iM@S Tactics 2 -CROSS DIMENSION- (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an article introducing "iM@S Tactics 2 -CROSS DIMENSION-", a fan-made simulation RPG featuring characters from iM@S.
For those who haven't played the previous game, I recommend starting with "iM@S Tactics".

Like the previous game, the initial members are characters from Idolmaster, but the subsequent story development is not particularly related to Idolmaster.
Therefore, even players unfamiliar with Idolmaster should be able to enjoy it as a simulation RPG.
I'm not familiar with the original Idolmaster, but playing this game has actually made me interested in Idolmaster.

This game has a total of 17 maps, and the completion time was 8 hours (on hard mode).

Game Overview

This game, "iM@S Tactics 2 -CROSS DIMENSION-", is a sequel to the previous game.
The idols who saved another world have safely returned to their own world.
However, upon returning to the world, Japan had been destroyed and transformed into a country overrun by monsters.
Why did Japan fall? Can they return to their original world? The idols' journey of battle begins.

Just like in the previous game, you can choose from four difficulty levels.
Like with the previous game, I chose the hard mode, and the difficulty level was about average.
However, in the final stages, the "game over if even one ally is defeated" mechanic on Hard difficulty and above is quite challenging, and I felt that the difficulty in the later stages was higher than in the previous game.

Other systems are the same as in the previous game.
The weapon triangle, unit support effects, class changes, and immediate action after enemy reinforcements appear remain unchanged.
Regarding the deployable units, 26 units are available, which is 6 more than in the previous game.
Deploying all units results in a considerably large force, which is one of the factors that eases the game's difficulty.

However, in the final stages of the game, you'll need fully trained units, so if you've trained everyone equally, you might encounter some difficulties.
I believe it's sometimes necessary to deliberately limit the number of units deployed and concentrate experience points on a smaller number of members.

Review (no spoilers)

I played on hard mode for 8 hours and successfully completed the game.
The first thing I noticed was that the story itself was incredibly interesting.
Because they had already created a classic story in the previous work, they were able to create an unconventional plot that was enjoyable to watch.
I can't give away too many spoilers, but the story unfolds naturally and logically, and I was really excited to see what would happen in the final map.

I believe that an interesting story is ultimately supported by compelling characters.
The number of new characters introduced will be kept to a minimum, and many characters from the previous work will also play an active role.
The characters from the previous game don't dominate the story; rather, they play a role in highlighting the new characters while also contributing to the overall excitement of the narrative.
I think the way they use new and previous characters, and how they integrate them into the story, is exquisite.

Next, let's talk about the game content.
I played on hard mode, and I think the game balance was similar to the previous game.
Because the enemy's attack power was high, it was important to position units with an emphasis on evasion to avoid being targeted by concentrated enemy attacks.

However, from the middle of the game onwards, you will have more allies than in the previous game, and all of them can be deployed.
Having a large number of units deployed makes battles easier.
However, this increased the effort required for operation and the time it took, so in my case, from the middle of the game onwards, I reduced the number of units I deployed from the maximum limit.
Having too many people means some members won't be able to participate in the battle, so narrowing it down to about two-thirds didn't cause any particular problems.
The last two maps were particularly difficult, so I deployed all my units without holding back.
I had to reload the game many times, but the joy I felt when I finally cleared it was all the greater because of it.

Compared to the previous game, it feels like there are more stage situations, such as rescuing allies and fighting together with friendly forces.
However, since the core gameplay revolves almost entirely around dealing with enemy reinforcements, the variety of difficulty levels might have been limited.
However, it's not a particularly long work, and I never got bored of it.
On the contrary, I think that allowed me to really enjoy training my units by utilizing reinforcements.
Once again, most of my units were still in the single digits of advanced class levels when I cleared the stage, so I might have been delaying class changes for too long.

Also, just like in the previous game, one feature I liked was the existence of items that grant you the ability to use "Meteor," "Moonlight," and "Sun" if you possess them.
Valuable skill items are consumables, which can make deciding who to use them on difficult. However, in this game, they can be used while the unit is holding them, allowing you to try them out on various units and see how they perform.
Personally, I found that giving "Meteor" or "Moonlight" to mages or archers made them quite powerful.

I played both games back-to-back, with the previous game, "iM@S Tactics," being the first part and this one being the second part.
I think this game will be as enjoyable as the classic simulation RPGs "Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light" and "Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem."
Even people unfamiliar with Idolmaster should be able to play it without any problems, so I highly recommend starting with the first game.

Strategy Notes - Hard Mode (Contains Spoilers)

Chapter 1: Premonition

Although you are far from the enemy, it would be best to advance from the start and ambush them in the narrow part of the bridge.
You can easily defeat the bosses by luring them out one by one.

Chapter 2 Assault

This is a fairly difficult map right from the start.
On the enemy's fourth turn, reinforcements will appear from the indoor stairwell and from outside.
You can leave Ex alone to some extent, so let's move our forces according to our own needs.

First, we need to retrieve the treasure chests in the treasure vault, so let's send a large number of our troops there.
If you're going shopping, it's safest to send Yayoi along with about two other people.
The Neo Japan soldiers are quite resilient, and Ex provides support with his Libera.
Let's ignore our allies and use the narrow passages to fight.

If you equip a special attack weapon and act as a tank, you risk defeating too many enemies and becoming the target of their attacks one after another.
If you're in an area with many enemies, deliberately equip yourself with a weak weapon to act as a shield for counterattacks.

Chapter 3: Magic

This map requires you to rescue Fernando and Laura, but it's relatively manageable.
Since Ex will also provide support with Libera, there's no need to rush too much.
However, it becomes dangerous if the magician approaches and starts to attack Laura indirectly.
Send in mounted units like Hokuto early to provide support.
Even if Laura is defeated, you can sometimes save her by reloading and manipulating the random number generator.

Basically, you just need to hold off the enemy near the central bridge, but the reinforcements are quite intense, so in some cases you may need to go and block off their base.
Shota can fight against magic users with the advantage of using dark magic.

Chapter 4 Collision

This map features the first appearance of shooters.
Beatrice has healing medicine, so she can hold out for a while.
However, be careful, as you won't be able to hold out once reinforcements of mages start to appear.

Once we meet up with Beatrice, we've got this.
If you approach from outside their range using the Hokuto and attack with a spear, you can destroy one in one turn.
If both units are still active, units with low defensive capabilities may be attacked twice and defeated, so be careful about that.

Chapter 5 Resurrection

On the enemy's fourth turn, four Griffin Knights appear from the stairs, fulfilling a suspicious expectation.
If our advance proceeds smoothly, we will likely be attacked from behind.
You can deal with it by creating a wall with members who have high physical defense.

Let's just have Ayame keep opening the treasure vault.
Bosses other than dragons will start moving if you enter their attack range.
Cedric is equipped with the Resire and is a formidable opponent, so let's lure him out and fight him first.

Fafnir α is a unit equipped with Fafnir's scales; have it attack from atop a pillar.
If you utilize the support effects, you should be able to defeat them without too much trouble.
I actually found Cedric, who possessed the Nosire skill, to be a more formidable opponent.

Chapter 6: Tracking

Because reinforcements appear suddenly in unpredictable locations, units with low defense must either advance while protecting themselves or be equipped with shields.
Since Laura is the one who could be defeated in one hit, I think giving her a shield would provide some peace of mind for the time being.
The safest strategy is to stay in the forest near your starting position and intercept the reinforcements until they stop arriving.

Chapter 7: The Journey

This map features zombie reinforcements appearing regularly from four different locations.
This map is simple: just position your allies strategically where enemy reinforcements will move in and defeat them reliably each turn.
Since zombies have high attack power, it's important to position your units to avoid being hit by multiple attacks, as you've done before.

Chapter 8: The Divine Realm

Griffon Knights and other enemies are advancing north from the south.
It would be a good idea to use the bridge to intercept them.
When doing so, be sure to consider the attack range of the shooters when positioning your forces.

The priest positioned in front of the boss is troublesome because he uses Saint Fire.
Use the M Shield staff or defeat them with indirect attacks from units equipped with Flame Shields.
The boss is heavily armored, so you can easily defeat it with a special attack weapon.

There's a base nearby where you can heal, so if you want to, you can farm bosses here and gain experience points.

Chapter 9: The Truth

There are several staircases, which might seem suspicious, but reinforcements will only appear from around Ex.
Therefore, there's no problem with everyone advancing without worrying about Lydia.

The characters from the previous game that you encounter along the way are quite formidable opponents.
While some allies may take care of the enemy, I think high-ranking characters like Leonardo will remain.
Use your allied resistance forces as decoys while employing special attack weapons to take down your enemies.

Chapter 10 Reunion

I learned for the first time in the introduction of this chapter that Makoto is a woman.

Enemy reinforcements will appear from the upper right of the map for a while, so if you set your main battlefield in the lower left and have all your troops converge there, you should be able to fight a little easier.
By moving away from the reinforcement spawn point, you can stagger the timing of the enemy gargoyles', infantry's, and cavalry's advances.
The enemies have high attack power, so make good use of the forest to increase your evasion rate.

After you've dealt with a certain number of enemies, let's visit the village.

Chapter 11: A Predicament

The number of our companions has increased considerably.
If you're not going to train lower-class units, it's best to avoid deploying higher-class members.

As you can see, Masha is suddenly in a precarious situation.
Since you could get a game over in the first turn if you're unlucky, you need to rescue them as quickly as possible.
It's a kind gesture from the enemy to place it on a magic circle with a high terrain effect.

As you might expect, reinforcements will start appearing from four different staircases starting from the enemy's fourth turn.
Troopers will appear from the stairs near the boss, so be careful not to get hit by their indirect attacks through the wall.
As for the troopers, blocking the area around the stairs will prevent them from attacking, making it a good way to gain experience points.

Chapter 12: Sacred Treasures

This map looks like it's going to get a lot of reinforcements.
It's best to surround it as shown in the image above.
In my case, I deployed mainly units that I wasn't leveling up, and kept the advanced class members out of the battle.

You can get information from private homes, but there's a secret shop in the luxurious theater building to the south.
They produce many very useful weapons, such as killer-type and hero-type weapons, but they are expensive.
It might be best to limit your purchases to a few useful staves, such as the Libera.

Once you reach the middle of the town, reinforcements will appear from the outer outposts.
Be careful to avoid having any units suddenly attacked.
This time, let's set up a defensive line in the middle of the city and intercept them.

If you visit the house in the middle of the leftmost part of the map with Fernando, you can obtain the Zantetsuken sword.
You can visit with other units as well, but it's best to visit with Ferdinand if you have the chance.

Chapter 13: The Master

This map also has a lot of reinforcements.
The unit on the left should prepare to intercept the enemy near the narrow entrance of the castle gate.
Let's intercept the unit on the right once they've moved a little further in.
This is a chance for members who haven't leveled up enough to earn points, so make sure to strengthen them properly.
If I can use up all the Master Proof I've acquired so far, I'd say things are going smoothly.

The enemy's reinforcements will stop arriving on their sixth turn, so proceed cautiously until then.

The boss, Oswald, attacks with the long-range magic spell, Thunderstorm.
Since its intimidation skill is dangerous, it's best to use units with high HP and attack speed to deplete its ammo before approaching.

After clearing the game, Lydia will change classes, so make sure to raise her level as high as possible.

Chapter 14 Counterattack

There's a message that makes it seem like this is your last chance to shop, but you can still make purchases on the next map.
However, the next map contains only special items, such as equipment for heroes.
If you're short on standard items, you should buy some here.

Most friendly resistance fighters do not need to be helped unnecessarily.
However, the Valkyrie, our ally in the west, is useful because she will use Libera if she survives.

Chapter 15: Setting Sun

The resistance is quite strong, so advance while skillfully diverting their attention from your own units.
I don't think we'll need to grind for experience points much anymore, so we'll start blocking off the stairs where reinforcements appear.

Dragon reinforcements will appear near Ex.
Let's lead the battle with a unit equipped with Fafnir's scales.
However, if you properly stack the support effects, I think the chances of your attacks hitting will be low.

Since critical hits are effective against Ex, you can defeat him with characters other than Lydia.
If you have the three main characters attack, a rather long pre-battle dialogue will play, so it's worth watching.
In particular, during the battle with Touma, Ex's true objective is revealed.

Chapter 16 Hope

Let's create a straight defensive line centered around our allied unit, Fafnir α, and advance.
The enemy general has extremely high defense, so unless your special attack weapon is a magic attack, you won't stand a chance.

The enemy reinforcements are powerful and numerous.
Once you've gotten close enough to Ex, have Oswald use the Staff of Again to defeat the boss in one go.
If you use the Song of Remedy to give Oswald another turn, you can use the Staff Again again, so it's like it's always my turn.
However, the next map is also quite challenging, so if you can save your "Again" item, you'll want to do so.

Final Chapter: Despair

The final episode takes an unexpected turn.
Let's fight while keeping Fafnir α, which has subtly been transformed into a control unit, at the forefront.
The breath attack that ignores defense is incredibly useful.
However, depending on the opponent, they may land critical hits in a row, putting you in a dangerous situation, so caution is necessary.

The Assassin (Ayame) will slip past you, so be careful to prevent your backline members from being defeated.
If positioning is difficult, it's safer to put them to sleep, as sleep mode is often effective against them.
Yayoi's Thunderstorm isn't that much of a threat.

Enemies with high evasion rates are quite troublesome.
Oswald's Intimidation ability was quite useful because it always hit opponents with lower HP than himself.
If you still have "Angel's Robe" left, using it will broaden the range of opponents against whom it is more effective.

Character impressions (contains spoilers)

Since the feel of using the characters from the previous game is almost the same, I will refrain from giving individual comments.

Laura

Because of my low weapon level, I couldn't use the Libera weapon even after acquiring it, so it was relegated to the reserves.

Fernando

As a powerful character from the start, you can be entrusted with leading the front line.
Upon class change, you gain a skill that doubles terrain effects, making you extremely powerful on squares with high evasion rates.

Beatrice

He proved useful as a heavily armored soldier who could be entrusted with leading the vanguard.
In terms of stats, he's quite reliable, much like Leonardo from the previous game.

Leon

She appears alongside Shirley, but her combat abilities don't seem particularly impressive.
I used her as a support character for Lydia.

Shirley

He's slightly more useful than Leon.
Just like with Leon, let's fight while providing support effects to Lydia.

Cedric

When he first appeared, he was a valuable unit, capable of using the precious Libera spell and dark magic.

Lydia

He could be described as the fourth main character.
While it requires you to carry many items, it also boosts your character's overall stats.
However, it wasn't very helpful in defeating Ex.
Thanks to the "Banner of Hope," which amplifies the experience points of allies within 5 squares, it's extremely useful for grinding experience points.
For everyday battles, using magic was more convenient.