Redemption Reapers

Sarah, a lead player character, in the main art for Redemption Reapers

***Redemption Reapers*** (**リデンプションリーパーズ**) is a role-playing game from Binary Haze Interactive, developed by Adglobe, featuring a dark fantasy fairy tale where armies of the Mort, a brutal and efficient force, appear. As they descend upon civilization and leave nothing but death and destruction in their wake, the Ashen Hawk Brigade must rise to the challenge and fight back. A tactical experience, players will face off against enemies in skirmishes by directing units to attack, defend, or unleash skills each turn. The game fared digitally on February 22, 2023 on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

## Plot

### Synopsis

> Descending suddenly on the world, the macabre Mort armies destroy nation after nation, leaving humanity decimated in the wake of their overwhelming terror and might.
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> Amid the despair, a small, localized contingent crosses swords with the Mort—the Ashen Hawk Brigade.
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> A cunning band that specializes in surprise attacks, they were once known as the Faithless Reapers and despised by the masses. Little did the public know that this very unit was about to become the only hope in resisting the Mort.
>
>

### Summary

In the Middle Ages, a mysterious and murderous race of monsters called the Mort has begun to rise up in power all throughout the realm. As entire nations fall to their onslaught, the Ashen Hawk Brigade, a contingent of mercenaries specializing in surprise tactics, band together to fight back against the invading legion.

### Characters

* **Sarah** (Alejandra Reynoso) – A warrior who fights as a member of the Ashen Hawk Brigade. She lives burdened by regrets of a certain battle fought by the Hawks in the past, and maybe that is why she always puts her own life on the line during the battles. Her weapon of choice are two daggers.
* **Glenn** (Jason Spisak) – A swordsman who serves as the leader of Sarah's unit in the Ashen Hawk Brigade. Before turning into a mercenary, he served as a Knight Commander in a ruined country. Due to this background, he often takes up the initiative when both the leader and deputy leader are absent. He fights with orthodox swordsmanship, like expected from a knight.
* **Lugh** (Kyle McCarley) – A veteran spearman, member of the Ashen Hawk Brigade. He has red hair, and wears a wide-brimmed hat and a mask. While his intent to kill the Mort is stronger than anyone else's, he often talks with bitter irony about his situation and that of his companions. This behavior is the cause of constant conflict between him and Glenn.
* **Urs** (David Lodge) – A gigantic man, member of the Ashen Hawk Brigade, who wields a giant axe. During battles, he willingly stands in the vanguard and serves as a shield for his allies. He is also one of the elders among his peers, a quiet man, who plays a role in tightening everyone up at key points.
* **Karren** (Allegra Clark) – A female archer, member of the Ashen Hawk Brigade. She has a refreshing temperament and is easy to get along with. The only thing she doesn't like is being confronted by her own past. In the Hawks, there is a clear division of front and rear line warriors, and, because of that, she often works together with Urs.
* **Naki** (Caleb Yen) – A boy who lived in Inissa Village, in the Bishu region. When his hometown was destroyed by the Mort, he came to the Hawks' Nest under the protection of Sarah and the others.
* **Rowen** (Richard Epcar) – A man who serves as the leader of the Ashen Hawk Brigade. Contrary to his stern appearance, he does not lack attention to detail, and is deeply trusted by his subordinates. He is also Sarah's master of swordsmanship, and, just like her, he wields two swords on the battlefield.
* **Socius** (Andy Barnett) – The deputy commander of the Ashen Hawk Brigade who displays his sharpness every day as Rowen's right hand. His relationship with Rowen is the oldest among the Hawks, and their bond is strong. In terms of personality, he is a straight-laced person who is recognized by both himself and others.
* **Lorthos** (Lucien Dodge) – A man dispatched by the great nation of Luden in order to understand the situation of the Mort invasions. He serves as a liaison between the Luden army and the Ashen Hawk Brigade in an attempt to stop the Mort advances.
* **Levante** (Ian James Corlett) – A general who served the now-destroyed Kingdom of Caledaecia, he is known as the "Tiger of Caledaecia". After his homeland was destroyed by the Mort, he barricaded himself in the only remaining fort, where he keeps resisting the Mort to this day.

## Gameplay

### Action Points

The player can spend action points (AP) to use their characters' skills in a turn-based phase system. Max AP increases the more battles are fought—within the same map.

### Follow-Up Attack

The gameplay exhibits a system called "Follow-Up Attacks", which allows neighboring units to respond to an ally's attack. For example, an adjacent ally to the attacked enemy grants the chance to launch a follow-up attack. To use this effectively, it is important to employ battle formations that allow for movement.

### Skills

There are two types of skills, both with a wide range of effects on the characters: active skills which can be used at will during battle, and passive skills which continuously provide support effects once acquired.

"Specials" are lethal attacks that each hero can perform, dealing massive damage on their own. What truly distinguishes these hits is that they will exert game-changing effects after they hit. Buffs on allies or debuffs on enemies are a strong possibility.

### Leveling Up

Following the traditions of *Fire Emblem*, the player can level up characters, upgrade skills, and equip the Ashen Hawk Brigade with weapons and items earned after victories. For example, Sarah's Butterfly Sting ability allows her to consistently wail on enemies without the risk of being at the receiving end of a counterattack.

Statistics increase at a random rate, which will influence the development of the player's heroes as well as the overall strategy of their brigade.

#### Skill Points

As the player levels up, skill points (SP) are earned and used to enhance passive skills or unlock new ones. In addition, the tactics available will differ widely, depending on how a player chooses to improve and advance their skills.

#### Accessories

In addition to skill upgrades, accessories can be added to characters to offer them a range of special effects. Accessories can be obtained from the chests located on certain maps.

### Lore-xploration

The player will unravel the personal stories of each Ashen Hawk member and the world around them, and make in-game dialogue choices impacting the relationship between fellow warriors.

## Production

### Development

Following the success of *Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights*, the developers aimed to approach a new genre ideal for sharing their love of dark fantasy stories, thus *Redemption Reapers* was born. Moreover, the game is backed by industry veterans such as Hiroyuki Kobayashi (producer, *Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights*), Masayuki Horikawa (director, *Fire Emblem*; planning, *Kingdom Hearts III*), Tomokazu Fukushima (writer, *Metal Gear Solid*), and Rei Kondoh (music, *Bayonetta*, *Fire Emblem*).

### Casting

The voice cast features Alejandra Reynoso (*Castlevania*, *DOTA 2*), Jason Spisak (*Arcane*, *Teen Titans GO!*), Kyle McCarley (*13 Sentinels: Aegis of Ruin*, *NieR: Automata*), Allegra Clark (*Apex Legends*, *Dragon Age: Inquisition*), David Lodge (*Persona 5*, *Final Fantasy XV*), and Caleb Yen (*Squid Game*, *Attack on Titan*).

### Announcement

*Redemption Reapers* was trademarked on July 28, 2022. The game was unveiled with an announcement trailer for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on December 12, 2022.

## Trivia

* The game's scenarist and level designer is Masayuki Horikawa, who was involved with the *Fire Emblem* series between *Thracia 776* and *Fates*. Given the game's similarities with *Fire Emblem*, his name was regularly mentioned in announcement reports.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 https://news.qoo-app.com/en/post/145178/redemption-reapers-gameplay-trailer
2. ↑ https://fextralife.com/redemption-reapers-trailer-showcases-the-ashen-hawks-members
3. ↑ https://turnbasedlovers.com/news/new-gameplay-scenes-in-the-latest-redemption-reapers-trailer
4. ↑ https://www.consolecreatures.com/redemption-reapers-boasts-major-jrpg-talent
5. ↑ https://www.gematsu.com/2022/12/binary-haze-interactive-and-adglobe-announce-strategy-rpg-redemption-reapers-for-ps4-switch-and-pc
6. ↑ https://chizai-watch.com/t/2022084147
7. ↑ https://noisypixel.net/redemption-reapers-gameplay-trailer