Ciel Nosurge

{{Infobox video game

|title = Ciel Nosurge

|image = Surge Concerto Ciel Nosurge.jpg

|caption = Japanese boxart

|developer = Gust

|publisher = Koei Tecmo

|platforms = PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows

|release =

{{Plainlist|

{{Video game release|JP|April 26, 2012}}
Re:Incarnation
{{Video game release|JP|February 21, 2013}}
Offline
{{Video game release|JP|October 2, 2014}}
DX
{{Video game release|JP|March 4, 2021}}

}}

|genre = Life simulation, social game

|modes =

}}

Ciel Nosurge, full name {{nihongo|Surge Concerto: Ciel nosurge|シェルノサージュ〜失われた星へ捧ぐ詩〜|Sherunosāju 〜 Ushinawareta Hoshi e Sasagu Uta 〜|lead=yes}}, with the title translating to "World of the Girl -Requiem to a Lost Star-" is a life simulation{{cite web|url=http://andriasang.com/comzxu/surge_concerto_life/|title=Life With Ion, Surge Concerto's Other Dimensional Heroine|publisher=Andriasang|first=Anoop|last=Gantayat|accessdate=9 September 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051613/http://andriasang.com/comzxu/surge_concerto_life/|url-status=dead}} video game for the PlayStation Vita developed by Gust.{{cite web|url=http://gematsu.com/2012/04/surge-concerto-ciel-no-surge-screenshots-6|title=Surge Concerto: Ciel no Surge screenshots|first=Sal|last=Romano|date=15 April 2012|publisher=Gematsu|accessdate=9 September 2016}} The player's objective is to help Ion, a girl with amnesia, regain her memories by entering her mind, which is shown as a broken world which the player can repair.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2012/01/30/ciel-no-surge-gusts-playstation-vita-game-has-you-dive-into-ionasol/|title=Ciel No Surge, Gust's PlayStation Vita Game, Has You "Dive" Into Ionasol|publisher=SiliconEra|author=Spencer|date=30 January 2012 |accessdate=9 September 2016}} Although not a continuation of the Ar tonelico series, it takes place in the same universe with many of the same elements and expands on the series mythos. Ciel Nosurge was the first game to be developed by Gust after their merger with Koei Tecmo.

The game's first version was released on April 26, 2012. The original cart contained just the first episode of the game, with additional episodes gradually being released as downloadable content (DLC) via the PlayStation Network. Ciel nosurge Re:Incarnation, a re-release containing all of the original game's patches and DLC, including episodes one through four and a voucher to download episode five, was released on February 21, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2012/12/11/ciel-no-surge-reincarnation-is-gusts-vita-game-bundled-with-dlc/|title=Ciel No Surge Re:Incarnation Is Gust's Vita Game Bundled With DLC|publisher=SiliconEra|author=Spencer|date=12 December 2012 |accessdate=9 September 2016}} A total of twelve episodes were released in total, which are divided in three arcs: the Trials Arc, the Downfall Arc and the Empress Arc. An offline-only version of the game titled Ciel noSurge Offline was released on October 2, 2014.2014-06-23, [http://www.siliconera.com/2014/06/23/ar-nosurge-headed-ps-vita-ar-nosurge-plus/ Ar Nosurge Headed To PS Vita As Ar Nosurge Plus], Siliconera2014-06-25, [http://www.famitsu.com/news/201406/25055804.html 『シェルノサージュ Offline』、『アルノサージュPlus』話題作がより遊びやすくなってプレイステーション Vitaで発売決定！], Famitsu In September 2015, Koei Tecmo announced that all versions of the game would remain exclusive available to Japan, with the company having no intentions on translating or releasing it in any other regions or languages.{{cite web |author=Jenni |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2015/09/17/koei-tecmo-confirms-ciel-no-surge-is-exclusive-to-japan/ |title=Koei Tecmo Confirms Ciel no surge Is Exclusive To Japan |date=17 September 2015 |publisher=Siliconera |accessdate=9 September 2016}}

A continuation of the series for the Vita and PlayStation 3, titled Ar Nosurge, was released on March 6, 2014.2013-11-05, [http://www.4gamer.net/games/234/G023461/20131030055/ 「アルノサージュ～生まれいずる星へ祈る詩～」，"詩魔法"がカギを握るバトルシステムや登場ヒロイン「キャスティ」「イオン」を紹介], 4gamer Despite Ciel Nosurge staying in Japan, the sequel, a JRPG, was later released in English regions.

A remastered version, Ciel Nosurge DX, was released on March 4, 2021, in Japan for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows.

Gameplay

The player is introduced to {{nihongo|Ionasal.kkll.Preciel|イオナサル・ククルル・プリシェール|Ionasaru Kukururu Purishēru}} (shortened to "Ion") (Japanese VA: Ai Kakuma), a girl with amnesia who lives in another dimension; the player's objective is to help Ion recover her lost memories. Ion is a candidate for the next emperor in her world but lives on her own; the player can build a romantic relationship with Ion (shown by a separate "love meter") by interacting with her. Ion may make adjustments to her lifestyle timing, which will eventually match the player's the longer the game has been played.

Another gameplay element of Ciel Nosurge is the ability to create fairies known as {{nihongo|Sharl|シャール}} from scanning barcodes. Different barcodes create a different type of Sharl, which are needed to repair Ion's mind.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2012/03/12/ciel-no-surge-turns-barcodes-into-fairies-and-has-twitter-like-chat/|title=Ciel No Surge Turns Barcodes Into Fairies And Has Twitter-Like Chat|publisher=SiliconEra|author=Spencer|date=12 March 2012 |accessdate=9 September 2016}} The game also has a system where players can type short messages for other players. The game has been referred to as a social game due to its heavy focus on socializing with other players and the requirement to be connected to PlayStation Network to play. At the time of its release, many of the game's online servers were not working properly, but that problem has since been fixed by Gust through a series of patches.

The game was released as a series of episodes, episode one being the original cart. As of February 2014, ten episodes have been released. Episodes two through ten were released as DLC for a few hundred yen each on PlayStation Network. Each episode is estimated to take around seven hours to complete. Other than episodes and patches, other minor add-ons have been released on PSN, such as costumes, extra scenarios and dialogue packs for the interactions with Ion.

Midway through 2013, Gust released additional contents: bundles containing the entirety of the chapters for both the Trials and Downfall Arcs, bundles containing all costumes, additional Sharl types and even a paid patch that repaired at once all of the Repair Points in Ion's Dream World, allowing the player to see the events without waiting for the Sharls to do the repairs. All of this can be bought as a single bundle, as well.

Setting

The world of Ciel Nosurge was designed with an intent to give Japanese players a sense of nostalgia; for example with buildings from the Shōwa era. Ion herself lives in a world called Ra Ciela. Ra Ciela is nearing destruction due to the expansion of its sun, Bezel; and due to this, most of its population built floating cities called Colons to protect themselves; while the poor still live on the ground.{{cite web|title=Surge Concerto: Ion's Friends and the Dive System|url=http://andriasang.com/con03w/surge_concerto_friends/|publisher=Andriasang|first=Anoop|last=Gantayat|accessdate=9 September 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052555/http://andriasang.com/con03w/surge_concerto_friends/|url-status=dead}}

Reception and sales

Japan's Famitsu magazine scored Ciel Nosurge 31 out of 40.{{cite web|url=http://gematsu.com/2012/04/famitsu-review-scores-issue-1221|title=Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1221 - Surge Concerto and Starhawk reviewed|publisher=Gematsu|accessdate=9 September 2016|first=Sal|last=Romano|date=25 April 2012}} Merchandise for the game include a mousepad.{{cite web|url=http://andriasang.com/con19z/surge_concerto_mouse_pad/|title=Surge Concerto "Pancake" Mouse Pad|publisher=Andriasang|first=Anoop|last=Gantayat|accessdate=9 September 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000111/http://andriasang.com/con19z/surge_concerto_mouse_pad/|url-status=dead}} In the week from April 23 to April 29, Ciel nosurge ranked number one in PlayStation Vita games sales (33,324 per week) and fourth overall, behind Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PlayStation 3 version), Mario Party 9, and Fire Emblem Awakening, respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2012/05/02/this-week-in-sales-the-raccoon-city-outbreak-hits-japan/|title=This Week In Sales: The Raccoon City Outbreak Hits Japan|publisher=SiliconEra|author=Ishaan|date=2 May 2012 |accessdate=9 September 2016}}

''Surge Concerto DX''

Surge Concerto DX is a Nosurge collection consisting of Ar Nosurge DX and Ciel Nosurge DX announced in Japan on June 25, 2020.2020-06-25, [https://www.gematsu.com/2020/06/ciel-nosurge-dx-and-ar-nosurge-dx-announced Ciel nosurge DX and Ar nosurge DX announced], Gematsu2020-06-25,[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl5uklF5mtk サージュ・コンチェルト：ティザートレーラー], YouTube This collection is a re-release of Ciel nosurge and Ar nosurge. It was originally scheduled to release on January 28, 2021 in Japan for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows,{{Cite web|last=Agossah|first=Iyane|title=Ciel nosurge, Ar nosurge Remaster Coming to PS4, Switch, Steam in January 2021|url=https://www.dualshockers.com/ciel-nosurge-ar-nosurge-remaster-release-date-ps4-switch-steam/|website=DualShockers|language=en-US|date=October 6, 2020}} but was later delayed to March 4, 2021.{{Cite web|title=Ciel nosurge DX and Ar nosurge DX delayed to March 4, 2021 in Japan|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2020/12/ciel-nosurge-dx-and-ar-nosurge-dx-delayed-to-march-4-2021-in-japan|website=Gematsu|date=December 21, 2020|access-date=December 21, 2020}}