Title: Fantasy War Tactics
Version Tested: Android
Available On: Android, iOS
Developer: NEXON Company
Publisher: NEXON Company
Genre: Simulation RPG
Official Site: Fantasy War Tactics
Release Date: 11-04-15
Where to Buy: Play Store, App Store
Every week or two I look through the Play Store for a new game to distract me and help pass time at work. This last week, while looking through the selections, I came across Fantasy War Tactics. I knew I had to try it after reading the description. It promised a mobile Simulation Role Playing Game experience. Some of my favorite games of all time include SRPG greats like Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea, and Tactics Ogre. I was, of course, skeptical at first as to whether or not a mobile title could live up to the standards set by such legendary games. So, does Fantasy War Tactics have what it takes? Or is it just another throw away mobile game? Continue reading to find out what I thought.
The game’s initial presentation is similar to what I have found in many mobile RPGs. With it giving me a daily log-in bonus and various ads for micro transactions. After a short tutorial, I began the game’s story mode, which is titled “World Conquest.” You take on the role of a somewhat generic character called “Lord”, as he attempts to conquer the world. The translation seems somewhat lacking at times. At other times, the story is just poorly written. I am not sure which is the case. As the story progresses, you encounter various characters, allies, and enemies. All of which, it seems, you can recruit.
The battles themselves pretty much follow the standard SRPG formula. You command a team of up to five characters in turn-based combat, and your movement is restricted to a grid that is integrated with the battlefield. This will be very familiar to anyone who has played these types of games in the past. The game features “auto mode” that has your team fight automatically, without your input. In any other SRPG I would have probably ignored this option, but in Fantasy War Tactics I must admit that I made frequent use of the feature.
The game’s systems do have a lot more depth than I am used to in a mobile title. There are dozens of characters to recruit, and hundreds of pieces of equipment to collect. Each piece of equipment can be leveled up and modified. I found the process less tedious than I have experienced in other mobile titles. The game features a “gene” system in which, through battles, you collect the “gene fragments” of various characters. These are, then, used to either unlock that character or level up their skills.
You can level up your protagonist “Lord” in addition to the units you use in battle. He is able to use various useful skills in battle to assist you. New “Lord Skills” can be unlocked by winning battles, these include both offensive and defensive powers. There is an expedition feature that allows you to send units on timed adventures, they will return with experience and resources. As far as PvP goes the game does feature a “Battle of Honor” arena like a system that lets you send your units against other players.
Like most mobile titles, Fantasy War Tactics has a resource management system complete with currency and energy. However, unlike some other games I never felt like I couldn’t advance without spending real money. The game is fairly generous, and you can earn all the resources you need through daily quests and log-in rewards and special dungeons. Fantasy War Tactics is not a “pay to win” game by any means.
The difficulty does ramp up from time to time, which can have you repeating previous battles on higher difficulties to grind. This is pretty typical for a game of this style, though and isn’t something that bothered me. NEXON company seems to be on top of things, with frequent updates and events. This is the developer behind popular titles like Dungeon Fighter Online and MapleStory, so they have a pretty good reputation. The game currently has over a million downloads on android alone so it is has a very active and so far friendly player base.
As I mentioned before, I am a big fan of the Disgaea franchise, and this game is clearly influenced by it. From the similar art style to the somewhat evil motivations of its protagonist. Although it doesn’t quite measure up to NIS’s flagship SRPG series, Fantasy War Tactics is amazing as a free-to-play mobile title. This is something I have been looking forward to for a very long time. With addictive and engaging gameplay that will have you hooked for hours, this is a title I can more than recommend to any RPG or SRPG fan.
- Graphics: Pretty standard for the genre. Seems heavily inspired by NIS games like Disgaea.
- Gameplay: Has an impressive amount of depth for a mobile title. The gameplay itself is solid and addictive. It should please any fan of the genre
- Sound: Decent soundtrack, but no English vocal track
- Presentation: Overall what you would expect from a free-to-play mobile title. The menu system is nice, and the art style as mentioned above is great.
[review]
