Preview: Prisma’s combat promises style and complexity
IN June 2024Dreams Uncorporated (developer of Cris story from 2021) launched Prismaa 2D turn-based single-player JRPG that uses camera lenses, angles, and filters in its gameplay. From what I was able to experience in this early access build, the combat has an improved layer of complexity that allows for a different strategic approach to turn-based RPGs.
According to the developers, Prisma focuses on journalist Alma, who shares her consciousness with multiple parallel versions of herself. Different versions of Alma each have unique personalities and abilities. Some are friendly allies, while others are NPCs. Alma may also have to fight against opposing versions of herself. With the help of her camera, Alma seeks to solve the mystery of the multiverse.
In the early access build I played, combat was a top priority. You can choose between an endless race against random enemies (with the game healing you after each wave) or a boss battle. The boss battle ends with a confrontation between Alma Fashion, Alma Tech, and Alma Omega. I’m excited to learn more about this multiverse story and why these different versions of Alma are fighting each other.
While the basic flow of combat is similar to other turn-based JRPGs, the wide open spaces and freedom in choosing your attack direction provide a rich variety of tactics. In the final version of the game, swapping lenses and filters on Alma’s camera will also give you more options. I learned how it worked when I put down the Robot’s Reflective Wall. This creates a barrier at any point I decide to side with an ally on the battlefield, and it reflects every attack that hits it, including my own. Depending on where I place the wall in front of or between my characters, they can attack enemies they couldn’t before. I can even launch a projectile off this wall to hit enemies on the back line without having to use piercing to penetrate the defenses on the front line.
The player is also not a static observer in battle. In addition to ordering your character to do things, you also need to press a button at the right time like a QTE. This will increase the amount of damage you deal as well as decrease the amount of damage you take. Some newer RPGs like Yakuza: Like a dragon incorporated this type of combat system and it works well here as well. Winter’s penetrating attack requires a different type of input than the usual one, keeping it from becoming more than one-note.
PrismaThe game’s visual and audio design adds a sense of style to the game. It boasts an interesting mix of magical realism and a faux mid-2000s Japanese aesthetic reminiscent of shows like Teen giant and brands like tokidoki. The animations of the skills are also very smooth. If the game looks like this in the first version, I look forward to how it will develop in future versions. The thing is that even after charging up enough energy for what I thought was the ultimate attack, the game still didn’t recognize my control inputs. I’m not sure if this is a bug or if this part of the game is incomplete.
Although the construction for Prisma It’s still in its early stages as I play, it’s exciting to see what new innovations Dreams Uncorporated will introduce to the turn-based genre. RPGs can be difficult because there are so many things players will look for in a game. A fun and polished combat system might be enough to make up for a weak story. Conversely, a strong story can cover up flaws in the gameplay. Since the foundation seems solid, I hope that Prisma‘s story and character writing could help it keep landing as development continues.
Prisma To be is in development for Windows computers. There’s no word on when it will release or whether it will appear on other platforms.
