Labyrinth of Refrain and the Witch's Brigade (Vita) Impressions ① Playtime: about 10 hours

This game is a dungeon-crawling RPG released by Nippon Ichi Software in June 2016.
The PS4 version was released on September 28, 2017.

However, since I don't own a PS4, I recently purchased the Vita version.
I've always been quite fond of dungeon RPGs, and although I'm not a heavy user, I've played a variety of them.
This time, I'll be writing about my impressions of the early stages of the game.

My Dungeon RPG History

When I first got into gaming, I was hooked on "Wizardry Empire" for the Game Boy and "Wizardry Dingir" for the PlayStation.

After that, I played games like "Wizardry Empire: Ancient Princess" on the PlayStation,I love the "BUSIN" series on PS2.I also played Atlus's "Etrian Odyssey" series.
Recently, I've been playing games like "Demon Gaze 2" and "Stranger of Sword City," and I really enjoyed them.

Generally speaking, I like that it's more challenging than a typical RPG, and therefore requires more thought.

The essence of dungeon RPGs

I think the appeal of this genre lies in creating your own characters, exploring diligently with your party, acquiring good items, and growing stronger.

A powerful enemy might suddenly appear and wipe out your entire party, or if you're lucky, you might obtain a very powerful item right from the start.The game's appeal lies in its balance between the possibility of striking it rich and the unpredictable nature of the future.

You might spend a long time exploring a dungeon, thinking "just a little further, just a little further...", only to be wiped out by a powerful enemy. I think this game helps you hone your sense of knowing when to quit.

The appeal of this work, etc.

Now, onto this work.
The developer is Nippon Ichi Software, a company with a strong reputation for SRPGs.
This is apparently the manufacturer's first DRPG, and I'm impressed with how well-made it is.

The characters and overall atmosphere share a common thread with the company's other works: "The art is cute, but somehow it's dark and gruesome."
However, this matches the bleak worldview that is characteristic of DRPG works, so I think it's not a problem.

The first reason I decided to buy this game was the large number of players participating in battles.
基本、戦闘に参加するメンバーが多いゲームは好きなのですが、本作ではパーティーが最大40人とのことです。
This number is due to the fact that the game involves forming a small group called a "coven" to explore.

A coven can have up to 5 units, and each unit can consist of a maximum of 8 members: 3 attackers (combat participants) and 5 supporters.
The fact that there are 15 members in the battle alone (3 x 5) makes it a unique RPG, and I thought it sounded interesting.

Currently, the brigade has grown to about 10 members.The number of combat participants has increased to about eight, and since all of them are characters I created myself, my imagination runs wild and I've grown quite attached to them.
It has many unique system elements, which are revealed gradually as the story progresses, so it stays fresh for quite some time.
Features like carryover, which allows players to accumulate experience points instead of gaining them immediately to aim for bonuses, are useful for leveling up and keep players engaged.

The difficulty level is the same as in traditional dungeon RPGs.It's fairly expensive.
However, there are plenty of options to suit players of various skill levels, so I think it's not a problem.

However, there are some minor inconveniences, such as the large map being difficult to view quickly.
But for now, I'm enjoying playing it.
I'll probably write another article after playing for a while longer.