However, by the time someone has leveled up enough to pivot jobs, it becomes difficult to justify making that abrupt of a change. Over the course of the campaign there are opportunities to shift from these pre-designated classes. Each party member is initially assigned to one of three key job classes: Mender, Scout, or Soldier. Tactics fans will be quick to point out that one of the biggest elements at play in any conflict is the juxtaposition of different character skillsets and arsenals, scattered throughout the battlefield. There are a handful of stages that have a mid-battle plot twist that potentially introduces a new goal or two, but for the most part, this entire process is fairly cut-and-dry. Most of the time players will be tasked with clearing all enemies from the arena, defeating a singular boss-type character or reaching a key position on the map with two to three party members. A series of objectives of varying levels of difficulty are displayed in the top-right hand corner of the screen and once these requirements have been met, the stage is cleared. Enchantingly StraightforwardĪs far as the actual tactical gameplay is concerned, the core mechanics don’t really stray too far from what you’d expect. These sorts of interruptions can take the form of anything from new environmental effects to additional adversaries entering the arena. Most of the exposition occurs almost entirely before or after battle, with the occasional dialog bubble mixed-in mid-conflict, when some sort of shift in a battle takes place. ![]() This will likely come as a surprise to no one, but with a focus on primarily combat, there isn’t much room for a verbose narrative between sword-slashes and defensive spells. Once the core gameplay takes center stage, the narrative ultimately takes a backseat in favor of well-designed tactics action. Don’t Miss: Our exclusive profile on Gurjin. ![]() Narrative development is a text-only affair, and while that isn’t necessarily a showstopper, it certainly proves to be a bit of a disappointment given the weight of the IP it is backing. Despite the Netflix series having a stellar voice cast, including the likes of Mark Hamill, Simon Pegg, Eddie Izzard, and Taron Egerton, not a single one of them lend their dulcet tones to this title. That’s right folks! You are going to need to actually read words on a screen. Individual frames from a page will fade in and out, while written dialog and key story points are explicitly spelled out in words. Yet, without missing a beat, I was easily able to become invested in the oddball characters and interweaving storylines that are simultaneously taking place throughout the world.Ī vast majority of the plot plays out in the form of graphic novel inspired cinematics. Here’s a dirty little secret for you: I’ve never seen the film or the series. Personally, I was very fortunate that the storyline was designed without the necessity of an encyclopedic knowledge of Henson’s seminal IP. It can both stand on its own, as well as further flesh out the universe. These breadcrumbs and side-explorations from the series form the game’s narrative backbone. ![]() ![]() There are several key elements that are alluded to in the show, but are never actually shown. Recycling characters from the original incarnation, along with a bevy of newcomers from the series, the title runs concurrently with the television narrative, without necessarily telling the same story. The recent Netflix series has opted to go the prequel route, and as such, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics is taking a similar tack. Can the game manage to hold up under the scrutiny that comes with nostalgic memories, or will it crumble under the weight of the audience’s expectations? Back to the Beginning Yet here we are, on the precipice of the The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics’ release, and I still can’t believe the extent that the brand has been able to revive itself, nearly 40 years after its initial release. If you’d went one step further and told me that the same franchise would be getting its own PS4 game, I would’ve suggested gettin your head examined. A few years ago, if you told me that The Dark Crystal would be getting a revival on Netflix, I would’ve laughed in your face.
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