The DioField Chronicle is a strategy role-playing video game wherein you must participate in a desperate war. Developed by Square Enix and Lancarse, this cool JRPG features a new real-time turn-based combat system and the fusion of 2D and 3D graphics.

Feeling like a combination of Final Fantasy Tactics and the XCOM series, The DioField Chronicle offers a more flexible strategy RPG by foregoing the limited movement during your turns. The game is available on both PC and most modern gaming consoles and has a free demo that lets you carry over your progress to the fully released game.

How long is the DioField Chronicle demo?

The DioField Chronicle tells the story of a band of elite mercenaries called the Blue Foxes. They become embroiled in a war after the Trovelt-Schoevian Empire sets its sights on conquering their home, the neutral Kingdom of Alletain. You play as the rising stars of the mercenaries, who each have distinct backstories and abilities that will aid them in battle. It’s your job to utilize them effectively as a leader.

The gameplay employs what is called the “Real-Time Tactical Battle System.” It has you commanding your units in real-time through various maps in order to defeat enemies and reach objectives. It’s not fully a turn-based mechanic, as both your characters and the enemies will automatically fight. You just have to wait for your skills’ cooldowns to deal more damage than your normal attacks.

There are three game modes available: casual, normal, and hard. The tutorial is only purely outlined in text and image pop-ups, but the controls are easy to understand even for beginners. However, while the sound design and voiceovers are amazing, the partial voiceovers for the dialogue can be confusing as they say things that aren’t in their lines, making you lose focus on the text.

Join the fight as a Blue Fox

The DioField Chronicle is a great 3D JRPG to sink your teeth into if you love real-time strategy games and a gripping plot with a colorful cast of characters. Some of the voiceovers could use some fixing, but the game overall performs great and offers a unique strategy mechanic that has you feeling like an actual general doling out commands for skirmishes.