Yggdra Union – PSP – Review

You wouldn’t know by looking at it, but Yggdra
Union, a new strategy/RPG from Atlus, was once a Game Boy Advance game. While
that might seem a bit strange, you are probably aware that one of the best
strategy/RPG franchises, Advance Wars, was born on the GBA. Though you might
wonder why Yggdra Union made the leap to PSP instead of Nintendo DS, anyone
who plays this updated version will understand the developers’ decision. This
is not a game that needs a touch screen.

“We’ll never fight alone.” That’s the theme of
Yggdra Union. Few RPGs have a theme that can be summed up in one sentence,
which is just one of the unique things about this game. With bits of
old-school fighting games thrown into the mix, Yggdra Union is considerably
more varied – and undoubtedly more original – than its recent strategy/RPG
competitors.

Not a Card Game

There have been some misleading reports on the
Web – even a confusing press release or two – that imply Yggdra Union is a
card-based RPG. Maybe it’s just me, but that makes it sound like a game from
Wizards of the Coast. Whether the idea of that sounds intriguing or
depressing, make no mistake: this is a true turn-based strategy/RPG. Cards are
only used to enhance weapons, provide power or protection during battle and to
determine how many spaces you can move per turn. Cards also determine the
number of turns that can be taken before the battle is lost by default.

Before each mission begins, players select a
number (pre-set for every battle) to take with them. These cards come from
your collection, which grows automatically as you progress through the game.
Cards vary in type and may be used to steal items, heal or protect your party,
unleash a superior attack, or one of several other standard RPG abilities.

Once the battle begins, you’ll select a
different card at the start of each turn. Let’s suppose you choose “Item
Break,” whose move rating is eight, power rating is 1,900, and Ace Type is
sword. The move rating determines how many times your entire party can move
before the turn is over, while the power rating shows the card’s strength. The
skill is the same as the card’s name: with this one, you can destroy an
enemy’s equipped item. But that’s only possible if the skill is executed,
which can only be done by a party member whose Ace Type is also sword. That
character must then attack passively to charge his or her card meter, and
press the button shown (X or circle button) once the meter is full. The whole
process sounds arduous but is truly quite seamless. You’ll just have to play
it a few times before it makes sense.

Not a Fighting Game

Battles do not unfold on the top-down world
map. Upon making an attack in this game, the battle-specific screen appears,
transporting players to what appears to be a 2D fighting game (as detailed in
my
preview a few weeks back). In reality, this is where your single unit –
who commands several fighters within the battle screen – will attempt to
overtake the enemy.

Battles unfold in real-time but are not
controlled by the player, merely influenced. Like any strategy/RPG, you decide
every pre-battle action. But as a diehard fighting fan, I can see where some
players will be disappointed by this. Why not make the game a
strategy/RPG/fighting hybrid?

In spite of that, and as a gamer who also loves
this genre, it’s hard to disagree with the developers’ choices. Though you
can’t move your party or decide when or how they’ll attack, you will still be
an active part of each battle. Attack full-force or reduce attack potency in
favor of magic (card) power? What if the card can’t be used by the character
you’re controlling? Or suppose the union leader has been taken out, preventing
you from interacting with your party during the battle?

These are the kinds of challenges that Yggdra
Union introduces to keep the player engaged as each attack is made. The
passive experience of most strategy/RPGs (the turn-based kind, at least)
cannot be found here.

Yggdra Union’s battles are not large-scale but
are packed with depth and a surprising difficulty. In a strange twist of
events that conjures thoughts of survival/horror games, part of your survival
depends on your ability to use health items sparingly. Items are won in combat
and are found at specific points on the world map, normally by visiting towns
and talking with the locals. But while most RPGs, even strategy/RPGs, allow
you to purchase new items frequently, Yggdra Union is without that feature.

This might sound like a nightmare (and can be
at times), but the good news is that your current item collection is reset
every time you lose a mission. Even without this feature, it’d be hard to give
up – while most frustrating games offer nothing in return, Yggdra Union is
constantly rewarding the player with gameplay that will make you want to
endure the toughest battles.

I’ve played strategy/RPGs for nearly every
console and handheld and there aren’t any quite like Yggdra Union. Its unique
blend of puzzle concepts, fighting game-style presentation and
semi-interactive battle developments are not only special for their
originality but for their superb execution.

Underneath the original approach to the genre,
Yggdra Union has a pattern: read a story, battle, read a story, battle some
more. This is the norm for strategy/RPGs, and when a game makes it work, it
shows how incredible the game really is.

Review Scoring Details for Yggdra Union