New Theory Magical Girl (Free Simulation RPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Walkthrough

This is a free, full-length simulation RPG created with SRPG Studio.
Apparently, this is a remake of "Magical Girl," which was created using Simulation RPG Maker 95 a long time ago.
I thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous work, "Heartium," which was created using SRPG Studio, so I decided to pick up this one.
The completion time is approximately 40 hours.
(It took me 75 hours on "Realistic" difficulty.)

Story etc.

This is a story about a cat-like alien who empowers everyone to fight and protect them from mysterious monsters attacking the city.(I'm not lying.)。
Unusually for a simulation RPG, it's set in modern times.
Almost all of the characters are middle school students, so the "magical girl" label is not a lie (although there are a few male characters).

Even though it's called a "magical girl" story, it's not a fantastical one; it's closer to science fiction.
I find it interesting that even though it appears to be a supernatural phenomenon, it has a solid logical basis, even though it's fiction.
The characters aren't saints; they're childlike and selfish at times, and the raw, realistic aspects of human nature are depicted in a very relatable way.
Some of the characters are mentally terrifying, though...

The scenarios in this section, which delve into each individual character, are written with great care and attention.
The number of characters keeps increasing, but they are never treated as disposable; their relationships are properly depicted, and they come alive.
Just like with "Heartium," the story itself is incredibly captivating, making you want to keep playing and find out what happens next.

While it has some intense plot developments and content, the entire story is dramatic and captivating.
The plot points are neatly resolved and justified, revealing the author's meticulous attention to detail.

Combat part

Impressions of the combat part

Now, regarding the combat part, it's a fairly standard simulation RPG.
In the early stages, you don't always fight with your full team; you generally fight with the characters specified for that particular stage.
Since everyone is attending school, it's rare for all the members to be able to get together at the same time.

Often, battles begin with just a few people, and more members join as the turns progress.
That aspect feels realistic, and since you fight in a variety of situations, I think it effectively prevents the combat from becoming repetitive.
In stages requiring quick completion, you sometimes have to split up your team members, and the appearance of powerful enemies and the placement of enemy units also show the creator's attention to detail.
In the second half of the season, we often play with almost our full roster.
The game is balanced so that you won't lose anything no matter who you train, so you can focus on strategy without worrying too much about character development.
Considering it as a simulation RPG overall, I think it's very well made.

Opening tactics

Basically, a good strategy would be to wait in a location with terrain effects that increase your evasion rate.
However, since the game balance makes it difficult to dodge enemy attacks, positioning yourself to avoid concentrated fire is crucial.
If the members are separated, first bring them closer together, and then engage the enemy from there.
The golden rule is to "weaken them down with indirect attacks that can't be countered, and then finish them off with direct attacks."

While the in-game help section recommends healing abilities like Sub-Heal as early-game additional skills, I recommend indirect attack skills such as Sub-Flare and Sub-Ice.
Securing means of recovery is important, but if you have offensive capabilities that won't result in counterattacks, then recovery isn't even necessary.
Prioritizing equipping this to characters with a range of only 1 will allow them to counter indirect attacks from enemies, increasing their overall offensive power.

Mid-game tactics

Once humanoid forms appear, Chiyoko and Haruka, who have the means to counter them, become more valuable.
Besides these two, Kotone's technique is probably the only one that can inflict damage.
It's best to use both of you to whittle down the humanoid enemy until it's near death, and then finish it off with Kotone or something similar.

Additionally, as the number of enemy units increases, you will need to control the enemy's attacks to avoid being targeted by concentrated fire, so make good use of Chiyoko's taunt ability.
Specifically, you first use defensive tactics, such as waiting for an enemy to approach, then wear them down with indirect attacks, and finally finish them off.

If you do it that way, the unit that goes in to deliver the final blow will naturally tend to stand out more.
If you leave those advanced units unchecked, they will be subjected to concentrated attacks during the enemy's turn.
Therefore, we position Chiyoko in a taunted state within the attack range of several enemy units so that she can absorb attacks from two or three units.
That way, even if one outstanding unit is supposed to take on the attacks of five units, Chiyoko can take on two or three of them.
At this point, be careful not to push Chiyoko too far forward, as all attacks will concentrate on her and she will be defeated.

The Recommendation of Auto-Heal

Once humanoid characters start appearing, the game becomes one where resource management, specifically MP (Magic Points), becomes crucial.
There are many situations where you consume MP, but there are very few ways to recover it.
Therefore, the number of times you can recover HP is limited.Ultimately, the important thing is to "avoid taking unnecessary damage."
For players who want to tackle the game at a relaxed pace, I would also like to add that purchasing "Auto Heal" whenever possible will make battles much more comfortable.
Especially if the enemy is the "waiting" type, you can advance at your own pace while waiting for your units to recover.

Second half strategy

Basically, you send Mao, who has an auto-shield, ahead, and position characters with high HP and defense (such as Yoko, Kozue, Yui, and Nanami) around her to create the front line.
Be careful not to rush in too quickly and get attacked by many enemies at once.
It's easier to understand if you have the setting enabled to display the opponent's attack range on the map.
Position units with longer ranges slightly behind the front line to finish off enemies weakened by the counterattacks, or to reduce the health of enemies in the area where the front line is about to advance.

When facing enemy units with long range, it's important not to rush in recklessly, but rather to efficiently eliminate them from a distance with powerful long-range attacks.
It's important to conserve MP for bosses, but conserving too much can actually slow down your kill speed and lead to taking unnecessary damage.
Additionally, against powerful bosses, using decoys to divert their attacks can be an effective tactic.
Make the most of units that have run out of MP, and guest units that are only available on that map, and position them to draw enemy attacks. (It's a little cruel, though...)

Character usage impressions

("Mid-season" refers to around episode 15 and beyond, while "late season" refers to when all the characters are together.)
*For detailed information on each character, please refer to the official website.

Chiyoko

While tough and having automatic regeneration, allowing you to charge in without worrying about counterattacks, it's not particularly impressive as a fighting force.
It's useful as a decoy for provocation.
Once you learn Ice Core in the middle of the game, it becomes key to dealing with humanoid enemies.
In the second half, the usability of the unit improves dramatically, with convenient ranged attacks (1-3 range) and wide-area, high-powered, and easy-to-use area-of-effect weapons. However, its defensive capabilities are not high, so be careful of concentrated fire.
In the final stages, there's a lot to do, such as using the high-powered, no-cost Light Fang and the Super Light that instantly kills bosses.

遥

Contrary to expectations, she's a healer, but her ray gun has impressive range and power.
Useful as an indirect heavy attacker.
In the mid-game, it becomes an important presence with powerful indirect attacks and attacks effective against humanoid enemies.
In the second half, he becomes a tough ace who can take to the front lines. However, you'll want to save MP-consuming techniques for the boss.

Shuri

It's not very durable, but its firepower is decent.
I want to equip it with a sub-weapon and use it for light damage and finishing off opponents.
In the mid-game, once you learn area-of-effect attacks, it becomes easier to earn points, and once you learn beam attacks, your firepower becomes sufficient and you really shine.
In the second half of the game, it's useful for finishing off bosses, burning down groups of weaker enemies, and more.

Nanami

Armor Knight.
Learning the Aqua Gun makes it easier to use, somewhat compensating for its low movement speed.
He will be a reliable asset in both the midfield and the second half of the game.
However, its low mobility and difficulty in reaching bosses with its special attack make it unsuitable as a boss killer.
A jack-of-all-trades who can both attack and heal on the front lines.

梢

I like the character.
A melee attacker, maintaining high damage output even when MP runs out.
He's not very resilient, so be careful of him getting hit hard.
In the mid-game, once you learn the lance with a range of 2, it becomes even more useful.
In the second half, this Silver General can't deliver a decisive blow to the boss, but it's fuel-efficient and can continue fighting on the front lines. In the final stages, it learns powerful techniques with a range of 1-3, making it quite effective against bosses.

Lily

A healer who can also attack. They have strength and can deliver the finishing blow, so they're fine on the front lines.
Since it also teaches area-of-effect healing and reviving incapacitated characters, it is of high importance.

Sakuya

An attacker with high evasion.
It has a range of 1-2, so it can fight reasonably well.
MP runs out easily, but you can still attack reasonably well even when it's gone.
In the midfield and second half, the defense is inevitably weak, making it difficult to get the ball forward effectively, and the team often ends up playing just short of the attacking line.
With high attack power and mobility, it could be used to finish off any enemies that slip through.

香

My role as an archer is to chip away at their health little by little.
In the middle of the game, after learning the Sound Spear, he became a good damage dealer.
The operational strategy will remain consistent until the very end, but there is much that can be done as a cost-cutting agent.

忍

A melee status effect attacker with decent firepower.
Is it best to plant them close to the treetops?
In the mid-game, once you learn the ~ cannon, your range will increase, but be careful as it consumes a lot of resources.
With the Railgun, you'll be able to take on even the boss.

Yoko

A versatile unit capable of handling close-range combat, ranged attacks, and healing.
He can play a central role on the front lines.
It learns powerful attacks that are easy to use even in the mid-to-late game.
Its slightly low mobility is its only drawback.
In the second half, he can use his toughness to keep hitting with the Diamond Sword.

Kotone

With high mobility, long range, and decent firepower,He is an excellent skirmisher/attacker.
It pairs perfectly with auto-healing, so you can wreak havoc on the enemy lines without worry.
It's also useful in the mid-game for eliminating troublesome enemies.
While there may be times in the second half when its firepower becomes insufficient, it remains usable until the end.

Imari

It requires a special approach in the early stages and is difficult to use.
In flight mode, it would be best to use it as a skirmisher, similar to Kotone.
In the mid-game, his melee attacks become somewhat stronger, but his vulnerability to damage is a concern.
In the latter half of the game, after awakening, he quickly becomes a main force. His Human Beat, with its high power and long range, is easy to use and allows him to fight effectively against tough enemies and bosses.

唯

I was wondering what to do with the Warp Punch, which has a long range but not much firepower,After learning Accel Smash, he excels as a tough and high-damage front-line fighter.
With consistently high stats throughout the mid-to-late game, this character can be a trump card against tough opponents. Ideal for use on the front lines.

Hiyori

A heavy archer with a long range and decent firepower.
However, it's somewhat difficult to use because its MP runs out quickly and its movement speed is low.
It's certainly useful for things like pulling up allies who have gone too far into the road with the crane. It plays its most significant role in episode 48.

Yuki

A versatile character who can do anything.
With its various elemental attributes, decent range, and ability to heal, it can do a lot.
In the mid-to-late game, I lacked firepower and was mostly limited to providing light heals.

Tsukina

It has a strong, quirky character and is difficult to use.
With its range 3 rocket punch, it seems its role is to chip away at the enemy's health.
Midway through the game, once you learn Chemical Thunder, you'll be able to deal a decent amount of damage to even tough enemies.
In the latter half of the game, he learns some fairly strong techniques, such as all-range attacks, but he remains a mediocre character.
In the final stages, you'll learn powerful techniques that are effective even against bosses.

Mao

Thanks to her ability to increase the defense of surrounding units, she always plays the role of the front line, at the center of the group.
It also has a decent number of attack options, making it quite user-friendly.
I want to push forward and develop the vanguard with Mao at the center.
The Shield Saucer has no cost, and the Freeze Saucer has a cost but a range of 3, making them easy to use.
Since it can be useful in the mid-to-late game, I want to upgrade it to level 5 as soon as possible to strengthen its auto-shield.
Since there are few techniques that are effective against the boss, just focus on being a defender.

Telomere

Basically, this is a character you'll want to keep on hand for dealing with humanoid enemies.
Be careful, as it's not very durable.
Because his long-range special attack is easy to use, he's always useful if you have him on your team.
Since all of these techniques consume MP, their ability to sustain combat is relatively low.

Addition

I think she appeared in Fafner in the Azure.
They're not very effective as a fighting force, and it's difficult to find a good use for them.
In the mid-game, once you learn skills with a range of 2-4, you become a fairly useful fighter.
Even in the second half, he's generally not very durable, so he's often positioned somewhere in the middle of the field.
He learns a powerful technique towards the end of the game, but it's not quite enough to deliver a decisive blow against the boss.

Moka

He possesses versatile techniques, including a high-powered railgun and a range-focused coffin.
I want to stay on the front lines, but I need to be careful about my stamina.
In the second half, once you learn White Panorama, you'll be able to take on the boss.

Yonago

Chiyoko's ice core and Haruka's photonic RB are perfect for finishing off humanoid targets that have been whittled down.
It's actually difficult against weaker enemies. It's effective against hard wooden or fish-shaped enemies.
You can expect consistent damage against bosses until the later stages of the game.
The main drawback is that all of its high-powered moves have a range of 1.

栞

Its indirect attacks rely on throwing rocks, but its toughness makes it a strong point that it can be safely deployed on the front lines.
In the middle and later stages of the game, they tend to rely too much on brute force, which makes their performance unremarkable.
However, the fact that MP recovers naturally makes it easier to use techniques, which is an advantage.

amber

A healer who is easily defeated.
It can perform indirect attacks, but be careful as it's extremely vulnerable to damage.
The "Release Blossom" technique is highly effective when used as a powerful attack against bosses, making it extremely useful.
This is an important technique that can be used until the later stages of the game, so you should upgrade your character and learn it as soon as possible.

Saya

It has many overlapping abilities with Man's.
However, it doesn't have a long range and isn't very durable, so it gives the impression of being difficult to use.
Since he can move regardless of the terrain, he might be easier to use than Yuki.

Rena

A long-range shooter.
The sniper rounds have a long range and are very useful; you could almost get by with just these bullets.
Having recovery rounds and nuclear warheads can be useful in an emergency.
They're not essential, but they're somewhat useful when they're around. That's their position.

要

In the Fire Emblem series, this unit would be equivalent to a Dancer. A unit specializing in support.
The ability to allow allies to act again is useful against both weak enemies and bosses, and remains effective until the end of the game.
Since they can also use special items to restore MP, they are an irreplaceable and important unit.

Summary of impressions

I think it's a high-quality game, both as a simulation RPG and as a science fiction novel.
If you prefer something more traditional, then "Heartium" is a better choice.
However, this game has an unsettling atmosphere, much like "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," and the unfolding story is exciting.
The second half has some very exciting developments, and I think it's a game that will meet players' expectations.
This is a game I would highly recommend to anyone who values both story and gameplay.