Topic: Unicorn Overlord

This is the directorial debut for Takafumi Noma. A long time illustrator and programmer. He used to work for Nintendo fifteen or so years ago. I just wanted to start a thread to raise the profile for a game that I think will be a good Ogre Battle / Tactics Ogre clone, but with the flair of artistry and sound Vanillaware is known for.

Even though I still feel the naming of the game is awful (lol), this is a top five most-anticipated game of 2024 for me.

NGL, I still read the title as "Unicorn Overload" half the time. XD But I am keeping an eye on this title since it's attached to Vanillaware. I absolutely loved my time with 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim a year ago.

Sounds alot like FireEmblem game play.

I'm looking forward to it but the name is awful. Hopefully once I've finished it I'll think "yes, that is the perfect title to describe this game!"

Isn't worse than Octopath Traveler or Triangle Strategy. The Switch just gets weirdly named RPGs

It’s a video game. Name doesn’t bother me. I do have the collector’s and standard editions preordered. Not sure which one I want yet.

Edit for after the direct and demo: the game play is interesting and not what I expected. Need to play a bit more to see if i like it. Music and story are good though so far.

I realize I am talking to myself in this thread at this point but I have to gush about this game.

Woo I was already sold but after that demo, I am all in! It is sorta interesting the complaints people have about the auto battling when no tactics game lets you have full control of your units during battle sequences. It’s why FE lets you skip the cutscenes and gives you the outcome forecast (same as Unicorn Overlord). In fact you have more granular control in UO as you can set tactics (and some are conveyed by weapons/items).

This system is fairly (read:very) deep but allows for enough leeway that up to a point (because you will hit a wall) that you can just send out units willynilly before you seriously need to think about setup, unit speed(leader determined), assists, stamina and tactics priority (and unit growth). However eventually that stuff starts to matter or you start taking Ls or things take way too long (and considering stages have a time limit….). And that is just the combat. You still have to gather supplies and rebuild towns to increase your ability to hire new units and edit the roster limit. I will say don’t treat the units like FE units. While the ones you gain via story have their own usefulness the game is designed that you bolster your unit roster via hiring mercenaries (who you even design them when you hire them).

Also the AI is nuts. I had one stage where a thief robbed me and then led me on a wild goose chase while the actual fighters were converging or using assists to pick off my health.

Masterclass tactics game.

@Ryu_Niiyama
I think those of us "complaining" about the auto battle are just comparing this game to micro strategy grid-based games like FF Tactics, Triangle Strategy, and Tactics Ogre Reborn: You control exactly where your characters move, where to target their spells, what attacks to use, what weapons to use, and even what direction to face when they end their turn, all at the time of their turn and not pre-loaded. I must confess I don't know what you mean by "no tactics game lets you have full control of your units during battle sequences," because you mentioned in the Switch thread that you have played Triangle Strategy, so you know at least that game does allow you to control everything each of your units do during their turns.

I think the difference here is just a "macro" strategy rpg versus a "micro" strategy rpg.

Edit: No other replies yet, so I'll just edit this post.

A few more hours in, and honestly, this game is sick. As I said above, it is NOT a micro, grid-based strategy rpg, but holy cow is this thing lovingly made and addictive once the gameplay starts to open up. Equipping your characters with weapons, armor, and skills and then grouping them into units to fit certain roles is gonna be so much fun as this game goes on. It's almost like a board game that you need to play out in your head in terms of what the characters are gonna do in certain situations because you don't have direct control over what skills they use.

But almost more impressive, I don't typically play games for stories and characters because I'm mostly a platformer and action gamer, so when I do play an rpg, I need something that is done well and is gonna suck me in. This does exactly that. The art, the music... even the dialogue is some of my favorite I've seen in an rpg like this in a looooong time, excepting maybe Triangle Strategy.

This just feels like the people who made it cared about it and knew exactly what they wanted to do. So even though it's not my go-to type of strat rpg, I already put in my preorder based on this demo (kudos to them on that, too - I know some don't like it, but honestly I like the timer system on what is otherwise the final game). I'm gonna try my best to space out my remaining hours as much as I can until the 8th.

Haven't found time to play the demo as I've been going deep in God Eater 3. But is seems to me that impressions of the demo have been glowing. Typical Vanillaware greatness? Can't wait for the 8th.

I downloaded but still haven't tried the demo either. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try it soon, since the previews are looking good and I've heard a few players really heaping praise on it. It's nice to know that the demo save data will carry over to my main game once my collector's edition arrives in hopefully a couple weeks. It's frustrating that my local Gamestop did not offer the CE for preorder, but the Gamestop website did - with no option for in-store pick up! Ugh.

Either way, I'm really looking forward to enjoying this game, if only for the visuals. 13 Sentinels and Dragon's Crown were so lushly illustrated, so this latest Vanillaware game caught my attention right away.

…Anybody else torn up about the Tatiana decision? I feel like it’s similar to AC Odyssey where the noble choice kills more people.

Also woo the systems are really gelling now. I redid the demo and got way more done and recruited way more troops. Only thing tripping me up is the decision making. I usually don’t play a game to explore all options, as I prefer to play to my personal morality and decision making, buuuuut I am getting nervous. I feel like a lot of my decisions are gonna backfire.

It warms my heart to see this climbing up the AmazonNA best seller chart. Oftentimes preorders for new IP are hot for the first few days then fall off the top 100. Word of mouth and demo impressions are clearly putting in work as UO is in the top 10 currently. Are we potentially looking at Vanillaware's best selling game?

13 Sentinels sold around 1 million. I'd like to believe UO will fare better.

@Magician I mean I would be shocked if this didn't beat 1 million but also I doubt I'm the best judge of that

Anyone knows the difference with the NA version vs the Japan version. The box look the same the JPN cost more shipping?

@SwitchForce If I understand you correctly, that would be because you live in or closer to North America than you do to Japan so it costs more to ship it to where you live?

I love Vanillaware games. I'll definetly buy a disc for Playstation.

@chiiizu I already know about the shipping it's about the Box contents and DLC are they same as the EN verison? That is the question being asked.

@AnVold why not Switch? I prefer such games to be played on a go.

Does anyone know if the Collector's Edition in german amazon (amazon.de) has english language in the cardgame and artbook? I have pre-ordered it but it does not say for sure what is the language in the addons. Thanks.

I am considering to cancel the Amazon Japan version if the NA version are the same except for the language difference. I cancelled Amazon JPN order since both seem to be the same only JPN version gives you free wallpaper for your smartphone - of which I don't need.

Late to the party but my interest went from 100 % to 50% when i realised it was A RTS, not grid based like FE, but still, I'll wait for reviews but it's not a day one anymore.