Unicorn Overlord v1.05 + Full DLC

- Unicorn Overlord[a] is a 2024 tactical role-playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus in Japan, and Sega worldwide, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Set on the continent of Fevrith as it is consumed by war, the story follows exiled prince Alain as he gathers allies to liberate the nations of Fevrith from the Zenoiran Empire. Gameplay follows Alain and his army units fighting in large-scale battles, with field movement and battles taking place in real-time.

 The concept for Unicorn Overlord was created by Takafumi Noma in 2014. With company founder George Kamitani's blessing, Noma took on the roles of director, programmer and lead artist. The aim was to create a modern version of classic tactical games from the 1990s. Production took roughly ten years due to overlapping with other Vanillaware projects. Basiscape, a music studio founded by Hitoshi Sakimoto, returned to score the game. The game has received positive reviews, with particular praise for its gameplay mechanics and visuals, but more mixed sentiments towards its story and design complexity.

- Unicorn Overlord is a tactical role-playing game in which players take on the role of exiled prince Alain as he leads the Liberation Army in a campaign across the fantasy realm of Fevrith.[1] During exploration, the player guides Alain across an overworld to enter towns, use services such as blacksmiths and merchants to outfit his army, and engage in story or optional battles. In areas not controlled by Alain or his allies, enemies represented by sprites also wander the overworld. All the characters, locations and sprites are displayed using 2D art.[1][2]

The number of units that can be deployed during combat sections depends on a resource called Valor, which can be earned by completing battles.[3] The overworld is freely explorable, allowing players to tackle some events in a different order.[4] Towns also include side quests which require the player to gather materials and events where Alain can improve his relationship with a character.[3] During the campaign, new characters either join as part of the storyline, or can be recruited. Some possible recruits are former enemies, with the player's choice to either spare or kill them impacting future story events.[5]

Combat is split between movement of troops across large battlefields, and combat when two units meet.[1] All combat takes place in real time, but the player can pause to change strategy and check on units.[4] Parties are made up of up to five characters with an assigned character class.[6] During the early game units are limited to two characters, but more character slots can be unlocked using a currency called Honors.[3] Battlefield settings include open field areas, and urban environments such as towns and cities which alter gameplay.[2] Some battles have gimmicks for players to exploit, such as a fire within the environment, or siege weapons that can be controlled by either the player or the enemy side.[5][7]

Units are arranged in a grid, with their position influencing their abilities and combat efficiency.[1] Some character classes are designed for short or long range exclusively, while others have a more varied attack range or a different set of skills.[3] Battles play out automatically based on character attributes and player-set behaviors.[6] Battles last until either one side is defeated, or both sides run out of points used to perform actions, which stuns the defeated unit for a time.[3] Three currencies− Gold for buying items and equipment, Honors for hiring mercenaries, unlocking more parties and character slots and promoting units to higher grade classes, and Renown which dictates player options with using Honors− are earned through either completing battles or exploring the map and completing objectives.[7] There are multiple difficulty settings which players can select, and after a certain point an online multiplayer mode is unlocked separate from the main story which allows players to pit AI-controlled squads against each other.[2][7]

Synopsis
General Valmore of the kingdom of Cornia leads a rebellion against the ruling monarch Queen Ilenia. With most of the army siding with Valmore, Ilenia has her personal guard Josef smuggle her son Alain as well as the symbol of Cornian royalty, the Ring of the Unicorn, to safety. Josef reluctantly follows Ilenia's orders and flees as Ilenia makes her last stand against Valmore to buy them time to escape. Ten years later, Valmore−renaming himself Galerius−has reformed the ancient Zenoirian Empire and subjugated surrounding nations: Drakenhold, an old enemy of Cornia; the elvish land of Elheim; Bastorias land of the hybrid Beastmen; and Albion, a religious nation controlled by angels.

Alain has been raised by Josef on the remote island of Palevia alongside the local priestess Scarlett to eventually take leadership of the Liberation Army. When Zenoiran forces attack the island, Alain takes up arms and successfully protects the local populace. He finds out that the Ring of the Unicorn has the power to dispel Galerius's mind control magic, which Galerius had been using to turn many to his side. Accepting his role as the leader of the Liberation Army, Alain travels back to Cornia to take charge, but Scarlett is kidnapped by Galerius for an unknown purpose. Alain then begins liberating Cornia from Zenoiran rule and recruiting allies until he is strong enough to rescue Scarlett. However, he is too late to stop Galerius and his sorcerer Baltro from destroying the last magical seal limiting Galerius's power. Galerius and Baltro then leave to continue their plans while the spirit of an ancient Great Sage advises Alain to travel to Elheim to unlock the Ring of the Unicorn's true power.

Alain leads the Liberation Army to the surrounding nations, ousting the Zenoiran occupiers, restoring the original leadership, securing their allegiances, and recruiting additional allies. During the campaign, Alain learns that the Ring of the Unicorn must be paired with the Ring of the Maiden in order to perform the "rite of covenant" at a special altar in order to unbind it. While they are able to secure the Ring of the Maiden from Elfheim, knowledge of the altar's location is lost. In addition, Alain learns that Galerius's mind control is a special spell called the "rite of channeling" which allows a Zenoiran soul to possess a living body. With the nations surrounding Cornia liberated, the Liberation Army prepares to siege Cornia's capital, Gran Corrine. In order to unbind the Ring of the Unicorn, Alain returns to Palevia, reasoning that the Altar of the Unicorn and Maiden located there is the altar where the rite of covenant must be performed. There, Alain can perform the rite of covenant by gifting the Ring of the Maiden to a chosen follower.

Alain can then go on a pilgrimage to each of the six sanctuaries to further empower the Ring of the Unicorn and encounter the Great Sages overseeing each sanctuary. The Great Sages explain that the Zenoira Empire was founded by Galerius, who arrived from a different continent after the previous Zenoiran Empire was destroyed in a civil war. Galerius conquered Fevrith, rebuilt Zenoira, and then killed the divine Unicorn in an attempt to steal its power and grant all Zenoirans immortality. The Unicorn's death triggered a curse that destroyed Zenoira overnight and prevented its people's souls from ascending to the afterlife. The Great Sages task Alain with using the fully empowered Ring of the Unicorn to break the Unicorn's curse. The Liberation Army and its allies assault Gran Corrine as Galerius attempts to perform a special rite of channeling to possess Gran Corrine's population. Alain defeats Galerius in battle, leading to three possible endings:

If Alain fights Galerius without liberating the other four nations and unbinding the Ring of the Unicorn, he kills Galerius and ends up becoming possessed by Galerius's spirit. With the only power capable of defeating him gone, nothing stops Galerius from conquering the entire world and setting up an eternal Zenoiran Empire.
If Alain unbinds the Ring of the Unicorn but does not visit all six sanctuaries, Alain is forced to kill Galerius, revealed to be possessing Ilenia's body. Galerius then attempts to possess Alain, but his spirit is repelled by the power of the Rings and destroyed. With Zenoira defeated, Alain is crowned the new king of Cornia and rules alongside his chosen partner while his companions go their separate ways to rebuild Fervith.
If Alain unbinds the Ring of the Unicorn and visits all six sanctuaries, he has the option to purify Galerius rather than kill him. Galerius resists until he is betrayed by Baltro, who absorbs his soul from Ilenia's body. Baltro intends to use the Zenoiran souls as a power source for his magic. Alain uses the Ring of the Unicorn to cleanse the Zenoiran souls and convinces them to fight back against Baltro. Aided by the Great Sages, Alain kills Baltro and breaks the Unicorn's curse, allowing the Zenoiran souls to pass into the afterlife. Afterwards, Ilenia abdicates the throne to Alain and he rules Cornia alongside his chosen partner, while his companions go their separate ways to rebuild Fervith.