Shieldlinked

The Story

In a land with a dark history in living memory, a once victim of enslavement is now a knight-to-be. This past has created a heavy divide between the nation of Thiestan whose masters perpetuated the cruelty and New Estia which was founded by the freed people. Follow Fleur as she begins her career in defence of New Estia only to find that circumstances are not as simple as once thought.

Gameplay

Alongside turn-based tactical battles, there are towns that may be explored to learn more about the world and accept quests. These are kept concise to allow you to return to the thrilling battles that make-up the majority of the gameplay.

Map Design

Shieldlinked focuses on its map design, using the layout and variety of objectives along with events that play out during battle to aid in telling its story. A player can expect objectives like rescuing prisoners and finding a way to persuade enemies to stand down; objectives like defeating all enemies are less common.

The Link System

Each player unit possesses their own unique Link talent. When a player unit attacks an enemy, allies adjacent to the enemy will join the fight which adds extra damage and also contributes their Link talents. Master this system for deeply engaging gambits where a focus on positioning and order of moves made will result in the force multiplier needed to overcome the enemy forces.

No Relying on RNG

Combat is not decided by random number rolls, instead by your foresight and positioning. Attacks always hit so paying attention to how you can prioritize eliminating problematic targets and survive the enemy's turn is most important. Variety in results is decided by the Link system and your choice of weapons with unique effects.

Reasonable Challenge, Reasonable Forgiveness

Shieldlinked is aimed at a wide range of players, from those new to the genre of Strategy RPGs to those who live and breathe tactics. Alongside difficulty modes, the game offers enough forgiveness to encourage a player to learn lessons and continue onward. While balanced under the assumption that the player will not allow too many units to fall, resources may be spent to allow fallen allies to return for future battles.

Spare Enemies for Extra Rewards!

Do your foes deserve a second chance? When an enemy's hit points are low enough, you may Spare them instead of slaying them. At the end of battle, you may spend a resource known as Karma to acquire some of their equipment or even encourage them to join your side. Upon recruiting a generic enemy, they are given a profile with their own talents; perhaps under that enemy's helmet is a friendly face that will be proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your army!

Use All of Your Favourites!

On the battlefield, there are camps around the map which can be captured. Camps under the player's control may be used to retreat units and summon in others from the reserves; the whole party may be used, no longer will you have to bench an old favourite!