


The main characters are likeable enough, and the voice acting is adequate when the dialogue isn’t trying too hard to sound poetic or medieval. It all sounds intriguing on paper, but in execution, it’s actually pretty mundane. The narrative is all about the political intrigues between these nations, the conflicts over resources to sustain these nations, and the moral dilemmas that arise from trying to protect one’s own interests. Glenbrook is a stereotypical monarchy with a nobility, Aesfrost is a forward-thinking-but-not-really meritocracy, and Hyzante is kind of what would happen if North Korea had founded Islam. Triangle Strategy takes place in the continent of Norzelia, which enjoys a fragile peace between three nations, Glenbrook, Aesfrost, and Hyzante. The Narrative Is So-So, but the Player Choice Is Awesome It’s a terrific amount of fun for what it chooses to be instead though.

In fact, the only major failing of Triangle Strategy is that it can’t match the highs of its two strategy RPG forbears, Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. Mechanically, almost every aspect of the game feels user-friendly, and it just might be the best way to get into this genre. So in this sense, Triangle Strategy from Square Enix is oddly refreshing. Between permadeath and complicated customization options, there is a lot to discourage a more casual audience from giving them a try. Strategy RPGs can be intimidating, unforgiving affairs.
