Summary

• Unicorn Overlord features deep, compelling combat that doesn't get old.
• Gorgeous graphics enliven the world of Fevrith and keep things interesting between major skirmishes.
• Exploration & side content enrich game's runtime & replayability, helping to establish the game as a worthy competitor to Fire Emblem.

Unicorn Overlord, developed by Vanillaware (13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim) and published by Atlus & Sega, is a tactics RPG that will no doubt draw comparisons to Fire Emblem from even those casually acquainted with the genre. Aesthetic, gameplay design, character interactions and story all appear at least vaguely reminiscent to the storied FE franchise - but what's present in this game is much more than just an imitation. Through its own complex and engrossing systems, Unicorn Overlord is a legitimate competitor in a space that's been dominated by one entity (at least in the mainstream) for far too long.

Unicorn Overlord follows the exiled Prince Alain as he attempts to regain control of his homeland of Cornia and free the world of Fevrith from a tyrannical evil usurper. It's the usual premise for high fantasy tactical endeavors and while the characters do a lot of heavy lifting to make things feel fresh, unfortunately, Alain is pretty boring himself. That, coupled with the fact the story really takes a solid 10-15 hours to get rolling in meaningful ways, means Unicorn Overlord doesn't completely wow with its journey until a solid chunk of its world has been explored.

A Beautiful, Expansive Tactics Game

Graphics & World Design Shine

Something that Unicorn Overlord immediately has going for it is its aesthetic, which is largely reminiscent of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim in the best ways. Character models are airy and captivating, and the richness of color and 2.5D backdrops really helps engross viewers in what's transpiring on screen. That's amplified even further in the game's world map, which sees the characters shrunk down into their more pixel-y variants and wandering a vivid environment full of potential side missions, items to collect, and mysteries to solve.

The world of Fevrith is welcoming, and it's easy to feel compelled to explore every corner available during a given segment of gameplay. Overworld enemies add a nice method of testing new compositions between major missions, though there are also mock battles at garrisons to do the same; likewise, acquiring materials and repairing towns is a great way to earn Honor, a points system that lets players upgrade units and their army sizes, though it could easily be ignored and just redeemed from main content alone.

There's freedom in Fevrith in spite of its oppression, and it's one of the main reasons Unicorn Overlord stands out as a tactics RPG that could be the foundation of a long-running series to rival some of the genre's best. One trip to Fevrith wasn't enough for me; while it might be difficult to find the time to jump into a game that took me over 40 hours to enjoy the first time for a second go, the fact I want to at all is an encouraging sign for the game's longevity.

Combat Combinations That Will Satisfy The Savviest Veterans

Unicorn Overlord's Combat Is Fantastic

The combat system in Unicorn Overlord is sublime. Characters will automatically participate in battles, following a preset order of commands the player can customize in menus prior to engagements. It's a deceptively simple system - starting with simple commands like staggering priority to make sure heals happen at 50% or less health, or attacking at all times otherwise - that blossoms into a complex machine. It's really as deep as a player wants to make it, with a huge variation of commands tied into both classes and equipment, making for a staggering number of combinations.

That said, there's an automated system that optimizes loadouts based on a character's role, right down to equipping them with suitable weapons and gear. It's not quite as insightful as really digging into each system, but it will more than get the job done on easier difficulties for those who don't want to spend hours composing the best character bands.

Unicorn Overlord is a truly excellent tactical RPG that is great where it matters.

Classes matter a lot, too, and it's wise to not ignore them. Long-distance units pair well with melee ones in the front, for instance, but it goes much further than that - magic wielders are the best solution to enemy sorcerers, while archers might struggle. The knight classes are cavalry and have advantages over foot soldiers often, but not always, with some classes skewing that battle differently. Players can hire mercenaries to flesh out their army however they want, too, so they won't be limited by the number of characters they recruit and the classes they're tied to.

The battlefield itself features a few different wrinkles, too. Enemies can use skills to affect the map before characters ever reach a proper battle, and can Alain and others with Valor Points. Valor points slowly accumulate over battle and are used for two different things: deploying other units and using powerful Valor skills. These skills have a wide variety of uses - some will destroy barricades, some give a unit advantage in the next battle, and some even boost experience earned. Valor skills start as something of an indulgence and quickly become necessities to clear harder battle maps, and restructuring teams and army compositions becomes vital as Unicorn Overlord progresses.

Real-time movement that can be paused at any point adds another fun feature to Unicorn Overlord. Staying on top of a battle and plotting out where units will go can create the sense of a chess match played from the sky above the world, and that sense of out-maneuvering a difficult situation is never less than satisfying.

Story & Characters That Are Hit or Miss

Unicorn Overlord's Narrative Is Erratic

If there's one major knock against Unicorn Overlord, it's that its story and characters are just a bit below what I'd expect from the same studio that produced 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. It's clear Vanillaware is capable of deg some standout protagonists, but that doesn't really happen in Unicorn Overlord, which prioritizes quantity over quality. Alain is a pretty dull hero at the best of times, even with the ability to choose options for him in key moments, and the cast around him is almost entirely made up of fantasy stereotypes. The witch who is older than she looks, the princess who wants to be a warrior, the rogue with a heart of gold; they're all here, and they don't really have any twists, either.

While that's not the end of the world, as there are some good story beats the further you progress into Unicorn Overlord, it's definitely a bit of a disappointment. Because characters are a bit shallow, their intimate moments - which unlock by keeping them in the same unit on the battlefield, giving them gifts, or sharing meals with them - also feel like they lack depth. Many of them are do-nothing exchanges in the beginning and even with deeper connections yielding more interesting cutscenes, it can get hard to be invested in them.

Of course, having a huge cast will do that to a game. Unicorn Overlord features a lot of potential recruits, and each one is unique in some way or another when it comes to their presentation. I think in a perfect world Unicorn Overlord would have slimmed down some of the fat in its character roster and given what remained a bit more time to develop personalities and stories, but it doesn't necessarily detract from what's here. Rather, the quality of everything else in the game simply means this element doesn't live up to that higher standard.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

4.5/5

Unicorn Overlord is a truly excellent tactical RPG that is great where it matters. Incredible gameplay makes it replayable and fascinating, while its aesthetic and world map keep Fevrith interesting. In spite of some minor stumbles in its cast of heroes, Unicorn Overlord rivals some of the best of Fire Emblem. That comparison will likely stop if Vanillaware pursues Unicorn Overlord as a series in the future; it's very much its own game, and a memorable, great one, at that.

Screen Rant was provided with a Nintendo Switch code for the purpose of this review.