The first time one encounters Skygard Arena, an innovative tactical RPG that blends strategic turn-based combat with objective-based gameplay, it becomes clear that this is something special. The game combines the tactical depth of Fire Emblem with champion-like creatures inspired by the competitive spirit of League of Legends. In Skygard Arena, players build and customize a team of Champions, each represented by different Personas, and engage in battles to capture objectives and execute game-winning combos.
The tutorial in the game is essential and well-executed. It teaches you how to perform basic attack moves and capture key objectives. Scattered across the battlefield are several crystals that must be captured; victory isn’t achieved by simply defeating enemies. You can also target the enemy’s central flag and destroy it to win. Controlling three or more crystals is vital, as accumulating a specific number of points is necessary for victory.
Turn-based battles in Skygard Arena take place on a hexagonal grid 3v3, where each attack, movement, and skill has its limits. You can’t simply jump through walls or mindlessly use skills as every action follows specific rules and pathways. Knowing your character’s abilities is crucial for planning ahead. Each character has a primary action, secondary action, movement, and ultimate attack. Besides attacking, the primary action is also used to capture crystals, and it’s essential to do this without interruption. Sometimes, it’s better to capture a crystal to prevent an enemy from doing so, even if it means your champion gets eliminated. However, champions can then respawn and return to the crystal after one round.
When it comes to them, for example, Aiden, the wizard and archbishop, can use his main action to move, heal, and attack. His secondary action allows him to shield an ally or boost their movement and critical attack. There are many roles to choose from, including tanks, long-range attackers, close combat champions, and those tricky ones that push opponents when they get too close. This variety allows you to assemble a team that best fits your strategic needs. Additionally, the placement of Champions in the main menu is crucial, as it determines the order in which they will act during battles.
Skygard Arena also allows you to equip Champions with different skills, gear, and Personas, bringing various playstyles. For example, our wizard Aiden can be a healer and buff allies or deal damage to enemies if you choose a different playstyle. The same applies to every other champion. Although the beta version hasn’t revealed everything about the items and weapons we’ll get, I expect a wide range of enhancements and strategic advantages for the Champions. It’s interesting how you change the champions personas, for example, Jorn (close combat brawler), can also poison enemies and shove them into the wall.
Additionally, Skygard Arena boasts attractive graphics. The character design is diverse and visually appealing, and each Champion and Persona has a unique appearance and animations. The hexagonal grid and battlefield environments are well designed to support strategic gameplay, and you’ll never be in a situation where you don’t know what each move does, as everything is clearly displayed.
In Skygard Arena, you won’t just battle AI in the campaign or skirmish modes, you can also compete in PvP mode through ranked games. Although I haven’t been able to find a ranked game yet, friendly matches have been a great way to test my skills. As this was just a beta test, there are a few improvements I’d like to see in the game. Firstly, it needs to ensure that competitive play and matchmaking are fair and balanced. Secondly, it should ensure that all Champions and their abilities are balanced, so no combination becomes overwhelmingly powerful. Currently, the panda character seems particularly strong if used properly.
We also hope there won’t be any pay-to-win content, especially regarding items. Currently, the game has a steady progression system where the more you play, the more personas and champions you unlock. However, it’s important that the game remains engaging over time and provides reasons to keep coming back. Since the beta didn’t allow for a full experience, there are high expectations for the final release and it has the potential to be something special.
So far, it has been interesting to try out different characters, and I believe this will be one of those games that will be regularly updated with new content. In fact, I even expect a Battle Pass, but we'll see about that later. The fun might largely depend on the quality of the ranked mode, and what the game currently offers is truly enjoyable.
The open beta lasts until the end of this month, which you can play on PC via Steam.
English (UK) 
Hrvatski