Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no Shō

Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc ~Seimasenki no Sho~ (ベルセルク 千年帝国の鷹篇 ~聖魔戦記の章~) is the second video game based on the manga Berserk. It was released by Sega-Sammy in Japan on the PlayStation 2 on October 7, 2004. Sammy has licensed it to YBM-Sisa for a Korean version which was made available at the same time.

Its predecessor, Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage, was released on Dreamcast by ASCII in 1999. Both Berserk video games were created by the Japanese developer Yuke's.

Berserk games timeline
The developer has not confirmed any overseas release, except Korea, for the PlayStation2.
 * 1999.12.16: ベルセルク 千年帝国の鷹(ミレニアム・ファルコン)篇 ~喪失花の章~
 * ASCII (Dreamcast NTSC/J) 🇯🇵
 * 2000.03.15: Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage
 * ASCII/Eidos (Dreamcast NTSC U/C) 🇺🇸
 * 2001.05.19: Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage
 * ASCII/Eidos (Dreamcast PAL E)
 * 2004.10.07: ベルセルク 千年帝国の鷹(ミレニアム・ファルコン)篇 ~聖魔戦記の章~
 * Sammy (PlayStation2 NTSC/J) 🇯🇵
 * 2004.10.07: ベルセルク 千年帝国の鷹(ミレニアム・ファルコン)篇 ~聖魔戦記の章~ BRANDED BOX 限定版
 * Sammy (PlayStation2 NTSC/J) 🇯🇵
 * 2004.10.07: 베르세르크 천년제국의 매 편 ~성마전기의 장~
 * Sammy/YBM-Sisa (PlayStation2 NTSC/J) 🇰🇷

Limited Edition
Two different releases were made in Japan, a collector Branded Box Limited Edition special package including a Guts action figure created by the famous Japanese manufacturer Art of War, and the cheaper, regular Standard Edition. In Republic of Korea, the Korean subtitled standard edition was bundled with the action figure in small quantities, only offered to preordering customers. The Korean and Japanese versions were both released the same day.

Due to its violent and grotesque content (gore), this game was not sold to under age customers in Japan and Republic of Korea.

Soundtrack
see Berserk Original Game Soundtrack CD

Berserk on PlayStation2
Owing to the more powerful hardware available to it, the PlayStation2 version is graphically superior to its five years' predecessor on Dreamcast. 3D modeling is more precise and polished on this new version, allowing CG-like quality character animated faces (this phenomenon is striking in close-ups), as well as the use of smoother textures. Also the maps are much larger than in the first game, allowing a reduced number of loading screens, and the ability for the player to get lost if not keeping an eye on the map. Motion Capture process was used for added realism in character moves. Game dubbing was made with the original anime TV series cast.

Plot
The game's story covers part of the Millennium Falcon Arc from the manga volumes 22 to 27.

Heroes trio
Known as the Black Swordsman, Guts is a veteran warrior and former mercenary. He is the hero of the popular medieval-fantasy-gore Berserk series. Guts has the ability to let his fury flow without any control at all, making him a berserker, a potential danger even for his close friends and allies. The berserk or berserker figure is a classic mythological archetype appearing in Nordic culture.

Once in admiration and sincere friendship with Griffith, Guts and he have progressively become rivals by a twist of fate, moving the Berserk series into the tradition of Greek tragedy. Mystical events and deep trauma have plunged the woman warrior Casca into amnesia. No longer commander of the Midland White Knights order, Guts wanders with a double meaning in life, to protect Casca and seek revenge on Griffith.

Once close allies, Guts and Griffith have forged a deadly animosity with each other, becoming the worst of enemies. Casca was once a fierce fighter living as a mercenary in the same band as Guts and Griffith.

Guts' side
At the beginning of the game, Guts is crossing a snowy valley. At the side of the mighty Black Swordsman are his two strange traveling companions. The first is Puck, a playful flying nude elf, and the second is Casca, a mute odd young woman suffering from amnesia and dressed as a beggar. This small fellowship will be later joined by three others, Isidro, Farnese and Serpico, whom they meet in an undead and ghoul-infested deep forest.

Their path leads them to a town in trouble with a ferocious troll infestation where they are helped by a female witch named Schierke and her elf ally Evarella. Schierke is herself linked to subsidiary characters such as her mistress Flora and the ambiguous Skull Knight.

Griffith's side
While traveling and fighting his way across a snowy landscape during the first chapter, Guts meets his worst enemy Griffith atop an hillock. Trying to engage him in a duel, Guts is faced by an old rival, Zodd the Immortal, who is now Griffith's bodyguard. Unable to defeat Guts in his human form, Zodd quickly morphs into his demonic Apostle form and pursues him.

In subsequent chapters Guts meets and engages Griffith's other servants, known as the Apostles, including the giant knight Grunberd, a member of the new Band of the Hawk.

God Hand
In the Berserk series, the God Hand is secretly hovering above mankind's destiny. The five extremities of the secret Hand of God are powerful merciless demons playing with human lives like a master with puppets. The God Hand Femto is actually Griffith's demonic incarnation as dubbed by Void, the assumed leader of the God Hand.

The obscure group is completed by three demons: Slan, a temptress who tries to seduce men in order to possess their souls and use them; Ubik, the brain; and Conrad, spreader of Pandora's Box.

Band of the Hawk
Starting as a 500-man mercenary militia, under Griffith's ambitious leadership the Band of the Hawk has become a regular army of a thousand souls serving the Midland king under the White Knight elite order. As a teenager, Casca's life and honor were saved by Griffith; she joined the band and never leaved, serving her admired (and more) protector as commander.

When Guts was the main officer (second only to Griffith) in the Band of the Hawk hierarchy, Judeau, Corcus and Pippin were also officers. These three men had joined Griffith long before Guts, especially Corcus, who regarded Guts with deep antipathy and jealousy, until his departure from the band. Judeau, Corcus, Pippin and the rest of the Band of the Hawk were eventually slaughtered by demons from the God Hand during the Eclipse. In the second chapter of the game, Guts meets his once friends and allies when entering a mysterious castle, but this time as enemies and ghosts.

Secondary characters
While Morgan appears in the manga series (when the group nears Enoch village), Charles is an original character specially created for the game. His true relation with Guts and real intentions are both obscure.

Trivia

 * The cover for the game uses the same image as the cover for volume 27 of the manga, which had been released around the same time.

Special features

 * Dolby Surround Pro Logic II
 * Dolby Digital Pro Logic II (AC3)
 * Optional Japanese/Korean subtitles.

Media Links

 * Korean version trailer w/"Sign" theme by Susumu Hirasawa
 * Guts vs Ogre (Japanese version demo play) Game convention, Korea