Those familiar with the mobile game market know that finding solid RPG experiences can be a test of either patience or your wallet. This is especially true among the freemium crowd.
Oftentimes, mobile RPGs are story light, burying advancement behind various in-game currencies to make the desire to spend more enticing. Refreshingly, Square Enix seems to at least tackle the former while reducing the latter to more manageable levels.
If you’re not familiar with the past Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius, the base character acquisition is much the same. Players summon “visions” of characters, both new and old to the Final Fantasy series. You steadily build your roster while progressing through various stories and challenges.
Working alongside Gumi once more, the latest in the Brave Exvius series gives a nod to Final Fantasy: Tactics‘ gameplay. The story places you in control of Mont, prince of Leonis, who quickly becomes embroiled in an assault on his kingdom and his family. As the story too often goes in Final Fantasy worlds, the plots begin to thicken. The true enemies are steadily revealed.
Quicker progress requires payment
The game is free to play, with various price options for players to expand their options for both the roster of characters as well as the speed by which to improve their stats or equipment. Summoning characters can be free with acquired tickets or time, or with paid currency to gather them more quickly. However, this appears to simply speed the process, rather than forcing players to invest in order to have any progression.
Unlocking most characters (there are, at present, two exceptions from a crossover event) will also open the option of a mission to farm their specific shards afterward. The campaign especially seems designed with the base characters in mind, though optional challenges may elude you without specific team setups. If you’re ever having difficulties, you can always bring an allied “mercenary” – a character set up by another player – to bring extra strength. In the end, the game also rewards you with the premium currency at a remarkably steady pace.
A nod to Final Fantasy: Tactics
The gameplay is immediately familiar to fans of the Tactics series. It features an isometric map and grid that affects movement and abilities. A clearly marked turn meter lets you strategize when your troops and your enemies act.
The story and art are where the game is surprising among most mobile offerings. The characters are well developed. Meanwhile, the art, dialogue, and cutscenes are displayed with a style once again reminiscent of Final Fantasy: Tactics.
Also worth noting: the voice acting is competently done along with a score that you can easily listen to. It may not take many great steps to have shocking twists or defy your expectations like other Final Fantasy titles, but it is well told and displayed.
Conclusion
Ultimately, War of the Visions will likely not break boundaries. But for those who’ve wanted something in the same vein as Final Fantasy: Tactics, you’ll likely find yourself pleasantly surprised.
