Following a leak in late August, Happinet Games has announced “endless fantasy war” grand strategy simulation game Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia for Switch. It will launch worldwide in spring 2020.
Here is an overview of the game, via its official website:
■ Introduction
Continent of Runersia and Brigandines
Runersia has been showered with Mana since ancient times.
Mana is a mystic power bestowed upon humans by the Rune God.
Those who receive this power develop great strength in sword and sorcery, as well as the ability to summon ancient monsters and bend them to their will.
These powerful warriors are called “Rune Knights.”
Five Mana Stones found on this continent in the past believed to have protected humans from magical beasts have been embedded into equipment worn by Rune Knights.
This special armor is called “Brigandine,” and has been with humans since time immemorial.
As time went by, Brigandines slowly became symbols of peoples, nations, and ideologies.
Each Brigandine came to have a name: Justice, Glory, Freedom, Sanctity, and Ego.
Multi-Protagonist Saga of Continent Conquest and Rune Knights
Runersia 781.
A new era of war is being ushered in by five nations and a small tribe, each with conflicting ideals, beliefs, histories, and faiths.
- Brigandine of Justice, worn by the Norzaleo Kingdom.
- Bringandine of Glory, worn by the Republic of Guimoule.
- Brigandine of Freedom, worn by the Shinobi Tribe.
- Brigandine of Sanctity, worn by the Mana Saleesia Theocracy.
- Brigandine of Ego, worn by the United Islands of Mirelva.
- Nation without Brigandine, the Holy Gustava Empire.
O visitor to this world, who will you become, and what will you fight for?
When you finally unify the continent, memories from the Record of Runersia will revive, and you will come to know…
Every story that’s played out here on this continent of Runersia.
■ Game System
Basic Summary
- Game Objective – Choose one of six powers and unify the Continent of Runersia.
- Game Flow – On the Continent of Runersia, one season consists of an Organization Phase and a Battle Phase. These repeat as time flows ever onward.
- Mana – Mana is the source of this world’s power. Each base has a certain amount of mana it can gather. The more bases your country controls, the more mana you will obtain. You will need this mana to summon monsters and make changes to your army. For example, summoning a powerful dragon and adding it to your army will most certainly require a considerable amount of mana.
Organization Phase
During the Organization Phase, you will arrange your forces to prepare for battle.
- Organization – This is when you organize your troops. Rune Knights are your platoon leaders. Each platoon can have up to six monsters. Mix and match knights and monsters with various abilities. How strong will you be able to make your platoons? It’s time to show your metal.
- Summoning – Use your mana to summon monsters and increase your military might. Monsters you are able to summon will vary from base to base, and each monster will require a different amount of mana.
- Equipment – There are over 250 types of weapons, armor, and other equipment you can use to enhance your knights and monsters.
- Movement – Move your troops between the bases you control.
- Class Changes – Knights and monsters are capable of changing classes. Each knight and monster has a deep system for growth and they are constantly becoming stronger as they face off against enemy units. Different knight classes will specialize in areas such as offensive attacks or magic. As they fight and grow stronger, they will be able to gain new classes. Monsters can also change classes, evolving into stronger species. In some cases, they may even become more valuable than your knights.
- Quests – Dispatch a knight on a quest from one of your bases to earn armor, weapons or other items. You may even be able to recruit knights or monsters not yet affiliated with any country.
Attack Phase
The Attack Phase is the phase when you attack enemy bases. As such, you are also vulnerable to enemy attacks during this phase.
- Attack – Choose which troops to send into battle against which enemy bases. Remember, you may only attack enemy bases that are directly connected to a base you control.
- Battle – Once you order your troops to march on an enemy base, a hexagonal battle map of that base’s terrain will load and a turn-based battle will begin. Whichever country is victorious will claim the base.
- Victory / Defeat Conditions – Once all enemy platoon leaders are either defeated or retreat, you win. Likewise, you will lose if all your knights are defeated or if you retreat.
Battle Map
Your Rune Knight platoon leader and all affiliated monsters will be your units. They must maneuver across a battle map made of hexagonal spaces (HEX) to fight.
- Map Features and Unit-Preferred Topography – Each base has its own distinctive geography and a single battle map may contain mountains, forests, swamps, rivers, and other features. Units each have a preferred geographical region and, when there, will have increased mobility and accuracy. How will you utilize this to your advantage in battle? This is where you must demonstrate your skills as a commander.
- Types – Red, blue, and green types form a triangle where each color is strong against and weak to one of the other colors, whereas white and black types are each strong against the other. Will you be able to take advantage of these types to ensure victory? Each unit’s class and abilities have a corresponding type. Try using items and equipment to compensate for their weaknesses.
- Zone of Control and Enclose Effects – When a unit occupies a space (HEX), the six spaces adjacent to it are known as its Zone of Control (ZOC). If an enemy enters any of these spaces, it must stop. A special opportunity may present itself if you manage to enclose an enemy unit by occupying all of that unit’s ZOC with your own troops.
- Skills and Magic – Units (both knights and monsters) have a plethora of skills and magic at their disposal.
- Leveling Up and Growth – Units gain experience based on their contribution in battle. This will allow them to level up, increasing their abilities.
Game Mode
- The Legend of Runersia (Main Mode) – Choose one of the six powers and reclaim the pages of “The Legend of Runersia” as you aim to unify the continent. The number of bases and knights you begin with vary depending on which country you choose.
- Alternate Chapter (Challenge Mode) – Choose ten epic hero’s, one ruler and nine knights, and charge headfirst into chaos. Your goal: continental conquest.
■ Characters
Read more about the characters here.
■ Creators
Read more about the creators here.
Watch the announcement trailer below. View a set of screenshots at the gallery.
