Rebirth of Fortune – Review

Our rating:

By: Dotomchi

Version #: 1.07

Date Released: 2010-09-06

Developer:

Price: 2.99

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So it has come to pass that iPhone forums were filled with pleas for "-like" games with acronyms like DotA, RTS, FPS, and even FFT. In the case of the latter I have read many anxious gamers request either a port or a reasonable facsimile of Square Enix’s turn-based tactical game, Final Fantasy Tactics. Dotomchi has answered this call with a new turn-based combat game called Rebirth of Fortune. Does this new game have enough meat to sate FFT fan’s hunger for tactical RPGs?

The game completely lacks a story of any kind, and instead puts you right into the first battle with very little explanation. The interface easy enough to figure out if you have ever played any other turn-based tactical game before, but I could see a newcomer becoming hopelessly lost. This is made worse with a timer that gives you thirty seconds to complete all your actions before your turn is unceremoniously ended. I suspect that this function is more for the multiplayer aspect than for the single player campaign. In early levels this is not much of an issue, but in later levels with large number of units on the board the thirty seconds seems rushed.

The artwork is high quality and the animations are simple but work very well for this type of game. Soundtrack and sound effects are acceptable but nothing earth shattering; in fact I tend to play with the sound off. The controls do have a quirk in that with this isometric viewing angle you much tap on a unit’s base or square he is standing on, not the unit himself. This lead to a seemingly unresponsiveness when one’s natural inclination to tap the unit takes over. This is not a huge deal, but one that gamers should be aware of.

The gameplay is a series of battles, waged over a variety of elevation terrain, with increasingly more difficult opponents. Between each round you are given an opportunity to rearrange your team and to upgrade or unlock the eight classes of units. Each successful battle earns you points which are spends upgrading units. When certain units are upgraded to a particular level then new unit types become available. While the depth of the units types was much more shallow than the development tree found in Final Fantasy Tactics, I found the diversity the be acceptable and didn’t feel too boxed into any single strategy.

The single player game has plenty to keep gamers busy, but the real fun comes from head to head combat. Rebirth of Fortune supports bluetooth connections but lacks a hot-seat style multiplayer. With a game were there is no hidden cards, or other information to hide from opponents, I would have expected the option to simply pass the phone between players. That aside, the multiplayer works great, and is a great break from the AI which can be challenging at times, but can often be tricked into making foolish decisions in reaction to your movements.

Overall this is a strong offering to fit that turn-based tactics hole in your heart, but doesn’t quite manage to fill it completely. There is plenty this game has done right and perhaps the developer will continue to improve on this platform to eventually bring this game to its fullest potential. If you are a fan of games like Final Fantasy Tactics, I would not hesitate to recommend this game, and I think you will be happy with your purchase. Just remember to keep your expectations in check, and enjoy.