The first hours of Unicorn Overlord have immersed me in a fantasy world of pure role-playing and strategy with an overwhelming number of decisions

Just as the broadcast of the last Nintendo Direct helped me know that I could try a demo of Contra: Operation Galuga, the same thing happened with Unicorn Overlord. The difference is that in this case I was not at all clear what I was going to find because I had not closely followed this new work by Vanillaware, the creators of Dragon’s Crown and the excellent 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

The fact of knowing that it is a game of role and strategy It sparked my interest because of how much I have enjoyed playing other similar proposals such as Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre, so I took the controls with the hope that I would be so hooked, and the truth is that it has indeed been the case, given that it has been difficult at the moment to want to let go of the controller.

I must also admit that as the hours went by, I was worried that I would have to repeat everything in case I ever play the final version. The good news is that all progress is preserved and can be transferredso that you do not have any fear to give it a try on any of the platforms on which this trial version is available.

The Freedom Army against the tyranny of the Zenoira Empire

The story of Unicorn Overlord It is not a bombshell or something totally surprising, given that it is a very common plot in this type of games and that we have already seen ad nauseam. The protagonist is Prince Alain, who lives on the continent of Fevrith, a place divided by several kingdoms that have been assaulted by the Empire of Zenoira and conquered by the evil general Valmore.

After its relentless invasion, it has taken control of all the territories, forcing Alain to live in exile since he was just a child. Over the years he has been getting stronger and stronger, so now he will do everything possible to confront this powerful villain based on form the so-called Liberation Armywhose purpose is to restore peace so that Alain can claim the throne that belongs to him.

During the first hours that I played, the plot may not have been too impressive, but at least I found it interesting thanks to how diverse all the main characters are, with their own personalities. Furthermore, the magnificent translation into Spanish, with dialogues that have even taken the liberty of giving them a comedic touch amidst so much drama, helped improve the experience.

Plot aside, I found the gameplay a bit jarring as I progressed further and further. This is because the title is constantly presenting you with new features, details related to battles, activities you can carry out on the map and much more. In the end, all of this makes it a bit overwhelming because you have to pay attention to so many different aspects, although little by little you get used to it and get used to it.

What became clear to me is that the power of elections is very present in this game. One of the reasons is because sometimes it is in our hands to decide the fate that awaits the enemies we defeat by being able to choose whether to spare his life or kill him at that moment. I have not been able to verify to what extent this affects the story, but so much importance is given to this section that it makes me convinced that in the long run they will be decisions that will take their toll on events.

At the same time, adventure gives you complete freedom to decide where you want to go. The map is divided into different territories that must be recovered little by little, so each one can choose which will be the next destination. However, the game itself warns you if you are being too brave and considers that you are trying to get fully into a battle for which you are not yet prepared.

Planning down to the smallest detail to win

Moving on to what is really essential, such as the battles, it should be noted that The game is very designed to take it easy

, because you have to plan a hell of a lot of details when facing any enemy. At first Alain doesn’t have many allies, so he must do everything possible to make his army grow until it becomes unstoppable.

The combats do not take place in alternative scenarios, but the action takes place on the map itself through which you travel from one place to another, although it is divided into areas that must be observed carefully. In each mission you will have to fulfill a main objective, such as conquering a castle or defeating a particular enemy.

The only limit that exists is time, because this will happen non-stop while the characters move or fight against each other. However, the game offers the possibility of stopping it in its tracks and leaving everyone motionless while you make decisions related to your next moves, something that is most vital because the strategic component is enormous.

The numerous units are divided into different classes, including swordsmen, spearmen, magicians, archers, healers, horsemen and much more. Each one differs from the others due to its way of acting, its statistics, skills, strengths, weaknesses, etc., so it is essential form a sufficiently varied squad and whose soldiers understand each other well. More than anything because each group can be made up of a maximum of six units, although the position assigned to each one is also essential.

The squads are made up of three positions that are located in the front and another three in the rear, so that their behavior varies depending on the place assigned to them. Furthermore, in them it is necessary to determine who will act as leader, since this will influence the advantages that will be granted to the companions depending on the character that has been chosen.

What did surprise me was the fact that all battles happen automatically. It is the player who plans all the previous steps carefully, but once the groups of allies and enemies come into contact, all that remains is to fold your arms and watch the spectacle. For this reason, it is important not to neglect a single detail, pause the action and thoroughly examine the characteristics of each squad so that they are quite complete.

However, a very serious mistake is depending on a single set of units to destroy everything, because the gameplay is not designed for that at all. The reason is because each character has a number of action and defensive points which are spent each time you attack or support an ally. Once they are all used up, the team that has eliminated the opponent or has ended up with the most life points wins, so that those who lose will be stunned for a few seconds.

At least the game predicts what the outcome will be before the killing begins, since selecting your opponents indicates how much life each one will lose, so it’s a good way to know if it’s appropriate to move on or think of another strategy. . In any case, each enemy proposes a different strategy and is decisive give units rest if they have fought too much, because the squads will need to recover for a certain period if they run out of action points, being completely sold out to any attack if there are enemies very close to their position.

In short, the combats and their amazing strategic component seemed superb to me. Those fans of the genre or those who love to tinker with a thousand things to obtain the most lethal army will feel very satisfied with everything it offers Unicorn Overlordwith the unmistakable artistic section of Vanillaware. In any case, it remains to be seen if the final version continues to offer many more surprises or if in the long run everything ends up becoming too repetitive. There are only a few days left to clear up doubts.