Many fans have been clamoring for a port of 2017’s narrative-driven tactical role-playing game Children of Zodiarcs, which was originally released only on PC and PS4. Recently, distributor Plug In Digital announced a release date for the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions of the single-player title developed by Cardboard Utopia.
Children of Zodiarcs will be released on the Microsoft and Nintendo consoles on March 27, and preorders are already open on both the Microsoft Store and Nintendo.com for $17.99. The Major Nelson announcement for the Xbox One version specifies that the game can be downloaded early and will become playable on March 26 at 5 p.m. in the purchaser’s time zone.
Set in the fantasy world of Lumus, Children of Zodiarcs offers unique deck and dice-based combat combined with a tactical battle map that resembles that of Final Fantasy Tactics and similar titles. The game follows the story of Nahmi and her band of professional thieves as they set out on the hunt for an ancient relic and break into the home of a wealthy noble. Not surprisingly, things go wrong and the group of rogues find themselves on a battle-filled adventure that leads through the city’s slums and myriad environments of Lumus.
In the game, the attacks and abilities of party members are decided by combat cards, which creates an exciting randomness each time battle ensues. Once cards have been drawn and a character’s attack has been chosen, physics-based die are rolled for bonuses to attack, defense, healing, or special abilities. To further add to the variety during combat, players can craft their own dice to suit a specific play style and each character’s card deck is also customizable, allowing players to tailor it so that preferred attacks and abilities are more likely to come up during a fight.
The PC and PS4 releases of Children of Zodiarcs received favorable critic ratings and middling player reviews on Metacritic for both consoles. Most of the praise revolves around the game’s innovative combat style, charming story, and pleasing art style that offer a fresh take on strategy RPGs. That uniqueness might also be its downside, however, as some users stated that it seems like a niche game that will only appeal to certain types of players. And, according to some reviews, the novelty wears off eventually and combat begins to feel repetitive. Luckily, the enticing price tag of $17.99 will give plenty of players the chance to judge for themselves.
Children of Zodiarcs released in July 2017 on PC and PS4.