A Strategy Revival
I am, it has to be said, a bit of a sucker for a tactical RPG game. I blame my wife’s obsession with the Fire Emblem games, starting way back on the GameBoy Advance many years ago.
From there, I explored various other games like Advance Wars and Final Fantasy Tactics, before the advent of the Xbox into my life brought with it new possibilities.
Anyways, there does seem to be a bit of a resurgence in this kind of game at the moment, and that is where Rise Eterna 2 comes in, from the fine folks over at Forever Entertainment and TA Publishing. Following on from the original Rise Eterna and billed as “improving on the tactical RPG genre at the core of the first iteration”, I was excited to see what was on offer.
Classic Aesthetics
Rise Eterna 2 is presented in such a way that it will remind, quite strongly, of the aforementioned Fire Emblem games, to be honest. The game is split into three distinct sections: a world map and camp, there is the actual screen where we move our units about, and then there is the close up battle screen where we see the results of our choices.
The main map is a series of nodes, each of which represents one of the 20 missions available, and in the camp, which becomes available after a certain amount of progress has been made, you’ll find that you can start to enjoy conversations amongst allies and increase their bond. More of this later on though.
The main screen we spend most of our time on is the battle screen, and the news here is familiar: a battlefield, overlain with a grid, and various enemies strewn about the place. There are different features on the terrain that give advantages to one side or another to take advantage of as well, with woods hiding our forces for instance.
The final screen occurs when battle takes place, and shows what happens, whether we manage to defeat a foe or not. Obviously, the quicker we can take the baddies out the better, as their counter attacks can be pretty nasty.
Throughout, the design of our team and the enemies is pretty standard stuff, with a pixel art look that suits this style of game quite well, and I have nothing to moan about here.
Sound is equally familiar and unsurprising, with the swish of swords and the thump of impacts providing the majority of the soundtrack. Music is largely forgettable though, and with no voice over work, the story is presented as the standard series of text windows. But again, this helps maintain the retro feel of the game.
Imperial Orders
Speaking of the story, and in Rise Eterna 2 it is the usual kind of overblown fantasy nonsense we have come to know and love. We play as Jacht, a loyal soldier fresh out of the Academy, tasked with restoring the glory of the Athracian Empire and also with taking down the Destroyer. What could be better on your first day as a soldier? No pressure!
I’m not going to reveal too much of the twists and turns the story takes, but suffice it to say that we need to execute our orders and also recruit new companions to our cause as we go. Luckily the narrative does enough to keep us engaged.
Teamwork and Tactics
The gameplay is pretty much as you would expect if you’ve played one of these games before. In the main screen, each character can move a certain amount of spaces, indicated by a white outline on the map, and can then perform an action. The action can be varied; attacking an enemy, opening a chest, or even healing an ally if you have the skills for it.
A nice touch is what happens if you keep your units close together. See, should a unit be next to a friendly unit when they launch an attack, the ally will also join in, performing a team up attack. Obviously, these are much more powerful than a solo effort, and so it is worth keeping your fighters together.
And of course, having a solid front wall of defence is also helpful to protect the squishier characters, such as the healer and archers, and will allow them to still be effective in attack while being protected. With each level scored with points for teamwork, speed and other factors, aiming for a new high score is always challenging, with an S rank seemingly almost impossible to get without perfect execution.
Jewels and Skill Trees
Luckily, make progress through Rise Eterna 2 and that team can be upgraded a little. The first way this happens is through each character’s individual skill tree, unlocking new abilities that can help turn the tide on the battlefield. The second way is by equipping each person with jewels, as these can lead to heightened stats and therefore make people stronger. There is a lot of flexibility in the jewel system, and this can help to keep the game fresh: what if I gave that jewel to the archer instead of the fighter, for instance? This experimental approach adds to the games longevity, as do the multiple difficulty levels.
A Pleasant Retro Challenge with Replay Value
You should well enjoy your time with Rise Eterna 2, largely because it reminds of games from the past, and the swell of nostalgia hits hard. As a game, it is short, but with multiple difficulty levels to try out, and the chance to play around with the loadouts of the team, there is a decent bit of replayability built in.
Rise Eterna 2 isn’t going to set the world on fire, but it is a perfectly pleasant way to kill a few hours.
Important Links
War, Vengeance, and Intrigue – Rise Eterna 2 Builds on its Tactical RPG Foundations – https://www.thexboxhub.com/war-vengeance-and-intrigue-rise-eterna-2-builds-on-its-tactical-rpg-foundations/
Buy Rise Eterna 2 on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/rise-eterna-2/9mx82zn14pt1
