Marking 21 years since the release of the original Brigandine, producer Happinet officially announced Brigandine: The Legends of Runersia this week. The new Brigandine game will see you once again directing the war efforts of one of six countries in tactical turn-based combat. Brigandine: The Legends of Runersia is developed by Matrix Software, makers of Alundra, as well as numerous ports of popular RPGs for mobile devices. Matrix Software and Happinet are aiming for a Spring 2020 release in Japan, exclusively on the Switch. More information about Brigandine: The Legends of Runersia is set to come during Tokyo Game Show next week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlnbKfbgkQY&feature=youtu.be
Despite seeming like a Fire Emblem knockoff at first glance, Brigandine offers much more tactical complexity. Set on a continent blessed with abundant mana, six nations struggle for control over man and beast alike. Ages ago, the Mana Stones were created, and over time, their use and research has lead to the rise of Rune Knights, summoners who control and order various creatures to their bidding. Five nations rose around those stones, along with a sixth nation, now fight to dominate the lands of Runersia.
The original Brigandine, as well as the subsequent English localization, was a mix of grand strategy and turn-based combat on a continental scale. Across the land lie castles and fortresses controlled by six different nations. In these castles you can form war bands, summon monsters, move units, and otherwise organize your armies. When attacking opposing castles, grid-based combat occurs, and players must win within 13 turns to take the castle, and thus, the territory. The more castles you own, the more mana you earn, and the more monsters you summon. The end result is a small-scale war fought on many different fronts, with many different troops under your command.
The official website for The Legend of Runersia offers up some more information on the systems available. "Quests," where you send your troops out to randomly retrieve items or units, are returning, as well as preferred territories. Armies will now be able to effectively blockade their foes via controlling hexes on the tactical map, forcing them to attack. Loads of equipment and class changes are promised, too, rounding out the tactical depth.
Though the original Brigandine was praised for its complexity and in-depth strategy, the graphics and pacing left much to be desired. Thankfully, from the brief shot of gameplay in the teaser trailer, it would seem as though Matrix Software is looking to remedy the gameplay issues. We'll get our first in-depth look at Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia next week at TGS.
