Critiquing The Corporation
Far be it from me to question Square Enix’s business strategy, but releasing TRIANGLE STRATEGY a month before the Final Fantasy Tactics remake seems a bit strange.
These are, on paper, very similar games, both being tactical RPGs. Do two deep and rich strategic games with hundreds of hours of play between them releasing in the space of six or seven weeks of each other affect one or the other in terms of sales? And if you can only choose one of the two, which one do you go for? I can offer some advice for one of them at least.
HD-2D is Goodie
After releasing on Nintendo Switch back in 2022, TRIANGLE STRATEGY jumps over to other consoles. Shadowdropping onto Xbox in a similar vein as Final Fantasy XVI earlier this year, TRIANGLE STRATEGY is the latest in their “HD-2D” offerings. Simply put, if I see HD-2D, I want HD-2D. It is such a gorgeous way of presenting games of a more traditional variety, and this is right up there.
A Song of Salt and Iron
The primary protagonist in TRIANGLE STRATEGY is a young lord called Serenoa and heir to House Wolffort in Glenbrook. He is anticipating his new fiancée Frederica, who is arriving from the nearby land of Aesfrost: A matrimony to be made in the aftermath of the Saltiron War some 30 years ago.
Since then, the world has been in a sort of Cold War scenario; tensions are fractious but calm for now. And a new venture between nations known as the Grand Norzellian Mine looks set to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for the three nations of Norzellia.
Now, this wouldn’t be much of a traditional tactical RPG if everything went swimmingly and was hunky dory between the nations, so you are safe to assume that things turn awry not long after the mine is opened. Aesfrost suddenly starts an offensive on the capital, killing most of the royal family in the process. Prince Roland, an old childhood friend of Serenoa, now finds himself as the King, but also with a target on his back as the last remaining royal.
This may seem like the plot for the opening couple of hours, but the reality is that there is around ten hours of gameplay to get to this point. TRIANGLE STRATEGY is a deep game in both plot and gameplay, the former of which does cause some pacing issues at times. It is very heavy on the cutscenes, and add to that plenty of character stories and developments that appear the more you deploy them into battle, and it does feel that sometimes the tactical element of things plays second fiddle to the plot and lore. It is a great story that feels a bit like Game of Thrones with lots of characters involved and different houses all dealing with their issues. But it does sometimes get bogged down in telling you this story.
Strategise on the Battlefield
TRIANGLE STRATEGY excels on the battlefield however. It is one of the easiest tactical RPGs to get into, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the gameplay is shallow. In total, there are 26 characters to recruit, but you will need at least three playthroughs in order to unlock them all. But each one is deserving of a place in your roster; each feels unique and varied enough that striking a fine balance between team chemistry is a major factor in succeeding.
Some will likely never leave the team. Characters like Anna with her Act Twice ability can make herself almost invisible to the enemy, and Hughette who can hit almost anyone on a map with a high enough vantage point, will likely never be dropped from my first team.
But even the characters that I don’t use all the time have their uses in certain battles. Jens, for example, can build ladders and traps, which allows the chance to camp on a rooftop for an entire skirmish, avoiding any attacks from the enemy at all.
TRIANGLE STRATEGY also does a fantastic job of you learning these characters too. You aren’t bombarded with Swiss army knife fighters that have more skills and abilities they will ever need. Each character has unique skills available to them, whether it be using magic or weapons that give them a bit of a longer reach than normal, but these evolve over time, allowing you to get used to how everything works together. If the pacing of the plot can feel slow at times, then the pace at which characters level up and learn new abilities is spot on.
Judgement on the Scales of Conviction
There are times when that meandering plot requires your input, through the use of a system called the Scales of Conviction. At times in the story, Serenoa is faced with a decision, and gathers his closest allies to help him make that choice. You can also choose whether to try and influence them by using the information you’ve gathered whilst out and about. These exploration phases are crucial if you want to garner the knowledge to tempt your allies into making the decision you want them to.
And yes, it needs mentioning again, but TRIANGLE STRATEGY is the latest in the ‘HD-2D’ range from Square Enix. Any game that has this artstyle looks fantastic, and this is no exception. Traditionally, they have the gameplay to back it up as well; this is also not an exception.
A Strategic Gem with a Stunning Art Style
Following on from the likes of Octopath Traveler and DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake, TRIANGLE STRATEGY is more than just an appetiser for the upcoming Final Fantasy Tactics game.
TRIANGLE STRATEGY is a deep and rewarding tactical RPG that rewards patience and curiosity. To see everything will require at least three playthroughs, but there is a New Game Plus to assist with that. And on those repeat playthroughs, at least you can skip those cutscenes; they are plentiful, and perhaps too many.
But they are the only negative on a game that has been overdue an arrival on Xbox.
Important Links
A Tactical RPG Masterpiece SHADOWDROPS on Xbox – TRIANGLE STRATEGY is OUT NOW – https://www.thexboxhub.com/a-tactical-rpg-masterpiece-shadowdrops-on-xbox-triangle-strategy-is-out-now/
Buy TRIANGLE STRATEGY on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/triangle-strategy/9n0tcg0z1ng4
