Eternika

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Eternika is a 2019 2D fighting game developed and published by Stardust Citadel Studios, set to be released for PCs (through Steam), Nintendo Switch and The V². The game features an all-female cast of characters, hailing from different parts of the world. Amidst the arrival of an ancient demon, they must rekindle the power of their ancestors, whom managed to defeat the beast in the past, by unlocking the strength of their Crest, a special mark bestowed upon the descendants of those heroes, which unlock their true potential if they are deemed a worthy descendant.
Inspired by Capcom's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future and Lab Zero's Skullgirls, the game features a diverse cast of characters, having very distinct designs and playstyles from one another. The game features a simplified four-button system, meant to be easy for newcomers yet still complex enough to peek the interest of more experienced players.
In 2019, Toroko took the publishing right for the game upon Stardust Citadel's closure.
==Gameplay==
As it is with 2D fighting games, the game revolves around the battle between two or four characters, of which the winner is the one that manages to deplete the other's health bar. The game features a simplified input system, which only utilizes four buttons. Three for attacks and one special button, meant for defensive plays, which works differently depending of how it is used:
*Pressing the button once will trigger the Block, which leaves the character motionless and make them take less damage from attacks. The damage reduction effect wears off after time, if the block is still on, it will eventually reach the point where it is meaningless and return the character to it's neutral position. To cancel the Block stance, simply press any other button, besides the one used to go into the Block stance.
*Tapping the button quickly will trigger the Parry. The Parry is a difficult manuever, which can only be executed during the moment slightly before an opponent attack actually connects with the player. This will cancel out the opponent's move and make the player not take any damage.
*Holding the button will trigger the Dodge. Simply holding it won't do anything, although when used with combination with a direction, it will make the character either dodge roll (if the directions are left or right) or do a Standing Dodge (if the directions are up or down).
The three attacking buttons correspond to High Attack, Medium Attack and Low Attack. A combination of the buttons, as well combinations utilizing the directional inputs, turns them into a special attack. The combination depends of the playable character the players are using.
Like with other traditional 2D fighters, each character also has a super special move, usually flashier and stronger than a normal attack. In Eternika, these moves are referred as a "Secret Art". In order to use these Secret Arts, the player must successfully perform attack, blocks and parries against the opponent in order to fill up a bar. The bar fills up faster depending on the difficulty of the action the player successfully performed. The bar can go up to Level 3, and each character has at least one Secret Art per level. In order to use these, a combination of inputs must be performed.
*Level 1: Press two attack buttons at the same time.
*Level 2: Press all three attack buttons at the same time.
*Level 3: Press the attack buttons, one slightly after the other.
Eternika's focus is on balance, and said focus is featured within two mechanics. The first is the Counter Move: if the player finds themselves in a situation where they are unable to escape from an opponent combo, at the cost of one Secret Art Bar, they can perform a Counter Move, an unblockable move. A counter is not a powerful move, but it can lead to a combo by the opponent player. This is to ensure that both players have a chance in the battle and to ensure more creative tactics in combat.
The second mechanic is Adrenaline, which affects both players. Adrenaline is a mechanic that affects the power, speed and priority of each players moves. For a player that is doing a combo, their power and speed is slowly increasing as they continue on with it, but their attack priority is decreasing. For the player that is taking the combo, their power and speed is also increasing, alongside their attack priority. The combo player's boost is temporary, should they stop their combo, they will keep the boost for a while. The other player's boost is instant and it only applies for their next move.
Knowing this is important for having a strategy in battle. Going into a long combo can be dangerous, as the opponent can strike for huge damage if you let down your guard once and getting into a long combo is not as big as a deal as the player can turn around the battle in an instant, even their weaker attack is deadly in the hands of an Adrenaline boosted player. The Adrenaline boost wears off if either player misses an attack or if they don't perform an attack for a short period of time. Adrenaline does not affect Counters.
==Roster==
File:Eternikacss.png|center
poly 101 3 172 2 173 95 98 96 #hinata
poly 172 2 259 2 257 97 170 97 #lynna
poly 257 0 338 1 341 96 257 98 #inula
poly 118 100 195 101 191 197 120 198 #renee
poly 191 101 279 103 279 203 191 201 #abigail
poly 362 199 278 199 278 98 359 98 #mihaela
poly 140 200 225 201 224 299 141 299 #gladys
poly 227 201 299 203 298 299 226 297 #stella
poly 298 198 382 200 381 300 299 298 #artelle
poly 161 301 247 300 245 397 163 397 #natara
poly 317 396 320 302 245 304 244 395 #fortunata
poly 319 303 402 304 404 399 317 398 #lilith
poly 5 1 103 3 100 96 0 96 #sly
poly 23 98 119 97 119 202 23 198 #pauline
poly 44 201 140 199 140 301 46 296 #verchunka
poly 69 302 162 300 162 396 66 398 65 303 #sora
poly 341 1 438 3 435 100 341 99 #nyanranja
poly 361 104 455 103 454 198 364 198 362 199 #vivi
poly 382 202 479 204 474 299 382 298 #ursa
poly 405 306 497 302 498 395 403 397 #aira
===Starting Characters===
===Unlockable Characters===
==Stages==
 	 	 	
 	 	 	
 	 	 	
Hinata's home stage. The stage takes place in Hinata's memories of the last time she saw her hometown, sometimes corrupted by the sights of the massacre caused by the war. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Hinata's home stage. The stage takes place in Hinata's memories of the last time she saw her hometown, sometimes corrupted by the sights of the massacre caused by the war. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Lynna's home stage. The stage takes place in Lynna's biggest show yet, a tour through out the American Midwest. The stage shifts from the show stage and the tour bus, where the fighters battle on top. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Lynna's home stage. The stage takes place in Lynna's biggest show yet, a tour through out the American Midwest. The stage shifts from the show stage and the tour bus, where the fighters battle on top. There is no hazards in this stage.
 	 	 	
Inula's home stage. The stage takes place in the history of the preservation of the Amazon Forest, as it starts out as a lush green forest as it is gradually destroyed. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Inula's home stage. The stage takes place in the history of the preservation of the Amazon Forest, as it starts out as a lush green forest as it is gradually destroyed. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Renee's home stage. The stage takes place in Renee's interexchange school. As the fighters fight at the school gate, the other students watch from afar, often cheering. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Renee's home stage. The stage takes place in Renee's interexchange school. As the fighters fight at the school gate, the other students watch from afar, often cheering. There is no hazards in this stage.
 	 	 	
Abigail's home stage. The stage takes place in the Ainsworth family owned theater. The fighters play on the centre stage, as other performers test out their tricks on the background. The audience serves as a hazard, with a random chance of them throwing items onto the stage. 	Abigail's home stage. The stage takes place in the Ainsworth family owned theater. The fighters play on the centre stage, as other performers test out their tricks on the background. The audience serves as a hazard, with a random chance of them throwing items onto the stage. 	Mihaela's home stage. The stage takes place in the events that led to Mihaela's fatal injury, starting off from the police station to the fighters fighting on top of cars. Misfired bullets serve as the hazards, which fly out at random. 	Mihaela's home stage. The stage takes place in the events that led to Mihaela's fatal injury, starting off from the police station to the fighters fighting on top of cars. Misfired bullets serve as the hazards, which fly out at random.
 	 	 	
Gladys's home stage. The stage takes place in the secret underground lair of Gladys's gang. The battle takes place in the "Throne Room", a room where Gladys stays when making negotiations. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Gladys's home stage. The stage takes place in the secret underground lair of Gladys's gang. The battle takes place in the "Throne Room", a room where Gladys stays when making negotiations. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Fortunata's home stage. The stage takes place in the Race Course where Fortunata usually races on, on the stables where the horses stay. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Fortunata's home stage. The stage takes place in the Race Course where Fortunata usually races on, on the stables where the horses stay. There is no hazards in this stage.
 	 	 	
Evelyne's home stage. The stage takes place in the art gallery where her artwork is shown. The stage itself is a white hallway, with many paintings made by her. Some of Evelyne's paintings serves as hazards, as they might come to life and trap the opponent inside them and then shoot them out.	Evelyne's home stage. The stage takes place in the art gallery where her artwork is shown. The stage itself is a white hallway, with many paintings made by her. Some of Evelyne's paintings serves as hazards, as they might come to life and trap the opponent inside them and then shoot them out.	Natara's home stage. The stage takes place in the Clepysdrian Kingdom, as it stands today - an underwater dome that seems invisible from the outside but hides an advanced civilization inside. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Natara's home stage. The stage takes place in the Clepysdrian Kingdom, as it stands today - an underwater dome that seems invisible from the outside but hides an advanced civilization inside. There is no hazards in this stage.
 	 	 	
Stella's home stage. The stage takes place in the big stage where Stella fought on. The fighters can fight inside the ring and outside it. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Stella's home stage. The stage takes place in the big stage where Stella fought on. The fighters can fight inside the ring and outside it. There is no hazards in this stage. 	Lilith's home stage. The stage takes place in the dingy bar where Lilith dances and makes a living in. The battle takes place in the center of the bar, with consumers minding their business as they come in. There is no hazards in this stage.	Lilith's home stage. The stage takes place in the dingy bar where Lilith dances and makes a living in. The battle takes place in the center of the bar, with consumers minding their business as they come in. There is no hazards in this stage.
 	 	 	
 	 	 	
Mei's home stage. The stage takes place in the places where Mei used to roam around after she escaped from the clutches of Verchunka. Random hooligans can occassionaly disrupt the battle by grabbing the opponents by their arms or by throwing beer bottles. 	Mei's home stage. The stage takes place in the places where Mei used to roam around after she escaped from the clutches of Verchunka. Random hooligans can occassionaly disrupt the battle by grabbing the opponents by their arms or by throwing beer bottles. 	Pauline's home stage. The stage takes place in the hidden rented basement where Pauline uses as a secret lair. It is painted yellow and black. Bees serves as hazards, reflecting their role in real life. 	Pauline's home stage. The stage takes place in the hidden rented basement where Pauline uses as a secret lair. It is painted yellow and black. Bees serves as hazards, reflecting their role in real life.
 	 	 	
Sora's home stage. The stage takes place in the television station where Sora works as the weather girl. There are no hazards in this stage. 	Sora's home stage. The stage takes place in the television station where Sora works as the weather girl. There are no hazards in this stage. 	Verchunka's home stage. The stage takes place in the secret laboratory where Verchunka does her experiments. Failed test subjects serves as the stage hazards. 	Verchunka's home stage. The stage takes place in the secret laboratory where Verchunka does her experiments. Failed test subjects serves as the stage hazards.
 	 	 	
Ursa's "home" stage. The stage takes place in a glitchy mess, formed out of random chunks of other stages. There are no stage hazards. 	Ursa's "home" stage. The stage takes place in a glitchy mess, formed out of random chunks of other stages. There are no stage hazards. 	Nyanranja's home stage. The stage takes place in the training zone where Nyanranja's new protocols were tested. Other robots serves as stage hazards, firing at training targets. 	Nyanranja's home stage. The stage takes place in the training zone where Nyanranja's new protocols were tested. Other robots serves as stage hazards, firing at training targets.
 	 	 	
ViVi's home stage. The stage takes place in the center of a metropolian area, where Viubhal looms over the fighters fighting on top of a building. There are no stage hazards. 	ViVi's home stage. The stage takes place in the center of a metropolian area, where Viubhal looms over the fighters fighting on top of a building. There are no stage hazards. 	ViVi's home stage. The stage takes place in the center of a metropolian area, where Viubhal looms over the fighters fighting on top of a building. There are no stage hazards. 	ViVi's home stage. The stage takes place in the center of a metropolian area, where Viubhal looms over the fighters fighting on top of a building. There are no stage hazards.
==Downloadble Content==
 	 		
Throwback 	A free pack that adds costumes based on the original character sprites for the first version of Eternika. 		
Fateful Paths	An expansion pack that adds a new story mode and a new set of characters, whom are alternate universe versions of the cast in the base game. 		
Fusion Frenzy	A second expansion pack, which adds a new gameplay mode as well as extra story chapters. The new game mode is called Fusion Battle, where the players can fuse two characters and play as the combination of them.		
Category:Stardust Citadel
Category:2019
Category:Fighting Games
Category:Original Games
Category:Nintendo Switch Games
Category:PC Games
Category:Steam Games
Category:Arcade Games
Category:V2 Games