Castle of the Underdogs by indie dev House of Pandas is a JRPG that will take you on a wild and hilarious journey through the Bestann Federation and episode 1, after an early access period, is now available in its final form on PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch. In Castle of the Underdogs: Episode 1 players will play as Hikaru, a carefree girl who is on a mission to restore peace to the land. But as players go along, they will find that chaos seems to follow her wherever she goes.
The game features classic JRPG gameplay with turn-based combat, spellcasting, and exploration. But what sets Castle of the Underdogs apart is its unique and absurd storyline that will keep you guessing at every turn.
One of the game’s most exciting aspects is the ability to recruit dozens of characters with ridiculous backstories. From a failed ninja who throws plungers to guys who can’t tell reality from fiction, players will have a wide range of characters to choose from. They will also be able to visit them at their Castle HQ, which serves as base of operations.
In addition to the hilarious storyline and recruitable characters, Castle of the Underdogs also features a strategic battle system that draws from both Final Fantasy X and Suikoden. Players will be able to control up to six players in battle and tag between them strategically and also unite attacks to unleash powerful combinations of skills.
The game also features a complex knowledge system that allows players to discover the strengths and weaknesses of enemies, making it easier to plan battle actions accordingly. Players can even create their own runes by imbuing the knowledge they gain during their adventure.
Castle of the Underdogs fits well for seasoned JRPG players or just for players looking for a good laugh. With flexible difficulty options, 99 save slots, and a variety of minigames, players can customize their experience to suit their playstyle. Below an overview via Steam and the Switch Trailer.
ABOUT CASTLE OF THE UNDERDOGS: EPISODE 1
Castle of the Underdogs is a comedy JRPG game inspired by Suikoden-like games, with strategic turn-based combat, mass recruiting and a castle HQ.
Join Hikaru, a mischevous and carefree girl that learns magic, in an absurd adventure where she must recruit dozens of friends in order to restore the peace in the Bestann Federation despite spreading chaos to most places she steps on.
- A hilarious JRPG
A story driven comedy with unpredictable situations and outcomes.- Lots of recruitable characters and Castle headquarters
Recruit characters during your adventure, each with his own ridiculous backstory, and visit them at your Castle HQ. From guys having problems distinguishing reality from fiction to plunger-throwing failed ninjas.- Classic JRPG gameplay
Learn spells and abilities, steal equipment, explore the country, assault and loot the villagers’ houses, find treasures and fight against the bad guys.
- Strategic battle
Turn-based JRPG battle system that draws its features from both Final Fantasy X and Suikoden series.- Quick tagging
Control 6 players in battle, 3 at the same time, and tag between them strategically.- Unite Attacks
Make several characters collaborate to unleash special attacks combining their skills.- Knowledge system
A complex knowledge system that allows you to discover the enemies strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to plan your battle actions accordingly, as well as collecting the bestiary data.- Create your own runes.
Imbue the knowledge learnt during your adventure and combine it to create more powerful runes.
- Adjust difficult any time
5 difficulty levels to choose from, you can either enjoy the adventure without any battle hassle or be challenged by mighty foes.- Flexible save system
99 saveslots for each playthrough, and all the playthroughs you want.- Minigames
Several minigames available that will be expanded in both content and number in the following episodes.
