Vanillaware’s next artistic masterwork, Unicorn Overlord, marries Fantasy Tactics RPGs with world-class 2D artistry to create a memorable and reverential game. Alain, a prince of a fallen nation, seeks to return the land to glory and wrest it from the dominating control of Emperor Galerius. A war is not won without loyal compatriots willing to proudly swear in a new era. Will Alain’s heart guide the way to peace? Does the Ring of Unicorn hold the answer? Bear witness to otherworldly hand-crafted art that dresses up a superbly tactical romp in our Unicorn Overlord Review!
The journey towards the completion and release of Unicorn Overlord is nothing short of inspiring. Hundreds of thousands of man-hours and nearly a decade of work have blessed the world with a work of art brimming with passion. Other projects would take priority, but the constant whittling away on this gargantuan project would eventually be completed; leaving a finely carved masterpiece. Even during times of struggle, the team never gave up. From using their experience on other projects to improve Unicorn Overlord to even using their own money to complete the project, Vanillaware’s persistence continues to provide unique experiences from the heart.
Arduous Beginnings, Worthwhile Labor, Fruitful Triumphs
I pray that you forgive me for my one true complaint. I find the beginning of the game rife with tutorials. I understand there’s a method to the madness here, and I’m not ignoring the intent of this sort of thing. The tutorials do their job, but the early railroading and constant intrusive pop-ups left me slightly irked. The tutorials themselves are quite literally one to three sentences that explain a basic mechanic. The player isn’t even allowed to experiment. This cover page is a far cry from the depth that awaits. However, on a good note, this is nothing short of a nitpick on my part. This singular aspect starkly stands out from the highly polished rest of the whole. Many of my favorite games of all time have some poor tutorialization or slow starts. Now, prepare yourself for pure, unadulterated gushing.
Strategy is the name of the game. It permeates every facet of the game’s textured canvas. Of course, one must face difficult situations with a certain level of tact. That makes sense when preparing an army during the onset of war or amid an ensuing battle. From this idea, Unicorn Overlord pulled a delightful sucker punch on me; this also applies to your side activities. You can, at your discretion, progress in a multitude of ways. Push forth and trudge through the main story path. You will experience the true thrill of leading an underdog rebellion by scraping through a relentless onslaught. A more prudent lord may instead choose to engage with the side content. This allows you to meticulously build yourself up by gaining new allies from quests, reinforcing your army with experience, and rebuilding your rightful nation. All of these provide boons towards your warpath. Rising up, claiming what’s yours, helping others, and forging new bonds, each being a valuable brick in the wall.
Battle is, of course, a focal point of any game within the Strategy genre. However, despite this, the real battle starts off the battlefield. Preparation and planning are debatably more important here. The player has swathes of options, starting with traditional gear and character selection. That’s the bare basics. Where Unicorn Overlord truly heaps the possibilities on is with the skills. Characters gain new skills as they level up, and you can create synergy by craftily choosing which characters fit into each squad. That adds an additional layer. The final step to this is the conditions of a skill. The player can pick and choose what actions in a battle will trigger a skill along with their priority. Is a healer not using their healing skills at the right time? Ensure that they do by making the skill’s trigger condition focus on low HP allies. This even works with attack skills. A skill that deals extra damage to a mounted unit can be given the condition to focus on specified enemy types to guarantee your precious AP won’t be squandered. True deliberation prior to combat is half the battle!
I find the combat sections of Unicorn Overlord refreshing. Typical Tactics RPGs are turn-based fares that revolve around moving units like chess pieces. A formula I adore, but I appreciate Unicorn Overlord using real-time elements. Each map has a timer, and units have travel and wait times. I’d honestly liken this fusion of mechanics to the Final Fantasy series’ ATB battle system. The marriage of familiar turn-based mechanics with the anxiety-inducing time elements strikes a pleasing balance. This creates a beautiful dance with the Skills systems, as smart planning and decisive decision-making treat the player to victorious bouts. A suitable reward already, but each battle is also scored at the end. This lets you reap extra rewards for formulating overwhelmingly formidable strategies. These rewards, such as renown, can be used to bolster your forces in ways that allow you even more freedom.
Art & Archetypes
Vanillaware once again proves that they are unparalleled in terms of traditional 2D artistry within the gaming medium. The graphics are the very definition of soul. They are not only gorgeous but exhibit concise levels of craft. Every contour, brush stroke, and line makes a necessary contribution to the greater whole. Not a single element of a character or background elicits the feeling of being unnecessary. Intention is the word! Another intentional thing is the devil in the details!
All of the characters, backgrounds, and animations are highly detailed and perfectly concocted. Each background is rife with detail and color. Times of day, weather effects, unique lighting, and so much more create a powerful presentation. You can see the light bleed through windows, rain bounce off of characters, and strong use of color communicate tone and style. Animation for everything also utilizes perfect keyframing that adds flair to any action. Grass swaying, an ally suffering a hit, and Alain’s sword swing all have the perfect amount of frames to communicate anticipation, weight, impact, and strong posing. I would nitpick that many characters use the same base for animations and designs, but the style and changes compared to many of its genre contemporaries leave them in the dust.
Homage. Homage is paid due to complete and utter feelings of adoration. There are many traditional character species, classes, and even design foundations that take root elsewhere. Certain characters and even plot beats obviously pay tribute to genre giants. Beyond singular characters, the classes and archetypes pay the same respect. Seeing these inspired reimaginings of familiar characters and archetypes is gratifying. The blending of multiple sources of inspiration creates a true appreciation for the presented meal on the proverbial plate, containing a diversity that beats out a buffet.
The Story Convention
The art truly begets the story. Reminisce the former section. Particularly my point on homage. I wouldn’t say that the story or characters here are original. That’s not a jab. I actually love this. This allows a finely crafted narrative with properly selected events and traits. The game has an air of familiarity along with a resolute aim. The player WILL get a somewhat typical story with an archetypal cast, but they also WILL receive a highly refined experience with excellent presentation.
Do bonds bound by rings of devotion best the chains of incarceration? Rings that ornament a finger and the links of a chain share more in common than one may think. This phenomenon also crops up in words. So much nuance can be divulged upon proper examination. Our “word of the day” is overlord, as the title’s usage of “Overlord” cleverly ties the knot to the themes. The word “overlord” has a negative connotation. A title that, once possessed by someone, drapes them in darkness. A personage of oppression is created. Galerius dons this exact mantle. An “Evil Overlord”, so to speak. Throughout the game, Alain challenges this connotation by presenting the more righteous other side of the word. An overlord, generally speaking, is one with overwhelming power. Alain himself may be the crown prince, but his power comes not from his political standing. His overlord status is borne from his hope and trust in others. Aliens bonds foist this title unto him. He elicits not the “over” but the “lord”. Alain’s comrades look up to him. He gives them the respect to not tower “over” them as Galerius does to his thrall.
Gathering together. That’s the theme of Unicorn Overlord. Both our valorous protagonist and deceitful antagonist wish for nothing more than unity. The theming is not only the vanguard of the plot but also bleeds into the gameplay. Recruitment, squads, liberation, and more are integral to the story and plot cohesion. The theming isn’t watered down and is nothing short of overt, creating a focused and exemplary scenario.
Vanillaware’s Hidden Skill: Tried and True
I have a hyperspecific aside that I want to discuss. This specific breed of game that Unicorn Overlord reminds me of what I’d call “VN JRPGs”. Some prime examples are games such as Sakura Wars and Utawarerumono. There is so much content presented in hours of text and scenes with a very specific presentation. Fire Emblem shares these elements, but the presentation/gameplay ratio doesn’t scream “VN JPRG” to me. A proper Fire Emblem chapter typically lasts much longer than a Unicorn Overlord battle. Unicorn Overlord also features a much wider breadth of content at a faster pace. I mention this because I believe it’s very intentional, like the rest of the game. This is most certainly another aspect of Vanillaware’s endearment and great scope control, almost like an extremely high-caliber doujin soft studio. Akin to what Gainax was in its prime.
Vanillaware very obviously loves what they love. They are, as a studio, fans of great games that we all love, as well. The reverence for these games of yore is paid in full by creating a glorious new entry in their desired genres. It’s undeniable that Unicorn Overlord is an incredibly inspired game. Much of its art is reminiscent of Matsuno games like Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. The small sprites used in the overworld and menus look like modern interpretations of those very games. Alain essentially uses characters like Marth from Fire Emblem as a base. I don’t say all of this to point fingers or decry what’s been made here. I’m saying this to complete the point I’ve littered throughout the review; Vanillaware knows what works and wishes to reciprocate their love for these games with well-deserved homage. Their focus on being at the forefront of high-quality 2D games also exemplifies this by keeping the tradition alive.
Let Fly the Victory Banner
Unicorn Overlord provides hours of gorgeous, meaty Strategy RPG. Prospective players can be guaranteed strong core gameplay with gorgeous artwork. The beauty and tactics bleed through the parchment and spread through every facet of the game effortlessly and intentionally. Planning out your units, customizing skills, experimenting with squad formations, and proper execution of your machinations only scratch the surface of what’s possible. On top of all this, the story and characters polish archetypes and tropes to a mirror sheen that should leave any genre lovers more than satisfied.
If this review has piqued your interest, I’d recommend giving the demo a shot. If that whets your blade proper, then I implore you to purchase the game!
Disclaimer: Atlus provided Final Weapon with a code of Unicorn Overlord for review purposes.
