Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Venus & Braves: Majo to Megami to Horobi no Yogen delivers a deeply strategic turn-based experience that unfolds over a century. You step into the immortal boots of Blood Boal, a soldier revived by the goddess Ariah, and tasked with preventing the world’s destruction in 1099. Battles are fought on a compact 4×3 grid, where positioning and unit roles become vital. The front row is dedicated to your primary attackers, the middle row can either provide ranged support or supplementary offense, and the back row houses healers who sustain your forces across skirmishes.

(HEY YOU!! We hope you enjoy! We try not to run ads. So basically, this is a very expensive hobby running this site. Please consider joining us for updates, forums, and more. Network w/ us to make some cash or friends while retro gaming, and you can win some free retro games for posting. Okay, carry on 👍)

The game’s pacing is unique: rather than a single campaign, you advance through ten decades, recruiting fourteen elite warriors whose finite lifespans contrast sharply with your immortal hero. Each combat encounter replenishes your hero’s HP, but your soldiers accumulate fatigue and lingering damage. Over time, you must rotate wounded or exhausted troops back to town for rest, carefully managing limited downtime before the next skirmish.

Perhaps the most intriguing layer of strategy comes from the romantic and generational mechanics. Pairing a male and female soldier successfully in battle sparks a love story, leading to the birth of children who mature into potent new units. These offspring inherit traits and skills, often surpassing their parents in strength. This dynamic encourages you to think beyond individual battles and plan entanglements across decades to ensure a steady flow of capable reinforcements for the looming apocalypse.

Resource management also extends to time itself. Since the prophecy grants you a hundred years to prepare, each decision—whom to recruit, whom to rest, and when to push forward—resonates through future decades. It’s a blend of tactical skirmishes and long-term campaign planning, with every soldier’s lifespan and the bonds they form having real consequences on your chances to defy fate.

Graphics

Visually, Venus & Braves embraces a detailed 2D aesthetic that balances retro charm with modern polish. Character portraits are hand-drawn, lending each soldier a distinct personality, while battlefield sprites are crisp and animated smoothly. Attack, support, and healing animations are clearly differentiated, ensuring you can follow the flow of combat even on the smallest grid.

The color palette evolves as you progress through the centuries—lush greens and bright skies in the early years give way to autumnal tones and somber landscapes as the Apocalypse approaches. This seasonal and temporal shift is subtle but effective at reinforcing the narrative’s passage of time. Particle effects for spells and special attacks add a satisfying flourish without obscuring the action or cluttering the screen.

User interface elements are well organized, with easy access to unit stats, fatigue levels, and recruitment menus. Tooltips provide clear explanations for each soldier’s abilities and growth potential, minimizing guesswork. While there are no flashy 3D vistas, the game’s artistic direction and attention to detail create an engaging world that complements its deeply strategic gameplay.

Story

The narrative of Venus & Braves is anchored by the prophecy of humanity’s doom and your quest to alter that fate. As Blood Boal, you serve as both warrior and steward of civilization’s future. Goddess Ariah’s guidance frames your journey, but it’s the individual tales of your fourteen soldiers—their ambitions, conflicts, and romances—that breathe life into the overarching legend.

Over the course of a century, you witness births, deaths, romances, and betrayals. Each soldier has a backstory, from hardened veterans longing for peace to ambitious youths eager to prove themselves. The generational aspect of the narrative adds emotional weight: you grow attached to certain couples and eagerly anticipate the contributions of their children. When a beloved character finally succumbs to age or battle, the moment hits with genuine poignancy.

Dialogue is well written, striking a balance between epic prophecy and intimate character moments. Ariah’s appearances bookend major milestones, reminding you of the stakes without overwhelming the personal dramas unfolding among your ranks. While the main arc is straightforward—prevent the Apocalypse—the side conversations among soldiers and emergent romances give the story unexpected depth and replay value.

Overall Experience

Venus & Braves: Majo to Megami to Horobi no Yogen stands out as a unique fusion of tactical grid battles, time-spanning campaign management, and romance-driven unit progression. The blend of short, intense skirmishes with long-term personnel planning keeps the experience fresh for hours on end. You’re constantly balancing immediate threats with the need to cultivate future generations of heroes.

The game’s learning curve is moderate but rewarding. Early battles teach you battlefield fundamentals, while later decades demand mastery of fatigue management, romantic pairings, and generational scouting. It’s a title that encourages experimentation: different soldier combinations and marriage pairings yield varied child inheritors, adding considerable replayability.

Though the graphics favor stylized 2D art over high-end 3D, the presentation is cohesive and evocative, and the UI remains intuitive throughout. The story’s century-spanning scope and the personal investments you make in your soldiers create a compelling emotional hook. For fans of strategic RPGs who appreciate deep character interactions and long-term planning, Venus & Braves offers a memorable journey through prophecy, love, and war.

Retro Replay Score

null/10