LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds
- January 24, 2018
- SEMISOFT
- 56h median play time
Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds presents a compelling and mature story to sit through, served by classic, though effective, game systems, all easily comparable to the classics of the 32-bit era that it tries to pay homage to. Production values are perfectly fitting for the kind of budget that went into making this project a reality, and there's a good level of competence shown in the art department with good looking character art, and a great soundtrack complementing the foreboding atmosphere of the world of Legrand. However the whole experience is held back by a poor implementation of the art used for backdrops, which results often in blurry backdrops with pristine looking characters appearing on top in 1080p. Then, sadly, there's the matter of performance with sluggish load times, especially before battles, and an inconsistent frame-rate rearing their ugly heads that make it hard to get sucked in by the, otherwise, interesting story and gameplay.
"LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds" is a single-player RPG set in a fantasy world with a turn-based combat system. The game follows the story of a group of Fatebounds, individuals bound by a divine force, as they uncover a conspiracy and fight to save their world. Featuring a rich narrative, character development, and strategic combat, players will explore a vast open world and engage in tactical battles to uncover the truth.
Reviews
- The game features a nostalgic turn-based combat system reminiscent of classic JRPGs like Legend of Dragoon and Shadow Hearts, which many players find engaging and enjoyable.
- The art style is visually appealing, with beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds and character designs that evoke a sense of nostalgia for the PS1 and PS2 era.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback, actively working on updates and improvements based on player suggestions.
- The writing and dialogue can be cringeworthy and repetitive, often lacking depth and character development, which detracts from the overall experience.
- The game suffers from pacing issues, with long stretches of dialogue and exposition that can feel tedious and slow down the narrative.
- There are significant balance issues in combat, with some bosses being overly difficult and requiring excessive grinding, which can lead to frustration for players.
- story369 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "Legrand Legacy" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its engaging premise and character arcs, particularly in the latter half of the game. However, criticisms abound regarding pacing issues, lack of character development, and inconsistent writing, leading to a finale that many found unsatisfying. While some players enjoyed the nostalgic JRPG elements and world-building, others felt the narrative was clichéd and bogged down by excessive dialogue and technical issues.
“I feel the story is good and the world building is great.”
“The story immediately pulls you into a story of a slave fighting for his life.”
“The game is the best at what it advertises as and accomplishes what so many games fail to do: have an enthralling story line and intriguing characters.”
“But together with a bit of technical issues, I couldn't stand the writing, the characters (seriously, there's absolutely no character development... I'd say they even get worse.. it's irritating) and the finale, that in my opinion completely ruined a story with good potential.”
“The storyline sucks, big time!”
“The characters are bland, the gameplay is outdated with barely any kind of improvement or variation and the story is garbage tier that moves way too fast at certain points.”
- gameplay147 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of nostalgia and frustration, with many players appreciating the turn-based mechanics reminiscent of classic JRPGs like Shadow Hearts and Suikoden. However, criticisms arise regarding poorly explained mechanics, challenging boss fights that feel overly reliant on grinding, and performance issues such as lag and crashes. Overall, while the game offers engaging tactical battles and a compelling story, it requires patience due to its inconsistent mechanics and execution.
“A classic experience of great storytelling and gameplay.”
“The storyline itself is quite enjoyable and also the gameplay twist on a classic turn-based JRPG gives a sense of freshness and unique feeling into the game.”
“The battle system is fantastic; I am not in love with the QTE system, it's fine, but the row/column/all/single-target mechanics are solid, and I really, really like the party swap system and how it's implemented, allowing you to move members in and out on the fly.”
“This game is a textbook example of how horrible mechanics can brutalize an otherwise pretty good story and sap enjoyment out of what could have been a pretty decent game.”
“Overall, it is sad that not even a pretty good story cannot salvage this trainwreck of poorly thought-out game mechanics.”
“The last dungeon is miserable; without spoiling, it's a puzzle that has stupid mechanics that keep setting you back.”
- graphics98 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of PS1 and PS2 titles, with many players appreciating the unique art style despite its dated quality and occasional glitches. While some reviews highlight the graphics as stylish and competent for an indie game, others criticize them as bland or unpolished, suggesting a lack of cohesion and lower resolution. Overall, the visuals are generally seen as acceptable, especially for those who enjoy retro aesthetics, but they do not meet modern AAA standards.
“The art style is excellent and I'm totally hooked.”
“For the style the game is going for, the graphics were pretty good.”
“In this game, the graphics are superb.”
“The graphics are quite bland, the story will look cliché and unappealing whatsoever and you might want to just drop the game altogether 2 hours in.”
“Rather unpolished (graphic glitches, text occasionally not scrollable/readable)”
“- low resolution graphics.”
- music95 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, particularly for fans of classic JRPGs. Some tracks are highlighted as exceptional, while others are described as repetitive or bland. Overall, the music is generally considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the experience despite some criticisms regarding its memorability and impact.
“This is one of the best soundtracks I have heard in a JRPG in recent years.”
“The intro music was magnificent, and having Emi Evans as a singer is a huge plus on my list. Even if it was not as impactful, the other tracks convey the context pretty nicely.”
“It's a good game with great gameplay and story, hit or miss mechanics, challenging boss fights, and an amazing soundtrack to boot.”
“The music is ok, but that's about it.”
“My only critique now most the bugs are patched out is the music.”
“Music is bland and repetitive.”
- grinding48 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the opportunity to invest countless hours into leveling up and gathering items, many find it tedious and time-consuming. Common complaints include the necessity of excessive grinding for boss fights and item upgrades, leading to frustration and a sense of monotony. Overall, while grinding is a staple of RPGs, its implementation here has left some players feeling that it detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“Something indie devs seem to forget when trying to recapture the spirit of old RPGs is the fact that grinding is boring and time-consuming.”
“After the 4th time, I realized the game really wants you to brute force this boss by going back and grinding more, which is not something that is particularly fun in this game, nor do I have the patience to do so, considering I can just play games that are way more interesting and fun.”
“One thing is that heals are almost useless what with it being weak; it's much better off spamming potions, but of course that leads to quite an endless circle of grinding... another source of annoyance.”
- character development32 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as one of the weakest aspects, particularly noting a rushed conclusion and underwhelming character arcs. While some characters, like Finn and Eris, are praised for their authenticity and growth, others feel the main character's development follows a clichéd trajectory. Overall, despite strong character and environment designs, the narrative depth and coherence in character development leave much to be desired.
“I honestly loved Finn and Eris the most because they were at least true to themselves in some fashion and those two at least had interesting character development.”
“This game has brilliant writing and character development.”
“Character design is nice and I absolutely enjoy looking at the live 2D sprites.”
“The character development is probably the worst aspect of the game.”
“Really, the last chapter feels rushed from a story and character development perspective and delivers a very underwhelming conclusion.”
“The main character is insufferable; he comes across as this incredibly effeminate little boy, and I have no doubt the big arbitrary character development was coming where he would be some badass semi-demon god, the classic cookie-cutter of mediocre RPG writing.”
- stability30 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay. Many players experienced game freezes, particularly during battles and cutscenes, leading to significant frustration and loss of progress. While some users noted that the developers are actively engaging with the community to address these issues, the overall consensus is that the game remains unpolished and buggy.
“After finishing it a while ago on Switch, I think a lot of its bad reviews stem from how buggy it was at launch, and yeah, it had some awful bugs.”
“2.7 hours in, two freezes in battle forced me to close the game to progress and I lost out on the last 20-30 minutes of gameplay.”
“It frequently freezes during cutscenes, forcing you to reload from your last save.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely criticized for being forced, cliché, and predictable, failing to elicit genuine laughter from players. While some NPCs, like a beggar, occasionally deliver amusing lines, the overall comedic attempts feel out of place amidst the grim setting of slavery and violence.
“So you are Finn (no funny name here, it's his real name), the classic-amnesiac slave-gladiator protagonist.”
“Yes, sometimes the beggar said funny things, but not too much of my attention.”
“Upon arriving, you find the 3 characters still there laughing it off.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive apocalyptic fantasy setting, characterized by themes of war, poverty, and disaster. While some players feel it could benefit from a darker tone, the overall aesthetic, music, and art design effectively enhance the foreboding ambiance, drawing players into the narrative from the start. The production values align well with the game's budget, showcasing competent character art and a compelling soundtrack that complements the atmosphere.
“I enjoyed the atmosphere of the game that struck the chord of apocalyptic fantasy, with countries always seeming to be at war, in poverty, suffering some natural or unnatural disaster, or some unholy combination of all four.”
“This game gives me the same vibe, not just because of the combat style but the atmosphere, music, and aesthetic.”
“Production values are perfectly fitting for the kind of budget that went into making this project a reality, and there's a good level of competence shown in the art department with good looking character art, and a great soundtrack complementing the foreboding atmosphere of the world of Legrand.”
“I felt that the game would have benefitted from a much darker atmosphere, like Shadow Hearts.”
“Production values are perfectly fitting for the kind of budget that went into making this project a reality, and there's a good level of competence shown in the art department with good-looking character art, and a great soundtrack complementing the foreboding atmosphere of the world of Legrand.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is inconsistent, with some players only feeling a connection during specific chapters, while others find that grammatical errors detract from potentially poignant moments. Overall, the lack of flashbacks and emotional payoff makes it difficult for players to fully engage with the characters' experiences.
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, noting that the limitation on stats encourages experimentation with different builds, enhancing the overall experience.
“Being limited with stats means that you can try more builds, which adds solid replay value.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with the game's monetization strategy, suggesting that the promotional advertising raised their expectations unrealistically, leading to dissatisfaction with the actual experience.
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for sluggish load times, particularly before battles, and an inconsistent frame rate, which detracts from the overall immersion in the story and gameplay.
“Then, sadly, there's the matter of performance with sluggish load times, especially before battles, and an inconsistent frame rate rearing its ugly head, making it hard to get sucked into the otherwise interesting story and gameplay.”
“The optimization is severely lacking, leading to frequent stutters and crashes that disrupt the overall experience.”
“I was disappointed by the poor optimization; the game often lags during crucial moments, which detracts from the immersion.”
Critic Reviews
Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds Review
Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds presents a compelling and mature story to sit through, served by classic, though effective, game systems, all easily comparable to the classics of the 32-bit era that it tries to pay homage to. Production values are perfectly fitting for the kind of budget that went into making this project a reality, and there's a good level of competence shown in the art department with good looking character art, and a great soundtrack complementing the foreboding atmosphere of the world of Legrand. However the whole experience is held back by a poor implementation of the art used for backdrops, which results often in blurry backdrops with pristine looking characters appearing on top in 1080p. Then, sadly, there's the matter of performance with sluggish load times, especially before battles, and an inconsistent frame-rate rearing their ugly heads that make it hard to get sucked in by the, otherwise, interesting story and gameplay.
70%Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds Review – Diving Deep Into The Past
Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds is an enjoyable JRPG which brings back features that are difficult to find in modern games, such as a turn-based combat system enriched by action and tactical elements, mini-games and more. Sadly, SEMISOFT didn't bring anything truly new to the table and, as such, fails in being more than just a well-crafted tribute to the golden era of JRPGs.
75%Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds Review
Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds spends a little too much time reminiscing over the past than looking forwards and carving out its own journey, and as a result, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table at which its inspirations sit. Still, while its random QTEs do make battles more of a game of chance than they need to be, there’s enough heft to the story, the characters, and the beauty of its setting to help save it from disappearing into obscurity. With a build that runs well on Nintendo Switch, this is still a worthy adventure for ’90s JRPG fans.
70%