Free-to-play games can run the gamut from terrible and money-hungry to quite good (though still usually money-hungry). While I prefer premium games, even in the mobile world, some free-to-play games just catch my attention. Enter upcoming tactical RPG Sword of Convallaria. Calling it “Fire Emblem meets Final Fantasy Tactics” makes perfect sense once you see the gameplay trailer that was released today, with a closer look at the game’s combat and characters.
Sword of Convallaria features a rich fantasy setting, gorgeous pixel graphics, and tense turn-based battles. The player’s choices shape the game’s narrative and define the fate of characters. While being mobile (though also coming to PC), the game has “expert, console-quality graphics” (take that as you will) and deep, rewarding strategic gameplay.
The game begins in Iria, a small nation in the ancient continent of Rodinia. Iria is a nation rich in magical Luxite minerals. Players find themselves awakening in a dungeon and trying to escape to Convallaria, a town under threat from Iria’s escalating conflicts. Become to leader of the Sword of Convallaria Mercenary Group and navigate through various factions and make difficult decisions in an effort to find peace for Iria.
Players will customize their own mercenary group by recruiting companions, teaching skills, forging equipment, researching technology, and accepting missions from various factions. Strategic gameplay is essential in battle, where players deploy powerful allies and navigate terrain elements that can be either an advantage or a disadvantage.
In an interview between JRPG veteran Yasumi Matsuno (Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Tactics) and Sword of Convallaria developed Lei Guo, Guo shares some insights into the game. It was born of his love for tactical JRPGs, and currently features 300 maps and 1,000 stages with multiple endings that unlock based on the player’s decisions. Elements of the story also echo dramatic moments of history. The name was chosen as it evokes the beauty and transience of peace, as well as the weapons used to protect it.
Developed and published by XD Games, Sword of Convallaria will be released for iOS/Android and PC via Steam later this year.
While I will almost certainly check this game out, it presages a sad trend where well-made games in genres I love will be monetized more and more predatorially. This game could easily be a stand-alone game for consoles and PC, and sell for $25-30, but instead they went for mobile first, and made it a free-to-play gacha game. It will likely make more money their way than it would my preferred way … and so the games industry will continue to morph in that monetizable direction.
Yeah, I hear ya, buddy. The sad reality is that they’ll probably make more money from it this way, too.
Looks certainly interesting. Mayne this game will push me to check out what gacha is all about.
That is my hope too – It would be amazing to have one of these things last me longer than one week of addiction.