The Cruel King and the Great Hero is a lighthearted RPG about a human girl, Yuu, living in a world of monsters. Her caretaker is a giant dragon who is the lord overseeing all of these creatures. The story is presented as a storybook, and the visuals help represent this narrative.
Every chapter of The Cruel King and the Great Hero begins with Yuu setting off on a new adventure to help with varying monster requests. The story is very episodic, but there is an overarching story that starts to bind together eventually. Before jumping into this story, though, there are a few tips that players might want to keep in mind.
8 Leveling Up With Rocky
The prologue and the first chapter of the game has Yuu set out alone. It can be challenging with only one party member, but it is not impossible. For hardcore RPG enthusiasts, it might be tempting to grind out these early levels. However, players should wait to truly hunker down and grind it out until chapter two.
By that point, they will gain their first party member, Rocky, which will increase the flow of battle. It should also be noted that characters come in and out as the story goes, so don't get too attached to Rocky or anyone else right away.
7 Using Special Attacks
Characters can use special attacks based on points indicated by stars. Most will use up the entirety of that allotment. However, after every turn, characters will replenish one of these special attack points. If characters defend on a turn, then they will gain two.
It can be a good idea to use specials at the start of a battle. Focus attacks on the tougher enemies to reduce damage received. Figuring out who are the problem monsters will take time, but that is the RPG way.
6 Sparing Monsters
There is a mechanic in The Cruel King and the Great Hero that mirrors that found in Undertale. Sometimes monsters will have an anime-like sweat icon pop up above their heads. This icon indicates that they are afraid and may not want to battle.
Yuu can spare monsters, which costs nothing and will attack all enemies onscreen. It is very useful, especially for gamers who want to roleplay peacefully. However, if Yuu is under-leveled in an area, then even these timid monsters will continue to fight. The effectiveness of sparing monsters depends on how strong the party is, so keep that in mind.
5 Buy Equipment, Not Items
Eventually, players will make it to a monster village. This is where many of The Cruel King and the Great Hero’s mechanics start to open up. Players will eventually learn to fast-travel here, and they can also take on quests. Most importantly, there is a shop. This shop will replenish its inventory as players progress through the game, as is common RPGs that use a central hub.
Consumable items like healing berries are available in this shop, but these will come plentifully from battle. The best idea, then, is to focus money on equipment. One of the first things players can purchase is a new helmet for Yuu — this is a good investment to pick.
4 Take Manual Notes
The map in the game is presented similarly to that of a Metroidvania. It shows branching paths, icons where quests can be completed, and other various artifacts. It does a good job for an RPG. However, it doesn’t mark everything down, so players would be wise to take manual notes.
Make sure to document items that seem out of reach, or ways that are blocked by some force. Eventually, players will unlock ways to advance. Taking manual notes can help players remember. Screenshots can also be a big help in this process.
3 Check The MonsterDex
One of the best things about The Cruel King and the Great Hero is its art. It is like a storybook coming to life. Players can appreciate the artwork in the game via the MonsterDex. This encyclopedia is useful for battle as well, because it updates as players encounter new monsters.
This is a common feature in RPGs, but still appreciated all the same. Weaknesses and item drops are documented here, for example. The more players fight, the more info the MonsterDex will document. Make sure to check it out beyond the adorable allure of the art.
2 Multitask With Quests
When players do take on quests, they should look up their objectives on the map. Sometimes they are clustered together. For example, of the starting quests in The Cruel King and the Great Hero, at least two of them take place in the village. Players can save a lot of time if they complete quests near each other. They are not that complicated either, and generally revolve around killing monsters to collect items or simply talking to NPCs back and forth.
These quests can be monotonous but rewarding, as they are the best way to get money and accessories. It will become easier to do them once players unlock fast travel in chapter three.
1 Save Often
This is a standard tip for RPGs, but make sure to save often. This game does a good job at autosaving in-between sections of the map, but even so, players should still manually save the game. They never know when a glitch may occur and freeze the game, resulting in loss of progress.
There are 32 open slots, a huge amount for a modern RPG. For example, Triangle Strategy only has ten save slots. The Cruel King and the Great Hero deserves kudos for the number then, so make sure to use them.
The Cruel King and the Great Hero was released on March 15, 2022, and is available on Switch and PS4.