With a series' well-earned success often comes imitators. The tactical RPG genre is ruled by only a handful of franchises, and withFire Emblem’s rich history spanning 32 years, plenty of other titles have attempted to imitate its brilliance.Announced at the March 2022 State of Play,The DioField Chroniclebears resemblance to the Nintendo-published IP, taking cues in the visual, audio, and gameplay departments.
As the Nintendo Switch houses a number of appealing strategy RPG offerings, PlayStation’s list of exclusive games in the genre pales in comparison. From titles likeFire Emblem: Three Houses, Triangle Strategy,andMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battlethat are only playable on Switch, toThe Banner SagaandValkyria Chroniclesthat are available on Nintendo’s hybrid system, the ground that Sony has to cover is substantial.The DioField Chroniclelooks ready to fill that space as Square Enix brings the project to PlayStation 4 and 5, but not without some obvious visual cues from the belovedFire Emblemseries.
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The DioField Chronicle’s Inspirations
To generate atmosphere, a game has to first establish a strong visual style. From thecel-shaded textures ofBorderlandsto the gorgeous pixel art ofBloodstained: Curse of the Moon,any game that wishes to stand out from the ever-growing crowd of impressive video games must utilize aesthetics that grab the attention of the consumer.Fire Emblemhas worked wonders in this department thus far. WhileFire Emblemwould do well to explore other art styles, as the series progresses familiar visual quirks must remain in order to remind fans that it is part of the same series.
The DioField Chronicle’s presentation is similar to that of itsFire Emblemcounterpart, with the serifed font that appears throughout its announcement trailer, the land borders that separate each segment of the game’s continent, and over-the-top costume design feeling instantly familiar. Even smaller details like character portraits appearing via tears in the screen seem like the critical hit animations in titles such asFire Emblem Awakening. Perhaps it’s a smart move from publisher Square Enix to bring forth the aesthetics of Intelligent Systems' popular series to aPS5 console with sales that can’t seem to keep up with demand.
From the Fields of Fodlan to the Kingdom of Alletain
A Tactical RPG taking place in a medieval-inspired setting, whereby different nations in the same realm engage in political, tactical, and combative skirmishes, is immediately familiar to those who embarked upon Byleth’s journey inGarreg Mach Monastery during 2019’sFire Emblem: Three Houses. As the battle between the Rowetale Alliance and Trovelt-Schovian Empire rages on, the Kingdom of Alletain has yet to be drawn into the war. External forces try to capture the Kingdom, but Alletain warriors resist. Placing players in the shoes of those soldiers allows for a potentially engaging tale to unfold.
Visually, the Empire’s red, the Alliance’s green, and the Kingdom’s blue crests are reminiscent of the Leicester Alliance, the Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Adrestian Empire’s presentation. Each of the latter are draped in yellow, blue, and red, respectively, which makes differentiating them simple for the player. Environments bear similarities toFire Emblemtoo, with battlefields ranging from cramped city streets to barren wastelands. Players have only seen a glimpse of the narrative in this somewhat familiar setting, though it will take a mighty effort to stand side-by-side withFire Emblem’s compelling stories.
It takes more than impressive style, visual design, or art direction to create a game that is loved by many, but riffing on a recognizable graphical philosophy from an established series is a clever way to ensure the game is presented well upon release.Fire Emblemis a series that many across the globe have found enjoyment with, including for the way it looks, soSquare Enix bringing something similar to PlayStationis a move that might just pay off.
The DioField Chroniclewill launch in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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