Frustratingly close to enormousness .
Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes is the last game from Suikoden series Godhead Yoshitaka Murayama who sadly turn over ahead of time in 2024 . It has the classical JRPG look and feel you ’d expect , but can it live up to the ballyhoo of being 2020 ’s highest - funded Kickstarter video recording game ?
Gameplay
Anyone familiar with authoritative JRPG gameplay will feel immediately at home with Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes . There ’s a lovely tempo to the game , starting with classic JPRG turn - found combat and team construction but soon open up to more freeform exploration and former city building and light resourcefulness management . Mini - games see you having to solve puzzle , battle in chess game - similar sieges , and plenty more I wo n’t spoil . The city grows as you notice fictional character to spread stores and facility . Inventory space is circumscribed but gear and rune changing is slick and cleverly designed , and by and large , the flow of the plot is very satisfying .
What I establish unbelievably frustrative was a complete lack of mouse support and keyboard remapping choice . Nothing break submerging quite like gain familiar button to no event , and while it certainly is n’t a game - ledgeman and only a PC job , this lack of choice sense completely out of berth in a New biz . likewise , you ’re restricted to set up save points . They ’re usually well - place , but not always , and again , it feels unnecessarily old school .
Score : 4/5 Stars
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Graphics
Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes ’ graphics are stunning throughout . The backdrops are beautiful and varied , the character animations fun and various , and the engagement move are explosive without being overly long and intrusive . While it can be a lilliputian frustrative not to be capable to move the camera angle on many of the screens ( ordinarily only on the world mathematical function ) , this has given the computer graphic team more scope to make the exploration expression cinematic , which , for me , is a fair swap - off . I ’d rather be immersed than be able to see every slant .
The 2.5D graphic way works especially well here , giving everything more contingent and glossiness while keeping the 2D vibe , and the characters never feel separate from the gorgeous backdrops . confabulate towns and villages feels like you ’re in a work ( if a small underpopulated ) environment , with a cagey portmanteau of NPC ( some you’re able to interact with ) all run short about their byplay . There ’s just the right amount of JRPG flavor too , with peck of odd and precious little detail to notice if you look hard enough ( there ’s a cat cutely hanging in the rafters in the Elder ’s construction in Arenside , for lesson ) .
Score : 4.5/5 Stars
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Narrative
There ’s little peak in having cinematic art and gameplay in an RPG if the narrative does n’t deliver and thankfully , Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes acquire pretty much everything correct . You have every JRPG trope here in spades , from the unassuming do - gooder who ’ll become our hero with his overenthusiastic sidekick to a civilized society on the brink of death you ’re destine to salvage and a sci - fi - esque ' ancient race ' whose applied science is a mystery just waiting to be solved .
While some of the characters are a small on the nose in terms of banality , the overall blending is all charming , from the villainous and mysterious to the silly , loyal , and downright unusual . Game - wise , some characters occur and go , too , depending on what ’s happen in the creation , impart to the tone of narrative depth .
The overall level is as epic as you ’d expect , with our hoagie experience the highs and lows all good stories entail . What makes it babble out is the casual path Modern ideas are introduced , with important patch point often highlighted by unique game car-mechanic as well as the usual cold shoulder scenes . Certain characters must always be in your party for the plot to work , but you could impute them to non - combat slur , allowing you to keep your prefer engagement squad without compromise on the story arc .
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Combat
bit - based scrap is where I ’m most at dwelling house and while it feels fluid in Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes , I do n’t find it completely substantial .
dainty touch admit in - plot besties amaze Friendship Combo attacks ( such as the Kogen ’s Boys Combo that damage a whole course , reduce DEF , and boosts friend DEF ) , inventive boss battles with unique mechanics ( such as Hide in Debris , pictured above ) , plus spells and abilities that alter bout order . The emplacement of your select six heroes is also crucial , with attack and power achieve being key to team frame-up . Equipable runes either devotee stats and resistances or afford up elemental trance , tally another layer of customization .
While this all works well , battles often feel inconsequential . foe model are fun and wide-ranging but their attacks seldom are . As enemies return , those in the back row take their place , think placement is less of import than it first appears . The toughness of a zone , more often than not , summersault - flops from a lilliputian tricky to ‘ chatter auto ’ too fast , seeing battles become something to click through rather than enjoy ( especially as you ca n’t cut animations ) . At least there are both ‘ motorcar ’ and ‘ countenance them flee ’ choice , with lots of custom modes allowing you to set role to behave in specific way ( defend , save MP , etc ) .
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Score : 3/5 star
Exploration
We ’re once again in conversant JRPG territory when it comes to geographic expedition in Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes . While I found thing a little telegraphed ( doors are all tag on the mathematical function , imagination node glow , etc ) , there ’s a lot to savor in chatting with local , exploring drained end to receive goodies , and generally acquire into mischief . The game ’s few puzzles incline to be part of the exploration cognitive operation , getting you to pull levers and find codes while explore is often satisfyingly rewarded with access to new hero to recruit .
But it ’s not all just tidings . There is no sprint alternative , making many former stumble through familiar areas a little weak . This is made worse by regular gap from unseeable random encounters that , once you ’re even out above an surface area , are to be endured not revel . Sadly , this make some of the more interesting teaser area a lesson in tedium , as trying to work on out where to bear and move is endlessly disrupt by repetitious battles .
unsound still , this can see you having to head for the hills back to a town to heal up , just so you could go and try it all again . Removing or drastically reducing random encounters from these puzzle and labyrinth expanse would go a foresighted way to increasing my enjoyment .
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Verdict - All that’s JRPGood, plus a bit of the bad
Eiyuden Chronicle : Hundred Heroes feels like a fitting farewell from Yoshitaka Murayama , establish nicely on the deserved success of the Suikoden series . It looks , sounds ( the voice creative person are high quality ) , and feel terrific while giving JRPG fans all the gaming elements that keep us come back for more . But while many fans will look out on the frustrations of repetitious random combats , others will see this as an opportunity narrowly missed .
A barren copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purpose .
Looking for more game reviews ? break outFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth Review : The golden standard for a modern - sidereal day remakehere at Pro Game Guides .
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