The DioField Chronicle review: An understated, under-marketed strategy RPG romp that deserves better
The DioField Chronicle has been released, and it’s seemingly pretty much already forgotten. This latest Square Enix strategy RPG is thoughtful, interesting, and flawed – though also pleasantly brisk. It deserves better than it’s getting.
What it’s getting, by the way, feels like the pretty classic small game from Square Enix treatment. It got a surprisingly big-time announcement, making its debut in one of Sony’s high-profile State of Play broadcasts. After that, though, it appeared relegated to second-tier status. It was promoted little, and even review code arrived at the eleventh hour; dropped into the inboxes of media around the world just a few days before Square Enix said reviews could go live – which itself was just a short time before release. That’s why you didn’t see many pre-release reviews, if you’re wondering.
It’s a shame to see a game like this get treatment like that, because it’s interesting. At heart, The DioField Chronicle is a strategy RPG in the style of Final Fantasy Tactics, but it’s ultimately a little faster and looser, and features several elements that inject a little of the real time tactics genre into the mix. The result is something quite thrilling and unique – which is important, since we’re currently in something of a resurgent golden age of strategy RPGs, with Fire Emblem the biggest it’s ever been and even Square Enix giving Tactics Ogre another run-out with an upcoming remaster.