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Fallen Legion Preview: A Side Scrolling Action RPG With Intense Combat & Choices

Not many games take advantage of the unique relationship between the PS4 and PS Vita. Rarely does a game release for both and usually if it does, the Vita version is typically a port of the console version, and often with compromises in content, controls, or both. Even more rare is to see the handheld get a unique experience. Fallen Legion is an upcoming RPG that is making its way west in July and is doing just that for the platforms. From from YummyYummyTummy and Mintsphere, it is not only delivering a full party based RPG experience, but it also allows players to experience the game’s story from different sides of the conflict, depending on whether they’re playing on the PS4 or PS Vita. The game takes the intensity of action RPGs with real time combat and adds split second decision making that impacts the narrative and we have selected it as one of our Top 5 RPGs of 2017: July. Let’s take a look at how it plays.

Genre: Action RPG
Developed by: YummyYummyTummy & Mintsphere
Published by: YummyYummyTummy
Release date: July 25th, 2017
Platforms: PS4, PS Vita
Websitehttp://fallenlegiongame.com/

Fallen Legion Features

  • A Legion At Your Command – Control up to four characters simultaneously, master devastating combos and counter enemy attacks with a well-timed block in Fallen Legion’s unique battle system.
  • Every Choice Changes Your Empire – Players must make split-second decisions to rule their empire. These choices impact the game’s story.
  • Two Experiences, Two Stories – Written by Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward editor Ben Bateman, Fallen Legion shows the scars of war from two perspectives in two different games.
  • Talented Voice Acting CastFallen Legion stars Xanthe Huynh (Persona 5) as Cecille and Darrel Delfin as Laendur. Additional voice-over work by Kira Buckland, Jalen Cassell, Alan Lee, and Dorah Fine.
  • Magnificent 2D Artwork – From the fangs on our menacing manticore to each sun-kissed brick in Fenumia’s castle, all of the artwork has been hand-drawn to create a stunning world.

Story & Setting

In Fallen Legion’s PS4 version subtitled Sins of an Empire, you will guide Princess Cecille and a talking grimoire (very Nier-like) on a mission to save her kingdom from falling into ultimate ruin. In the PS Vita version, subtitled Flames of Rebellion you will take the role of her primary rival, Legatus Laendur, who is leading an army with the goal to overthrow the royal family.

The backdrop for both games involves the world of Fenumia that has been ruled by a royal family for ages and the crown has now passed to the head of Cecille, along with the sentient book that possesses a vast store of knowledge and power to breathe life into weapons. As the kingdom becomes assaulted, Cecille and the grimoire will set out to restore peace and stability, both from threats within the kingdom and from outside conspirators.

In the PS Vita version you will play the game from the perspective of the Legate, who is a charming and cunning tactician, and you will be fighting to not only depose the monarchy but to also eliminate traitors within your rebellion. This is an intriguing approach to game development and gives players a chance to experience the struggles of war from both sides. Perhaps things aren’t as good/evil as they always seem.

Gameplay

The game unfolds in 2.5D party based combat that should be familiar to players of Odin’s Sphere and Dragon’s Crown. Each of the two Fallen Legion titles feature a different story, levels, story branches as well as boss battles unique to their platform. Within the gameplay both feature an intense battle system that allows you to command up to 4 different characters. As you do battle with armies and massive beasts you will be making important world altering choices, whether it’s how to suppress a rebellion or put a town at ease. Every choice that you make impacts how the story of the game unfolds, all the way to the end.

In combat you will control up to 4 characters at once and will take on the various enemies of the world in real time. Your team can be set up for some lethal combos as they execute their own special abilities. Softening up creatures opens them up for some critical attacks for some devastating damage. Each one of your party members has their own distinct gear and strengths and your equipment can be augmented and improved with gemstones that feature different bonuses. The combat is action packed and involves a lot of quick decisions which should make for some great encounters.

You travel from location to location via a segmented overworld map and once you decide on a place you launch in. In the locations you will speak to NPCs and other characters and will be presented with choices in which you must make an immediate choice. Once you choose, you will play out the outcome of that choice in dialogue and battle.

The choices that are presented are all tinged by the different forces at play here. You will be battling the rebel forces or vice versa and situations will present themselves, such as whether you should defend a village from an onslaught. Not only do these choices have narrative implications, but they also have gameplay considerations. Defending that village may grant an attack boost, but choosing to abandon it could give you double HP for a level. There is a risk reward to either choice, and you only have 10 seconds to decide when it’s brought up. This is a neat mechanic, that may be fun for flexible tastes and harrowing for some players, especially those perfectionists who need time to make the painstaking optimized choice.

If you make that choice to defend, you head right to the front lines and have only one opportunity to complete the objectives. In the case of the town under attack, you can repel the forces and save the town, however, if you lose, you will lose control of the town forever. To prevent this, the game allows for some diplomacy by engaging in bartering and deal making, such as handing over the town in exchange for items, or securing its safety through another backdoor deal. As the ruler of this world, these are the choices and political maneuvering that come with the gig.

Bosses are a signature part of the game and they can be impressive creatures and monsters as well as armies. In a further unique twist to the platform split, each version features their own unique bosses to tangle with, meaning the full experience will be best achieved by playing the game on PS4 and PS Vita.

All of the artwork in the game has been hand drawn to give it a distinctive feel and the game features full voice acting from genre veterans. This makes it more like an animation come to life and elicits the same vibe of the earlier mentioned Odin’s Sphere and Dragon’s Crown as well as the Muramasa series of games. That’s good company indeed!

Fallen Legion takes what is already a great RPG story, setting and gameplay concept and goes a step further by delivering complimentary experiences on the PS4 and PS Vita. Some may not take kindly to having to play it on both systems to get the complete story, but the approach is innovative. With a wonderful art style and intense 2.5D gameplay, fans of Atlus and Vanillaware’s games should give this game a serious look.


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2 responses to “Fallen Legion Preview: A Side Scrolling Action RPG With Intense Combat & Choices”


  1. The more I wrote the more I was into it. As much as I liked Odin’s Sphere and Vanillaware in general it was a pleasant surprise.

  2. Nice. It has a Grand Kingdom look to it.
    I’ll definitely keep an eye on this one.

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