is a

role-playing Role-playing or roleplaying is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. While the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' offers a definition of role-playing as ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

for the

GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the W ...

developed and published by Chunsoft, and was released in Japan on April 29, 2005. The game can be played offline in

single-player mode A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usuall ...

, or online in

multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system ( couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...

mode over the Internet or on a

LAN Lan or LAN may also refer to: Science and technology * Local asymptotic normality, a fundamental property of regular models in statistics * Longitude of the ascending node, one of the orbital elements used to specify the orbit of an object in sp ...

. In online mode, the player can assume the role of

gamemaster A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, or storyteller) is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game. They are m ...

and create an online game for up to thirty-five other players. It is one of only four titles for the GameCube designed for online play. It is unique among these games in a number of ways. It is the only one where the GameCube itself acts as the

server Server may refer to: Computing *Server (computing), a computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called clients Role * Waiting staff, those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers and su ...

, rather than the player using a central server. It is also the only online GameCube game that isn't a ''

Phantasy Star Online ''Phantasy Star Online'' is an online role-playing game (RPG) developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2000 for the Dreamcast. It was the first online RPG for game consoles; players adventure with up to three others over the internet ...

'' title, and the only one not to get a release outside Japan.

Gameplay

''Homeland'' features

nonlinear gameplay A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played ...

with branching storylines and

multiple endings A narrative typically ends in one set way, but certain kinds of narrative allow for multiple endings. Comics * '' The Death-Ray'' by Daniel Clowes. * ''Cliff Hanger''. Literature * The ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' series. * ''Fighting Fanta ...

depending upon the player's actions and the number of players, and it features cooperative gameplay especially in multiplayer mode with up to 36 players. The player begins by choosing and naming a boy or girl

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...

. Next, there is an introductory sequence of events in which the player answers a few questions that will determine which two mascots the player will have from the start. A mascot is a sort of avatar that the player's avatar transforms into before setting off on an adventure. Players begin each new adventure at level 1 and level up as they acquire

experience point An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Exper ...

s. A distinctive feature of ''Homeland'' is the ability of players to join hands and form a chain in order to combine their

stats STATS may refer to: * Statistical Assessment Service * STATS LLC, a former name of Stats Perform Stats Perform (formerly STATS, LLC and STATS, Inc.) is a sports data and analytics company formed through the combination of Stats and Perform. T ...

and special attributes. Players can be equipped with weapons, shields and accessories, and can carry a very limited number of items. In an offline game, the player can summon their other mascots to come and assist them as though they were other players. These mascots become their companions and are controlled by the game's AI. Companions can be equipped with weapons, shields and accessories, but cannot carry items.

Cooperative play

The online option does not become available until the first adventure has been completed offline. This ensures that the player has learned how to play before participating in a multiplayer game. Players communicate in a multiplayer game via text messages entered using the game controller and a menu-like visual keyboard, but keyboard controllers are not supported. A Nintendo

GameCube Broadband Adapter The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the W ...

(DOL-015) is required for multiplayer mode on the internet. The GameCube Modem Adapter (DOL-012) is not supported. Players in a multiplayer game do not normally battle each other; instead they benefit by helping each other to battle enemies and achieve common objectives. Some storylines cannot be completed without coordinated actions by a number of players. When players join hands to form a chain, the lead player in the chain is in control and is the only one able to attack or to receive damage. The gamemaster begins a new game by selecting the "god" mascot and setting up the game parameters. During the game the gamemaster sees a map of the entire homeland and can "descend" to locations where there are players. The gamemaster can see a name list of all the players in the game, and can "jump" to the location of a selected player. Power points are needed to perform "miracles" (similar to skills) such as causing monsters or items to suddenly appear. In this way, the gamemaster is able to influence the game by helping or hindering the players. The gamemaster can suspend and save the game at any time and then resume from the saved state later; it is not necessary to keep the console switched on all the time. Game state is saved automatically every few minutes to the Memory Card in the game server console.

References

External links

* {{URL, 1=http://www.spike-chunsoft.co.jp/games/homeland/ , 2=Official website (in Japanese) 2005 video games Chunsoft games GameCube-only games Japan-exclusive video games Multiplayer online games Role-playing video games Multiplayer and single-player video games GameCube games Video games about size change Video games developed in Japan Video games scored by Hayato Matsuo