LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds Review for Nintendo Switch

LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds by Semisoft is a hand-drawn game based on JRPG’s (Japanese Role Playing Games.) This beautifully designed game embraces turn-based combat and applies it to a unique fantasy world. Legrand is a world full of magic, war, and the need for vengeance. I will be reviewing the Nintendo Switch version of LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds but there are also PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions available.

Jumping straight into the game, you are playing as Finn, a young man who has lost his memory and has somehow ended up being forced to fight in a gladiator arena. Immediately you are engaged in combat, which is utilized as the tutorial. I don’t know if it was just me but I found the tutorial very confusing and not very helpful. I felt like even though I was doing what the tutorial said, I still wasn’t doing the right moves and techniques. After you have figured your way through the tutorial, Finn is bought by a magic user named Geddo. Geddo asks Finn to help him pass through the extremely dangerous Rahas Desert, where they would face many enemies. I don’t want to give too much more away so if you want to know more about what happens to Finn then I suggest checking out the game.

The first thing I noticed going into the gameplay was that it reminded me of Pokémon. You have a certain goal but all along the way you are forced into these turn-based combats. I was not surprised when the developers described this game as “a love letter to [their] all time favorite JRPG’s.” The more I got into it the more the art style did remind me of Final Fantasy, especially Finn’s and some of the other character’s designs. Besides the abundance of enemies to combat, there are also basic RPG interactions, side quests, and mechanics. You are able to loot your defeated enemies, craft new items, and collect grimoires. There are also a lot of different mini-games. The fighting mechanics were a little tricky to figure out so you might want to be prepared for a learning curve.

Like a lot of RPG’s, LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds also reminds me of playing Dungeons and Dragons, which I personally love. The story and characters, along with the immersive world really pulls the player in. With that being said, I really enjoyed the art and music in this game. The hand-drawn backgrounds and the 3D models were really well designed and rendered. I really enjoyed the character and creature designs. I felt that they really did bring that JRPG aesthetic to the front but also stayed unique and interesting. The music set the mood and tone of the game well but wasn’t too distracting.

LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds is an enticing, turn-based combat RPG that pulls from Japanese influence. If you enjoy the mechanics of games like Pokémon and Final Fantasy then I highly recommend checking this game out. I also recommend this game if you are just really into fantasy worlds.

7/10

Take a Look at the Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds Nintendo Switch Trailer:

LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds is available for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.