Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia Reviews
Having not played the original Brigandine, I don't know if this new one does justice to the legacy of the original. I do know that original is well-respected (and quite rare, therefore expensive), but I'm comfortable saying this: developer Matrix Software has done something special with Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia, and this effort deserves to have a legacy all of its own. The Switch is by no means short on great tactics experiences, but Brigandine might just be the best of all of them.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is an extremely engaging and challenging SRPG, a rarity in this day and age. For such a polished production and top notch style, Runersia is a delight to all the senses, despite slight hiccups such as certain translation errors.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is a strategic RPG and at the same time a project that clearly understands the values of the genre to deliver a quality experience. With elements that add quality of life to the experience, it is difficult not to recommend the title to people who are interested in the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia breathes life into a genre that still struggles to be noticed. The revitalisation of this genre is by bringing the tried and true perfected tactical RPG magic from the ’90s into a new and shapely 2020 title. With its replayability, huge depths of strategy, and vast mechanics, Brigandine is not a Switch title you want to pass up.
With two distinct but well-integrated strategy modes, Brigandine offers a huge amount of gameplay that feels both old school and fresh at the same time. A fantastic tutorial eases new players into the game with little friction, and the seeming complexity becomes quickly manageable. While the graphics are nothing to write home about, the care taken in each story thread is evident, and the tactical gameplay offers a ton of replay value. Brigandine is an utterly unique offering on Switch, and should appeal to RPG fans and strategy buffs alike.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is a wonderfully crafted grid-based strategy game with plenty of planning needed. Some battles will be tough, but winning is rewarding every time. There are times when you'll be frustrated by your units missing attacks while the enemy beats you down, but that just forces you to adapt.
Series veterans and new recruits alike will find plenty to like in this streamlined strategy/tactical RPG.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is an excellent strategy RPG with all the classic elements of the Brigandine series paired with modern gameplay mechanics. The entire experience is well balanced and addictive across many battles and phases and it is made better through the excellent character writing featured in each campaign, even if some interactions are a bit dry.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is an excellent strategy / RPG hybrid that recalls some of my favorite old school games of the genre, but benefits from some modern updates and solid storytelling. The presentation didn’t wow me, but the progression is rewarding and the combat meaty enough that I stayed engaged for dozens of hours. This was the perfect holiday gift for me (if not my spare time, which Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia soaked up a lot of).
It's hard to believe that a sequel to a game from 1998 released so much later but it was worth the wait. Brigandine The Legend of Runersia is an excellent strategic experience that will blow SRPG fans' minds with its immersive level of depth.
Overall though, Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is an excellent simulation strategy for the Nintendo Switch. It works both in handheld and in cradle modes for short or long periods as you decide how much time you’re going to spend that day in order to conquer the lands. With plenty of different elements all blending together, there’s something here for fans of different types of strategy though just keep in mind that there’s a large amount of effort on the player’s part in order to get started. Once you have though? The next playthroughs will go much smoother as you already know what you’re doing. You’ll just be able to sit and enjoy the combat, the strategy and the story of the nation that you decided to take command of.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia doesn't reinvent the strategy game, but it's a perfect representation of everything is does well.
Phew! There sure is a lot going on in Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia. It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but as soon as you find your rhythm it goes by faster than you think. Strategy games are not my bread and butter. There were evenings I told myself I had just a few hours to play, only to be completely sucked in. Color me pleasantly surprised with my overall experience. I may never feel brave enough to attempt Hard mode but there is a strong likelihood that I won't be deleting the game from my hard drive as soon as this review goes live.
Like a JRPG version of "Risk", Brigandine is strange yet compelling tactical game.
Because of its dedicated focus on strategy, Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is a refreshing change to today's gimmicky turn-based JRPGs. Its serious story, unique gameplay elements, and challenging scenarios will appeal to those who recall a time when tactical games were more about strategy and less about selecting their waifu.
The battles can take a little long, though it never really bothered me. That being said, the models and story could definitely be a bit better. Nothing reaches below par, but some polish would've made this adventure even more memorable.
Coming as a complete surprise, the quality of the art and characters deserves tremendous praise. A single story is interesting, avoiding typical RPG tropes, and engaging from start to finish, which makes it more insane is that there are six stories in this game. Frequently Brigandine will surprise you with moments of extra quality, like the frequency of the artwork screens depicting what's happening. The only thing holding back this title from being a truly phenomenal experience is the repetitive music, some small graphical issues battle-wise, and how much time the actual warfare can take.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is a good strategy game that has a lot of content to keep the player engaged for dozens of hours. Thanks to its great campaigns and good SRPG elements, this is a game that should be on the radar for the most passionate fans of the genre and its story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
In a console full of amazing tactical and turn-based strategy experiences, Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia still manages to carve a small niche with its overwhelming, but rewarding gameplay. Not to mention the sheer amount of content it offers.
Overall I still had a blast with Brigandine The Legend of Runersia. Though I had no previous familiarity with the original game, this long delayed sequel was a lot of fun. And even if it’s a little expensive at $49.99, you’ll more than get your money’s worth, with upwards of 240 hours of main campaign, as well as a challenge mode. While I do wish some things were more clear and that other things were more varied, I still think this is a must own game for any Switch owner. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t order the sweet physical edition from Limited Run Games while I had a chance. But if you’re a fan of tactical styled games and are eager for something meaty, Brigandine is the way to go.