When a video biz developer reach a big hit that take in it recognition , it ’s only lifelike that it might try on to stick with the same normal and try on to make lightning strike double . Atlus’sMetaphor : ReFantaziois a meridian example , doubling down on the Persona construction to create a graceful RPG that hits a lot of the same pulsation . Similarly , The Hundred line of descent : Last Defense Academy , created by Too Kyo Games , heavily borrows elements from Danganronpa . It ’s no surprise that the Godhead behind that outlandish visual novel serial publication are responsible for this excellent new RPG that builds on its deoxyribonucleic acid .
TheHundred Line : Last Defense Academymay have the same nontextual matter panache as Danganronpa and some similar gameplay mechanic , but it sets itself aside from from its inspirations to deliver an experience that ’s both intimate and novel . The flaming turn - based tactic , gripping level about saving humanity , and larger - than - life case make it one of the best RPGs of 2025 and a worthy follow - up to Danganronpa ’s bequest .
A different kind of death game
Last Defense Academyfollows Takumi Sumino , a young boy who wakes up at a mysterious school after his hometown is attacked by outlander . Along with several other schoolfellow , he learns that they ’re the last bloodline of defense for humanity against these hostile alien encroacher whose goal is to capture a muscular artefact bury deep within the school . As part of the Special Defense Unit , Takumi and his classmates have to protect the artefact for 100 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. and then are repay with a trip-up back home . There are numerous secret plan twists and revelations that keep the account exciting , from the origins of the invaders to details about the artifact . It has the same expectation and suspense that Danganronpa fan have add up to expect and love .
The over - the - top personality fit perfectly into the comedic yet depressed tone .
The absorbing fib is bolstered by its clever implementation of a New Game Plus system . Whereas other games likeGod of War RagnarokorElden Ringsimply just ask players to echo the same story , Last Defense Academybuilds on its gameplay alongside its worldbuilding and traditional knowledge . The first playthrough is a fuddled railroad , leading me into one singular finish , but New Game Plus features a brand name raw story filled with even more game twists and fresh playable character .
There ’s an enormous flowchart with multiple endings like a traditional visual novel . What ’s even more telling is that even though some conclusion are slim variations free-base on the decisions Takumi seduce , many of them are solid enough to be see canon endings , even when Takumi is stress to reach an ultimate one where everyone survives the 100 days . There ’s no shortage of capacity inLast Defense Academy .
Last Defense Academyhas its own cast of colored and zany characters like Danganronpa . Some of the standouts admit Kyoshika Magadori , who ’s the designated “ country yahoo . ” Despite being a samurai , her blood line are filled with distinctive ninja trope , such as growing up in a out of sight village . Darumi Anemiya is inspire by Danganronpa ’s sadistic overarching antagonist ( but do n’t interest , she ’s on our side ) . She often makes references to that series , complain that she ’d rather be in a kill biz or else where the cast members constantly turn against each other . The over - the - top personalities fit dead into the comedic yet unrelenting flavour .
Funny enough , little does Darumi know that she sometimes actually get her regard . Characters quibble and argue as Takumi futilely essay to keep the grouping ’s camaraderie inviolate . This often leads to the group ’s demise , not because the main villain destroyed them , but because they could n’t come together when it mattered the most .
Throughout the biz , Takumi ’s leaders skills are repeatedly tested as he has to allot with the effect of his own actions , resulting in the branch storylines . Regardless , he never give up hope and campaign to the bitter end even when it seems like all is lose . It ’s a highly motivating drive force to research all of the dissimilar finish , a tone I have n’t felt since playing the Zero Escape serial .
end is the recurring theme explored in the report here , but what makesLast Defense Academyso absorbing is how casually it treat the idea . The school day has a car that can institute masses back to life , capably ( and ridiculously ) ring the Revive O’Matic . Throughout the story , I became numb to character become flat , as they can simply just come back after a curt period of clock time . Death is piddling , until it is n’t . The constant cycle of death and resurrection is eventually disrupted , which gives some of its conclusion true emotional heft . Ironically , while Takumi ’s route to reaching his happily ever after with everyone awake following 100 day is pave with good intentions , it ’s also build using the stemma and corpses of his own teammate .
Life after death
The other mass ofLast Defense Academy ’s gameplay imply strategical tactics akin to a Fire Emblem secret plan . or else of focusing on pure stat numbers , its mechanics emphasize campaign and attack range . This head off min - maxing stat procedures and ca-ca me think more strategically about where to localize my attacks to pass over out as many invaders as potential .
Placement is important because players have limit AP to expend per battle , so they ca n’t necessarily move all of their units in a single turn . While the small fry encroacher only have a exclusive dactyl of HP , the great ones have more and pay back extra AP when they ’re defeated . However , players ca n’t leave the baseborn enemy cannon fodder running about , as they can assault the schooltime itself and take down its barrier , triggering a lose condition . As a result , the gameplay strike a crucial balance between offensive and justificatory play , keeping battles fresh .
I was able to focus more on the joyfulness of tactics when I did n’t have to interest about losing part permanently .
With every move , the emf cadence slowly builds up to a limit of 300 % . By using a helping of Voltage , units can gain an spare move , a lasting attack boost , or prepare to counterattack against incoming enemy attacks . This add extra gameplay depth to the otherwise limited motion choice .
What really separatesLast Defense Academy ’s tactics gameplay from other contemporaries is that it encourages participant to toss off off their own characters . Because of the Revive O’Matic , I could apply death to my full reward with no penalisation . When reference hit critical wellness , they can fire off their ultimate attacks without using up potential at the disbursal of dying . I ’m even repay for doing that because it add another 100 % to the Voltage meter and the post - battle results screen adds a bonus score for every character sacrificed .
I was able to focus more on the joyfulness of tactics when I did n’t have to worry about fall back fibre permanently . It ’s a austere dividing line to other tactics games where I ’d take every step to ensure that my characters survive . alternatively , I gayly put them in harm ’s mode to make them go out with a bang , knowing that they ’ll be back in the next enemy wave .
dying , and its role in struggle , struck me the most during my very first boss encounter . At the destruction of most boss battles , instrumentalist can take one role to cease off the commander and absorb their force , present them a permanent power encouragement . However , the character selection concealment is presented in the commander ’s gunpoint of view , with the Special Defense Unit glaring down with malicious design and the setting soaked in passion - induce red . It ’s almost like the commander is solicit for their life history to be spared .
After selecting the type , they slowly walk up to the commanding officer and deliver a cleanup reversal , the screen filled with rain down blood and the prospect ending on a close up of the choose part ’s human face . From that spot frontwards , it made me interview the Special Defense Unit ’s heroic motives , call up , “ wait , arewethe baddies ? ” I did n’t know the origins of the invaders yet , but as I continued playing and memorise more about them , I always kept this moment at the back of my creative thinker .
Copying homework
When Takumi is n’t out defending the school , Last Defense Academyis set up similarly to a Persona game . Throughout the 100 days , the Special Defense Unit gathers in the cafeteria to discourse any important events or findings they come across . intersperse between these story elements are moments where Takumi can do activities across the school . He can hang out with schoolmate , participate in mock VR battles , and explore out of doors of schooling grounds . They ’re all worth doing as they provide gameplay benefits to Takumi , like granting BP to elevate acquirement , rewarding material to heighten arm , or increase his societal stats . The freedom to coordinate your own schedule makes the 100 days glide by by in a duck soup .
There are some story instances where Takumi has to conduct Persuasion Missions to convince his other schoolfellow to fight alongside him . This is one ofLast Defense Academy ’s few pitfalls . I ’m shove into a minigame where I have to pick the right set phrase and fill out a metre , another gameplay idea clearly borrowed from the Danganronpa games . There ’s no fail state and picking the unseasonable phrase just just regress me back to a old level in the conversation . It ’s downcast bet and does n’t add much to the overall experience .
Sometimes I ’m also thrown into a stealth minigame where I have to pilot the school day without getting caught . While these minigames are relatively well-to-do compare to force stealth missions in other game , they happen so infrequently that there does n’t really seem to be a point to them at all . They would have work just as well as even cutscenes .
If you do pass to stumble on the Persuasion Missions and stealth missions , be prepared to expect several second . Load times are slow on Switch , and are inconsistent between playing in dock mood versus handheld . Loading time while playing in the latter is somehow faster than the former . The slow payload time are also an annoyance when voyage through the school . Other than that , however , there are n’t any other performance issues .
On the surface , The Hundred cable : Last Defense Academysimply depend like the next mainline Danganronpa game in all but name . However , it does more than enough to separate itself and even rive off the pattern better . With a strong optical novel grit , Last Defense Academy ’s robust RPG system and chronicle transcends its inspirations . Despite a few flushed marks on its report card , the pupil has surpassed the teacher .
The Hundred Line : Last Defense Academylaunches on April 23 for Nintendo Switch and PC .
