Table of Contents
Introduction
Sword of Convallaria is a tactical RPG title that will be released globally this year in 2023. If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy Tactics and also Tactics Ogre, you will be pleased to know that the creators of this game are actually fans of those games too.
Currently, the game is officially released in Taiwan and awaiting for a global release. For the sake of our readers, I have created an account in the Taiwan server because I just can’t wait to cover this game! Using a screen capture AI translator, I’ve been able to play Sword of Convallaria and experience the gameplay, game design and in-game music with joy.
It began after watching the developer’s game trailer, I had an itch to play the game since last year. With so many months passing by, I was so glad they made it possible for gamers around the world to try out the game upon its Taiwan Server release. Having played the game myself (with a massive language barrier) for some hours I just had to make this article to give an introduction for our readers about this game.
The game runs smoothly on my OPPO A9 2020 smartphone (bought in 2019) without any hassle or problems and it didn’t made my device overheat or anything like that. Also, during my gameplay there were no sudden crashes or even severe lags that I could remember of; which is amazing considering my 4 year old device’s condition [it’s equipped with an out-dated Qualcomm Snapdragon 665!!]. Anyway, without further ado, let’s get into the list!
Top Four (4) Reasons to Play Sword of Convallaria
The Music
- The music in the game is very on-point during battles, cut scenes and also when you’re hanging out at the general UI
- The man behind the music scores for the game is Mr Hitoshi Sakimoto who is famous for his music scoring for video games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII
- Mr Hitoshi also has vast experience in the gaming industry having composed soundtracks for over 80 other games
- According to the developers, there is a total of over 50 tracks created for Sword of Convallaria for different maps, story and cut scenes, featuring a wide variety of music styles
The Art Style – NeoPixel
- Sword of Convallaria features a new art style known as NeoPixel
- NeoPixel arts are still relatively new art styles, but it has quickly gained populatiry among pixel style artists
- One of the key features of NeoPixel art is its use of bright, vibrant colours – NeoPixels can be controlled individually, which allows for the creation of intricate patterns and designs that would be impossible with traditional pixel art
- While some traditional pixel art styles feature highly saturated colours, NeoPixel features natural hues that make the scene look realistic and immersive
- This key feature on colours creates a level of sophistication unlike any other pixel art styles, that makes the story telling of Sword of Convallaria a very pleasant one
- Additionally, unlike traditional methods, NeoPixel leverages modern illumination techniques that account for both the direct light source, and the subtle reflection of that light within the environment
- With the techniques introduced in NeoPixel, the art style creates a nuanced interplay of light and shadow, adding a tangible 3D depth and volume to the pixel art
The Main Story
- There is basically 2 game modes: The campaign mode and the quest mode where you will spend “stamina” to clear stages and grind for materials/resources to upgrade your units
- There is also a ‘Story Mode’ or ‘Main Story Adventure’ that DOES NOT require the player to use any stamina to play it
- The Story Mode is basically a free offline game you get download from Steam (Yes, this game will be available at the Steam Store for PC gamers)
- Without giving out too much spoiler: the game is set in the world of Iria, a mineral-rich country whose magical resources have drawn unwanted attention from dangerous external factions
- Your units/gears in the Story Mode are completely detached from other modes where what you gain from the mode will not be able to bring into campaigns or quests
- I consider this move from the developers to be a very generous one and I really appreciate that they made the Story Mode as a totally FREE experience for fans of the genre – Being able to complete the Story Mode as a free-to-play player while enjoying the music, NeoPixels and gameplay is just totally awesome
- The game’s main story is driven by a choice-based narrative where your in-game decisions will determine major outcomes in the plot as the story unfolds
- According to the developers, there are eight (8) possible endings to the main story line and players are able to explore all the endings and choices that leads to them making this game’s replay-ability excellent
- Sword of Convallaria features a gripping story that will keep you invested from beginning to the end of each ending
The Gameplay
- Aside from the typical features from a classic tactical RPG, the game introduces new mechanics in an already complex genre
- For example, the developers adds interactive objects in the battle maps where players can trigger exploding barrels by attacking them, creating explosions that deal AoE damage
- The players must also take into account the terrain and the environment when positioning units before the start of each battle
- For example, some units may have bonuses or penalties depending on the type of terrain they are standing on, they need to go through or pass by
- Speaking of terrains, some characters are able to use the environment to their advantage, such as by knocking enemies into pits or traps
- At the core of Sword of Convallaria is a classic tactical RPG experience with new mechanics injected into the gameplay to create a fresh outlook on the genre
- With various characters to be obtained with diverse skills and abilities, we look forward for the game future updates and developments during and after the game launches globally
- At the moment, playing the game in the Taiwan server has been an awesome experience
- There are so many other mechanics that we will be covering in future write-ups so stay tuned!
