Unicorn Overlord is a passion project by developer VanillaWare. The Japanese studio first started work on the ambitious tactics RPG back in 2014, but its production was stopped time and time again by other projects like Dragon’s Crown Pro and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

In a way, it’s the game this studio has always wanted to make, brought to life by director and programmer Takafumi Noma after positive encouragement from VanillaWare founder George Kamitani. While the majority of his roles at the company were previously in programming and similar duties, Noma was also an avid illustrator and character designer, with many ideas of his bleeding into Unicorn Overlord alongside the company’s signature animation style.

Overlord was a hard fought project, and much like the studio’s other efforts, was paid out of pocket after an extended development cycle purely so it could reach the finish line, despite support from publishing partners like Atlus and Sega. Now that it’s finally here, I hope it sets the world on fire like its previous games have managed in more niche circles, but never pierced the mainstream bubble. They’re too complicated, risque, or ambitious - but Unicorn Overlord is different. After a few hours with the game, it might just be something special.

VanillaWare normally flirts with exaggerated fantasy or sci-fi settings, which made Unicorn Overlord’s traditional aesthetic somewhat of a surprise at first.

On the surface, Unicorn Overlord is Ogre Battle Meets Fire Emblem, with its combat system that focuses on specific character relationships and loadouts even having a hint of XCOM in their different components. It begins like all games of this ilk do, and with a generic narrative setup where a crown prince must escape his kingdom as it crumbles, leaving his mother as she fights to her last breath. While predictable, the gorgeous animation and strong character designs pull you in immediately, and it’s only a few minutes later that the battle system starts to unfurl alongside them.

Unicorn Overlord Is Persona Meets Fire Emblem Meets XCOM

Much like Fire Emblem or XCOM, Unicorn Overlord is all about preparation. Units are made up of several different characters of various classes placed on a small chessboard-like grid, with their positioning vital to how they support one another and interact with the enemy. You can make it as simple or challenging as you like, since in the battles themselves you have no direct control. All the important decisions - like equipment, positioning, and skills - have already been made beforehand, through configurable tactics that force you to engineer counters to your problems.

If you screw up, chances are you’ll leave with less health or none at all. It doesn’t pull any punches, and even earlier optional skirmishes taught me so many tough lessons about how this game works and why I should make the most of it.

It feels like VanillaWare has looked at RPGs of old and those in the modern era and tried to create something that pushes the entire genre forward, while also respecting the hallmarks thousands now associate with it. Unicorn Overlord also builds upon the strongest parts of its last game, with an intimate focus on character relationships and bonds not just through the main narrative, but optional scenes in a similar manner to Fire Emblem or Persona.

There’s a solid chance that you won’t see half of these in a single playthrough because you’re just not supposed to. Relationships you form, characters you marry, and allies you recruit come to be thanks to split-second decisions you’ll make after battles, such as whether to spare enemies or execute them, inadvertently turning them into a friend or allowing them to plot revenge for another day.

You Can Also Marry Your Cousin Like Royals In Real Life

One of my first encounters saw me defeat a thief and throw him in prison instead of believing his tragic backstory that led him to a life of thievery. Moments later in a new cutscene, goons of his showed up to spring him from jail. Unicorn Overlord is filled with immersive stories like this, which can shift in shape depending on how you explore its massive overworld or which order you decide to tackle the main story, which can completely alter the composition of your army and the type of leader you turn out to be. It has all the anime melodrama of something like Fire Emblem but far more intrigue and depth to its world, like it isn’t afraid to make you feel overwhelmed with all its moving pieces. Of which there are many - this game is huge.

Like I mentioned before, the overworld can be explored, however you like, as you take over strongholds or liberate towns from oppressors, all before taking on side quests from locals and delivering specific resources to smaller hamlets in order to bring them back to life. You can even station characters as guards, giving them gifts to deepen your relationships while ensuring that if enemies try and take these places back, they’ll be there to defend them.

I’m only a few hours in, so I have no idea how deep these gameplay systems will go or how the narrative will progress, but the fact an RPG this vast already has its hooks in so deep is such a testament to its quality, and a decade-long vision VanillaWare has remained loyal to. You’ll find our review is just as glowing, and for good reason. In a year already filled with excellent games, Unicorn Overlord is one that doesn’t deserve to fall under the radar. With any luck, it will help put VanillaWare on the map.

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Unicorn Overlord

Tactical RPG Systems 4.5/5 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 88/100 Critics Rec: 98% Released March 8, 2024 ESRB T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes Developer(s) Vanillaware Publisher(s) Sega, Atlus Engine unity
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Unicorn Overlord is a tactical RPG set in Fevrith, a continent riven by war. As exiled prince Alain, you must gather your allies and attempt to take back your kingdom from General Valmore.

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