Jigokuron (Free SRPG) Introduction, Review, and Walkthrough

With the release of the creation tool "SRPG Studio" in 2015, many more free SRPGs have appeared in the world compared to before.
Lately, it seems like many games are being created that incorporate many unique systems in an attempt to differentiate themselves from conventional, standard SRPGs.

In SRPGs, there are several traditional strategies for success.
Methods such as waiting for approaching enemies, unleashing powerful attacks with ace units, and grinding for experience points by repeatedly defeating bosses are all effective strategies that are well-known in the "Fire Emblem" series.
However, if every game can be easily completed using this method, it will become repetitive, and the only way to add novelty will be to the story or other aspects of the game.
Therefore, recently, we often see games that attempt to render these traditional strategies ineffective or offer a new gameplay experience.

This game, "Jigokuron," also offers a different gameplay experience compared to conventional SRPGs.
The game features numerous elements that offer a fresh gameplay experience, such as a system where you'll struggle if you don't keep the total damage under control, difficulty levels where the contents of random treasure chests change the tactics you can employ, choices about marching routes and which treasure chests to pursue, and reinforcements that require aggressive advances.
My completion time on Standard mode was 11 hours.

Game Overview

"Jigokuron" begins with the protagonist, Shalka, waking up in a place with a red sky.
Having lost her memory, Shalka decides to fight off the monsters that attack her and then move forward with Shorty, whom she meets along the way.
The game features a thorough tutorial that follows the game's progression from the very beginning, making it easy even for SRPG beginners.

The image above is the world map for "Jigokuron," which is inserted between stages.
The minimaps for each stage are connected together, and although the details aren't visible, you can see how far you've progressed and how much further you are from clearing the stage.
Furthermore, this game features many branching stages, which will determine which map you progress through.

You can choose from two difficulty levels: "Standard" and "Novice".
Depending on your play style, even the "Standard" setting seems quite difficult, so there's a non-zero chance you might get stuck.
You can change the difficulty level before deploying, so don't worry too much about it and just choose one.
Characters are not permanently lost in either difficulty level, but there are drawbacks, such as a decrease in certain parameters, if a character is defeated.

Below, we will briefly introduce some of the game's distinctive systems.

Sugar and HP

In this game, there is something called "Sugar" that holds an important position both in terms of the game's system and its story.
This serves multiple purposes: it's a healing item, it's money, and it's a versatile tool.

For example, if the total HP of all units decreases by 500 when the map is cleared, then 1000 will be deducted from the remaining sugar.
If you don't have enough sugar remaining when you clear a stage, your units' HP will not recover in the next map.
In that case, you'll naturally face a tough challenge, and in the worst-case scenario, it might even become impossible to clear the game.

During the walkthrough, lost HP can only be restored with sugar.
On the sortie preparation screen, you can use your remaining sugar to exchange it for "100 Sugar" or "300 Sugar," allowing you to use it in smaller amounts as a recovery item.
There is also a staff that restores 150 HP (enough for 10 uses), but buying or selling this staff will cost 1500 sugar (meaning the total amount of sugar will not change).
The most important thing is to complete the stage without losing any HP.

Treasure chest with random contents

Treasure chests are scattered throughout the map.
The items inside are basically random, and the strategies a player can employ will change depending on the items they obtain.
While some treasure chests have predetermined contents, obtaining a specific weapon is difficult, so you need to adapt your tactics as needed.

Unnecessary items can be exchanged for sugar, so opening treasure chests will help strengthen your forces and stabilize your sugar supply.
Therefore, while you'd ideally want to collect as much as possible, it's a dilemma because engaging in combat with the enemies guarding the treasure chests and taking more damage than the value of the contents would make it pointless.

Reinforcements appear near the starting position.

In short, since we need to advance without taking damage, we want to safely intercept any approaching enemies.
However, in this game, after a certain amount of time has passed since the start of the map, reinforcements called "Wraiths" will begin to appear near the starting position.
Wraiths spawn infinitely after their initial appearance, so it's pointless to engage them.
Since you don't get any experience points, engaging in combat with Wraiths is a waste of time for Sugar.
This isn't a leisurely strategy; a swift advance is required from start to finish.

Various Strategy Routes

In this game, various marching routes are available within a single map.
There are routes with many enemies but many treasure chests, and routes with few enemies but few treasure chests.
Depending on the types of weapons you currently possess, the enemies you are good against and the enemies you struggle against will change, so it's important to choose a route that is easiest for your army to advance along.
In this game, the game screen is larger, while the map display is slightly smaller, making it easier to see the placement of enemies and treasure chests.
Therefore, the entire map can always be grasped at a glance, and meticulous attention has been paid to ease of play.

Each enemy unit has a corresponding comment.

When you view detailed enemy information on the map, a different comment is displayed for each enemy unit.
The game includes flavor text that describes the enemy's personality, as well as many hints for strategy.
Looking at this reminds me of how in "Final Fantasy Tactics," when you asked for help naming a unit, each unit would say a different line of dialogue.
These kinds of meticulous details are definitely one of the game's charms.

Review (no spoilers)

I cleared it on Standard difficulty.
In terms of difficulty, I'd say it's somewhere between moderately difficult and difficult.
The game gets more difficult as you progress, so the further you advance, the more important it becomes to understand the game's systems.
There are ways to lower the difficulty, but complete beginners to SRPGs might still struggle.

The most interesting thing about "Jigokuron" is that the value of all actions is concentrated in Sugar.
If you take 100 damage from an enemy attack, your total sugar amount will be minus 100 at that point.
However, by using powerful weapons without hesitation and avoiding taking damage ourselves, we can minimize our total sugar loss.
「敵には効率よくダメージを与え、味方のダメージは最小に抑える」という、他のSRPGでは、ある程度雑に考えても許された部分を、とてもシビアに考えさせられる作品です。
The game constantly reminds you that resources are limited, so the name "survival SRPG" is well-deserved.

On every map, after a certain number of turns, Wraiths would appear as reinforcements from behind, which added a nice sense of urgency and prevented you from taking your time.
Even when Wraith catches up to me, I can surprisingly hold on, so I don't have too much trouble in the second half, but the desire not to waste sugar always wins out, and impatience takes over.
In every map, you're faced with the choice of avoiding combat with enemies or collecting treasure chests, so there's a strong sense that the player is actively making those choices.
Perfectionists who want to defeat every enemy and collect every treasure chest will find this game extremely difficult.

As for the characters, each one had their own quirks or quirks, which made them all very appealing.
Although the number of characters isn't large, there are many variations in their character portraits, and I think each character has a strong presence.
In this game, many aspects of weapon acquisition are not predetermined, so the acquisition status will vary from player to player.
The units that perform well will vary depending on the weapons inventory, so the units that are effective will likely change depending on the gameplay.

The story had a cheerful yet dark atmosphere, and the unpredictability made it really interesting.
While there are some shocking developments, I think I was able to fully enjoy the unique world of "Jigokuron," including those aspects.
I would definitely recommend this game to players who are confident in their SRPG skills.

Strategy Notes - Standard (Contains Spoilers)

After clearing the standard version, I'll list the points I felt were important.
This system is significantly different from existing SRPGs, so it's important to adjust your mindset.

The contents of most treasure chests are random.
The contents of the treasure chests are different each time you play.
Perhaps there's a kind of table in place, where weapons of similar rank are matched, and sugar is matched with other sugars.
However, whatever it is inside, it can be exchanged for sugar, so collecting it will always be useful.
If you have a wide variety of weapons at your disposal, change the unit you use accordingly.
Since the ability increase from leveling up isn't significant, don't worry too much about unit levels and change members as needed.

- Don't waste sugar
As explained in the early stages of information gathering, sell large chunks of sugar, such as 1000g sugar, and exchange them for smaller, more convenient sizes like 100g sugar.
For example, if your HP is only down by 150, and you use 200 sugar to heal it, you'll waste 50 sugar.
Also, even if you have healing items, don't take damage carelessly.
Taking damage simply means that sugar is being consumed.

When luring enemies, use amulets that provide resistance.
Enemies that start moving when you enter their attack range inevitably require you to lure them in with a decoy unit before defeating them.
In that case, make sure to equip the decoy unit with an amulet that grants resistance to reduce the damage it takes.
For example, if your opponent uses fire attacks, give them a fire-sealing amulet, and if they have a bow, give them an arrow-repelling amulet.
Reduce the damage taken and minimize the consumption of sugar.
Using a cane to increase resistance is also important.

- Understand and utilize the effects of status ailments.
Status ailments can always be inflicted unless the target has resistance to them.
This will allow for a significant weakening of the enemy, so let's make good use of it.
Burn, which can be inflicted on many weapons and is frequently used, is effective against tough enemies.
If the enemy has high attack power, paralysis would also be effective.
Sleep and stun effects are useful for temporarily dealing with enemies that you can't defeat, as they can temporarily incapacitate the opponent.

Chapter 1: Red Sky

This is a tutorial map.
Let's follow the instructions.
The objective is to reach the designated location, so take your time to collect the treasure chests after defeating the enemies.

Chapter 2: The Cave of Awakening

Collect the battle axe from the treasure chest and wait outside the enemy's range to avoid being attacked.
You can defeat it safely by attacking it with Shalka's battle axe.
You don't need to involve Shorty in the battle, but if you weaken him a bit with a light crossbow, you can defeat Shalka without taking any counterattack if you land a critical hit on his first shot.

The treasure chest in the bottom left is a mimic; it will attack you if you open it.
You can ignore it, but since you can get experience points and sugar from it, you should collect it if you're not concerned about the number of turns.

The Wraith that appears after a while can be ignored, just as Shorty said.

Chapter 3: The Field of Death

This map immediately forces you to choose whether to save Clansha or Norno.
If you hesitate, the Wraiths will close in from behind, so advance everyone in the direction you've chosen.

Clansha is a unit that can use ice-elemental magic and has excellent offensive capabilities, including the ability to perform follow-up attacks (she can later class change).
Norno is a versatile unit that can use various magic spells, daggers, and staves, but his offensive capabilities are reduced because he doesn't have follow-up attacks.
Those you initially abandoned will later become your allies, so you don't need to worry too much about it.

Chapter 4: Abyss Land A & B

If you go to rescue Clansha, you will proceed to map A on the left; if you go to rescue Norno, you will proceed to map B on the right.
You have some leeway before the Wraiths appear, so try to avoid entering their attack range and defeat as many as possible during your turn.
When you have plenty of turns to spare, it's a good idea to weaken them with attacks from outside their range, and then finish them off with Shalka or Joyce.
While Shalka can be defeated on her own with her pursuit skill, she will inevitably retaliate, so it's best to focus on having a character deliver the finishing blow to avoid taking damage.

Chapter 5: Obtaining the Southern Kai Bone (Route A)

This is the map you will proceed to if you choose Clansha.
Dwarchka will join your party at the start of the stage.

There's little benefit in trying to break through the mud head-on, so let's open the door at the bottom and proceed.
Be careful, as ghouls can paralyze you if they attack you.
Since it's also highly agile, there's a risk of taking heavy damage from a follow-up attack.

Chapter 6: Kaibone Fortress West Entrance (Route A)

This map shows Norno gradually taking damage.
In the alternative route, Dwarchka is attacked instead of Norno, so this map offers fewer turns to react.
If you want to collect all the treasure chests, you'll need to divide the work amongst yourself to some extent.
If you take too long, the Kai Bone Mage will call in two reinforcements before the Wraith appears, so be careful.

Chapter 5: Obtaining Kai's Bone in the East (Route B)

This is a slightly larger map that you proceed to when you choose Norno.
Sheth will join your party at the start of the stage.
If you send your party members to collect the treasure chest in the upper right, you should assume they won't make it in time for the battle against the bosses in the lower right.
Giving up from the start is also an option.
Depending on the situation regarding weapon retrieval, you can take any route, but the middle route might be the most balanced.
Have the archers wait at a point with a range of 3 to lure them out, then take them down with powerful magic like Call Lightning when they are next to a wall.
Engaging in archery duels results in significant HP loss, so it's a tactic I'd rather avoid.

The paralysis status effect only temporarily reduces muscle strength and other abilities, so there's no need to be overly afraid of it.
However, the sleep abnormalities caused by Dream Evil are very dangerous because they render you immobile for a while.
If you don't have a sufficient number of people to fight, things will get very difficult.

On turn 13, Wraiths will start appearing from the bottom left.

Chapter 6: Kaibone Fortress North Entrance (Route B)

You can choose to go the left route or the right route, but I chose the right-hand route as there seemed to be fewer enemies.
It seemed like it would take some time, but no Wraiths appeared until I cleared the stage.
Dwarchka is tough, so we have plenty of time.
Let's proceed slowly and steadily.

On turn 8, Kai Bone Mage turns into an enemy, and two reinforcements appear to the side.

Chapter 7: Inside the Kaibone Fortress A & B

In Route A, Sheth is imprisoned, and in Route B, Clansha is imprisoned.
The general strategy is to concentrate your forces in the front, then send units to the left and right sides to collect the treasure chests.
Enemies outside can be easily defeated by attacking them from inside with units that can use bows.
Therefore, units that are heading outwards should be direct attack units.

Wraiths start appearing around the 9th turn, so collect the treasure chests and then clear the level.

Chapter 8: The Crystal Underground Passage

Instead of skeleton-type enemies, lizard-type enemies will appear more frequently.
Lizard-type monsters are weak against ice, so you can inflict significant damage by using ice-based magic.

I think the upper route, which avoids the basilisk, would be a better choice.
If your goal is to defeat them, bringing along a few units with a range of 3 should allow you to safely whittle them down.

Wraiths will start appearing from turn 9.

Chapter 9 Crystal Cave/Underground Lake

The Kraken is tough, but if you lure it in with octopus ink, you can then safely attack it with a weapon that has a range of 1.
Rosina doesn't need to rush to help, but if you're going to collect the treasure chests at the bottom, send a few people to provide backup first.

Wraiths will appear from turn 9 onwards.
They will charge straight at you regardless of terrain such as cliffs, so be careful, even though it may seem obvious.

Chapter 10: Welcome to the Jungle

There are branching paths, and the starting position of the next map differs depending on the route you complete.
The location of treasure chests and other things will change depending on the route you choose, so you don't need to think about it too deeply.

マイコニドは耐久力はあまり高くないですが、複数のマイコニドから攻撃されそうな配置が多いので注意しましょう。
Make good use of the bow with a range of 3 to reduce the damage you take.

Chapter 11: The Path of Greed A & B

Your starting position and the placement of the red treasure chests will differ depending on the route you took in the previous map.
The blue treasure chests are in the same location, but the red treasure chests are quite a distance away, making them difficult to access.

The virus status effect is troublesome because it cannot be cured for 5 turns.
Since being affected by both poison and other ailments at the same time is even more dangerous, be careful when fighting around the boss.

Chapter 12: The Village of Hope

First, without considering advancing, we will intercept the villagers surrounding our starting position.
In the first turn, defeat the pair of villagers on the upper right or left while positioning yourself so as not to enter the attack range of the other enemies.
After that, all you have to do is intercept the villagers who approach you on the next turn.

The myconids near the boss will all start moving if one person enters their range of movement (except for the Paladin and Demon).
Since everyone has a range of 1-2, use your bow (range 3) to whittle them down effectively and minimize damage during the fight.

Chapter 13: The Swamp of Disease

Initially, zombies and killer bees will approach, so stay near your starting position and intercept them.
Killer Bees have low HP and are easy to defeat, but they have high evasion, so you need to be careful.
After that, you can take any route you like, but if you don't care about the treasure chests, you can go straight through the muddy area in the middle, which is a relatively safe and quick way to get there.
However, you might have some trouble dealing with Niki, who is using a range 4 spell near the exit.
If possible, it would be easiest to lure the unit with a longbow while it is using a Barrier Up staff.

Wraiths start appearing around turn 12.

Chapter 14: Factory Front Yard and Sword Grass Garden

I thought the route from the north would minimize combat with the enemy, so I advanced from that direction.
After defeating the Killer Bee, all you have to do is sneak in through the collapsed castle wall.
The enemy attacks become slightly more intense as you approach the boss fight, but if you carefully observe their attack ranges and advance accordingly, you shouldn't take too much damage.
You'll miss out on everything except the blue treasure chest, but this is the quickest route in terms of saving turns and sugar.

Chapter 15: The Sugar Factory

Be aware that Shorty is a mandatory unit to deploy.

First, let's gather in the bottom left corner to deal with the approaching enemies.
I'm now within range of the skeleton's longbow on the other side of the wall, but I'll hold off for now.
Use obstacles and other obstacles to defend against enemies approaching from the direction of your destination while intercepting the ghouls.
After that, head towards the stairs while making sure to stay out of the attack range of the demons in front of you.

Even if Niki or the Common People are defeated, it won't affect the plot, so you don't need to worry about it.

Chapter 16: The Factory Basement and the Golden Holy Grail

Five enemies are coming from the left, and two Clay Golems are approaching from the direction of your destination.
The Skeleton Ogre and the two Skeleton Warriors closest to you are defensive types, so first, put some distance between you.
We will all head towards the five enemies coming from the left, eliminate them, and then intercept the two Clay Golems.
You might be tempted to head straight for your destination, but let's take a more roundabout approach.
You don't need to defeat Factory Manager Banpas or Kai the Bone Mage.

Wraith will appear around turn 11, so there should be just enough time to maneuver.

Chapter 17: The Red Sky Returns

This chapter marks a turning point in the story, where a shocking truth is revealed.
First, we'll all head up the upper route to talk to Niki.
While recruiting Niki as an ally, we will stay in place and intercept enemies coming from both the front and the back.
I think you can just barely collect the treasure chest in the bottom left corner even if you take the upper route, before you come into contact with the Wraith, so let's give it a try.

Chapter 18: Geb Desert

To rescue Shorty, we all move to the right.
Since Shorty is also coming towards us, it's a little easier.
If you talk to Shalka, she will join your party and her HP will be fully restored.

Sandworms are tough, but ice magic works well against them.
The treasure chests above and below are within the Sandworm's attack range, so opening them will result in taking damage.
However, if you clear the stage in the same turn as retrieving the item, you can open it safely, so retrieve it if the Wraith isn't approaching.
Wraiths start appearing from turn 7 onwards.

Chapter 19 Two Paths

This map lets you choose between the upper ice route or the lower fire route.
Whether Clansha becomes the Ice Princess or the Fire Princess depends on this.
Additionally, there's a difference in whether you fight an ice dragon or a fire dragon.
You might as well decide based on the type of elemental weapon you have.
Head in the direction of the path you've decided to take, and avoid unnecessary battles.

When one Killer Bee starts moving, some of the other Killer Bees also start moving.
Be careful.
Wraiths begin appearing from turn 9.

Chapter 20: The Icy Path, Numb Fingers (Ice Route)

To become numb = to become numb.
Since many enemies are vulnerable to fire-based attacks, Clansha, who relies heavily on ice magic, might be difficult to use effectively.

The initial group of skeletons is difficult to defeat completely, but use characters like Shalka Dwarchka Joyce, who can use blunt weapons, and Niki, who can use lightning magic, to reduce their numbers as much as possible.
The two Frost Titans are tough and their ice-throwing attacks are painful, so I think it's best to leave them alone and head over the mountain.
Winterbeasts have few means of indirect attacks, but their high agility makes them troublesome enemies that are difficult to pursue.
It takes several hits to defeat them, so be careful.

Chapter 21: Trapped Beneath the Ice (Ice Route)

The Greshal Digger cannot be completely ignored, so no matter which route you take, you will inevitably engage in combat at some point.
Use units that have been given resistance, such as ice-sealing amulets, to lure them out.

Waiting on a frozen lake will cause you to slip, significantly reducing your agility.
Let's make sure we don't accidentally get stuck waiting.
Conversely, if you can successfully position the enemy to wait on top of it, it becomes easier to defeat them.

Chapter 22: Ginryuzan (Ice Route)

Let's discuss with Sugar whether or not we should defeat the dragon.
By the ninth turn, the dragon will start moving on its own, so you might be able to clear the stage at any time and then snatch the treasure chest.
Hypothermal sleep didn't work for me (Dream Evil might work).

The treasure chest contains a spear called Silverwing.
With a range of 1-2 and special effectiveness against demon-type enemies, it's a fairly powerful weapon.
However, considering the remaining sugar, I think it's fine to just ignore the dragon and rush straight through.

Chapter 23: The Snow Cat's Garden (Ice Route)

Since you'll end up fighting most of the enemies, I think the route to the right is better, as it offers more open areas for combat.

The archer skeleton is equipped with a Glaciator with a range of 4 and has high attack power.
Equip approaching units with ice-sealing amulets to reduce the damage they take.
慎重に進軍しているとレイスが出現してきますが、接近されても大して強くはないので、慎重気味に進めていった方が良いでしょう。

Chapter 24: The Cat King (Ice Route)

Wraiths won't appear until you defeat the boss, so take your time and fight without rushing.
To prepare for boss battles, be sure to have weapons that lower your stats or inflict status ailments.
It's better to focus on getting into a position that makes fighting easier rather than worrying too much about the ice floor which reduces evasion.

Lokersh is a tough opponent, but various status ailments work on him, so try to inflict them on him one after another.
If the status effect is one that lowers your stats, such as paralysis, burns, or muscle weakness, the intensity of the opponent's attack will be reduced.

After defeating Lokelsh, Clansha will wait on the throne and will change her class to Ice Princess.
The character's portrait remains the same, but their stats increase, they gain access to more weapons (including swords), and they learn the skill "Ice Smile" (ice resistance + ice magic power +20%).

Chapter 25: The Ice Passage (Ice Route)

If you go around in a clockwise direction, you won't encounter too many enemies, making it a map where you can take a breather.
There are relatively few enemies that pose a threat.
If you're already worn out from the previous map, it's better to conserve energy and move forward rather than collecting treasure chests.

Chapter 20: The Path of Fire / Burning Shoes (Fire Route)

If you continue straight ahead, you'll end up fighting a large number of enemies at once, so first, let's go and collect the treasure chest below.
After defeating the slimes and Ifrit, you'll need to fend off the skeletons and gargoyles coming from above.
Ifrit has a long range and is tough, so there are few ways to attack it unilaterally.
Ideally, you'd want to defeat them quickly with a powerful melee attack.
The Demon Leader is equipped with Dream Evil and is a formidable opponent, so it might be better to ignore him and slip past him.

Wraiths will start appearing from turn 11.

Chapter 21: The Extremely Hot Lake (Fire Route)

I followed a route that went upwards from the starting position, and then to the right.
If there are enemies approaching, don't force your way forward; instead, stop for a moment and deal with the situation.
Defeat Slagwooz primarily with magic attacks, and fight Ifrit from as far away as possible.
Ifrit, which is approaching you, is often equipped with a weapon with a range of 1 at first, so try to defeat it with indirect attacks at that stage if possible.

Chapter 22: Mount Fire Dragon (Flame Route)

If you completely ignore the dragons, you can proceed relatively easily using the route below.
If you want to get the contents of the Legendary Treasure Chest, take the route immediately to the right from your starting position.
Dragons have high defenses, so you must be prepared for considerable damage if you try to defeat one.
If you have Dream Evil, you can put it to sleep and retrieve it safely (I'm not sure if Hypothermal's sleep effect will work).
The treasure chest contains the Rose of Summer, which is a fairly powerful weapon.
However, the Silverwing from the Ice route is easier to use as a weapon due to its indirect attacks and effectiveness against demons.

Chapter 23: The Burning Bridge (Flame Route)

As for the route, I think it's best to defeat the stone golem immediately to the right and then continue straight ahead to the right.
If you can manage to defeat the Stone Golem on the first turn, it will make things much easier.
Even if you can't defeat them, paralyzing them with Call Lightning or similar spells and reducing their strength will lead to a reduction in the damage you take.

As turns pass, some distant enemies will start moving towards you.
Avoid being surrounded by multiple enemies at once.
You can minimize damage by effectively using narrow passages such as bridges, but you need to be careful of flying enemies.

The boss Greater Demon is tough, but its attack range is limited to 2.
Use a Quick Up staff or similar to increase the agility of units that can perform follow-up attacks, and then defeat them in one go.
You need to fight skillfully so that you can conserve your strength before reaching the boss.

Wraiths start appearing from turn 9.

Chapter 24: The Palace of the Flame Demon (Flame Route)

This is a challenging map where you must defeat the formidable enemy, Bullflect.
Since there's a class change event for Clansha, let's deploy her.

The first challenge is surviving the onslaught of the Demon Guard and Salamander.
On the first turn, wait at the very edge of your attack range, and engage in combat on the second turn.
Fortunately, the Demon Guards can only be attacked directly, so we should try to create a wall with the three of us while taking down at least one Salamander.
Since it's difficult to defeat them completely, if you have Dream Evil, you can neutralize one of the Salamanders.
To make the Demon Guard survive, try to inflict status ailments on it, such as Corruption's strength reduction or Call Lightning's paralysis, to reduce the damage it takes.
Since melee attacks like Warhammer and Maul, as well as ice magic, are effective, we'll take them down one by one with Dwarchka, Sharka, and other magic users.
Since the Disciples will use ranged healing, avoid dealing partial damage and instead focus on defeating them one by one.
Be careful not to overextend yourself and enter Bullflect's attack range.

Bullflect is a very formidable opponent.
As mentioned earlier, inflict as many status ailments as possible, such as paralysis and muscle weakness, and be prepared to sacrifice a few people.
If you have Shalka pursue them with powerful weapons like the Great Axe, victory should be within reach.

After defeating Bullflect, if you have Clansha wait on the throne, she will class change to Fire Princess.
While your stats will increase in various ways, be aware that you will lose the ability to use ice magic.

From turn 9 onwards, if you have defeated Bullflect, Wraiths will start appearing.
Let's split up and head for the stairs, with some members going to collect the treasure chests.

Chapter 25: The Fiery Escape Route

This map is much calmer compared to the previous one.
Basically, I think it's best to stick to the upper route.
Be sure to stay out of the attack range of enemies on islands where you want to avoid fighting.

Manticores possess a dangerous, potent venom, but they will not attack from a range of 2 or more.
Fight from a distance and avoid being hit by its deadly poison.
The Stone Golem at the exit can be defeated in one turn if you attack it with the Dragon Masher and trigger a follow-up attack.
Once you're ready to clear the level, head south from the exit side and collect the blue treasure chest.

Chapter 26 Where Fire and Ice Meet

If you choose the ice route, your starting position will be at the top; if you choose the fire route, your starting position will be at the bottom.
Burflect and Lokersch are positioned as bosses in each respective stage.
Switch to an amulet that provides elemental resistance.

While soaking in the hot springs, you can recover 30 HP each turn.
Therefore, you don't need to worry too much about the damage you'll take from the enemy when you fight.
Let's try to fight while soaking in hot springs as much as possible.
If you obtain the blue treasure chest near the end of the game, you can avoid being attacked by the Kraken.

Even if Wraiths appear, you'll be fine as long as you defeat them without taking damage and soak in the hot springs.
Let's try to heal everyone as much as possible.
Looking at it from a different perspective, you can think of it as sacrificing weapon durability to restore sugar.

Chapter 27: The Path of the Thunder God

The enemy numbers are small, but each one has become quite powerful.
In the first turn, make full use of the area around your starting position to lure out approaching enemies while staying out of their attack range, eliminate the surrounding enemies, and then move forward.

Djinn is very agile and difficult to hit, but you can defeat him with effective fire magic.
Since you'll be fighting the Iron Golem in a confined space, use Quick Up and then defeat it by hitting it with the Dragon Masher.

I think the safest route is to go along the bottom.
However, the Skeleton Rider's Compound Bow is tempting, so lure it in with a Dwarfka who has the Arrow-Stopping skill, or a unit with an Arrow-Proof Charm, and then defeat it.

Chapter 28 Aerial Corridor

If you take the lowest route, you will inevitably be hit by the Iron Golem's howitzer.
If you're not aiming to complete the game in the fewest turns possible, taking the middle route might be a good option.
Be careful, as the three skeletons on the lower route will start moving later.

As for the dragon, Dream Evil is effective against it, so you could put it to sleep and then collect the treasure chest.
If you can put it to sleep, you can deal more damage, so I think it's possible to defeat it in one go with Shalka equipped with the Dragon Masher.

The treasure chest contains the Lightning Axe, Spark.
Since it inflicts stun, it's very useful because you can attack without taking any counterattacks.

Chapter 29: The Lightning Knight

Thunder Road is a formidable opponent, so we decided to proceed with a strategy of avoiding battle.
Thunder Knights have many resistances, making it difficult to inflict effective damage on them.
Since sleep won't work, use stun or other methods to incapacitate them and reduce the number of attacks they can perform during their turn.
The three with Smart Javelins are troublesome, so we'll try to take them down as much as possible.

Try to keep Thunder Lord and Thunder Knight separated during battle.
If you can cleverly adjust the positions of your allies as they approach, I think you can lure them in.
Once only Thunder Road remains, choose some of your allies to abandon to hold him off.

I feel that this stage will quickly deplete Sugar's resources unless you come up with a clever strategy.

Chapter 30: The Gate of Final Prison

There are many enemies attacking from a distance behind the wall.
Use units with high defense and resistance to lure enemies right up to the edge of the wall and defeat them in one go.
If you can withstand the Stone Golem's rock throws, the only enemies left are the easily defeated skeleton-type monsters.

The boss, Kai Bone Mage, isn't much of a threat with his long-range attack, Poison Hurricane.
Equip Poison Hurricane and defeat the enemy without letting it use Creeping Death.

Chapter 31: Underworld Magic

Each and every enemy is as strong as a mid-boss.
Brainwhip's Psychopulsar, in particular, is a very dangerous attack that inflicts confusion.
Lure them in with a unit equipped with the Spiritual Protection Necklace, Shalka with the Sun Heart skill, or a unit without a weapon.
The Divawler's spitweb is also troublesome because it prevents you from moving.

How many enemies you defeat depends on your play style, but since every enemy drops some kind of item, defeating them if it's worth it will help you secure sugar.

Chapter 32 Tartarus

It's annoying when the Demon Guard uses Poison Hurricane, but thankfully the damage itself is relatively low.
Brainwhip isn't much of a threat if you lure it in with an archer wearing a necklace of mental protection.
If a Diviler uses its ability to immobilize you near a Demon Guard, it will make advancing difficult and troublesome, so be careful.

Chapter 33: On Hell

The title's meaning has been revealed.
Since episodes 33 and 34 involve back-to-back battles, you'll need to prepare plenty of healing items, otherwise you'll be in for a tough time.
Sell all your stock items and unused weapons and exchange them for healing staves.
I think it would be a good idea to deploy all members who can use staves.

First, move to either the left or the right and quickly tidy up.
Don't worry too much about taking damage; just quickly defeat everyone except Dord.
Status ailments don't affect Dold much, but reducing his resistance or agility is effective.
Furthermore, since it is susceptible to stun, use a weapon that can inflict stun to defeat it without letting it retaliate.

Chapter 34: On Hell - Conclusion

The battle will continue directly from the previous stage.
If any of your teammates have been defeated, they will remain gone, so please be aware of this.
Having a Staff of Revival is useful because it allows you to recover even if an accident occurs.

First, move to one side and focus on defeating the demons on that side.
The Demon Lords are tough and formidable opponents, so we'll fight them while using stuns to temporarily stall for time.

Gigarich is incredibly tough.
Since its movement speed is relatively low, take out both of its arms first so you can focus on Gigarich.
We'll use abilities like Lura's "Blunt Bow" to lower the enemy's agility, ensuring that any units capable of performing a follow-up attack can do so.
If only Gigarich remains, the battle will then come down to the amount of healing staves you possess.
This will be a test of the accumulated sugar levels up to now.

On the fifth turn, wraiths will start appearing from the upper left.
However, since Wraith is now at this point, I don't think she'll be much of an obstacle, so let's focus on our positioning relative to the boss during the fight.

About what happens after clearing the game

After the ending, you will proceed to a post-game stage called "Chapter 34 Side Story".
If any bonus maps are added in the future, you'll be able to try them from here.

Additionally, it's possible to convert the remaining sugar amount into clear points.
Sell all the items your unit is holding to maximize your sugar reserves before converting them into clear points.
When you start the game from the beginning, you can exchange your clear points for powerful weapons and start over.
In the second playthrough, the weapons you can obtain by exchanging clear points are powerful, making the game considerably easier to progress through.
Even if you run out of it, you can use the repair ticket to continue using it carefully.

The clear time was 451 turns.
Since the system doesn't allow for prolonged turns, I predict that everyone will end up with roughly the same number of turns unless they're aiming for the fastest possible clear time.

Character usage impressions

・Shalka

This character also appeared in "Landia X".
From start to finish, he was an extremely effective attacker with high offensive power.
Since his preferred weapon is the axe, let's equip him with a powerful axe and have him fight.
Since they can also equip bows, I think there will be many opportunities to use them if you give them one.
Having the "Sun Heart" skill is helpful because it prevents confusion in the later stages of the game.
Even if you equip them with heavy weapons, you can still perform follow-up attacks by using the Quick Up staff.

Shorty

This unit can use bows, crossbows, and spears.
Its attack power is unreliable,If you equip them with weapons that inflict status ailments, they can be useful as debuffing units.
Since he can use both bows and crossbows, use him as a damage dealer whose effectiveness is less dependent on weapon inventory.

Joyce

This unit can use a wide variety of weapons, including lightning magic, staves, spears, and axes.
Since it has a decent amount of HP, if you equip it with various weapons, it can be entrusted with the front line position by using physical attacks that exploit enemy weaknesses.

・Lula

I'm an archer with a follow-up attack ability.
Since you can follow up with range 4 weapons like the Longbow, it's very easy to use as a damage dealer.
The only drawback is that its agility is a bit low, but if you learn "Blunt Bow," you can lower the enemy's agility on your own, which is helpful.
You can equip swords and daggers, but you probably won't have many opportunities to use them.

Clansha

As a magic-user with the ability to perform follow-up attacks, she is one of the first to join your party.
Before and after class change, the types of magic you can use are limited, but your high magical power makes them very powerful.
After class change, their HP increases, and they become even more aggressive.
If you're looking to maximize pure attack power, choosing Ice Princess is a better option, as her skills will boost the power of her ice magic.

Norno

This unit can use magic and staves of various attributes.
Due to her low magical power, she'll likely be more useful as a support character with her staff or for inflicting status ailments on enemies, rather than as an attacker.
Because it has high resistance and is strong against magic, it is easy to use when luring in magic-using enemies.

Shess

This unit has high agility and is prone to performing follow-up attacks.
Because their defense is low, attacking with a crossbow is a safer way to fight.
However, his preferred weapon, the dagger, compensates for his low strength by ignoring 30% of the enemy's defense.
If you follow up with a Cat's Claw attack, which can hit twice, you'll get many critical hits and achieve a very high burst damage output.

・Dwarchka

This unit has high HP and a block skill, allowing it to minimize damage taken.
You'll likely rely on her a lot when luring enemies away.
It becomes even easier to use once you acquire the arrow-stopping skill.
In terms of offense, a single blow from a hammer-type weapon is powerful enough that you can manage even without follow-up attacks.

Niki

This unit specializes in magic and staves.
With well-balanced stats, this character is probably the easiest to use and most straightforward among the magic-user classes.
You can use any leftover magic of the element you have in your stock to create various strategies.
Using magic of an attribute that Clansha doesn't currently use would create a good balance.

Rosina

Unusually for this game, this unit can only use one type of weapon.
Try to equip your enemies with spears of various elemental properties to broaden the range of weaknesses you can exploit.
While it has a follow-up attack ability, be aware that this doesn't occur very often when equipped with a heavy spear.
Because of its high dexterity, it's useful when you want to reliably finish off a fast enemy.

Review (contains spoilers)

We managed to clear the game to the very end, and we were able to see the charges that sent everyone to hell.
傲慢の罪が多いような気がしますが、一癖も二癖もあるキャラクターばかりですし、何となく納得してしまいました。

Amidst all of this, Norno's charge of "pure evil" stood out as particularly unusual.
Pure evil, I believe, is something one is born with, and therefore very difficult to change on one's own.
If that is considered a sin, then it would mean that one is destined for hell from birth.
Despite Norno's annoying behavior, I felt a little sorry for him.

Joyce's crime was hypocrisy, but even hypocrisy is more noble than doing no good at all, so it's a very harsh sentence for him to go to hell for it.
It may just be about satisfying one's own desires, but if it helps those around you, then I think it's a win-win situation.
Personally, I really like Joyce's way of being; it feels very human.

The story was very interesting.
In the beginning, I was drawn in by the mystery of what this world really is.
It was fun to see our team grow stronger as more and more unique individuals joined us.

In the middle of the story, having a temporary goal, even if it was just a fleeting hope, like the sugar factory, was a good thing.
Kai Bone Magic's suggestive remarks created an unsettling atmosphere at the sugar factory, and as expected, a shocking truth was revealed.
The game system itself makes it impossible to complete without using sugar, so even though I don't want to use it, I have no choice, which really made me realize the unfairness of this world.
I think this was the scene where the overwhelming sense of hopelessness and stagnation in this world reached its peak.

In the second half, there was anticipation about what kind of ending awaited Sharka and the others.
I think there was both the expectation that the positive Shalka would blow away the despair, and a dark expectation of what would happen if Shalka fell into despair.

I interpret the ending not as a passionate, over-the-top conclusion that blows away despair, but rather as a gentle ending that envelops everything in love.
If God's universal love is the ability to give love to everyone, then I think Shalka's spirituality is already that of a god.

As an SRPG, it was very challenging and enjoyable.
In the early stages, the amount of sugar you have doesn't seem to be a major concern, and you're not really forced to choose which treasure chests to keep or discard.
However, I think the difficulty level gradually increased in stages, forcing you to think about what kind of play you should be doing.

I found it interesting how the crucial aspect of SRPGs—minimizing friendly casualties and maximizing enemy casualties—was represented by a numerical value called "Sugar Remaining."
In games, it's common to deliberately defeat every enemy in order to gain experience points.
However, in real-world warfare, it is crucial to avoid unnecessary battles and minimize casualties.
本作での無駄な戦闘はシュガーの浪費につながるため、敵を避けることの有効性が高い点が良かったです。

During my playthrough, the first time I almost gave up was during the battle against Bullflect (I took the fire route on my first playthrough).
I couldn't see any way to win against an opponent whose close-range attacks were so destructive that a single hit would instantly kill or leave me critically injured.
However, by cleverly utilizing status ailments, which I hadn't given much thought to before, I managed to defeat them and move on.
This stage made me feel like I had grown as a player.

After that, I realized how amazing Dream Evil was, being able to put even dragons to sleep, and I also discovered how easy Stan is to use.
While my own lack of understanding was a factor, it was refreshing to discover new tactics towards the end of the game.
I can acquire all sorts of weapons, but I've started to realize that I don't really have any problems no matter which one I sell, and as a result, I've had more sugar left over.
As for powerful weapons, the Dragon Masher, Spark, and Blitzbogen were incredibly helpful.

Secondly, the map that almost broke my spirit was the Lightning Knight map.
Since a direct confrontation didn't seem to offer a clear path to victory, I decided to use some units as decoys to allow a separate force to break through and clear the stage.
I ended up losing about 1300 sugar, but I was saved because I was able to get quite a few items in the subsequent map.
Looking back now, I think it was a way to help us get to the final map.
One of the interesting things about this game is that only a few maps absolutely require you to defeat the boss, so if you're prepared to lose a lot of sugar, you can brute-force your way through.

The final boss battle was tough, but I was able to use sugar liberally without worrying about my remaining supply, so it was a battle where I didn't have to think about what to do next, which was exhilarating.
In the end, I won by relying on the sheer amount of sugar.
I hadn't deployed Norno much until near the final map, but since I needed more members who could use staves, I decided to promote her to the main team at this point.
Having a large number of healers definitely makes battles more stable.

For my second playthrough, I used the clear points to play with powerful weapons.
Having already completed the game once and becoming somewhat familiar with the system, I was able to play very smoothly.
The weapons I found to be the strongest for clearing the game were Kill 'em All, My Plague, Meltflame, and Grand Cross.
My Plague is a dagger that attacks twice, has a high critical hit rate, and a range of 1-2.
When equipped by Sheth, it allows him to consistently deal high damage, making it quite powerful.
Furthermore, Meltflame is also very powerful and ideal for weakening strong enemies, as it can put opponents into a meltdown state (reducing almost all of their stats) within a range of 1 to 3.
Grand Cross is also a powerful and very easy-to-use lightning magic spell with a range of up to 3.
Murder One is also useful, as a crossbow with a range of 4 is hard to come by in the early stages of the game.

In the second playthrough, powerful weapons make it possible to split up and advance, a strategy not highly recommended in this game.
By splitting up the troops, you can collect treasure chests more efficiently and make the game easier.