Fantasy Hero: Unsigned Legacy (Vita) Review

Portable fantasy.

When a company such as Arc System Works, who’s primarily known for its fighters, takes a step in a genre that is unfamiliar, you can’t help feel a bit of apprehension. Fantasy Hero Unsigned Legacy is the latest game to drop on the Vita from the company, and it’s a top down, adventure RPG. I had no idea this game was in development, and it’s always a scary thought jumping into a review in such a case. So I sat, with my Vita in hand, ready for either something extremely surprising or surprisingly bad.

Players will find themselves thrown into a land of Chaos. Decoders have been ruining the world and with the recent finding of the hero artes, it seems the people might have a fighting chance to take back what was once theirs. As far as RPG storylines are concerned it’s all fairly typical, and especially here it feels as if the story is really only there to keep players going from mission to mission. It’s never super intrusive, and gives just enough to move forward.

That is a pimp hat.

MSRP: $14.99
Time to beat: 8 hours
Multiplayer: 1-4
Price you would pay: $14.99

The game play is what shines in Fantasy Hero. Being a top down RPG, players would expect something of similar nation in game play to Diablo; that would be correct, yet it also adds in the mission style and variety similar in nature to Monster Hunter. Players have the choice of choosing four different styles of characters. One has guns, another has swords, and another has wrestling moves, who then explore smaller sized maps with each mission taking a few minutes at a time. It’s the perfect length for a hand held console and those that play on the go.

One mission might be killing animals, another finding some drops. Either way, players will be doing battle over and over again, gaining levels and finding more material to make better equipment, weapons and armor. This is all done via the little hub town area, and it’s easy to access and find your way through the menus.

That is one big axe.

Controlling characters on screen is simple, and using the shoulder buttons on the vita enabled various hotkeys to be used for other abilities. I will say the combination of the shoulder buttons and the d-pad makes for a very cumbersome choice. While most of the levels are fairly tiny, there are a few that can last a little longer, and if the player happens to die they must restart the entire mission, which can lead to frustration. Another thing of note is the amount of DLC at launch, with new missions and customizations. There is plenty of content for the base game though, so it shouldn’t have too much of a bearing on players enjoyment of the game.

Fantasy Hero Unsigned will last most players around 8 hours or so, combined with DLC if they choose to extend their time with it. It’s a unique combination of Diablo and Monster Hunter like game play elements, with a story that is decent enough to keep you going, and game play fun and simple enough to keep you engaged. Most people won’t even know what this game is, but as an on the go Vita player, it’s a title you just might want check out.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Cute visuals
  • Easy jump in and out game play
  • Simple yet addicting
Bad
  • Story is typical
  • Some missions too long
  • Hot keys can feel cumbersome
7
Good
Written by
Justin is a long time passionate fan of games, not gaming drama. He loves anything horror related, archaeology inspired adventures, RPG goodness, Dr Pepper, and of course his family. When it comes to crunch time, he is a beast, yet rabies free we promise.