The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily Review

One or Eight and Alliance Arts are working on The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily. These are two new teams that are really excited about making a unique strategy game. If you're used to war or fantasy-based strategy games, this one takes a bold turn by focusing on the rising popularity of the villain trope in comics and manhwa. It plays on the appeal of being an anti-hero or straight-up bad guy, giving players a new way to look at the story. 

The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily tries to stand out in a crowded genre by combining turn-based tactical action with a strong anime-inspired look and story. The smart idea behind this project is what first caught my attention: what if you play the bad girl who refuses to accept her fate and fights back against an empire? This sets the stage for a game that is part strategy, part story-driven journey, and has a unique meta twist that breaks the rules.

The story is all about Lady Scarlet, a bad girl who will die over and over again unless she can change her fate and get her happy ending. Battles and dramatic moments happen in between episodes that tell the story. The high-quality art was inspired by the work of Japanese manga artist Rolua, whose use of tones and character designs brings the characters to life.

You start in the middle of a revolt, and Scarlet is being put to death for crimes against the empire. But the game doesn't have a simple bad guy story. Instead, it has an interesting mechanic: when Scarlet or her foe Lily dies, they go to a "Divine Theater," which is a place between worlds where they can try again and change their fate. This story format lets you try again and get different outcomes, similar to how roguelikes work, and includes fourth-wall breaks like in games like Disgaea.

Scarlet's twin sister, Lily Sappharis, is a loyal imperial police officer who acts as a balance in this story of defiance and intrigue. Their disagreement is complicated, making it hard to tell what is right and wrong. Adding a modern touch by "streaming" the change live adds depth to the story and makes a statement about how the public sees and is affected by events.

Voice acting makes the stories more interesting by giving characters personality and emotional weight. Even though not every scene has voice acting, key scenes do benefit from well-done acting that makes the player feel more immersed. Turn-based strategy games like Advance Wars and The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily are what The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily is at its core, but it has its own style.

On a grid-based battlefield, players are in charge of units and must move them carefully to take objectives, defend key spots, and kill enemies. Positioning and countering enemy forces with the right types of units, like cavalry, rifles, bombardment units, and more, are important parts of the game.

The airship's streaming function is the best part of The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily. You can "broadcast" the battle from the airship, which gives you special powers that change the fight by stopping enemy movements, capturing commanders, or holding up reinforcements.

But the airplane only has so much power, so players have to think about when and how to use these strong tools without putting themselves at risk. Moral points (MP) are also part of unit control. MPs are restored by fighting. You use these to use skills and special moves, which adds another level of complexity to managing resources and strategy.

The action moves quickly, and battles last about three turns, which forces players to think quickly and effectively. You can get experience by protecting chokepoints and killing weaker enemies during the time between battles. This helps your units level up and unlock new skills.

In The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily, battles are simple but planned out. Each type of unit is better or worse against others, so you have to pick your squad carefully and guess what the enemy will do next. For instance, horse units like Scarlet are strong against some units but can be easily destroyed by bombs or gunfire. To win fights without losing too many points, you need to know these matchups.

The streaming features add a new puzzle-like element, forcing players to pick the best times to distract enemies or capture important leaders. It feels new and different, and this feature makes battles less predictable, making the strategy challenge higher than usual turn-based games.

Battles are tense because you only get so many turns. It's less about brute force and more about timing and placement. Due to a strict turn limit per fight, the game focuses on speed and smart moves over brute force, making for a tense and rewarding experience.

The way the balance between unit matches and terrain placement keeps the battle interesting and changing is what makes it work so well. The streaming feature feels new and important, and the quick fights that last three turns keep things moving quickly.

But some of the early events feel too guided, which limits the player's ability to try new things and be creative. The AI can sometimes act in ways that are easy to guess, which could make it easier for strategy experts. The MP system is also interesting, but it could be taught more clearly at the start to help players use it better.

The main ways to get experience are to defeat enemies and hold strategic places. To avoid careless attacks, this supports careful, strategic play. As the game gets harder, you need to level up your units to beat it. Higher-level troops do better and can learn more powerful skills.

The turn-by-turn auto-save tool lets players fix their mistakes without losing points. This makes trying new things and grinding less frustrating. Being able to try certain turns again motivates players to find the best strategies and keeps progress smooth.

The leveling system has a big effect on The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily. Players who spend time farming XP can make their armies stronger and more flexible so they can take on tougher tasks. This sets up a satisfying loop of tactical combat and growth that doesn't feel like a lot of grinding.

The graphics of The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily are great. It has both detailed pixel landscapes and hand-drawn portraits of the characters by Rolua, whose style is both expressive and moody. The character art stands out because of the unique designs and fine tonal shading that make each character feel like their own person.

Battlefields are beautifully detailed pixel maps that look like a huge kingdom is under attack, complete with cities on fire and complicated airships. The settings create a believable background that goes well with the story and the gameplay.

Some images may look a little rough or sketchy, but that's on purpose as an artistic choice that adds to the uniqueness and charm of the work instead of taking away from its polish. The style is motivating and easy to remember for players who like both games and art.

One of the best parts is the music, which was written by U2 Akiyama, who is known for his work on the Touhou series. There isn't a lot of music in The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily, but the pieces are cleverly varied in terms of tempo and instrumentation to avoid repetition and keep the emotional effect during important scenes.

When you're fighting, the sound effects are clear and fit the action well, making it clear how strong strikes and skills are. Voice acting, even if it's only used sometimes, gives characters more depth and makes the story more interesting without being too much for the player. Overall, the sound design fits the mood and tone of the story perfectly, making fights feel important and scenes emotionally charged.

The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily is a new take on turn-based strategy games because it lets players be bad girls who are trying to change their fate. The story is influenced by anime, there are meta-narrative elements, and the gameplay is precise. This makes the experience unique and makes the game stand out in its genre.

The basic rules of placing units, managing resources, and making tactical decisions are easy to understand. However, the new airship streaming method makes the game more unpredictable and strategic. The fast pace of the game and limited turns make every meeting feel important and tense.

The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily looks great thanks to Rolua's unique character art and the landscapes made of a lot of pixels. The music by U2 Akiyama adds to the emotional impact and cleverly keeps things from getting boring.

Some early fights feel too easy, and the AI could use some work, but these are small problems in an otherwise great package. The game is easy enough for beginners to pick up, but it has enough detail for strategy experts.

The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily masterfully blends compelling anime-inspired storytelling with deep, tactical turn-based gameplay. Its unique streaming mechanic and meta-narrative twists set it apart from typical strategy games, offering both challenge and charm.

While some early moments feel guided, the overall experience is engaging and rewarding. It’s a must-play for strategy enthusiasts looking for fresh mechanics and for anime fans eager to step into the shoes of a villainess fighting to change her fate.