Skygard Arena: A game that might have redefined an entire era.
Every once in a while, a tactical RPG will try to go in a different direction. Skygard Arena, from the Paris-based independent studio Gemelli Games, is one of those games. It wasn’t going to be another grid-based strategy game like Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre.
The developers chose to add MOBA elements to their game instead. This made it a one-of-a-kind mix of the strategic planning of turn-based games and the fierce competition of MOBAs. Skygard Arena is the outcome, and it seems both fresh and adventurous. It already seems like it will be a lot of fun for fans of turn-based strategy who want something new.
The idea behind Skygard Arena was to bring competitive strategy gaming to a market that doesn’t have many options. Gemelli Games has developed a world where you can think strategically and make quick decisions at the same time by mixing tactical RPG elements with MOBA-style goals and a strong progression system.
The idea is big, but it’s clear that the developers have given it a lot of thought to make sure it’s both easy to understand and deep. In Skygard Arena, the world is broken up. The land was torn apart by a disaster, and the people who were left behind were stuck on islands floating in the sky.
In these scattered shards, life went on, but resources were scarce and fighting was bound to happen. The groups used the Tournament of the Ancients, a ritual in which champions battle for power on behalf of their people, to stop the fighting that was going on all the time.
There is a new twist in this year’s tournament: a treasure called the Magical Crown was recently found, but no one knows what its true power is. Whoever says it could bring peace, have a lot of power, or even make things worse in the world.
The story is important for setting the scene for both campaign tasks and competitive PvP battles, but it’s not the main focus of the game. The story presents the different groups, their leaders, and what’s at stake in the tournament, but it’s never as deep or emotional as stories in traditional strategy RPGs. Players can expect storylines that work and set the scene for the game, but aren’t the main focus.
It’s a turn-based tactical role-playing game (RPG) where teamwork, tactics, and careful planning are very important. You choose three champions from a list of nine to put on their teams. Each hero has two personas, which are like different versions of themselves with different skills.
They can also wear artifacts that give them passive benefits or let them use special skills. This mix of personas and objects lets you try a lot of different things and lets you use different strategies in both single-player and multiplayer modes.
There are two main ways to play the game: a single-player story and a multiplayer arena. The game is split into three chapters, and each chapter has its own custom missions with their own goals, enemies, and boss fights. In PvP matches, players fight each other in intense twenty-minute battles where planning and positioning decide who wins.
Each mode has its own way of handling progression, so players don’t have to grind in one mode to get to content in the other. This design choice takes into account what players want, providing them with a fair and enjoyable experience.
Skygard Arena‘s combat is grid-based, but it has its own unique rules and levels of strategic complexity. Each hero has three types of abilities: a main attack, two secondary skills (but only one can be used at a time), and an ultimate ability that builds up over several turns. In contrast to most MOBAs and SRPGs, there are no cooldowns on abilities, and victory in battle depends only on strategic placement and decisions, not on luck.
Ultimate abilities have devastating effects and are at the heart of combat tactics. Their charge times range from five to nine turns. Players can speed up ultimate charge by collecting energy orbs that are spread out across the battlefield. This makes it easier to move around and take control of targets strategically.
This system encourages strategic planning and foresight, and it also adds dynamic interactions to the battlefield, making battles more interesting. There are a lot of different kinds of campaign tasks, like beating all enemies, capturing objectives, holding positions, or beating strong bosses. This means that players have to constantly adjust their strategies.
The way the combat system balances simplicity and depth is truly impressive. To win, players have to think about their position, their skills, and how well their team works together. Every move they make is important. But the difficulty of some tasks rises quickly, especially when you face a boss, where random orb placement can mess up your carefully thought-out plans.
In some situations, the lack of revival techniques adds another level of difficulty that can feel unfair to new players. Even so, these problems don’t take away from how deep and fun the strategy gameplay is overall.
Skygard Arena‘s progression is treated with care. As players move through the story, they unlock new champions. In PvP, however, players can move up by completing mastery trees and earning experience in fights.
This separation lets players enjoy either mode on its own, without having to grind content in one area to get benefits in another. Also, there are no microtransactions, so growth is only based on skill and hard work. This is an important feature for a game that wants to create a fair and competitive PvP environment.
The art style in Skygard Arena is bright and lively, based on MOBAs. It looks good and works well. You can figure out who the champions are by their unique designs, which show what group they belong to and what skills they have.
The animations are smooth, especially when using ultimate powers. The game’s layout makes it simple for players to monitor what’s going on in the battlefield and plan their next move. The graphics aren’t pushing the limits of realism or high-end rendering, but the art style fits the gameplay and makes things clear during tricky strategy battles.
The sound design in Skygard Arena goes well with the gameplay. The sounds of movement and attacks are just right, and when you use an ability, it feels powerful. Voice lines and expressions for characters contribute to the experience without making it too much.
The music is lovely and occasionally memorable, but it’s not a big deal. It’s more of a bonus than a feature that sticks out. The sound design does an excellent job of making the game seem more tactical and competitive, even if it’s not as good as the most well-known music in the genre.
The lofty project Skygard Arena mostly succeeds in its goal of combining turn-based strategy with MOBA-style gameplay. Skygard Arena is very tactical and rewards planning, positioning, and working together creatively. The campaign tasks offer a wide range of challenges that keep Skygard Arena interesting.
Once the PvP mode is fully up and running, it will allow for intense, competitive matches where skill and strategy decide the result instead of random chance. The story is enough, but nothing special. Also, some missions can feel unfair or too hard. But the main gameplay loop is fun and has a lot of promise.
Gemelli Games has laid the groundwork for a tactical RPG that could become a classic, especially for gamers who want a strategy challenge with a competitive edge. Skygard Arena could build a loyal and enthusiastic player group as more champions, personas, and artifacts are added in future updates.
For now, it’s a gem that you should check out. Players will enjoy trying out different team combinations, getting better at skills, and managing the constantly changing battlefields. Skygard Arena isn’t just another strategy RPG; it is not afraid to take risks. As a result, it offers a new and engaging experience that rewards skill, planning, and critical thinking.
