14 DAY TRIAL // Ezra feels like the nimbler of the two characters I can control, so I start the boss fight with her, dodging attacks as much as possible, dealing damage only when I am sure I cannot get hit. I also remember to use my ranged magical attack, although that leaves me exposed to a charge from the Wolf King.
I switch to Clara and instantly deploy her minigun to deal damage at a distance, taking care to use my jump and slide to avoid incoming attacks. Unfortunately, I get caught in a melee sequence, which takes down about half of my health.
Another switch, followed by a quick heal, gives Ezra the edge she needs to break the enemy boss and then deliver a quick series of combos that gets him down to a sliver of health. A few more dodges and I win after a tough but cool fight.
Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune is developed and published by IceSitruuna. I played the Early Access version on the PC. The title is a classic take on the Metroidvania genre, with narrative and presentation influenced by anime.
The story is centered on Ezra, a legendary hunter employed by an Empire that seeks to expand beyond a massive storm. Using a special flying vessel, a team captained by a panda breaks through and reaches a new and mysterious land.
Mechanics are familiar, and simple, yet satisfying. Each of the characters can jump, slide and dash to move around the environments. They all feel fast and nimble, giving players options during combat and ways to discover secrets and use shortcuts.
Each character also has a selection of attacks and combos. Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune asks players to switch between them depending on the situation and their health level. Combat is fast, with low-level enemies that don’t pose much of a threat and bosses that require patience and skill to defeat.
Players are encouraged to experiment and try new approaches. I love the minigun so much that I insist on using it even in situations where more movement and combos would deliver better results.
Outside of battle, players will collect a wide range of resources. There are vendors that offer better equipment, which can be further improved with special crystals. Food adds further boosts, while potions will keep both health and mana topped up.
The entire experience is decent but somewhat undercooked. Exploration and combat feel good and the world has some intrigue to it. But the game needs to add more twists to its classic formula to get fans engaged.
Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune is very anime-influenced when it comes to presentation. Characters are designed to look like they come out of some decent but not too adventurous TV series. The combat is smooth, which is crucial given the mechanics. There’s Japanese voice acting for the main characters and a soundtrack that works hard to add to both the combat and narrative moments.
Conclusion
Mechanically, there is no innovation or weirdness, but the game is smooth and the combat feels good. The narrative could progress in some interesting ways, although the setup and characters did not immediately capture my attention. Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune is a competent side-scrolling brawler that will appeal to players who want a mix of those mechanics and anime influences.
A preview key was provided by the publisher.
