The combat, while competent, is hardly the selling point of the game. The mechanics in place here aren't the thing that causes Crimson Shroud to really stand out, despite its unique use of tabletop RPG elements that are rarely seen on the surface level of most video games. It's really the superb presentation, writing, and music that will sell you on Crimson Shroud, and make it one of the best E-Shop titles available on the 3DS.
I am just going to come out and say this; Crimson Shroud is my game of the year. Now, I admit, my tastes probably fall pretty far out of the mainstream, but I genuinely enjoyed this game immensely. Combat is old school turn based RPG fare, but this is the best implementation of that style that I have played since Final Fantasy X. After Final Fantasy XIII, I felt that the idea of an RPG without mazes could never work, but Crimson Shroud totally pulls it off. You don't direct a character around in a typical fashion; instead, you select any room in the dungeon, and your characters go directly there without random battles, it doesn't matter if it is the room next door or three floors away. Now, in order to proceed to the next level, you will have to find the room with the trigger, but that is part of the fun. Several things about the production really grabbed me. The US translation is top notch. There is a lot of text in this game. Every room and item has a detailed description and they are written in a way that really pulled me into the fantasy atmosphere. I also fell in love with the soundtrack, which definitely has a deep Final Fantasy Tactics lineage. I have read other reviewers mention short play throughs of Crimson Shroud, but it took me 12 hours to complete my first time, which is a perfect length for a busy guy like me. Save anywhere also fits well with my lifestyle. This is the game I have been silently begging for for ages. This game feels like an evolution of the original NES Final Fantasy, if they had decided to forget about flashy cinematics and focus on telling a story through limited visuals with solid writing. If the idea of a turn based RPG by the Final Fantasy Tactics team sounds at all interesting to you, I highly recommend you download Crimson Shroud.
the game is just plain awesome. it has a great narrative and excellent presentation of the tabletop style of play while providing a fresh air to rpgs. the combat and mechanics are nice: characters dont level up, the stats are determined only by the equipment and loot. during the fight, which is turn based, dice rolls will determine everything and by creating combos the player can gain bonus dice which will be crucial mechanics for the harder boss fights. however is the story and world where the game truly shines, its mysterious, charming and satisfactory. the only flaw that i really think its dumb is the random drop of a key item, annoying but not that bad, i got it on the third time and the game took me 10h to finish.
this is not a game for everyone but if what you want is a turn based rpg with great story and style i highly recommend this one
A niche little gem, not to miss if you're a fan of the old role-playing style, but just a tad too slow JRPG for all the others. You might want to try it before proceeding to the download.
With patience and persistence, this nostalgic electronic journey through unplugged gaming's past is a stirring romp that'll undoubtedly rekindle deep rooted passions for tabletop adventure.
I played Crimson Shroud for a total of 6.5 hours before I got frustrated and gave up because five hours of that playtime was spent fighting the same group of enemies over and over for the random drop which never appeared. Holding back rare weapons or magic items is one thing, but it's incredibly disrespectful of a player's time and a waste of a consumer's money to make forward progress reliant on pure luck.
Hands-down my favorite game on the 3DS. It may not have the most content, the best loot, or whatever, but what this game has is heart. It draws you into its world and keeps you coming back for more. My favorite part was playing through new game with stronger monsters, new areas, new loot, new boss fights, and a new ending! This game is a must-buy if you own a 3DS.
The game is just awsome. II just have to say that it might not be as good to everyone. The game is not perfect, bit I can tell that for that price, you wont find any other game that is as good as this one, graphics look awesome, the story is good, awesome game mechanics.
If you like classic dice-rolling and good story games, this one is for you.
I started out scoffing at the unusual visuals but I became quickly immersed in the story. This is a fantastic game with a newgame+ and left open for a sequel.
Crimson Shroud ia presented as a table-top RPG: the characters and the enemies are represented by static figurines, the exploration is accomplished by selecting which room to go in a featureless map (as if it was drawn on paper), the story is delivered via text and resembles a novel, and there are some gameplay mechanics with dice involved. I find the story and the storytelling particularly compelling, with two narratives and a convoluted plot that is kinda mature for the genre. The long turn-based battles have great depth (also excelent soundtracks), but the dice rolling is, in fact, a very secondary aspect of it: you'll spend much more time micro managing your stats, magics and skills (which is done via your equipaments), which I think is for the best. The game's other elements probably do better in actual table-top games, but since the game is kinda short, it never really became a hindrance. I'd recommend it only to RPG fans, as there are certainly rewarding moments.
This game is great, if you don't actually want to play anything and just want to read an interesting story. The only "game play" is a mediocre turn based combat mode. Beyond that, you press A to change the story page, and that is all the "playing" you get. I love RPG games, but this was terrible. Don''t waste your money.
SummaryFollow the tale of a young "Chaser" named Giauque, as he and his team find themselves drawn into the mystery of the Original Gift, the Crimson Shroud.