Unicorn Overlord Review – A New Chapter in Tactical RPGs
The outline of the oppressed banding together against an all-corrupting takeover is an all-too-common backbone for countless narratives. Still, that’s at least partially because, aside from context-sensitive messaging, the general relation to underdogs surpassing seemingly insurmountable strife in the face of coalesced treachery can be understood by many. On a grander scale, this blueprint can encompass war stories regardless of the chosen medium, including video games.
One new release following these same footsteps is the tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord, helmed by Vanillaware, known for their recent narrative adventure 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. However, this new game is far more akin to their past experiences where, despite a solid conceptual storyline, the gameplay takes centerstage first and foremost. Additionally, this launch is unique simply for its sheer vastness, as Vanillaware’s catalog usually consists of smaller-scale journeys. In contrast, Unicorn Overlord features dozens upon dozens of characters with an effort for concentrated worldbuilding that, while noticeably overextending itself, sticks the landing in the most pivotal cases.
Unicorn Overlord excels, offering a detailed exploration of its setting.
Unicorn Overlord occurs on the continent of Fevrith, a series of landmasses comprised of five nations that face friction due to a defected general from Cornia supporting the Zenoira empire. The protagonist, Alain, is the prince of Cornia and is raised elsewhere by one of his mother’s close soldiers. Eventually, years pass, and conflict greets him, birthing his position as the leader of the Liberation Army, aiming to free Fevrith’s denizens. This admittedly uninspired backdrop effectively sets the stage for Alain’s motivations and relationship with the world, tethering him to future allies directly and indirectly. Aside from gameplay, Unicorn Overlord thrives in its sense of scale, with the worldbuilding providing sensible connections that make the effects of this uphill battle all the more real. The characteristics of each continent, their geography, and the recent strife they have faced as a result of these takeovers help individualize them.
Those looking to be immersed in a world full of depth will undeniably find their fill here, especially with the in-game database that provides traceable key terms that lead to one another, making learning everything an impressively cohesive process. However, the cast of Unicorn Overlord isn’t exactly on the same level playing field. Partially due to the sheer number of characters you’ll encounter around Fevrith, not everyone is remotely equal in their respective avenues of staying power. Additionally, the relevancy of most of these characters wanes quickly after their recruitment. This lack of focus is somewhat addressed via Rapport, conversations between select characters across the world map, but these are more supplemental than anything else. It’s also worth noting that the narrative of Unicorn Overlord isn’t really a prominent, compelling motivator. The antagonists usually aren’t particularly memorable in their desires or exchanges, making them more akin to justifications to push events forward.
Strategic Depth Meets Accessibility: Unicorn Overlord’s Combat System
While all of those points may seem like significant detractors, they serve to emphasize the gameplay first and foremost. In all honesty, the strong writing amidst the several brief scenes of screentime most characters get does its job of establishing who these people are, leaving the player to internally formulate their relationships and actions with the Liberation on a daily basis, at least to an extent. This isn’t a typical style of approach some are familiar with, so if you were hoping for a more character-driven experience, you won’t find that here. Instead, those open to it will find themselves intrigued by the setting, bolstered by the various types of races that breathe distinction across every region. Ultimately, every player will likely have a few characters who become their favorite depending on their standard unit setups, like building a bridge between character attachment and gameplay progression.
Unicorn Overlord’s gameplay stands as its crowning achievement.
On the other hand, Unicorn Overlord’s gameplay is an assuredly all-pleasing cup of tea to even the most vaguely interested tactics newcomers. During battles, players direct their summoned units toward specified destinations, and if enemy units are encountered, either on the way or at the end of one’s commanded movement, combat ensues. Predicted outcomes are presented to you ahead of time, and they’re reasonably reliable. Of course, it’s not just that simple, as you’ll also need to determine which matchups are most favorable by considering class matchups, skill types, and numerous other factors. Essentially, the basics of practically all tactics games apply here, with the uniqueness partially stemming from unit formations. Each unit is composed of multiple characters placed on a mini-grid, and it’s your job to determine how to sort them together while taking abilities, classes, and such into account. Further, each type of character has its own leader skill, giving their surrounding collective a standout boon.
Exploring Fevrith: A World Built with Precision
Still, that’s all only the tip of the iceberg. The real meat and potatoes here, and my favorite facet of the gameplay, regards action precedence. In a manner comparable to the likes of Final Fantasy XII gambits, you can set highly specific conditions for how and why characters trigger their skills mid-combat. And when I say highly specific, I genuinely mean incredibly specific. You have an intimidating amount of conditions to select from per skill, resulting in remarkable player individuality shining through even the most seemingly minute decisions. Granted, the type of skill you’re setting conditions for can significantly narrow the window of what you should ponder, but it doesn’t diminish how daunting it can all be. Without exaggeration, one’s reaction and growth to this system will, in large part, determine their enjoyment moving forward. For the beginning stages and if you’re playing on one of the easier difficulties, you don’t really have to pay action precedence much mind, but if you truly want to delve into the intricacies of what makes this game so cathartic, it’s highly recommended you be cognizant. Try to keep in mind that skills with stricter activation conditions should be given more precedence.
Unicorn Overlord is a testament to Vanillaware’s artistic prowess.
Combat also features Valor, the resource that lets you spawn units and activate unit-specific skills. Thankfully, these are gained quite often when defeating foes, so you’ll rarely have a short supply if you play your cards right. Admittedly, it can be easy to overlook Valor skills if you’re just going through the motions, so try to keep their existence in the back of your mind. Otherwise, you’ll have wasted Valor you could’ve used to win the battle far sooner. Speaking of spending less time, you can thankfully outright skip battle animations if you like. You should only do this if you’re confident in the predicted outcome and already have an idea of what would happen without you seeing it. Still, it’s indescribably appreciated for convenience.
Unicorn Overlord also ensures you can’t simply rely on the same unit repeatedly since stamina, numerically displayed as Action Points, depletes after every encounter, so you have to be certain that your entire unit selection is prepared adequately. In essence, a meticulous gameplay balance is kept, so players must be alert and aware.
Artistic Excellence: The Visual and Audio Tapestry of Unicorn Overlord
Another facet of the title I rarely found myself growing tired of was the overworld. Your liberation of countless individuals and their homes opens the map gradually, giving a transparent view of your overall progression in an undeniably satisfying manner. Plus, the practical gameplay benefits and mechanic opportunities you gain as you do are nothing to scoff at. For instance, each fort or civilization you free has its own delivery quests to improve its services, with visual alternations made once you make enough headway in completing these tasks. Alongside getting more and more allies to join your cause, playing your part in helping the everyday townsfolk prosper paints a magnificent picture of progress that grows tenfold the further you are. When adding fast travel to the mix, you have a terrific omnipresent world map that healthily encourages you to see more of what the world has to offer.
The general reward you receive for completing quests and other side activities is Honors, a currency of sorts that can not only expand the number of characters you can have per unit but also promote the classes of select characters who are capable of doing so. In hindsight, the gameplay feedback look of Unicorn Overlord is pristine, more than making up for the apparent shortcomings of the narrative and cast. Every completed activity gives noticeable headway into another task and so on and so forth, instilling an addictive tactical experience. Moreover, those who are less confident in their skills can turn down the difficulty, grind character levels in repeatable auxiliary stages, and use items to raise levels and stats directly. These implementations can feel far too lenient at points, but they don’t necessarily take away from the delight of the gameplay loop at large.
The innovation here lies in the game’s action precedence system, allowing players to set detailed conditions for skill activations.
One last collective point worth noting is the presentation. Those familiar with Vanillaware will be at home here, with every character, background, and landmark having the developer’s quintessential flair that never overstays its welcome. This strength especially applies in Unicorn Overlord since the eventual filling out of the world map is satisfying enough on its own, and is bolstered by just how pleasing to the eye everything is. The soundtrack is similarly great as it sets appropriate tones for combat and exploration, though select tracks can become a tad repetitive to hear over and over.
Tactical RPGs have grown increasingly common, so when one still manages to tower above countless others, you know it’s special; Unicorn Overlord embodies that phenomenon. While the cast and narrative aren’t particularly captivating, the gameplay elevates the experience far beyond those drawbacks. Between the gratifying sense of progression throughout character growth and liberation, as well as the bountiful paths of player individuality that you can grow lost in, Unicorn Overlord is a delight for tactics enthusiasts yearning to seek their teeth into a polished adventure. This fulfilling gameplay loop is endearingly reminiscent of the developer’s work pre-13 Sentinels, and I can’t wait to see what their future holds.
