Seven months after arriving on other platforms, and nearly three years after its Kickstarter success, Battle Chasers: Nightwar finally brings its brand of classic turn-based combat to your favourite ‘homeheld’ console. While this is firmly in the JRPG mold, it streamlines features and makes life easier for busy gamers who lack the time for a triple-figure hour count. Of course, there’s grinding to be done if you’re so inclined, but in a genre where players can be encouraged to push through to hour 20 before the game gets 'good’, this feels like a breath of fresh air.
Not on paper, mind. Story-wise, you already know the score. After crash-landing on the Lost Isles, a small group of heroes begin searching for their friend Knolan, an old mage who was investigating an explosion of mana-based activity in the region. The hub village of Harm’s Way contains all the amenities and side-quests you’d expect, and you move across a ye olde cartographical overworld battling enemies en route to free-roaming Exploration Areas (non-randomised locations including fishing holes, small outposts and caves) and Dungeons. Icons on the map indicate the enemies you’ll need to beat along the way.
Once you’re strong enough, running into those icons won’t automatically initiate a battle – instead you’ll be asked if you wish to fight the ‘lesser’ enemy. These easy encounters no longer offer XP, only loot, so avoiding them is a welcome option (although it would have been nicer still to simply grab the loot from the villains without actually battling á la Earthbound). Exploring the overworld – beautifully rendered with clouds and ocean waves outlined with ye olde ink – will reveal fast travel points called Blinkstations.
Your initial party consists of gentle-giant/golem Calibretto, brooding warrior Garrison and young Gully, daughter of Aramus, the ‘leader of men’ who’s been missing for years. Later you’ll be joined by grouchy mage Knolan, rogue beauty Red Monika and a mysterious cloaked hunter, Alumon. These heroes are charged with protecting Gully from anyone who would seize the legendary gauntlets she inherited when her father disappeared.
So far, so predictable. Airships, ancient orders, slimes, sorceresses, fishing – you name it. However, Battle Chasers began as an American comic back in 1998 and that influence helps set it apart from anime-heavy JRPGs and their often cookie-cutter protagonists. The archetypes are present and correct, but peppy, irreverent dialogue stops things getting overwrought, and there’s a freshness and verve in the writing and art that elevates the game above standard fare. Snappily animated cutscenes and top-notch voice work capture the spirit of the comic, as do the speech bubble quips that pop up during battle. You’re free to engage with as much or as little of the story as you like, with most of it confined to notes found in dungeons. Developer Airship Syndicate is well versed in the genre and ticks all the requisite boxes without feeling slavish to the formula or forcing lore down your throat.
The base mechanics will be familiar, too. You run a three-character party, each one with specific moves or ‘Actions’, plus separate ‘Abilities’ that require mana to execute. ‘Overcharge’ is generated by using normal attacks and deposited into that character’s mana meter. This surplus disappears once a battle finishes, encouraging experimentation over conservation. A communal ‘Battle Burst’ meter soon unlocks (likewise charged by executing ‘Actions’) which opens up powerful screen-shaking moves for each hero.
‘Combat Knowledge’ unlocks as you battle the same enemy types enabling you to see their health, the moves they’re queuing up and also consult a bestiary for hints about their vulnerabilities. The clean UI communicates everything clearly and big attacks look and feel suitably meaty. Some top HD rumble work enhances this – certain moves create an audible frequency from the tiny motors which begins high before descending to a chunky thud on impact. Battle animations look great too, although we’d have welcomed the option to skip them or speed them up.
The Battle Burst system unifies your members into a tight unit, although it’s easy to get comfortable with the flow of a particular trio and, therefore, disinclined to break it up with a new hero. We grew quite attached to our initial three and even though late-comers are appropriately levelled when they join the roster, they never quite fit our groove. Levelling up unlocks moves and perk points which power a dual system enabling you to spec (and respect at any time, at no cost) each hero towards your preferred playstyle. Putting points into Gully’s ‘Avenger’ tree will improve attack stats; alternatively, pump them into the ‘Guardian’ branch for better protection.
There’s lots to keep track of, but small quality of life features help minimise busywork. All debuffs, including bleed damage, poison and burn, are dispelled with cleansing moves or potions in battle, but automatically disappear once you’ve won. Likewise, downed party members revive with nominal HP at the end of a fight which speeds things up no end. You accumulate loot to craft weapons, armour and consumable items in shops and dungeons. Missing an ingredient? Not necessarily a problem! A percentage meter indicates your chance of success, so throw in whatever you’ve got and take a gamble. Alternatively, using extra materials may produce a more powerful item to carry into battle.
Dungeon layouts are generated randomly from a selection of component pieces and bespoke scenarios will randomly occur inside. Each has a dozen-or-so chambers and they’re beautifully realised, recalling the painterly style and palette of Bastion. Battle Chasers is a colourful game and even the darkest, dankest environments are never dreary. While hardly ground-breaking, it’s clean, attractive and coherent with the hand-drawn aesthetic. Although combat is always turn-based, dungeons introduce real-time elements, with hazards to avoid and each character having their own skills.
Calibretto, for example, can heal the party or fire his arm cannon at roaming enemies, producing damage and burn debuffs once the battle proper begins. You select from three difficulty levels at the entrance, with commensurate loot upon completion. Collapse during a boss battle and you’ll simply restart nearby on all but the hardest difficulty. You can replay dungeons for XP or shinier rewards, and side-quests offer an opportunity to level-up without excessive grinding.
Not unexpectedly, loading screens appear with area transitions, and battles sometimes display a brief loading bar before starting. More disappointingly, larger locales or areas with rain and snow effects do exhibit slowdown on Switch. That said, these framerate drops don’t impede the main gameplay as they would in other genres, and the loads have a negligible effect on the game’s pace. Obviously, improvements through patches would be welcome, but we didn’t encounter anything catastrophic and the ability to play on-the-go is ultimately worth the occasional performance dip.
There’s no touchscreen integration either, although the controls function well enough to make it a non-issue. What is included is a ‘scanned’ game manual accessible through the pause screen, complete with staples down the spine and blank ‘Notes’ pages at the back. It’s a nice little detail and exemplifies the care and attention that’s gone into the game.
Conclusion
Despite a title that suggests it came out of a name generator, Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a satisfying slice of JRPG that forges a confident, colourful character of its own from formulaic ingredients. The approachable comic style, plus a couple of neat mechanics that encourage experimentation, give it a freshness that belies the age-old systems at its core, and it doesn’t waste your time with filler. Depending on your skill, you’ll probably spend around 30 hours on the critical path – comparatively breezy in RPG terms – though there’s plenty of side content to occupy you beside the main quest, plus a trio of heroes you’ll probably shun on your first playthrough. Disappointing performance dips aside, it feels at home on Switch. Ultimately, it’s the same old story – numbers go up! – but it’s shot through with an infectious exuberance and attention to detail that reinvigorates old tropes.
Comments 60
Nice
This lines up perfectly with my play time of the game. I can't wait to jump back into it today on my bus ride.
You should definitely pick this game up if you like RPGs. Do not let the performance scare concern you as it doesn't really impact the game that much
This is one of those titles that is worth its asking price
It's in the post 👍 Been waiting on this one. Got it for £20.
Looks like the wait was worth it!
Mine got delayed from Amazon for whatever reason and won't be arriving until next week. Sucks, but I'm glad this version turned out well. Was a long wait and hard to resist getting it on other platforms but I'm glad I did. Can't wait to play it!
My first Switch game for me this year so far. Plenty more to come soon enough.
I've been waiting for this one!
Has anyone played this on PC? Is it worth the 40 squid?
Sounds good. I've been wanting it for a while but decided to skip on the PS4 version in favor of Switch. There's just something about curling up with a good handheld RPG that doesn't feel the same on a TV...and I've felt that way since the days of the first Game Boy.
@Dualmask You and me both, my friend. There’s nothing like an epic handheld RPG!
Hopefully we’ll get a performance boosting patch in the future with any luck. Either way, this one’s a winner!
@The_Pixel_King If it is any consolation, there are notable framerate drops on the PS4 Pro, but you soon get used to them. Not a particularly fast-paced game anway.
Please please please bring out a physical version
Want it. Getting it. Shim Megami can wait, cuz there is also the Bloodstain spin-off coming out. Way to go Switch.
I still have all the Dutch version of the comics, though only 5 ever got published in the Netherlands. Does anyone know if this follows up on where the story left off after its final publication? I noticed 9 issues got published, and never was able to finish reading the final 4 issues.
@Bunkerneath out tomorrow:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Chasers-Nightwar-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B0732TJNSG/
@NimrodsSon Wow, I wouldn’t have expected any performance dips on the mighty Pro! Thanks for the message my friend 🙂
Well I might jump to this since I'm nearing South Park's game breaking bug. Sounds like a blast and I'm digging the style/setting.
Awesome!, Waiting was the right choice. Amazon already shipped! Fun times!
Count me in!
Can't wait for my code to come in, this is going to dominate my lunch time
My copy is in transit!
@OfNullAndVoid I remember reading somewhere online that this adventure takes place after the comic books' story.
Pretty much the only "JRPG" I'm interested in. Well, aside from Chrono Trigger, but there's no word of a Switch port.
I've never read the comic though, but I understand it retells the story in game form.
Amazon shipped. I can't wait. Been playing Tropical Freeze, meanwhile.
Another win for Switch!
@NimrodsSon I was playing this on my Pro last night, to see if I wanted to get it for Switch instead. There were indeed a couple of frame drops, but they seemed to be a great deal less frequent than when it 1st released. Also, there’s a patch that has the game running at 60fps now, so it moves a lot cleaner. I’d have to see this game in motion if I were gonna trade up (more like trade over) to the Switch. Either way, the game is fun and the performance does not impact enjoyment negatively. As the review suggests, it’s a good game and money well spent. An 8 sounds about right. Even on the Pro.
Great review and so glad it received a high score!You wouldn't believe the amount of times I was nearly tempted to buy the Ps4 version when it was on sale.
I can't seem to track my package on Amazon so I don't know if I'll be getting it tomorrow or not.
Oh come on now, my wishlist is getting ridiculous! And still yet to play half the games i already own - xenoblade 2, skyrim, doom, mario oddesy, oxenfree, count lucanor.... i need to quit my job and my kids!
Huh, I had definitely been sleeping on this one. Glad to hear it turned out good, and I'll through it onto my Switch wishlist this evening. Thanks for the review!
@Bunkerneath I could have swore this release was physical?
@Bunkerneath It is a physical release.
@RetroGamerAndrew @VentruePrince @Arcamenel Whoops, just an automatic reaction
Glad to see this reviewed so well. I preordered it ages ago when I didn't know so much other stuff was coming to various platforms and forgot about it. I meant to cancel when I saw it was shipping soon and forgot..... This actually sounds much better than I pictured when I first preordered!
@OfNullAndVoid try the Google book app. The anthology is on it for only small change.
I've heard that this is great, glad that the switch version is also good. Now to wait patiently for the postman...
Pre-ordered the physical cart. I do find it interesting that the physical cart was less expensive than the digital version. Forty CAD for the former and fifty-five CAD for the latter. I thought it was supposed to be the other way round?
@Bunkerneath
North America is getting a physical version.
I am insanely jazzed to play this game tomorrow once it arrives in the mail. “Battle Chasers” and “Hollow Knight” are my two most anticipated Switch releases this year, and I’m okay with the fact that neither are native to this platform (though I also mean no insult to Nintendo’s first-party lineup).
@Fake-E-Lee Are you going to be able to tear yourself away from your many purchases last week??? (Trust me — I may have only bought one title last week, but my backlog proves I have NO room to talk at all). I am sure I’ll still do a run or three of “Immortal Redneck” every other day or so, as that game is EXCELLENT, but I expect “Battle Chasers” will be my new main.
@OfNullAndVoid — @finalstan is correct. That said, the story of the game is completely accessible to anyone who has not yet read the comics, as Joe Mad and Co. are keenly aware that a good portion of the audience for this game had not yet even been born in 1998 (sadly not true for me — I was already in my early teens!).
All told, I do highly recommend the comic books to anyone interested!!! They take place in a self-contained universe, and — Red Monika’s excessive, blush-inducing design aside — the characters and creatures who appear throughout the series are very cool. Anyone who digs the steampunk design elements (and is willing to trade fantasy for a Neo-Victorian setting) should also check out a more recent series called “Lady Mechnika” from Joe Benitez (plus co-penciler Martin Montiel and co-writer M.M. Chen).
Looks like it was worth the wait. The "too much grinding" complaint I was reading about when this launched on other systems last October made me think "Perfect fit for Switch!"
With Hyrule Warriors coming next week, I'm going to hold off on this, but I will definitely pick this up later.
Finally cracked this open and sunk a few hours in. Absolutely great game for on the go, and time minded people.
just waiting patiently for it to release some time today i hope, been hanging for a decent jrpg and this ticks all the boxes for me.
This is a game that truly tries to attempt to evolve the JRPG genre instead of just mashing together a bunch of mechanics from previous games and trying to cash in on nostalgia.
yawn
A turn based RPG? No thanks.
I waited for this game to be released on the Switch and I have not been disappointed it is amazing!
And my copy is backorder from Amazon! Disappointed with Amazon. The last time was Persona 5 LE. (both were pre-orders)
@redd214 If you preordered it, complain thru the chat, twice if you have to. You will definitely get it faster or free. I've had them try to pull that "it's popular we're out of it" crap on me 3 times this year. Got it fixed everytime. So slimey.
@Dang69 oh trust me I typically do when they messed up. They usually take care of me in the form of gift card credit. They messed up a bunch last year during Christmas and we got probably $50 worth of gift cards just by taking it up with customer service. In my experience if you are polite yet firm they will bend over backwards for you.
@redd214 They didn't bend over for me during Persona 5 LE release. And a few other games I end up cancelled ( not P5LE cos it was sold out everywhere back then ) from them playing the Delivery date pending. We'll email you as soon as we have a delivery date card after I place my order.
They just say what @Dang69 mentioned.
@UnknownReader sorry to hear that. Like I said that has just been my experience overall. I haven't contacted them about this one, mainly cause Im not too bothered and have a ton to play already. I usually call them as I have found that more effective than just using chat.
As usual with late Switch ports it's on sale for $15 this week on PS4 on PSN for anyone w/ a PS4 looking to save $15.
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP4389-CUSA06807_00-BATTLECHASERSUS0
I have it pre-ordered but Amazon seemingly didn't have enough supply to meet demand, so I'm not sure when it'll eventually ship.
Amazon has really been dropping the ball lately on the video game side of things.
Ah i got this today I'm so hooked!!!!! The menu theme is amazing! For those who don't know, Joe Madureira is the creative director for this game and Jesper Kyd was involved in the soundtrack so stop reading reviews and just buy this game now
@JayJ Let me just say, I don't normally play turn based rpgs but this is one is good
I have played for about 90 minutes so far and can confirm gladly that this game is FANTASTIC. The general Switch performance is just fine; the load times when leaving or entering the overworld are noticeable, but hardly distressing; the animation, music and graphical fidelity (even in handheld) is really great. In other words, trust this review here at Nintendo Life and ignore what others seem to be suggesting in a few other places to suggest that this port is in any way faulty. My experience thus far suggests only quality, and it’s becoming immediately clear that it has been FAR too long since I played a classic JRPG... thank God for this game!!
Getting a physical copy of this game was so challenging. Amazon sold out and then Gamestop stocked one copy per store. I think it will sell more than retailers expected.
I am almost done with Regalia of Men and Monarchs, and Octopath isn't coming out until July. So this sounds like a good way to burn time after work until then!
Liking this so much more than XC2.
Just bought this last night. Gonna necro this review because it's falsely being scored as an 8/10 game and I want to warn fellow gamers about this abysmal port. It seems like every other outlet has also lazily glossed over the switch version, giving it 8s.
Instantly met with brutal stuttering, slowdowns or just straight freezing up mid animation. This occurs during any and all areas of the game. Whether it's the overworld map, exploreable areas, combat or even navigating menus.
This game launched in 2018 and HAS NOT (as of this post) been patched.
From this sites review;
"That said, these framerate drops don’t impede the main gameplay as they would in other genres, and the loads have a negligible effect on the game’s pace. Obviously, improvements through patches would be welcome, but we didn’t encounter anything catastrophic and the ability to play on-the-go is ultimately worth the occasional performance dip. "
Wrong. 100% unequivocally false. This games performance issues are apparent from the moment you start the game and they do not relent. Game runs like trash in handheld or docked. The load times are totally unacceptable for what's in offer here.
I'm appalled at the shilling in this review. The game is hands down the worst performing game I've played on the switch so far and doesn't deserve an 8/10.
Really wishing Nintendo had a return policy similar to steam. I knew within 10 minutes the game was junk.
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