Starting up
Controls
Title Menu
Once you start the game, the title screen will show up. Select an option with the arrow keys or the D-pad/Left analog stick on the Gamepad (or the keys you've mapped in the Controls menu).
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| New Game | Start the story of Maria from the beginning. |
| Continue | Pick up from what you've left off. You'll be prompted to select a page (the game's version of a save file). You can also delete pages here. |
| Options | Adjust game options from here. |
| Bug Report | Encountered a bug? Report it here. |
| Exit Game | Close the game and return to desktop. |
You can adjust the game options at any time (even in-game).
| Setting | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Dash | General | The characters automatically dash when moving. This also switches Shift to walking. |
| Command Remember | Remembers the last command you used in battle. | |
| Message Speed | Adjusts the speed of the text. | |
| Automatic Crash Reports | If this is turned on, the game will send a report every time the game crashes. For details about the privacy, see here. | |
| BGM/BGS/ME/SE Volume | Sound | Adjusts the volume of background music, background sound, melody, and sound effects. |
| Animated Tiles | Visual | Dictates if some tiles are animated during gameplay. |
| Battle Animation Speed | Adjusts the speed of the animations in battles. | |
| Synch Monitor FPS | If you have a monitor that refreshes faster than 60Hz, the characters will look going way too fast. Turn this on to fix it. | |
| Particle Quality | Adjusts the quality of the particles (when used). | |
| Advanced Rendering | Decides whenever some effects are in real-time (generated by the GPU) or use an overlay. | |
| Gamepad Config | Controls | Remap the buttons of the gamepad here. |
| Keyboard Config | Remap the buttons on the keyboard here. |
Full Screen and Stretch options are adjusted on the fly by pressing F4 and F3, respectivel
Game Menu
You can bring the Game Menu at any time by pressing the Escape key (or the Open Menu key, if you remapped it), as long as you aren't in a battle. Here, you can use items and skills, switch equipment and active squadron members, save and load a file and check the current mission objectives. The menu is structured as follows:
| Number | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inventory | Use any items you found and/or bought and check any Key Items you found in the game. |
| 2 | Arts | Use any squad members' skills and learn new or improve your existing ones. |
| 3 | Equipment | Manage a squad member's equipment. |
| 4 | Status | Check the status, stats and the biography of a squad member. |
| 5 | Squadron | Change the active squad members. (You can do this during battles as well) |
| 6 | Formation | Set each active member's position. |
| 7 | Journal | Check the missions and requests you've received. |
| 8 | Diary | Save, load or delete save files. |
| 9 | Options | Adjust the game's settings. |
| 10 | Game End | Return to the title screen or close the game and return to desktop. |
| 11 | Gold | How much gold do you have. |
| 12 | Member's status | See the current HP and MP for each member. |
Menus
Inventory
In this menu, you can check and use any items you have. You can also see any weapons, armor and key items you have. In addition, you can check items in several categories as well.
Arts
In this menu, you can take a look at the member's Combat, Mystical and Drive Arts. Some of them can be used outside of the battle as well. You can access the "Learn Arts" menu from here.
Equipment
You can manage the member's equipment in this menu. You can either swap them manually by selecting the "Change" command or equip the best parts by selecting "Optimize".
Status
You can check a member's stats and additional information.
Squadron
You can swap active squadron members (the ones who will participate in a battle) from this menu.
Journal
You can see all story and guild missions (along with requests) on this menu. You can also filter them by their status as well.
Save/Load
In this menu, you can save, load or delete save files (a page is a save file). When browsing the files, you can see a quick rundown of the point you saved on the right-hand side of the screen. The maximum amount of pages is 24.