Gungnir Preview (PSP)

Gungnir is a turn based tactics games that superficially most resembles other speed based isometric games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre. However, being a Sting game, Gungnir has an above average number of mechanics and systems working in the background to complicate things. Below you'll find a fairly concise overview of how Gungnir plays and what mechanics are involved.

Gungnir's turn order is speed based, similar to FFT/TO, but with one major difference. While enemies and NPCs all have their own individual speed and turn icon, you only have a single icon on the speed bar to issue orders to your entire army (it looks like a yellow P). Whenever it's your turn you can choose from any of your units to act with. This generally means that enemies have a significant turn rate advantage over you, especially in large numbers. Every action your selected unit makes (moving, attacking, waiting, etc.) causes delay which will set your next turn back by a certain amount on the speed bar. Units have a delay stat that subtracts some delay during their actions, and by choosing an Ace unit at the start of the mission some class types will benefit from a further delay reduction bonus.

Each unit has a stat called WT (wait time) which determines how fast they can act again without suffering a loss of Vitality, which temporarily reduces their max HP. Equipment has weight and equipping it increases the WT burden by a % of WT. Any WT burden over 50% causes a WT penalty. You'll see the "Ready" overhead if the unit is ready to act without Vitality loss. Also, each attack has its own recharge rate, and if you use it before it's recharged, it will deal less damage.



Performing the move action with your units will build up tactics points, 1 point per square moved. Units have a tactics stat that determines how many tactics points they can build by moving. Building up tactics points increases the damage multiplier of some attacks. Tactics points can be spent on reducing delay (overclock), group attacks (beat), support buffs (boost), reducing the weapon recharge rate, and performing certain special summoning attacks. Units can only join into beats if they are directly in line with the target enemy, while boosts have a more permissive radius. Up to 4 allied units can assist the attacker with a beat or boost. Beat and boost activation range can be increased by capturing flags scattered around the map. These flags also increase your maximum tactics point value. In almost all situations, overclock isn't worth burning your tactics points, so you almost never have to choose between "speed or damage".

At the end of a mission you earn up to 3 stars based on certain conditions. You're awarded a star each for not restarting a mission, having 0 allied units defeated, and clearing the mission under a certain time. However, if you take too long, you'll start to lose stars even if you had no allies defeated and no restarts. Earning stars will increase the rank, a multiplier viewable in the upper right corner of the battle objectives screen. On basic difficulty the rank starts at 0.75, on Advance it's 1.0, and on Nightmare it's 1.25 or 1.5. My guess is that rank only increases if you get 2+ stars. For each mission you clear with 2+ stars, rank increases by 0.01 points on basic, 0.02 on advance, and 0.03 on nightmare. The rank multiplier increases enemy damage and HP. I'm not sure what the cap is, but I think it carries over with a New Game+. On Advance and Nightmare modes, enemies have 1.5x and 2.0x HP and Speed, respectively, in addition to the rank multiplier. Nightmare mode is unlocked after clearing Advance mode. You may start a New Game+ on Basic or Advance modes, but not on Nightmare mode.

During intermission you're able to recruit new units, and buy, sell, equip, improve or disenchant equipment. As for Gungnir's plot and characters, it looks very much like a FFT/TO style medieval melodrama, with all the usual JRPG cliches. You're able to make choices during the campaign that alter which ending you'll get, similar to TO.

I'm still not sure why Atlus chose to localize Gungnir. Contractual obligation? Similarity to Tactics Ogre? It's certainly a sales gamble and not in line with their recent attempts to publish more high profile games. It should be a pretty good game for technical minded players, and probably enough plot related stuff to please the FFT/TO fans.

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