Cross of Hour

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Cross of Hour
Cross of hour.jpg
Developer(s)Amaze
Publisher(s)Amaze
Director(s)Nojima Shinji
Producer(s)Frank John Smith
Designer(s)Narukami Ito
Writer(s)Marten Horten
Composer(s)Wada Naofumi
SeriesCross of Hour
EngineCross of Hour engine
Platform(s)PC,TS4
Release25 October 2017
Genre(s)First-person Shooter
Mode(s)Single player, Multiplayer

Cross of Hour is a 2017 first-person shooter/third-person shooter video game developed and published by Amaze. It is the first installment of the Cross of Hour series. The game was released on October 25, 2017 for the PC platform.

The game is set during the Second Europan War and the campaign mode is experienced through the perspectives of four soldiers: one in the Lucian Army, one in the Zanarkian Army, one in the Joyonghean Army, and one in the Rubrumian Army. It has a total of 150 missions spanning from 1935 to 1945. The game also features voices from the film, Flower Ring such as Richard Philip Todd, Seon Myung-dae, Darzana Magbaredge, Jonathan Vo, Ryuk Chang-min and others. The game also allows the free use of vehicles from cars to tanks to help the player progress. To avoid the bugs of the failed title, Lock and Load, The developers decided not to add the inventory system and that the player will only focus to change his load out and no longer needing to modify other allies load out.

The game was met with critical reception. Critics praised the game particularly for the graphics, sound, authenticity and the regenerating health system. As a launch game, the PC version sold 1.3 million copies by the end of the year.

The expansion pack entitled "Cross of Hour: The Erebonian Squadron" was released two months later. It was intended to be a part of the original game but producers decided to release it as an expansion pack. The expansion pack features a new characters as well as new weapons and a new campaign that coincides with the Lucian Campaign of the original game.

To this date, the game currently holds the world record for having a very long story line plot and campaign, spanning over 150 missions (with the Erebonian Campaign included) from 1935 to 1945. It takes about a month and a half to finish the game.

Plot

Lucian Campaign

Lucian Troops from the 7th Armored Division during the mission Battle of Sania. Lt. Sougo is seen in front of the picture, with Cpt. Chelsie pointing her gun at a surrendering Quenminese tank crew.

In the Lucian Campaign arc, the player takes control of Lt. Yoichi Sougo (voiced by Ginpachi Sakata); a Nihhonese immigrant to the UK after being called unfit for the Royal Navy. He serves in the 7th Armored Division, then the 6th Airborne Division and later, the Special Air Service, assigned to both the Europan Theater and the Asianna Theater where they collaborate with the Free Quenminese Forces.

Zanarkian Campaign

Zanarkian troops during the level, Operation Bugger.

In the Zanarkian story arc, the player takes control of Sgt. Henry Tokikaze (voiced by Richard Philip Todd); a Zanarkian-Nihhonese soldier in the Zanarkian Army under the 9th Zanarkian Division, Platoon leader of 7th Squad, Oboe Company. The Zanarkian Campaign starts off with the East Africanna Campaign with only seven missions with the rest taking place in the Joyonghean theatre. The Zanarkian Campaign also links with the Joyonghean campaign as the two protagonists in the story arcs meet, reminiscent of the love story between Edward Samegawa and Chae Hwa-young.

The campaign begins during the Battle of Ridge 61, when Tokikaze is ordered to defend the middle flank of the ridge with his squad. Due to his efforts, He drives back the Archadian and Guado troops into retreat. When the Lucian Army arrives to relieve them, Tokikaze receives orders from Brigadier Samegawa to assist Sugiyama's troops in Keren. Here, He meets Brigadier Tsukuyo Kushineda (voiced by Darzana Magbaredge), who tells him to go to the hill to help the Lucian Forces drive out the remaining Archadian resistance. They eventually succeed and more than 20,000 Archadian and Guado troops were taken. When his commander, Edward Samegawa receives news to return to Zanarkand, He departs with him for a reassignment.

On June 13, 1940; He lands on Samcheok Beach during Operation Bugger. Once the beach head was established, He goes over to rendezvous with his Joyonghean contact. Here, He meets Sgt. Park Yong-ju, The Joyonghean platoon leader of 5th Squad, 2nd Regiment, 18th Infantry Division. He and Park fight their way to the second Joyonghean camp and here, Tokikaze meets Cpl. Song Jung-hye; one of the best troops in the 2nd Regiment and the protagonist of the Joyonghean Campaign arc.

Their next operation came during Operation Freeland where the Zanarkian and Joyonghean forces fought the Quenminese in order to open a southern flank towards liberating Busan. Sgt's Tokikaze and Park were tasked with taking the radio bunker. Once taken, The Allies were able to overwhelm the Quenminese and this caused a retreat towards Anidong.

Joyonghean Campaign

Joyonghean troops in-game in the level, Battle of the Gap. (Note: Joyonghean troops are correctly depicting Joyonhean uniforms during 1940 after adopting the Lucian P37 Battle Dress.)

In the Joyonghean story arc, the player takes control of Cpl. Song Jung-kyo (voiced by Seon Myung-dae); a female Joyonghean soldier who decided to join the army in retribution for the death of her lover. She serves under the 3rd Army under the command of Grand General Chae Hwa-young. The Joyonghean Campaign also links with the Zanarkian campaign as the two protagonists in the story arcs meet, reminiscent of the love story between Edward Samegawa and Chae Hwa-young.

The campaign starts off during the Fall of Yeolcheon, where Jung-hye and her company are desperately trying to halt the Quenminese attack on the capital. They eventually retreat from the city and fall back to the south.

Rubrumian Campaign

Rubrumian troops in the level, Battle of Legram

In the Rubrumian story arc, the player takes control of Pte. Alan Cole (voiced by Emrick Brennan); a Rubrumian soldier from Toronto serving in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Rubrum.

Erebonian Campaign

Erebonian troops in the level, Battle of Crossbell

In the Erebonian story arc, the player takes control of Sgt. (later Lt.) Gerald Fegelein (voiced by Waldemar Fegelein); a member of the Train Military Police, later drafted to the Arseid and Sutherland Highlanders of Erebonia who later serves in the Erebonian Special Air Service and cooperates with the protagonist of the Lucian Campaign, Lt. Yoichi Sougo.

Casting

Amaze went in contract with Endelmann Pictures, which developed the film, Flower Ring and recruited some of its cast to provide voice-overs in the game. Many of the personnel who worked on the film cited that it was their first time on a video game and some of the cast even resembled the characters they portrayed.

Production

Reception

The game received critical reception, being awarded as the Best First Person Shooter of 2017, Best Shooter Game of 2017, Best Visual Graphics, Best Voice Casting under the video game category as well as receiving a world record for the Longest playtime in a Video game, spanning over a month and a half of gameplay.

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