Much has already been said about Square Enix’s release schedule, particularly in the latter months of 2022. The worry now is that with so many games on the horizon, the quality may be diluted. Yet whilst Xbox gamers might not be getting the full roster of releases from Squeenix, in The DioField Chronicle, we are getting one of the best.
As one of the best in the business when it comes to tactical RPGs, Square Enix typically don’t go wrong with this genre. What separates The DioField Chronicle from what has come before – and in doing so forges forth a potential new franchise – is that it is being fused with real-time strategy elements. It might sound like an impossible combination, but bear with me.
The land of DioField is an island off the main continent of Rowetale. DioField is a land rich with Jade, a resource used for a variety of purposes. On Rowetale, a war rages on between the Empire and the Alliance, with DioField largely uninvolved. With both sides looking to gain an advantage, and given the abundance of Jade on DioField, it is only a question of time before the island is set upon by the warring armies.
For now though, a private mercenary group has mainly kept DioField peaceful. Your primary characters are all part of this team, who themselves are keen to get to the bottom of their own personal mysteries. A ‘chance’ encounter with one of the recruiters of the mercenary group sets the chain in motion for what is to come in The DioField Chronicle.
The first few hours of The DioField Chronicle are mainly spent learning the ropes of the battle system and mechanics back at your base. It isn’t until the third chapter that the meat of the story really starts. It is a slow burner, but one that allows you to get to know the characters well, and which ones suit your playstyle.
Their skills tend to cover the traditional tropes without bringing anything you haven’t seen before. There are four classes available. These aren’t explicitly named but are basically warrior, mage, archer and cavalryman. As you progress, more characters become available, and you can mix your team of four as you see fit. You can also add backups that you can switch in and out during missions, but you can freely use their abilities without the need to substitute them. These ‘understudies’ will also earn a portion of EXP even if they aren’t used in battle for that particular mission.
Unlike other tactical RPGs, The DioField Chronicle doesn’t feature a tiled grid. Instead, you can command your units around the map, allowing them to freely engage in real-time battles with opposing forces. Positioning is still important though, as getting behind an enemy gives you a damage boost.
This real-time effect does mean that you don’t have as much time to tactically plan your attacks in advance, but you don’t necessarily need to either. Most battles can be completed within ten minutes, and you are rewarded for completing many of them quicker. This short, sharp approach to the missions allows The DioField Chronicle to add in side-quests and sub plots that explore these characters. They’re a diverse bunch and don’t be surprised if your feelings towards some of them shift through the course of the game.
The DioField Chronicle also looks unlike a traditional tactical RPG. The clue is in the name a little bit, but each battlefield is designed to look like a diorama with you controlling pieces like you would do with a board game. The result is a very stylised looking game. Even character models have a unique look to them; like a highly skilled painter has painted all their pieces for their latest board game.
By comparison then, the hub area you frequent in between missions feels a bit drab by comparison. It is a decent sized hall but there isn’t much extra than the necessities to explore. You have your shop and mission select area, and new areas such as a library and mess hall do open up as you progress, but the only things found here are your party members to exchange tiny amounts of dialogue.
At any point, providing you have enough EP (read: mana), you can use your characters’ abilities. These aren’t just like a way to overkill an opponent but are absolutely essential if you want to succeed in The DioField Chronicle. Characters have unique abilities, but armor and weaponry can also give them new ones. These can also be upgraded in skill trees, but these can be a bit confusing. Rather than characters having individual skill trees, each unit type instead has a shared tree. It means you could be unlocking and upgrading skills for a character you have yet to meet, or one you don’t plan on using. Unfortunately, the only way to know which character a skill is for is to watch the pop-up video when you highlight a skill that briefly shows the characters face that can actually use the attack. Whilst this system could be improved in general, it could also be explained a lot better too.
As well as skill trees you also can also develop new weapons. Again, this tree is shared across unit types but at least these are explained as to who can equip what. The frustrating thing here though is that once you develop a new weapon, you still need to buy it in the store afterwards.
You can also bolster your Magilumic Orbs here. These are basically The DioField Chronicles’ summons, calling forth these entities from the sky to cause huge amounts of damage, crippling status effects or a heal when you are in a pinch. These cannot be used all the time but have the ability to make a huge difference in a battle.
Hopefully this is the start of a new franchise for Square Enix, because The DioField Chronicle has all the hallmarks of one. It is a solid first entry that can also easily be improved on with a few minor tweaks. The shorter approach to battles makes things a little easier and more accessible than a traditional tactical RPG, whilst the inclusion of some real-time elements keep the gameplay feeling fresh.
The DioField Chronicle is a great looking game, with some good storytelling and some average RPG mechanics. But it all adds up to a fine first entry that leaves us eager for more.
The DioField Chronicle is available from the Xbox Store
