When Triangle Strategy, co-developed by Square Enix and Artdink; first debuted on consoles and PCs in 2022, it was lauded as a masterful return to the roots of tactical RPGs.
Following in the footsteps of legendary turn-based strategy titles such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, Triangle Strategy struck a fine balance between deep, strategic gameplay and a gripping, morally charged narrative.
With its HD-2D art style which brought retro aesthetics to the modern gaming era, the game enchanted players with its blend of pixel art and modern lighting techniques.
In an unexpected move by the game’s publisher, Square Enix, the game has found a new platform to grace: Virtual Reality (VR) on the Meta Quest headsets, the aptly named Triangle Strategy VR.
Originally crafted for flat-screen experiences, Triangle Strategy was built around tightly designed tactical battles and branching story paths influenced by player decisions.
Many praised these mechanics, story, and gameplay which carries the weight of its moral dilemmas reminiscent of past titles such as Final Fantasy Tactics but with a fresh spin for modern players.
With this high praise for the game, few could have anticipated how Triangle Strategy would transition to virtual reality in late October 2024.
To the surprise of many, the Meta Quest version doesn’t merely port the experience; it re-envisions the game for the VR platform as players are given a godlike perspective, standing over intricately detailed battlefields that feel alive and tangible that are missing from the traditional flat screen versions of the game.
The HD-2D style, which has been a defining feature of Square Enix’s retro-modern RPG line-up, combines pixel art characters with lush, modern lighting effects which works surprisingly well on VR.
On traditional screens, these games often used various graphical tricks such as depth of field and tilt-shift techniques to evoke the feeling of a living miniature set.
However, in VR, such tricks are unnecessary as the technology’s very nature allows players to perceive depth and scale, transforming towns, castles, and battlefields into interactive, fully scaled-miniature environments.
Through a virtual reality headset, players can move the HD-2D dioramas and lean in to examine the surprisingly finely textured surfaces and characters, from the cobblestones of a village square or watch characters engage in battle with a level of detail that almost invokes a bygone era of gaming.
In addition, the pass-through function found on the Meta Quest 3 means that the game can be played in Mixed Reality where the diorama is placed and tracked against in the real world, adding more to the sensation of witnessing a miniature world for the players.
When combined, it helps the game to provide more immersion, as players can zoom and pan around the scenery and locales which would otherwise be impossible on the flat screen.
Despite the leap to virtual reality, the heart of Triangle Strategy is still alive. Its branching narrative accounts for every player’s choice, resulting in a unique journey that unfolds based on players’ choices during key moments, shaping alliances, conflicts, and even the fate of entire kingdoms.
These decisions are informed by dialogue options and contextual clues gathered throughout the game, encouraging players to engage deeply with the world and its inhabitants.
Unlike many RPGs that focus interactions on core party members, Triangle Strategy incentivises players to speak with every NPC they encounter, with each conversation potentially providing valuable insights, world-building details, or critical information that could influence pivotal decisions.
Depending on the player’s choices, some characters can join the player’s party, adding layers of strategy and replayability.
Furthermore, many of these optional recruits often come with their own backstories and unique abilities, which further enriches the gameplay experience and incentivises the players to do repeat runs to experience them all.
One downside, or rather nit-pick that one could have for the game is the controls which straddle the line between intuitive and convoluted.
While picking up units and placing them in the desired location seems intuitive, it can sometimes lead to confusion as to the current status of both the player’s characters and enemies as many of the key menus and actions are buried through convoluted button combinations. However, this setback does get better as players get to know the game’s VR controls.
Despite these shortcomings, Triangle Strategy VR has not only proven the viability of bringing tactical RPGs to VR but has also opened the door for similar games to leap.
It also showcases that similar titles that share their roots as Triangle Strategy such as the highly acclaimed Octopath Traveler could also have the potential to thrive in VR by embracing this diorama-like presentation.
While not a roaring success as seen on flat-screen, Triangle Strategy VR is a testament to how classic genres can be modernised without losing their essence. VR offers a more immersive gameplay that balances nostalgia with innovation.
As developers consider porting or creating entries in the HD-2D tactical RPG games into the VR platform, the lessons learned from Triangle Strategy VR could be invaluable as it lays the foundation for the potential that fully fledged AAA games have on the platform. – Daniel Lim
