Assessment: Arcadian Atlas (Nintendo Swap)

The Nintendo Swap has no scarcity of tactical RPGs. (I don’t assume 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 start out there, as a result of it truly is probably 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 fascinating selection, making a bizarre disconnect between what we’re listening to and what we’re seeing. That truly 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 conflict because the king’s demise 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 stored 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 growth and fight. Unlocking new areas additionally unlocks new gadgets to buy and troopers to recruit, and people recruits turn out to be a key factor on the battle maps.

Though there are a number of major characters you should use in your social gathering, they often both aren’t sufficient or they’re not what it’s essential to spherical out your capabilities. So, you may recruit and stage up mercenaries that will help you in your method. This prices cash, nonetheless, and that’s not straightforward to return by. Consequently, you’ll progress by balancing out your recruits and protecting everybody correctly geared up with upgraded weapons and armor. I needed to depend on my soldiers-for-hire extra typically than I might have anticipated.

Leveling up is the principle key to development. Arcadian Atlas does offer you some sidequests to maintain the method fascinating, however you’ll nonetheless have to replay battle maps to realize some additional expertise and money. Largely, you’ll want to do that proper after finishing the map the primary time. Unit placement and enemies will change, but it surely nonetheless forces redundancy that slows development greater than I’d like, particularly within the early phases.

The fight gameplay itself is pretty customary, however entertaining. You’ll start by choosing and putting your items, then benefiting from terrain and expertise to—in flip—isolate and remove your foes. Enemies will virtually at all times take a number of hits, so buffing and therapeutic your items whereas debuffing the enemy is the one method by way of. Your incapacitated troopers must be revived inside a number of turns otherwise you lose them. After all, you too can simply full the extent earlier than that occurs.

The sport has over 150 fight expertise to study throughout 12 unlockable soldier courses. It’s loads to deal with as you’re employed by way of the ability bushes, but it surely’s by no means overwhelming. I felt in charge of my social gathering from begin to end.

The sport’s retro visuals are effective, working properly in each docked and handheld mode. Stock and unit screens are straightforward to learn, though the dialogue textual content is a bit small.

Sure maps are more durable to see than others due to the lack to shift the digicam, nonetheless.

All of this combines to offer appropriate filler because the AAA Swap releases decelerate forward of Nintendo’s new console announcement. Arcadian Atlas doubtless gained’t prime your record of all-time nice tactical RPGs. However for those who’d reasonably spend your time on a brand new recreation than replaying those which might be on that record, Desmond and Vashti just do sufficient to make this an journey price taking.