and Juju–who are under the influence and control of the gods. Gameplay The Sword of Etheria is presented in a third-person perspective, with players controlling the actions of the main character, Fiel, such as interaction with objects and people. Players control Fiel during the battle while Almira and Leon are AI-controlled. The three characters fight in various surroundings including forests, villages, and dungeons. Each character is assigned a health gauge. If a character's health is reduced to zero, he or she will be incapacitated and forced to recover before returning to the battle. Drawing inspiration from the beat 'em up genre, the game's combat style revolves around performing combos on enemies. Enemies can be launched into the air to perform juggle combos, and players can accept aid from their partners for additional hits. The game also features a "tension gauge" on the right side of the screen. This gauge indicates the player's performance level with combos. The gauge increases when aerial combos are chained and decreases as the player's momentum falls. When the gauge is full, the player will have the ability to perform a powerful "deathblow" attack, combining the party's force to deal extensive damage to the enemies. The level of the gauge increases as the game proceeds, allowing the player to use more powerful attacks. At its highest level, a filled gauge displays the text "Over Zenith," signifying that the strongest deathblow can be performed. The Sword of Etheria's storyline is divided into chapters, and each chapter features multiple possible endings depending on a player's actions. For example, an alternate version of the game's ninth chapter features the three main characters portrayed as characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with Fiel as the Tin Man, Almira as the Scarecrow and Leon as the Lion. There is also an additional unlockable story in which Dorothy is playable as the main character. The game also features an option of costume change for the characters. These costumes can be purchased during the gameplay and they resemble costumes from various Konami games, including Suikoden III, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, and Silent Hill 3. Development Many members of The Sword of Etheria development team also worked on the Castlevania and Suikoden series. The director and producer, Junichi Murakami, directed Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, while the composer, Michiru Yamane, worked on the music. Fumi Ishikawa designed characters for Suikoden II. The Sword of