If your library of action RPGs is still a bit lacking these days,Lord Maglam might be what you are looking for. The story of a long-sleeping Bladelord awakens to a new world order that combines dungeon exploration with flip-flop encounters and a dash of romance. Lord Killizerk’s entourage includes vassals awaiting their return, siblings Darius and Charme, and a few other unexpected characters deemed worthy enough to wield Killizerk as their weapon.
Due to Killizerk’s status as the last Bladelord, local authorities have designated them as endangered. Mamie, a representative for the Administration, presented to Killizerk’s team various demands of importance that she claimed would benefit the city. Mamie’s extremely selective expression and sometimes odd instructions leave the group wondering what she’s hiding from them. Pursuing leads from the Regulatory Authority while doing some super secret investigations resulted in our ragtag team uncovering some hard facts.
Lord MaglamMissions come in two flavors: story progression and side quests. For obvious reasons, I’d recommend running all those kill/collect side quests. They are the best way to level up Killizerk and collect those important crafting materials. Sure, some of them might test your patience. I spent way too much time looking for coffee beans. There’s no way I’d ever want to do it again. However, there is nothing worse than starting a new chapter only to find yourself badly unprepared.
The size of each area varies depending on the mission. Quests that progress through the story can cover a larger area with increased subsections, while side quests use only a small portion of the map. You can count on having at least one Safe Zone per mission. There you can save your game, buy items or craft better weapons.
The combat itself is pretty straightforward. You have a standard attack, a blocking ability, and a special attack. Items are mapped to one node, with the special skill tagged to another node. When you deal damage, Demon Gauge will fill up. It is ready to go when the flame starts to flicker. If you unleash Bladelord’s rage, it will deal some massive damage. Memorize combinations if you want, but node mixing works too. Demon Gauge will reset at the end of each mission, so don’t let it go to waste. Just keep in mind that as your number of combinations gets high, there’s a chance of lag for me with the Switch version.
There are three weapon forms that Killizerk can combine with: swords, spears, and axes. Using items picked up during exploration or looting the corpses of enemies, you’ll craft new sorcerers to bring to the field. Like any other RPG, this means gear will have better stats, damage types, resistances, and buffs. One of each weapon is equipped when you go on the field. With the quick press of a button, the weapon in your hand will switch so you can hit your enemies with the best weapon for the job. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of spears. It seems to be less reactive than swords or axes. Unless I’m up against a boss that’s weak against weapon attacks, I tend not to use it.
Decorations add more sophistication and more advantages. My favorites by far are changing the look of a weapon (plus increasing its stats) or changing the look of the user. There’s something satisfying about hitting knights with an oversized radish ax or poking nasty bugs out of the air with my dango spear. With so many points to collect through quest rewards or special purchases from the Administration, there’s a lot you can do to make the weapons in your arsenal shine.
The way Killizerk interacts and responds to their companions directly impacts potential relationships. People need to choose carefully how to nurture the relationship with the partner they desire to pursue. Another way is to buy healing items for the character from the Tax section of the shop. When you’re out in the field, feeding your partner these snacks instead of generic potions can add even more hearts to your watch.
What I really love and appreciate is that you can date any romantic partner you want. I’m sure this is because although you can choose a male or female avatar for Killizerk, they are always referred to by the pronoun surname/last name. You should never be forced to date a partner you don’t like; you can just ignore the option. Love Guru GG handles most of your romantic excursions. He knows all the best places. And honestly, that’s a good thing. Otherwise, the Killizerk would have lived at the bowling alley and had any chance of conserving the species.
Since the quests and combat can start off a bit repetitive, it’s imperative that the story and romance segments of Lord Maglam well written to attract players. And I think localization does a pretty solid job. It’s not a groundbreaking story, but it helps players move forward and never stagnate. The reinforcement of higher quality maglams gives another reason to keep playing. (Why look for good weapons when you can have the most legendary ones?)
Guaranteed, Lord Maglam not an epic AAA experience meant to compete with Story about or Shin megami tensei, but it’s a pretty solid adventure. The Switch version slows down from time to time. It mostly happens if you’re in the middle of a really great combo in battle. But when you just want to sit down and enjoy something a little more refreshing, it’s bound to make you itch.
Lord Maglam now available for Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4.
