Was GrimGrimoire OnceMore Worth it?

Groundhog Day in a magical academy full of wonder, mystery and intrigue! Was GrimGrimoire OnceMore worth it?

Full disclosure: We received a review code for the Nintendo Switch version of this game. Rest assured that this will not affect the quality or candor of our review.

Background

GrimGrimoire OnceMore is the second outing of a PS2 real time strategy game. It’s a Vanillaware title, so you already know what to expect in terms of story and characterization. However, there’s a bit of a caveat with this particular game:

How much do you like Harry Potter?

If this question throws you for a loop, play the game for five minutes and you’ll see why I ask. To say this game is inspired by the YA series is an understatement. Even the music is similar. This isn’t an indictment by any means, just an observation.

With that in mind, it’s a charming story about a young witch named Lillet Blan who attends “definitely not Hogwarts” who quickly finds herself in time loop situation. Shenanigans ensue. As Lillet goes through the loops, she gains more proficiency and is able to summon more units in the game’s strategy battles. There are four major schools of units, and each play a bit differently. Veteran RTS players will instinctively draw the dotted line between each school and similar factions from other titles.

What does GrimGrimoire OnceMore do well?

This game gets into the thick of it quickly, which is always great. There’s a steady drip of features based on the available units, so it’s not overwhelming. The game looks great, and the unlockable art is gorgeous. The voice acting is good in both English and Japanese.

There’s a variety of unlocks to add flavor to your armies, and you can refund and respec your upgrades without penalty. You don’t necessarily know what you’ll be up against until you actually start the next battle, so this is a great QoL feature that keeps you from being hamstrung by early game upgrade decisions. There’s also a once-a-battle big spell in the form of Grand Magic, which is essentially your big red emergency button if things go pear-shaped.

What could GrimGrimoire OnceMore do better?

We have to touch on the controls. You’ll eventually get used to them, but they always feel awkward. Units layered on top of each other can be difficult to select and redirect quickly. Maybe I am pining for a mouse and keyboard setup; your mileage may vary. I would have also preferred some map variety.

Was GrimGrimoire OnceMore fun?

For me, the fun was more in the story and the interesting world and characters. The strategy aspects are pretty basic, and the battles began to blur together. The inclusion of a fast forward button was great because otherwise some of these stages felt like they took an eternity to complete.

Is GrimGrimoire OnceMore good value?

I found the gameplay repetitive after a while, so I was glad it didn’t overstay its welcome. You’re looking at $50 for this title. There’s some replayability in the form of challenge maps and difficulty levels.

Who is this game for?

This game is for Vanillaware fans, casual RTS players, and anyone with a Pottermore account.

Was Grimgrimoire OnceMore worth it?

This is a beautiful game with an interesting story. The narrative is the main draw, but even if you aren’t into strategy games, it’s basic enough that you can get the gist of it and clear the stages. This game didn’t sell well on its first release, but we’ll see if the sequel hook ever gets picked up. In the meantime, we’re spellbound: GrimGrimoire OnceMore is worth it.

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