A hack-and-slash trip through Yamato
Utawarerumono: ZAN takes the story of Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and turns it into fast third-person battles with the exposition trimmed down. You play as Haku, who wakes up in an unfamiliar world and ends up with a strict caretaker and a crew of warriors, scholars, princesses and heroic bandits. Under the direction of the rogue Ukon, the group rescues damsels, uncovers conspiracies, stops invasions and defends the land of Yamato from threats, including the ones that wear masks. Between the story beats you get button-pounding fights where you land big damage, juggle enemies and push a combo counter into the hundreds. The soundtrack runs to over 80 tracks, including upbeat remixes from the original Utawarerumono score, so there is always something playing while you cut through crowds.
Building and running a squad of four
Your team is four characters, and you can switch between them whenever you like during a fight. Each fighter brings their own stats and abilities, so the mix matters. Between battles you equip and improve gear to shape your loadout, pick formations that back up your strengths, and power the party up after every encounter. The Steam features list Online Co-op, so the group play side runs through that option rather than sitting on one couch.
Zeal, Chain Attacks and Final Strikes
Dodging attacks and landing hits fills a Zeal meter. Spend it on Chain Attacks for quick, deadly bursts, or keep banking it, enter Overzeal and drop a Final Strike instead. Deciding when to cash out versus when to hold for the bigger payoff is the main tactical choice in the middle of a brawl.
Before you start
This is a beat-'em-up take on a tactics-JRPG series, so expect crowd-clearing action and simplified story segments rather than grid-based tactics. The narrative follows Mask of Deception, so coming in with some familiarity with that game helps you follow who is who, though the trimmed exposition keeps things moving. Bring headphones if you can; the music is a big part of the rhythm of the fights.