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NIS America has announced that GrimGrimoire OnceMore, the enhanced release of Vanillaware’s 2007 RTS game GrimGrimoire, is coming out on Switch in the west on 4th April in North America and 7th April in Europe.
First announced back in April this year, GrimGrimoire OnceMore retains the original PS2 release’s gameplay while adding some brand-new features to help lure in budding magicians who’ve never played the game before. If you picked up 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on Switch earlier this year, the GrimGrimoire might be your next foray into Vanillaware’s beautiful back catalogue.
In terms of additions, Grand Magic is a brand new system that allows you to use extremely powerful moves during combat. There’s also a new skill tree that can be upgraded by completing optional tasks in battles. Most importantly, a Fast-forward mode has also been added to OnceMore, making those strategy battles speed by, though if you really want to dive into the grind, you can also play on Hard mode.
For more on this cult classic, here’s a summary in NISA’s own words:
Magical fantasy meets real time strategy in GrimGrimoire OnceMore, the remaster of a little-known Vanillaware gem, coming to PS4™, PS5™ and Nintendo Switch™ on April 7, 2023!
Released in 2007 on the PS2™, the original GrimGrimoire received a warm reception and positive reviews. Now, with the release of GrimGrimoire OnceMore, this title has a chance to reunite with old fans and dazzle newcomers! Developer Vanillaware, whose backlog of critically acclaimed titles includes Odin Sphere, Dragon’s Crown, and Grand Knights History, is well-known for emphasising the use of 2D art in the games industry, and GrimGrimoire OnceMore is no exception. Vanillaware has used their wealth of experience and passion to create a magical masterpiece you won’t want to miss out on!
While fans of the original release will find the remaster familiar in all the right ways, newcomers will discover a charming adventure, complete with revamped visuals, quality of life additions, and exciting new features!
Past And Present
Just as GrimGrimoire has been given new life on modern consoles, so too has the game’s heroine, Lillet Blan. After enrolling at the prestigious Silver Star Tower, a magic academy where only the most talented of aspiring mages are invited to attend, Lillet Blan awakens to discover that tragedy has struck the tower. Before she can discover the cause of the conflict, Lillet is suddenly sent back in time as the clock strikes midnight, to the day she first arrived at the school. She must now relive the last five days in the hopes of stopping the dreadful event and discovering the truth of Silver Star Tower.
Fantasy Meets Strategy
With its highly-anticipated arrival onto PS4™, PS5™. and Nintendo Switch™, GrimGrimoire OnceMore remains true to the core gameplay of the original release. Players will engage in real-time strategy combat by summoning familiars to fight enemies such as demons, spirits, and golems. This is done by channeling one of the four in-game schools of magic: Glamour, Necromancy, Sorcery, and Alchemy, with each of these disciplines having its own unique familiars and aspects. To summon familiars, players must use magical books called Grimoires to conjure Runes, and as you level up your Grimoires, you’ll be able to summon more powerful familiars. Mastering these schools of magic and utilising their familiars against certain enemies is the key to victory!
Will you be joining the Academy in April 2023 when GrimGrimoire OnceMore releases? Let us know down below!