Recommended SRPG free game "The Spoon Has Been Cast": Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an article introducing "The Spoon Has Been Cast," a game created with SRPG Studio by Zatsumi Togarashi.
This SRPG features a meticulously crafted system that completely eliminates the use of random numbers.
It features an exhilarating scenario and gameplay where you crush your enemies with a cheerful attitude.
(As of January 2025, a demo version playable up to Chapter 10 is available.)
(→The final version was released in May 2025)

As a side note, the title of this work, "The Spoon Has Been Cast," seems to be a wordplay combining the famous Caesar story of "the die is cast" and the idiom "to throw in the spoon," which means to abandon or give up. I think it's a clever title that combines two things that look similar and are often confused.

The game consisted of 10 chapters plus 5 quests, and it took me about 3 hours to complete.
It took approximately 18 hours to complete everything (normal route).

*This article was written at two different times: once while playing the demo version and again after completing the full version. Therefore, the structure of the content reflects those two periods.

Game Overview

This game is a simulation RPG starring Marietta, the axe-wielding girl.
This game has many features that differ from typical SRPGs, so even if you don't usually read the ReadMe file, I recommend you take a look.

We will introduce the main systems in order.

This game contains absolutely no random elements.
For example, if the attacker's hit rate is even one point lower than the opponent's dodge rate, the hit rate becomes 0%.
Conversely, if the values are equal or greater, the 100% attack will hit.
Similarly, if the attacker's special move is stronger than the opponent's ability to evade it, a critical hit is guaranteed.
Unlike other SRPGs, there's no need to reload and try again when you miss an attack due to a borderline hit rate, which in a way makes it a more straightforward design.

No special grinding is required to level up.
Upon clearing a stage, you will be awarded experience points corresponding to your level.
This means that individual development will almost never be delayed, so you won't have to worry about training.

Additionally, this game features an automatic difficulty adjustment function.
By clearing stages in fewer turns without injuring any characters, you accumulate a hidden parameter called "proficiency," and the difficulty of the stages will increase according to this value.
To avoid causing stress for players, this value is not planned to be visible in the game.
(This will be displayed at certain intervals in the trial version.)

Other features include no rock-paper-scissors system, no loss of characters, and quest maps designed for farming.
It offers a different gameplay experience compared to orthodox SRPGs, so it might feel refreshing to those looking for something a little different.

Review (no spoilers)

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
I've completed up to Chapter 10, which is the last chapter of the demo version.
Since it was described as a game without random elements, I had imagined something like a chess puzzle, but my expectations were completely overturned.
The game's mechanics, where all attacks hit, all dodges, and all critical hits are achieved if your corresponding stats are superior to your opponent's, were incredibly satisfying.
It was satisfying to quickly reduce the number of enemies by choosing which ones I could defeat in one hit.

The units deployed are fixed, and all units receive a large amount of experience points upon clearing a stage, so there is little freedom in unit development.
Due to the nature of the game, it's unlikely that there will be a significant difference in combat power regardless of how players progress, so the game design allows players to focus on strategy.
The information gathered before attempting the challenge is quite comprehensive, providing valuable hints for efficiently completing the challenge in a short number of turns.

In the "Music Room," accessible from your base, you can find the titles and links to the background music used in the game.
Since this game uses quite a variety of songs, being able to check the details is a subtly welcome feature.

I think this game has enough depth to satisfy both casual and hardcore players.
Unlike traditional SRPGs where unit development is the main enjoyment, this game focuses on making full use of each unit's unique characteristics to clear stages.
This isn't a heavy war story; it's a work that incorporates various references (including movies, anime, and games).
Please note that this game is almost 180 degrees different from titles like "Tactics Ogre".

(Impressions after completing the game)
I cleared it on the normal route.
As you progress through the game, there are more maps that test your understanding of unit characteristics and skills, making it difficult to clear them without careful planning.
However, as mentioned earlier, there are plenty of hints available before you start playing, so there's not much to worry about.
For players like me, whose primary goal is simply to complete the game, I think you won't feel much stress while playing.

As the game progresses, the enemies get stronger, but you also acquire various overpowered equipment, leading to inflation and a satisfying feeling of becoming stronger.
Since it also includes elements for repeated playthroughs, this game is recommended for those who want to play it extensively.

Strategy Notes - Part 1 (Spoiler Warning)

*I don't care about gaining proficiency points at all. Winning is all that matters.

Prologue: The Sunset of Glory

First playthrough completion turn: Enemy's 5th turn

I left the north side to Marietta and the south side to Sumire.
After defeating the three goblins, Sumire headed north while using herbs to heal herself.
Following the advice she received from gathering information, Marietta waits at a point where she can take advantage of the terrain's effects and intercepts the remaining enemies.

The boss is a tough opponent, but Marietta's skills will strengthen her as her HP decreases, so I think you'll be able to defeat her without any problems.
Let's have Sumire join in too, and together we'll defeat it.

Chapter 2: The Evil Forest

Turns to clear on first playthrough: Ally's 13th turn

If you examine the yellow flower in the upper right, you will obtain a rapier, so give it to Violet.
Using a rapier makes critical hits and follow-up attacks more likely.
We all moved in a way that involved circling around from the north, with Marietta acting as the rearguard to hold off the enemy's pursuit.
Dealing with every single reinforcement would be pointless, so let's just ignore them and let them pursue us.
In forested terrain, both friendly and enemy forces will advance more slowly, so you are less likely to be surrounded and in danger.
It's helpful to make good use of Dorothy's Healing Staff (range 3).

Since Tsuruhime is guaranteed to act again after defeating an enemy, if she couldn't finish off an enemy on her own, I would have Dorothy or Sumire weaken them first before defeating them.
Ultimately, I equipped Sumire with a rapier and positioned her next to the boss to defeat it.

Chapter 3 Relief

Turns to clear on first playthrough: Ally's 12th turn

The goal is to defeat the boss, but since the boss weakens as you defeat its Doms, aim to defeat the druid positioned above the hole.

Tsuruhime's spear attacks are effective, and defeating an enemy allows her to act again.
I think it's an easy-to-use unit, so it's a good idea to buy a spare spear from the shop for peace of mind.

Spinel can deal quite a bit of damage when using her magic sword.
As has been pointed out during information gathering, be aware that you are somewhat weak if you don't use a magic sword.

Starry's magic is more powerful after meditation, so try to meditate whenever you have a free moment.

Flora has a skill that restores a small amount of HP to surrounding units at the start of each turn.
However, since its mobility is very low, try to have it walk along the road as much as possible while guarding it.

I personally really like the background music used in this stage.
（m-art: Episteme）

Chapter 4: The Throne Room

Number of turns so far: 30

This map is simply a place to talk to each character.
There is no combat.

QA1 Farm work

Weeds will actively move towards you, but the big grasses won't budge.
Let's start by pulling out the weeds.
However, the large grass will always attack first due to its preemptive skill.
Be mindful of your remaining HP when launching an attack.

*When Marietta attacked the large grass, a critical hit against trees was triggered, dealing approximately double the damage.

QA2 warehouse number

Since there are many enemies, it's best to deploy units that can exploit their weaknesses and defeat them in one hit.
Poltergeists can be easily defeated with Dorothy's Light or Starry's Windcutter.
Druids and Skullhorns can be defeated in one hit with a critical hit from Jade.
Let's proceed carefully, making sure to avoid being subjected to concentrated attacks.

QA3 Pet care

The Chimera is powerful, but you can surround and attack it from the first turn, so deploy units with strong physical attacks to defeat it.
This might be the most time-efficient quest for earning money.

Chapter 5: Operation Overlord

First playthrough completion time: 12 turns for allies

This map is cleared by defeating the enemy, Count Tyranus.
Operate the switch located across the river near the starting point, and the drawbridge will move, allowing you to cross.
By using Jade's repositioning ability to eliminate the Armor Knights guarding the switch, the drawbridge will become available for immediate use.
Since the boss is relatively close, it should be much easier than going around from the south.
However, this route is subject to intense enemy fire, including enemies equipped with longbows, so you should be careful not to rush in too aggressively.

Enemies who speak lines like those of generic soldiers in Super Robot Wars.

Chapter 6: Operation Overlord Continues

First playthrough completion time: 15 turns (clear condition: defend until the end of turn 15)

This map is quite challenging to intercept.
On the sortie preparation screen, dismount Hisui from the Griffon and change her class to Lancer.
If you equip them with pikes, they'll wipe out all enemy aircrew with counterattacks.
There are a lot of enemies, so let's defend the bridge by blocking it.

By the way, in the state shown in this image, it's too late.

On your 13th turn, three assassins will appear near your base.
If left unchecked, Count Tyranus will be stabbed to death and the battle will end, so make sure to gather the members on the south side around him by the previous turn.
If you open the blocked bridge, enemies will of course pour in, but you're almost at the 15-turn mark to clear the level.
If we retreat through the forest, the enemy shouldn't be able to pursue us easily.

Clearing the game by defeating the battalion commander would definitely be considered a challenge for dedicated players.

Chapter 7 TRINITY IDOL

The old man knows it's not a typo.

First playthrough completion turn: Ally's 4th turn

As advised, let's focus our attacks on May first and take her down.
We will focus our attack on Marietta, who can perform anti-aircraft suicide attacks.
Alice and Frau won't attack units that are about to be defeated, so don't worry about the damage you'll take from May's counterattacks and just attack.

Once you've defeated May, all you have to do is whittle down her health while making sure you don't get defeated by her counterattacks.
Be careful, as losing allies and reducing your unit count will slow down the turn required to complete the stage.

Chapter 8: The Throne Room, Once Again

Number of turns so far: 61

This map is simply a place to talk to each character.
There is no combat.

QA4 Fight Club

The enemy numbers are overwhelming, so let's send out some tough members of our team.
It will be a simple clash, but try to attack in a way that minimizes the chances of being counterattacked, while also focusing on reducing the number of enemy units.
Due to the skill, you cannot defeat enemies with 2 or more HP through counterattacks, so it should be fine to fight by whittling down their HP during their turn and then defeating them during your turn.

QA5 I love fruit.

Both gorillas and bears are formidable opponents if you fight them head-on.
However, if you have Marietta, who has high evasion, wait up in the forest, you should be able to avoid the bear's attack.
I think a gorilla could land a powerful punch at close range, but it could probably dodge a boomerang with a range of 2.
Prioritize taking down the gorillas with hand axes or similar weapons.
At worst, if you deploy Griffon Knight Hisui and use your base surrounded by the river to heal, I think you'll eventually be able to clear it.

Chapter 9: The Attack

Turns to clear on first playthrough: Ally's 11th turn

Divide your troops into left and right halves, and distribute similar roles evenly between them.
At the very least, it would be wise to separate the healers, Rotis and Dorothy.

Nebiros is very useful because if you use Dark Mist in an area where many enemies are clustered together, you can quickly take down many enemies at once.
However, since you'll need to get close to the enemies to take them down, after using Dark Mist, be sure to quickly secure the area with other allied units.
You'll likely use the castle walls to defend yourself, but be careful not to be defeated by enemies you've weakened during their turn.
This map is ideal for using Viola's range 3 Longbow/Composite Bow, or Starry's Ice Javelin.
When deciding on an interception point, be mindful of the attack range of your allied ballistae.

Chapter 10: The Attack - Part 2

First playthrough completion turn: Allies' 11th turn (Initial clear objective achieved → Allies' 5th turn)

First, we'll all head south, and then our goal will shift to heading north with all our might.
I don't think the enemy cavalry will catch up to us, so let's just keep going without worrying too much.
You can easily wipe out groups of enemies by using Nebiros's Dark Mist to whittle them down in one go.

Once you defeat the two defenders to the south, Alice Frau May will appear to the northwest as an allied reinforcement.
Let's have them act as a vanguard until the main force arrives.
May has extremely high destructive power because she is guaranteed to act again after defeating an enemy.
If you charge into the enemy ranks on your first turn, and then move to the other side of the wall after attacking on your second turn, you can execute a perfect hit-and-run strategy.

This concludes the trial version.
I understand that the maximum proficiency level is 120, but I've had to sacrifice quite a few injured soldiers along the way, so my proficiency level hasn't increased very much.

To be continued in Part 2.

Strategy Notes - Part 2 (Spoiler Warning)

The game automatically adjusts the difficulty level just by playing normally, which makes it very comfortable for me since my goal is to complete the game.

Chapter 11: The Heart of the Disaster

Mashle and Trent, who inflict poison, are troublesome.
In particular, the Trent has a range of 3, and you need to stand on a damage tile to attack it from an adjacent position.
It's a good idea to purchase antidotes, resistance items, and staves in advance so you can quickly remove the poison status.

The Trent on the far right gains 16 HP each turn, and its stats also increase by 64 each time.
If you take too long, it will be extremely difficult to defeat, so be careful.

When Violet examines the flower in the upper right center, she obtains the Rose Rapier and then changes her class to Edelritter.

Chapter 12: Breaking Through the Enemy Encirclement

Sayo and Ecriel are surrounded by the enemy.
If you can send Tsuruhime forward and move her across the river to the sandbar on the west side, you can take a breather for now.
Giving Tsuruhime a spear or pike will make her easier to fight with.
Especially if you equip him with a pike, you'll be able to defeat almost any enemy that attacks you directly.

There are many enemies, but they aren't very strong, so let's have our main force move towards the bridge in the southeast.
Actaeon is easier to fight if you focus on physical attacks, while Samson and Adon are easier to defeat if you focus on ranged attacks.

Chapter 13: The Three Villains of the Hidden Fortress

I think the easiest and most straightforward way to eliminate the Barista is to use Hisui or Frau's warp ability to cross the mountains.
I don't recommend using May, as she's vulnerable to being shot while crossing the mountains.
Opening the blue treasure chest near the center of the map will instantly add Belial to your party.
Using the command skill Double Kulbit will make it easier to approach enemy ballistas.

Chapter 14 Those Who Gathered

This map allows you to enjoy conversations with each character.

QA6 IDLING IDOL

This map requires only four players to deploy and protect the target idol from 12 fans.
You will be fighting against three enemies at a time, all by yourself.
I think it would be best to simply deploy tough characters like Marietta and Tsuruhime, and characters with high evasion like Belial and Sayo (whose evasion increases as their HP decreases).

QA7 Interactive Aquarium

Hammers and ice magic are effective against crocodiles, so I think you should deploy Frau, Starry, May, Marietta, and Ruri.
While being careful to avoid being attacked by two at the same time, concentrate your attacks to reduce their numbers.

Chapter 15: The Guidance of Light

We will divide the troops into three groups and advance.
The left and right units will be pushing back the continuously spawning undead, so we want to compose them with members who have the ability to annihilate them.
Nebiros, with its map-wide weapon (Negative Gate), has very high destructive power, so position it on either the left or right side of the map.
The central unit can advance in either direction, so it's flexible to allocate it to the side where forces are lacking.

After defeating the golem, the leftmost unit appears to have nowhere to advance.
However, there is a hidden passage to the right where the golem was, allowing you to regroup for the boss fight.

The objective is to defeat the boss, Sardis, but the ??? behind him will move around freely.
The guards surrounding the boss will not move until they are attacked once.
Use Nebiros's Negative Gate and other abilities to quickly eliminate the surrounding guards and unleash your attacks.

Chapter 16: The Great Darkness

First, defeat Mabel, who is at the starting point, with May & Spinel and recruit her as a companion.
After that, the troops are divided into left and right flanks and the army advances.
Since you'll be fighting a lot of endlessly spawning reinforcements, it's a good idea to allocate your units in a way that makes them better suited to defeating them.

There's a flying type fairy on the right, so it's easier to deal with if you have flying units on your side as well.
There are turtles on the left side, so it would be good to have a unit that can smash them with a hammer or something similar.
You'll want to eliminate the boss at the reinforcement spawn point as quickly as possible, but rushing things will only increase your own losses. So, observe the enemy's attack range and use evasion skills to lure them in for a fight.

The bosses are...? Everyone except ??? won't move, so let's take them down one by one.

Chapter 17: Towards What Is Approaching

There are many enemies, but most of them are charge-type enemies heading straight for us.
Therefore, I think the best course of action is to focus on interception for a while and reduce their numbers.
I felt that area-of-effect magic attacks were effective on this map.

Chapter 18: THE ARROW OF DESTINY

Since there are many enemies that use ranged attacks, let's counter them by deploying units that can also perform long-range attacks.
I think the safest strategy is to warp Frau to a place surrounded by dense jungle and use Illusion there.

Chapter 19: The Decisive Battle! Saruin

This map requires you to split your forces into two groups to conquer the area.
Since the area mainly consists of narrow passages, each unit needs at least one unit that can act as a wall to block the passages.
Prioritizing the deployment of units with a range of 3 or more will allow you to use your forces more effectively.

Chapter 20: The Necromancer Front

This map also has a large number of enemies, but the buildings provide cover, so the risk of being surrounded is relatively low.
However, since there are many enemies that can be defeated quickly, it's easy to end up losing prematurely.
It might be important to deliberately equip weaker weapons and wait.
There are many situations where you can easily use area-of-effect magic from behind obstacles, so make good use of it.

Chapter 21: The Phantom Menace

Aside from the boss, there aren't many enemies you need to be particularly wary of.
Since you'll be fighting three bosses at once, focus your attacks on Zenobia first, as she poses the greatest threat.
If you spread the damage too thinly, it will be healed by Feicia's staff.
Lowis's area-of-effect attacks using Negative Gate are troublesome, but you can attack him unilaterally with weapons that have a range of 2 or more.

Chapter 22: The Last Resort

This is also a rest stop map.

It's not bad... I guess?

QA8 Jungle Warfare

This map is not difficult as long as you don't try to defeat Little Red Riding Hood.
Good luck to those who take on the challenge.

QA9 Unidentified object from space

Since the blobs that will spawn endlessly are a nuisance, let's prepare some indirect attack methods that will allow us to defeat the deposits without having to eliminate the blobs.
As a hint for gathering information, the Clear Tomahawk and Demon Crystal, which have a special attack against hardened enemies and can attack through walls, are ideal.
Blobs possess a combat power that's just barely too strong to ignore, so eliminate them as needed.

QA10 Community Clean-up Operation

There are many enemies, but use obstacles to create a good wall.
This map is incredibly satisfying because you can wipe out a dense group of enemies with area-of-effect magic.
However, be careful with units that are only moderately strong, as they tend to get defeated easily.

Chapter 22 Side Story: The Hour of Twilight

This is a challenging map for hardcore players.
I gave it a try, but after muttering to myself, "Is this all there is to it as a warm-up?", I retreated.

Chapter 23: Techno Syndrome

The objective is to advance in a spiral pattern and defeat the boss in the center.
I think the baristas placed around it can be removed with jade without using any special methods.

We will eliminate any incoming airmen as needed and proceed towards the center.
The elite troops positioned south of the boss are quite strong, so it's safer to lure them out one by one and eliminate them carefully, even if it takes time.
I think Mei can safely eliminate the two shooters positioned near the boss using Liberate or similar abilities.

If you wait by the flower in the lower right of the center, you can obtain "Kill Berry" (which grants +3 to critical hit rate if you possess it).

Chapter 24 (first half) ALEA JACTA EST

The objective is to capture two fortresses.
Reinforcements appear around each fort every turn, so we want to avoid wasting too much time.

First, let's quickly take down General Morse, who is positioned in the fort in front of us, using May's hit-and-run tactics.
Since they only have weapons with a range of 1, you shouldn't have too much trouble if you keep attacking and then retreating.
Use May to defeat the surrounding reinforcements and use them as stepping stones to gain another turn.

After that, the troops advance both north and south, aiming for General Dahl.
General Dahl has weapons with a range of 1-2 and will counterattack, so it will be difficult for May alone.
Protect Ruri's Discustis and units with heavy armor-piercing weapons with other units and deliver them safely.
Since the terrain makes it easy for enemies to cluster together, use area-of-effect magic attacks frequently to gain an advantage in battle.
In my case, I advanced a little slowly, but I was able to defeat them on the 11th turn.
Ignore opponents you don't need to fight, perhaps by blocking bridges, and avoid engaging them as much as possible.

Chapter 24 (Second Half) Operation Fortitude

Compared to the first half, the enemy numbers are much more manageable, so we should be fine if we attack steadily.
Since the boss consists of two heavily armored enemies, make sure you have weapons that are effective against heavily armored enemies.

The second floor has a high density of enemies, but they won't move unless you enter their attack range, so let's take them out carefully.
Since they are clustered together, I think you can efficiently eliminate them by using area-of-effect attacks that go over walls or other clever tactics.

Chapter 25: Settling the Accounts of Ambition

This map involves marching through a forest.
Defeating a certain number of undead will activate Death Rain, dealing damage to all allies.
However, after being activated about three times, its use is sealed, and instead Nebiros gains Aura Rain (a map-wide attack).
A few shots of Aura Rain will wipe out the weaker enemies, so you should be able to clear the rest of the stage without too much trouble.

Chapter 26: Wasteland

Reinforcements keep coming out of the cave, so we definitely want to block it off as soon as possible.
It's safer to concentrate your forces on one location at a time and eliminate them there.
Let's divide the roles between members who attack and members who intercept the approaching enemy and eliminate them.
Since there are many areas where enemies are clustered together, I think you can defeat them quickly by using units that can perform area-of-effect attacks to cut in and then eliminating the weakened enemies.
The first two site supervisors don't have very high accuracy, so it's easier to lure them out with units that have high evasion.

Chapter 27: Oratorio Tangram

With reinforcements constantly appearing from the stairs behind you, this is a map where you want to reach the boss quickly and defeat him.
For the first missile you use, I think it's fine to target any enemy in your path other than the boss.

First, at the start, have Nebiros use Aura Rain twice to wipe out the weaker enemies.
In addition to deploying them in the same location as Dorothy and Ecriel, who can be given extra turns, it might be a good idea to boost their damage with support effects and magic orbs.

Quickly proceed down the newly cleared corridor and engage the boss in battle.
Up above, Ephesus, who uses area-of-effect attacks, and Smyrna, who uses Long Blind, move around freely.
Below, Pergamon, who uses area-of-effect attacks, moves freely.
The other bosses won't move from their spots, so let's take our time and defeat them.
Since there are only three bosses at the bottom, it might be a good idea to allocate slightly more of your forces to the upper levels.
Have a suitable unit block the passage and hold off the reinforcements that are pursuing from behind.

The treasure chest below contains a Dark Black Diamond and a Demonic Emerald.

Final Chapter: The Final Battle

First, I'll unleash Aura Rain a few times at the start to wipe out the weaker enemies.
After that, the troops will split into two groups and advance to press the switches on the left and right.

The High Priest guards are annoying because they use poison staves, but since the floor is inaccessible by warping, you can't simply go and defeat them.
Warping to the small room where the Gunsteed are located, or eliminating them with long-range weapons, will clear the area nicely.
You could eliminate them with Frau's Vanishing Nova or Starry's Galaxy, but that might be a bit of a waste.
Vanishing Nova can only be used on turns that are multiples of 3 after the third turn of the game, but if you give it an extra turn with support, you can use it twice in the same turn, which is very convenient, so make use of it.

Eliminating Gunsteed is difficult, so let's just eliminate the operators instead.
The gum is getting in the way, so lure it away and remove it before approaching the operator.

Necromancers continuously emerge from the hole.
By placing units on top to stop reinforcements, you can slowly conquer the area.
Be careful, as anyone other than the undead will take damage if they wait on top of the hole.
If you have a "Death Fragment," it would be a good idea to block it with a unit that is also holding it.

The three fakes placed on the warp-blocking floor will move when you enter their attack range.
Be careful of Cocytus of Pergamon, as it deals damage to an area of effect.
Fighting through the wall is a bit cumbersome, so if possible, press the switches on the left and right early and attack directly.
I think it's also a good idea to eliminate them with Vanishing Nova or Galaxy.

Since Ingel and the others are inside a small room, you can safely defeat them by attacking them from the outside with Vanishing Nova or Galaxy without opening the bulkhead.
Once only Ingel remains, open the bulkhead and engage in combat.

Be careful, because even if you defeat Inger once, he will revive stronger and then fully recover once more using Elixir.
It can nullify up to three attacks from outside its range per turn, but any attacks beyond that will still inflict damage.
Let's use our numerical advantage to launch a concentrated attack and defeat them.

Post-game content

After clearing the game, you can use the bonus points you've earned to bring in powerful items and play from the beginning again.
Since your score won't likely decrease, you can bring in as many items as you like and challenge yourself with the extra content.

Since you can bring in a wide variety of weapons and items, you can enjoy challenging enemies that you couldn't handle on your first playthrough.
It's also possible to recruit Belial as a party member from the very beginning.

Additionally, it's possible to challenge high-difficulty maps (I haven't tried them yet).

Unit usage impressions, etc. (Spoiler alert)

・ Marietta

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
She's an axe-wielding girl with high attack power and agility, making her a naturally strong combatant.
When HP was full, I would often use the no-guard strategy, and when HP was below 50%, I would often activate my last resort.
The hand axe was also easy to use and capable of indirect attacks, making it a primary weapon.

(Impressions after completing the game)
Para Belm's boss attack was powerful, and he performed admirably, befitting a protagonist.
His evasion stat is the second highest after Belial, and he's reliable because there are many enemies whose attacks he can dodge.

Violet

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
It's certainly not weak, but it somehow gave off a rather unremarkable impression.
While the Illusion Sword might be effective against tough enemies, I preferred using the more straightforward effect of Flower Waltz.
Since it has relatively high defensive capabilities, I think it can be quite useful as a tank.

(Impressions after completing the game)
Its defensive capabilities were high, and Paradisus's Waltz of the Flowers was fairly reliable.
However, because it doesn't have a unique role compared to other units, it was often left out of selection when choosing which units to deploy in a stage.

Spinel

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
It has similar stats to Sumire, but it becomes quite strong when you boost its attack power with a magic sword.
With rapiers, critical hits and follow-up attacks are more likely, so I think the strength of the weapon directly correlates to the strength of the unit.
I don't usually think about Jewel Shield, but when it activates, I feel like I've gotten a good deal and it makes me happy.

(Impressions after completing the game)
After class change, its movement speed increased, making it about average in terms of usability.
While Firebrand's enhancements and Soul Song are powerful, there were few opportunities for her to shine herself.

Dorothy

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
While she primarily served as a healer, she also occasionally fought to deliver the finishing blow.
While strong against undead enemies, the healer role was more important, so opportunities to attack were limited.

(Impressions after completing the game)
Above all, his support skills were excellent, and he proved invaluable in a variety of situations.
Only one character can be made to act again, but there's no cooldown period, so it's less stressful.
It was helpful that I could work as a healer, my main job, when I had free time.
The Cure Heal staff, which can heal distant units, is also very useful.

・Jade

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
During Operation Overlord, I dismounted from my Griffon and played an active role on my Pike.
However, it is often more effective to use it as an aerial combat unit while riding a Griffon.
You can use a spear for hit-and-run tactics, or charge in from a distance with an assault lance to inflict significant damage.

(Impressions after completing the game)
With the addition of another flying unit, May, its strengths seem to have diminished somewhat.
The increased range of the javelin throw was useful, but its combat effectiveness was undeniably somewhat lacking.
In the final stage, despite not being an undead, he played a crucial role in continuously blocking the gaps that led to reinforcement points.

Ruri

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
I imagine Marietta as an attack-focused character.
While its balance in terms of agility and accuracy is somewhat lacking, its destructive power is considerable.
Weapons tend to wear out quickly, but I don't run out of money very often, so it's not a problem.

(Impressions after completing the game)
Dicastis was powerful and performed well against many heavily armored and tough boss-type enemies.
I was worried about its magic defense, but by having Hanako possess it, its stability increased, and it became a reliable attacker.

Starry

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
Using meditation before launching a magic attack seems quite powerful.
The Flame Bomb has high single-shot attack power, the Wind Cutter is easy to use for follow-up attacks, and the Ice Javelin has a long range, allowing for versatile use depending on the situation.
It's an extremely valuable unit for reliably eliminating enemies from a distance.

(Impressions after completing the game)
He was already talented, but his magical abilities became even more refined, and he performed at an ace level as a pure magic attacker.
Using area-of-effect spells and magic attacks after boosting their power through meditation could change the course of a battle.
I spammed Galaxy into the final boss's room.

Rotis

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
Here's our much-awaited second healer.
The Protection ability, which increases the surrounding defense by 1, is subtly useful.
Since the economic recovery method, Miracle Hand, has a range of 1, I think you'll end up using Heal more often.

(Impressions after completing the game)
Because she lacked the support of Dorothy, she was somewhat inferior, giving her the image of being the second-best healer.
The fact that you can't use Cure Heal means you have to wait to get the Long Heal Staff for long-range healing, which is a slight drawback.
Having the "Miracle Hand," a resource-intensive healing method, seems like it would be useful in challenge runs.

Nebiros

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
Without a doubt, Dark Mist's wide-area attack is its biggest selling point.
It has a wide range, and the damage dealt increases the closer the undead are to it.
Since it's important to hit as many enemies as possible with Dark Mist, being prepared to protect yourself after using it is essential.

(Impressions after completing the game)
This further fuels the expertise in area-of-effect attacks, eventually enabling map-wide attacks with an aura rain that would even surprise the Ideon Gun.
Thanks to her, the difficulty of some of the later maps was definitely lowered.

Normally, Dark Mist and Negative Gate are available for purchase, so I found them very effective in a combo where I would jump into a densely populated enemy area, use a map-wide weapon, and then retrieve them with Rescue.
(Resurrection via Resurrection after being defeated is also acceptable.)

Viola

(My thoughts up to Chapter 10)
This attacker can also perform long-range attacks with a range of 2-3.
They are well-equipped, and their strength lies in their ability to attack enemies unilaterally alongside Starry.
Some of the bows in this game have a range of 1-2, so it's nice that there are no blind spots in their range.

(Impressions after completing the game)
Although it should be a strong and useful unit because it's a mounted unit with archers, it didn't quite have the firepower to be as effective as it could have been.
While it's nice to have plenty of range 4 attack options with the Arbalest and Elven Bow, I don't feel like they've dramatically helped me.

Alice

Basically, I used it by instantly switching to Tsuruhime.
In addition to having decent combat abilities, its ability to act again after defeating an enemy was extremely useful, so it played an active role as a vanguard on the front lines.
I hardly ever use it in Dark Saint.

Frau

From warping and illusions to area-of-effect attacks and finally Vanishing Nova, it played a major role in a wide range of situations.
Illusion is an invincible combo when you're not being attacked in close range, so I was always looking for terrain that would allow me to use it.

May

This unit might be the one that defeated the most enemies, excluding those using area-of-effect attacks.
In addition to being able to act again after defeating an enemy, the combination of flight and repositioning makes hit-and-run tactics very easy.
Liberate + Demon's Dance is an addictive combination that feels great once you try it.
If the enemy is a regular group with a range of 1-2, you can calculate that you can defeat them all in a counterattack.
Because they often stood out, they were an ace unit that could easily be defeated if their judgment was misjudged.

When I hear the name Liberate, I'm reminded of the ultimate PE from "Parasite Eve."

・Sayo

Although there are differences between Japanese and Western styles, I perceived them as a unit in a similar position to Sumire.
If Sumire is a defensive type, then Sayo is more of an evasive type.
Like Sumire's Paradisos, she possesses a powerful exclusive weapon, Kamui, and performed reasonably well when deployed.
However, in stages where deployment was optional, the priority inevitably dropped, and I often ended up polishing chairs with my backside.

Ecriel

Its most distinctive feature is that it allows surrounding units to act again through dancing, but it has a fairly long cooldown, so you need to think carefully about when to use it.
While slightly less flexible than Dorothy's support, it allowed for forcing the same unit to act multiple times in the same turn, resulting in a higher frequency of deployment.
Although she appears to be a dancer, she can be used as a regular attacker, and I got the impression that she performs quite well when deployed.

・Beriaar

While not particularly tough, it boasts the highest evasion ability, allowing it to avoid many enemy attacks, making it possible to single-handedly dominate depending on the situation.
Surprisingly, her attack power was quite high, and she gave me the impression of being a much more reliable attacker than Hisui.
There are some command skills that seem fairly powerful, but I wasn't able to use them very effectively.

Mabel

I liked her visually from the moment she joined the team, so I used her quite a lot as a regular.
While its firepower is inferior to Starry's, it still performed reliably as a powerful magic attacker.

・ Amami

Like Viola, she's an archer, but her higher magic defense and physical defense made her seem tougher against a variety of opponents.
In the end, I never managed to meet the conditions for activating the Awakening skill, but since it mentions increased range, I feel like it could be useful in various ways.

Hanako-san

Initially, I intended to use him in a similar way to Nebiros, but in the end, I mostly used him by having him possess allied units.
I mainly used them to possess frontline attackers who were worried about their magic defense (like Ruri) or magic attackers whose power I wanted to increase (like Starry).

・Maya

Since she was powerless against anything other than the undead, she was almost always used as a pure third-string healer.
The warp command seems to open up a lot of possibilities, but I couldn't think of any situations where it could be effectively used.