⏰ In a rush? Don't worry, I gotchu'! ⏰
What Works:
✅ Gorgeous Art Style: Stunning visuals reminiscent of Vanillaware's previous hits.
✅ Deep Strategy: Addictive gameplay with customizable squads and tactics.
✅ Meaningful Choices: Decisions impact the story and character relationships.
✅ Replayability: Multiple paths and consequences keep things fresh.
✅ Accessibility Features: Difficulty options, battle speed control, and story summaries.
What Doesn't:
❌ Generic Plot: Familiar story for RPG veterans.
❌ Repetitive Battles: Combat visuals can become monotonous.
❌ Overwhelming Mechanics: Steep learning curve with a lot to absorb.
❌ Cluttered Interface: Menus can be confusing with numerous features.
🎮 Vanillaware Strikes Again
Vanillaware, company responsible for hits like 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Dragon's Crown, is back dueling for our wallets, and surprising absolutely no one, fires another shot across the bow of the video game industry. It's astonishing how the team's quality and mastery in game design shines through title after title, with this latest one drawing heavy inspiration from Fire Emblem and, even more blatantly, Ogre Battle. Unicorn Overlord injects a drop-dead gorgeous art style, already considered the company's trademark, popularized since Odin Sphere.
👑 Journey of Prince Alain
With that said, Unicorn Overlord explores the journey of Prince Alain, heir to the kingdom of Cornia and leader of the Liberation Army, in a world under the tyrannical control of the Zenoira Empire, led by Emperor Galerius. While I won't spoil any surprises, despite the plot delivering a generic and familiar rhythm for fans of the genre, it unfolds progressively, battle by strategic battle, with dialogue choices and moral dilemmas taking center stage during intense narrative moments, resulting in unlikely alliances, well-written betrayals and mysteries, and phenomenal voice acting.
💬 Impactful Choices and Consequences
For example, in one of the first dilemmas, Alain has the power to decide a character's fate. After making a choice and facing the consequences, I hopped online (thanks, internet!) to see the outcome of the opposite option, and the result couldn't have been more different! However, what truly enriches Alain's main quest, which is a bit weak in comparison and focused on weakening Galerius' dominion, are the characters and companions that make it up, each with their own motivations, desires, and personal story, just like the decisive moments exemplified above.
⚔️ Immersive Gameplay Experience
Although the plot holds our interest to a certain extent, the real draw of Unicorn Overlord lies in its gameplay, where its progression cycle satisfies from start to finish. After the first few hours, we freely explore the world surrounding Alain and company, completing minor side quests, liberating towns, and using various resources to enhance gameplay mechanics, such as increasing the number of units in a formation or the number of available squads.
This, along with the plot, pushes us from objective to objective, making Unicorn Overlord's progression system robust and rewarding, with ample opportunities in each battle to increase the strategic intensity, meticulously preparing the appropriate tactics to face each challenge. I understand this might sound like marketing speak, but the truth is that every choice, whether it's for the narrative or the gameplay, has (almost) always an impact.
🛡️ Master the Tactical Squad System
Inherent to the gameplay, both in the overworld and in battles, is the aforementioned expansive and experimental squad system with two rows, each composed of up to five units. The beginning of the adventure limits the quantity to ease the player into this system. That being said, all members of the Liberation Army have a class associated with them, like Thief, Knight, or Soldier (among others), loaded with strengths and weaknesses, passive or active abilities, and thanks to this mechanic, the possibility of adopting a personal playstyle becomes a reality. Of course, like all tactical RPGs, there's always one unit or another within a class that's more capable than another.
Having said that, I mentioned earlier that the plot is enriched by the cast that composes it, and that is due to its Fire Emblem influences. When building a squad, it's important to consider who to pair the units with. This is because as units fight or have meals together, a relationship grows between them, where each milestone can unlock a special event between them or increase their passive battle stats when together.
📚 Learning Curve and Accessibility
However, this whole web of mechanics, exposed right from the beginning of the game, can be intimidating even for the most experienced players in the genre, with tutorials frequently bombarding players with the sheer number of concepts to consider. This carries an inevitable consequence: too many concepts and mechanics are introduced, and the video game, even with various difficulty options available, ceases to be accessible, especially for those who enjoy taking long breaks between sessions. Nevertheless, on the other hand, Unicorn Overlord tries to mitigate the experience and learning curve with a gradual introduction of these issues, finding success to a certain point.
🌌 Dynamic and Visually Stunning Battles
On the other hand, while the battles are impressive eye-candy for the first few dozen times, they become repetitions of visually monotonous spectacles. However, their usefulness shines when the outcome goes south, and as these battles occur in a specific order, dependent on the initiative (the most important stat) of each unit, it's always worth paying close attention to the flow of troops to understand where, strategically, the approach can be improved. It's also noteworthy to mention that any unit can be customized with a list of actions à la Gambit from Final Fantasy XII, here called Tactics.
⚙️ Accessible Gameplay Options
Thankfully, Unicorn Overlord also introduces some accessibility options regarding gameplay. For example, not only is the overall difficulty adjustable between four options, but you can also speed up the battle pace or skip them entirely before they even happen, useful when you already know the outcome. Other menus, like a history of the dialogue that occurred, an archive that reminds you of previous events, as well as a section that covers various elements of the world, are invaluable aids for those who easily lose track of the narrative.
🦄 A Must-Play for Tactical RPG Fans
It's a herculean task not to recommend this title to all tactical RPG fans, especially those who adore Ogre Battle, Fire Emblem, and Vanillaware. Sure, at the end of the day, Unicorn Overlord isn't perfect. The main story is a generic, well-chewed trope, and the battles, despite being visually impressive, quickly cause eye strain. Additionally, the user interface can be confusing and cluttered with the (almost) abnormal amount of mechanics constantly on display. However, these complaints, in the grand scheme of things, are practically insignificant, overshadowed by the deep strategic element at play, composed of the squads and classes of each unit. The overworld is interesting to explore, with an addictive gameplay loop and well-written side stories, not to mention the visual and auditory feast it presents. Thankfully, this Unicorn exists and is easy to acquire, unlike its mythical namesake.
🌟 M I S C 🌟
◻️ 🌳 Visit my Linktree for more content.
◻️ 📝 Original review published on March 22nd, 2024.
◻️ 🙋♂️ Explore more reviews written by me.
◻️ 🎮 Discover PlayStation 5 games I've played.
◻️ ✍️ Reviewed in European Portuguese, translated with A.I.
◻️ 📜 Review Number 148.
✨ F I N ✨
What Works:
✅ Gorgeous Art Style: Stunning visuals reminiscent of Vanillaware's previous hits.
✅ Deep Strategy: Addictive gameplay with customizable squads and tactics.
✅ Meaningful Choices: Decisions impact the story and character relationships.
✅ Replayability: Multiple paths and consequences keep things fresh.
✅ Accessibility Features: Difficulty options, battle speed control, and story summaries.
What Doesn't:
❌ Generic Plot: Familiar story for RPG veterans.
❌ Repetitive Battles: Combat visuals can become monotonous.
❌ Overwhelming Mechanics: Steep learning curve with a lot to absorb.
❌ Cluttered Interface: Menus can be confusing with numerous features.
🎮 Vanillaware Strikes Again
Vanillaware, company responsible for hits like 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Dragon's Crown, is back dueling for our wallets, and surprising absolutely no one, fires another shot across the bow of the video game industry. It's astonishing how the team's quality and mastery in game design shines through title after title, with this latest one drawing heavy inspiration from Fire Emblem and, even more blatantly, Ogre Battle. Unicorn Overlord injects a drop-dead gorgeous art style, already considered the company's trademark, popularized since Odin Sphere.
👑 Journey of Prince Alain
With that said, Unicorn Overlord explores the journey of Prince Alain, heir to the kingdom of Cornia and leader of the Liberation Army, in a world under the tyrannical control of the Zenoira Empire, led by Emperor Galerius. While I won't spoil any surprises, despite the plot delivering a generic and familiar rhythm for fans of the genre, it unfolds progressively, battle by strategic battle, with dialogue choices and moral dilemmas taking center stage during intense narrative moments, resulting in unlikely alliances, well-written betrayals and mysteries, and phenomenal voice acting.
💬 Impactful Choices and Consequences
For example, in one of the first dilemmas, Alain has the power to decide a character's fate. After making a choice and facing the consequences, I hopped online (thanks, internet!) to see the outcome of the opposite option, and the result couldn't have been more different! However, what truly enriches Alain's main quest, which is a bit weak in comparison and focused on weakening Galerius' dominion, are the characters and companions that make it up, each with their own motivations, desires, and personal story, just like the decisive moments exemplified above.
⚔️ Immersive Gameplay Experience
Although the plot holds our interest to a certain extent, the real draw of Unicorn Overlord lies in its gameplay, where its progression cycle satisfies from start to finish. After the first few hours, we freely explore the world surrounding Alain and company, completing minor side quests, liberating towns, and using various resources to enhance gameplay mechanics, such as increasing the number of units in a formation or the number of available squads.
This, along with the plot, pushes us from objective to objective, making Unicorn Overlord's progression system robust and rewarding, with ample opportunities in each battle to increase the strategic intensity, meticulously preparing the appropriate tactics to face each challenge. I understand this might sound like marketing speak, but the truth is that every choice, whether it's for the narrative or the gameplay, has (almost) always an impact.
🛡️ Master the Tactical Squad System
Inherent to the gameplay, both in the overworld and in battles, is the aforementioned expansive and experimental squad system with two rows, each composed of up to five units. The beginning of the adventure limits the quantity to ease the player into this system. That being said, all members of the Liberation Army have a class associated with them, like Thief, Knight, or Soldier (among others), loaded with strengths and weaknesses, passive or active abilities, and thanks to this mechanic, the possibility of adopting a personal playstyle becomes a reality. Of course, like all tactical RPGs, there's always one unit or another within a class that's more capable than another.
Having said that, I mentioned earlier that the plot is enriched by the cast that composes it, and that is due to its Fire Emblem influences. When building a squad, it's important to consider who to pair the units with. This is because as units fight or have meals together, a relationship grows between them, where each milestone can unlock a special event between them or increase their passive battle stats when together.
📚 Learning Curve and Accessibility
However, this whole web of mechanics, exposed right from the beginning of the game, can be intimidating even for the most experienced players in the genre, with tutorials frequently bombarding players with the sheer number of concepts to consider. This carries an inevitable consequence: too many concepts and mechanics are introduced, and the video game, even with various difficulty options available, ceases to be accessible, especially for those who enjoy taking long breaks between sessions. Nevertheless, on the other hand, Unicorn Overlord tries to mitigate the experience and learning curve with a gradual introduction of these issues, finding success to a certain point.
🌌 Dynamic and Visually Stunning Battles
On the other hand, while the battles are impressive eye-candy for the first few dozen times, they become repetitions of visually monotonous spectacles. However, their usefulness shines when the outcome goes south, and as these battles occur in a specific order, dependent on the initiative (the most important stat) of each unit, it's always worth paying close attention to the flow of troops to understand where, strategically, the approach can be improved. It's also noteworthy to mention that any unit can be customized with a list of actions à la Gambit from Final Fantasy XII, here called Tactics.
⚙️ Accessible Gameplay Options
Thankfully, Unicorn Overlord also introduces some accessibility options regarding gameplay. For example, not only is the overall difficulty adjustable between four options, but you can also speed up the battle pace or skip them entirely before they even happen, useful when you already know the outcome. Other menus, like a history of the dialogue that occurred, an archive that reminds you of previous events, as well as a section that covers various elements of the world, are invaluable aids for those who easily lose track of the narrative.
🦄 A Must-Play for Tactical RPG Fans
It's a herculean task not to recommend this title to all tactical RPG fans, especially those who adore Ogre Battle, Fire Emblem, and Vanillaware. Sure, at the end of the day, Unicorn Overlord isn't perfect. The main story is a generic, well-chewed trope, and the battles, despite being visually impressive, quickly cause eye strain. Additionally, the user interface can be confusing and cluttered with the (almost) abnormal amount of mechanics constantly on display. However, these complaints, in the grand scheme of things, are practically insignificant, overshadowed by the deep strategic element at play, composed of the squads and classes of each unit. The overworld is interesting to explore, with an addictive gameplay loop and well-written side stories, not to mention the visual and auditory feast it presents. Thankfully, this Unicorn exists and is easy to acquire, unlike its mythical namesake.
🌟 M I S C 🌟
◻️ 🌳 Visit my Linktree for more content.
◻️ 📝 Original review published on March 22nd, 2024.
◻️ 🙋♂️ Explore more reviews written by me.
◻️ 🎮 Discover PlayStation 5 games I've played.
◻️ ✍️ Reviewed in European Portuguese, translated with A.I.
◻️ 📜 Review Number 148.
✨ F I N ✨