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Triangle Strategy preview: New gameplay details and how to try for free

“Isosceles Contingency” didn’t have the same ring to it

Jasper Pickering
Thursday 10 February 2022 05:00 GMT
<p>Players will command a group of warriors during conflicts</p>

Players will command a group of warriors during conflicts

Back in February 2021 during a Nintendo Direct presentation, gamers were given a brief look at an upcoming title named “Project Triangle Strategy” and invited to play an early demo.

Developed by Square Enix, Triangle Strategy (as it’s now called), is a turn-based strategic role-playing game from the producers of Octopath Traveller - another role-playing game where you play as eight characters who travel across a vast world together. Those naming conventions are nothing if not succinct.

Triangle Strategy also features “HD-2D” graphics, a term applied to Octopath Traveller for its retro-style sprites and tilt-shifted environments that gave the game a miniature look and feel.

Now with a confirmed release date on the horizon, there is also a demo of the upcoming Nintendo Switch game available. Keep reading to find to more about Triangle Strategy’s gameplay, story and how to try the first three chapters for free.

Read more:

What is ‘Triangle Strategy’ about?

Triangle Strategy is set in the fictional continent of Norzelia three decades after a war between three neighbouring countries – Glenbrook, Aesfrost and Hyzante – breaks out due to a dispute over resources.

Players will command a group of warriors as protagonist Serenoa, heir of the House Wolffort, during conflicts that take place in these different regions. Allies will work with Serenoa and help in important decision making using the “scales of conviction” to cast their votes.

Key decisions in the game are marked by one of three virtues: morality, liberty and utility. The outcome of the story can be determined by choices the players make throughout the game and Serenoa will have to seek council from his allies in order to determine the path ahead.

‘Triangle Strategy’ gameplay

Each battle inTriangle Strategy takes place in a grid-based map. As a turn-based game, each unit can move across the map to reach enemies, objectives and other allies dependent on their class abilities. Each character has strengths and weaknesses unique to them to encourage different tactics. Some are predominantly sword-wielders while others may have advantages in spellcasting, ranged attacks or movement speed.

Read more: How to watch Nintendo Direct’s live-stream in the UK tomorrow

At the beginning of encounters, players can choose each unit’s starting placement to make good use of their abilities, the environment and enemy placement. If two characters are able to flank an opponent on both sides, then this can cause both characters to double their damage in a follow-up attack. Different terrain elevations can also have an impact on the damage dealt by positioning units on higher ground.

Each area can often be explored prior to combat to discover hidden items as well as being able to learn more about the world from other non-playable characters, that can open opportunities for dialogue that can be used to guide your allies’ decision making when the moment arises.

How to pre-order ‘Triangle Strategy’

Triangle Strategy will be available to pre-order directly from the Nintendo online store (£49.99, Nintendo.co.uk) as well as Amazon (£49.99, Amazon.co.uk), Game (£49.99, Game.co.uk) and ShopTo (£42.85, Shopto.net).

A “tactician’s limited edition” bundle is also available which includes six customised dice, a deck of playing cards, a steelbook game case, a double-sided poster and a collector’s box. The bundle can be purchased from Nintendo (£89.99, Nintendo.co.uk), Game (£89.99, Game.co.uk) and ShopTo (£88.85, Shopto.net).

How to play the ‘Triangle Strategy’ demo

Nintendo have released a prologue demo of Triangle Strategy for Switch users. The good news is that any progress made in the demo will be transferred over to the full game on release day, much like Octopath Traveller.

Read more: These are the best Nintendo Switch deals this month

The demo gives players time to get acquainted with the game’s mechanics, characters and story before diving deeper into the full release.

The prologue demo covers the first three chapters of the game, with each character able to progress to level five. Find out how to download the demo on Nintendo’s website.

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