Top-level units like chimeras cross the map without such concerns, but come with their own sets of needs and strategies. Thus you need to take into account the path your units must take to their destinations, which may involve climbing stairways and crossing enemy territory. While each one looks much the same as the last, the placement of various features like mana crystals and barriers make each map functionally different. Every map is an amalgam of hallways and stairwells that most units must traverse to get from one point to another. Instead, each mission is a castle cross-section that at first glance makes it look like a side-scrolling platformer. For starters, you don't view your map from overhead. While GrimGrimoire does an outstanding job of transporting PC-centric strategy mechanics to the PlayStation 2, it's the differences that make it legitimately great. Then you place your runes, build your combat units, and set out for map control. Here, it means gathering mana from the various crystals on the map. So as in most strategy games, you create a bunch of workers-in this case, elves, imps, and other cutesy creatures-and send them off to collect resources. They also grant you the rough equivalent of a tech tree, so each one can be leveled up, and in turn can produce stronger, more effective units. Runes are comparable to your everyday RTS structure, and placing one lets you create a number of different kinds of units. Each discipline contains three grimoires, giving you a total of 12 runes to summon. They come in four flavors: necromancy, sorcery, glamour, and alchemy. Grimoires are spell books, and learning their contents lets you place runes on the battlefield. GrimGrimoire is real-time strategy, and like in most strategy games, you've got to collect resources, churn out some units, and attack the bad guy. The dialogue is clever and accompanied by gorgeous 2D character portraits presented in traditional Japanese RPG style.īut make no mistake: This is no role-playing game. A snarky devil, a wandering ghost, an earthbound angel-they've all got something to hide, and the web of lies that they weave would make even a politician blush. The setup is terrific, but the payoff is the cast of larger-than-life characters. Each pass-through clarifies dozens of questions as you slowly unravel the weird, wonderful tapestry that ties together an odd and charming collection of misfits and miscreants. Sweet-natured student Lillet Blan finds herself in the midst of a confusing magical melodrama that comes into focus only because she relives the same five days over and over again, Groundhog Day style. Sound familiar? Well, obvious Rowling references aside, the similarities are completely superficial. After all, you play as a new student in a famous school of magic that protects the philosopher's stone-and is presided over by white-bearded professor Gammel Dore. GrimGrimoire's story is one of many strengths, though you'll first be inclined to dismiss it as a Harry Potter knockoff. It's not every day that a game this unique comes along, and while it's got its share of minor flaws, it's a delight to play and hard to forget.ĭragons are sinister, formidable foes, but even they have their weaknesses. It's also an arresting display of painstaking artistry, overflowing with imposing mythical creatures and amusing unit designs. Instead, play it because it's a colorful, original strategy title with a big heart and compelling gameplay. All in all, there's a glut of options available from early in the game.What is a grimoire, and how did it get so grim? It's a good question, but there are far more important reasons for you to pick up a copy of GrimGrimoire than just to find out the answer. Along the way you'll gain access to different colored Runes like Sorcery, Alchemy and Necromancy, each with four variants of their own. This green-colored base comes in four varieties, the second of which is the Wicca Ring, and it has its own set of units and abilities. Lillet begins with one Rune, the Fairy Ring, that draws its power from the earth. The more Mana you have, the more units you can summon and the higher you can power up the Rune to summon, yes, even stronger units. From them you spawn new units that will attack enemies, patrol the area or gather resources to further power the Rune (in this case, the workers are mining Mana from crystals scattered across each level). These translucent symbols are your everything. RTS vets will know the basics, but in case you're here for the graphics, we'll break it down for you. With all that out of the way, let's talk about how you'll guide young Lillet Blan through her teachings.
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