Gosupani! (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

『Marie and the Sage's ForestThis is an article introducing "Gosupani!", an SRPG released by the author of "[presumably]" after an 8-year hiatus (the game folder name suggests it's an abbreviation for "Ghost Panic").
In addition to the elaborate graphics and map design, the addition of new gameplay elements to recruiting companions was also enjoyable.

My clear time on Cookie difficulty was approximately 4 hours.
*Difficult difficulty level

Game Overview

On a night that occurs only once every few years, when magical powers are at their peak, ghosts appear all over town, causing chaos. Amidst all this, a rabbit (Pyontaro (Bartholomew)) rushes into the witch Luna's house begging for help.
Luna was not at all enthusiastic, but she decided to go on a ghost-hunting quest in order to save the town and get a reward.

There are two difficulty levels: jelly and cookies.
If you're familiar with SRPGs, I recommend playing on the "Cookie" difficulty setting.
It has a gentle and heartwarming atmosphere, but there is a risk of losing something.

Except for the first and final episodes, the series is divided into two halves: the first and second halves.
The first half of the chapter is a "Capture Map," where you defeat five enemies that you want to recruit as allies.

Since defeating enemies forces them to join your party, the unique strategic element of deliberately avoiding defeating them enhances the game's appeal.

The latter half of the chapter is a "boss hunt map," where the objective is simply to defeat the boss and clear the stage.
Just like in typical SRPGs, it's important to take your time, defeat enemies, and progress through the game.
Each map requires different strategies, including both ways of avoiding and defeating enemies, demanding a well-balanced approach to gameplay.

As you can see from the map tiles, this game makes extensive use of beautiful graphics.
In addition, the carefully selected background music further enhances the game's world.
With its abundance of adorable character graphics, you'll be able to fully immerse yourself in the game's world.

Review (no spoilers)

I had a lot of fun playing it all the way to the end.
I felt that the previous work had "forest" as its visual theme, but this time, it felt like "Halloween" was the main theme.
Both the story and the visuals depict a boisterous party of ghosts, and the film progresses in a lighthearted and comical atmosphere.

The process of recruiting allies involved more than simply defeating enemies, which made for a fresh and engaging gameplay experience.
Since there's a limit to the number of monsters you can capture, I'd prefer not to capture weaker monsters like slimes.
However, rare companions are located deep within the map, so you won't be able to get close to them without some ingenuity.
This is because slimes actively attack your allies, and if you leave them alone, you'll end up defeating them in a counterattack, and they'll become your allies.

This leaves the player to decide whether to settle for units that are easily accessible nearby, or to put in the effort to recruit units that are further away.
Recruiting rare units can be quite challenging, but since that effort is ultimately a choice made by the player, it feels satisfying.

Furthermore, there are several characters who are strong despite being easy to recruit, much like Pierre from Dragon Quest V, so it's possible to clear the game with just those units (unverified).
It felt like the game struck a good balance, stimulating players' desire to collect rare units while still allowing them to clear the game without acquiring those units.

The difficulty level of the monster hunting map is not very high.
There are no parts that require complex tactics, so I don't think that will be a problem.
Weaker allied units will likely be defeated quickly, so be aware that units can be permanently lost.

However, the boss seemed quite formidable.
While brute force is possible, the difficulty level is perfectly balanced so that clever tactics will make it easier to overcome.
In the later stages, there were quite a few allied units to move despite the relatively large map, so I think there were times when it felt a bit repetitive.

The characters who join your team in the Capture Map may look the same, but they all have different names and are unique units that you can grow attached to.
The enemy characters in the subjugation maps also have unique names and descriptions, so it was fun to check them out.

You can progress through the game reasonably well even if you play without thinking too much, but if you put in the effort to collect rare units, you'll be rewarded with an easier time.
I think the key to enjoying this game is to play with some compromises within a stress-free range, rather than trying to get everything.
The game's overall visuals are excellent, so I think there will be people who are new to SRPGs who will be interested in playing it because of that.
In that case, it might be best to choose the easier difficulty level, such as Jelly.

Strategy Notes: Cookie difficulty (Spoiler alert)

It is extremely important to attack from outside the enemy's range without taking damage yourself.
Therefore, make good use of weapons with a range of 3 or more, and the units that can use them.

Shadow Stitch is an effective way to stop slimes in their tracks.
Since it's a valuable item, you should only use it when absolutely necessary.
Another strategy is to use tough units as decoys without giving them any weapons.

Chapter 1: The Ghosts Attack!

Make sure to gather information before deploying and include three allies in your party.
As long as you pay attention to that one point, you should be able to clear the rest without any particular difficulty.

Chapter 2, Part 1: The Graveyard Witch Terara

This map requires you to defeat five monsters that you want to add to your team.
Be careful, because if you defeat an enemy you don't want to add to your party through counterattacks or other means, they will be forcibly added to your party.
Slimes are generally a nuisance, but you can earn money by defeating them.

The first one I want to target is Nekota Sabao, the late-blooming character in the top left corner.
To avoid entering the enemy's attack range, have Luna approach from the left.
I think you'll have no choice but to defeat Pochi, Mugi, and Hachisuke, who are along the way.
If Luna gets injured, use a Bishop to heal her from a distance.
Against the demon wolf, don't hesitate to use the flames of Purgatory, and you can defeat it in one hit.

The next person I'd like to add is Terara, who's in the upper right corner.
The Shadow Stitch technique you possess will be useful in future capture maps.
To avoid entering the attack range of the demon wolf and the bees, take the central path.
If you anticipate encountering slimes along the way, equip your pawn with a short bow and Pyontaro with a wooden stick to prevent them from defeating you in a counterattack.

Terara attacks from the left with her pawn's shortbow, making sure not to enter Hachitaro's attack range.
Once you've weakened it to a certain extent, you can either defeat it directly or have Luke deliver the final blow.

Chapter 2, Part 2: The Legendary Witch, Ulla

Ulla is a formidable opponent, but stunning her with the Demon Wolf's charge attack is effective.
The probability of stunning the enemy is 50%, but if you stun it and then have everyone attack at once, you can easily defeat it.

Chapter 3, Part 1: Sister Lacerta

At first glance, I'd like to recruit Lacerta and Marie as allies.
You can safely defeat Marie with your pawn's shortbow.
Lacerta would do well to match up against Luna.
However, since it will heal once a certain amount of damage is dealt, deal a little damage and then quickly burn it down with the flames of purgatory.

The approaching slimes are a nuisance, so you can restrain them with Terara's Shadow Stitching technique for peace of mind.
You may need to defeat any troublesome slimes that you can't stop in your tracks.

Chapter 3, Part 2: The Great Pirate Tigris

The defensive positions strategically placed can be safely breached by using short bows or Tsujisawa, weapons with a range of 3, to gradually break through them from outside their range.

We definitely want to get our hands on the valuable item held by the enemy deep within Tigris, so let's use the Shadow Stitch technique to immobilize it.
Be careful not to place the enemy in the wrong spot, or you won't be able to proceed further until you defeat Tigris.

Chapter 4, First Half: Village Chief Raum

The ones we'd like to capture are probably Raum, who appears from the far right of the center, and the Great Demon God, who appears from the bottom right.
I think it would be best to defeat the three enemies along the way—Tomi, Beats-kun, and Kerohiko—while ignoring the other enemies.
It would be a good idea to stop Pururun 11, who is near the starting position, with the Shadow Stitch technique.

Since Raum will approach us, we'll attack him all at once when he gets close.
Elk-chan was also appealing because she has the ability to move again, but I gave up on capturing her at the same time as the Great Demon God because it seemed too difficult.

Chapter 4, Second Half: Saint Lilium

Basically, you should be fine as long as you slowly advance while dealing with the approaching enemies.
However, be careful of the Illusion Mushroom Mash.
Being confused by the Song of Illusion is extremely dangerous because it causes you to attack your allies.

Chapter 5, Part 1: The Vigilantes Attack!

Notable units to capture include Nash, Chryseis, the wild gorilla (with the Hero's Pendant), Ignis, the seagull, the flying soldier, and the elf.
Chryseis can be recruited by talking to Marie, so you can send her there alone.
Wild gorillas are dangerous if you get too close, so it's safer to use techniques like Shadow Stitch or Sleep to immobilize them before fighting.
It's difficult to capture enemies behind Ignis, but try to actively use disabling techniques and do your best to capture the units you're targeting.

Chapter 5, Part 2: Prince Rex

The most striking feature of this map is the high attack power of the cavalry assault units, making them formidable opponents.
When deploying them, focus on having them act as a shield, positioning them on the front lines to absorb attacks.
If you can lure them in by getting close, even if you can't defeat them all, you can buy yourself some time by incapacitating them with techniques like Shadow Stitch.

Be careful, as three cavalry assault units will appear from the north for about three turns starting from turn 13.
I think it would be best to join forces with the troops on the lower side and intercept them together.

Chapter 6: The Witch Lucchiola

At the start, Lucchiola will target Luna with dark waves for a while, so be careful of your remaining HP.
Angelman is a formidable opponent, so let's fight him with all our might without holding back.
Other formidable opponents include Ghost-chan EX and Demon Man, so it's best to lure them out little by little while you fight them.

At the end, each copy will come towards you, so it's dangerous to fight near Lucchiola.
If possible, it would be best to retreat to a lower position and fight there.
Since this is the final map, I think you don't need to worry too much about a certain amount of casualties.

Unit usage impressions (spoiler alert)

I've selected these units from those I deployed in the final stage.

Luna

Being a mage who could fly made him very useful.
In particular, the Infernal Flames were powerful in the early stages and proved invaluable in defeating tough enemies in the capture map.
While not top-tier in terms of combat power, its advantage as an airborne unit made its range 3 attacks from a safe distance useful.

・Pyon Taro

I didn't use them much in combat, but their support was extremely useful.
It was powerful because it allowed me to adjust when I lacked offensive capabilities or healing options.
If you get defeated, it's game over, but since I was using it in a safe zone, I was never defeated.
Very cute.

·pawn

They were our army's absolute ace unit and incredibly powerful.
Just having access to a short bow with a range of 2-3 right from the start is a huge advantage.
By acquiring a skill that eliminates weapon wear, you can use the elf bow infinitely and even perform follow-up attacks, making you a powerful attacker.
I gave him a long sword, but he basically never used it.

Luke

This is an initial unit that can be easily moved again.
He could have become quite strong if he had been trained, but Pawn became too strong, so he didn't get to play a very significant role.
However, the hit-and-run tactics using repositioning are convenient, so it seems worthwhile to deploy them.

Bishop

She's a valuable healer who joined the party early on.
They have all the necessary healing spells from the moment they join, so the only thing left to do is decide whether or not to give them offensive methods or tricky tactics, depending on your preference.
Healers are invaluable, so I never relinquished my permanent spot in the team until the very end.

Pochi

They weren't particularly strong, but I deployed them anyway.
The fact that it originally had a pursuit attack and the range of 1-2 with its whip were subtly useful.
However, he tends to lack strength in the second half of the season, so he is one of the candidates for replacement.

・Nekota Sabao

This is a powerful unit that will mature later in life.
While your stats don't increase with level ups, you acquire skills that boost your stats every five levels, allowing you to gradually become stronger.
This is a versatile unit that can fulfill any role, from attacker to tank.
I would definitely like to add them to my team and raise them.

・Marie

This is the protagonist from the previous work.
While its magic-related stats are high, it's not exceptionally strong.
The fact that you can persuade Chryseis to join your party, and that she's cute, are her strengths.

Lacerta

This is a front-line attacker who can also act as a healer.
Since its HP naturally recovers every turn, it's useful as a tough tank.
Healers are valuable, so there's no harm in deploying them.

・Kerohiko

She wasn't particularly strong, but I added her to my team because I had a spare bow.
Bows have a long range, which gives you a significant advantage, so if you're unsure, choosing to capture is a good option.

・Raum

This character is a physical attacker with high attack power.
The punching gloves that allowed for three attacks were particularly powerful and proved incredibly reliable even against tough opponents.

・Great Demon God

It can equip various weapons and magic, and is fairly tough in terms of durability, making it a strong character.
However, since it possesses a skill that lowers the stats of surrounding allies, it's best to use it alone.
If you learn Super Regeneration, which restores 20 HP every turn, you won't have to worry too much even if you're fighting alone.

Nash

This attacker possesses many powerful pieces of equipment, such as Nekotamaru and the Legendary Sword.
To be honest, the pawns were stronger, so the pawns didn't get much use.

Chryseis

He's a well-balanced attacker, moderately strong in both physical and magical attacks.
However, because my own pawns were quite powerful, I didn't end up sending them to fight aggressively on the front lines very often.

Ignis

As a highly defensive tank, he effectively held off the cavalry in Chapter 5.
This tank is recommended for the front lines when you want to build a wall.

・Count Bird

Its greatest feature is its high mobility, thanks to its movement range of 12, guaranteed extra action, and extra movement.
Normally, she's sufficient as a "weird song" user who weakens attack power, but if you enhance her magical power and give her stronger spells, she can also function as a magic attacker.
It proved useful in the final map, where you wanted to eliminate shooters with low defense or units that were applying buffs to the entire area just by being present.