The Diofield Chronicle points ways and sneaks into our most anticipated Square Enix games.
Announced in March of this 2022 during a State of Play, The Diofield Chronicle is the perfect example of the current Square Enix that for some time has been committed to diversifying its proposal with launches perhaps somewhat more modest, but aimed at a very specific audience, while the rest of the resources go to the big names in the company, such as Final Fantasy. Which is why he ditched his Western studios and IPs.
On paper, The Diofield Chronicle has all the ingredients to succeed, it is about a real-time tactical RPG o RTTB developed in collaboration with Lancarse Ltd, a studio formed by Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem veterans, and the experience shows, but it is never easy to launch a new IP. I have already been able to play it for a couple of hours, and below I will tell you my impressions of this promising proposal.
A new fantasy universe
The Diofield Chonicle takes place in a new fantasy universe where three kingdoms conflict for control of Jade, a precious mineral and source of magic. In the middle of that war are our protagonists, a diverse team that for various reasons ends up in a group of elite mercenaries who accepts contracts from the various factions that make up the island of Diofield.
It is not the most attractive premise in the world and it is not very eloquent when it comes to telling its story, but it provides a certain narrative background rich in factions and diplomatic relations despite being one of the least interesting elements of the game.
Something that happens in The Diofield Chronicle that is common in new fantasy worlds is that very early on you are given a lot of names of people, places and concepts that the player is not yet familiar with, which can lead to a somewhat overwhelming first impression. To which must be added a group of main characters not very charismatic in these first bars, although at the narrative level, it is committed to mixing 3D cinematics, 2D sequences with art illustrations and typical JRPG conversations.
It is also given because it is not a linear adventure to use. It’s divided in a free exploration in third person which is limited, at least for now, to the mercenary barracks, where you can talk to your teammates, trade, improve your character, etc., and the missions themselves in which the story progresses. In between is where most of the scenes and dialogue usually take place.
The missions is where the proposal of the game completely changes. We went from a third person game to an isometric view RPG with diorama scenarios similar to the aesthetics of games like Octopath Traveler and other recent Square Enix games with HD-2D aesthetics, but in 3D.
RPG in its purest state, tactical on top
The combat system is undoubtedly the great attraction of The Diofield Chronicle, where the experience of the development team is noticeable. It is a system with some depth, but it works precisely and is easy enough to get the hang of in the early going of the game.
It is a real-time tactical RPG system where you can stop the action at any time to give orders to the team, such as moving to a x position, using an item, an ability, or the so-called Magilumic orbs, which are invocations similar to those of the Final Fantasy saga (the first is Bahamut) and their effect is devastating. It feels halfway between an ARPG and a real-time strategy (RTS) game.
Being in real time, once the objective has been set, characters attack automatically until they receive another order and are attacked in the same way. These simple attacks cannot be dodged, but it is possible to move troops to another position when special attacks are coming that are marked on the ground with areas of effect.
This means that you always have to be attentive to the action and correct the positions of the characters from time to time to avoid greater evils and take advantage of their abilities. From what I have seen, there four character classes: soldier, knight, archer and magician. Each with different abilities and advantages.
Although from the outside the user interface may seem somewhat chaotic with so many lines, areas of effect and numbers on the screen, the truth is that the UI is quite simple and very easy to understand take a look. The tactical menu that stops the action is also very clear and easy to use, although the AI could be a bit sharper when it comes to automatically attacking after a short movement.
It is a simple system to understand, and the first missions of this test are very easy, but it is true that when the game presses can become quite demanding. For example, I died once in the last battle of the demo.
Part of the grace of this combat system is in the character customization and progress. As for the team, the thing is simple. Each character has a main weapon and two slots for accessories that improve one of the base statistics, be it life, technique, etc.
On the other hand there is the character progression, which is divided into individual progress and general progress. In the individual progress, we will be able to access the file of each character to improve some passive features, such as reducing your magic consumption or receiving more life points when healing. General progress is made through one of the barracks specialists, although it is basically a system of skill tree for each of the character classes that grant new abilities. In this demo it is locked, but later it would also have a upgrade weapons and Magilumic orbs.
The fashion of dioramas is back to stay
On a technical and visual level, it is an attractive game. It is developed in Unreal Engine 4, which is noticeable in the general finish of modeling, lighting, animations and level of detail. Also in the small delay in loading textures. In PS5, the version that I have been able to test, we have several graphic modes: in both cases 4K, but being able to give preference to quality or performance.
The third person free movement parts inside the base are perhaps the most colorful because they look more like a Triple A game, although the final finish is somewhat flat and the animations of the characters are somewhat artificial depending on which scenes, (especially facial animations, almost non-existent).
However, it is the missions where art and technical potential are best appreciated of the game. It nicely blends 3D diorama art with tactically minded scenario design by Yuu Ohshima (Fire Emblem Awakening), and works well in combat when dozens of effects are on screen. At least, in this version of PS5, it is a pretty colorful game.
It should be noted that while the characters are modeled in 3D, their miniatures in conversations and the general art of the narrated video sequences that delve into the lore of the game feature art by Isamu Kamikokuryo, illustrator of Final Fantasy XII and XIII. So it has that familiar aesthetic from Square Enix games.
The soundtrack is directed by Ramin Djawadi, who previously worked on Game of Thrones and Westworld, and the truth is that it is not bad at all. It gets you into the action, it’s epic or sad when it’s time to be epic or sad, but without being the craziest thing in the world.
promising bet
In short, within these new Square Enix proposals in the field of AA, The Diofield Chronicle is perhaps one of the most qualified to succeed or, at least, stand out above the rest. It does almost everything well, it is endorsed by renowned artists and on desktop consoles it hardly has any competition within the genre. Let us remember that The Diofield Chronicle will go on sale next September 22 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Personally, the beginning of the adventure has left me somewhat cold at the narrative level due to the little time we have been able to spend getting to know the world and its characters. On the contrary, the combat system has left me wanting more. We will see if the final game is capable of combining both qualities throughout its proposal and leave a fantasy tactical RPG to remember.