When I embarked on the reality of Fevrith inUnicorn Overlord , I felt a waving of nostalgia like I was playing an RPG from the 90s . That was partially thanks to its tactical gameplay that looks and feels like a throwback to some of the genre ’s good , but it ’s the art that really took me back . As I traveled the overworld function as Alain , the story ’s hero , I marvel at his tiny sprite . It was as witching as his full character model inUnicorn Overlord ’s gorgeous art style and cutscenes .
Unicorn Overlordis astrategy gamedeveloped by Vanillaware , a studio most placeable through its distinct 2D art manner and hand - painted joint animations for its characters . That artwork really helps bring the game ’s eminent fantasy background to life . And while that delight me to a whole fresh world , it also brought me back to a familiar era of musical style classics that I fuck .
Despite its generic news report , Unicorn Overlordboasts an incredibly fun real - time strategy combat system tweaked with an auto battle system and slew of customization options for its reference . For those who long for a riposte to the enceinte strategy RPGs of the ’ 90s , it ’s a nostalgic achiever elevated by its unforgettable art .
Liberating the world
Unicorn Overlordstarts off on a substantial note when the realm of Cornia is overthrown by Galerius , a king thirsty conqueror . Under his Modern rule , Galerius unites all five commonwealth of Fevrith under his own Zenorian imperium . A young man key out Alain safely flees with the help of his bodyguard , Josef , and the game time jump 10 years . After obtain the Ring of the Unicorn , he gathers his allies to take shape the Liberation Army to free Fevrith from Galerius ’s authoritarian rule .
This premise gets straight to the point with a clean-cut finish . However , the news report starts to drag a number after we learn the ring ’s abilities . Galerius place many of Alain ’s previous puerility friends and Josef ’s comrades under a mind - controlling magical spell , and the ring can free them from it . For a good component of the game ’s main deputation and quests , that ’s the primary level justification for Alain facing off against them .
It ’s a light motivator and feels like a cop - out given that Vanillaware has told warm stories before . 2020’s13 Sentinels : Aegis Rimwas an excellent brain - turn sci - fi optical novel adventure that kept me occupied to the very end . 2007’sOdin Spherewas an excited curler coaster evidence from the viewpoints of six playable characters whose paths finally fuse into a powerful termination .
Without going into raider , Unicorn Overlord ’s rather predictable account , plot twists , and terminate do n’t hit nearly as heavily as Vanillaware ’s effective titles . gratefully , the developer can plunk up that slack with strong interpersonal relationship between its wide cast of characters of Hero .
It’s a party in the Liberation Army
While the master story scenarios inUnicorn Overlordfocus on a few select master character , there are 60 ally that Alain can raise . There ’s a lot of welcome diversity in that roster , which includes human being , beasts , pixie , and even angel . The fact that so many walk of life join the Liberation Army really lend the feeling that all five of the Nation are united to take down the Zenoirian Empire .
It feel like playing an old schooling Final Fantasy biz …
As players continue to fight alongside them , they take in decimal point toward their Rapport Level and can unlock Rapport Conversations . These are simply cutscenes at specific points on the mathematical function where two characters talk with each other . These conversation are as entertaining as they are useful . For example , the horse , Miriam , tattle to her knight like it ’s her sister , but the priest-doctor Selvie ’s more socially embarrassing nature thinks that she literally knows how to speak to animals .
These often joyful interactions give more astuteness to each individual graphic symbol in the monolithic dramatis personae . There ’s a tangible reward for view these , too . They reward Honors , which are needed to promote unit of measurement to substantial class and expand units . It ’s a voguish inducement , giving players a reason to endue in each character ’s story .
What I enjoy aboutUnicorn Overlord‘s presentation is that there ’s no central hub for the Liberation Army to give back to like inFire Emblem : Three Houses ’ Garreg Mach Monastery school orThe Diofield Chronicles‘Elm Cap . Instead , Alain ’s small sprite wanders around the more open Fevrith , recover new area , city , and quests along the way .
It feel like play an old - school Final Fantasy secret plan where I ’d tread into the overworld to go to my next name and address . This allows Fevrith ’s mapping to stretch out organically in a much more immersive way than just but returning to a fundamental hub and selecting the next account mission from a carte .
Crunching the numbers
While its story can be uneven , Unicorn Overlord ’s gameplay shines . During each battle , I have a place command Emily Post and various other bases fill by enemies that I can take over . unit from both side of meat are deployed , and the battles play out like areal - clock time scheme biz . What get the gameplay unique compared to its modern generation is that up to five role can be put into one social unit , taking into consideration each character ’s strong suit and weaknesses .
Unicorn Overlord ’s battle system has so many different , complex mechanics that all interact with each other cohesively .
It ’s heavy prompt by Square Enix’sOgre Battlefrom 1993 , and that purpose idea alone tot so much complexity to the overall combat . Typically in the genre , archer infantry are strong against ethereal character . InUnicorn Overlord , however , it ’s not so square . An enemy social unit could consist of aeriform fictitious character but could also be surround by cavalry role , which are effectual against foot , in the same unit of measurement .
As a result , you’re able to create well - balanced units that cover a variety of impuissance or a topnotch - specialized one that can take down a specific type of whole . It ’s absolutely gaga how much even switching out one character for another can drastically change the result of a single armed combat encounter .
And that ’s even before we get into specific character classes .
Swordmasters have a high truth stat that can hit even the most evasive Rogues . A sentence wobble system alters how some stratum wreak ; brute characters become strong at night while elven one do best during day . I can even place characters in my social unit ’ front or back rows , where heavily armoured ones can take hits in the front while healers can aid affirm from the back . There ’s so much subtlety that run short into crafting units ; the possibility feel interminable .
The actual combat encounters play out in an auto conflict fashion . player do n’t directly see to it the graphic symbol , as they do on some bias linguistic rule . Depending on sealed conditions and stats , characters will either use Active skills to snipe or inactive skills to buff , debuff , or cure . It ’s incredibly fulfill to sit back and see all of the characters duke it out — and Vanillaware ’s signature art style only heightens the ocular experience even more .
The battlefield can sometimes be litter with traps , such as steel trap and barricades to decelerate down movement . There are sometimes jumbo crossbows and slingshots that both sides can use for supernumerary firepower . The Liberation Army can bring along point such as potions to bring around , as well as temporary stat boost items to affect the upshot of a combat encounter too . Unicorn Overlord ’s fight system of rules has so many dissimilar , complex mechanic that all interact with each other cohesively to provide deep tactic gameplay .
I encounter some odd technical issues during battle , especially when there were too many units on screen or a million different activities going on at once . It ’s a moment strange , considering the game is n’t graphically intensive . I could maybe see this happen on the Switch version , but I was playing onPlayStation 5 .
Even with the periodic hiccough , Unicorn Overlordis one of the good strategy RPGs I ’ve play in some clip . With thick fight and customization , there ’s a lot to tinker with here that ’s indisputable to keep literary genre fans happy . It ’s big to see Vanillaware take on another literal - clock time scheme biz afterGrimGrimoire ; it ’s even better to see it create something whole different withUnicorn Overlord . While its lackluster story may not spark the flames of revolution as intensely , that does very fiddling to stop its dominating march .
Unicorn Overlordwas tested on PlayStation 5 .
