TRIANGLE STRATEGY

[h1][u]A Game With Not a Lot to Say and a Frustrating Battle System[/u][/h1] [h3]5/10 - This triangle game makes you run in circles TLDR: I hate not recommending it, Triangle Strategy has heart in its design and story it wants to tell, but its awful pacing, grind heavy uneven combat design get in the way of making it great. Unless you’re a hardcore SRPG fan who enjoys tough battles and nothing else, I would skip this one.[/h3] I went into Triangle Strategy right after finishing the Final Fantasy Tactics remake and still craving more of that strategic, grid-based gameplay. Maybe that was a mistake, because while Triangle Strategy starts off promising, it ultimately falls short of what I hoped it would be. From the visuals and screenshots, I expected a mature, Game of Thrones-style political SRPG with sharp writing, strong voice performances, and rich strategic design. Unfortunately, it falls short in all three areas. You’re introduced to many characters, most with interesting designs and backstories, but almost all of them fade into the background or become pawns for the “real” plot players. The conflicts, betrayals, and constant twists quickly become exhausting thanks to sluggish pacing, flat voice acting, and a surprisingly dull narrative. None of the huge cast ever really grabbed me, and the story beats are predictable enough that the drama rarely lands. This might be forgivable if the combat carried the experience. And to its credit, Triangle Strategy does have fun battles and some creative skill sets. But even here, things fall apart: difficulty spikes on Normal are absurd, and the upgrade system demands an endless grind of the same mock battles over and over just to get materials for minor stat bumps. Later fights rely heavily on overwhelming reinforcements and enemies with inflated stats I could only dream of matching. On top of that, the accuracy system feels unreliable, with too many “unlikely” misses. The Scales of Conviction mechanic could have been a standout feature, but it ends up feeling hollow. You explore small areas to gather information and convince your allies to vote for certain story paths, which sounds cool on paper. But your “Conviction” score is a hidden number you can’t see or track on your first playthrough, making its impact feel pointless. And for a system based on voting, it makes no sense that the main character doesn’t vote at all. He’s the lord of his domain! Why is he letting everyone else choose the direction? Advice from peers is great, but a leader who doesn’t lead feels directionless, and the mechanic ends up feeling more like tug-of-war than genuine plot mechanic. I would skip this one.

Don't make the mistake of thinking the 60 hours I sunk means this game is worth playing. I stuck with it to see where the story went, and it never pays off. Whether you're looking for a visual novel or a strategy RPG, look elsewhere, because Triangle Strategy does neither well. The story is predictable, exposition-heavy, and at times does not make narrative sense. Armies teleport across the map and time frames are non-existent. You will win battles and then have to make decisions about your depleted forces, because that is what the plot demands. You will meet characters in one scene and two chapters later will seem to meet them for the first time, because that is what the plot requires. The game offers you choices but the narrative is completely on rails. The only choice that makes any difference is your final choice, and all your decisions leading up to it are inconsequential. Characters are boring and the combat isn't much better. Each unit has a handful of skills, most of which are as follows: Base Damage, Base Damage + 10, Base Damage + 30, Status Effect. There is a flanking mechanic which seems interesting at first but after the first few battles leads to defensive play and as you turtle up at a defensible location the enemy AI falls apart. Equipment in the game is mostly non-existent. Each unit can equip two accessories, which can grant status immunity to rarely used status effects, or increase a unit's base stats by 1 to 5 points (by the end of the game my units tended to have around 50 points in each stat, which raise automatically; units can not be customised in any meaningful way). Throughout the game your convictions will rise based on the decisions you make, but you are never told what convictions are being raised or by how much (unless you decide to begin a New Game+ for some reason). The convictions determine which side characters join your party, which doesn't particularly matter considering most characters are uninteresting and none of them make a difference other than MAYBE providing a line of unique dialogue if you bring them into a specific fight. Give this one a pass.

An excellent game with a really engaging story. Operates differently than most similar games as far as upgrading your characters in that you collect resources from battles to obtain various advantages to your character. You obtain different new characters through the choices you make throughout the story. You may also lose characters in this way, although I have not yet lost anyone. The story takes precedence in this game but the story is one of the best I've seen. You can also fight anytime you want to gain experience, more resources toward upgrades, more cash, more kudos (another form of currency that allows you to buy information which could grant advantages to you re: the storyline or quietuses, which are one time actions you can perform during battles. All of the characters have 2 unique skills overall, making each one advantageous for different situations in battle and of course they learn additional skills as they level up. I was initially reluctant to try this game because everyone went on and on about so much dialogue but it really just enhances the story, all has voice acting so you can listen and it's really no more than 3 minutes worth at a time. When you're not advancing the story, you can visit the encampment to do all sorts of things, there are also sub-plots, exploration phases and character stories to do. It's an extremely awesome game that is refreshing in all it's differences from regular SRPGs. Give it a try!

I have completed this game twice now. Once on PC and once on the switch, getting all four endings both times. So it should come to no surprise that I really enjoy this game. The graphics and music are great, and the SRPG gameplay is high quality. This game foregoes the expansive character building that some of the other greats allow. Although every character is unique in their gameplay, the upgrade options for every character are pretty much linear. While to some veterans this may be a downside, it also greatly lowers the barrier of entry because of how much less micomanagement this requires. You can focus most of your time on the story and the gameplay. The game is, as a result, a pretty good entry point into the genre, in my opinion. The strategy and tactics of this game largely come from learning how each unit works and interacts with other units and what kind of maps they function best in. The game is a fair challenge on normal difficulty. Grinding isn't strictly necessary as you get plenty of additional experience when you're underleveled. And even when you retreat or get defeated, you retain experience gained. The story is fairly decent, and there is a lot of it. Unfortunately it does suffer from some pacing issues, especially in the beginning. This combined with honestly middling voice acting are probably the weakest points of the game. The story has multiple choices with branching paths, giving the game plenty of replay value. One criticism is definitely that the game doesn't allow you to hop through the timeline, however. Taken together, Triangle Strategy offers some of the best and most accessible SRPG gameplay on the market. Definitely worth looking into for anyone who is either a fan or interested in the genre. Although do be prepared for a story that likes to take its time and meander.

People who can't over the admittedly slow start to the game really miss out on one of the best modern games in the genre. Sucks for them!

The combat is fun. Everything else is unbelievably bad. I've never played a more depressing game. Not the story itself, but literally the mechanic of selling out everything your character is written to stand for, over and over and over... It's like the worst Game of Thrones interpretation. Comes off like an exerciser in breaking someones soul. Not in a "this is good story telling" sort of way. It's cringe.

In terms of it's story, the game has a lot of interesting concepts and a mature tone which I like but it ultimately fails when it comes to execution. The characters are also unfortunately quite generic and there isn't as much of a focus on the relationships between them compared to other games. English VO is inconsistent: good for some characters and terrible for others. Gameplay was by far the best part, although quite easy compared to other games in the genre, at least on the first full playthrough. Music was good. Graphics: excellent. Not a bad game, but far too many faults to recommend.

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 91: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (9/10) [i] Triangle Strategy [/i] is a deeply ambitious tactical RPG from Square Enix that mixes classic grid-based combat with a morally complex, politically charged story. It’s a game that expects you to pay attention: not just to battlefield tactics, but to dialogue, character motivations, and the consequences of your choices. It’s slow-burning, but incredibly rewarding, like a tactical novel where every decision shapes your army, your worldview, and your future. With gorgeous HD-2D visuals and standout English voice acting, it’s easily one of the best modern entries in the genre. If you’re looking for something fast-paced or breezy, the heavy themes, branching paths, and dense pacing might wear on you. Still, few strategy games reward patient, thoughtful play quite like this. 📜[b] Pros: [/b] [list] [*] A morally complex narrative with real consequence. What sets [i] Triangle Strategy [/i] apart is how much it leans into political philosophy. This isn’t “good vs evil." This is about compromise, sacrifice, and conviction. The Scales of Conviction voting system is genuinely engaging, forcing you to weigh competing ideas and often pick the lesser evil. Whether you’re pursuing economic independence, social equality, or military strength, no route is clean. And your choices matter! Entire characters and maps can be locked behind certain paths, and the story branches significantly. [*] Robust, rewarding tactical combat. The turn-based battles are layered and deliberate. Unit placement, elevation, elemental synergy, and turn order all play a major role. For example, placing a fire mage next to an oil barrel can ignite whole patches of ground, while flanking an enemy triggers double-team backstabs. Every encounter feels handcrafted, with terrain and objectives that ask you to rethink your strategy. Later maps get genuinely challenging! Expect to restart a few times if you're not thinking ahead. [*] Diverse and creative cast of characters. From the noble and conflicted Seranoa to the brilliant spy Anna, the game is filled with units that feel unique and mechanically distinct. Characters like Hughette (a flying archer), Medina (an apothecary with insane item spam potential), or Lionel (a literal merchant whose skills manipulate enemies with money) all bring something new. The side characters, unlocked through optional recruitment events, often turn out to be the most powerful or interesting additions. [*] Top-tier voice acting and localization. Almost the entire game is voiced, and the performances are surprisingly mature. There’s nuance to even the smallest roles, and it helps ground the world in realism. The localization deserves special mention; it walks the line between poetic and political without being cheesy or preachy. [*] HD-2D visuals are stunning. This is one of the best uses of the HD-2D art style to date. Dynamic lighting, rich pixel textures, subtle weather effects, and great camera work all contribute to a painterly aesthetic that’s both nostalgic and modern. The cities and towns feel warm and lived-in; the battlefields feel ominous and dramatic. [*] Worldbuilding that respects the player. The world of Norzelia feels lived-in and politically coherent. The salt and iron wars, the religious state of Hyzante, the resource-rich Aesfrost, the noble Glenbrook—each nation has clear ideological and economic motivations. The lore isn't just dumped on you, but uncovered through optional stories, exploration, and dialogue. [*] Beginner-friendly and intuitive UI. Despite its narrative and strategic depth, the menus are incredibly clean. The unit info screens, battle UI, and upgrade systems are easy to navigate. It’s a great entry point for people newer to tactics games, without dumbing anything down. [/list] 🔐[b] Cons: [/b] [list] [*] The "Golden Route" has obscure requirements. There’s a secret "true" or "golden" ending, but reaching it on your first playthrough is highly unlikely unless you're using a guide. It requires balancing all three Convictions (Utility, Morality, Liberty), something the game doesn't help you track or understand well, and choosing very specific votes. If you're someone who wants to see the best content without replaying 40+ hours, it’s frustrating. Some scenes required for the route are also easily missable unless you talk to every NPC and investigate every prompt. [*] Early pacing is glacial. The first few chapters are very talk-heavy, and the stakes take a while to ramp up. If you're not immediately drawn in by the politics, it can feel like a wall of exposition. Battles are spaced far apart early on, which may throw off players expecting more consistent action. [*] Branching narrative comes at a cost. While the plot does branch meaningfully, that also means large sections of the game (entire maps, characters, and scenes) are gated behind mutually exclusive decisions. Some players may feel like they missed out on key development, especially if they accidentally take the “less interesting” path. [*] Dialogue can be stiff or over-explained. While most of the voice acting is great, there are moments where the writing becomes a little too expository. Characters will sometimes repeat the same idea in multiple ways, or over-articulate themes the player already understands. [/list] [hr] If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45814768-Verdict-Play-or-Pass/]Verdict: Play or Pass. [/url] Also, please leave a like and visit [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Indie_Gems]IndieGems[/url] and our YouTube channel for more reviews like this one. [/hr]

시작조차 하지 마라. 어매 디진 난이도. 맛있게 매운 것이 아니라 그냥 맛도 좋같은게 맵기만 함. 하드를 고르는 순간 전투에 자유도는 0이 된다. 지나가던 도적1과 목숨을 건 생사결을 해야 하는 난이도가 되어, 제작진이 마련해놓은 정답을 유추 해내는 마인드 게임이 되는 것이다. 그리고 그들이 마련한 정답이란 것은 스타1 벌처컨트롤 유즈맵마냥 도망만 존나게 다니면서 잡졸부터 하나씩 끊어먹는 것을 승기가 확실히 넘어올 때까지 끝없이 반복하는 것. 그다음엔 힘 다 빠진 적을 그저 주워 먹는다. 난이도를 낮추면 되지 않냐고? 노말로 난이도를 내리는 순간 전투는 위기감이나 참신함은 전혀 느낄 수 없는 그야말로 아무 맛이 나지 않는 맹탕이 된다. 그런데 그 전투가 매번 개같이 길다. 매번 아무런 감흥 없는 전투를 길게는 1시간씩 붙잡고 있는 것이다. 그럼 그 전투를 제외하고, 스토리가 잘 짜여 있는가? 모든 등장인물은 딱 일러스트에 그려진 대로, 그러니까 생긴 대로 논다. 와꾸 딱 보고 '아 이 새끼 좀 삐리한데?' 하면 그 새끼가 씹새끼임. 그럼 뭐다? 이야기에서 어떤 반전도 감동도 찾을 수 없다. 그나마 반전도 감동도 없이 그저 무난하게 흘러가면 될 것을, 가끔 등장인물들의 생각지도 못한 저능아 행동과 급발진으로 잘 흘러가는 것처럼 들리던 곡에 쓸데없는 변주를 시도하여 눈을 질끈 감게 만든다. 그들의 멍청한 행동에 무릎 꿇고 경의를 보내는 다른 등장인물들을 보고 있노라면 이제 할 말이 없어진다. 그야말로 모질이들의 프릭쇼다. 환불 마려운데 글은 또 존나게 많아서 읽으면서 하다보면 전투는 꼴랑 두갠가 한거같은데 이미 2시간 지나버림. 사기가 따로 없음. 그냥 시작을 마라.