Game Groups > Breath of Fire series

Breath of Fire is a series of Japanese-style role-playing games by Capcom. The first Breath of Fire (1993) was also the first RPG made by this company.

Themes

The games in the series are not directly connected to each other plot-wise, and don't have any chronological continuity. However, in each Breath of Fire game, the two main characters are invariably called Ryu (Japanese for "dragon") and Nina. These characters may have different personalities and their common story is different each time, though Ryu always possesses the ability to transform into a dragon, and Nina is always a young girl with wings. Breath of Fire games are usually set in medieval fantasy worlds with technological elements. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter (2002) is set in a dark "steampunk" environment.

Gameplay

Most of the games in the series follow the traditional Japanese RPG formula, including simple turn-based combat, automatic leveling up, random enemy encounters, etc. A recurrent gameplay element in all of the games are Ryu's dragon transformation abilities. The exact mechanics of these transformations vary from game to game. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter differs from the rest of the series also in the gameplay aspect: the game features tactical combat and emphasizes survival elements.

Related Link(s)

• Breath of Fire Series | Capcom Database (a wiki at the Capcom Database website giving an overview of the Breath of Fire series)
• Hardcore Gaming 101 - Breath of Fire (article on the Hardcore Gaming 101 website giving an overview of the Breath of Fire series)