The name of Langrisser it may not say anything to most people, especially in Europe, yet we are talking about a series of titles that saw its birth since the beginning of the 90s. It is a series of Japanese tactical role-playing games in which the player has control of commanders and troops in real battles. With a narrative and a graphic sector that follows the classic Japanese stylistic features, the series was able to carve out a huge slice of users, making the continuous diatribes between light and darkness dream for about a decade. After a rather dark new chapter arrived on 3DS in 2015 and a successful mobile version, finally players will be able to enjoy the franchise even in the current generation: on March 13, thanks to NIS America, the collection of Langrisser I & II, with the two titles totally remastered and with the total addition of the dubbing. After testing the version dedicated to Nintendo's hybrid console, here is our opinion on the game.
In a new light
Where the titles that we will face are in a very large percentage the same ones that originally came out, the work done on these two works was above all a graphic recreation: with completely redesigned menus, remodeled scenarios, characters subjected to a necessary facelift and a more defined general. However, the developers of Chara-ani Corporation and NIS America itself have been careful in pampering even the long-standing users, the melancholy and dreamy one who cannot help but think about "what was", and here is the possibility, as in other productions, to switch between “smooth” graphics and classic art.
The good news, however, does not stop there: to make the title attractive and usable to the demanding contemporary audience, the two games have been enriched with a new location (unfortunately only available in three oriental languages, and in English), a new character with unprecedented choices that affect the story, but also one entirely re-orchestrated soundtrack. In general, by adding both titles, the options available for each character have been expanded and we will be able to command well 33 different characters, with the ability to customize them with the 50 unique classes available. Last but not least, in a game where choices have real consequences, the multiple endings could not be missing: there are even 22! So be careful how you move!
The story of Langrisser
The plots of the two games are distinct and the connections are not attributable to the characters present within them. In Langrisser I we will follow the story of Ledin, the prince of the kingdom. Unfortunately the castle is invaded by the Dalsis empire, with the aim of conquering the lands of King Illzach. After saving himself from the attack and escaping the castle, his task becomes to reclaim his homeland, as well as the Holy Sword Langrisser, for generations protected by its ancestors. The aims of Kaiser Digos are precisely to take possession of the legendary sword, which already in ancient times was the cause of bloody wars due to its unlimited power. We cannot proceed further, because as we have already told you, the fate of Baldea and the entire continent of El Sallia will depend on our results and the choices we make in-game, in a journey that will test our loyalty to the light.
In Langrisser IIinstead, we will deal with the story of Elwin (who as much as he may resemble him, is not Ledin), a traveler who, centuries after the great war that razed El Sallia to the ground, ends up finding himself in the middle between the Descendants of Light, the Army of Darkness and the Empire by Rayguard, in a battle for the Holy Sword Langrisser and the Cursed Sword Alhazard. The continent is in disarray, plagued by constant violence, with cities and nations ravaging each other, while the Kingdom of Baldea has now become a mere legend. The choice, even more marked than that of the first title, will be to take a clear position during the adventure: which of the swords will we consider worthy of reigning over El Sallia?
Blades, Destiny and Terrain
The most intriguing part of the game, however, remains the gameplay, almost identical for both chapters. The first figure with which we will interface is the attractive - and decidedly not embarrassed - Lucilis, she who is known as the Goddess of Light. Answering your questions, the profile of our hero will be outlined, to which some basic characteristics will be modified depending on what we choose. However, be aware that these choices may also have repercussions on those around you.
Once this very short step is completed, we will be catapulted onto the game map and called to start the first mission: right, no tutorial explanatory to welcome us, however at any moment of the mission it will be possible to leaf through more than twenty pages ready to clarify all our doubts with lots of images. The gameplay is still very intuitive, and this help will serve more to clarify some quibbles (those that, on balance, make the difference). As already mentioned at the beginning, the production is entirely in English, but we can assure you that fortunately the language used does not reach prohibitive levels of complexity.
In the map menu, before starting the various chapters, we will be able to make some preparations, such as buying objects or weapons to make equip to our Commanders, set theirs Classes, see some statistics and little more. The actual action phase, as well as the menus themselves, are decidedly intuitive: after the usual narrative part, we will be called to make our initial arrangements, i.e. choose from the available areas where to place our commanders, and spend the gold that we have available to hire the Mercenaries who will support us in battle (practically, our troops who will serve as meat for slaughter).
But who are the Commanders? These are the main characters (such as the protagonists and their supporting actors), who will lead the troops on the battlefield. THE mercenaries they will be tied to them: each commander can hire a certain number of mercenaries, but if the commander himself is defeated before them, all mercenaries will automatically be defeated and will disappear from the map. This basically applies to enemies, because in most missions, if one of our main characters is defeated in battle, the game over will come inexorably. However, there are some particular mechanics to come to our aid: for example, depending on the class equipped, our commanders will have some Skills that will be of great help in battle. Also, if at the end of the enemy turn the mercenaries are in a position adjacent to that of their commander, they will regain some of the vitality lost in battle.
Once the characters are lined up, it's time to take their turns. The map is divided into squares on which it is clearly possible to both pass and fight. However, as with any self-respecting tactical experience, some of them are land inaccessible, and therefore will require a greater number of movements to pass through. The terrain also has a very particular value as regards the bonuses: some of them, in fact, will guarantee a better position and therefore a greater defense during the combat phase.
The fighting takes place autonomously, but only after we ourselves have declared an attack. Skill upgrading your troops, choosing how many steps to take, where to position them before an attack and much more are therefore the basic recipe for final victory. Victory conditions vary from mission to mission, depending on what is expressly required by the narrated plot.
In these two titles, it was also made possible replay chapters past, so as to change some of our progress and relive some events, perhaps trying to discover the various endings available. Another welcome addition that enriches the title and its longevity is the possibility of restarting, once the adventure is over, a new game in New Game +, thus maintaining the level of commanders acquired, items and gold.
