Re: Zero – Start life in another world: the prophecy of the throne is the latest entry in the Re: Nul franchise, and it relies on a large part of the history Re: Zero ‘‘s medium-comprehensive isekai story. Despite its entirely original story, it’s clear from the start that you are not starting near the beginning of the main character’s main arc. At the point The prophecy of the thrones started, the protagonist, Subaru, has been living in the fantasy world of the game for about a month now, which means he does not necessarily possess the hearing mirror naivety commonly portrayed in the genre. Fortunately, Subaru is an almost incurable fool, so it is quite possible to play through the game without feeling more lost or confused than he is. This aspect of his personality is crucial to the game, and its importance is reflected in the story and its play. The execution is admirable and leads to an accessible introduction to a complex world, rather than the inhospitable access point I dreaded.
Subaru’s ignorance and tendency to make mistakes, some of which are fatal, are the primary space for his character to grow. This of course fits too, as information is not enough for Subaru and the player. This need for knowledge is a mainstay of an overarching dramatic question that supports the plot of the game’s central story.
This narrative truly begins with the revelation that the king and his family succumbed to an unspecified plague. Although tragic in themselves, their sudden death hinders the covenant of the dragon king Lugunica, which has been an important protective measure for the kingdom in recent centuries. This covenant is, in the simplest terms, an arrangement with a dragon that has helped the inhabitants of the kingdom to survive several crises since its inception, and its preservation requires that a priestess from a royal family do something called the Dragonfriend Ceremony. Traditionally, this priestess would be chosen from a group of five candidates certified by a Dragon Gem. This time, however, there are six candidates and it looks like each one has been certified. One of these candidates is a silver-haired woman named Emilia, to whom Subaru is fiercely loyal. He is also aggressively in love with her. Unfortunately, she has a resemblance to a notorious witch, so she is the one who is initially suspected when the concern of a fraudster among the six potential priestesses first arises. Cleaning up her name becomes Subaru’s first clear goal.
Most of the characters in the story are based on your typical anime archetypes, but it’s worth noting that they remain distinctive within the confines of the subject you choose to plug them into. And while they are archetypal, they are far from flat, resistant characters, each with a perspective and insight that offers a three-dimensional value. Because Subaru is who he is, he offers many opportunities for them to also present their wisdom, which means that lectures can take place comically and without feeling like they have been put in the shoes. Their liveliness also helps to enliven the world. Further help to their characterization is the initial element of mystery, which can inspire a sense of suspicion in the player and from it can arise a critical inspection of repetitive characters. It was in any case my experience for the moments that immediately followed the aforementioned scene.
Learning about the world is not just a matter of acquiring knowledge that can inform or improve the story. Long sections of text are broken up with alternating dialogue options from which the player can choose. This is one of the first direct methods by which the developers involve the player. It also uses methods that deviate from visual novel norms. In addition to entertaining a steady text acceleration, these other phases of the game also make it easier to focus for long periods of time by offering information across multiple channels.
One such game phase comes in the form of movement sections. In these moments, the player takes direct control of Subaru while exploring the area. By talking to NPCs and exploring places, the player can gather information and items that can help them in the information phase.
Briefings occur Re: Zero – The prophecy of the thronetheir missions. During an information session, the player can compile knowledge he has acquired to formulate a strategy to use in the more conflict-laden mission phase. Some strategies will not be available if players have not researched them thoroughly enough and in some cases Subaru may not offer anything of strategic value. This reflects him rather badly, as Subaru is not seen as a useful resource in the missions. A lack of choices is further complicated by the fact that Subaru is the only character you can control directly during missions.
Once a mission begins, each character on the field is assigned a turn order. A meter drops as Subaru moves or acts through its turn. It is quite easy to waste this resource, which helps to make the urgent need for informed decisions. Given the limited movement, it would be nice if it were possible to move the camera and fully explore the battlefield during these missions. The lack of access to visual information is not particularly stressful due to Subaru’s secret Death by Return capability, which enables him to return to a previous point in recent history after his death. It will also happen fairly, and it complements the game’s theme of making mistakes and getting better. Every time Subaru fails, he and the player are better able to overcome a challenge. The missions are dynamic as new information significantly changes the game’s condition and the player’s goals. Gaining knowledge by returning to an earlier time after death makes second attempts more interesting. Subaru’s ability to find a silver lining at dying also offers a bit of considerable irony, as it repeatedly relives situations to know things that would not otherwise be expected of it.
Each phase, along with the shifting dynamics in missions, continues Re: Zero – The prophecy of the throne varied. This makes it very flexible, which is not always easy when it comes to experiences that are very dependent on reading. The way these segments are managed influences pace in a mostly positive way, although there will be a few pieces of story that are hardly broken up by dialogue options. If anyone wanted to, they could skip these text-heavy passages, but they would have more than just a negative effect on the pace. Without participating in the other parts of the game and opting for the pursuit of knowledge, the mission segments are unlikely to have much merit. Rushing goes at the expense of tactical options.
There is also something to appreciate about the longer text passages, as it shows an aspect of storytelling that is specific to gameplay. Because it has nothing to do with runtime or page count restrictions, the developer may engage in a convoluted, world-deepening, character-defining dialogue that does not further the duty. The comic beats scattered throughout have room to breathe in the relaxed plot, and these moments might have been harder to appreciate if there was a feeling that the story was in a hurry to get somewhere. This would have been all the more true on a personal level if I had been in a hurry to get to the game’s missions. As wonderful as they are in their ability to distinguish Re: Zero – Start life in another world: the prophecy of the throne of games that look like it, they are complementary and are not the star of the program at all.
The honor belongs to the characters, the world and the charismatic entry Re: Zero – Start life in another world: the prophecy of the throne. The world is alive, and the density of details is on par with the kind of things you might find hidden in the fragrance text or in the vast universe of a franchise, rather than its core content. Despite this, it is accessible, and the incentive to gather and implement information emphasizes the importance of details that can sometimes be seen as tools rather than trifles. It’s hard to say that the story would work in a different medium, but as a game it is an example of the potential of the genre and may even make a case for an alternative to traditional reading for people. who struggles to maintain focus.
Re: Zero – Start life in another world: the prophecy of the throne will appear on January 29, 2021 in North America on the Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. It will then appear on February 5, 2021 in Europe.