In The DioField Chronicle, a strategy RPG jointly developed by Lancarse and Square Enix, players meet a ragtag band of mercenaries with grand aspirations they can only reach by waging war on behalf of various noblemen. The game’s unusual combat system, party customization, and a sprawling tale featuring a cast of flawed characters set adrift in a harsh world are a combination that’s difficult to resist despite occasional rough edges, perhaps especially for veteran players who might welcome a modern take on the stories and experiences that defined the 16- and 32-bit eras.

Most of The DioField Chronicle takes place on the battlefield. Combat is timed, but even a five-minute battle by the game’s reckoning might take twice that long in reality. Once a player selects their four units (each with backup units, once the roster swells to permit it), it’s time to go. The chosen warriors appear in their environment and an initial wave of enemies materializes. The timer then starts ticking, with greater rewards imparted if the skirmish concludes within a prescribed period, such as 6 or 8 minutes. Meeting such objectives might seem difficult at first, though multiple units can be directed simultaneously. Enemies don’t just wait around, either; once they spot their adversaries (and sometimes have already done so as a stage begins), they respond aggressively. It's a bit like Fire Emblem, if everything were happening all at once.

As players direct unit movement, the action and timer pause to facilitate an approach more nuanced than “everyone rush at the guy with the big spear and shield.” For example, it might prove useful to have one unit skirt that heavily armored foe to strike more effectively from behind, while the guy with the lance sticks around out front to serve as a diversion. There are many unit types to consider, as well. It’s never a good idea to let enemy sharpshooters lurk along the sidelines, firing arrows and spells without penalty.

Fighting enemies in The Diofield Chronicle

The game’s hybrid approach to combat allows players to orchestrate strategic attacks that in the best of moments come together as an exhilarating rush. The same rules that allow one to implement a devastating—and therefore highly satisfying—pincer attack also allow them to beat a hasty retreat if they come up against a heavily armored, lethal band of enemy soldiers. And yet it is always important to plan things out a few steps in advance to better avoid getting painted into a corner. Players will also do well to study which tactics an enemy employs most frequently, to better respond when red markings appear on the map to indicate an impending area attack or otherwise brutal blow, on top of the more typical auto attacks that still might drain life meters.

Besides determining what rewards follow a successful battle, the timer governs cooldown periods. A mage might cast a lethal barrage of flames that fries a group of several enemies, which is nice, but if those enemies don’t perish in the blaze, however, they will seek reprisal. The mage who didn’t finish the job had better not be on their own, because they’ll have to wait several seconds before they can strike again, assuming they haven’t exhausted their resources entirely. Similar considerations come into play multiple times across the course of even a single battle, particularly as the campaign plods onward and wars span larger maps populated by heartier foes.

Between battles, it’s often time to assign skill points to the characters that contributed the most to the latest conflict. This might mean purchasing a better weapon or accessory from a merchant, investing “guld” as a patron for local suppliers, researching weapons technology that determines which wares are even on offer, developing new skills that vary by mercenary, or applying glyphs to summonable creatures that are one of the game's coolest features because they allow the heroes to walk all over enemy units in the early going. There’s a lot to monitor, which can prove overwhelming at first but ensures there’s some new reward to enjoy after virtually every battle.

A cutscene featuring characters in The Diofield Chronicle

Outside of combat, The DioField Chronicle features an unusual and mostly effective plot that raises questions beyond what players might expect. The stakes remain typical: good people fight off bad people to save the world they know. However, the writers veer from the purely generic by introducing characters with motivations and circumstances that echo recent events in the real world. Expect to hear a lot of talk about the value of a monarchy versus democracy, about exploitation of natural resources, and other such fare that wouldn’t have felt out of place in JRPGs long past but takes on new significance.

Intriguingly, the characters and their opinions develop meaningfully over the course of the adventure. Not all of them are who they claim to be. Some who start with one notion in mind might develop a completely different one partway through. They’re all stuck in a world where the people in the highest echelons grapple for power while caring little for the people they might crush beneath their boot heals. Such character flaws apply to each of the four main protagonists, who develop welcome depth resulting from their dance with moral gray areas and even occasional darkness. The writers don’t try to pretend there are simple answers to all of life’s potential issues, either.

Unfortunately, the story’s headlong rush through so much material means pivotal scenes sometimes feel like the Cliff’s Notes version of a grander tale that is sometimes told in summary rather than shown through gameplay. Several twists would have benefited from more time to develop and reach their fullest potential. Toward the end, some big developments aren’t resolved at all even by the time the credits roll, while others are referenced only briefly. There’s enough meat to the tale to sustain a narrative twice the length.

A shop in The Diofield Chronicle

The DioField Chronicle has little in the way of significant flaws, though some of them might have felt more substantial if the campaign lasted longer. The chief issue is that the initially thrilling combat does eventually feel monotonous, simply because a few limited approaches are enough to (typically) carry the day even when enemies defeated are several levels above the player. Numerous characters come along to expand the roster and bring with them intriguing new moves the player might wish to exploit, which could have injected new life. Unfortunately, leveling everyone up, buying them equipment, and accessing the most desirable skills requires too much grind. There are enough side quests—which usually reveal some aspect of a mercenary unit and his or her history—that players will encounter dozens of battles over the course of their adventure. There aren’t enough unique environments or enemy units, however, to maintain excitement for the grind it might take to empower those last few arrivals. That's especially true once you've developed a few strategies to make the combat more manageable.

Similarly, certain recurring plot beats wear out their welcome. The twisting tale does a good job of exploring the cost to all sides when war rages on at length, but it sags a bit in the middle while making its point. Strong voice acting limits the damage while bringing a diverse cast of roughly two dozen characters to life, but not all lines enjoy the same treatment. Occasionally, characters resort to mumbling stock phrases that don’t sync with the more interesting on-screen dialog.

Despite the occasional stumble, The DioField Chronicle turns convention on its side regularly enough that even the more familiar elements feel fresh much of the time. Players have regularly encountered evil empires, warmongering generals, sneaky alliances, and corrupt church officials within the genre, in classic RPG experiences ranging from Suikoden to Final Fantasy Tactics and beyond. Those familiar tropes and themes have rarely been married with such a fresh combat system, however. There’s room for improvement across the board, but what’s available already is worth a look by strategy fans new and old alike.

The DioField Chronicle is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided a Switch code for this review.

the diofield chronicle
The DioField Chronicle

The Diofield Chronicle is a strategy role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Lancarse. It has free directional movement, unlike many tile-based strategy RPGs. The combat is done in real-time where players control a party of characters. The players engage in missions, which include destroying enemies, defending strongholds, escorting allies, and capturing points on the map. The game takes place on a fictional war-torn continent and follows a group of mercenaries from the Kingdom of Alletain.