The gorgeous upcoming tactical RPG from Vanillaware and ATLUS, Unicorn Overlord, has revealed a new look at the game’s social systems. They will look quite familiar to anyone who has played any Fire Emblem games in the last decade, and that’s no slight.
The video is narrated by the protagonist, Alain, and his companion, the former Holy Knight, Josef. Voiced in Japanese and sounding positively great, the video implores players to fight closely alongside those characters whom they wish to see develop bonds. Of the 60 unique characters players can recruit in the game, fighting alongside these heroes will unlock new social bond tiers. These come with the potential for increased combat stats and social events to appear outside of combat in the overworld.
Heading into towns and taverns also allows you to break bread with your compatriots. This is a great way to boost rapport with a group of characters simultaneously, rather than just an individual. Beware, these dishes look bloody mouthwatering in the way that only Vanillaware can, tables sprawling with hearty animated food that you can practically smell off the screen.
Lastly and still within familiar territory, players looking to go the extra mile can present party members with gifts. Try and intuit what your chosen recipient will enjoy the most, as a well-selected present will gain the most amount of rapport.
In short, players are generously presented (ha!) with various means of which to boost the stats of characters that may be lagging. A well-intentioned gift, a considered meal, or simply protecting your fellow fighter during combat will all result in an increased bond with the protagonist. This in turn will see your party perform better. If the writing hits it out of the park, then the vignettes that appear between battles for those developed bonds will be a delightful cherry on top.
Unicorn Overlord releases on March 8 for PlayStation 5 and 4, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch. Are you keen to see Fire Emblem’s relationship systems get a similar treatment in this upcoming tactical RPG? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
