Record of Lodoss War is the name of a saga of videogames, anime and manga that was very popular in the early 90s, and that today tries to recover part of its prestige. Based on the light novels of video game writer and designer Ryo Mizuno, its style is reminiscent of franchises such as Dungeons & Dragons and The Lord of the Rings, offering an interesting combination of magic, fantasy, medieval atmosphere and action. Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a metroidvania-style action and platform title that uses the Lodoss setting and features the elf Deedlit, and in this article we will explore her main successes and errors in her execution.
A game designed to enter the saga
If you were a fan of Record of Lodoss War, you will see classic settings and elements , but new players will have no difficulty immersing themselves in the adventure. The game has a simple script that takes place mainly from the second half onwards. The presentation is elegant and clear: we are several years in the future in relation to the original story, the world is fantasy and the elf Deedlit has a very close relationship with one of her companions. Of course, those who know the saga before will see characters and locations that they will surely remember from the animated versions.
Artistic design and amazing gameplay
The pixel art design is sublime, with extremely fluid animations and a sound environment that allows you to fully enjoy the immersion in the fantastic adventures of Lodoss. When it comes to character and setting design, we have a wide variety of color palettes, characters, monsters, and attack designs that will make you instantly enjoy with elements drawn from the best of shonen and action-adventure anime.
Being a video game of the subgenre “metroidvania” , in addition to fighting and jumping between platforms, we will explore the different maps and scenarios while we acquire new powers and abilities that allow us to advance in previously inaccessible areas. The essence of these games is to explore and know in depth how to move quickly in the scenarios, but we also find influences from a very different video game: Ikaruga.
Treasure’s shoot’em up is a festival of shoot and dodge. In Record of Muds War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth we will have a similar bipolar mechanic, with a spirit of wind and one of fire that will help us absorb attacks and regain our magical energy.
Record of Lodoss War in video games
The Record of Lodoss War franchise has had no less than 11 titles prior to this new iteration. One of the most recognized is Record of Lodoss War: Advent of Cardice from 2000, released for the SEGA Dreamcast , where we have to guide a hero who has been resurrected by the sorcerer Wart to defeat the goddess of destruction, Cardice.
Another game that had a lot of reach is the 1995 SNES Record of Lodoss War. In this case, fans were able to enjoy an English translation by fans, one of the main limitations that Lodoss games have had since Except for these two, and now Deedlit’s, none left Japan. Being a fantasy and role-playing saga, many fans worked on unofficial translations, but the essence of the franchise is still valid today, more than 20 years after the launch of the last game in the series.
The resurgence of heroes and warriors
Being a video game inspired by a classic fantasy role-playing franchise, it is remarkable how the developers have achieved a simple but very comprehensive development of the Lodoss universe. The scenarios, the spells, the monsters and the setting immediately transport us to the best moments of the anime, and the medieval fantasy elements are so well worked that we very easily manage to connect with the warriors, heroes and villains that we are getting to know.
The use made of pixel art design is remarkable, since it allows to bring the best of a saga closely linked to the visual from manga and anime, to a control of characters that at no time feels disconnected. Of course, the duality mechanics of elements can become problematic when new elements are added, but the style of exploration and advancement with new powers is part of the “metroidvania” world, so we will be going back and forth on more than one occasion to find the right path and the skill we need to unlock an obstacle or defeat a final boss.
If you are a fan of Record of Lodoss War, you will love the title and will remember incredible moments. If you have never seen the series, you will be able to meet characters and situations from an anime loaded with elements of the medieval fantasy genre. You have nothing to lose, everything is gain.