Steambot Chronicles

is an action-adventure game for the PlayStation 2 that features a sandbox style of play. The game was developed by Irem Software Engineering in Japan and is published by Atlus. Irem later published a puzzle spin-off, "Blocks Club with Bumpy Trot".

A sequel, "Bumpy Trot 2", was announced and shown at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show, though it's currently still in production. A PlayStation Portable action title, "Steambot Chronicles: Vehicle Battle Tournament", has also been released in Japan.

tory

The game begins with a personality test, the answers to these questions affect Vanilla's personality and how others treat him. Afterwards, a scene takes place where the main character, Vanilla Bean, wakes up on a plank of wood from a beached shipwreck, to find a girl named Coriander standing over him. Vanilla has amnesia after the shipwreck in which he was involved, so remembers absolutely nothing about himself. In fact, he only knows his own name because it was engraved on a harmonica.

At this point, the player can choose from a number of dialog options to speak to Connie, including friendly or hostile responses. Though these different options generally have no long-term effects, they will however influence Connie's reaction to you at least through the course of the cutscene. The player learns that Connie is gathering herbs to medicate her sickly mother, Rosemary, with whom she lives in her hometown of Nefroburg. Soon after, Vanilla spots a blue vehicle atop a nearby cliff that fires a bazooka and traps the two in the beach.

Connie becomes concerned because she must catch the last bus to her town, but can't with the fallen rocks blocking her. Searching through a small wooden beach house, the player can learn it holds bad memories for Connie, which is an old photograph that shows her and two unknown other figures. Vanilla then stumbles across an old run-down Trotmobile, the game's signature attraction. Trotmobiles are a type of mecha resembling a bipedal automobile, and is the same type of vehicle of their attacker. After reading the operation manual to the trotmobile, Vanilla manages to move the rubble and leave the beach. The pair then discover Connie's bus has already gone, so she asks Vanilla to drive her home. On the way to Nefroburg, the pair are ambushed by a member of a local trotmobile-riding gang, The Killer Elephants. The player can choose from a number of dialog options after the hoodlum threatens Connie, including standing up for her, offering to leave her to the gangster in exchange for his safety, and proposing a cash bribe. No matter what option is chosen, the player will inevitably be forced to fight the hoodlum. After defeating him, the two drive to a nearby carpet mill so Connie can rejoin with her friends Basil and Marjoram, who are in the same band she is.

The two were apparently at the mill to fix their instruments for a show later in the evening. Basil and Marjoram join Vanilla and Connie on the way home. They encounter a large quadraped mechanical mobile fortress belonging to the Killer Elephants on the way. The fortress opens fire on Vanilla and he is left with choice but to try and destroy it. This encounter acts as the game's first boss fight. After defeating the mechanical beast, the group reaches Nefroburg, and Vanilla escorts Connie home. After attending Connie's concert, the player is able to make multiple choices that affect the flow of the plot.

Characters

*Vanilla R. Beans: The protagonist of the game. He awakes on the shore of Seagull Beach, a shipwreck nearby, when he is found by Coriander. His personality is determined by the player through choices made throughout the game. He is voiced by Spike Spencer for the US version.

*Coriander: She is the lead vocalist of the Garland Globetrotters. She and Vanilla first meet on Seagull Beach while she was collecting herbs for her sick bed-ridden mother. She seems like a typical cheerful girl, but this belies a sadness from a past tragedy. She is voiced by Wendee Lee for the US version while Nadia Gifford provides her singing voice.

*Marjoram: The drummer and saxophonist for the Globetrotters. Marjoram is a dedicated hard-working man, also taking care of the band's paperwork and finances. His family owns a grocery store in Happy Garland.

*Savory: The backup vocalist and pianist for the Globetrotters. Savory is like a big sister to Coriander and is extremely popular with the band's male fans. She is voiced by Karen Strassman for the US version.

*Basil: He plays the bass string for the Globetrotters. He is short and immature, but has a knack for cheering people up. He is voiced by Spike Spencer for the US version.

*Fennel: He played guitar for the Globetrotters before leaving the band to pursue his musical dreams. Even after he leaves the band, he remains concerned about the other Globetrotters. He is voiced by Kirk Thornton for the US version.

*Dandelion: The former leader of the Globetrotters, for which he played the violin. He now crafts instruments in a small shop in the woods. He lost his brother Chickory in an accident a few years back, but he seems to have moved on. He is voiced by Yuri Lowenthal for the US version.

*Ciboulette: The captain of the Juniper Berry, a ship. She instructs the player in how to pilot a Trotmobile in the game's tutorial. She is voiced by Tara Platt for the US version.

*Rosemary: Coriander's bed-ridden mother, a sweet and gentle woman. She asks the player to be a good friend to Coriander as she is aware of her daughter's inner turmoil. Was the former leader of the Globetrotters a long time ago, and even taught Dandelion how to play. She is voiced by Stephanie Sheh for the US version.

*Mallow: A person who Vanilla gets confused with constantly during the story. Has some kind of connection to Coriander and the others, a very dark one. He is the son of a wealthy man that owns the hospital in Happy Garland. When he was young, he use to tease Dandelion and Chicory because they were poor. The player controls him during the tutorial mode which acts as a semi-prelude to the actual game. He is voiced by Dave Wittenberg for the US version.

Trotmobiles

The mechs, or "Trotmobiles" as they are called in the game, are the main meat of the game. In order to get from town to town near the beginning, the player must use his Trotmobile to traverse the countryside. The machine functions as more than a simple mode of transportation. Between towns, many other trotmobiles are dispersed.

The Trotmobile is also used to haul materials. When visiting an area such as a forest, there may be someone who will stock the players trotmobile with lumber, which can then be transported to someone who needs it, allowing a transaction for money to take place. Various back attachments are involved in this, such as a flatbed, carriage, basket, and a tank.

Trotmobile battles are a core aspect of gameplay. An arena, dozens of parts, and multiple opponents allow players to compete in melee for money. Parts may either be purchased from stores, found as a part of the story, or crafted from materials at city garages.

Many styles can be created. Small trotmobiles are faster, but cannot carry as much weight, and as such are prone to low health point (HP) totals. Meanwhile, larger Trotmobiles are more heavy-duty, bestowing more HP while lowering speed. Due to the stronger leg units, and likely the Large frame used, some of the heaviest equipment can be used on larger frames.

Music

Music is a large part of the "Steambot Chronicles" storyline and acts as a chapter ender in many cases. At first a solo musician busking on the street, Vanilla gets invited to join the Garland Globetrotters. With each successful concert, Vanilla earns tips and posters of the other Globetrotters, as well as sheet music for new songs. The sheet music allows Vanilla to practice songs solo. Practice and play well enough, and Vanilla will be asked to manage the band.

There are several instruments in the game, each with different control schemes. Vanilla starts out with a harmonica, and can later acquire the trumpet, saxophone, violin, string bass, accordion, drums, and guitar as well as play church organs and pianos found in bars or colleges. The main goal of playing music is for tips.

There are six vocal songs, four that Coriander performs during the main story, and two which have to be unlocked through sidequests. Nadia Gifford wrote and performed the songs for Coriander, which include:

*1. In your voice
*2. Impossible
*3. I cry
*4. Just shout it out
*5. See you later

The last song in the game is sung by Ryan Kerwin as Fennel:
*6. Music Revolution

In an optional side-quest, Vanilla can acquire an electric guitar and join Fennel's 'Fennel and the Blue Lightning' band.

ide quests

One notable aspect of "Steambot Chronicles" are the variety of non-critical side quests the player can do to pass the time and earn Uroch, the game's currency. The player can compete in gladiatorial Trotmobile battles, play music for tips, carry people or crgo to a destination for a fee, uncover and sell fossils and relics, and buy goods and sell them for profit.

Reception

The game has received generally positive reviews, given a 7.1/10 from Gamespot, a 7.3/10 from IGN, and ranking with a 75% on Game Rankings. Main points of criticism has been directed to the game's difficult controls and rampant slowdown, but was complimented on its battles, its musical score, and the freedom the game gives the player.

External links

* [http://www.bumpytrot.com/index.html Official site(irem)]
* [http://ps2.ign.com/objects/705/705223.html IGN page]
* [http://www.rpgamer.com/games/other/ps2/steambot/steambot.html RPGamer page]