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Fight Life Vanguard is a recently released turn-based tactics RPG, which came out on April 10th. While the title may have received some criticism (from only a handful of user reviews), it is a relatively enjoyable game to play, especially for those who love this kind of strategy RPG gameplay.
What Is Fight Life Vanguard About?
Fight Life Vanguard is a turn-based strategy RPG with some elements of story in the early stages of the game. In this game, you will control a hero who managed to survive after being very close to dying thanks to the help of a spirit. Your first few missions include map exploration, creature elimination (such as wolves, goblins, spiders, and skeletons), and gradually creating your party.
Basic Combat Systems
Before engaging in any battles, here are important combat mechanics that players should know:
1. Defense and Health Bars
Each character has the following two bars:
The Yellow Bar (Defense): Functions as a defensive shield. Once this bar runs out, it means the character begins receiving health damage.
The Red Bar (Health): As soon as this one drops to 0, the character dies. An injury is inflicted on him/her. If the same happens again, it is fatal.
Note: The defense bar recharges automatically after battles or by skipping the turn or defending during a fight. Injuries require medkits for curing.
2. The “Surrounded” Effect
Be careful with the diamonds under your enemies. They imply a flanking/surrounding effect. It means that the more diamonds there are, the higher the damage your attacks cause. Area attacks such as the mage’s Controlled Explosion become very effective against grouped enemies.
3. Actions during Combat
Each character may perform the following actions during a fight:
- Attack with either basic abilities or special abilities
- Defend and restore 1/4 of max defense along with halving incoming damage
- Skip turn to recharge the defense bar
- Hold position to counterattack
- Use scrolls or potions (scrolls may prove really useful in a fight).
Party Members and Class Advancement
Initially, your main class is a basic Hunter, Worker, Neophyte, Savage and Watchman. You are allowed to recruit three more party. A beginner’s advice here is to always select a Watchman as one of your party members since his role is to soak damage and shield weaker ranged party members.
Class Evolution (Ascensions)
Every single class has its ability to evolve further into more advanced versions. For instance:
- Worker – Baron or Halberdier
- Neophyte – Battle Mage or Druid
Nonetheless, keep in mind that gaining levels might not necessarily give new active skills; there could also be just passive ones, which is quite disappointing sometimes. The progression itself seems pretty fast; you might advance your character halfway through its maximum level very soon.
Exploring & Loot
Maps are tiny without mini-maps; thus, memorization is key.
- Barrels, bodies, and other entities may be looted for rings, potions, and scrolls.
- Rings offer passive enhancements, such as Defense +3 and defense recovery each round +2.
- Potions heal your health (20 HP), restore defense (+20), and restore stamina.
- Medkits strip any wounds from your fallen comrades.
- Scrolls are single-use objects, casting potent spells, like Lightning that deals 25 damage to one entity.
Fight Life Vanguard is an affordable turn-based tactics game. The game is not going to change the genre in any way, but it definitely needs some polishing, especially in terms of the absence of controls menu and weak level-ups system.
More indie games
For more articles on other indie games, please check out the links below:
Videogames.
Gym.
My dog.
Sneakers.
Manga.
In that order.
