Calamity Angels: Special Delivery

The ingredients for a good game are here: quirky characters, fun visuals, unique gimmicks for an RPG, etc. However, at the end of the day, I can't recommend an RPG where the core gameplay mechanic is: Remember when your Pokémon got paralyzed and didn't do what you told them to half the time? What if there was a game where your entire team did that AT ALL TIMES FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. THAT's the core gameplay mechanic. I get that the idea is that you're supposed to learn your characters' quirks and play around them (let Somia sleep for a turn before attacking, don't attack bugs with Selma, etc.), but THEY STILL DON'T WORK EVEN WHEN YOU DO WHAT THEY WANT. I'm sure the idea was hilarious when you first pitched it, but then you have to execute it in a way that's still fun 15 hours in, instead of crawling through the final boss fight because my DPS put herself to sleep for 5 turns, my healer just left for 3 turns to "find some treasure", and my tank is too scared to attack. It is funny at first. It is less funny as it continues to happen over...and over...and over...and over...and over...

The overall game is pretty fun and interesting, but the rng aspects can be really annoying when your one action away from ending the battle and suddenly no one on your team wants to listen to their most basic command. The achievement grind was reasonable at the start but then they made several monsters appearing rng dependent on top of it already being rng dependent that the skill needed to summon the monster be picked. This makes the grind unfufilling and boring, overall the game is fun enough for a playthrough but it is dreadful to 100%,

[b]What just happened?...[/b] + good artwork + good localisation + colorfull menues + normal comedy anime troupe + interesting battle mechanics where mood, fear, passion etc. becomes important + RPG x Board Game + leisure gameplay + surprise mechanics across the board (and infight) + supreme Japanese VA - powerbalance is pretty much unoptimized - basically the fighting system is interesting, but limits itself to much in wheel of RNG-happenings - many characters are underwhelming or have problems to land hits (for example fear of bugs or stuck on things etc.) - the layer of failing and succeeding in attacks are pretty much over the place and mostly unreliable even if you plan ahead (even though the game is not difficult) - many fail options for attacks, even if you succeed the input for the character, the attack itself can still miss or even the animation for special attacks - dialogues are pretty normal - missing QoL features (such as double checking decisions, skip function for battle, skipping long animations etc.) - the problems of the party are kinda ok at first, but become a major problem later to devise a good strategy - super moves are pretty random and some hard to trigg…

Calamity Angels is not a bad game, it has the structure of a good game and the charm to carry it around, but it feels a little undercooked. Once the honey moon with the game gimmicks wear off, the game becomes a slog to play thru. Combine with the lack of challenge, large maps that have that limit your movement to 3 tiles, and the repetitive nature of the game, it's hard to recommend it. Somnia is the best girl tho.

Developed by Idea Factory and Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory International, Calamity Angels: Special Delivery presents a refreshing spin on the Japanese role-playing genre by placing players in charge of an energetic courier company rather than a band of world-saving heroes. Set across the lively Orkotris Region, the game follows an eccentric cast tasked with transporting valuable packages through monster-infested landscapes and unpredictable routes. The concept immediately gives the adventure its own identity, blending lighthearted storytelling with classic RPG progression while focusing on the challenges of completing successful deliveries instead of simply defeating evil. Its colorful presentation and humorous atmosphere create an inviting experience that embraces fun over excessive seriousness. Preparation is a major part of the gameplay, giving every mission a satisfying sense of purpose before the action even begins. Players browse available delivery requests, inspect the cargo they must transport, organize inventory space, choose the appropriate party members, and equip useful items before venturing into the wilderness. Since each assignment can involve differe…

This game has some novel ideas, amusing writing, cute art, but it's all spoiled by a painfully slow and clumsy UI. There are very brief interstitial loading screens between everything. Just opening your inventory prompts a half-second delay. That might not sound like much, but it adds up, and it was enough to make me drop the game. This is, in most respects, a very light game, with not a lot of deep thought required. If you're going to make a game like that, then it needs to feel snappy and responsive, not cumbersome and heavy. The font used for English text is also terrible, with a few letters being nearly indistinguishable from each other. I was wondering for a while why the healing potion was called a "lite potion." Turns out it's a "life potion." I can't tell the difference between the lowercase f and t characters, a problem I've never experienced before in my many years of reading English.