Every week I stress that Kim Se-hun of HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR is an author who values uniqueness. While each manhwa artist certainly possesses their individual style when it comes to writing, drawing, and conceptualizing there are only a handful that embrace this quality so completely. SIU's TOWER OF GOD, and SAKK's HELLPER are two series that manage their unique nature to powerful effect, and Se-hun has drawn on a similar energy with his work. The recently translated double chapter of HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR is a testament to his specific brand of flexibility, humor, and mastery.
Se-hun has been introducing us to a wide range of concepts that populate the world of Lucid Adventure. In traditional RPG format there are a range of classes for PCs to undertake at their leisure, but each class is enhanced by a personal attribute that is locked into place upon character creation. The concept of classes and attributes is not a new one, but in Se-hun's hands they become something all together fantastical in nature. The very idea of personalized attributes is an intoxicating one as it allows for an infinitesimal combination of character abilities and skills regardless of class. Making these inherent abilities still more complex, Se-hun has personal attributes sealed for each character until they have completed an unspecified task or action. This generally makes figuring out one's personal attribute a significant hassle for new players, and in some cases proves itself to be a formidable obstacle for any user attempting to rise up in the rankings. While this certainly sounds good on paper, the real world implications of having so much variability are difficult if not impossible to process by current technological standards. Even if contemporary technology did allow for this level of customization at a root level, players would still be baffled and frustrated by the inability to easily acquire their attribute. Fortunately, Se-hun thinks of these exact same issues, and so there are characters whose special attribute revolves around helping others acquire their special attribute! Simple, but ingenious. Beyond variation, Se-hun's take on class and attributes serves a secondary purpose as it brings together otherwise unrelated elements of the story. Dark and Pooh Upooh share the Dark Mage class, Sora and Lila are both Fighters, and Armes and the heterochromia touched belle are both Explorers. Ironic how Se-hun is exploring his way into webtoons and the leader of the guild that inspired HLW to good deeds is lead by a explorer. These shared classifications have allowed for the current main cast of characters to expand their range of capability by learning from their contemporaries. These secondary characters that share classes with the central protagonists have subsequently become critical players in aiding HLW, and thus driving the plot. How this will factor into the newly minted heterochromia character remains to be seen as HLW and friends sort out Pooh Upooh's quest. The twists and turns of HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR don't stop with fresh concepts. Sad Smile has proven himself to be a crafty villain, and his role in bringing about the end of Zara Guild is an awe-inspiring accolade. It comes as no surprise then that he has no intention of being content with his position as lord of Cobalt Castle. Proving that greed has no limits, Sad Smile's machinations slowly begin to overlap with those of the mystery woman that murdered HLW during the very first chapter. He reveals his design in taking a cursed weapon crafted from Lazie's horn - a horn that the mystery woman had cut from Lazie herself in order to obtain the ire of a devil. From his discussion with Little Beard we know that he intends to face his former allies, Giga, but to what ends and with what aid is something that has yet to be made known to us. It is, however, glaringly apparent that the weapons crafted from Lazie's horns are powerful items with an unspecified set bonus. Upon receiving the sister weapon crafted from these devil horns Dark's powers increase significantly in addition to nullifying the curse of the lake. Though Se-hun has yet to touch on how skill levels and leveling in general operates within Lucid Adventure, it can be assumed from Dark's battle against Axe Beard that they dictate the speed at which skills can be employed. This method of increasing character capability is yet another callback to traditional RPG paradigms as items play a crucial role in dictating the overall capabilities of a single user. Se-hun's use of items as an augmentative force additionally allows Dark to grow without having to throw the protagonists into a variety of missions to achieve the same effect via leveling. Kim Se-hun clearly has an overwhelming passion for game design, and his concepts feel incredibly fleshed out. HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR is really what it says on the tin even if you remove the titular protagonist because leveling up is one of the most commonplace aspects of RPGs. Really any hardworking character striving to become a legend in Lucid Adventure could have been made to hold the unofficial title of Hardcore Leveling Warrior. Instead of doing this, Se-hun place a strong emphasis on having a character named HLW perhaps because it speaks to his own personal creed. Only hard work is rewarded. There are many times when people struggle to hold to this belief, but Se-hun's story battles against this ideology. Even in the most adverse of circumstances we must get up and do what we can. Whether the results are desirable or not we have to move forward and keep trying is what Se-hun appears to be getting at as he explores HLW in the boundaries of his manhwa. How will things develop from this stage? Where is the leader of the Beard Gang? Perhaps we'll find out next chapter! Written By: ALAN "VIENNA" SINGH
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
July 2019
Categories
All
|