Tora's Zelda's clone flopped

[Toshima Ward, Ikebukuro]

[KiShin HQ]

It had been approximately a week since the KiShin FamiCom had achieved a million in sales.

[CEO's Office]

Lee Han was currently engaged in a discussion with Shin.

"Yes, sir. It appears that the Suzuki Group is gearing up to launch a new product. They're planning to hold a press conference in about a week," Lee Han reported gravely. He felt it necessary to share this information with Shin, particularly because he recalled the Suzuki Group Chairman's son persistently pestering him about KiShin's shares and trying to convince Shin to take the company public.

"Yes, it has certainly created quite a buzz in the business world," Shin remarked with a smile as he sipped his coffee. Then, shaking his head, he added, "But that isn't our concern."

Lee Han nodded, though he couldn't shake off a lingering unease regarding the Suzuki Group's sudden press conference. It was fueled by a dream he had, one where the Suzuki Group launched a product similar to Tora, the 16-bit console, which was not yet accessible within their company.

"The Zapper Light Gun is on the verge of completion, correct?" Shin inquired, his attention shifting back to the computer screen before him.

"Yes, it should be ready for mass release in about a week," Lee Han confirmed, gradually setting aside his concerns about the Suzuki Group's press conference.

---

'The Odyssey of Neren Rage' was the latest video game released by Tora VG Productions. Its advertisement had appeared on various popular and major broadcasting channels in Tokyo, including Nippon TV, TBS, and NHK, capturing the attention of many.

The advertisement consisted of a three-minute animation, featuring the main character, 'Neren Rage,' a young man clad in humble robes residing in the Hera Empire.

The world was embroiled in chaos and warfare, and Neren Rage, an impoverished youth, was chosen to serve as a soldier for his empire. Bloodshed and cruelty ravaged the land, and all of it unfolded before the innocent eyes of Neren Rage in its gruesome detail.

Over time, the young man underwent a profound transformation. His demeanor grew cold, and he fought relentlessly to survive the brutality of the battlefield. After several years of relentless conflict, the wars finally subsided when the two empires decided to cease hostilities and reach a truce.

As the world transitioned into an era of peace, many people wept tears of joy, and laughter echoed through the taverns during celebratory gatherings. However, this newfound joy did not touch Neren Rage. He had already been scarred by the horrors of war, and although his outward resilience seemed unyielding, beneath it lay the innocence of the young Neren Rage, ensnared and forcibly thrust into the ravages of war.

Even though the world had found peace, Neren Rage was afflicted by insomnia. His instincts and body remained in a perpetual state of alert, as if a threat still lurked, despite the cessation of war.

Neren Rage believed he would exist in solitary vigilance and perpetual fear, his body seemingly craving the atmosphere of war while simultaneously recoiling from it. However, everything changed when he received a summons to the palace, where he was entrusted with a mission: to rescue the kidnapped princess, taken by the prince of the former enemy empire, the Aegis Empire, with whom the Hera Empire had recently made peace.

Since the Aegis Empire disavowed any involvement with the kidnapping, absolving themselves of responsibility due to their prince's rebellion, the blame did not fall on the Aegis Empire. The two empires were wary that this incident could reignite hostilities, potentially leading to another war. Consequently, they jointly decided to entrust the covert rescue of the princess to a special operative.

The Hera Empire selected none other than their finest soldier, Neren Rage, for this critical mission. With the framework of the plot in place, Neren Rage embarked on his quest to locate and rescue the kidnapped princess, who remained hidden by the villainous prince.

The video game's storyline sparked animated discussions throughout Tokyo.

"Rescue a princess? Doesn't that sound familiar..."

Another observer chimed in, "Looks like they're borrowing a page from KiShin's video games again, hahaha!"

However, the technical guys who had favored Tora over FamiCom due to its advanced system staunchly defended the Tora video game. "It's not solely about monsters like in 'The Legend of Zelda'... It delves into empires, wars, and conspiracy..."

"Yeah, it revolves around medieval era wars and conspiracy..."

As debates raged on across various forums, the Japanese Government held a different perspective. The Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan found the content of the Tora Video Game to be sensitive, particularly because it evoked memories of a painful past for some individuals.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kuwahara Jiro had his sights set on Tora Corporation. While they might be a prominent corporation, that didn't grant them immunity from damaging the country's image. However, Tora Corporation remained unaware of the fact that government officials were closely monitoring their activities.

[At Tora Department Store]

A throng of excited customers had already formed a line to purchase 'The Odyssey of Neren Rage.' Leading the queue was a young man named Kyou, who eagerly secured a copy.

After acquiring the game, Kyou rushed back home and, upon entering his room, swiftly powered on his television and activated the Tora 16 VG Entertainment System. With both the TV and Tora console humming to life, he inserted the video game cartridge into the slot.

The Tora logo appeared on the screen, and following that, the title 'Odyssey of Neren Rage'...

"They even mimicked the intro style of 'The Legend of Zelda'... Just with a different design," Kyou couldn't help but note, a wry smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

He pressed the controller button to initiate the game, and before diving in, it prompted him to enter his name.

Without hesitation, Kyou input his own name, and the game finally commenced.

An introductory message appeared: "The Odyssey of Neren Rage - Our valiant warrior, Neren Rage, has been assigned the formidable task of rescuing Princess Aanyala from the clutches of the malevolent Aegis Prince Regeh. This mission was shrouded in secrecy to prevent further turmoil in both empires. Your mission: save Princess Aanyala and avert the world from plunging into war once more..."

Following that, various in-game items and information were listed...

Kyou owned a FamiCom and had played 'The Legend of Zelda,' so he recognized that even the introduction style was identical; only the text content differed.

As the game commenced, his in-game character sported green attire and a brown hat...

The gameplay style mirrored that of 'The Legend of Zelda,' and similar to that game, the character was initially unarmed. Just as Kyou began to search for the sword's location, a message appeared: "The Emperor wishes to meet you..."

Kyou maneuvered his character into the palace, where he beheld the emperor seated upon the throne.

"Welcome, brave warrior. You are our last hope to rescue my daughter, the princess. This mission carries great peril; take this sword."

A sword materialized for Kyou's in-game character.

Afterward, Kyou steered his character outside the palace, but as his character emerged, Hera soldiers swiftly surrounded him. "You shan't rescue the princess. Prince Regeh shall reign supreme!"

A skirmish ensued, with Kyou's character retaliating. Progressing further, Kyou encountered various foes, including mages and sorcerers along the way.

Although the game boasted slightly enhanced graphics compared to 'The Legend of Zelda,' Kyou couldn't shake off his growing sense of boredom. There were no secret caves or hidden locations akin to 'The Legend of Zelda.' The gameplay adhered closely to its narrative, with little room for exploration beyond battling mobs and adversaries.

As a result, Kyou grew disinterested and powered down the Tora 16-bit console, disconnecting it from the TV. He then retrieved his KiShin FamiCom and inserted 'The Legend of Zelda.'

In contrast, 'The Legend of Zelda' offered vastly superior and more engaging gameplay. Kyou quickly realized that by placing bombs at specific spots, he could uncover uncharted caves and hidden underground realms.

Unlike the hurried and somewhat grim narrative of 'The Odyssey of Neren Rage,' 'The Legend of Zelda' offered a more immersive and satisfying gaming experience.