whether the player is facing the opponent or not.
- Long-ranged or aerial attacks - The magical part within fights with weaker effects based on the distance between both fighters. Attacks are known as Fast (速, ), Power (力, ), and Span (散 Scatter, ). When these are attacks are used, the characters calls out each attack as Till (Tidu in the English version), Est, and Foh respectively.
  - Fast attacks shoot a single burst of energy forward.
  - Power will perform a unique energy wave with greater results.
  - Span unleashes a wide ranged attack on the field.
  - In the event that two long ranged attacks simultaneously face off against one another, Fast will be stronger than Power; Power overpowers Span, and Span beats Fast.
Fast, Power, and Span attacks can be implemented in a combo sequences dubbed "Level Attacks". The Level 1 attacks are merely the player tapping the button once. Level 2 Attacks require two magical attacks within a chain (i.e.: , ), and Level 3 Attacks demands three magical attacks (i.e.: , , ). In the case of Level 3 Attacks, players can perform a wide range of combos to deliver different variations of each spell.
Characters also have a Special Attack with all three magical buttons in one sequence (i.e.: , , ). It is treated in the same manner as a Level 3 Attack, yet Specials will enable different tasks unique to each character. Like regular magic attacks, they can also be used while in mid-air.
The Charge Bar, located beneath a character's lifebar, is affected by magical attacks. Fast, Power, and Span all drain a small amount. The bar's health is indicated by four stages of color: blue, green, yellow, and red. Blue is best for magic combinations, while red disables attacks. The bar recharges naturally, but players must refrain from casting magic.
Characters can freely roam the environment during matches, allowing players to utilize the terrain for their advantage, such as jumping down stairs or delivering physical blows. Tapping performs a small jump and holding unleashes a higher jump. R1 causes the player's character to dash in a straight line in either four directions of the directional pad.
Holding down L1 is a simple method for blocking body blows, but it will not be as effective against long-ranged attacks. Quickly tapping L1 before certain projectiles hit grants the player a chance to deflect their trajectory. Players who wish to properly block a magical attack without taking damage will need to create a Charge Guard. The maneuver can be done by pressing either magical attack button with a block ( or or + L1), draining the Charge Bar as long as the barrier is activated. Charge Guards can also be done during jumps. Repeatedly tapping L1 after taking a hit has the blown back character flip to their feet.
Each character has the ability to activate a barrage of magical attacks through the Charge Jump. Simply start any magic combination on the ground and then jump ( or or + ). Whist in the air, the player can follow up with a chain of magical attacks until the Charge Bar depletes.
To close the distance between long-ranged fighters, players may want to initiate a Charge Dash ( or or + R1). The character dashes forward with a protective barrier around them, which automatically deflects weaker magical attacks and slightly damages the opponent upon contact.

Modes[]

1P Battle[]

Classic arcade mode that allows a single player to face the others.

Story Mode[]

Full voiced story mode that follows the characters and tells the game's story. Also features pre-scripted battles in which players may lose due to storyline purposes.

VS[]

Standard versus mode between two players. Any stage may be chosen in this mode.

Team Battle[]

Players can form multiple teams of fighters, with a minimum of three and maximum of six. Each round's winner regenerates life, and a single player can fight against CPU opponents or friends.

Time Attack[]

Finish a run with a 1P Battle format in record time.

Endurance[]

The game's survival mode. A single player tries to outlast a flood of enemies.

Practice[]

Solo practice mode available for beginners and advanced players to test out combos and characters.

Options[]

Place to adjust controls, difficulty, sound, and record scores from other modes. An extra option is available to view brief character biographies and a video game tutorial.

Characters[]

Zamu'el, an ancient country destroyed by civil war, is a parallel to Zauber's calamity. Characters possess Strega powers or rely on ancient Relics for similar effects, illustrating the game's relentless nature.

Hilda (ヒルダ) - Voiced by Misa Nakanishi (Japanese), Candice Signa (English), Benedetta Ferrero (Italian). A kind elderly woman of the mountain village where Gradd was living in the beginning. Fatally wounded by the Relics raiding her home, she lives long enough to warn the young man of the danger and dies in his arms.

Glossary

Strega - Strega, ancient people who created Relics, were sealed away after Zamu'el's fall. Three Strega, aware of history repeating, tried to warn the Emperor of Ipsen. The Relics' powers prevailed, and they were executed. Zauber used the opportunity to murder the imperial family and ignited war among other country lords. Once Zauber gained supremacy, he ordered a manhunt for Strega to silence them forever.
Resistance - Once Zauber began to declare himself as the main man of power, various resistance groups took up arms to fight the tyrant. Their ranks vary from former soldiers of the Ipsen Empire, foreigners from afar, or commoners who simply disagree with Zauber's methods. Overthrowing the villain, however, is the only goal that each group shares. Due to the Strega incident eleven years in the past, many wouldn't hesitate to kill Strega once they have learned their identity.
Imperial Family - The royal family of the Ipsen Empire was the previously prosperous leaders of the continent. Upon the introduction of Relics into society, the Emperor became arrogant with the power granted to him and ordered the death of the three Strega who opposed him. Not soon after, the Emperor and most of the royal family were slaughtered in an uprising. His loyal politicians also shared the same fate. The few survivors are now closely watched by Zauber.
Prime Minister's Forces - Zauber, possessing Relics, has the power to annihilate opposing forces, with followers facing slavery or death. He overtaxes and uses an iron-fist to finance military campaigns. The Strega hope to unite with other resistance forces to destroy Zauber's Master Relic.

Stages[]

Allusions[]

It is possible to unlock Dynasty Warriors character skins if the player perfectly completes the 1P Battle Mode with no losses for each available fighter. They can be selected within any mode by pressing the R2 trigger (L2 trigger in Japanese version). The Dynasty Warriors cast do not retain their old movesets and are purely cosmetic changes for the Destrega cast.
An alternate interpretation of Princess Anzeal's nickname is "Ange". Ange is a common nickname shared among the protagonists in Ruby Party's Angelique and Neo Angelique series.

Image Song[]

Morning Light

Performed by Emiko Nishiyama