If you’re in the market for your next big RPG,PlayStation Plushas got you covered. We’re now firmly in the throes of June: the weather’s warm, and, if you’re lucky, you’re off school for the season, or have started your summer Fridays. When it’s too hot to go outside, and you just want to sit on the couch with controller in hand, you probably want a nice, expansive RPG to sink your teeth into. Without any ideas, you may find yourselfbrowsing the PS Plus library- after all, since you already pay for your subscription, it’s low stakes.
But, in case you need a recommendation to guide your search,PS Plus just got a solid, classically-styled, turn-based RPG that’s more than worth checking out. It may not be an absolutely perfect game, but it’s got a lot of great ideas that are worth exploring for yourself. If nothing else, it’s got a great deal of content if you’re looking for a way to kill time this summer. Here’s why you need to check outEiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroesnow that it’s on PS Plus.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Is Now On PS Plus
Why You Should Care
Eiyuden Chroniclearrived on PS Plus earlier this week, on June 17. Unfortunately,it’s only playable on the Extra and Premium tiers- althoughEssential players also have three great gamesto check out this month. In case you didn’t already know,Eiyuden Chronicleis the brainchild of Yoshitaka Murayama, creator of theSuikodenseries.Suikodenstarted on the PS1 as a pretty solid, old-school RPG - its big gimmick was thatyou could recruit over 100 charactersduring the course of a single playthrough.Eiyudenis a spiritual successor to that concept, with 120 recruitables of its own.
The story ofEiyuden Chronicleultimately changes based on how many heroes you’ve recruited.
So that already gives it a lot of runtime and replay value; if you somehow fail to recruit a certain person on your first playthrough, you can always go back and try again. But even if you only play it through once, there’s a lot to be seen here. PerHow Long to Beat,Eiyuden Chronicletakes roughly 48 hours to complete- and that’s if you’re solely focused on the main story. Those who delve further into its side content will find just over 100 hours of content, although how much of that you choose to engage with is up to you.
Eiyuden Chronicleemphasizes exploration and discovery over all, butit has a decent combat system, too. This is turn-based combat at its simplest: you control a big party, choosing from attacks and spells, the latter of which you equip to your character via mysterious items called Rune Lenses. Certain heroes, when placed in the party together, can perform special combo attacks. It’s never particularly difficult, but it’s an effective system, simple to understand and enjoyable when it works well.
Hundred Heroes Has Garnered A Solid Fanbase
Despite Its Flaws, There’s A Lot To Like
It’s worth noting thatEiyuden Chroniclewas originally crowdfunded, and what a crowdfunding campaign it had: raising over four million dollars,it’s the third-highest funded game ever to appear on the Kickstarter platform, behind onlyShenmue 3andBloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Quite a bit like both of those other games, though,Eiyuden Chronicledoesn’t always live up to the legacy of its predecessors. It’s got a 79 onMetacritic, which, while far from terrible, doesn’t exactly place it among the year’s best.
Eiyuden Chronicledoesn’t always live up to the legacy of its predecessors.
By and large,the issue isEiyuden Chronicle’s writing. The dialogue can be pretty corny, and the story is a little shallow, especially compared to the mature war epics of theSuikodenseries. Characters are repetitive and often one-note, which is largely a feature, not a bug, of this style of hundred-character RPG. It’s not awful by any means, but it leaves a little to be desired. Many players also found the visuals a bit dull, or the combat overly simple.
Why You Should Play Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Defending Eiyuden Chronicle
That said,Eiyuden Chroniclehas its defenders (and I’m one of them). A common criticism of it is that it lacks the quality-of-life features we expect from a modern RPG, butthat’s the whole point. Old-school games didn’t use save points and lack fast travel because they couldn’t program such things on older consoles; they were part of the challenge. If you appreciate that often trying aspect of classic RPGs, then you’ll appreciate it inEiyuden Chronicle, too.
Andif you enjoy the exploration and recruitment aspects of classic RPGs, then you’ll find plenty of it inEiyuden Chronicle. Again, there are over 100 characters to find - that ought to keep you busy for a while, even if some of them can be a little repetitive.
Unfortunately, Yoshitaka Murayama passed away shortly beforeEiyuden Chronicle’s release, and wasn’t able to see its positive reception. He was a big part of what makes this game special, and its unlikely origins and refusal to compromise make it a really fitting final game for such a visionary developer. Hopefully, more players can see the appeal ofEiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroesnow that it’s onPlayStation Plus.
