One of This Year’s Best RPGs Has Been Overlooked, and It’s the Finest Strategy Game I’ve Played in Years

Writing about games might sound like an absolute dream job (I know, lucky me), but it does come with its own set of challenges. Oddly enough, one of those challenges is that games don’t always thrill or motivate me like they used to. It’s a bit like this: when you have to dive into a game that doesn’t quite fit your personal taste every week to make sure you’re giving it the coverage it needs, you end up switching to ‘work mode’ rather than just enjoying it for fun. Tackling 50 hours of Call of Duty over the span of a week, while also juggling edits, meetings, reports, or figuring out Google’s latest Core Update—it can get a bit overwhelming.

Enter Unicorn Overlord, which launched in March this year. This game’s been a real game-changer for me—a genuine motivator. From the moment I picked it up for a preview, and then swiftly got the review copy, I was hooked. I poured a whopping 100 hours into it in just two weeks, playing in bed, on trips, and even while waiting for a gig to start. It shattered the ‘meh’ curse of work games I’d been stuck under, and it genuinely brought some fun back into my life.

So, how does one describe Unicorn Overlord? Imagine treating yourself to an extravagant dinner at a high-end restaurant, the kind you might only experience once a year. It’s lavish, it’s indulgent, and luxuriously unique. It’s got an unconventional vibe—maybe not the sort of dish you’d whip up at home or find in your everyday spots. But it shines at what it does best; think of it as a fusion dish, mingling comforting elements with unexpected flavors that create a delightful blend for the senses.

The game is a tactical RPG that practically plays itself. It gives you that sense of truly commanding a small army, placing more emphasis on recruiting, managing, and deploying troops than directly battling. It seamlessly mixes favorite aspects of the Final Fantasy 12 Gambit System and the Tactics Ogre series, while borrowing clever ideas from Fire Emblem.

Nostalgia for the 1990s echoes throughout the game, even evoking memories of titles like Langrisser and Shining Force. Yet, in typical Vanillaware fashion, it reimagines familiar tropes and genre expectations, delivering something refreshingly original. Unicorn Overlord stands alone in its uniqueness, and that’s what makes it so captivating.

For instance, take a look at how battles flow. If you choose to, you can skip them entirely. All the underlying mechanics—the stats, and the gameplay nuances—are handled like a well-kept secret, calculated on a hidden spreadsheet. Dive deep into min/maxing your characters, select your squads, and unleash your allies onto the battlefield with confidence. But let’s be real—that’s not the game’s central allure, is it?

The magic, much like in Fire Emblem, lies in crafting your own narrative as characters join forces and fight. Watching their interactions, how their skills either mesh together or clash—it’s irresistible RPG gold. It’s captivating, almost to the point of addiction. Playing Unicorn Overlord on my Switch, determined to perfect certain maps, I managed to miss my stop on the Tube eight times in a single week. It’s that engrossing.

What truly sets Unicorn Overlord apart, at least for me, is how it compels you to weigh every encounter, even the seemingly trivial ones, as if they hold life-or-death significance. On higher difficulties, the game demands you know your army inside out (you know, just like an actual commander) to stand a chance at conquering it.

You know it’s a standout RPG when you find yourself internally cheering a modest 5% boost in your flying squad’s attack strength. Or letting out a sigh and re-evaluating your entire battle plan when a 95% accuracy attack somehow misses its mark. Vanillaware brilliantly balances challenge with reward, and if you’re the type to dive into the nitty-gritty of game mechanics, you’ll find one of the most richly detailed and responsive RPG sandboxes in recent times. No kidding.

Amid a year brimming with notable RPG releases, Unicorn Overlord seems to have flown under the radar. If you’re searching for a truly distinctive experience to dive into during the holiday break, I’d pick this over my actual Game of the Year choice. It’s the perfect game to refresh your mind as you gear up for the year ahead.