Today, I want to introduce The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-. I just played the demo, and I have to say—this might be one of the most interesting JRPGs of 2025, especially for fans of the Persona series.
The game is developed by Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi. Kodaka is best known as the mastermind behind the Danganronpa series, while Uchikoshi, whom I wasn’t as familiar with, is a seasoned creator of anime-style visual novels. Both developers previously worked at Spike Chunsoft, a renowned Japanese studio, before founding their own independent team. Their combined expertise has resulted in an incredibly intriguing game, blending visual novel storytelling, social mechanics with tactical RPG combat. Let’s see more.
Setting and Storyline
The game is set in a peculiar version of Tokyo, where an alarm siren occasionally blares, forcing people to take shelter underground. However, as the situation worsens, monstrous creatures begin invading the city. The protagonist, Takumi Sumino, finds himself in the middle of this chaos, desperately trying to protect his childhood friend from these relentless beasts.
At first, the game appears lighthearted, with colorful anime visuals. However, it quickly takes a darker turn—civilians are crushed, blood splatters across the screen, and the stakes rise dramatically. Despite this, the game maintains a certain charm and humor, similar to what you’d expect from a Persona-style and JRPGs in general.
Shortly after the initial confrontation, the protagonist meets a strange creature who grants him a knife. By stabbing himself with it, he unlocks mysterious latent powers, allowing him to wield special abilities and weapons against the monstrous threat. After the first battle, he finds himself transported to an academy, where he meets other individuals with similar transformative abilities. This school becomes the core setting of the game, where the story and gameplay unfold.
Takumi Sumino will soon learn that this academy is actually the last stronghold against a mysterious threat and that they must protect something hidden within its walls—the true target of the invasion. Inside the academy, the personal stories of each character intertwine, and right from the start, they all feel well-developed and charismatic. The story unfolds over 100 days, and it will be up to us to decide how to spend that time and what actions to take.
Gameplay MECHANICS
The academy follows a structured daily cycle, much like the Persona series. Players can engage in various activities—talking to characters, training, and collecting points to upgrade weapons and abilities.
Key mechanic is the 100-day defense system. The academy is under siege, and players must survive for 100 in-game days while fending off the mysterious invaders. Every action taken—training, exploring, upgrading—ultimately serves to prepare for these defensive battles.
Players can engage with the exploration system when not actively defending the academy, which takes an isometric, board-game-inspired approach to representing the city. Movement occurs across tiles, each triggering different events, such as battles, item collection, or teleportation points.
During free time, players can freely roam the academy in a 2D side-scrolling format, interacting with NPCs and visiting different rooms like:
- Training Room – Use virtual reality combat simulations to earn upgrade points.
- Cafeteria – Socialize with other characters.
- Main Hall – Launch expeditions and progress the story.
Much more will be unlocked and revealed as the adventure unfolds.
Characters don’t have traditional stat-based leveling; instead, they grow stronger by using collectible upgrade points to enhance their skills. The main character, however, not only upgrades their skills but also gains ranks in various subjects. These ranks improve each time they engage in activities with other characters at the academy, enhancing their exploration abilities, logic, mobility, unlocking new skills, and much more.
Tactical Combat System
The combat system takes place on grid-based maps, where players typically face off against colorful monsters. These enemies range from smaller units that can usually be taken down in a single hit to larger creatures that require more effort to defeat. However, once a larger enemy is eliminated, it rewards players with action points that can be used within the same turn.
Action points, used for every move and skills in combat, are shared among all characters, requiring careful balance and decision-making on who to move each turn. However, after taking an action, a character enters a Fatigued state, reducing their efficiency if used again. The exception is one playable character, who, instead of being hindered by fatigue, gains skills that enhance their performance in this state.
Each character starts with an offensive skill and a passive ability that defines their role and playstyle. Take Takemaru Yakushiji, for example—one of my personal favorites. He fights every battle while riding his motorcycle and has a passive ability that grants him shield points for every tile he crosses, whether during movement or attacks. This makes him a durable, damage-absorbing tank, perfect for soaking up enemy hits while staying on the move.
Then there’s Hiruko Shizuara, a girl with superhuman strength who gains attack points for every enemy she defeats, allowing her to dish out increasingly high damage as battles progress.
The academy defense battles take place on these grid-based maps, where the main objective is not just to defeat all enemies but also to protect a crucial device that maintains the school’s shield. Every enemy attack damages this device, so players must strategically balance offense and defense to ensure the academy’s survival.
In the early hours of the game, we get a taste of a boss fight, facing off against a spectacular yet terrifying dragon-like creature. This boss had the ability to counterattack every time it was hit, striking all surrounding tiles. With its high health pool, it took quite some time just to cut its HP bar in half before it finally fled. This encounter sets the stage for some truly engaging and challenging boss fights ahead.
Another key element of the combat system is the Voltage Bar, which is shared across the entire team. This bar fills up with each attack we make, and once maxed out, it allows us to unleash powerful, character-specific skills, adding an extra layer of strategy to battles.
Graphics, Sound, and Final Impressions
The game’s visuals and art direction are outstanding, as expected from such experienced developers. Characters are well-designed and expressive, while the monster concepts are equally impressive. The sound design is also top-notch, with impactful audio effects and an immersive soundtrack that enhances both combat and narrative moments.
Overall, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy– has left a strong impression on me. Its blend of tactical RPG mechanics, Persona-style school life, and dark storytelling creates a compelling experience. The full game will be released on April 23, 2025, for PC and Nintendo Switch.
