Unicorn Overlord review

Unicorn Overlord (PS5) – A High-Fantasy Tactics Banger 

Darkmatters Review – By Matt Adcock (X @cleric20, Bluesky @cleric20.bsky.social) - follow all my film reviews and reaction on Letterboxd (Cleric20)

You know the drill:a young prince, a kingdom’s gone to hell, and it’s up to you to amass an army, wage war, and somehow not get yourself impaled on a pike before the credits roll. But while Unicorn Overlord hits the fantasy-tactics notes like a bard who actually knows what they’re doing, it does so with such style, wit, and strategic depth that it makes even the most predictable tropes feel like fresh battle orders. Oh, and it’s got Disgaea energy in the best way possible, chaotic, stylish, and just unhinged enough to keep you grinning through every over-the-top battle.

Yes, the setup is familiar. Yes, you play as Alain, a deposed royal with a birthright to reclaim. And yes, an evil empire, corrupted allies, and an ancient prophecy are involved. But don’t roll your eyes just yet. Unicorn Overlord manages to take this well-worn tale and inject it with genuine personality.

At its core, this is a strategy RPG with a combat system that feels like the lovechild of Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, and yes, Disgaea on a mild dose of caffeine. Squads move across the overworld, which looks like someone’s lovingly hand-crafted tabletop RPG come to life, engaging in auto-resolving battles where every decision you make beforehand determines whether you’re victorious or redecorating the battlefield with your own entrails.

The unit variety is gloriously over-the-top. You’ve got your standard knights and archers, sure, but also werelions, elven fencers, and a sorceress whose idea of ‘winning’ is perching smugly on a throne made of actual bats. Positioning, synergy, and a bit of sadistic creativity are key. Want a squad of mounted lancers who blitz the battlefield like cavalry on steroids? Go for it. Prefer an unholy mix of tanks and rogues that hit like a hammer wrapped in barbed wire? That works too.

It’s not just about swinging swords – Unicorn Overlord loves throwing morally ambiguous choices at you. You’ll decide the fates of your potential allies, with decisions ranging from ‘heroic mercy’ to ‘oops, guess I’m a war criminal now.’

One moment, you’re weighing whether to forgive a noblewoman who sold out her people to save her bloodline. The next, you’re debating whether a doctor experimenting on plague victims deserves a second chance or just a swift exile. There’s no real ‘right’ answer, just a series of compromises that make the world feel weighty and real. Except for the elves. Those rascals are suspiciously noble, which makes me think they’re hiding something.

Vanillaware’s signature 2.5D animation is back, and it’s great - each frame is drenched in handcrafted detail. But Unicorn Overlord is more than just a top-tier strategy RPG – it’s a testament to how far the genre has come. It takes the best elements of its predecessors, adds a healthy dose of creative chaos, and refines it into something truly special.

Whether you’re here for the deep tactical combat, the kingdom-spanning rebellion, or just to press X to eat, Unicorn Overlord is an absolute triumph. And if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re probably just bitter they lost their best unit in battle because they forgot to check a terrain modifier.

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

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(5 One of my favourite games for a long time...) 

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

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