Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes REVIEW

On April 23, 2024, Japanese studio Rabbit & Bear Studios, in collaboration with publishing company 505 Games, unveiled the highly anticipated RPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.

A spiritual successor to the much-loved Suikoden, which debuted in 1995, this project was carefully crafted under the direction of Yoshitaka Murayama, known for his contributions to Suikoden.

Despite the thematic ties between Eiyuden Chronicle and Suikoden, the developers sought to create a new path rather than simply replicate the classic game.

The game stands out for its fresh design elements and innovative gameplay features.

Yoshitaka Murayama tragically passed away on February 6, 2024 at the age of 55 after a long illness. Before his untimely death, however, he completed the script for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, leaving behind a legacy that will be cherished by fans.

The creation of Eiyuden Chronicle began with a successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter that surpassed its initial funding goals and raised over $4.5 million dollars from a dedicated community of 43,000 subscribers.

This remarkable achievement made Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes the most funded game on Kickstarter in 2020.

The events of the game are set in the world of Allraan, where the Galdaean Empire has surpassed the other nations, possessing the technology to amplify magic with runic lenses and seeking an artifact for even greater power.

The population was formed from alliances of humans, elves, desert dwellers, and anthropomorphic beasts competing with each other.

In the course of the expedition, a young Imperial officer Sane Kesling and a young man from a village named Nova, who previously lived in the League of Nations and then joined the Watch, go in search of the artifact.

The game’s combat system is represented by turn-based battles, and guilds influence the characteristics of the heroes. The auto-battle feature is important for heroes acting on pre-determined instructions, similar to Final Fantasy 12.

Each character has unique abilities:

• Marisa is from a clan of Guardians who bow to the technology and culture of the outside world.
• Lian is from a family of martial artists. She became a member of the Watch two days before Nova.
• Garr is from a brutal clan of anthropomorphic beasts. They are the ones each of the conflicting sides wants to recruit, as many as possible.
• Melridge is a scientist specializing in natural history.
• Mio is a stoic swordswoman who is rather silent.
• Cassandra is an elven woman, an innkeeper.

The game features over 100 characters, each with their own unique story and role. The placement of characters and the choice of strategy affect the gameplay. Gamers are encouraged to explore different play styles and battle approaches.

The game’s system requirements ensure that it is accessible to a wide audience.
With compatibility across Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms, Eiyuden Chronicle promises an engaging gameplay experience for fans across devices.

All of this is backed up by a charming blend of 2D sprites and 3D environments. Obviously borrowing from Square Enix’s HD-2D style used in games like Octopath Traveler, with aggressively narrow depth of field (thankfully switchable in settings) and intense lighting, it delights in retro style without being entirely indebted to it. Some slowdown was noticed in major cities, but otherwise the game is otherwise trouble-free.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is an incredibly addictive RPG that brings back wonderful memories of the Suikoden series. Collecting heroes and inviting them to join you in battle while you build your base and defend the land is just as fun as it was decades ago.