Fuga: Melodies of Steel

Imagine an alternative version of World War II in which the main protagonists are humanoid animals and kids. A strange mix taken into the strategy and RPG game genre is the proposal of CyberConnect2 with FUGA Melodies of Steel. A title in which we are placed in this hostile, dystopian world in which we'll have to face the enemy army onboard a giant tank.

What seems to be a pretty simple idea surprises with the incredible evolution it presents along the way, catching the player and coming up with great challenges. So let's get deeper into FUGA: Melodies of Steel and after that, we will give you our review so you can decide whether it's for you or not. So, let's get started now.

About the game

Set in a fantasy world inhabited by two anthropomorphic races known as Canines and the Felineko, we are placed in the role of a group of children that enjoy their peaceful and calm lives in the pacific town of Petit Mona, located in the lands of Gasco. However, their peace is interrupted by the invasion of the Berman Empire, who have taken over Gasco and their inhabitants to use them as a forced workforce in the multiple factories that they need to keep their army going.

Desperate and terrified by this situation, the group of children run and hide in a nearby cave where they find the Taranis, a giant tank that serves as their refuge to Malt and his friends. They'll learn to use it in their mission to save their parents and their village from the hands of the evil Berman Empire. The Taranis become a new home and a symbol of hope for the kids, but within the Taranis, there's a dark, hidden secret they're not ready to face, which will force them to take the harshest and most painful decisions if they intend to survive the horrors of war.

Technically astonishing

FUGA: Melodies of Steel is a technical masterpiece, with beautiful and incredible art and design. It is truly unique, as it has a cute yet somber tone all over the game. It makes you feel the pressure and tension of war, but the joy and calm of those little peaceful moments in between. It somehow reminds us of something like a Fire Emblem meets Advance Wars.

Also, it's worth mentioning that even though titles that come out of Japan usually skip releasing on the Xbox platform, and seem to prefer more Japanese consoles like the Nintendo consoles or PlayStation. But for the joy of the Microsoft console owners who also happen to be fans of Japanese video games, this is a tendency that's been changing in the more recent years. And even though there's still a long way ahead to make the platform more friendly for the Japanese titles, smaller games like this are now released simultaneously on all platforms.

FUGA: Memories of Steel is an incredibly solid game that combines some great things from all the genres present. The strategy worlds are excellent, and the gameplay itself is as solid as it gets. Not to mention the incredible art and design, it's spectacular to see just how full of life a tank can look, just as if it was taken straight out of a studio ghibli movie.

Pros:

• Incredible visuals
• Excellent gameplay
• Solid mechanics
• Very detailed
• Impressive story

Cons:

• Issues with the quick resume function
• Remote exploration feels undeveloped and unimportant
• Boring side missions