iMaster Tactics (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an article introducing "iM@S Tactics," a game created using SRPG Studio.
Aside from the appearance of Idolmaster characters in your allied units, it's a fairly standard simulation RPG.
I've never seen Idolmaster before, but this is a work that can be enjoyed without any prior knowledge.
The main story consists of 19 chapters, plus two bonus maps that can be played after clearing the game. My completion time was approximately 7 and a half hours (on hard mode).
Not only are the characters from Idolmaster depicted vividly, but the default character models are also brought to life, making it feel like a carefully crafted work.

Game Overview

In this game, "iM@S Tactics," the story begins with the idols being summoned to another world at the start of the game.
In the other world to which you've been summoned, you'll fight against an empire that's beginning to invade various countries, as well as an evil cult operating in the shadows, all while saving the world.
All the characters in this alternate world are unrelated to Idolmaster, so you don't need to know anything about Idolmaster to enjoy it.

There are four difficulty levels available; Easy and Normal modes do not result in character loss.In Hard and Lunatic modes, the game ends immediately if even one character is defeated.

People who regularly play SRPGs should have no problem with the hard difficulty setting.
However, if you find it annoying that the game ends if even one ally is defeated, you'll probably find Normal or lower difficulty levels more comfortable.

The game system features a rock-paper-scissors-like system for weapons.
Swords are strong against axes, axes are strong against spears, and spears are strong against swords.
The rock-paper-scissors system involves significant hit and dodge modifiers, making it quite important for gameplay.

Additionally, there are support effects between units.
In the later stages of the game, especially on more difficult maps, support effects that provide bonuses to accuracy and evasion become extremely important.
On Hard Mode and above, you'll likely struggle to complete the game if you don't keep this in mind.

Another feature is that each unit may have its own unique skills.
Many skills have a significant impact on combat, so it's important to understand what effects they have.

Regarding class changes, lower-level classes at level 10 or higher can change to higher-level classes by using "Master Proof".
It's naturally more advantageous to level up to level 20 in a lower-level job before changing classes, as this provides more opportunities to level up.
However, depending on the situation, such as wanting to increase the number of units that can use staves or magic, it may be necessary to change classes earlier.

Review (no spoilers)

I completed the main story and quests on hard mode in about seven and a half hours.
Although characters from Idolmaster appear in the game, I never felt out of place or left out while playing.

Based on my experience, works featuring characters from existing works assume that the player is familiar with the original source material.
Therefore, in fan-made games, explanations of characters and settings are often omitted within the game itself.

However, in this work, the Idolmaster characters are positioned as "idols summoned to another world" and are essentially just ordinary people, so you won't have any trouble even if you're not familiar with the original work.
You can get a sense of the characters' personalities through their conversations during the event, and all of them, including characters from outside of Idolmaster, had just the right amount of presence.
Nearly ten characters appear all at once at the start of the game, so it was difficult to remember their names and faces at first, but as the story progressed, they naturally stuck in my mind.

I think it's great that even the default character assets often seen in SRPG Studio games have their own moments to shine and a strong presence; they're not just throwaway characters.

I played on hard mode, and the difficulty level was somewhere between normal and slightly difficult.
The gameplay felt similar to Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War on the Super Famicom.
From the mid-game onward, enemy attacks become particularly powerful, and you can be defeated in just two hits. However, as you level up, your evasion rate increases significantly, transforming the game into one centered around dodging.
The difficulty decreases as you become able to easily dodge enemy attacks, so I got the impression that it got easier towards the end of the game.
However, if you were unlucky enough to be hit by enemy attacks repeatedly, you could be easily defeated, resulting in a game balance where accidental deaths were quite frequent.
It is necessary to position your units in a way that avoids being subjected to concentrated enemy attacks.
Since regular enemy units rarely carry both direct and ranged weapons, I got the impression that there were many straightforward enemy soldiers.

The system for receiving reinforcements is reminiscent of older Fire Emblem games, and it feels a bit difficult.
Since they appear during the enemy's turn and act immediately, there's a risk that fragile units could be quickly defeated if you're unlucky.
However, there aren't any particularly malicious reinforcements, and the suspicious locations where reinforcements are likely to appear are generally predictable.
Since this reinforcement didn't necessitate starting over, I felt it was an acceptable outcome.

As mentioned in the included "Tips for Strategy" file, items can only be purchased at shops such as weapon shops and item shops located on the map.
Furthermore, since shops aren't placed in every stage, it's necessary to plan your purchases strategically and anticipate what's coming.
In the early stages, you tend to run out of money easily, but as the number of units you can deploy gradually increases, you don't use up as many weapons.
There's a wide variety of special attack weapons available, and they're fairly easy to obtain, so if you make good use of them, the difficulty of the game should decrease.
Incidentally, there's no need to limit the units you deploy; you can deploy all units that have joined your team.

Regardless of whether you're familiar with Idolmaster or not, I think this is a well-crafted, classic SRPG that I can easily recommend to many players.
If you're looking to settle down and play an SRPG, why not download it?

Strategy Notes - Hard Mode

Even on hard mode, I don't think you'll get stuck anywhere overall.
On maps where reinforcements appear, you can safely gain experience points and progress by waiting until the reinforcements stop before advancing.

Regarding the timing of class changes, I think it's fine to change classes early, even if you haven't reached level 20 yet.
When I played, units that changed classes at level 20 in their lower-level classes still only reached single-digit levels in their advanced classes even after progressing to the final map.
I didn't have any particular difficulties with it, so I think it's fine.
Therefore, since you'll rarely reach level 20 in advanced classes during normal gameplay, you should change classes early.

The enemy AI doesn't seem particularly annoying.
Even if there were allied units that would be destroyed if attacked, they would sometimes attack other nearby units, which often saved the day.
However, in hard mode, enemy attacks are powerful, and taking multiple hits can be fatal.
Try to position your units in a way that prevents them from being attacked more than twice.

Chapter 1 Encounter

This is the first stage, a warm-up.
Since your means of recovery are limited to herbs and base camps, try to avoid taking damage as much as possible by making full use of the rock-paper-scissors system and terrain effects.

Chapter 2 Otherworld

There are many enemies, but we have 10 people, so we shouldn't have too much trouble.
Buy any necessary equipment from the weapons shop and item shop.
However, you can purchase a spear, hand axe, and Swallow Reversal in the next map, so it's a good idea to save some funds.

In the leftmost village, you can obtain Tamami's exclusive weapon, the rapier.

Chapter 3: The Attack

Once combat begins in the middle of the bridge, three Griffin Knight reinforcements will appear from the south at a time, over a period of three turns.
Rapiers and Corsesca are effective against enemy cavalry units, but be careful not to overwhelm them and risk losing due to being defeated prematurely. Pay attention to the placement of your allies equipped with special attack weapons.
Gloria is a formidable opponent, so it's best not to try to defeat her unnecessarily, but rather to wait for her to retreat.

Chapter 4 Siege

There are many enemies, but they won't move unless you enter their attack range.
There's no need to rush, so let's advance slowly and avoid being attacked by many enemies at once.

In the village, you can get status-boosting items and weapons.
Make sure you don't forget to pick up Aja Kati, especially since it's exclusive to Haruka.

Chapter 5: Sacred Treasures

The thief will come towards your allies after collecting the treasure chest, so there's no need to panic.
Let's advance slowly, just like before.

Reinforcements will appear from the stairs on the enemy's fourth turn.
The reinforcements coming from the stairs closer to the starting point are mages, so sisters and troupadors won't take too much damage.
However, be careful as they will act immediately after appearing.

The boss is a tough opponent, but if you attack him from atop the pillars with Tamami or Haruka, you won't have too much trouble.
You will receive 15,000G after clearing the game.

Chapter 6 Variants

The story progresses with the unit divided into two groups.
Members who possess valuable equipment may want to temporarily store it in their inventory.

Skeletons have high attack power and will aggressively approach you.
Many of your units can be defeated after just two attacks, so try to protect them from attacks from multiple enemies by creating a horizontal wall or similar formation.
Considering future needs, it might be a good idea to buy a buckler at the store.
Buying the Swallow Reversal skill will be useful for dealing with the gargoyles in the next map.
Furthermore, Dark is a weapon that can be used both at close range and at close range, and it excels in both attack power and critical hits, so purchasing it will significantly increase Ayame's combat ability.

Chapter 7: Mountain Climbing

Since Burton will soon be exposed to an attack from the enemy group, let's send Marsha over immediately to talk to him.
Luck is also a factor, but if you head south with Masha and talk to her while using good healing medicine, you should be able to survive somehow.
Provide support using the Libera Staff as needed.

After that, let's have everyone regroup so we can deal with the reinforcements coming from the north as a single unit.
If you position Burton in a forest or high mountain, you can largely avoid enemy attacks, so using him as a decoy is one option.
It's important to stagger the timing of the gargoyles and bandits' encounters.

At the weapons shop, you should buy a steel axe or hand axe for Burton.

Chapter 8: Surprise Attack

Ayame, let's go and collect the treasure chest on your immediate left.
The treasure chest in the bottom right can be retrieved after the battle has calmed down, or it's more efficient to have a member with the treasure key open it.
The treasure chests contain useful items, including class change items, so be sure to collect them all.

Reinforcements will appear from the stairs between the enemy's third and sixth turns.
They also appear from the stairs next to the king and attack him, so be careful.
From the king's left appears an enemy wielding an armor killer (sword), and from his right appears an enemy wielding a hammer (axe).
Position allies with advantageous weapons on either side of the king to counter their attacks.
One option is to wait until the reinforcements have subsided before advancing.

The boss, Mood, is fairly strong, so fight him steadily with units that are fast enough to avoid being hit by follow-up attacks.

Chapter 9: Pursuit

By adjusting the initial positioning and using weapons that allow for indirect attacks, it's possible to defeat Moose in the first turn.
You won't gain experience points by defeating enemies, but I managed to clear the stage in one turn using this method.

Chapter 10: Dark Clouds

The perspective shifts to Haruka's unit.
Therefore, it's safer to store any units that possess valuable equipment in stock, as mentioned in the previous chapter.

There's a shop right at the start of the stage, so let's get some gear there.
Tower shields are expensive, but equipping them to your front-line units makes them considerably more durable.

The Griffon Knights will come at you in groups, but if you are equipped with advantageous weapons and stay in the forest, their attacks won't hit you very often.
If you equip Haruka with a Lance Buster and put the high-defense Leonardo and the axe-wielding Makoto at the front, you shouldn't have any trouble.
Sherman troops also have a low hit rate, but when they do hit, they inflict significant damage, so be careful.

You can obtain the Flame Shield in the village.
If you want to defeat Gloria, equip her with an axe and use True Counterattack to trigger her "Rage" ability.

Chapter 11: Rebellion

Gloria is surrounded, but she's strong, so she won't be defeated easily.
There's no need to rush, so first let's break down the southwestern siege of Gloria while intercepting the Griffon Knights approaching from the northwest.
If we leave it to Leonardo and Makoto, who are equipped with shields, we should be able to handle it even with a small number of people.

Around the fourth turn of the enemy's game, for about four turns, reinforcements will appear: two shamans from the fort in the lower right and two griffon knights from the upper left. Be careful.

Chapter 12: The Dragon God

Since your starting position is already within range of the boss Node's Sleep Staff, I think you'll just have to accept taking three hits.

Dragons are tough opponents, but you can safely defeat them by giving Gloria a hero's spear or axe and taking them down in one go.
While waiting for the sleep effect to wear off, collect the treasure chest near the dragon.

The rest of the enemies will only take action if you enter their attack range.
Let's advance little by little.
Node has Resire and will absorb HP.
After weakening them with units that prioritize evasion, finish them off in one go with a hero's weapon.

Chapter 13: Awakening

This map requires you to advance with two units from two different directions.
The level is cleared when Haruka and Touma have a conversation, but you'll want to collect as many treasure chests as possible and obtain the topaz from the druid next to the boss.

The Kings of Crysta are quite strong, so they're unlikely to be defeated.
For now, let's clear out the enemies between the front and back entrances.

Starting from the enemy's third turn, skeleton reinforcements will continuously appear from both entrances.
It will be quite a large number, but let's set up a defensive line and try to hold them off.
Once you've earned a certain amount, don't push yourself too hard and just finish the game.
If you're close to clearing the stage, you can safely approach and attack the druid next to the boss.

November 2020 Update: Reinforcements apparently stop arriving around turn 14. (Information provided by Sophia)

Chapter 14: Light

There's a secret shop on the throne, and anyone can enter.
They sell some pretty valuable weapons and tools, so you should buy a few.

Now, there's a suspicious-looking staircase around the throne, but this time reinforcements will only be coming from the entrance.
It's perfectly fine for the entire army to advance.
Ayame, let's collect the nearby treasure chest before proceeding.

Most of the enemies are equipped with silver gear and have very high attack power.
Since you won't last more than two hits if you take a direct hit, let's advance while being very mindful of the support effects.
Dragons will also start appearing, but if you have two party members with high evasion rates receiving support effects, you should be able to dodge most of them.
Prepare plenty of weapons that are effective against mounted enemies, whittle them down with ranged attacks, and then finish them off in one go.

Chapter 15 Sage

Your starting position is immediately within the attack range of gargoyles and skeleton riders.
It's quite cramped, but instead of charging in, let's create an interception line and meet the attack.
As usual, the enemy's attack power is quite high, so I'll focus on evasion and stack support effects.

You can leave Oswald alone for a while, but enemy reinforcements will appear near Oswald and to the south for a short period starting from the enemy's sixth turn.
Even so, you can provide support with spells like Libera, but if you're worried, send in flying units or walking units that can cross mountains.
If you are adjacent to Oswald, he will heal you not only with Reserve but also with Recover.

Chapter 16: Darkness

The bosses in the three directions don't move at first.
Instead, reinforcements appear in pairs around the boss and head towards you.
You could defeat the reinforcements to gain experience points, but if you're worried, it's better to just eliminate all the enemies and clear the stage quickly.
Since you're close to the boss, you can clear it in 2-3 turns.

November 2020 Update: It seems that reinforcements stop arriving around turn 7. (Information provided by Sophia)

Chapter 17 Preparation

This map is for preparation, including shopping and the arena.
In the arena, you bet 5000G and get 10000G back, so if possible, you should use Remedy's "Sing" ability to maximize your earnings.
Since you can choose your opponent as many times as you like, you can easily defeat them by equipping a special weapon and repeating the process until you find an opponent with a favorable matchup.
Even characters equipped with bows can easily defeat flying opponents when they appear.
If you have any units that could potentially become advanced classes, try to level them up here and promote them to advanced classes.

Buying enough Royal Shields for everyone will significantly boost your defenses and give you peace of mind.

Chapter 18: The Final Battle

The story begins with King Orchis of the West and King Crysta of the South in a precarious situation.
From a situational standpoint, King Krista appears to be in danger due to his isolation, but he is quite resilient and unlikely to be defeated (though his close associates will be).
King Orchis has more guards and fewer enemies, but if he's unlucky, he could still be defeated.
Let's send in some reinforcements, even if it's just a few people.

Reinforcements will continue to appear from the fort for some time.
You can block it off, or you can surround it and gain experience points.

Chapter 19 Hope

This is the final map of the main story.
Since the enemies are all dragon-type, let's fight by focusing on dodging, as we have been doing.
If you want to focus on the boss, block the magic circle to prevent reinforcements from appearing.
Critical hits and other effects will still activate against Fafnir as usual, so even allied units that haven't used the Sealed Orb can still deal a fair amount of damage.

About what happens after clearing the game

After completing the main story, you can save your game at the base camp screen.
From your base, you can take on quests, shop, and more.
By taking on quests, you can earn 100 bonus points for each one you complete.
When you select "Start from the beginning" on the title screen, you can use bonus points to purchase doping items and play the game.
Since quests can be played repeatedly, you can buy lots of items and challenge yourself on Lunatic difficulty.

Quest: Remnants

This map can be challenged after clearing the main game.
It starts with you surrounded by skeleton riders.
Since all enemies possess ambush and heroic equipment, carelessly initiating a melee attack can be dangerous for some units.
First, everyone should focus on taking down the enemies in the lower half of the map, and then we should intercept the enemies in the upper half.
Reinforcements will arrive from the right edge and top of the map.

You can find aquamarine in each village.

Quests and Trials

Utilize the altar room to place powerful units in three directions—up, right, and left—and fight while holding out and making the most of the support effects.
Since the equipment of reinforcements varies depending on the direction they are coming from, deploy tank units that are appropriate for each direction.
Reinforcements keep appearing from three directions incessantly, and they're tough enemies, so it's difficult, but the enemy stops appearing after the sixth turn.
After that, we'll lure out the remaining fakes one by one and take them down individually.

Character impressions (contains spoilers)

・Haruka Amami

Thanks to the ease of use of its exclusive weapon, which is available early in the game, it performed well as a well-balanced unit.
However, while it didn't leave a particularly strong impression, it was useful because it could benefit from the support effects of many opponents.

・ Tamami Wakiyama

Like Haruka, her exclusive weapon, the rapier, which is available early in the game, is easy to use and proved effective against enemy cavalry and heavily armored units.
He often neutralized attacks by catching them with his bare hands, and combined with his manner of speaking, he had the air of a true sword master.

- Touma Amagase

Like other Lords, he was easy to use in the early stages of the game thanks to his signature weapon, Corsesca.
His overall stats are high, making him a reliable front-line fighter.
However, due to the characteristics of the spear as a weapon, he initially had difficulty hitting targets and it was hard to follow up with another attack, so his growth was slower than that of other lords.

・Yayoi Takatsuki

This is a mage whose starting equipment is Wind.
Wind's attacks were light, but sometimes he couldn't attack again, and his magic power was also low, so his offensive capabilities weren't very high.
Equipping it with Fire increased its attack power and made it slightly more versatile.
She has useful shopping skills, making her an important member of the shopping team.

・ Mizuno Midori

This unit lacked strength and speed, making it difficult to increase its attack power.
However, after acquiring the longbow, its usability improved, and my level naturally increased as well.

- Ayame Hamaguchi

This unit has a lot to do, from picking locks to collecting treasure chests.
Daggers are easy to use for both close-range and close-range combat, and when equipped with Dark, which has a high critical hit rate, they can be quite effective in battle.

- Makoto Kikuchi

Since there weren't many axe users, I used it a lot from the beginning of the game.
He was the first to change classes.
With sufficient skill and speed, even though an axe is the weapon, follow-up attacks are frequently triggered, giving the impression of a strong character.

Hokuto Ijuin

It was the only mounted unit in the early stages of the game, and it was tough with good durability.
My strength lies in being able to switch between sword and spear, which gave me an advantage in aiming for a rock-paper-scissors-like situation.

Shota Mitarai

Due to the low accuracy and cost of dark magic, and Shota's low skill and speed, this unit was somewhat unreliable.
However, if you enhance his speed and technique with doping items, he can be useful as a mage with powerful single hits.
If you equip the Nosire, your survival rate will increase even if you are under concentrated attack from the enemy.

・Sophia

They play a crucial role as a healer from the very beginning of the game, and their role in the final map is to use the Sealed Orb.
Since the class change happened late, I haven't really had them do anything beyond being a healer.
Its magic defense is quite high, so it can adequately act as a tank against magic-using enemies.

Linda

A highly mobile healer.
Like Sophia, she can also be useful as a healer until the very end.

Leonardo

Although he was an Armor Knight, his speed wasn't low, and his strength and skill were also high, so he supported the front lines as an ace unit.
Equipped with a shield and a javelin, this unit was powerful enough to wipe out almost any non-magic-using enemy.

Samsung

It shares similar characteristics with Hokuto, but its ability scores are slightly inferior.
However, as a mounted unit, it has high mobility, making it useful in a variety of situations.

・Masha

The only map where being a flying unit was dramatically useful was the map where it first appeared.
Because of its high speed, if you equip it with a special attack weapon, it can be a valuable asset in battle.

Burton

This might be the first time we've used this character graphic for a teammate in a game.
While it excels in its initial appearance map with its Killer Axe, it possesses the ability to remain highly effective on the front lines even afterward.
The growth rate isn't bad, so I think there's no harm in growing it normally.

Daisy

This unit was one that, if you missed the opportunity to buy a magic book, would be without any means of attack for a while.
It proved surprisingly useful, as it's strong against monster-type enemies and shamans who use dark magic.
Since its magic power is a bit low and its attack power is insufficient, boosting it with spirit powder or similar items should make it easier to use.

Remedies

She has the ability to fight using her signature weapon, the rapier, but it's probably best for her to stick to singing.
It was useful in various situations.

Gloria

When it first appears, it's one of the strongest characters, making it useful against tough opponents.
You'll be able to monopolize high-level weapon equipment for a while.
The growth rate seems a little low, but I don't think it's so low that you should hold back on acquiring experience points.

Robin

He joined the team relatively late, and by then, we already had a decent number of allied units, so he didn't have much of an impact.
Cavalry with bows generally give the impression of being strong, but in the later stages of the game, there are fewer enemy flying units, so they don't get much opportunity to shine.
In this game, perhaps because bows have an advantage against flying enemies, there are few weapons that have an advantage against non-flying enemies, giving the impression that bow users are at a disadvantage.

Oswald

They are a helpful character who joins your party at the very end.
While Ragnarok is strong, his overall stats are high, and his intimidation skill is also powerful.
Rather than using her as a healer, she seems to be quite useful when used as a magic attacker.