The gameplay revolves around conquering the dungeons with your customized party of Star Children.
Stardust Labyrinths[]
As the “God’s Gift”, it's Itsuki Yuge's duty to save the magical world of Granvania on the verge of crisis. The only thing that can cleanse the “impurities” is himself and the Star Children born between him and the 12 Star Maidens. The player can carry a maximum of 3 teams, each with 4 Star Children where they have their own class for optimum strategy.
While in labyrinths each of the square rooms may hold creatures called Impurities. These monsters wander can either wander around the room or can stand guard around chests and will usually attack you when close enough. You can either outrun them or engage in a fight with them. If you have the God's Poke ability enabled, weaker enemies will automatically be killed if you touch them. Battles can be exited if everyone is at a high enough level or you can use the Smoke Bomb ability. Defeating enemies is one of the main ways of gaining XP and is the only way for Itsuki to gain XP.
Occasionally, some rooms have alters that when activated, grants you and your allies buffs depending the constellation the room represents for the current floor. These include,
- The Aries blessing that gives your and your allies extra MDF.
- The Taurus blessing that gives your and your allies extra SPD.
- The Gemini blessing that allows you and your allies extra EXP.
- The Cancer blessing that gives your and your allies extra DEF.
- The Leo blessing that gives your and your allies extra Chain Gauge gain.
- The Virgo blessing that gives your and your allies reduced BP consumption.
- The Libra blessing that gives your and your allies extra MAT.
- The Scorpio blessing that gives your and your allies extra ATK.
- The Sagittarius blessing that gives your and your allies an increased Critical Hit Rate.
- The Capricorn blessing that gives your and your allies better rewards from chests and from battle.
- The Aquarius blessing that gives your and your allies extra Gold.
- The Pisces blessing that gives your and your allies immunities to status effects.
Each individual blessing can be found in their respective labyrinths and any can randomly appear in the Ophiuchus Labyrinth.
Also in labyrinths are certain facility and gem looking structures that can either aid or hinder your progress though these will be shown on your map once you reach a room (or if you have the Labyrinth Seer skill available). The most common form of this are blue diamond shape objects called chests. They can appear alone or guarded by impurities while most can be opened by interacting with them, others require a key that can be found while exploring or by purchasing it at the store or by using the Lockpick skill. These could contain items you can use or weapons and armor for Itsuki and the Star Children. They can also be trap chests that explode and deal damage to you and your allies or could hold a swarm of enemies that you can't escape from. Each labyrinth has different rewards you can receive and the Ophiuchus Labyrinth has the best gear you can find, but also has a greater chance to spawn fake traps. Certain types of wells also appear and can restore your teams stats and resources. Green wells restore health, blue wells restore MP, and red wells restore BP. Altars with a large ring looking object swirling around it may also appear. You can give it your gear for the chance to receive stronger equipment. A jukebox looking stand can also be found which functions as a shop within the labyrinths.
Occasionally, you may receive a call from one of the Star Maidens while exploring the labyrinths or during battle (using the Telepathy skill or having the Lover skill enabled increases the odds of this happening). These are signified with a mail icon appearing and a ringing noise being played. The calls can either be answered or ignored. Answering a call will result in a short dialogue where one of the Star Maidens sends Itsuki a message with her usually checking in on him and hoping he is okay. The message you receive depends on how close you are with the Star Maiden. Answering the calls will slightly raise the bond meter of the Maiden whose call you answered. These messages can also appear during side bond events of the Star Maidens as well and can also be ignored. While answering these calls will still grant the same bonus as answering them in the labyrinths, answering them here has the downside of lowering the mood of the Star Maiden you were bonding with.
The narrow pathways in labyrinths may contain traps that can damage you. The first are floor spike traps that can be passed over when the spikes are down. The others are boulder traps that can happen randomly and take at least 10% of your health. Certain chests can explode and take 10% of everyone's health whose near it unless your have the Trap Cancel skill enabled. Other chests in rooms can have enemies inside them. These are encounters you can't escape from even if you use a Star Bomb or if the Smoke Bomb skill is enabled.
Party Members[]
In addition to the protagonist Itsuki, your party can consist of up to three teams of four Star Children for a total of 13 party members. The game uses a command selection-style battle system where positioning plays a key role. Gain the upper hand in battle by attacking from a position where you can target the enemy’s back or weak point.
Each character has eight stats that increase every time they level up by gaining XP (experience points) usually be defeating Impurities. These are HP (the amount of health one has) MP (the amount of Magic points one has to use skills) ATK (how much physical damage one can deal), DEF (how much physical damage one can take), MAT (how much elemental damage one can deal), MDF (how much elemental damage one can take), SPD (that stat that determines the order in which everyone attacks with the faster characters usually going first), and TEC (the technique stat that would represent luck in other games. This stat determines the odd of attacks and damaging skills landing critical hits). While most skills have an MP cost tied to them, some have a BP (bond points) cost associated with it that can be refueled by bonding with the Star Maidens. BP is also used to forge Mecunites. Making teams with skills that can both utilize and improve these stats it key to proceeding through the labyrinths.
Should a Star Child lose of of their HP, they will be placed in a Matryoshka. Though they can still fight but they can't use skills or receive benefits from weapons or armor. They can still gain EXP in this state unless the entire team is defeated, but everyone in the teams HP becomes 1 until they are healed. Having them all be defeated will not cause you to have to retreat. Only after Itsuki's HP is dropped to zero do you get a game over, you lose some of your money, and you are forced to retreat from the labyrinths.
Elemental Chart[]
The Conception series has skills that may have elements attributed to them. Each element is strong and weak against others. This chart explains the effectiveness of the six elements(Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Dark, and Light) and serves as a basic guide to combat.
Status Ailments[]
In addition to the six elements, the game has four status ailments that can be inflicted on you and your party.
The first is Poison which chips away at your health during each of your turns or every second you walk around in a labyrinth. Fortunately, this ailment won't lower your HP to less than 1 HP. This ailment can be cured by using a Detox Stone, using a Panacea, or by using the skill Sacred Touch (having the Fortitude skill enabled makes you immune to this ailment).
The second is Paralysis that lowers your speed making you less likely to attack. This ailment can be cured by using a Paraneedle, using a Panacea, or by using the skill Sacred Touch (having the Fortitude skill enabled makes you immune to this ailment).
The third is Panic that lowers your technique making you less likely to land hits. This ailment can be cured by using a Maiden's Slap, using a Panacea, or by using the skill Sacred Touch (having the Faith skill enabled makes you immune to this ailment).
The final is Seal that prevents you from using skills. This ailment can be cured by using a Chatter Herb, using a Panacea, or by using the skill Sacred Touch (having the Counter-Curse skill enabled makes you immune to this ailment).
While enemies and random hidden traps can inflicted these ailments, certain weapons and skills can also inflict impurities as well. In the Ophiuchus Labyrinth, invisible warp traps that automatically transport you to the next floor replace status traps. These don't appear on the 15th floor.
Chain Drive[]
Doing certain attacks on certain enemy parts will fill up your Chain Drive meter found on the bottom of your screen. Certain skills and attacks have an increased chance of raising this was well. Once full, all enemies will be temporarily frozen, allowing you to deal extra free damage to them for several turns. Damage delt to enemies increases after each attack during a chain. Performing this will also increase the amount of EXP at the end of each battle.
References[]
1. https://www.4gamer.net/games/143/G014312/20111104091/
2. https://www.4gamer.net/games/143/G014312/20120312032/
Gallery[]
