BRIGANDINE ABYSS

The game is good, if you liked Runersia you would like this game. It is like having a reset to the game while keeping the same core game. Some chess strategy is weaker but new came in its place. Hard in story mode is just bad or at least early on, but some mission mode are perfect in hard. IMO normal is the way to go for majority of the game instead of save scumming. Of course if you are a veteran you don't need me to tell you what to choose. The game is beautiful but I wished if there was more optimization that is for the steam deck with better battery performance.

***Brigandine: Abyss Review*** I'm a huge Brigandine fan, so I was excited for Abyss. There are some improvements I really like, but unfortunately, too many features from the original that gave the game depth didn't carry over. ***Pros*** Recruiting leaders from defeated factions: Once a nation is destroyed, its characters move around the map and can eventually be recruited if you can afford them. I like being able to collect leaders from different factions instead of losing them permanently. Questing and upgrading bases adds progression: Different bases have different materials, perks, and some different monster types. Bases can also be upgraded to Level 3, giving you a reason to develop your territory and build your army instead of immediately rushing to conquer the map. The equipment system is convenient: Once you unlock certain weapons, armor, or accessories, you can buy them from the store if you have the money. The rarity carries over too. I've unlocked up to three-star purple equipment so far, but I'm still playing and haven't seen everything yet. The new artwork and designs are great: I really like the character art and overall visual design. It's actually one of the reasons one of my biggest cons bothers me so much. ***Cons*** The lack of unique character models is my biggest gripe: The game has great individual character art, yet some unique storyline characters still use generic battlefield models. Even generic characters like samurai can have portraits and models that match their designs, so why not the unique characters? And if completely unique models weren't possible, at least change the colors. If a knight's portrait has yellow armor, make their generic knight model yellow instead of giving them the same red-and-white model as everyone else. This was one of my biggest complaints about the original too. The AI is still stupid: Killing a leader removes their entire group, yet the AI constantly leaves leaders exposed. Either the AI should prioritize protecting them or leaders should be harder to kill while their monsters are still alive. Cross-class training is gone: The original allowed you to develop characters through multiple class lines and combine abilities. Abyss locks you down much more. It's not necessarily terrible, but it removes experimentation and hurts replayability. No more capturing prisoners: Capturing enemy characters added another layer to battles and recruitment. Removing it makes conquest less interesting. Faction rosters feel too small: The original had main storyline characters plus additional kingdom characters, mercenaries, and special recruits. Abyss lets you eventually collect characters from different factions, which is great, but there simply aren't enough of them. (You can collect more factions, but there are fewer interesting people to collect.) Recruitment lost its storytelling: The original had characters who could recruit other characters, with dialogue explaining their relationships and connections. Here, you mostly get a short introduction and they're suddenly in your army. You don't really know who they're connected to or why they're joining you. Questing doesn't have enough risk: I like sending leaders out for materials, but it should be a bigger strategic gamble. Sending people away should leave you vulnerable to attack. Instead, it's fairly easy to skip turns, gather resources, upgrade bases, and strengthen your army without enough pressure from the AI. Fewer territories and a weaker story: The original had more lands to conquer and, in my opinion, a stronger storyline. Abyss feels smaller and less developed in both areas. Final Verdict ***5/10.*** I'm probably more disappointed because I'm such a big fan of Brigandine. I can see the potential, and I like the artwork, base progression, equipment system, and ability to recruit leaders from defeated factions. But too many things the original already did well were either removed or simplified. Cross-class training, prisoners, larger faction rosters, recruitment dialogue, more territories, and deeper character connections should've been carried forward and improved upon. I bought Abyss at full price because I was stoked that a new Brigandine was coming out. After playing it, I definitely wouldn't recommend paying full price. I don't know if DLC is coming or how much the developers listen to player feedback, but hopefully they continue improving it because the potential is there. **5/10 — I'd wait until it's under $20.**