Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

The Story of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has garnered praise from several critics for its engaging and well-developed narrative. CGMagazine commends the game for featuring a riveting story that focuses on themes of unity and resistance against an evil empire, showcasing a strong protagonist on a quest for a powerful artifact. Hobby Consolas appreciates the mature narrative that emphasizes loyalty and justice, with the protagonist recruiting a large roster of heroes, reminiscent of the beloved Suikoden series. Hey Poor Player highlights the well-balanced narrative that blends action, comedy, political intrigue, and warfare, creating an immersive world with well-written characters. Additionally, Digital Trends and GameSkinny both commend the game for delivering a nostalgic '90s JRPG experience with compelling character growth and engaging storytelling. On the other hand, some critics have pointed out certain drawbacks in the story of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. GAMES.CH mentions that the story develops slowly and may feel overwhelming due to numerous factions and characters, potentially hindering the pacing for some players. IGN notes pacing issues and a one-dimensional villain that detract from the overall experience, suggesting that the narrative could benefit from more nuanced antagonists to enhance the storytelling. PCGamesN criticizes the disjointed main narrative with little tension until the final act, indicating a lack of consistent momentum throughout the game's story. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the Story of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes leans towards a positive reception for its engaging narrative, diverse cast of characters, and immersive world-building. Critics like Checkpoint Gaming, Metro GameCentral, and God is a Geek appreciate the complex political storyline, interesting characters, and compelling plot that the game offers. While there are some criticisms regarding pacing, character depth, and narrative cohesion from critics like IGN and RPG Fan, the general sentiment suggests that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes successfully captures the essence of classic JRPG storytelling with its blend of adventure, war, and camaraderie, making it a noteworthy addition to the genre for fans of narrative-driven experiences.

The Gameplay of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has garnered praise from several critics for its engaging and diverse mechanics. CGMagazine commends the game for its beefy party system with over a hundred characters, each offering unique combat styles and storylines. Hey Poor Player highlights the engaging gameplay mechanics, including town-building and war battles, which add depth to the overall experience. IGN and GameGrin both appreciate the strategic depth of the turn-based combat system, with IGN noting the leveling system that allows weaker characters to catch up quickly and GameGrin mentioning the unique party control system and real-time strategy elements during war battles. On the other hand, some critics have pointed out certain drawbacks in the Gameplay of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Checkpoint Gaming and GGRecon mention issues with inefficiency and balancing frustrations in character management and XP, respectively. COGconnected notes pacing issues, especially in boss battles, and outdated gameplay elements like exploration and inventory management. PCGamesN criticizes the large-scale war battles for being boring and lacking challenge, while Shacknews finds constant stat checks to be frustrating. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes offers a compelling gameplay experience with its diverse party system, strategic turn-based combat, and engaging mechanics such as town-building and war battles. Critics like XboxEra appreciate the enjoyable turn-based combat system with strategic depth, while GameSkinny praises the inclusion of city building and management aspects for added depth. Despite some criticisms regarding balancing issues, pacing problems, and outdated gameplay elements, the majority of critics find the game to be a worthy successor to classic JRPGs like Suikoden, offering a mix of nostalgia and innovative gameplay elements that cater to both new and old fans of the genre.

The majority of critics praised the Graphics and Visual Design of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, highlighting various positive aspects. Checkpoint Gaming commended the "gorgeous visual design" with iconic character portraits and sprites, while Push Square noted the "stunning visuals" with lavish 2D-pixel character animations. Hey Poor Player appreciated the "gorgeous towns, cities, and characters" and the blend of 2D sprites with 3D backgrounds, creating a visually stunning look that evokes nostalgia. Digital Trends also highlighted the "beautiful art direction" with a mix of character sprite art and 3D environments, creating dazzling moments during gameplay. The vibrant and colorful 2.5D visuals on Xbox Series X, as mentioned by XboxEra, further enhanced the overall aesthetic of the game. Despite the overwhelmingly positive feedback, some critics did point out a few shortcomings in the Graphics and Visual Design of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Metro GameCentral mentioned issues with "poor camera angles and mixed graphical quality," which detracted from the overall experience. COGconnected noted that while the pixel art character models were expressive and colorful, the backgrounds and environments were not as noteworthy. RPG Fan highlighted occasional frame rate drops on the Steam Deck, affecting the overall visual experience for some players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes excels in its Graphics and Visual Design, with the majority of reviewers praising the game for its stunning art style, vibrant colors, and nostalgic charm. RPG Site appreciated the mix of 2D sprites in 3D backgrounds and boss encounters, capturing a classic Suikoden vibe. GameGrin noted the variety of visually appealing heroes with distinct looks, showcasing a mix of realistic environments and pixelated character designs. Despite some minor issues reported by a few critics, the general sentiment leans heavily towards the game delivering a visually delightful experience that pays homage to classic JRPGs while incorporating modern aesthetics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes are largely positive. Critics like GameGrin and Player 2 praise the game for its great music that adapts to the story events, enhancing the overall experience. They specifically mention the epic battle music and the soundtrack composed by Motoi Sakuraba and Michiko Naruke as standout features that contribute to the game's charm. Additionally, critics such as God is a Geek and PCGamesN highlight the fantastic music, especially the battle music, and the inclusion of a cheesy anime-style song at climactic moments, which they believe enhance the overall immersion and enjoyment of the game. On the negative side, some critics like RPG Fan express concerns about the voice acting, describing it as mostly mediocre. They feel that while the soundtrack is pleasant, it lacks a distinctive style. This sentiment is echoed by CGMagazine, who notes the lack of specific details about the sound design or music in their review. Furthermore, Wccftech mentions that the English voice acting varies in quality, indicating a potential inconsistency in the delivery of the voice performances throughout the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes excels in its Sound Design and Music aspects, with the majority of reviewers praising the voice acting, music, and sound design for enhancing the overall immersion and experience of the game. Critics like GameSkinny and XboxEra commend the top-notch voice acting that brings the characters to life, while others appreciate the diverse soundtrack that adapts to different gameplay moments. Despite some concerns about the voice acting quality and lack of distinctive style in the soundtrack, the general sentiment is positive, with critics acknowledging the significant contribution of the Sound Design and Music to the game's appeal and atmosphere.

The voice acting in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the majority of critics. CGMagazine, for instance, praises the voice acting for making the characters feel alive and believable, while Checkpoint Gaming appreciates how the well-voiced characters add depth and personality to the narrative. Push Square also highlights the vast cast of voiced characters, each with a unique voice and gimmick, which enhances the overall experience. Additionally, COGconnected describes the voice acting as fantastic, particularly praising the English voice track for its engaging nature and how it adds charm to both heroes and villains in the game. On the other hand, RPG Fan stands out as one of the few critics who found the voice acting to be mediocre, failing to enhance the characterization of the characters. This contrasting opinion suggests that there might be some inconsistency in the quality of voice performances, as noted by Wccftech mentioning that the English voice acting varies in quality. While RPG Site acknowledges a mix of good and bad performances, it's worth noting that the overall sentiment leans towards positive feedback, with only a few critics expressing reservations about the voice acting. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a significant strength of the game. The majority of reviewers appreciate how the voice work brings the characters to life, adds depth to the narrative, and enhances the overall storytelling experience. Despite some mixed opinions on the consistency of voice performances, the general sentiment is that the voice acting contributes positively to the immersive nature of the game and helps in creating a vibrant and engaging world for players to explore.

In terms of positives for the gaming platforms, the PS5 version of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes seems to offer a stable experience, as noted by Hobby Consolas and Metro GameCentral. The PC version, as highlighted by COGconnected and God is a Geek, runs smoothly on a wide range of systems, with visually appealing pixel art style and character designs. Additionally, the Xbox Series X version, according to XboxEra, is expected to improve with a promised day one patch to address reported visual issues and frame drops. The Steam Deck version, as experienced by GGRecon, plays wonderfully with only minor issues like long loading times. On the negative side, the Nintendo Switch version of the game faces significant technical challenges, as pointed out by Digital Trends and Gaming Age, including frame rate stuttering, pop-in problems, and long loading times. This impacts the overall gameplay experience, leading Gaming Age to recommend other platforms for better performance. Additionally, some critics noted issues with the PC version, such as occasional frame rate drops on Steam Deck and slow UI, as mentioned by RPG Fan. Player 2 also highlighted encounter rate feeling low at times and discomfort caused by a distant blur effect on the map. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes offers a stable technical performance on platforms like PS5, PC, and potentially Xbox Series X with the promised patch. However, the Nintendo Switch version faces significant performance issues, leading to a less than optimal experience. Critics appreciate the visually appealing art style and character designs across platforms but note various technical issues like long loading times, frame rate drops, and UI sluggishness on different platforms. It is recommended to choose the platform based on technical performance considerations to fully enjoy the game.

The critics generally agree that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes offers a variety of elements that contribute to its replay value. Positive aspects highlighted by several reviewers include the abundance of heroes allowing for diverse party builds and playstyles, engaging mini-games such as fishing, racing, cooking, and card battling, as mentioned by CGMagazine, and strategic combat elements like character recruitment, castle customization, and base-building mechanics, as noted by Metro GameCentral. Additionally, the nostalgic side content, optional adventures, and challenging boss battles mentioned by Checkpoint Gaming and Hobby Consolas contribute to the game's replayability. On the downside, some critics point out potential drawbacks that may impact the replay value of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. GAMES.CH mentions limited control over party composition and strategic positioning in battles, which could affect the desire for multiple playthroughs. GGRecon highlights frustrating design choices that may hinder the overall experience, while Player 2 notes issues with gear management that could impact long-term engagement. PCGamesN also mentions that certain aspects like shallow mini-games could detract from the overall replay value of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes offers a compelling experience with various elements that contribute to its replay value. RPG Site praises the game for its lengthy adventure, character recruitment, rune-lens customization, and town-building mechanics that encourage experimentation with different strategies. GameGrin appreciates the challenging gameplay, diverse heroes, and deep story that make it appealing to fans of turn-based RPGs. While there are some criticisms regarding certain design choices and lack of depth in story and characters, the overall sentiment is positive, with critics like Wccftech commending the classic JRPG gameplay, compelling story, and well-developed characters that make it a worthwhile experience for genre enthusiasts.