Steambot Chronicles

Did You Know?

• Two spin-off titles were released: Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament for the PlayStation Portable and Blocks Club with Bumpy Trot, originally for the PlayStation 2 and later ported to the PlayStation Portable.
• The game received a Famitsu score of 32 out of 40 (one nine, one eight, one seven, one eight).
• Hyper commended the game for its huge amount of freedom and clever musical rhythm games but criticised it for slowdown and load times.

Plot

The game begins with a personality quiz whose answers affect the player character's personality and how others react to him. The player character, a young male named Vanilla, awakes on the shore of Seagull Beach with a cheerful girl named Coriander (Connie) beside him, suffering from amnesia due to a nearby shipwreck. Connie is picking herbs for her bed-ridden mother, Rosemary, who lives in Nefroburg. Vanilla spots a vehicle on a cliff that shoots a bazooka, trapping the two on the beach. Connie must get home on the last bus but cannot because of a fallen boulder. They go to a nearby cottage that holds bad memories for Connie, where they find an old run-down Trotmobile and use it to leave Seagull Beach. Connie discovers the bus has already left and asks Vanilla to take her to Nefroburg. On the trip, they encounter a hoodlum from the Killer Elephants gang, whom Vanilla defeats. They then meet Marjoram, a member of the Garland Globetrotters band, and help find another member, Basil. The four head back to Nefroburg, encountering a humongous quadruped mechanical fortress operated by the Killer Elephants, which Vanilla must destroy. In Nefroburg, they meet another member, Fennel, suspected of firing the bazooka. After a concert at night, the player may choose to change the plot and Vanilla himself.

Characters

Vanilla R. Beans, voiced by Spike Spencer in English, is the protagonist who awakes on a plank of wood at Seagull Beach with amnesia after a shipwreck. After a concert in Nefroburg, the player may choose to make him a hero or a villain. Coriander is the lead vocalist of the Garland Globetrotters, first met on Seagull Beach while collecting herbs for her sick mother; she appears cheerful but hides sadness from a past tragedy. Marjoram is the drummer and saxophonist for the Globetrotters, a hard-working man who also handles the band's paperwork and finances; his family owns a grocery store in Happy Garland. Savory is the backup vocalist and pianist, like a big sister to Coriander and popular with male fans. Basil is the bassist, short and immature but good at cheering people up. Fennel is an original Globetrotters guitarist who left to pursue his musical dreams but remains concerned about the band. Dandelion, voiced by Yuri Lowenthal in English, is the former Globetrotters leader who played violin; he now crafts instruments in a small shop in the woods, having lost his brother Chicory in an accident. Ciboulette is the captain of the Juniper Berry, who instructs the player in piloting a Trotmobile. Rosemary is Coriander's bed-ridden mother, a sweet gentlewoman who asks Vanilla to be a good friend to Coriander; she was the former Globetrotters leader and taught Dandelion to play. Mallow is a man Vanilla is constantly confused with; he has a dark connection to Coriander and the others, being the son of a wealthy hospital owner who used to tease Dandelion and Chicory for being poor. The player assumes Mallow's role during the tutorial mode, which acts as a semi-prelude to the game.

Gameplay

Trotmobiles, called Trot Vehicles in the Japanese version, encompass most of the gameplay. They are introduced before the player reaches the first town and function for transportation, trading commodities, and battles. They can be modified with dozens of parts that are purchased, found, or crafted, ranging from small and speedy but frail to large, powerful, and sturdy but slow; some are perfect in all aspects, such as those of Schneider and Elder, the top two ranked gladiators. Music plays a major role in the plot. Vanilla starts as a solo street musician until invited to join the Garland Globetrotters. Successful concerts earn tips, posters of other Globetrotters, and sheet music for new songs, which allow solo practice. If he plays well enough, he may be asked to manage the band. There are several instruments with different control schemes: harmonica, trumpet, saxophone, violin, string bass, accordion, drums, and guitar, as well as church organs and pianos. The main reward for playing music is tips. There are six vocal songs: four performed by Coriander during the main story and two unlocked through sidequests. Nadia Gifford wrote and performed five songs for Coriander: In Your Voice, Impossible, I Cry, Just Shout It Out, and See You Later. The last song, Music Revolution, is sung by Ryan Kerwin as Fennel. In an optional side-quest, Vanilla can acquire an electric guitar and join Fennel and the Blue Lightning band.

Cancelled sequel

A sequel, Bumpy Trot 2, was announced in September 2006 at the Tokyo Game Show. It was in development by Irem but was cancelled along with several other games following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Initially designed for the PlayStation 2, the first trailer showed a new protagonist and female companion exploring a wintery forest in a Trotmobile before being confronted by larger Trotmobiles, followed by a montage of gameplay elements. An issue of Famitsu revealed that production moved to the PlayStation 3, and Irem planned to unveil a new trailer at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, which showcased improved graphics while retaining the cel-shaded style and more action-oriented scenes.