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Unicorn Overlord

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Unicorn Overlord
Developer(s)Vanillaware
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Takafumi Noma
Producer(s)Akiyasu Yamamoto
Designer(s)Wataru Nakanishi
Programmer(s)Takafumi Noma
Artist(s)
  • Takafumi Noma
  • Masami Yanagi
Composer(s)
Mitsuhiro Kaneda
  • Yoshimi Kudo
  • Rikako Watanabe
  • Richter
  • Toki Takeda
  • Denys Fontanarosa
Platform(s)
ReleaseMarch 8, 2024
Genre(s)Tactical role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Unicorn Overlord[a] is a 2024 tactical role-playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus in Japan, and Sega worldwide, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Set on the continent of Fevrith as it is consumed by war, the story follows exiled prince Alain as he gathers allies to take back his kingdom from the Zenoiran Empire led by the rogue General Valmore. Gameplay follows Alain and his army units fighting in large-scale battles, with field movement and battles taking place in real-time.

The concept for Unicorn Overlord was created by Takafumi Noma in 2014. With company founder George Kamitani's blessing, Noma took on the roles of director, programmer and lead artist. The aim was to create a modern version of classic tactical games from the 1990s. Production took roughly ten years due to overlapping with other Vanillaware projects. Basiscape, a music studio founded by Hitoshi Sakimoto, returned to score the game. The game has received positive reviews, with particular praise for its gameplay mechanics and visuals, but more mixed sentiments towards its story.

Gameplay

A battle encounter in Unicorn Overlord

Unicorn Overlord is a tactical role-playing game in which players take on the role of exiled prince Alain as he leads the Liberation Army in a campaign across the fantasy realm of Fevrith.[1] During exploration, the player guides Alain across an overworld to enter towns, use services such as blacksmiths and merchants to outfit his army, and engage in story or optional battles. In areas not controlled by Alain or his allies, enemies represented by sprites also wander the overworld. All the characters, locations and sprites are displayed using 2D art.[1][2] The number of units that can be deployed during combat sections depends on a resource called Valor, which can be earned by completing battles.[3] The overworld is freely explorable, allowing players to tackle some events in a different order.[4] Towns also include side quests which require the player to gather materials, and events where Alain can improve his relationship with a character.[3]

Combat is split between movement of troops across large battlefields, and combat when two units meet.[1] All combat takes place in real time, but the player can pause to change strategy and check on units.[4] Parties are made up of up to six characters with an assigned character class.[5] During the early game units are limited to two characters, but more character slots can be unlocked using a currency called Honour.[3] Battlefield settings include open field areas, and urban environments such as towns and cities which alter gameplay. The arrangement of character parties on a grid influencing their abilities and combat efficiency.[1][2] Some character classes are designed for short or long range exclusively, while others have a more varied attack range or a different set of skills.[3] Battles play out automatically based on character attributes and player-set behaviors.[5] Battles last until either one side is defeated, or they run out of action points used to perform actions, which stuns the unit for a time.[3] There are three difficulties which players can select, and after a certain point an online multiplayer arena is unlocked separate from the main story.[2]

Premise

Unicorn Overlord is set on the continent of Fevrith, which was once split into five nations inhabited by many peoples including humans, elves, angels and bestrals. The kingdom of Cornia is attacked and overthrown by the rogue general Valmore, who goes on to conquer the other nations and unite them into the Zenoiran Empire. The protagonist is Alain, the prince of Cornia who was spirited away from Valmore's attack at Queen Ilenia's command by his bodyguard Josef; Ilenia apparently dies in battle with Valmore. Now an adult and bearing the magical Ring of the Unicorn, Alain becomes leader of the Liberation Army, a coalition of soldiers across Fevrith intent on defeating Valmore and reclaiming their lands.

Development

The design concept for Unicorn Overlord was created by Takafumi Noma of Vanillaware in 2014, almost exactly ten years prior to release. Noma had been approached by company founder George Kamitani after production ended on Dragon's Crown (2013) to create a new fantasy-themed video game. With Kamitani's encouragement, Noma led the project and acted as director, character designer, and lead programmer.[6] The designer was Wataru Nakanishi, while Akiyasu Yamamoto of Atlus produced.[4] Production moved slowly due to Vanillaware working in parallel on other projects including ports of earlier titles, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Noma needed to personally join the 13 Sentinels team to help with programming.[6] Near the game's release, Kamitani noted that the game's production drained Vanillaware's funds and he had to continue funding the project out of his own pocket, a common occurrence with the studio's projects.[7] Noma commented that the team were able to incorporate almost everything they wanted into the final product, though it went through multiple large-scale redesigns to the point that each felt like its own game.[8]

Noma created the gameplay concepts with Nakanishi, who described the process as the two making things up as they went and receiving advice from Kamitani.[6] As Vanillaware had emulated the arcade beat em' up design for Dragon's Crown, Noma wanted Unicorn Overlord to emulate the classic tactical RPG titles of the 1990s without drawing specific inspiration from any of them.[4] The gameplay was designed to give a sense of speed, focusing on an overhead perspective, player freedom, and real-time movement and combat.[6] The team's goal, along with returning to the studio's established fantasy theme, was a "rebirth" of tactical RPGs, paying homage to earlier titles while making it accessible to genre newcomers.[9] The automated nature of battles was intended to balance customization with ease of use, as commanding individual units could become overwhelming given the size of battles. The Valor system was directly inspired by the meta skills system used in 13 Sentinels.[10] The online elements were intended as an evolution of the multiplayer matches from Dragon's Crown.[8]

Speaking about the narrative, Noma stated it was only finalized and completed later in the development process, with its basic setting and gameplay being created first.[10] He described the world design as inspired by 14th Century Europe blended with Japanese fantasy elements.[6] In reference to the games from which they drew inspiration, the storyline was written to emphasise commonality across a diverse cast through a linear story, and multiple fantasy races were created for the world. Originally both elves and dwarfs were to be included, but after looking into the Norse mythology the team were drawing on, they opted to focus on light and dark elves.[10] The angels were almost not included due to limited resources, but they were incorporated when staff joined following the completion of 13 Sentinels. Two of the characters were written as homages to 13 Sentinels characters Hijiyama and Okino, with Kamitani writing their dialogue.[8]

While Noma had mostly been a programmer with Vanillaware, he was also a keen illustrator, and took the opportunity to lead character design for Unicorn Overlord.[4] The artistic design was settled on from the first piece of concept art, with the art design paying tribute to the titles that inspired the team.[9] The illustrations were completed early on, and helped get the project approved by Atlus. Noma noted that some of his design priorities had changed, with the key art focusing less on key characters and more on the common soldiers in the final version. As with other Vanillware projects, the art focused on 2D designs, contrasting against the 3D graphics dominating the games industry.[6] The large number of unique characters was not planned from the outset, but came about as development progressed and more elements were added by Noma.[8] For the food, veteran artist Takehiro Shiga (Shigatake) was asked to provide illustrations.[10]

Music

The music was composed by a team from Basiscape led by Mitsuhiro Kaneda.[9] Basiscape is a frequent collaborator with Vanillaware, scoring all their games since the company's founding up to 13 Sentinels.[11][9] Kanada composed and arranged the score together with Yoshimi Kudo, Rikako Watanabe, Richter, Toki Takeda, and Denys Fontanarosa of Artisan Studios.[12] Kaneda, who had worked on 13 Sentinels, was described by Nakanishi as creating a score with a new sound benefiting their goals for the game design.[9] The score was composed around the idea of an "orthodox RPG". For the main antagonist's character theme, a zither was used to emphasise his unique background.[13] The vocals and lyrics were created by Japanese singer-songwriter Eureka Republic.[14] A full soundtrack album released in Japan alongside the game on March 8. Published by Basiscape's record label, the 4-disc album includes 84 tracks.[15]

Release

Unicorn Overlord was first teased with a short movie included in the commercial demo disc 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Prologue.[6][16] Kamitani confirmed that the project was nearing completion in January 2023, calling it Vanillaware's biggest project to date.[17] The game was officially announced, together with Japanese and Western special editions, in September during a Nintendo Direct. The special editions include an art book and soundtrack disc.[18] It was published by Atlus in Japan, and parent company Sega worldwide.[2][19] A demo covering the game's opening was published on February 23, allowing players to transfer their save into the full game.[20]

The game was released Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. When asked about a Windows version, Yamamoto stated that while Atlus wanted it, their agreement with Vanillaware kept the game console-exclusive.[10] During the preview stage, the game's localization drew negative comments for its deviations from the Japanese text, prompting Ogre Battle creator Yasumi Matsuno to comment on it. He noted that the changes were acceptable provided they were done with the developer's knowledge and consent, citing equivalent experiences during his work on Final Fantasy Tactics.[21] A day one patch allowed transfer of save data from the demo, a new difficulty level, and technical improvements.[22]

Reception

Unicorn Overlord was in high demand in Japan, with retailers running short of physical copies during its week of release.[33] In the United Kingdom, the game entered the top ten best-selling titles of the week, with most of its sales being for the Switch.[34]

The game has received "universal acclaim" according to Metacritic. Matt Miller of Game Informer called the game "balanced and deep."[26] IGN's Eric Zalewski praised the visuals and world-building, and judged it "an absolute must-play for any fan of strategy RPGs."[28]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: ユニコーンオーバーロード, Hepburn: Yunikōn Ōbārōdo

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sal, Romano (September 20, 2023). "Unicorn Overlord details story, world, characters, and game systems". Gematsu. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d 感想：『ユニコーンオーバーロード』神ゲー説。フィールドを自由に旅して地域を解放して、集めた資材で街を復興。めちゃ強な敵の通せんぼもあるらしい!?. Dengeki Online (in Japanese). September 20, 2023. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Hagues, Alana (February 15, 2024). "Hands On: Strategy Fan? You Need To Keep An Eye On Vanillaware's Stunning 'Unicorn Overlord'". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e ［TGS2023］多くの人にSRPGの面白さを届けたい。アトラス×ヴァニラウェアの新作「ユニコーンオーバーロード」開発者インタビュー. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). September 22, 2023. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Higham, Michael (February 15, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Is A Wholly Fresh Take On Tactical RPGs". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g 『ユニコーンオーバーロード』インタビュー。ヴァニラウェアが10年温めていた新生SRPGは、90年代の名作をリスペクトしながらも挑戦的なタイトルだった. Famitsu (in Japanese). September 25, 2023. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  7. ^ Bellingham, Hope (March 7, 2024). "Finishing this beautiful tactical RPG with Fire Emblem and Suikoden vibes after 10 years has left its developer without any money - just like its last hit". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d 『ユニコーンオーバーロード』発売記念特集. Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. March 7, 2023. pp. 60–78.
  9. ^ a b c d e LeBlanc, Wesley (February 26, 2024). "How The Developers Of Unicorn Overlord Are Making A Return To Fantasy". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e Allen, Eric Van (March 7, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord devs talk history, card games, and that delicious food". Destructoid. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  11. ^ ヴァニラウェアは命がけでゲームを作る会社――クリエイター神谷盛治氏・ロングインタビュー. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). May 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  12. ^ Kaneda, Mitsuhiro (March 8, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Original Soundtrack booklet". (in Japanese) Basiscape. BSPE-1220~3. Retrieved on March 11, 2024.
  13. ^ ファン待望の再演となった「十三機兵防衛圏オーケストラコンサート2024 -ReSTART-」をレポート。「ユニコーンオーバーロード」の楽曲も初披露. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). February 21, 2024. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  14. ^ 【作詞・歌唱】ユニコーンオーバーロード（アトラス様×ヴァニラウェア様 新作RPG） (in Japanese). Eureka Republic website. January 25, 2024. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  15. ^ 「ユニコーンオーバーロード」のサントラがゲームと同じく3月8日にリリース。テーマ曲を含む一部楽曲を試聴可能な動画も公開に. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). February 19, 2024. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  16. ^ 『グリムグリモア OnceMore』開発のヴァニラウェアにインタビュー。当時の赤裸々な開発秘話から、オリジナル版の企画書も特別に大公開！. Famitsu (in Japanese). October 12, 2022. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  17. ^ Romano, Sal (January 26, 2023). "Vanillaware fantasy game teased in 2019 at end of development, George Kamitani says". Gematsu. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  18. ^ Romano, Sal (September 14, 2023). "Atlus and Vanillaware announce tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord for PS5, PS4, Switch, and Xbox Series". Gematsu. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  19. ^ "Atlus and Vanillaware Announce Unicorn Overlord". Anime News Network. September 15, 2023. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  20. ^ 『ユニコーンオーバーロード』「序盤まるごと体験版」配信！「石井隆之＆田村睦心プレイ動画」2月23日公開！ (in Japanese). Atlus. February 22, 2024. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  21. ^ Bailey, Kat (February 26, 2024). "Final Fantasy Tactics Creator Reacts to Unicorn Overlord Localization Debate and Shares His Own Stories". IGN. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  22. ^ 『ユニコーンオーバーロード』アップデートVer.1.01（いわゆるDAY1パッチ）を3月8日に配信。体験版からのデータ引き継ぎや難易度項目追加に必須. Famitsu (in Japanese). March 6, 2024. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  23. ^ "Unicorn Overlord". Metacritic. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  24. ^ Serin, Khaan (March 12, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord review - endless options propel this strategy RPG to epic heights". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  25. ^ ユニコーンオーバーロード(Switch)のレビュー・評価・感想情報. Famitsu (in Japanese). Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  26. ^ a b Miller, Matt (March 12, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Review: Tactical Superiority". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  27. ^ Kemps, Heidi (March 13, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Review - A Rare Beast". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Zalweski, Eric (March 7, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Review". IGN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  29. ^ Hagues, Alana (March 7, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  30. ^ Ramsey, Robert (March 7, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Review (PS5)". Push Square. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  31. ^ Lindquist, Joshua (March 8, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord Review". RPGFan. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Billcliffe, James (March 7, 2024). "Unicorn Overlord review". VG247. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  33. ^ 「ユニコーンオーバーロード」好評につき，多くの販売店で品切れ・品薄状態。パッケージ通常版を順次出荷し対応. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). March 12, 2024. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  34. ^ Reynolds, Ollie (March 11, 2024). "UK Charts: Unicorn Overlord Makes The Top Ten And Sells Best On Switch". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
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