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.