Frame Gride

Developer/publisher FromSoftware Format Dreamcast Release 1999 (Japan)

The satisfying clang of sword on shield. The deliberate pace of battle. The unintuitive yet thoughtfully crafted control scheme. Elements familiar to fans of Dark Souls, the game that cemented FromSoftware’s position as a top-flight developer worldwide – and all present, too, in one of the studio’s lesser- known titles, a Japanese Dreamcast exclusive that never had its planned official English translation and North American release.

Those who fancy themselves scholars of videogame history will most likely point to the and series, some entries in which received worldwide releases, as the standout examples of From’s earlier output. Together, they’re indicative of the two major strands that run through the studio’s back catalogue: fantasy with heavy doses of knights and magic, and mecha. is notable for blending the two. Its world is one of armoured, magic-wielding knights locked in duels across a medieval fantasy mélange.