With the seemingly endless deluge of amazing game releases in 2023, many assumed that 2024 would pale in comparison. Now it’s August and we can confidently say that has not been the case. It seems like good games just keep releasing and overshadowing one another, making it hard to even remember everything that’s come out.. That’s why you might have missed one of 2024’s best games, Unicorn Overlord, a fantastic tactical RPG from the makers of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Thanks to the PlayStation summer sale, the game is currently available at a steep discount, and you shouldn’t miss out on it.
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When Unicorn Overlord released at the beginning of March, I was enamored by its fresh take on the tactical RPG. I loved it so much that I even went as far as to call it the best game the genre has seen in recent memory, a game that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Final Fantasy Tactics. Five months later, I stand by everything I said. This is a spectacular accomplishment by developer Vanillaware that more people need to get their hands on. The main selling points are its phenomenal gameplay and beautiful art.
The quality of Unicorn Overlord’s art almost goes without saying, this is a Vanillaware game after all. The same team behind Dragon’s Crown and 13 Sentinels delivers its signature painterly environment and beautiful character design. And, Unicorn Overlord applies that amazing art to a medieval fantasy world, so expect to see lofty castles and plenty of knights in shining armor. The game’s world, which is broken into multiple kingdoms with different terrain, is also a delight to the eyes. Travel from one end of the map to the other and watch it change from deep blues on the coastline to verdant green forests and eventually to blistering white snowfields or burning yellow deserts. Of course there is more to do than just look at pretty art in this world.
The meat of Unicorn Overlord is its seemingly endless number of combat systems that meld together to make a truly thrilling tactical RPG that melds real-time and turn-based action. When large scale battles are triggered you control your units on a real-time map, directing your troops on the field against the enemy. When a unit does clash with the opponent, it turns into an automatic face-off that fans of Fire Emblem might be familiar with. Based on how you built your unit—with position, troop makeup, and equipment, the battle will automatically be won or lost. It means that while the moment-to-moment of battle is real-time, the bulk of your success is determined before you step onto the battlefield.
Mastering Unicorn Overlord requires getting deep into the systems that take place before battle. You must understand how each troop’s class gives them different advantages and disadvantages in battle against certain opponent types, and how positioning troops can drastically change the outcome of a battle. And you’ll need to fine-tune how each troop works with a Tactics menu that riffs on Final Fantasy XII’s Gambit System. Even when you start to think you are getting the hang of Unicorn Overlord it tests you. Battles will continue to add new gimmicks or challenges to test your knowledge of the game’s systems. If you like a tough tactics game, Unicorn Overlord is for you
I implore any tactical RPG fans to take advantage of the PlayStation sale while you can. Until August 15, Unicorn Overlord available for $41.99 instead of $59.99. Trust me, it’s worth it at either of those prices, but why not get it for cheap?
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