2022 has been a significant year for Square Enix and its classic RPG genre. Not only have they taken advantage of the fantastic HD-2D style with releases like Triangle Strategy, Live A Live y Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continentbut they still have another exponent of RPG strategy coming soon. The DioField Chronicle is the new release of Square Enix that is not related to any old franchise.
In a world where Final Fantasy y Dragon Quest are their heaviest playing cards, introducing a new IP for Square Enix is certainly complex but not impossible. When we talk about strategy and Square Enix all thoughts turn to Final Fantasy Tactics. Triangle Strategy showed that he can go his own way in tactical turn-based strategy and this will be joined The DioField Chronicle y Tactics Ogre: Rebornthe latter based on the 2010 installment.
Three exponents of strategy by Square Enix in the same year.
The DioField Chronicle was announced during the March 2022 State of Play. Unlike Triangle Strategy and his tribute to the old school of the nineties, The DioField Chronicleit is completely in 3D and promises a convoluted political conflict as is tradition.
trailer of The DioField Chronicle
The first advance of The DioField Chronicle it shows soldiers storming a castle, a naval battle and a magician about to do the same. The map shows the different factions: the Imperio Trovelt-Schoevian is immersed in a war against He started Rowetale, who supposedly leaves destruction in the region. A third faction, the Kingdom of Alletainapparently lies outside of said conflict.
However, it seems the Empire has finally brought war to this island nation. The main reason is that Alletain possesses a considerable abundance of Jade, an ingredient that functions as the core of magic in this world. he already said it Final Fantasy VIfirst you have the magic, then you have the power.
You will take control of a mercenary group called Blue Fox. Its main members are Andrias Rhondarsonroyal bodyguard with knowledge of sorcery; Fredret Lesterhis childhood friend; Iscarion Colchester, exnoble archer; Y Waltaquin Redditcha magician of the nobility.
It is not surprising that all these terms and political characters -in addition to the gameplay- remind Fire Emblem: Three Houses y Triangle Strategy, as they share several similarities. According to Square Enix in its Official site, The DioField Chronicle mixes modern, medieval and fantasy elements.
gameplay
The DioField Chronicle is a real-time strategy game, although players have the option to pause the action at any time to issue commands. So we talk about a hybrid gameplay mechanic. The battle system is not based on a grid and units – and enemies – can move at the same time, so synchronizing natural and learned abilities is important.
Using a skill allows you to manually select the target and unleash the attack. This is seen in special animations with character art and damage done in numbers. When the characters make a summon, the camera zooms out far enough to allow devastating attacks to be seen, much like the ‘summons’ in Final Fantasy.
Before each battle there is a planning stage in which the players define the strategy to be used at the war table. Each mission has its own objectives, challenges and some even time limits. Reconnaissance missions are part of the options and others require a specific trait to be successfully tackled.
Strategy RPG conventions such as levels, experience, classes, abilities, equipment, and special moves can also be found in The DioField Chronicle. The maps include interactive elements such as turrets, explosives, and barricades.
who developed The DioField Chronicle?
The DioField Chronicle has been developed by Square Enix in conjunction with Lancarse, who have worked on games like Etrian Odyssey, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey y Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth.
The art and character design belongs to Taiki and Isamu Kamikokuryo, who worked on Final Fantasy XII y Final Fantasy XIII. For its part, the music is composed by Brandon Campbell and Ramin Djawadi (Westworld), both from school Game of Thrones.
Platforms and release date
The DioField Chronicle releases September 22, 2022 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam. It is possible to download a demo on all these platforms, whose progress you can take to the full version once purchased.
In the demo you will see the first five missions and several hours of play depending on the difficulty chosen, between: Casual, Normal and Hard.
collector’s edition of The DioField Chronicle
The collector’s edition of The DioField Chronicle can be pre-ordered exclusively through Square Enix Store for a price of $59 USD.
The limited set includes the standard physical game, a board game, and four pins.
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