Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena offers a deep, turn-based strategy experience that revolves around the conquest of territories and the careful management of Rune Knights and their monster retinues. At the beginning of each campaign, you choose one of five lords from the warring kingdoms surrounding Almekia. Each lord brings a unique set of starting units, castle strengths, and strategic advantages, ensuring that no two playthroughs feel identical.

(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 👍)

Once you’ve selected your lord, the rhythm of the game settles into a cycle of territory selection, army organization, and tactical battles. Towns, castles, and forts each produce a fixed amount of Rune Energy per turn, which is spent automatically to cover unit upkeep. If you overextend your forces, units may be disbanded until your energy reserves balance out, adding a layer of resource management that is rare in the genre. This mechanic forces you to think not only about conquest but also about sustainable expansion.

Field battles take place on hex-based maps where you deploy up to three Rune Knights, each commanding a team of up to six monsters. Knights have a rune point budget to allocate between themselves and their monsters, so there’s a constant trade-off between powerful creatures and versatile team compositions. As your Knights and monsters earn experience, they evolve—fighters turn into knights, barbarians become berserkers, and even humble ghouls can ascend to late-game powerhouses. This progression system keeps battles feeling fresh as you experiment with different unit lineups.

Adding strategic complexity are elemental affinities (Fire, Nature, Water, Thunder) and Zodiac alignments (Neutral, Light, Dark). Matching these attributes against enemy units can turn the tide of battle, rewarding players who pay attention to unit pairings and terrain advantages. Battles themselves play out automatically once you issue commands, meaning your victory hinges entirely on pre-battle planning and positioning.

For veterans of Ogre Battle or Final Fantasy Tactics, Brigandine’s system feels both familiar and distinct. There’s no grinding in a traditional sense, but conquering territories grants you new resources and stronger recruits. The absence of real-time control during skirmishes places the emphasis squarely on high-level strategy and long-term planning, making each decision feel significant.

Graphics

Visually, Brigandine blends 2D and early 3D aesthetics in a manner that was impressive for its era and remains charming today. The world map and menus are rendered with clean, colorful 2D sprites and icons, making it easy to track your domains, armies, and Rune Energy reserves at a glance. Each kingdom’s towns and fortresses have distinct designs, conveying their cultural character and enhancing the sense of immersion.

When battles commence, the game transitions to fully 3D polygonal arenas where your monster retinues and enemy forces clash. While the models are low-poly by modern standards, they exhibit smooth animations and distinctive silhouettes that help you quickly identify units in the heat of battle. Attack and special move animations are accompanied by dynamic camera angles, adding cinematic flair to key moments.

Despite its age, the color palette remains vibrant and the UI is thoughtfully laid out. Menus are intuitive, with clear indicators for unit stats, rune costs, and elemental affinities. Players new to the genre will appreciate how easily they can compare unit strengths and weaknesses without digging through convoluted submenus. On higher-resolution displays, the 2D art holds up remarkably well, though the 3D sections may appear blocky compared to modern titles.

Special attention has been paid to environmental variety in battlefields. Forests, hills, and plains offer visual diversity and tactical considerations, while castles and towns rendered in the background remind you of the larger strategic conflict. The consistent art direction ties everything together, creating a world that feels cohesive despite the mix of graphical styles.

Story

The narrative of Brigandine unfolds on the continent of Forsena, where a sudden coup in the kingdom of Almekia has thrust the land into chaos. You step into the shoes of one of five pretenders to the throne, each with personal motivations and homeland loyalties. Whether you’re a Goldmoon heir seeking vengeance or a dark prince aiming for domination, your chosen lord’s backstory colors every diplomatic encounter and battlefield conquest.

While the overarching plot is straightforward—restore order to Forsena or seize control for yourself—the game excels in its branching story paths. Conquering or allying with neighboring realms unlocks unique dialogues, potential marriages between ruling families, and secret monster summons. These narrative threads encourage multiple playthroughs to uncover all the lore and hidden alliances scattered across the map.

Character writing ranges from earnest heroism to dark ambition. Rune Knights under your command frequently comment on battlefield conditions, alliances, and personal rivalries, giving the world a lived-in feel. Occasional event scenes, rendered in text and static portraits, provide context for political negotiations and betrayals, though they lean heavily on traditional fantasy tropes.

The balance between player agency and preset story beats is well managed. Most of your narrative influence comes through your actions on the world map—diplomacy vs. aggression, which towns to spare, and which to raze. These choices directly affect the game’s epilogue, offering a satisfying payoff for strategic decisions beyond mere conquest.

Overall Experience

Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena stands out as a deep, methodical strategy RPG that rewards patience and long-term thinking. The blend of territory management, resource upkeep, and tactical battles creates a layered experience that few games of its era attempted. While the learning curve can be steep for newcomers, the game provides ample tutorials and tooltips to ease players into its systems.

Replayability is among Brigandine’s strongest assets. With five distinct kingdoms, multiple endings, and a rich progression system for both Knights and monsters, no two campaigns will play out the same way. The “just one more turn” feeling is potent, especially when you’re building a squad of late-game monsters or carving a tenuous alliance with a rival kingdom.

The game’s audio, featuring stirring orchestral tracks and satisfying battle sound effects, complements the visual presentation and underscores pivotal moments. Voice samples are limited but used judiciously, adding punch to special attacks without feeling overdone. Load times are generally short, and the interface remains snappy, even when managing numerous armies across a sprawling map.

For fans of strategic, empire-building RPGs with a fantasy twist, Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena remains a must-play classic. Its combination of continuous unit growth, kingdom politics, and elemental warfare provides depth that still holds up decades after its release. While it may not cater to action-oriented players seeking real-time thrills, its cerebral challenges and high replay value make it a rewarding journey for anyone willing to dive into its intricate systems.

Retro Replay Score

6.9/10