Compatible emulators

Synopsis

The entire continent of Lodoss has been at war since the dark ruler of the Isle of Marmo, Emperor Beld, set out to conquer it. But while the different countries unite under the banner of King Fawn to prevent the monstrous army from devastating everything in its path, Karla, a mysterious witch appears, sowing trouble and chaos within both camps. Parn, a young idealistic knight, will find himself plunged into the heart of this conflict which is beyond him, and will try to put an end to it with the help of his friends.
From the introduction, the game gives the feeling of being extremely faithful to the OAVs by incorporating not only the classy character design of illustrator Nobuteru Yûki, but also the same storyline from the anime. Add to this the presence of the original voice actors and the credits accompanied by a cinematic repeating almost shot by shot the opening of the episodes of the series, and you obtain an adaptation which starts on a very positive note. From the village of Saxon to the tower of the wise Wort, via the forest of the elves, the fan finds himself in familiar territory and savors the world of Lodoss without feeling betrayed by a miserable commercial adaptation like the world of video games has known so many. Certain blunders and deviations in the scenario will still be expected, RPG obliges, in order to offer a substantial lifespan and to surprise the player a little.
The game is rather linear in its progression, and all the countries that make up the large island of Lodoss will be crossed in a precise order. Here we are faced with a most classic RPG, with a world map to travel on foot, towns (in which we move via an illustrated menu) where we can obtain new equipment, temples to regenerate or resurrect deceased companions, and random turn-based combat. On this last point, Record of Lodoss War is in the hybrid category of C-RPG with space management during battles.
Indeed, although the gameplay is a pure C-RPG, the confrontation phases place it more in the category of T-RPG, like Emerald Dragon on the same machine. Here, there is no grid map, but each character, friend or enemy, has a movement capacity which allows them to move around the battlefield and adds a small tactical dimension to the software. Because obviously, Slayne the magician or Woodchuck the thief (the specialists in ranged attacks) will be much more vulnerable to melee attacks than warriors such as Parn or Ghim. You will therefore always have to be careful that the adversaries do not get too close to them by blocking their way with the other characters.
Record of Lodoss War on PC engine is a good adaptation of the eponymous cartoon, its universe is respected and faithfully transcribed, which is already not so bad. Fans will have a pleasant time in the company of Parn and his group of adventurers while other players will see it as a rather friendly and enjoyable RPG. Its disappointing finale and its overly conventional execution do not speak in its favor, but it nonetheless remains one of the most accessible role-playing games on the machine for a non-Japanese person due to its relative linearity.

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