Noahmund (PC) Review

Noahmund is a strategy RPG with a rather unique means of progression. Unlike more traditional fare, this title operates somewhat similarly to a board game. Galina and her allies move from space to space. A space may contain an NPC willing to engage in idle conversation, while another space is home to treasure. Initially it's a clever take on movement and exploration. However, as time wears on, players will find themselves vying for a return to traditional navigation, as the main character always moves one space at a time, and there's no way to speed the process along.

The familiar storyline is also presented in an atypical fashion. The point of view frequently switches between multiple characters, sometimes for as little as a few minutes. Then there are the more involved scenarios where allies become separated, and then have to go through dungeons on their own. Unfortunately this happens very early on, before the player has really gotten accustomed to the battle system. Furthermore, it's hard to get a sense of place. While there is talk of multiple kingdoms, the areas that are actually explored tend to feel disconnected from the rest of the world.

There's no other way to say it - this is a slow-starter. Thankfully things begin to come together after the first couple hours. It's around this time that players will gain a full party, which makes combat much more manageable. They'll also get a handle on the terminology, as well as the significance of the story's themes. Around the same time, Galina will start to recall her memories of Shinn. Since she's in the middle of a mission, she can't return home to stock up on supplies. Instead, while napping at one of the many campsites located throughout Feros, she can visit the town in her dreams. This place serves as a sort of hub, where materials can be traded in for new equipment and potions.

The party-based combat blends real-time and strategic elements. It's up to the player to be aware of the enemies they are facing, as well as what they're currently doing. Most foes don't fall to a frontal assault. Trading blows is also fruitless endeavour. Enemies hit very hard, so it's preferable to move around them and strike their weaknesses. Keep in mind that there's not a huge incentive to engage in constant battles. Level-ups only occur after significant story events and boss fights. Typically, the only reward for winning a normal fight is the privilege to continue onward. Although, there is a small chance that foes will drop materials.

All three playable characters are designated into archetypes, and have both offensive and defensive techniques. Galina has a talent for synchrony, which allows her to heal her friends, or devastate adversaries. Berani is a frontline fighter who uses a variety of auras to bolster his attributes. Stalos employs traps to hobble adversaries, or destroys them outright with his unique arsenal. In battle, the player controls one of these party members, leaving the AI to take care of the other two.

For the most part, the AI does a decent job of taking care of everyone. Units are quick to use healing skills or traps when necessary. However, they're not great at positioning. Since enemies do so much damage, being at the wrong place at the wrong time is usually fatal. It isn't uncommon for everyone besides player-controlled character to eat dirt less than thirty seconds into a battle. Some RPGs, like the more recent entries in the Ys series, actually limit how much punishment can be dealt to AI allies. Perhaps it's not the ideal measure for this game, but it seems like a concession should be made when the computer is incapable of avoiding damage.

Unfortunately, even if the player is able to overcome the slow pacing and sometimes frustrating battles, they may find themselves at the mercy of bugs. There have been times where cut-scenes failed to trigger, effectively preventing one from continuing the story. This issue is occasionally resolved by reloading a prior save, but that isn't always enough. Worse, there have been cases where it isn't clear that something has gone wrong. During one instance, a scene transition failed to load, but the game didn't crash or freeze. One might believe that everything is fine. They won't realize they can't progress until after they've saved the game, effectively trapping their selves in an unwinnable situation.