The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- Preview
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is the latest title from Kotaro Uchikoshi and Kazutaka Kodaka, creators of AI: The Somnium Files and Danganronpa. What can these two titans of gaming produce with their heads together? If the first 29 days of this game are anything to go, the results are going to be explosive.
In this game, players step into the shoes of Takumi Sumino, an ordinary boy in a superficially ordinary world. He lives a boring life in the Tokyo Residential Complex, an enclosed space with no sky. At least, he does until he and his childhood friend Karua trip down the wrong back alley after an emergency alert. They stumble right into an invasion of vicious, brightly-colored plush toys. Karua is hurt, and the suspicious mascot Sirei gives Takumi an offer he can’t afford to refuse.
With the power of hemoanima, Takumi is able to fight back and protect Karua. However, he’s immediately kidnapped to the titular Last Defense Academy, a militarized base populated by other kidnapped teenagers. The enigmatic mascot Sirei promises they can go home after 100 days of military service. But they have no way of knowing if he’s telling the truth and most of them refuse to fight until he explains more.
As the days pass, tensions rise and Sirei becomes suspiciously absent. Trapped, traumatized, and drafted into a war for mankind’s survival, Takumi must choose his path forward. There are many, many options ahead of him, and he may not enjoy any of them.
Manic Energy and Bloodlust
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is incredibly stylish. More than that, it’s incredibly fun. This title is well aware of the popularity of its creators’ other works, particularly Danganronpa. In a lot of ways, it feels like a response to them. Multiple characters make choices based on what would make sense in a killing game. It doesn’t turn out well for them.
Like Danganronpa, this game is not subtle. It’s heard of subtext and thinks it’s the domain of cowards. And like Uchikoshi’s body of work, it’s dripping with mystery and plot twists. Do you like edgy humor? Larger than life characters with messy relationships? Weird and experimental meta media? The juxtaposition of immature comedy and very dark themes? Magical transformations themed around drowning in blood? If so, you’re in for a treat.
The game shifts between CGI cutscene, visual novel-style portraits, and adventure game exploration. The inconsistency should be annoying. However, the game’s sheer style holds its presentation together. Though Takumi’s running animation during adventure segments is goofy.
The fun but off-putting soundtrack does an excellent job of establishing a tense mood. Over the course of 29 in-game days, I didn’t find a single lackluster track.
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is a Wild Ride
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is part adventure game, part turn-based strategy game. During combat, you guide Takumi and his comrades through tower defense battles. Out of combat, Takumi can socialize, engage in activities, explore the outside world, or rest. And plot-relevant Persuasion Missions challenge you to argue down other characters and convince them to do something.
During battle, you can take a certain number of actions per turn or save them for later. Each character has their own attacks and abilities. You build voltage over time and burn it to boost characters or use special attacks. Each character also has another special attack they can use when on their last legs. This attack instantly kills them, but does a lot of damage.
This game’s story moves fast, but it’s full of memorable moments. From Takumi’s genuine shock at seeing the sky to the jarring terror of the intruder alert. I can’t go into details for fear of spoilers, but this title is definitely commenting on militarism. Especially the treatment young soldiers are subjected to, nationalistic propaganda, and dehumanization of the enemy.
Playing this game left me with the same anticipation that playing Danganronpa and Ever 17 did. It’s not the same beast as its predecessors, but it has the same compelling atmosphere.
One Twist After Another
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- swings wildly between mystery, bizarre slice of life, and pitch-dark comedy. The story unfolds at a blistering pace with new twists and turns every few days. And it’s very difficult to sum up where the plot is going without spoiling something. That out of the way, I can say that the biggest thing this game has going for it is that it is fun.
Gameplay-wise, it features lots of interesting level gimmicks. Every character has a distinct play style, so who you have access to and which area they’re deployed in makes a big difference. And the over the top characters are as memorable, entertaining, and sometimes tragic as anything Danganronpa offered.
The voice acting is very dramatic and expressive, so I wish there were fewer scenes with only anime grunts. Sometimes, sound effects feel very ill-fitting or out of place. I don’t know why Takumi is yelping angrily while collapsing on his bed, exhausted.
All in all, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is shaping up to be a truly remarkable experience. Fans of turn-based strategy RPGs, dark comedy, and fast-paced storytelling shouldn’t miss this one.
***Switch code provided by the publisher***
