Yggdra Union

Played the PSP release of this game a decade or so ago. I’m not a big strategy/tactics gamer, but I was (and still am) fond of this game for its unique/weird/experimental impression and I still think that it’s such a shame the spin-offs never broke JP containment. I’m fairly certain some features were added or changed for the Steam release. Whatever they were, the game feels exactly how I remembered, and I am recommending this for anyone looking for a weird game with tactics/strategy RPG mechanics.

One of my favorite strategy RPGs to this day. Not a huge fan of this rerelease's addition of unequipping items (it messes up the game's balance and intended experience), but if you just ignore that feature, it's far and away the definitive way to experience Yggdra Union. It has three amazing soundtrack options (props to them for not treating the two other soundtracks as straight up replacements for the GBA original, since it's very impressive in its own right), JP and EN voiceover, and the 'trick function' (as the steam description slightly strangely translates it) adds a few fun gameplay modifiers that can spice things up for returners who have played the game to death like me. Difficult to learn and satisfying to master, if you have any interest in strategy RPGs as a genre, you can't go wrong with giving this game a try. Also, Sting, translate Blaze Union and Gloria Union, please and thank you.

I only put an hour into this game before refunding it simply because it really didn't click with me. But i'm still going to leave it a thumbs up because i've played a lot of turn based tactics games, Xcoms and others like them such as Chaos Gate, Phoenix Point, Zero Company, etc, Fire Emblems, Advance Wars, Unicorn Overlord, timeline based weirdo turn based games like Transistor, Star Renegades, Phantom Brigade; old timey ones like the GBA Zone of the Enders game, and unique ones like Hybrid Heaven on the N64(which i can only vaguely describe as a turn based Tekken game). And despite having played so many, i've never played one like this one; At a glance it might look like Advance Wars, maybe Fire Emblem but it really isn't anything like either of them. So i'm leaving a positive review because if you like tactics games and come across this one you should try it out, you might end up loving it. Also i love the art style.

if you were ever considering this game, this is probably -the- version to play. another dept heaven game and i am a bit glad i did not start with this one because it's rather... unforgiving. this is a few versions removed from the original, but the GBA release from what i know is fairly daunting to tackle without any sort of guide and i would wager not a ton of people could beat it blind, because of how some of the mechanics worked. so what do we have here? a system where you pick cards, have limited movement shared across units, matchups to respect, positioning on a grid that really matters because of the game's namesake (Unions) and if you run out of cards you lost. on top of that, on difficulties above easy, items you equip (and their bonuses/effects) expire after a certain amount of battles equipped. also units have a healthbar that mostly persists across battles. battles that take place in real time-ish with a gauge to manage and skills to use. oh and you attack once a turn. ok, certainly unconventional for a strategy game, especially because most of them will let you turtle turns until you can turn it to your advantage but not impossible. well, less impossible in this versio…

Blaze Union when

A genuine hidden gem from the GBA and PSP eras with a surprisingly stacked voicecast of early-2000s VAs and really original spin on the TRPG format. Don't let its peculiarities stop you from trying it, they are surprisingly intuitive and the Steam release has plenty of QOL features to smooth over any rough edges if you choose to make use of them. Just remember, Justice Lies with the Holy Sword and anything you do in the game is ontologically good.