Goliath's Adventure Zero ~Officer Academy Arc~ (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an introductory article for "Goliath's Adventures Zero: Officer Academy Arc".
This is the main storyThe Adventures of GoliathThis work is a prequel featuring the popular character Princess Beth as the protagonist.
I don't think it will make any difference in enjoying the game whichever way you play it.
The game's appeal lies in Beth's outrageous character and her challenging gameplay.

My completion time was approximately 13 hours (on Traditional difficulty).

Game Overview

The story begins when Princess Beth of the Kingdom of Maze, who is about to enroll in the Officers Academy, is immediately placed in the Untouchables class, a class for underachievers, on the very first day of her entrance ceremony.
The students belonging to the Untouchables group are all eccentric and troublesome, but Beth, with her natural intelligence and charisma, manages to unite the problem children and earns the respect of the instructors.
The story initially centers around the academy, but gradually becomes entangled in a conspiracy that engulfs the entire continent.

The game offers three difficulty levels.
There is no character loss, so units that are defeated on a map will revive in the next map.
However, if you are defeated, you will lose 1 HP as a penalty, so it is important to avoid being defeated as much as possible.

The difficulty level of this game changes dramatically if you make full use of the system in which you can capture enemies and take their equipment.
Conversely, if you don't use this capture system at all, I think even the Traditional difficulty setting will become quite challenging.
You can save your game at the beginning of each turn.

One of the important systems in this game is the enemy capture system.
This system, also familiar from "Fire Emblem: Thracia 776," allows you to capture enemies and steal their items.
The specific steps are as follows: ① Reduce the enemy's HP to less than half → ② Defeat the enemy by using the "Capture" command while adjacent to them to capture them → ③ Take their equipment through item exchange.

When you attack using "Capture," your attack power and accuracy will be reduced, so it's best to reduce the enemy's HP to the bare minimum before engaging in combat.
With the exception of a few items, most equipment can be looted, so if you see an enemy with equipment you're interested in, be sure to target them.

However, since many maps have turn limits, it's difficult to capture all enemies.
Players will need to decide which enemies to capture and how many to give up.

At the base, you can have powerful equipment crafted for you by gathering materials.
In this game, there are many opportunities to obtain powerful equipment, including from the blacksmith.
Instead of hoarding money because you don't want to waste it, it's important to figure out where to spend those savings and determine the right time to use them.

Review (no spoilers)

It was an SRPG with a wildly unconventional use of assets, and I found it very interesting.
Players who let their guard down will be immediately taken aback by the sound and images right after the game starts, as well as by the military song "Sakura of the Same Class" that plays on the title screen.
The copyright notice in the read mefileJapan Maritime Self-Defense ForceI couldn't help but laugh when I saw that it was there.

Despite being constantly thrown off balance by Beth's words and actions, the way she solves problems with her strong will felt like watching a school drama, and it was very satisfying.
中盤以降はややシリアスな展開となり、徐々にステージ攻略部分に軸足が移っていくように感じられました。

I felt that the game's difficulty largely depended on how well you could utilize the capture system.
If you don't use the capture method at all, you'll have fewer opportunities to obtain powerful equipment, making the game more difficult.
Conversely, trying to capture every enemy is extremely difficult, so I think it's important to control the situation to a degree that doesn't cause you stress.
You often acquire weapons that make you think, "Wait, are my teammates allowed to use this?", so I think the game system is designed to definitely reward the effort you put in.

You can earn money through free quests unless you're playing on the highest difficulty level, and you can also buy stat-boosting items at your base.
In effect, there are rescue mechanisms in place so you won't get stuck, so I think you'll be able to manage somehow.

One thing that bothered me a little was that it was difficult to distinguish between greatswords, swords, and thrusting swords.
Since some units can only use thrusting swords, while others can use all types of swords, I found that being able to distinguish which type a unit belongs to made item management much easier.
It was impossible to distinguish them by name and appearance alone; we had to actually have the units hold them to check if they were usable.

While the story and presentation might not appeal to everyone, I believe it's a game that will stimulate the desire to capture the essence of the characters for seasoned gamers.

Strategy Notes - Traditional (Contains Spoilers)

It appears that when you level up by distributing experience points at your base, the types of stats that increase are capped at three.
Therefore, I think it's ultimately best to improve as much as possible on stage.
If you allocate 99 experience points at your base, it will be easier to level up quickly in the next map and also make it easier to carefully consider your options.

Chapter 1: The Baptism of Gokumonso

Since it's the first map, it's not too difficult.
It's a good idea to fight while fully appreciating the significant effect of weapon compatibility.

Chapter 2: The Guns Bandit Gang

Check the weapon compatibility with the enemy, then head to the prison in the upper right of the map to rescue the hostages.
Defeating the immobile gatekeeper outside the prison will allow you to rescue the hostages.
Immediately afterward, reinforcements will be deployed throughout the map, so gather your allies near the prison.

The boss doesn't have any ranged attack weapons, but chipping away at its health with a bow would take too long, so attacking with Robin, who has a sword, would give you an advantage.

Chapter 3: Capture Operation

This map teaches you the "Capture" command.
There are plenty of slightly weaker enemies that are perfect for capturing.
If we have the opportunity, we'd like to capture them all and take their equipment.
Adjusting the enemy's HP will be easier with Misha, who has low attack power but high accuracy.
Attacks using the capture command are significantly weakened, so try to use units with weapons that are as compatible with the enemy as possible.

Chapter 4: The Fiery Transfer Student

Just like before, let's proceed slowly, paying attention to weapon matchups.
The heavily armored soldier in the upper center of the map is a tough opponent, so you should obtain the piercing spear in the lower right before engaging him.

You cannot steal Marge's Poison, even if you capture her while she's on the cliff.
Let's simply defeat them using Josette or Johan, who can climb cliffs.

If you talk to Cecily in the upper left corner of Josette, you will receive the Eternal Pendant.

Chapter 5: Fierce Battle! Class-Based Competition

The opponents you fight on the map will change depending on the choices you make before the stage begins.
Personally, I find it slightly more appealing to face the Crusader group because it offers a chance to steal their Guardian Bracelet.
No matter who your opponent is, if you want to steal rare equipment, you should take the long way around and fight your enemies.

If you're aiming for a quick victory, it's best to take on the Dominion team, whose base defenses are weak.
Since Fernando is the only one defending the base, I think it will be easy to attack from near the starting point.

Chapter 6: Ominous Dark Clouds

This map can be cleared by either defending for 20 turns or eliminating all enemies.
The difficulty level changes considerably depending on how much of the enemy's equipment you try to steal.
If you only have Misia collect the four treasure chests inside the door, clearing the game isn't too difficult.
Let's try to avoid taking the offensive as much as possible and instead make effective use of the magic circle to defend ourselves.

Eve's Weakness ability, with a range of 2-3, is powerful, and her Encourage command is also useful.
Furthermore, in the early stages when Beth is asleep, you'll be busy as a healer, so there's a lot to do.
Purchase a healing wand before the stage begins and immediately retrieve it from your inventory.
Since there will likely be many situations where you won't have time to heal, make sure to give each unit a potion.

Our allied guards are quite strong and won't be defeated so easily.
Let's use the wall in the passageway effectively and fight together.

Chapter 7: The Black Diamond

Taking the shortest route will put you in an area with a high density of enemies, but if you lure them out little by little, it's not much different from taking a longer route.
It's a good idea to choose a route that has many enemies that drop the equipment you want.
Even the long, roundabout route that cuts across the map to the right isn't too difficult in terms of turns.

The assassins with the pendants of courage keep running away, so use Eve's encouragement or something similar on the first turn and have Klaus take them down.
If you move back to your side as much as possible after attacking, you shouldn't be subjected to too much concentrated fire.

You can get HP Pizza in the village in the bottom right.
The nearby shop sells some fairly useful equipment, such as magic swords and horse-slaying swords.
If you have the money, you should buy it.

The treasure chest to the lower left of the boss's diamond contains a Pendant of Compassion (increases Strength, Magic, and Luck growth by 5%).

When the boss, Dia, has a skill that causes her attack and defense to increase when her HP drops below half, it becomes much harder to inflict damage on her.
Counterattack with magic attacks, Sergei's thirst skill, or a rapier that ignores defense.

Chapter 8: Footsteps of Rebellion

Our allies are divided into two groups.
Until you defeat the Six of Hearts, you won't be able to reunite with anyone other than Josette, so let's each go our separate ways.

Beth's unit faces many enemies that use long-range attacks.
Therefore, let's focus on Josette and proceed by eliminating her completely.

Klaus and his companions are constantly being approached by enemies from the very beginning.
First, let's meet up with Theodore, and then we'll advance.
The nearby Master Devils are tough opponents, so if you don't have the resources, it's easier to ignore them and move on.
Let's make full use of Theodore and Klaus's weapons and focus on reducing the number of enemies as much as possible.

If you defeat the Six of Hearts on Beth's side, the Weeping Genie will appear in front of the door near the hearts, and the victory conditions will change.
The bridge in the center of the map will become passable, so let's all meet up around there and fight together.
If you gather Klaus and his group near the bridge beforehand, it will be easier to ambush them.

The Lamenting Giant's ranged attack (5) is troublesome.
Let's use weapons that ignore defense and launch a coordinated attack together.

Chapter 9 Those who have nothing

Klaus and Cecily should head south so that we can defeat Heart as soon as possible.
Since reinforcements are arriving, let's act quickly.
The Master Devil to the left of the heart is a tough opponent, and you won't be able to capture him with just two people, so let's send some allies from the main force.

Beth and the other players inside the castle should go and press the switch in the room to the left of the starting point to block the stairs from which reinforcements will come.
We don't need to have everyone go to the left, so the rest can proceed slowly along the right-hand route.
Heavy infantry units with adjacent defenses should be deliberately made to be shielded by the adjacent druid by having them attack with magic, allowing the druid to then be defeated.

Once you reach the top of the stairs where the heavily armed soldiers and cavalry are positioned, reinforcements of a Chimera will appear in the distance.
The Chimera will use paralyzing attacks and also retaliate, so prepare plenty of allied units to take it down.

Chapter 10: Signs of Invasion

First, in order to stop enemy reinforcements from arriving, we need to proactively launch an offensive.
Move from your starting position towards the bottom right and reduce the number of enemies.
それがシオンとセリューを守ることにもつながります。
Destroying enemy bases eliminates terrain effects, so if you want to utilize terrain effects, don't destroy them immediately; instead, fight after they've been destroyed.

Beth should head south to visit the base in the lower left.
When you visit the base, Thomasson will appear and head towards the exit point.
If you want to take your time and complete the game by turn 24, place your allies at the escape points to block their path.
I think Fernando, with his slower marching speed, would be a good fit.

After a certain number of turns, bandits will emerge from the cave and attack the village to the east.
Given the relative positions, defending against it shouldn't be too difficult, so let's proceed with destroying enemy bases in parallel.
Shortly after the bandits appear, Lucas and Zero show up from the village as reinforcements.
Since they cannot visit the arena-like store (Don Quijote), if you want to purchase valuable weapons, send in an allied unit that has officially joined your team.
Those two alone are more than capable of handling the bandits.

Valuable weapons are sold here, so it's a good idea to buy as many as you can to make things easier.
Also, the store's background music is the Don Quijote theme song (with vocals).

Once you capture the central base, more reinforcements will appear near the boss.
If you have enough turns, try to capture the boss.

Chapter 11: Infiltration Operation in the Imperial Capital

This is a reconnaissance map.
Since the enemy has archers, it might be better not to deploy Josette.
First, let's head north and recruit Cecily to our party.

Visiting the facility in the upper left corner will add Cecily to your party.
If you visit the village to the right of that facility with Johan, a candy shop event will occur.
After the event, if you give the cake, you will receive "Beautiful Pebble" (if you possess it, you can reduce magic damage by 6 with Shield Skill x 101 TP 3T), and if you leave without saying anything, you will receive "The Best Cake" (if you use it, you will acquire the Critical Immunity skill).

Simply head straight to the boss in the upper right corner and defeat him to clear the stage.
You have plenty of turns left, so if you want a challenge, go and defeat the four brothers in the bottom right.

Chapter 12: The Assassin's Village

First, you'll need to head towards the assassin leader in the southeast of the map.
The map keeps adding more and more destinations, so if you take too long, you might run into the 36-turn limit.
Capture enemies sparingly, and focus on advancing aggressively in the early stages of the game.

背後から飛行兵がしばらく出現するので、弓兵を後ろに置いて対処しましょう。
Reinforcements will also appear from the front, so be prepared to take some damage and try to block their spawn points as quickly as possible.

When you defeat the heart-shaped playing card guarding the base, the wall to its left will open, and enemy reinforcements will appear.
Once you defeat the bellows-shaped Hammer at the base in the upper left, the central door will open, allowing you to advance towards Heart.
The shooters are a nuisance, but once you take down Hammer, the leader of the assassination group will eliminate the remaining shooters, so there's no need to try and take them down yourself.

QA4 Inquisition

This map is designed for small-group battles.
By clearing this stage, you can obtain the class change item for Mishia.
The enemies aren't very strong, so it's best to defeat them with units that aren't leveled up yet.

Chapter 13: Death Island

This map involves attacking from two directions.
The sequence of events is as follows: The unit on the left activates the lever behind the shooter → the door near the clover on the right opens → the passage to the northern area opens for both units → Theodore talks → the broken bridge in the upper right is repaired.
Be aware that a large number of reinforcements will be deployed when the northern area opens up.

In the early stages, the gameplay involves enduring status ailments inflicted by shooters and enemy staves while pushing back enemy reinforcements.
Since status ailments are troublesome, be sure to include a unit that can use a healing staff in both your and your opponent's units.
Paralysis or sleep are manageable, but being charmed by a Lamia's bow is quite dangerous (they are located in the northern area).
Additionally, Clover attacks with magic that has a range of 99, so it's dangerous if you have any units with extremely low HP.

After opening the door where Theodore is imprisoned and talking to him, the objective changes to defeating Clover's Seven within 12 turns.
It would be a good idea to gather a certain amount of forces near the river in the upper right beforehand.
As soon as the bridge is built, additional enemies will be deployed.
Be careful, as many enemies are equipped with dangerous gear.

Chapter 14: The Knight's Pride

This map is divided into two groups: Beth and Theodore's unit and Eve's unit.
First, you need to get Beth and Eve to talk within 20 turns, so make sure to bring them together.
The group of skeletons on the left at the start can be targeted all at once with Theodore's map weapon, the Immovable Sword.
Let's try using it.

The Spade Five's troops won't attack unless we provoke them first.
Those who want the Meteor Breaker or the Rusty Axe should engage in combat.
If you don't have the time, you can ignore it.

An event occurs when Beth and Eve talk, and the Allied forces warp around Spade.
Once all allied forces are defeated, the door below the spade will open, and enemy reinforcements will be deployed.
Additionally, the Spade equipment will be weakened, making it easier to defeat.

Chapter 15: The Temple of the Star Dragon

This is an indoor map.
Reinforcements keep appearing from the stairs, so we want to push through and block them as quickly as possible.
First, head towards the bottom left of the map and try to activate the lever.
The Queen will start using magic after 20 turns, so try to defeat her as quickly as possible.

Blocking all the staircases would be difficult, so it's better to place sturdy allies in the narrow passages between the pillars at key points to block them off.
The enemy is equipped with many very powerful weapons, making it dangerous to try and break through with a small number of units.
This is definitely a challenging map, so I think it's better to focus on clearing it quickly rather than trying to capture the enemy.

Chapter 16 Sunset

This map can be cleared by surviving for 16 turns.
Enemy reinforcements will keep appearing, but if you focus on defense rather than aggressively attacking, you should be able to clear the stage without too much difficulty.

Zero is very strong, but it's difficult for him to handle things alone, so let's have him head south first to meet up with the others.

The house in the upper left corner has the entrance to a secret shop.
Be careful, because if the assassin reaches this point, you won't be able to shop.
There are many valuable items for sale, but you might not need to buy them at this point, right before the final chapter.

Final Chapter: Royal Officer Academy

This map requires you to divide your troops into three groups and advance accordingly.
Each area features a formidable boss, and the enemy reinforcements are fierce.
Let's proceed with the intention of using up all the items we've been saving up until now.

Make sure to secure the area where Dragon Master reinforcements appear near your advance position as soon as possible.
The northernmost unit is located in a difficult-to-control position with a fort, so using anti-move or sleep abilities to prevent them from moving over it will also help prevent the appearance of new reinforcements, killing two birds with one stone.
Each type of reinforcement can be stopped from appearing by destroying a nearby base.
Enemies with long-range status ailments, which are scattered throughout the area, can be easily dealt with by using a Staff of Silence to seal their effects.

The necromancer in the small room on the middle route can be easily eliminated by charming an enemy wielding Vajra.
If you have a charming wand, be sure to use it.

Once you defeat the three mini-bosses, the door to the King will open, and cavalry will be repositioned nearby.
Since King has the Kaiser Shield, it's difficult to inflict damage with physical attacks until he runs out of uses for it.
With a range of 1 to 3, there are no openings, so it's best to keep attacking with a lance-type weapon that won't allow for counterattacks.
Since this opponent is not susceptible to petty tricks, let's wait for our allies to consolidate their forces to some extent before ending the battle with an all-out attack.

Final Chapter: Towards the Future

First, you need to destroy the jewels on either side of him before you can even get close to Hector.
Hector attacks with a range of 99 at the start of the enemy's turn, so if your HP is low when it's his turn, he'll finish you off.
Let's proceed while keeping that point in mind.

Each time you destroy one of the East or West gems, a gem in Hector's possession is destroyed, and his stats decrease.
However, be aware that attacks with a range of 99 are still available.
Destroying both will allow you to enter the center, and enemy reinforcements will also appear.

Since enemy reinforcements cannot be blocked even if you seal the holes, position units that can be easily defeated near the four holes.
Beth, Theodore, and Eve will be deployed as attackers against Hector.
If Eve isn't dealing enough damage, let Beth or Theodore act again.
Additionally, Garcia's Frenzied Flame Dance can be used to support the attackers, increasing the speed at which you can whittle down the enemy's health.

Hector recovers health every turn, so we can't afford to let up on our attacks.
他のユニットは回復役や支援役に回り、3人を支援するようにしましょう。
You clear the stage if you can reduce Hector's HP to below 100.

Unit usage impressions (spoiler alert)

Beth

In the early stages, she was invaluable as a healer, and from the middle stages onwards, her attacks using magic swords, which made use of her high magical power, were very powerful.
While its HP is somewhat low, making it unsuitable for the front lines, its abundant skills and equipment give it advantages, allowing it to play an important role.
I hadn't realized I could equip a spear.

Josette

It was a valuable flying unit and proved useful on various maps.
Because it can use a lance, enhancing its movement speed allows it to utilize the synergistic effect that is the strength of flying units.
With its numerous attack skills, including consecutive and triple attacks, it unleashes unparalleled offensive power when used with a lance.
Naturally, it's a unit that's vulnerable to damage, so you need to be careful about that.

Enid

This unit will join in the second half of the season.
Lightning, which has no usage limit, is powerful and was extremely effective in the later stages of the game when there were many demon-type enemies.
Although it's fragile, Lightning's ability to halve attacks makes it more resilient than its appearance might suggest.
It's great that you can defeat enemies quickly with counterattacks, but you tend to get overwhelmed and lose easily, so you need to be careful when charging ahead.
It's a good idea to use light jamming to your advantage and bring along units with high evasion rates.

Robin

He's a reliable attacker right from the start.
Because I was busy attacking, I only used the dual-wielding skill when moving around.
It takes a little while to reach the battlefield, so in hindsight, I think it would have been better if I had increased their movement speed.
When I needed to stop reinforcements from the enemy in a chaotic situation, the evasion skill proved surprisingly useful.

Johan

This unit's appeal lies in its ability to defeat enemies one after another through counterattacks.
Because of that, it was easy to lose in a sudden defeat, so I equipped it with a Big Shield Axe as a precaution.
The ability to move normally even on mountainous maps is appealing; while it has average movement speed, it gives the impression of having mobility comparable to mounted units.

・Misia

Although it's a weak unit, its guaranteed hit rate of 100% is appealing.
Boosting its power significantly improves its usability.
My role as the lock picker was also important, so there was a lot to do, which was quite challenging.
I've given them the "re-attack" skill, but I'm having trouble deciding whether to use it on Johan or Mishia.

Sergey

While this unit is reliable in the early stages, the lack of class changes means that it gradually falls behind the others.
By taking advantage of the fact that you can use stocks, you can utilize them as a fighting force by frequently switching between good shields and special attack weapons.
Since it doesn't have a follow-up attack, I think it would shine in roles such as finishing off opponents.

Theodore

This is a powerful unit that is favored in terms of story and equipment.
The Immovable Sword is easy to use, and when used against a group of enemies, it can simultaneously chip away at their health and hinder their movement.
Since their growth rate is good, I think it's better to level them up by having them fight normally rather than leveling them up through experience point distribution.
I ended up leveling up my character a bit too much due to the experience point distribution, so their parameters didn't grow as much as I'd hoped.

Cecily

This character is very appealing due to their powerful exclusive weapon and skills.
Since it's not very durable, I think you'll find yourself using Snowful Dead far more often than Niflheim.
With a range of 1 to 3, it's easy to use, and it also has a counter-attack ability, making it effective for use as a landmine.
Being able to use a cane is also a great advantage.
Giving them a shield would increase their stability and improve their defensive capabilities.

Garcia

They should be a strong unit in terms of ability, but personally, I feel like they weren't able to fully utilize their potential.
It might be a problem with the limited variety of magic books available.
The area-of-effect attack Meteor Flame is easy to use, so if you properly complement your other skills, you should be able to efficiently whittle down large numbers of enemy reinforcements.

Leda

After joining the team, I wasn't a regular player for a while.
While Kurozakura's attacks are very powerful, she has a fragile nature; if there are enemies remaining around her during the enemy's turn, she can quickly find herself in a precarious situation.
You'll want to equip them with a few regular weapons as well.
Since it's difficult to mitigate damage through dodging, I think this unit is more stable if you equip it with a shield or potions.

Eve

This unit has a lot to do, including wielding a staff and offering encouragement.
In the late game, it's possible to attack with Dominion, but it's often more efficient to encourage units with higher attack capabilities than yourself.
Using Weakness might allow for a playstyle similar to Litia's in "Vestaria Saga," but it probably won't be as impenetrable as Litia's Lip Whip (I haven't tried it myself).

・ Katina

This swordsman unit is a different type from Robin.
By utilizing your high magical power with magic swords and thrusting swords, you can fight effectively against heavily armored enemies with high defense.
However, since you can only equip swords, it's reassuring to have something like a rapier that negates elemental weaknesses.
Normally, it's safest to use magic swords for ranged attacks.

Fernando

This unit is well-suited for protecting allies.
Since it is strong against everything except magic attacks, it can be used like a tank if placed next to a unit that is weak defensively.
While its offensive capabilities aren't particularly high, it can be deployed to the front lines and is expected to inflict some damage on the enemy, so it's best to prioritize equipping it with weapons that can be used both at close and long range.
After class change, you'll be able to use a variety of weapons, making you adept at utilizing leftover weapons.

·flora

While using their specialized weapon will make them a valuable asset, it might be better to have them primarily use a staff.
Since other staff-wielding units like Beth, Eve, and Cecily are busy with things other than healing, I think Flora doesn't need to participate in attacks as much.

Klaus

This archer has decent strength, a high attack rate, and good mobility thanks to their ability to act again and their strong legs.
Since she has higher combat power than Mishia, let's put her into battle actively.
The Managarm, which you acquire in the later stages of the game, is extremely powerful and was useful when you wanted to defeat an enemy on your own.

・Shion

This is a cavalry unit with high combat capabilities.
Since defeating an enemy guarantees another turn, the goal is to finish them off on the first turn to increase the number of actions you can take.
This unit has a full set of combat skills, so you'll want to use lances and weapons that hit twice to quickly defeat enemies without giving them a chance to retaliate.

・Serieu

She has fewer attacks than Josette, but as a flying unit, she can equip axes, giving her each blow significant impact.
Since it lacks the skill to attack twice, it's best to prioritize giving it weapons that allow it to attack twice.
I want to have her focus on taking out shooters and ranged staff users, together with Josette.

·zero

This is a support unit with devilish strength.
While its attack skills are incredibly powerful when activated, its defensive capabilities are not particularly strong.
Equip them with a good shield and use them carefully to avoid being defeated by a counterattack.