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Fallen Legion Revenants, the third installment in the Fallen Legion series developed by YummyYummyTummy and published by NIS America, attempts to elevate the franchise but ultimately falls short due to several critical flaws. While the game boasts a striking art style, its disjointed narrative, repetitive combat, and underdeveloped exploration elements hinder its potential.

A World Divided: Narrative and Gameplay Shortcomings

Fallen Legion Revenants paints a grim picture of a world ravaged by a mysterious plague, forcing humanity to seek refuge within the towering Welkin Castle, ruled by the tyrannical Ivor. The story follows Lucien, a noble within the castle, and Rowena, a vengeful spirit seeking justice and protection for her son. This compelling premise, however, is undermined by a fragmented narrative that struggles to connect its various chapters.

The developers seem intent on injecting complex political themes into the narrative, but often sacrifice crucial dialogue and exposition. This results in a confusing and disjointed plot that fails to resonate with the player. While exploring a dystopian society rife with corruption is a promising concept, the execution feels rushed and underdeveloped, leaving the narrative feeling more like an afterthought than a driving force.

Fallen Legion Revenants

Gameplay is divided between combat sequences and exploration segments within Welkin Castle. Combat involves controlling Rowena and her spectral Exemplars in wave-based battles against monstrous foes. The combat system feels like a blend of turn-based and real-time elements, reminiscent of classic Final Fantasy’s ATB system. Each character is assigned a button for their basic attack and a Deathblow ability that consumes mana. Defense relies on precisely timed button presses to parry enemy attacks, leading to counter-attacks.

Unfortunately, this blend of action and strategy falters on both fronts. The defensive parry system feels overly passive, while the limited offensive options offer little strategic depth. Boss battles are particularly egregious, often featuring enemies with exorbitant health pools and damage-absorbing armor. These encounters devolve into tedious cycles of chipping away at armor, briefly exploiting vulnerabilities, and then repeating the process.

Fallen Legion Revenants

Exploration segments allow players to control Lucien within Welkin Castle, interacting with its inhabitants, searching for key items, and making decisions that influence the narrative. While the game attempts to incorporate Visual Novel elements, the limited number of characters and the small scale of the castle restrict the depth of these interactions. The exploration quickly becomes repetitive and serves mainly to set up the game’s most intriguing mechanic: split-screen sequences where Lucien’s political actions directly impact Rowena’s ongoing battles. These moments provide a sense of urgency and excitement, offering a glimpse of the game’s untapped potential.

Alt: The combat interface in Fallen Legion Revenants, showcasing the ATB system and character abilities.

A Visual Masterpiece: Artistic Redemption

Despite its gameplay shortcomings, Fallen Legion Revenants shines in its artistic presentation. The game features a striking visual style, blending a somber grayscale palette in the outside world with vibrant and harmonious colors within Welkin Castle. Character designs, both in-game and in portrait form, are detailed, expressive, and visually distinct. This artistic flair provides a welcome respite from the game’s more frustrating elements.

Fallen Legion Revenants

Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity

Fallen Legion Revenants presents a compelling world and a promising narrative framework, but ultimately fails to capitalize on its potential. The disjointed storytelling, repetitive combat, and underdeveloped exploration elements hold the game back from achieving greatness. While the stunning visuals provide some solace, they are not enough to overcome the game’s core flaws. Fans of the series may find enjoyment in the unique art style and glimpses of brilliance, but newcomers are likely to be left wanting more.

Fallen Legion Revenants

Fallen Legion Revenants