Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes
- April 23, 2024
- Rabbit & Bear Studios
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is for fans of turn-based RPGs. It’s challenging, has great heroes, and a deep story. It will pull you in!
"Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes" is a single-player Role Playing game with a good plot and pretty visuals. The story takes place in a diverse world called Allraan, where the Galdean Empire seeks to amplify its power through magical objects. The game's protagonists, a young imperial officer and a boy from a remote village, become friends and find themselves in the midst of war, challenging their beliefs and values. The game became the #1 funded Kickstarter video game of 2020, receiving phenomenal support from the community.
Reviews
- Excellent 2D artwork and superb soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- Engaging narrative with a diverse cast of characters that keeps players invested.
- Satisfying army- and base-building mechanics that add depth to gameplay.
- Combat can feel slow and repetitive, with balancing issues affecting difficulty.
- Some technical problems, particularly on the Switch version, including performance issues and graphical glitches.
- Certain gameplay elements, like minigames and side quests, are underdeveloped or lack quality.
- story15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story of "Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes" is characterized by its politically engaging narrative and a colorful cast of characters, which many players find compelling despite some predictable elements reminiscent of classic JRPGs like "Suikoden II." While the plot may not reach true greatness due to its by-the-numbers structure, the extensive character development and strong presentation contribute to an overall enjoyable experience for fans of the genre. However, some critiques highlight that certain characters and story elements can feel underdeveloped or lack depth.
“Above all else, it's a game where the developer's passion for the genre is evident in everything from the storyline to the battles.”
“A meaningful and heartwarming story, accurate throwback to classic JRPGs, creative base-building, and character-recruiting.”
“While its premise, story beats, and main characters echo Suikoden II a little bit too much, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes manages to stand on its own with a compelling tale, excellent characterization, classic JRPG gameplay, and great presentation, which make it easy to look past some of its shortcomings, such as balancing and minor gameplay issues.”
“Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes hits the right notes on paper, but in practice the story is poorly executed, battles are bland, recruitable characters are beyond forgettable, and the game itself is sluggish.”
“Characters and story fall flat, slow combat feel, army battles are a disappointment, some graphical glitches, poor voice acting; it's a JRPG through and through.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful blend of classic pixel art and modern 3D environments, creating a visually appealing aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique character designs and engaging art style, although some report occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's nostalgic JRPG feel while maintaining a contemporary touch.
“Gorgeous art style.”
“Beautiful graphical style blends classic pixel characters with modern CG environments.”
“A wonderful throwback to classic JRPGs, beautiful graphics and character design.”
“Occasional graphical glitches, some underbaked minigames, and many recruitable characters are quickly sidelined.”
“Some graphical glitches, poor voice acting, and a slow combat feel contribute to a disappointing experience.”
“The graphics are underwhelming, with characters and story falling flat, and army battles failing to impress.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been consistently praised for its superb composition and fitting integration with the overall aesthetic, enhancing the experience alongside the excellent 2D artwork and 2.5D style. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature that complements the compelling narrative and diverse cast of characters, contributing to an engaging RPG atmosphere. Overall, the combination of a well-crafted soundtrack and appealing visuals significantly elevates the game's appeal to RPG fans.
“Add to that the wonderful visual presentation and a stellar soundtrack, and you’ll quickly find that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes delivers more than enough to keep RPG fans very, very happy.”
“Compelling story with decent pacing. Diverse cast of characters with interesting personalities and abilities, with Seign emerging as a strong protagonist. Aesthetic is a great mix of sprite work and sharp 3D environments, and the well-composed soundtrack fits well.”
“A solid, classic RPG, characters (a ton), variety of things to do, soundtrack, 2.5D style.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is characterized by engaging turn-based combat and a diverse cast of heroes that allow for varied playstyles, though some players note that combat can feel slow and repetitive. While the game features strong base-building mechanics and visually appealing 2D sprites, it suffers from some outdated mechanics and performance issues, particularly on the Switch. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience for classic RPG fans, despite some balancing and gameplay concerns.
“While the by-the-numbers plot prevents it from achieving true greatness, a strong cast of characters and exciting base-building mechanics make this a must-play for classic RPG fans.”
“While its premise, story beats, and main characters echo Suikoden II a little bit too much, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes manages to stand on its own with a compelling tale, excellent characterization, classic JRPG gameplay, and great presentation, which make it easy to look past some of its shortcomings, such as balancing and minor gameplay issues.”
“2D sprites against 3D backgrounds look great, particularly the lighting. Fun turn-based combat with many heroes to change up your gameplay style. Great bosses with unique gimmicks. Gameplay shake-ups are frequent as they are fun.”
“Combat feels slow and repetitive, with quantity over quality when it comes to team-building. Some 'classic' mechanics don't hold up.”
“War mode feels a little shallow, and there are performance issues galore on the Switch. Unfortunately, some outdated and tedious mechanics persist.”
“Some outdated mechanics make it easy to get lost, and the regular battles feel breezy.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization, particularly on the Switch, has been criticized for significant performance issues and a lack of quality-of-life improvements, leading to a dated experience. While the narrative and visuals are praised, players note that certain mechanics feel shallow and tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
“The expansive narrative, gorgeous sprite work, and addictive combat all help make it an easy recommendation to any classic JRPG fan, but bear in mind that it can feel dated in its design philosophy and that the Switch version has a lot of performance problems, at least at launch.”
“War mode feels a little shallow, with performance issues galore on Switch; unfortunately, some outdated and tedious mechanics.”
“The expansive narrative, gorgeous spritework, and addictive combat all help make it an easy recommendation to any classic JRPG fan, but bear in mind that it can feel dated in its design philosophy and that the Switch version has a lot of performance problems, at least at launch.”
“War mode feels a little shallow, performance issues galore on Switch, unfortunately, some outdated and tedious mechanics.”
“Minigames are hit-or-miss, woeful lack of quality of life, poor performance on Switch.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by occasional graphical glitches and underdeveloped minigames, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, players have noted issues with character development and combat mechanics, leading to a sense of disappointment in both army battles and voice acting quality.
“Occasional graphical glitches, some underbaked minigames, and many recruitable characters are quickly sidelined.”
“Characters and story fall flat, slow combat feel, army battles are a disappointment, and there are some graphical glitches.”
“Poor voice acting; it's a JRPG through and through.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its nostalgic homage to classic JRPGs, featuring beautiful graphics and character design that enhance the immersive experience of a well-realized world.
“A wonderful throwback to classic JRPGs, with beautiful graphics and character design, creating a well-realized world you'll want to explore.”
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form meaningful connections with each character's unique story.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices that truly impact their growth and relationships.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat shallow and tedious, with performance issues on the Switch exacerbating the experience. Many reviewers note that some mechanics feel outdated, contributing to a less engaging grind.
“War mode feels a little shallow, with performance issues galore on Switch. Unfortunately, some mechanics feel outdated and tedious.”
“The grinding in this game is mind-numbing and feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, only to realize it was all for a lackluster reward that didn't feel worth the effort.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its meaningful and heartwarming story, which resonates with players, alongside a nostalgic homage to classic JRPGs. Additionally, the creative base-building and character-recruiting elements enhance the emotional investment, allowing players to form deeper connections with the characters and their journeys.
“A meaningful and heartwarming story that resonates deeply with players.”
“An accurate throwback to classic JRPGs that evokes nostalgia and emotional connection.”
“Creative base-building and character-recruiting that enhances the emotional investment in the game.”
Critic Reviews
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Review – Comforting Nostalgia
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a robust remembrance of JRPGs from a bygone era. Despite some of the more archaic design elements of that generation seeping through the cracks, this spiritual successor to Suikoden offers a comforting and familiar experience that feels inherently nostalgic. Between engaging characters, a diverse world, alluring combat, and more, Hundred Heroes is proof that this sub-genre is timeless, even at its roots.
75%promising retro RPG falls short
“As a Suikoden successor, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is faithful to a fault.”
60%Vive la Résistance
Vive la Résistance Eiyuden Chronicle is a fantastic first entry from Rabbit & Bear Studios , recalling its iconic Suikoden origins. While the by-the-numbers plot prevents it from achieving true greatness, a strong cast of characters and exciting base-building mechanics make this a must-play for classic RPG fans.
80%