Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6 (遙かなる時空の中で6) is the sixth installment in the Haruka series. It was one of the surprise announcements during the Neoromance 20th Anniversary stage event, the other being Angelique Retour. It's the first main entry of the series to be available on the PS Vita and to receive a Cero C rating.

Tohko Mizuno returns for character designs. Background illustrations are done by munashichi. According to early written interviews, the overall goal of this title is to "engage players in antique Japanese-Western flair" for the series's transition onto another portable console. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6 was also the first title in the series to be subjected to extensive test plays before the final product, which led to several conflicts for revisions made to the fully voiced dialogue and dramatic changes to the original outline.

Since this is the game that was made to celebrate the series's fifteenth year anniversary, the main planner later added that their goal was to revamp the concepts of the series's initial success in a way that is open to returning fans and newcomers. One example is that the parallel world's setting in this game moves the continuity forward but pays homage to the same mood and romanticism found in the the first game's era. She thinks players will be more engaged by the story if they go in without extensive knowledge of the time era.

Purchase the game new to receive a reversible cover slip for the packaged version. Various stores are offering different reservation bonuses which can be seen on the same page as the Treasure Box edition. The Treasure Box edition will include a character artbook, a collection of the event illustrations, a soundtrack CD, a drama CD, and keychain charms based on illustrations done by Kazuo Funaki. The Gamecity Set includes the Treasure Box edition merchandise and a pouch and butterfly charm. Get the game from Gamecity Shopping to receive an exclusive prologue drama and two clear files.

Plot
The protagonist is the Black Dragon Priestess who is sent to the parallel world; she arrives to the other world on their June 18, 1923. A peculiar upsurge of vengeful spirits has led to the Star Clan summoning for the dark Dragon Priestess. Rather than arrive in the Imperial Forces as planned, she is taken by the Demon Clan and soon becomes engrossed in their struggle near the capital. She must have her comrades work together and subdue the spirits to find a way back to her home world.

Gameplay
Main story progress reverts to a style reminiscent to the first two games. The player is given a mandatory main story objective to fulfill within a set deadline. A few days between objectives will be dedicated to unavoidable main story events that may hamper neglectful players. A notice will be posted once the player has fulfilled an objective. Failing to succeed it results in an automatic game over. If the protagonist has gone beyond the mandatory requirements at the time of her evaluation, she will receive a high affinity boost with her party members.

Before the protagonist heads out, she must choose one or two characters to accompany her for battles. The party can fight vengeful spirits or choose to search a non-haunted area for strengthening talismans to help the party. Days progress in three phases (morning, noon, and evening); visiting one location drains a phase of the day. Once evening passes and the protagonist goes to sleep, the cycle repeats for another day.

The main story automatically limits the protagonist's interactions with the main cast. It does not affect a player's progress for personal routes, but it does impact the amount of time available for building bonds for events and so forth.
 * Chapters 1 and 2: Demon Clan: Darius, Rudkhaneh, Masatora Honjo, Kohaku
 * Chapters 3 and 4: Imperial Army: Hajime Arima, Shuhei Katagiri, Kudan Hagio, Murasame Satoya

The story concludes in six chapters. Additional scenes for the main narrative become unlocked on subsequent playthroughs.

Combat System
Battles are still turn based. The auto battle function from the fifth title carries over into this system. Levels continue to be the main method for strengthening characters, and defeat is determined if the entire party's health drops to zero. Party members continue to randomly protect the protagonist from hits. Players can rearrange the starting team formation if their team has the initiative.

This game has battles take place on a 4x5 overhead square grid for a simplified tactical role-playing experience. Each participant is given a range of movement and attack that is indicated by the highlighted squares above their portrait. Party members can be moved by selecting their portrait and moving them accordingly across their grid. Only one participant can move at a time. Attacks are automatically triggered once a character/spirit is adjacent to viable targets. Vengeful spirits can attack indefinitely; party members attack only if the player moves them.

When two party members are adjacent to the same enemy, a powerful group attack called "Co-op Skill" (協力技) will trigger. These special attacks include short character exchanges and portrait cut-ins. The protagonist can contribute if she is a part of the formation. When higher affinity ratings are reached, their dialogue will change and trigger stronger attacks. Be aware that enemies can do the same technique against the party.

By chapter 3, the player may optionally challenge tougher spirits to obtain a male character's fourth talisman or the Divine Aide talismans for their party. Two male characters will receive a Divine Aide version of their talismans to use; if the appropriate duo perform their Co-op Skill together with at least one partner equipping it, they will summon the deity for their attack.

Obstacles may randomly take a square on a battle grid. Squares are limited to one unique effect at a time:
 * River: cannot be crossed by foot unless participant has the Water attribute.
 * Boulder: cannot be crossed by foot. Users with the Destroy ability can break them. Can be traversed by flying spirits.
 * Heart: restores lost health. Does not discriminate between ally or foe.
 * Star: boosts character affinity. The character silhouette indicates whose bonds are strengthened with the protagonist. Can be picked up by any party member. Tends to appear with a higher frequency in one of his favorite spots.
 * Flame: damages all who land on its square.

Defeated spirits can drop treasure boxes that has them become talismans for the protagonist to use. Spirits can be fused for experience to level up party members. As long as the player possesses a character's talisman(s), the character can be leveled up even when they are separated from the main party. When a party member's talisman reaches a specific level, a voice clip is unlocked of the pictured character. These voice clips can be heard in the main menu.

After a particular story event, the protagonist gains the ability draw spirits closer to her using Priestess Power which is acquired from fallen foes. She can summon a defeated spirit if she meets the required amount of Priestess Power and has their talisman in her current inventory. Tamed spirits can become the party's guest for battles. By chapter 4, the same cost is expected to summon the Four Gods into battle. If a male character has the Divine Aide version of his talisman equipped, he automatically summons his anointed divine beast when attacking.

Character Routes
Character events for the main cast are clearly labeled for the player's convenience via character icons on the map screen. The player will need to juggle their schedule with the main story to accommodate a character's events. Players can read hints for obtaining these character events by reading each character's profile in the main menu. These hints will specifically state when to trigger these events and when they are missed. Similar to Neo Angelique, character events may include slight variations of the dialogue based on the current party.

Like the first two games, romanceable characters have three locations they like to visit within the capital. Visit these places while he is in the party to receive an affinity boost and to learn trivia about them. Multiple events can be completed for multiple characters, but the cut off point for all character routes is chapter 3. One ending can be seen per playthrough. The best ending can be unlocked after viewing all other possible endings.

Players can choose to hear a character's ending monologue using a special surround sound feature, or "3D Voice Mode". Wear earphones to listen to a simulated experience that has the character being next to the player. This feature is optional and can be turned off.

Continue
Load from a previous save. There are a total of thirty-five save slots available.

New Game
Self-explanatory. Repeated playthroughs unlocks the ability to keep earned Priestess Power and earned talisman levels for the main cast from their previous cleared game save. Completing the game with any ending once gifts protagonist talismans with every element. If the player has seen a character's romance ending, an option to unlock his third talisman shall be additionally available.

Extras
Includes an image gallery, event collection, and music selection. The gallery includes alternations of the same image when present. Every event from every possible scenario is kept within the event gallery. Variations to events can be customized by the player during repeated viewings. The player can take pictures during the game and view them as a slide show within this mode. Downloadable scenarios can be viewed in this mode.

Settings
Lets the player adjust the speed of text being displayed on screen, the auto play text speed, and the skipping speed of the game's events. Volume adjustments for sound effects, music, and voices (as well as a muting option for certain characters) are included. The player can choose to remove the tutorial guides throughout the game.

Enemy strength can be altered from weak, normal, or strong. Completing a battle that occurs during a character event once also unlocks the option to skip these occurrences in future revisits.

If these settings are changed before starting a new game, they will automatically be in effect.

Mobile Joy
Insert passwords given in the game box to grant wallpapers, icons, and character audio files for personal cellphone.

Install
Installs a digital copy of the game.

Dragon Priestesses

 * Azusa Takatsuka
 * Chiyo Komano

Japanese Imperials

 * Hajime Arima
 * Shuhei Katagiri
 * Kudan Hagio
 * Seishiro Katagiri
 * Tatsuo Tomobe

Demon Clan

 * Darius
 * Kohaku
 * Rudkhaneh
 * Masatora Honjo

Residents of Tokyo

 * Murasame Satoya
 * Newspaper Reporters Sorizawa, Kanta, and Yuuki - voiced by Infini; Yuuki idolizes his seniors, Sorizawa and Kanta, and became a reporter to follow their footsteps. Sorizawa and Kanta dote on their junior as they teach him the ropes to their profession. The trio work for the Daily Capital publisher and are seen scouring the streets for their next lead. They often pester their targets and shamelessly spin their melodrama to create eye-catching headlines. Despite their bossiness and comical mishaps, their bonds are thicker than blood.

Differences between ports

 * The PSP port will have rasterized portraits (square pixels); the PS Vita will have vector images (smooth lines).
 * Inline encyclopedia references in dialogue can be tapped on the touch screen.
 * Players can tap their locations on the map screen for the PS Vita.
 * PS Vita users can purchase map data and talisman (fuda) data from the PS Store and use it in their game. The same data can be simultaneously bought as a set with the downloadable PS Vita version.
 * A custom theme is available for PS Vita players.

Related Media
B's Log has been revealing tidbits and voice actor interviews ever since its teaser announcement. Arima and Shuhei are on the cover for its February 2015 issue and a secondary publication resembling the in-game newspaper publication has been released within its shop. A limited edition Animate Premium tea set included tea ware and two character inspired teas to try. The June 2015 issue of Otomedia will have marriage certificate for each of the main characters.

Yokohama City Transportation Bureau is collaborating with Koei for the Romantic ♥ Game Festival, an Otome game themed stamp rally scheduled to take place February and March. Participants can ride trains decorated this title, Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆, and/or Kiniro no Corda 3 to receive original Haruka 6 character merchandise at specially marked stations. The February route included limited accommodations for the anniversary event.

The PS Vita port was teased during SCEJA Press Conference 2014. Attendees to Haruka Matsuri 2015 ~Juu-gonin no Utage~ could be the first to view Darius's character movie and to purchase the game's character databook. It differs from the memorial book by having full body portraits and roughs for the cast. The memorial book includes cohesive character data, lore, and interviews. Event merchandise was dedicated to this game's cast.

Internet radio show Tsukai☆Otome Game Tsushin showcased information for the game for their eighteenth episode and twenty-first episode. The program's special guest will be Michael Shitaanda (Kudan Hagio). Interested listeners could send messages and/or questions to each episode.

Nico Nico users could watch a special live broadcast to commemorate the game March 3, 19:00 (JST). Four voice actors were MCs: Takuma Terashima (Hajime Arima), Atsushi Abe (Kohaku), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Shuhei Katagiri), and Eiji Takemoto (Masatora Honjo). Interested fans could send in their questions and well wishes early through the promotional email address linked within the video description. The March 18 PlayCommu Cafe broadcast showcased the title.

A comic adaption by Mizuno is being serialized in ARIA magazine; the first chapter can be read online for free at the magazine's website. Purchase its debut magazine issue to enter ARIA's fifth year anniversary giveaway which includes a chance to win a Haruka 6 illustration with Mizuno's autograph. Yuka Kumada, the artist for the Geten no Hana comic, played the trial edition of the game and created four panel comics of her play impressions. These comics are published in two pages of the 2015 October issue. The comic serialization will be a part of ARIA's 2015 Animate Girls' Festival booth.

Guidebooks and CDs are currently up for sale. The first guidebook includes the default scenario and an explanation for the game's system; the second one includes all of the romance endings, character quotes, and sub-events. Kaleidoscope 1 has Rudkhaneh and Tora's image songs; Kaleidoscope 2 has Shuhei and Kudan's image songs. Additional character image songs and the full versions of the ending themes are compiled on another CD, Romannaru Uta.

Quiz Battle Toukiden held a Haruka 6 episode event which preludes the main events in this narrative. Arima, Shuhei, and Darius were also event Mitama.

Merchandise for this title will be available at Real Order Girls Attraction Spring Carnival 2015, a real escape game that will have Koei-Tecmo's participation. The second part of the Haruka 6 real escape game scenario is scheduled for the Summer Carnival. This is the fourth Koei IP to participate in the Happy Kuji lottery.

Another Karetsu Karaoke collaboration shall be held March 12~May 6. Singers can order Haruka 6 themed drinks and sing to previously made character image songs from the series. A Twitter campaign to celebrate the game's sales date is available for application until April 5.

TBi Group will be hosting a collaboration café September 26 ~ October 31, 2015. Ordering one set from the Prefix Menu automatically gifts customers with a serving mat decorated with an in-game event still. Get one à la carte item to receive real world replicas of the in-game fuda. Completing the stamp card for the collaboration to receive a random character pin.

Fans can make reservations for a dinner party with Nobuhiko Okamoto (Shuhei Katagiri) and Michael Shitanda (Kudan Hagio) on June 6, 2015. The party celebrates the game's release with fine cuisine and a special talk show event.

Cosplay make up and wig tips for the main cast are published in Cosplay MAKE.

A live action theatrical adaptation shall take place November 27 ~ December 6, 2015. The scenario writer and director is Hideyuki Nishimori. A few select male actors appeared as special guests at Neoromance ♥ Live Haruka Matsuri 2015.

Image Songs

 * Toki wo Tabisuru Kimi he
 * Performed by Takuma Terashima (Hajime Arima), Kenichi Suzumura (Darius), Atsushi Abe (Kohaku), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Shuhei Katagiri), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Rudkhaneh), Eiji Takemoto (Masatora Honjo), Michael Shitanda (Kudan Hagio), Hiroki Yasumoto (Murasame Satoya)


 * Seasons~Harukanaru Sora
 * Performed by Infini

Voice actor song plays during character endings. Infini song is for the normal endings.