Ghost Knight Incident (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This article is about "The Ghost Knight Case," the second book in the Case Files series.
Since the protagonist is the same as in the previous game, "The Royal Knights' Incident," I would definitely recommend this to players who enjoyed the previous game.
The game has more content than its predecessor, and it took me about four and a half hours to complete on hard mode.

Game Overview

"The Ghost Knight's Tale" is a simulation RPG created with SRPG Studio.
The previous game, "Royal Capital Knights' Incident," had 6 maps and took about an hour and a half to complete, but this game has 10 maps.
It took me about four and a half hours to complete, so it's about the length of a mid-length game.

The protagonist from the previous game, Knight Leia, encounters a moving skeleton while investigating a certain incident, which leads her to confront a conspiracy that threatens to shake the royal capital.
While the number of characters has increased compared to the previous work, the story is crafted with the same emphasis on a fast-paced narrative.

This game incorporates a rock-paper-scissors system of swords, spears, and axes.
Therefore, it becomes necessary to select deployment units while considering the balance of weapons used.

Additionally, the game screen as a whole has a stylish design.
In particular, the pre-battle screens for named enemies display character portraits of both sides, creating a cool and impressive presentation.
The game features many pre-battle conversations between specific units, making you want to try battling with all sorts of different units.

Review (no spoilers)

I cleared all 10 maps on hard mode.
In this game, character loss has been eliminated at all difficulty levels.
Although you can save at the beginning of each turn, the maps are larger in volume than in the previous game, so this might be a measure taken to reduce the hassle of having to restart if needed.

The difficulty level on Hard mode felt more challenging than the previous game, somewhere between normal and slightly difficult.
I can't compare it to any difficulty level other than Hard, but since the enemies' attack power is high, I think the key is how to maneuver to avoid being attacked by multiple enemies at once.

Unlike its predecessor, this game, "The Ghost Knight's Case," has a considerable amount of content.
Therefore, the hurdle of whether it can be played casually has been raised,For players who enjoyed the previous game, this increased content is a welcome addition.

What I think after playing this game is that the pacing of the story is excellent.
If you simply want to increase the volume of content, you can just create maps where you encounter bandits or groups of monsters during your march, and pad it out that way.
However, in this game, there are proper plot progressions and scene changes between chapters, and many of the boss characters in each chapter are also characters involved in the story.
There are no maps that try to drag out the story, and you get the feeling that the story is progressing in a natural way, which might be why it feels like it has a good pace.

With this second installment, the world of the "Mystery Tales Series" feels like it has gained more depth and expanded.
There are so many fascinating characters, so I'm looking forward to seeing who will be in the spotlight next and how the story will unfold.
While having one long, feature-length game is great, I also find it interesting to have multiple shorter series, as it keeps the experience fresh.

Strategy Notes - Hard Mode (Contains Spoilers)

Generally, there are no maps with turn limits or infinite reinforcements.
Therefore, if you carefully lure out a small number of enemies and fight them one by one, you should be able to clear the stage without any problems.

Shops often don't reappear for a while after they appear, so make sure you have a decent amount of weapons ready.
Since I don't usually run out of money, it's reassuring to buy up limited-quantity items in advance.

Carefully consider how to teach children the "medical knowledge" skills necessary to use a first-aid kit.
It's useful to teach this skill to mounted units with high mobility or units with low attack power that don't have much to do in combat, as it gives them something to do.
Be careful when teaching this skill to your main attacker, as they will be too busy attacking to have time to heal their allies.

Chapter 1: Exterminating Bandits

Since there are many enemies, try to take them one by one to avoid taking too much damage.
Let's fight in a way that allows us to gain an advantage in the rock-paper-scissors dynamic.
Carlos joins the main force by moving counterclockwise from his starting point and takes on enemies wielding swords.

Chapter 2 Skeleton Soldier

Before deploying, make sure to buy short spears for Carlos and Alicia at the base.
As for other weapons and first-aid kits, you should have enough money to stock up on them as well, for peace of mind.
By placing members with strong defensive capabilities in the front line and advancing slowly, there shouldn't be any problems.

The boss, Deadman, absorbs HP, so you won't be able to reduce his HP unless you dodge his attacks while trying to whittle him down.
Use units with high evasion rates and stack evasion-boosting support effects on them during battle.
You can easily defeat him by finishing him off with Carlos's heavy spear or something similar.

The treasure chest contains valuable ore (an item that can be sold for money).

Chapter 3: The Devil's Valley

You'll be subjected to intense attacks from the very first turn, so focus on reducing the number of approaching enemies as much as possible.
If you have to deal with a large number of enemies, position your allied units with a favorable matchup within the enemy's attack range and reduce their HP with counterattacks.
Doing so makes it easier to defeat them on your turn.
守備が高いカルロスやリロイが適任でしょう。

Reinforcements will appear after a while, but they won't come indefinitely, so don't rush ahead; regroup and prepare to intercept them.

In the three houses in the lower right, from left to rightLongbowYou will receive ore fragments and ore fragments, respectively.

Boss Ted is a formidable opponent who retaliates with throwing axes that have a range of 1-2.
The follow-up attack is easily triggered and can be dangerous, but if you attack once from range 3 with a longbow, you should be able to reduce its health enough to finish it off with one more hit.

Chapter 4: The Desolate Graveyard

The shop at your base sells a variety of items.
It's a good idea to stock up on as many throwing javelins, throwing axes, and first-aid kits as possible.
If you buy a key to a door, you can open the door closest to your starting position.

As a strategy, you can leave Rochefort alone, so go over the fence from the bottom right of the graveyard and aim to defeat the boss.
Fight the Guardians using James's magic and the hammer you acquire along the way.
The Griffin Rider can be countered with archers and Zeal's wind magic.
The Cavalry Breaker held by the Guardian in the bottom right can be put to good use right away, so let's give it to the spearman.
Let's make good use of special attack weapons to progress.

Jane, who appears in the bottom right, can be recruited by talking to Zeal, who arrives as reinforcement.
Let's have Jane steal the shield from the boss, Claude's knight, right away.
Claude can be easily defeated with magic attacks or cavalry break attacks.

Chapter 5: The Sniper's Forest

It's a fairly large map.
There are two routes: one going around the top and one going around to the left. I chose the left-hand route because it made it easier to visit the two houses.
There's not much point in splitting up, so let's all stick together and advance slowly.

Wayne the Griffon Rider will join your party if you talk to him with either Yuri or Lucia.
They will come with other Griffon Riders, so be careful when dealing with them.

In the house in the middle of the map, you can recruit Lancer Gabriella as a companion.
It's easier if you have Wayne or Yuri make the visit.
You can obtain ore fragments in the house in the lower left.

Chapter 6: The Black Magician's Trap

The treasure chest in the upper left contains a Cloak of Protection (Defense +2).
Since thieves targeting treasure chests will appear near the starting point, it's more efficient to send in a few troops through the side entrance as well.

The trigger for the skeletons' actions is not whether you enter their range, but whether you step into the room.
Therefore, it would be best to either use a member with high defensive capabilities as a decoy, or get close enough and then have everyone rush in all at once.
For enemies that use long-range magic, the safest strategy is to let them use up all three of their spells, as they can only use them three times.

Scrum has valuable ore, so let's try to steal it if possible.

Chapter 7: The Knight at the Gate

This is the last shop you'll visit, so it's a good idea to buy lots of weapons and items.

First, a large group of Griffon Riders will come towards you, so use your bow and wind magic talismans to take them down like dragonflies.
Once you've defeated the first wave, instead of heading straight for the soldiers, take the route up the cliff and advance along the castle wall.
You defeat the enemies attacking you from the courtyard through the wall using magic and bows from atop the castle walls, and activate the first switch.

When you activate the switch, Claude will start moving.
Let's all meet them head-on and counterattack, focusing on tactics like breaking through the cavalry formation.
If Claude is equipped with the Mithril Sword, you can safely inflict damage with ranged attacks.

Around the same time Claude starts to move, reinforcements will begin to appear from various locations.
The reinforcements aren't that numerous, so if you deal with them calmly and head towards the other switch, you should be able to clear it without any problems.

Chapter 8: Wild Geese

There are many enemies, but they are all not aggressive, so gradually enter their attack range, lure them in, and patiently defeat them.
When you get close enough to the island with the three bridges to decide whether or not to enter it, the boss Janice will come towards you.
Let's lure them to a convenient location for a fight and then engage in battle.
Janice can nullify special attacks with her Guardian Bracelet, so you can easily defeat her by having Jane steal it before attacking.
Upon entering the island, two Griffin Riders will appear from each of the two bases (a total of two turns).
Be prepared to shoot them down as soon as they appear.

Chapter 9: Rebels

First, intercept the cavalry advancing from the south while simultaneously depleting the ranged magic of the sorcerer in the nearby small room.
Some enemy cavalry units have the "Cavalry Breaker" ability, so be careful to prevent your cavalry units from taking direct hits.
Once the attacking enemies are gone, open the door and eliminate the remaining enemies inside the room.
Once you've defeated all the enemies in each small room, open the door to the next room and proceed cautiously.

There's no need to approach the enemy room in the lower left where the magic-sealing staff is located, so advance along the route above without getting close.
Stealing the Staff of Magic Sealing will make it easier to defeat Bartrix in the next map, but it's not absolutely essential.

Rudolphus is a heavily armored type, so hammers are very effective against him.

Final Chapter: The Resurrected Ghost Knight

The skeleton soldiers are strong, so be careful as you advance and avoid getting hit by multiple attacks at once.
First, to prepare for the two mini-bosses, let's clear out the enemies around the bridge nearby and get ready to attack.
Both bosses are heavily armored, so magic and hammers are very effective against them.

Bartrix is a formidable opponent, but if you gather support effects and fight him effectively, he's not such a scary opponent.
Use indirect attacks and rescues to ensure your healer doesn't enter range 3 during combat.

While Argus is immune to special attacks, Leia's White Knight's Sword can inflict effective damage.
Surround Leia with characters like James and Raidin to gather support effects and fight.
Since Argus will prioritize targeting Leia, it should be fine even if other units are nearby.

Character impressions (contains spoilers)

In this game, you can recruit more units than the number of units you can deploy, so you'll need to choose which ones to train to some extent.
I'll write my impressions of the members who participated in the final map, along with some photos.

Leia

Up until a certain point, he seemed a bit inconspicuous, but from the point where he yells at Rudolphus, he really started to show his protagonist-like qualities.
Like its predecessor, this unit has well-balanced parameters.
While it lacked explosive power, it performed reliably.
While its defensive capabilities are a concern as a front-line unit, this is compensated for by its high evasion and numerous support effects.
The White Knight's Sword will prove invaluable in the final boss battle.

James

Because her magic attacks are so powerful, she was a key attacker from start to finish.
I'm worried about her HP, but she actually has better defense than Leia.
This unit boasts consistently high stats in all aspects of combat, making it capable of defeating enemies with full HP in a single battle.

·chiffon

破壊力のある斧装備で、力と素早さが高いため、かなりの攻撃力を持つユニットです。
He was an ace who, when sent to the front lines with a throwing axe, would take down enemies one after another.
There are some concerns about their defense, so they need to be careful not to get beaten by a narrow margin.

Haruto

His strength isn't particularly high, but thanks to his accuracy and longbow, he's like the unsung hero of the team.
Even if it's difficult to pursue them, a heavy bow can take down a Griffon Rider in one hit, so it's not a problem.
I was torn between using Lucia or Haruto, but Haruto won out because of the support effect with Chiffon and his longbow.

Carlos

Although its growth rate was somewhat low, its high attack power, defense power, and mobility ultimately made it useful until the very end.
While follow-up attacks are rare, it was satisfying to use a special weapon designed to break through cavalry and take down enemy cavalry in one hit.

Elly

Since there's a nearly superior unit called Zeal, I didn't deploy him much along the way, but I gave him a chance in the final map.
Even though the Light Crystal is effective against skeletons, their defenses are so weak that I focused on healing them.

Alicia

This unit grows in a balanced way.
Because of their mobility, they were able to acquire knowledge about medicine and perform healing, which allowed them to be very effective.
While his offensive power is somewhat lacking, his ability to follow up with attacks made him a good partner for Carlos.

Leroy
While their defensive capabilities are high, their mobility is unfortunately low, and trying to place them on the front lines slows down the overall pace of the army's advance.
While the low speed is understandable, the low skill level and low accuracy were a real drawback.
So we concluded that Carlos would be fine as the tank.

・Yuri
Even though the low strength could be compensated for by the destructive power of the axe, the low skill level made it difficult to use effectively.
Although this character plays an important role in the story, they weren't deployed in battles very often.

Lucia
Due to the combination of continuous attacks and speed, he has a higher enemy-clearing power than Reinhardt.
Although I didn't deploy him in the final map, he was very useful in various maps in this game, which features many enemy Griffon Riders.

Zeal

This unit is triple useful, offering magic attacks, special attacks against flying enemies, and healing capabilities.
He's not as fast as James, but his magic attacks are still powerful.

Jane
I first deployed her in the map where you steal Janice's Guardian Bracelet, and she proved useful in subsequent maps, particularly in Chapter 9, which has many doors.
Its combat power is just barely enough to be used as a finishing blow against an opponent with low defense.

Wayne
This is a flying unit with higher combat power parameters than Yuri.
However, since there are few situations in this game where flying units have significant strategic value, I never used them outside of the maps where they appear.

Gabriella
While its technique is high, its other parameters are lacking, so I didn't use it outside of the map where it first appeared.
Future works may reveal more about his relationship with Geese.

・Raidin

His gloves and appearance somehow reminded me of Colonel Roy Mustang.
However, its abilities are not fire-based, but rather named after lightning-related names such as Raidein and Thunder.
As they only join in the final episode, they're an incredibly reliable unit right from the start.
Magic attacks are effective against the ghost knights as well, making them very reliable.