Down the World: Mervil's Ambition

Down the World: Mervil's Ambition
Title screen
Developer(s)	ASCII
Publisher(s)	Susumu Matsushita Company
Designer(s)	Chinfa Kang
Composer(s)	Jeff Pfeiffer
Platform(s)	Super Famicom[1]
Release date(s)	JP September 30, 1994[1]
Genre(s)	Console RPG[1]
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	CERO: n/a (not rated)
Media/distribution	16-megabit cartridge

Down the World: Mervil's Ambition (ダウン・ザ・ワールド^?, "The World Down")^[2] is a Final Fantasy IV-like RPG video game where the player takes the role as Mervil as he tries to become the most successful man in his world. This game was released for the Super Famicom in the fourth quarter of 1994.

During the course of the game, he fights rough monsters, goes on perilous quests, and becomes tougher as he acquires stronger equipment and fights evil forces. The first fifteen minutes of the game is completely non-interactive, including the random monster fights.

Elements

Story

It takes place in the Dark Ages^{[clarification needed]} of Japan. The player controls a cadet that has to guard the castle. Once the monsters kill the king, the player is transported to the modern day where he has to fight evil clowns near a Ferris wheel. The player finds a golden statue on the Ferris wheel after defeating the clowns. As a result, he is transported to a house that has recently been flooded to begin the interactive portion of the adventure.

Gameplay

The player has to cross a bridge to the south in order to get to the village where there is a weapon shop, an item shop, and an inn. Japanese literacy is required to play the game. It is considered the player's responsibility to save; he can save up to three different games anywhere in the game. In battle, the player can use his weapon or a variety of magic spells of both healing and destruction. Low level enemies include hermit crabs, snakes, and mobile cactus plants. After gaining control of the character, he starts out at experience level 3, as opposed to most games where he starts out at experience level 1. Certain monsters can also poison the character, which require an antidote to cure the constant loss of hit points in battle.

One of the controller buttons is used to automatically navigate the player back to a certain landmark; while another is used to check up on the player's statistics.

Characters

Berber

A fairy that doesn't participate in any of the combat sequences.

The Hero

A Knight of Blue Tears. Players direct him to be brave in battle.

Soundtrack

• Down The World Music - Episode 1

Gallery

• 

  This is the first village that the player experiences in Down the World - Mervil's Ambition. The villagers are miners and are carrying pickaxes.

• 

  The main character of the game is dealing 16 hit points of lethal damage to a hermit crab using his knife.

• 

  The main character is exploring a desert wasteland that is close to the first village in the game.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Release information". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/data/571142.html. Retrieved 2008-04-29. 
2. ^ "Japanese title". super-famicom.jp. http://www.super-famicom.jp/data/ta/ta_0033.html. Retrieved 2008-04-29. 

External links

• Neoseeker