Cross Tails is a pleasing shock for quite a few causes. It’s a pleasing shock as a launch from KEMCO, a publishing firm that has introduced us quite a few enjoyable however usually formulaic retro JRPGs. It’s a pleasing shock from Rideon, builders of the competent however considerably forgettable Mercenaries sequence. And it’s a pleasing shock as an isometric, turn-based, technique RPG.
Cross Tails focuses on two separate however intertwining tales. At the beginning, gamers will determine in the event that they need to management Felix (from the Kingdom of Ravenfurt) or Shaimaa (of the Republic of Hidiq). What separates the kingdoms? Ears and tails. Though the characters look human, the Ravenfurts exhibit canine bodily attributes, whereas Hidiqs are extra feline. Is it any surprise they’ve all the time been getting ready to battle? There’s additionally a reptilian nation, Dralbo, simply to shake issues up a bit.
Irrespective of the way you aspect on this cats vs. canine story, the story shortly reaches some extent the place a Hidiq city is attacked, sending the battle to a boiling level. When you play as Felix, the Ravenfurts aren’t accountable. When you play as Shaimaa, you aren’t so certain. Both means, the tales of the 2 central characters will proceed to overlap as they individually uncover simply what’s going round them.
It’s a typical JRPG plot line that’s meant to be skilled in separate playthroughs. Moderately than full one after which the opposite, I discovered it attention-grabbing to flip between save information on the factors when the tales intersected. Felix, for instance, reaches the village assault a couple of battles into his story. With Shaimaa, nevertheless, it’s her first. This strategy to the narrative made for a novel technique of storytelling I discovered compelling.
That’s vital as a result of different story facets aren’t that compelling. Regardless of the crossing tales strategy to Cross Tails, the plot nonetheless feels very “been there, achieved that.” That’s to not say it isn’t participating, however it doesn’t really feel as recent as among the different turn-based JRPGs I’ve performed recently.
Additionally, though the primary characters and their counterparts are distinctive and memorable, Cross Tails depends on faceless recruits to spherical out your fight events. This strategy helps to maintain the central characters in focus, however it additionally means you gained’t care about numerous the individuals you’re taking into battle.
When you don’t care in regards to the troopers, turn-based technique avid gamers will care about these battles. This, correctly, is the place Cross Tails shines. Fight takes place on the kind of isometric battlefield that’s usually in comparison with Closing Fantasy Ways. A extra correct comparability on this case could be God Wars: The Full Legend, each visually and technically. The background graphics are colourful, easy, and detailed, permitting the closely outlined (and chibi-esque) characters to face out successfully. The digicam controls are a bit too delicate, however that doesn’t actually influence turn-based gameplay.
Battles begin with a fast overview of the map, adopted by choosing the location of your accessible troopers. As they’ll every have completely different skills—together with how far they will transfer and the way simply they will attain larger areas—getting them in the best spot to be shortly efficient is vital. Order is set by AGI, however the first couple rounds can usually be used to get your group in an efficient offensive or defensive formation.
Cross Tails shortly overwhelms you with quite a few abilities and skills to pick out in battle, and also you’ll have to rack up MP to make use of these superior assaults and buffs (or play in simple mode, which begins you off with loads of MP).
You even have entry to extremely efficient beast powers, or BP, however these are available restricted provide. Gamers may even decide the characters’ religion for varied buffs.
Probably the most intriguing variation from comparable video games, nevertheless, comes through Hate. That is like aggro, making opponents extra more likely to assault a personality the extra he/she assaults, heals, or makes use of skills. In different phrases, the extra troublesome a personality is on the battlefield, the extra the enemy will go after that character. It turns into an efficient technique, as you may fade troopers with poor protection into the background and belief the enemy will depart them alone. After all, that doesn’t all the time imply they’ll. So it goes in tactical RPGs.
One other huge change is Cross Tail’s reliance on cash. Expertise, skills, weapons, armor, recruits, job courses…all are upgraded or acquired by means of money, so you actually need to handle your cash properly. And contemplating there are over 30 courses from which to decide on—every with its personal fight strengths and weaknesses—even the best improve choices can show hectic.
Sadly, getting the cash you want requires revisiting earlier maps for under barely modified battles. Usually, you’ll have to do that proper after finishing the map the primary time, making development an actual slog. That is another excuse I favored switching backwards and forwards between save information for the completely different paths; it helped to maintain issues recent when participating in two or extra fights in a single sitting.
With a lesser sport, I would’ve finally given up on it. However there are sufficient rewards in Cross Tails to push you thru. It actually helps that the intricate social gathering preparation and difficult battles are rewarding to beat.
But it surely’s equally vital that the entire package deal is cohesive and logical. The cash-based system is sensible when you get used to it, and every new factor, character, and talent appears like a logical extension of what you’ve achieved to this point. A stronger story and livelier dialogue may assist transfer issues alongside, however Cross Tails’ competence and distinctive diversions from the norm ought to maintain your consideration for at the least one playthrough. You simply need to determine: cats or canine?
