Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a prequel that aims to introduce the universe and some of the protagonists of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, which is scheduled for release in 2023. The latter is expected to be the successor to the Suikoden saga since many developers of the Rabbit & Bear studio worked on various episodes of this series.
For the record, this prologue was initially imagined as a simple bonus offered to contributors to the main game’s fundraising campaign, but it quickly became a project in its own right. It also stands out for its Action-RPG oriented combat style, where Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be a pure JRPG with turn-based combat phases.
One quest can hide another
Our adventure begins in the shoes of CJ, a young treasure seeker who travels to New Nevaeh to complete an initiatory quest and bring back to her father an artifact of greater wealth than that which he had once discovered himself. This village located a few steps from a tumulus, containing many magical artifacts, is the perfect place to carry out our great mission.
On our arrival we discover that an earthquake has recently damaged the infrastructure and that the population is working on reconstruction. We then meet the mayor of the village and learn that before any prospecting attempt in the tumulus, we must pay an immeasurable tax in order to obtain an excavation license. Not having the means to pay such a sum, we are offered to perform various tasks and help the villagers to rebuild against the delivery of our precious sesame. Among other things, we are participating in the construction of several shops that will be very useful for our progress. To complicate things, the earthquake has created a breach in the defenses and many monsters now populate the quarry and the large forest where we must collect our materials. To help us in our vast task we can count on two companions who join our ranks over the course of the main story. A precious help because we understand very quickly that these little hassles are only the tree that hides the forest and that a greater destiny awaits us.
Introduction to RPG
The title is thought of as a prologue in the broad sense. Beyond leading to the discovery of the universe and the cast of the upcoming game, it is also an introduction to RPG mechanics and could in fact appeal to those who are less used to the genre. As in any good role-playing game, we collect experience points which increase our level and our qualities of attack, defense and magic. Resources are also mined to complete quests or craft new items and equipment. There are of course magic runes of various types which will have effects on the effectiveness of our attacks or our defense. These mechanics, which are the very essence of an RPG, can sometimes quickly become complex to master. The developers have cleverly brought each of these elements little by little over the course of the adventure. A very intuitive menu and an information-rich quest log also contribute to this assumed simplicity.
On the gameplay side, again, accessibility is key. A key is assigned to each character allowing us either to trigger an attack or to switch from one fighter to another. Each of our companions has their own strengths and weaknesses, which enriches the action phases and preserves us from any monotony. A common key allows you to trigger a special ability specific to each character such as dodging, double jumping or parrying. These abilities improve along with the equipment of our fighter, allowing us to reach areas that were previously inaccessible. Finally, it is also possible to trigger a team combo by switching from one character to another at a specific time. This last mechanic can be automated if desired by selecting the “single action” mode via the option menu.
In order not to put off the player with the inevitable multiple round trips between the different areas of the game, the developers have integrated a very extensive fast travel system that even allows us to go from one corner of the village to another in a fraction of a second. A very practical tool that also offers the possibility of regularly saving our progress.
We look in the retro but we move forward
How not to be nostalgic in front of the artistic direction of Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising? The design of characters and environments echoes the golden years of RPGs on Super Nintendo or Megadrive. However, the title is up to date with its 2.5D and subtle lighting effects. The soundtrack also strikes a chord with us by drawing inspiration from the orchestrations of 90s productions while introducing more modern samples. Too bad the playlist is limited to one melody per environment and some musical loops end up annoying. We also regret that the bestiary is not more extensive but let’s not forget that this is a prologue.
The modernization also affects the level of difficulty because the title is much less demanding than its ancestors and its more casual orientation is also highlighted in the communication of the studio. The developers wanted to adapt to modern players and this is a point that should be noted. At the end of the main story, a difficult mode is however accessible for the bravest among us.
The lifespan of the title depends on our type of player. It takes 20-25 hours to work through the main story and reach a comfortable level for the final fight. Once completed, the many side quests and the new difficulty mode expand this lifespan. While they haven’t announced in what form this will materialize, the developers have clarified that perks will be awarded in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes to players who have gone through this prologue.
Tested on Xbox Series X.