The Nintendo Change has no scarcity of tactical RPGs. (I don’t suppose something on the planet has a scarcity of tactical RPGs.) And I’m cool with that. However how does an indie developer assist their entry stand out within the style? Within the case of Arcadian Atlas, it’s the soundtrack of all issues.
I’m going to begin there, as a result of it truly is essentially the most distinct facet of the sport. Though set in a typical fantasy world, the soundtrack is mild jazz—like a ’70s-’80s film rating from John Barry. It’s an attention-grabbing alternative, making a bizarre disconnect between what we’re listening to and what we’re seeing. That really drives up curiosity within the early phases of the sport. As soon as I grew used to it, nonetheless, the gameplay itself wasn’t as efficient at carrying me by way of.
Arcadia is on the point of civil warfare because the king’s loss of life attracts close to. The Queen-to-be could have nefarious plans, inflicting a break up between our two heroes, the siblings Desmond and Vashti. One stays allegiant to the throne, whereas the opposite makes an attempt to guard the exiled princesses: Lucretia and Annalise.
It’s an intriguing story that saved me invested till it took a bizarre flip on the finish. Not a nasty flip, per se, simply an surprising one.
As you’d anticipate from a tactical RPG, Arcadian Atlas strikes you round a map for story improvement and fight. Unlocking new areas additionally unlocks new gadgets to buy and troopers to recruit, and people recruits develop into a key aspect on the battle maps.
Though there are a number of fundamental characters you need to use in your social gathering, they generally both aren’t sufficient or they’re not what it’s essential spherical out your capabilities. So, you’ll be able to recruit and stage up mercenaries that can assist you in your means. This prices cash, nonetheless, and that’s not simple to return by. Because of this, you’ll progress by balancing out your recruits and preserving everybody correctly geared up with upgraded weapons and armor. I needed to depend on my soldiers-for-hire extra usually than I’d have anticipated.
Leveling up is the primary key to development. Arcadian Atlas does offer you some sidequests to maintain the method attention-grabbing, however you’ll nonetheless must replay battle maps to achieve some additional expertise and money. Principally, you’ll want to do that proper after finishing the map the primary time. Unit placement and enemies will change, however it nonetheless forces redundancy that slows development greater than I’d like, particularly within the early phases.
The fight gameplay itself is pretty commonplace, however entertaining. You’ll start by choosing and putting your models, then benefiting from terrain and abilities to—in flip—isolate and remove your foes. Enemies will virtually at all times take a number of hits, so buffing and therapeutic your models whereas debuffing the enemy is the one means by way of. Your incapacitated troopers must be revived inside a number of turns otherwise you lose them. In fact, you can even simply full the extent earlier than that occurs.
The sport has over 150 fight abilities to be taught throughout 12 unlockable soldier courses. It’s quite a bit to deal with as you’re employed by way of the talent timber, however it’s by no means overwhelming. I felt in command of my social gathering from begin to end.
The sport’s retro visuals are nice, working properly in each docked and handheld mode. Stock and unit screens are simple to learn, though the dialogue textual content is a bit small.
Sure maps are tougher to see than others due to the shortcoming to shift the digicam, nonetheless.
All of this combines to supply appropriate filler because the AAA Change releases decelerate forward of Nintendo’s new console announcement. Arcadian Atlas possible gained’t prime your listing of all-time nice tactical RPGs. However when you’d reasonably spend your time on a brand new recreation than replaying those which are on that listing, Desmond and Vashti do exactly sufficient to make this an journey price taking.