Poibos Part 1: Dasshutsu

Emperor Dark has taken control of the star system Kurane, invading the Eastern territories of the galaxy an bringing them under his yoke. In the West, the inhabitants of the Poibos system have constructed an energy barrier for protection. Seeing this as a challenge to their rule, Kurane annexed the neighboring star Gilgam and launched a devastating attack using their newly developed HPL (Hybrid Photon Laser) weapon.

As a result Poibos was obliterated from the face of the universe. The few survivors were imprisoned and brought to Kurane. One of them, a man named Jorg, managed to escape. Against all odds he has to find the seven surviving Holy Men of Poibos and attempt to resurrect his homeland.

Poibos (a misspelling of Phoebus) is a Japanese-made role-playing game. The small paying window displays a rather abstract map on which the player can navigate the characters. The game begins with Jorg only, but up to six characters may join the party and participate in combat afterwards. The characters’ stamina bar is depleted depending on the terrain they walk on, and they need to rest regularly. Turn-based battles require balancing offensive and defensive manoeuvres, as well as actively protecting weaker party members. The game has a fairly complex weapon system, with several weapon types, all of which (due to the protagonist’s outlaw status) can only be acquired by stealing or as battle trophies. Weapon energy deteriorates over time, having major impact on battle performance.