If you’re a turn-based strategy fan, you’ve had a hell of a few months. Wasteland 3, Immortal Realms, X-Com Chimera Squad, Wintermoor Tactics Club, Othercide, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance coming to Game Pass… there’s an isometric boatload of them. And they’re not small either, taking up more time than this particular fan can manage. Onto that growing backlog you can now lug Tears of Avia and – would you believe it – it looks slick as anything. As the saying goes, you complain about a lack of turn-based strategy games, and then a dozen turn up at once.
Tears of Avia launches on Microsoft Xbox One and PC via Steam today.
Tears of Avia does at least aim for somewhere different for a turn-based strategy, taking in the very PQube aesthetic of anime characters in a fantasy setting. You’ll have the choice of warrior, ranger, mage, brawler and priest, and they each seem to have distinct calling cards and their own personality. Story is very much foregrounded too, taking you on a quest across Estera, and what looks like wildly different environments from the trailer.
The characters do look a little generic from early trailers, but – and this is obviously hugely important – the menu presentation is nothing short of lovely. Hear the wonderful Playstation Vita-like dinks as you choose from different options! Watch as the interface gets painted onto your screen! Honestly, there’s a little UI pervert in me who loves this sort of thing.
Probably more important is that the class system looks labyrinthine, and offers you plenty of opportunities to splice classes and min-max everything to the nth degree. If you’re a strategy nerd then this is catnip, and it looks like there’s plenty to fiddle with in your party’s makeup.
Features include:
- FLEXIBLE SKILL – Customise and combine skills and discover the limitless ways in which they chain and react to one another – with profound consequences in battle!
- DYNAMIC STORYLINE – The choices you make within your party shape the way the story unfolds.
- WEAPONS-BASED SKILLS – the 100s of in-game skills can be derived both from character class and the weapons you equip to add a new layer of strategy.
- EXPLORE A VAST & IMMERSIVE WORLD – traverse the distinctive regions of estera and its ancient kingdoms in search of the forgotten city of avalon and a love lost hundreds of years previously.
- NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE – there are no right or wrong actions, but every action has consequences that can shape the way your journey unfolds…
Tears of Avia is out today on Xbox One for £16.99. It’s also out on PC via Steam. What are you waiting for? Get in and lap up those tears. Or wait for full coverage via our review first. Your call.
Game Description:
Customise Your Party To Your Own Play Style – Tears of Avia is a strategy RPG and turn-based tactics game that richly rewards build-craft. Carefully combine Ranger, Warrior, Mage, Brawler & Priest classes and their skills to create a party suited to your own tactical strengths.
