Review for Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds. Game for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 24/01/2018 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 31/12/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 31/03/2019 The version for Xbox One came out on 31/03/2019
The golden age of Japanese role-playing games is unanimously placed in the second half of the 90s, a period in which, thanks also to the overwhelming PlayStation power, we have seen video games transform from a simple pastime to an incredible mass phenomenon. The larger Compact Disk made it possible to create previously unthinkable titles, with impressive soundtracks, spectacular video clips in computer graphics and pre-rendered backgrounds that drew on the screen what the hardware in reality was not yet able to do. The watchword was "Spectacular" and in those years real milestones of the genre were born such as Final Fantasy VII, VIII and IX, Chrono Cross, Parasite Eve and many others.
However, JRPGs have evolved and thinking today, in 2018, of offering the public a title with pre-rendered backgrounds seems like a very risky choice. Yet there is someone who did it: the independent team SEMISOFT, after testing the waters with a Kickstarter campaign, she gave birth Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds, a title with an intentional retro aspect that refers, in fact, to the great Japanese hits of the 90s. Even the narration smells of classic, however: we have a protagonist without memory and a mysterious past, a world on the brink, innocents in danger and tragedies always around the corner.
You will say the cliché fair, and you are right, however, the bare and raw plot is not the element on which Legrand Legacy wanted to focus. The real workhorse of the production are the handful of heroes and villains who will take part in the events, their personalities and the consequent emotional nuances that will emerge; SEMISOFT was indeed able to create realistic characters, anything but flat and able to earn the player's likes (or dislikes) after just a few hours. Clichés are welcome then because they give the possibility to convey a sense of security to the player and at the same time allow small teams like SEMISOFT to focus on other aspects that are however important.
The artistic sector for example: Tale of the Fatebounds is an extremely refined title from this point of view and it can be understood from many elements. As soon as a game starts, the player will be greeted by pre-rendered backdrops of exquisite workmanship able to immerse him in a fantasy world with mysterious atmospheres. Some views are really suggestive and in some ways remind of that hidden pearl that responds to the name of Baten Kaitos. Of course there are some flaws, it is an independent title that we are talking about however and therefore a bit of indulgence must be demonstrated. The character design is also of a certain quality, which best expresses its qualities in the group of heroes protagonists of the story.
The care in their realization is really high and we were pleased to see that the development team did not resort to fanservice of the worst kind in order to sell a few more copies. The weakest point of the whole artistic sector are perhaps the computer graphics films, which are decidedly too thin in terms of production, but we recognize that in order to restore that feeling of the late 90s, their presence is partly justified.
And the gameplay instead? Here, SEMISOFT has tried to create something more refined by borrowing numerous elements coming not only from other similar titles, but also from other genres. Legrand Legacy is basically a rigid turn-based JRPG, but it also incorporates some elements typical of turn-based strategy and some quick time events coming instead from actions. This mixture gives rise to something original and extremely interesting, this must absolutely be recognized, however there are some defects that could soon cause discontent in the player. Quick time events get bored quickly, above all because they are ubiquitous and not very varied, and the user interface in battle is a bit cryptic in providing information and not very immediate. Fortunately, however, there are no random encounters since the clashes will only start when we come into contact with the enemies on the screen.
Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds almost feels like a time capsule and among the elements of the past that it tries to bring to light there is also the level design. The title presents a very classic but at the same time incredibly satisfying dungeon structure to discover. This can only make happy the longtime fan who nowadays has to be satisfied with such huge areas, but with a level of challenge in exploration reduced to almost zero.
After a fairly successful Kickstarter campaign, SEMISOFT gives players a JRPG with great potential. Despite a plot full of clichés, Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds manages to thrill the player thanks to a successful cast of characters, a refined art design and a nostalgic dungeon structure. The flaws are there and they are also evident, however they are not such as to irremediably compromise the general gaming experience. If you are a fan of this genre and you want a title that takes you back to the good old days, then Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds is just for you.
► Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds is an Adventure-Action-indie-JRPG type game developed by Another Indie SEMISOFT and published by Another Indie SEMISOFT for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 24/01/2018 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 31/12/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 31/03/2019 The version for Xbox One came out on 31/03/2019
