Madoka ★ Etoiles ~Rondo of Grief~
Madoka ★ Etoiles ~Rondo of Grief~ (まどか★エトワール ～嘆きの輪舞曲～ Madoka★Etoile ~Nageki no Rondo~ ) is a multi-player (local, with netplay planned) puzzle game developed by Gensou Stlavus -Stlavus of Fantagecc Symphony-. The game contains gorgeous graphics, a soundtrack composed of arranged tracks from the anime, voice acting and different, original storylines depending on the difficulty setting. Players can choose one of the five main characters from the anime in Story Mode or one out of fourteen in the other available modes. Each character has their own stats and unique special attacks which inflict their own effects onto their opponents.
Gameplay
Players have to attempt to make combinations of either four or five Soul Gem Blocks of the same color. The purpose of the game is to "attack" the opponent until their Life Bar is depleted.
In order to deal damage to the opponent's Life Bar, the player must use Soul Gems or create combinations of four Soul Gem Blocks. Combos of four Soul Gem Blocks deal rather minute damage when compared to Soul Gem combos and finishing moves. Soul Gems are created by making combos of 5 or more blocks. To use a Soul Gem, a combo of four or more blocks which includes the Soul Gem must be created. When a Soul Gem is used, the row and column that the Soul Gem was in disappears, if another Soul Gem happened to be in that same row or column, it is also used and chain combos are created in this way. Chain combos allow the player to deal greater damage, with each additional Soul Gem in the combo giving a damage bonus. Creating Soul Gems of the same type as the Puella Magi's gives a bonus to the Magi Bar and damage inflicted.
The character's Magi Bar is increased when a Soul Gem is created, when the Magi Bar is full, the character's finishing move is automatically used and their Soul Gem (this does not apply to Witches) is tainted by a considerable amount. Soul Gems can be tainted by using a Soul Gem but more so when the Puella Magi's finishing move is used. If the Puella Magi's Soul Gem is completely tainted, they will turn into a Witch and lose the match. Damage inflicted is also lessened by the amount of taint in a Puella Magi's Soul Gem.
In order for a Puella Magi to avoid becoming a witch, Grief Seeds must be used. To acquire a Grief Seed, the player must create eight combos of four or more Blocks, how many more combos are needed are indicated by a meter at the bottom of the screen. After a Grief Seed is dropped into the player's field, the player must either create or use a Soul Gem that is adjacent to the Grief Seed to clean their Soul Gem.
The rate at which Soul Gem Blocks fall into the player's field is determined by their Speed stat. Aside from their Speed stat, the player can be granted a large amount of Soul Gem Blocks through Grief Seed Overdrive. If the player happens to have a small amount of Soul Gem Blocks in their field along wtih one or more Grief Seeds and has not created a combo for a long period of time, the Grief Seed combo indicator will flash Grief Seed Overdrive and the player will be granted a large amount of Soul Gem Blocks. The amount of Soul Gem Blocks granted is determined by the number of Grief Seeds in the player's field. Grief Seed Overdrive uses up all of the player's Grief Seeds and can be cancelled/postponed by the player creating a combo.
Gameplay Modes
There are three types of gameplay modes to choose from, Story Mode, Free Battle and Survival.
Story Mode - Story Mode plays out like a non-interactive Visual Novel with matches in-between the story sequences. Players can unlock additional characters and difficulty settings through Story Mode.
Free Battle - Free Battle allows the player to fight one match either with a second player or the computer. Any character can be chosen in this mode, including Witches.
Survival - One Puella Magi is chosen and the player battles all unlocked characters. If they lose once, the game is over.
Characters
Magical Girls
Madoka
Madoka is an all-rounder with equal proficiency in all stats. Her finishing move deals damage to her opponent while also randomly sealing six of their Soul Gem blocks.
Sayaka
Sayaka's stats are focused on Life and Attack however, her Soul Gem quickly becomes tainted faster than the other girls' and her Smash and Finish stats are fairly low. Her finishing move inflicts damage on the enemy while also changing one random type of her Soul Gem Blocks to blue. Playing with Sayaka can be difficult as her special can create more Soul Gems and can cause her to repeatedly use her special, quickly turning her to a Witch.
Mami
Mami's stats focus on Smash and Finish and while she lacks a high Attack stat, she has average stats in other areas. Her finishing move, Tiro Finale, inflicts a massive amount of damage and destroys all of her opponent's Soul Gems.
Homura
Homura (her appearance is that of the early time-lines) has fairly average stats in all areas but Speed and Magi, which she specializes in. Her finishing move inflicts damage and causes her opponent to be unable to do anything for 15 seconds.
Kyoko
Kyoko has average stats in all areas but Attack and Speed which make her the best character to make Soul Gem combos with. Her finishing move inflicts damage and steals all of her opponent's Grief Seeds.
Witches & Familiars
Anthony
A weak familiar with low stats. Anthony can be unlocked in Free Battle Mode once a player defeated it, regardless of which Puella Magi chosen.
Gerthud
A witch with fairly low stats. Slightly much more powerful than Anthony. Gerthud can be unlocked once player defeated it and finished the game.
Charlotte
Charlotte has an average stats with fairly high Smash. It is unlocked once a player finished Mami's route.
Elsamaria
Elsamaria is a fairly strong witch with high HP. However, this witch has a fairly weak Attack and Finish. Elsamaria can only be encountered in Sayaka's route.
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