The DioField Chronicle

The DioField Chronicle is a unique strategy RPG that tries something truly new in the genre, even if it stumbles a bit along the way.

The DioField Chronicle has proved to be quite the surprise. Its story isn’t the most riveting out there, but it is interesting, with a cast of characters whose motives aren’t always clear. But what carries it are its battles, which are enjoyably deep but not bogged down in complexity or length. They’re fun and engaging, challenging you to think and act fast while making use of the skills available to you. Everything comes together to create one of Square Enix’s most enjoyable RPGs in some time, with a combat system that we hope we haven’t seen the last of.

The DioField Chronicle is an interesting JRPG with a unique story to the genre. The game runs beautifully on the Steam Deck, though cinematic cutscene slowdowns and some very minor controller gripes do exist.

The real-time strategy battles are an innovative aspect of the game that I'd love to see adapted in more RPGs, and while I do wish the protagonists weren't as cookie-cutter as they come, I'll take bland stories and pretty art over boring gameplay any day.

Sure enough with its relatively simplistic challenge, brisk battles and unspectacular presentation, The DioField Chronicle will likely struggle to find an audience among the burgeoning throng of armchair generals looking for their next tactical fix. For everyone else however who would like to a dip a toe or two in those genre waters, The DioField Chronicle is the sort of easily accessible, dip-in/dip-out tactical RPG that you need in your life right now.

“The DioField Chronicle includes a lot of setup for potential sequels, but it does a solid job of laying down the proper foundation to make that work long-term.”

Its stunning real-time battles with tactical pause are packed with drama and visual flourishes, but The DioField Chronicle's convoluted story and deeply questionable cast hold it back from true greatness.

Titles like The DioField Chronicle usually falter based on whether or not they have good stories, but it's quite the opposite in this case. The boring story is disappointing, but the combat is so enjoyable it's easy to forget about. Each map feels creative and diverse so there's not too much repeat. It's truly a shame the story couldn't power through to ultimately make an impact, but there's hope here for some other title to use a similar combat style with a better focus on understanding a more engaging story. The DioField Chronicle will not be for everyone, but those who see the combat and th...

Despite its various shortcomings, The DioField Chronicle is a refreshing take on strategy RPGs with satisfying gameplay systems and bold narrative design.

The DioField Chronicle's real-time strategy combat will appeal to genre fans with its freshness, but it's let down by significant flaws in both gameplay and storytelling that hamper the experience.

The DioField Chronicle feels like it’s been sent to die as some mega-niche undertaking, but it’s nevertheless a pleasingly experimental tactical RPG adventure.

The Diofield Chronicle is a pedestrian real-time tactics game that suffers from a lack of imagination.