Long Live the Queen is described as an adventure simulation game, but it’s not the only one in reality. It’s partly a visual novel, partly a point and click, and all the strategies. This intriguing title has a lot of depth in something related to the castle princess. And it works perfectly.
The goal is simple. Protect the princess enough time for her to become a queen on her 15th birthday. At the age of only 14, Princess Elizabeth lost her mother, Queen Nova. While waiting a year for her to be crowned herself, Elodie has to learn how to overcome the threat of her war and become a royal leader … and worse.
The simple plot betrays the tricky nature of Long Live the Queen. The game is neatly divided into weeks. So all you really have to do is survive for 50 weeks and be successfully crowned the Queen. Easy-It’s easy, isn’t it? Wrong! You literally know nothing about all the important queens like speaking in public, local folklore and traditions, animal handling, athletics, economics, and many other disciplines. start. Each week, you choose which class to take to improve your skills. The secret is to focus on the right subject, too much to complete by the end of the year. In the meantime, you are constantly tested in situations that cause anything from embarrassment to death, based on your character’s knowledge.
To add complexity to the subject of this study, Elodie has a mood index. After each week’s lesson, a small section of the story unfolds. Relatives may visit the castle, or there may be a royal ball. Sometimes people demand money or threaten your castle with violence. These events raise your mood and make you angry, depressed, or even lonely. You can also choose one castle-based activity each week, such as a walk on the premises or a visit to a dungeon. These also affect your mood, which affects your ability to study.
For example, if you feel depressed, animal handling may become a more appropriate theme this week as you become more connected to animals. Meanwhile, your ability to retain military knowledge diminishes. If you take these particular lessons right now, you won’t get enough skill points.
It starts to sound complicated, but in reality it makes perfect sense as soon as you read the introduction. Gameplay is also as easy as choosing a weekly class, even with a touchscreen in handheld mode. Therefore, there are two strategies. Choose castle activities that affect your mood so that you can learn the right lessons, and choose the right lessons to successfully put your princess on the throne.
Aside from the simple mechanics, it’s a difficult balance to actually succeed, especially in the first run-through. Now that we know what’s ahead, subsequent execution is a bit easier. For example, I know that I need accounting knowledge to talk to the Treasury before I start magic training. But the curve ball is still on your way. If you are not good at dancing, the ball may not work. Failure to recognize the poison can have dire consequences. Lack of knowledge of royal etiquette and diplomatic relations may prevent you from negotiating a kingdom from war. The best part is that navigating these elements is a lot of fun.
Long Live the Queen addresses this challenge with an achievement system that almost encourages failure. At least it adds powerful replay value. For example, there are many ways for our young princess to die, from simple sword fights to drowning cases, and part of the appeal of the game is to collect each one. There are many non-death-related moments, such as receiving flowers from a woman or breaking an engagement. But which decision leads the story in this way? There is fun there.
As the story unfolds, you are given the choice of how to answer (if your skills provide you with that knowledge). Also, the test may fail and a selection may be made. Thankfully, another asset of the game is the many storage slots. If you save it before the main decision, you can go back from that point to try another path.
Aesthetically, Long Live the Queen sports a cute anime style that gives the game a bright feel, despite all the deaths and depressed moods. Familiarize yourself with one activity and you’ll get new outfits. This happens to give you even more credit in that area of ââresearch. They also look cool. The soundtrack is a melodic piano-based track that fits the mood of a fairy-tale castle. It’s a fun experience for both eyes and ears.
Overall, Long Live the Queen is a seemingly simple game with many layers to test your strategic thinking. It’s amazingly aesthetic, fun and addictive, and highly recommended for fans of point-and-click adventure games with a visual novel tilt.
