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kalechipskid
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This is a guide made to help people who are curious about the Summon Night series (while maybe name dropping a few other Flight-Plan rpgs along the way). While most of the games are in Japanese, there are still some great options for English speakers. I hope this guide is helpful for all those discovering this cozy, magical world ☆
Q & A
🌙 What is Summon Night?
Summon Night is a series of (mostly) SRPGs developed Japanese game developer Flight-Plan, the first entry popping out in 2000. The legendary Kouhaku Kuroboshi (think Kino's Journey!) does character art for the mainline series, with Ootsuka Shinichirou, Sunaho Tobe and Ohmori Aoi pitching in for the spinoffs. The games boast plentiful voice acting, adorable characters, baller anime OPs, fishing, secret unlockables and most importantly, long night talks under the moon. Undoubtedly the most important part of the series identity, spinoff or mainline, is the inclusion of "night talks", where you and a selected character sit under the moon to talk about the day's events. This beloved feature should tell you enough about where the game's charm lies.
🌙 What makes the games so special?
Nothing about Summon Night is standout. I would say it's an extremely ordinary series that doesn't shine in any specific aspect but somehow, it ends up greater than the sum of its parts. The combat isn't complex, the characters aren't exactly deep, and the music is cute but not outstanding. But Flight-Plan has always paid special attention to its presentation and even from its crusty beginnings, you can see the charming details. Voice acting gives life to the playful cast, the portraits are large and expressive, the UI is chunky cute and dusted with flourishes of clouds or bouncing stars. When fishing, a cat can be seen peeking up from the grass. When wandering the town, you might run into a precocious ninja-in-training. Spending an evening with your senpai might result in you learning a super-powerful curry ladle crafting recipe. Taking the time to rescue a lost kitty in town may open up a new story down the line. Helping a friend with dinner might unlock a quick minigame, or just spending time with some one else will reveal a different side to them. The world is often described as "crapsaccharine"-- as in, a world that looks sweet as can but contains some darkness in the cracks. This aspect prevents the tone from becoming too cloying while still holding onto that comforting, cutesy bounce.
At this point I'm rambling... But I dub the a "Hot Soup Game". A game that pairs well with hot soup on a chilly day indoors. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
🌙 Help! I don't speak Japanese!
That's okay. There are a decent number of the games in English. The spinoffs a good place to start if you don't speak Japanese.
🌙 But shouldn't I play the games in order?
(Not at all!)> ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ
The game's stories are mostly independent of each other, with the exception of 6 (we'll get into that one later). The spinoff games have different combat but they still carry the same spirit, so they're excellent starting places as well. I would say most any Summon Night entry you find interesting is a good place to start because the charm of the series is largely preserved throughout. It's just a matter of finding the gameplay you enjoy the most. But when in doubt... Summon Night Swordcraft Story. 😇
🌙 Who are these games for?
💘💞 You might like Summon Night if... 💞💘
- You're new to rpgs, or if you just want a simple experience.
- You like the cute anime aesthetic.
- You enjoy building relationships with party members.
- If you like having a little buddy/pet tagging to hang out with.
💔😓 You probably wouldn't like Summon Night if... 😓💔
- You want complex story and characters.
- You want challenging combat (Check out Black Matrix, why dontcha!)
- You want something unique to the genre.
- You skip dialogue when talking to NPCs.
∧＿∧ ／￣￣￣￣￣
（ ´∀｀）＜ enough blabberin', lets talk vidja games!
（ ） ＼＿＿＿＿＿
（＿）__）
⚔ THE MAINLINE SERIES
*with the exception of 5 (and 6 but ignore that one), these are all in japanese.
💎 Summon Night 1 / 2000 psx + 2008 ds/ SRPG/ JP only
Price: A like-new psx copy with the guidebook and box should be no more than 600¥
Atwiki Review Page
"This game follows the story of a Japanese highschooler, who is suddenly summoned into the world of Lyndbaum. The main character gets involved in a series of conflicts between gangs, classes, factions and worlds. He/she has to use the power of summons to solve those problems while trying to return to his or her own home world."
The start to it all, SN1 is a surprisingly mundane isekai story where you pal around with a scrappy gang of orphans. You can choose from one of four(!) characters to play as-- two boys, two girls-- although it makes little difference on the story. Unlike later entries, summon beasts are on the low-down with the human gang fights taking center stage. Your buddy in the game is one of four human summoners (again, of two boys or two girls). Every chapter includes a few battles that can be repeated in your free time. Fishing and other minigames show up as well. The previously mentioned night talks start here, with the player able to invite somebody onto the roof to chat under the moonlight at the end of each chapter. This becomes the core of the series.
The DS version cuts out voice acting but adds the Brave Clear that was introduced in SN5. Also, it came with a celebratory animation that's kinda gay.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
This one is a personal favorite. Something about the down-to-earth nature really gets me. The cast is very sweet, I just love Lipre, Gazzel, and the boisterous children. However, the game is difficult to recommend. The battles I found to be incredibly slow with how far you have to travel across maps just to hit the enemy. Because there is little iteration between the titles, it wouldn't be a big deal if you skipped this in favor of 2.
💎 Summon Night 2 / 2001 psx + 2008 ds/ SRPG/ JP only
Price: A like-new psx copy with the guidebook and box should be no more than 1000¥
Atwiki Review Page
"The story follows a young Summoner apprentice of the Blue faction, who has to go on a journey to be recognized as a full-fledged summoner. It’s during this journey that a war between the Old Kingdom and the Saint Kingdom that would be the start to unveil the truth behind an ancient weapon and the demon's conspiracies."
The gameplay from the previous entry is unchanged outside of some QOL features (pre-battle saving, some summon beast mechanics, etc). However, the story, music, and buddy system has been greatly expanded upon. This time, there is just one boy and one girl to play as. This entry allows you to have one of four summon beasts as your partner, which becomes another core element of the series's identity. Look at how cute they are!
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The DS version cuts out voice acting but adds the Brave Clear that was introduced in SN5. Also, it came with a celebratory animation of the series favorite ship!.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
I feel like this is where the series really comes into it's own. With the two protagonists, the 4 different summon beasts, and the additional possible romance with the two other second leads, the story can feel different upon a replay. If you're okay with older games, this would be a good place to start.
💎 Summon Night 3 / 2003 ps2 + 2012 psp/ SRPG/ JP only
Price: A like-new ps2 copy with the guidebook and box should be no more than 1700¥
Atwiki Review Page
"The protagonist is a private tutor that goes in a trip with a new student in a ship that suddenly gets attacked by pirates. The two end up in a mysterious Island where many summon beasts live freely. They are unable to leave at first, but eventually become friends with the inhabitants. However, this doesn’t last long as they have to fight against the army and the secret organization behind the Island creation. During this battle, the protagonist find a mysterious sword that gives him many powers and change his appearance dramatically, but at a great cost."
This entry introduces a lot of new features. First off you can play as either a male or female teacher, and then you can select a child to be your student. Each child has their own little summon beast. You can choose what to teach your student, which changes their growth and skills. This also the entry where Brave Clear was introduced: if you meet certain conditions during battle, you can gain bonus rewards. There's a karma system that can lead to a bad ending if you abuse it too much. Also, the art has been greatly improved with some of the cutest/coolest designs in the series☆
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
This one is totally the fan favorite! The female teacher, Aty, is the most popular character in the entire series and even shows up in properties like Project X Zone. I really like the relationship between teacher and student in this one. Oh, and you can turn into a cool white magic furry thing like it's Dissidia, www. If you can read Japanese and wanna see the cream of the crop, you should probably start here.
💎 Summon Night 4 / 2006 ps2 + 2012 psp/ SRPG/ JP only
Price: A like-new ps2 copy with the guidebook and box should be no more than 1300¥
Atwiki Review Page
"The protagonist is a teenager who lives as a Inn keeper in Traiul, a town in the Empire. During a meteor shower, a giant egg falls next to the lead, reveling a baby dragon inside it. The dragon does an imprint and start thinking the protagonist is its parent. The protagonist adopts the dragon, but a mysterious group is also after the baby. He eventually comes to know that the baby is actually the reincarnation of a dragon god, – the protector of all summon beasts."
The buddies of this game are adorable dragon children. You can choose between a girl, boy, or nonbinary dragon. (～￣▽￣)～ There is a cooking system where you can produce a variety of items. There is also plenty of cameos from characters of all the previous games with their own little stories to go with them, and minigames from 2 are brought back for items. The karma systems has been removed this time around.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
I mentioned before that the series is praised for it's "crapsaccharine world", so Japanese fans were not very happy when this entry walked back on it. The characters in this one are a little too chipper for most. It was interpreted as going back a notch in maturity after SN3. However, I still found the game enjoyable, since I'm weak to games where you can raise a child. My big brother instinct is just too powerful. My favorite art in the series is the picture of Ray and Coral peeling apples together, how sweet (^人^)
💎 Summon Night 5 / 2013 psp/ SRPG/ JP and EN!!
Price: Looks like an English copy of this will cost you at least $50. But happily, PSP emulation is easy as pie :))
Atwiki Review Page
"In the modern city of Savorle, the protagonist and their partner work for an organization known as Eucross. They solve cases and protect the citizens while unraveling a conspiracy that threatens to tear humans and summon beasts apart."
By this point Flight-Plan had gone bankrupt, so Fellistella (which included many of the old members) had jumped in to revive the series. Because of this, much of the gameplay and presentation has changed. The battles are still strategic but no longer take place on such a large stage. There are 3D avatars now with Live2D for the portraits. You can still choose between a male and female protagonist (they have slightly different stats) and happily, there are 4 different summon beasts that can act as you little sibling. They're CUUUUTE!!!
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( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
This one is pretty different from the others, but it still carries the same spirit. The OP is suuuper flashy because it's made by Ufotable. Hmm, I like the older titles more... But I can't ignore the love and effort put into this entry. They did a good job! Also, Dyth, the mech summon, is my favorite in the entire series. This is the only entry in the mainline series that's in English, so if you see it, you should pick it up. Well, it's not the only mainline entry in English, buuut....
💎 Summon Night 6: Lost Borders / 2016 psp4/vita/ SRPG/ JP and EN
Price: English copies I've seen around for $70+. JP copies are around the 5000¥ )
Atwiki Review Page
"In the empty world of Fillujah, items fall down from the sky. Raj and Amu find a mysterious man named Ist. They team up with characters from across the series to find a way back home. "
This is the last game in the mainline series and it feels far less like an actual entry and more like a fanservicey spinoff. The story line is far thinner in favor of showcasing as many of the old character as possible. You can recruit just about everyone from old casts and hang out with them in night talks. The maps are bigger than 5, with an ATB element to the turn order. Instead of choosing a protagonist at the start, you choose later one with the other choice tagging along. It should be noted that when Gaijinworks localized this, they provided an English dub with no option to switch to Japanese voice acting (for some reason?)
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
As you can tell from my tone, I'm not exactly taken with this one. I haven't played it myself, so take everything I say with a grain of salt... But I'm rightfully confused with how Gaijinworks brought this over when English wouldn't know who 90% of the cast is. It's a crossover game meant for longtime fans. It seems, unfortunately, that longtime fans did not enjoy it, saying that the portrayal of the characters was off and that the story wasn't up to par. The opening animation is much shoddier compared to the others. I'm still tempted to play it since the friendship between the main three looks cute, but I'm not expecting anything great. I wouldn't suggest this one, especially not for a newcomer.
⚔ THE SPINOFF SERIES
*a lot of these are in english, so let's have fun!
💎 Summon Night Swordcraft Story 1+2+3 / 2003+2004+2005 GBA/ side scrolling ARPG/ JP and EN
Price: English copies of 1+2 are around $50+, but emulating is no problem.
Atwiki Review Page 123
"In this series, you play as a male or female Craftknight, on their way to being a Craftlord! Grab a summon partner, search for materials, and craft swords, axes, spears, knuckles and drills to your heart's content. Behind the scenes, a grand conspiracy is brewing..."
This miniseries features side scrolling ARPG combat similar to that in the early Tales of games. You can craft a variety of weapons with various elemental affinities, and even use drills to break down enemy weapons to steal for yourself. The games features Summon Night classics such as night talks and 4 different summon beasts to be your partner. The art for this series is done by Ootsuka Shinichirou, character designer for Re:Zero.
*note: 1+2 are in English, while 3 is currently being patched.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
If you haven't played this, what are you doing?! It's the most fun you can have with a gameboy advance! The plots aren't mind blowing but they do go to some unexpected places, and the characters POP! with personality like never before! There's a cheekiness to the dialogue that had me laughing out loud. That's not even bringing up the combat. It's not super deep but it is super addictive, with the loop of gathering materials -> crafting -> slashing away being so much fun. Swordcraft 1 is a classic, 2 improves on it even more and 3 expands the crafting to be more engaging. The games are so beloved I've seen a number of doujin games adopting the playstyle with SN scenario writer (and LGBT ally) Kei Miyakozuki going on to create the spiritual successor Maglam Lord. Basically: You should play this game! There's no way you won't have fun!
💎 Summon Night: Twin Age / 2007 ds/ ARPG/ JP and EN
"During the upcoming days of Aldo and Reiha's "Coming of Age" ceremony and Princess Ayn's ritual to become accepted as the Spirit King's daughter, a new havoc has begun that has brought all spirits in disorder. In order to find the cause of this, the two protagonists seek out to find the answer. And find more than they have intended. "
This game relies mostly on the touch screen and stylus to move characters through dungeons and attack. Skills are activated on the left and right bars, and characters can be switched between during combat. The story is light hearted and fairly short. You can choose between the summoner Reiha or the summon beast Aldo, but both characters will be present in the story regardless. Just like before, there are night talks with the friends you make. Sunaho Tobe did the designs for this one ^_^ so they're extra comfy cute.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
I'm split on this game. On one hand, the presentation is some of the best in the series. The character sprites are bouncy, and there are beautiful flourishes like hand-drawn clouds sailing across the map screen. The story is light but the relationship between the main two characters is sweet. Of course, the art is good. On the other hand, the combat is BABY EASY! I know I kept saying that the games were more than just the combat, but the combat in this one is so easy you can do it with your eyes closed. It wouldn't be so bad if the dungeons weren't so boring in design. Maybe I've been too harsh... This would be a good game for younger kids or people who haven't tried ARPGs before.
💎 Summon Night X: Tears Crown / 2009 ds/ RPG/ JP and EN patched
"In the world of Runeheim, where humans and winged folk have fought for a millennia, a decade of peace between the empire of Delteana and the kingdom of Celestia is about to end. The player has the choice to play from the viewpoint of either Phara or Dylan, both of which are heirs to the throne of the opposing kingdoms and are childhood friends caught between the impending war."
The darkest in the series, X features a twisting story where you fight racism with the power of JRPG and Extreme Fishing 🤭 It features turn based RPG battles with a in-depth summoning stone system where you can modify summon beasts with gems. You can perform joint attacks after achieving affection with other characters, and you can have characters fight on the air (on the top ds screen) or the ground (the bottom ds screen). Brave Clear returns with night talks. Surprising for the ds, it includes almost complete voice acting. Ootsuka Shinichirou does character designs once again, and they're rather beautiful.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's Thoughts)
Could this be... The Ultimate Summon Night?
Seriously speaking, this is probably the peak of the series. The gameplay and story are the deepest, and they entire experience feels kinda "deluxe". It also proves to be fairly challenging in areas. The summon stone stuff keeps things interesting since you have to think about who would use them best while also keeping into account their growth. I'm a fan of the character designs in this game, Garrit and the traveling storyteller being my favorites <3 There's also a cute little mascot dog thing that turns into a boy?! But you can dress him up in the side content. Yep, this game is uber deluxe, so if you want a good RPG to play, you should definitely check this out. Oh... And Elnadita is best girl. Suddenly I want to replay the game.
💎 Summon Night "the other ps2 ones"/ 2005+2010 ps2/ ARPG/ JP only
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)Summon Night Ex-These: Yoake no Tsubasa and Summon Night Granthese: Horobi no Tsurugi to Yakusoku no Kishi are ARPGs for the ps2 that I would love to talk about, except that I haven't played them or heard much about them at all. Aoi Ohmori did the art for Ex-These, so that's pretty cool.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <(Chip's IRRELEVANT Thoughts)
Huh? Why should I provide my thoughts here if I don't know anything about these games? Well, I just find it odd that I haven't heard much at all. I've seen some fanart of Ex-These, but I've never seen anything regarding Granthese. Looking it up now, the impression seems to be "it was neither good nor bad". That doesn't make me excited at all. at least with Ex-These I like the OP and the character designs are really nice. There's a demon girl who looks fun and a dog man who is kind of husbando. That has nothing to do with the actually quality of the game, so ignore me.
⚔ SUMMON NIGHT, IN SPIRIT
*some series that aren't summon night, but summon night adjacent.
- Maglam Lord is the spiritual successor to Swordcraft Story with the scenarios written by the SN writer himself. It includes all the swording and crafting with an extra focus on romance, which is fun. It's nice to see the series still kicking in some way.
- Black/Matrix is another Flight-Plan series I briefly covered before. It has a far darker story and more challenging gameplay while still keeping in line with Flight-Plan values (ie good presentation and being gay). More specifically Black/Matrix 00 (for psx, although there is a gba version) feels most in line with SN due to sharing the same character designer.
- Dragon Shadow Spell has nothing to do with SN, but at first glance you might mistake it for one of the series. An SRPG with Kouhaku art and a touch of homo? Yep, thats SN. Also, the presentation is stunning.
✨🎣 MAYBE WE WILL MEET NEXT FULL MOON? 🌙💎
Ah, there we are. I didn't get into the light novels or defunct mobage, but honestly I don't think I have to. My hands hurt too much! But I love Summon Night and I hope you will as well, since it's been one of my favorite series since I discovered it a few years ago. It's not special or outstanding but I think it was able to do something few other series have been able to: be comfy and warm through and through. The fanbase is small but completely devoted, organizing conventions on pictsquare with goods being traded between the same few vendors year after year. I was happily able to attend one last year. I waited patiently for my goods and when they arrived, I found a note with a doodle of Natsumi, saying: "Thank you for the good times!"
So, you'll save me 始めよう 此処で
本気では泣いたりできない
妙に冷めた自分に say good bye
どんなに深い傷を負っても
抱いていたい 君が 在た
That's all I need
Thanks for reading, and happy summoning!
