Potentially hours of turn-based rogue-like fun and experimentation | Review - Prime of Flames

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In Prime of Flames, the story revolves around the protagonist, who assumes the role of the "Star Envoy." As the Star Envoy, the player embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind the disaster that befell the land, taking command of warriors from different clans, each possessing unique talents and abilities.

🟩Pros

+unique and stunning art style

+huge variety of waifu characters

+highly strategic combat mechanics and class system

+full of quality of life features

+full traditional game experience without Pay to Win or gacha elements

🟥Cons

-UI and text english translation issues

Prime of Flames is an roguelike strategy game that seamlessly blends elements of turn-based strategy and party role-playing elements, creating a captivating gameplay experience. Developed by Indie devs Rayka Studio, this title offers a plethora of engaging features, diverse character choices, and waifu characters. Surprisingly, it’s not a gacha game!

Prime of Flames was recently released for PC last December, but it is also expanding to mobile devices soon and I was able to try out the recent Android port of the game. This means that players will now have the opportunity to engage with the game's captivating turn-based tactics, diverse character roster, and enjoyable team-building mechanics wherever they are.

The game's art style is a harmonious fusion of clean looking hand-painted aesthetics and anime-inspired character design mostly featuring waifus. The beautifully crafted environments, vibrant character designs, and the clever use of animated cutout graphics creates a visually stunning world that resembles something that has come to life from a card game or tabletop game.

The core gameplay mechanics of Prime of Flames revolve around turn-based tactics, where players strategically place and maneuver their characters in a grid-based map to overcome various enemies. The combat system is very well designed, and is very intuitive in how it works. Different characters will have different attack types, ranges, and mannerisms. For example, Guard characters can protect their teammates, suddenly swapping places with their allies taking damage on their behalf, Some warriors can go berserk, granted with increased damage at the cost of being uncommandable, while Hunter or Priest characters can attack from a varying degrees of long ranges.

The game truly shines with its extensive character roster, reaching waifu-level proportions, featuring an impressive array of characters across three distinct factions. Each character possesses unique skills and abilities, and their selection significantly impacts the gameplay.

The absence of individual character leveling and itemization is an interesting design choice. Instead, party experience levels determine the maximum number of characters in the party. However, you cannot bring everyone into battles, which will mostly have you select a few only, usually 4 more or less. Items are equipped by the party and shared, which completely removes tedious character gear-ups and focuses on the growth and progression of the entire party rather than individual characters.

This approach adds a strategic element, forcing players to carefully choose their team composition for each encounter. It also encourages synergy and cooperation among characters, fostering a sense of teamwork and creating opportunities for engaging combinations and strategies.

Character progression is handled through the party's overall experience level, which unlocks random skills and upgrades for each character from their class. This system introduces an exciting sense of roguelike unpredictability and variety, keeping players engaged as they choose new abilities and upgrades. It encourages experimentation and adaptability, enabling players to customize their characters and tailor their playstyle to their preferences each run. As part of being roguelike, the game restarts from scratch when failing. Nevertheless, the game has some form of persistent progression in the form of upgrading camps, however this camp mechanic is not included in the version that I have tested for now.

The campaign structure of Prime of Flames follows a branching node system, offering players choices and non-linear progression. The ability to backtrack and revisit previous nodes instead of being constrained to a linear path enhances the freedom and player agency. This design choice allows for exploration and encourages players to fully immerse themselves in the game's rich world.

Aside from the battles, the game presents a plethora of engaging encounters. Traders offer opportunities to acquire valuable items and resources, while healing fountains provide much-needed restoration. Some nodes provide bonuses such as temporary buffs or upgrade choices, adding strategic considerations to decision-making. Caravans, which can be paid for, offer the convenience of skipping nodes, speeding up progression. These role-playing elements add depth, variety, and a touch of personality to the gameplay, further enriching the experience.

While Prime of Flames delivers a fantastic gameplay experience mechanically, it is worth noting that the English text translation occasionally suffers from inconsistencies and spotty translations. This can result in moments of confusion and affect the understanding of certain mechanics. However, the captivating gameplay mechanics and engaging encounters overshadow any minor translation issues, players just have to experiment more and try.

The narrative, while not the central focus, complements the gameplay and provides a backdrop for the player's journey. Though the story may be forgettable, the rich gameplay and the opportunities for exploration and character growth compensate for any narrative shortcomings.

Conclusion:

Prime of Flames is an exceptional strategy game that successfully combines turn-based combat and RPG roguelike elements into a cohesive and addicting experience. With its visually appealing clean art style, diverse waifu character choices, and strategic gameplay mechanics full of quality of life features, it offers countless hours of entertainment and experimentation.