This post is also available in:
The third installment of ‘Pre-Release Talk.’
In this series, we focus on upcoming titles, exploring the gameplay experience, design intentions, and the creative foundations behind them.
For the third entry, we’re featuring Med.y.m’s ‘Verdant Requiem.’
Well, relax and take your time reading through this.
Today’s Guest
Med.y.m
This series aims to create a space where you can casually say, “This game looks interesting!” without hesitation.
I hope readers will also share their thoughts freely in their own words. It’s sure to be fun.
So, let’s get started.
Overview of Verdant Requiem
Genre: SRPG
Developer: Med.y.m
Official Page: HOME/Verdant Requiem | Verdant Requiem
A Fire Emblem-like SRPG packed with an obsessive dedication to visual presentation.
Between the two major powers—the Ifrian Empire and the Ordian Theocracy—the protagonist’s Centrian Alliance seeks survival.
The game’s tagline is “An SRPG Seeking Balance,” and as we’ll discuss, the act of “seeking balance” is central to the experience in both story and systems.
Graphics with Uncompromising 2D Presentation
When discussing this game, its overwhelming dedication to 2D presentation and polish cannot be overlooked.
Beyond the varied use of map tiles, effects like sunlight filtering through and leaves scattering in the wind create a strong sense of “fighting in a corner of a living world.”
It’s not just the maps—during unit movement, you can intuitively grasp enemy action predictions and movement costs, and characters blink during dialogue scenes. The presentation is refined in both playability and the sense of a real, breathing world.
Personally, I was impressed by how elements that directly affect gameplay—like UI placement and pacing—are clear and snappy, achieving a balance where “it’s polished without being overwhelming.”
In the interview (link), Med.y.m discusses what they kept in mind when designing the UI, so be sure to check it out.
Gameplay Centered on Seeking Balance
Unique Logistics System
A distinctive feature of this game is the logistics system managing salt, minerals, and food.
Clearing maps or meeting certain conditions increases or decreases each resource.
If salt or food runs out, units become diseased, applying debuffs to the entire army.
As shown in the image, you can barter resources to redistribute them, and minerals can be used for weapons while food can boost growth rates.
Finding the optimal balance while progressing through the game is crucial.
Among these resources, salt in particular is directly tied to the worldview and story.
You experience through gameplay what the protagonists face in the narrative, creating a high level of immersion into the world through the systems themselves.
When I played, I often found myself short on salt.
“This is bad! At this rate, we’ll get sick from salt deficiency!”
I could viscerally feel the gritty reality of managing an army.
Dialogue Seeking Balance
Occasionally, you’ll encounter choices like this.
Depending on your response, the protagonist’s alignment shifts toward either the Ifrian Empire or the Ordian Theocracy.
This results in buffs or debuffs based on country of origin and can cause route splits.
In the diagram above, Elisia (a thief-class unit from the Ifrian Empire) at the top and Celine (a cleric-class unit from the Ordian Theocracy) at the bottom are unique classes within the demo and also occupy main heroine positions in the story.
In other words, siding with one country also means siding with one of the heroines.
To be honest, I’m an Elisia fan.
So while my brain was going into dating sim mode, I kept telling myself, “No, as a leader I need to keep the army’s strength balanced,” and stuck to neutrality.
My own mental balance is breaking first. This won’t do.
Attack/Defense Stance Creates Strategic Rhythm
One of the game’s unique combat systems is the Attack/Defense stance commands.
Using “Attack” strengthens offense but weakens defense.
Using “Defense” strengthens defense but weakens offense.
The basic strategy involves switching between these two states to draw in enemies or eliminate them.
I love firepower, so I overused “Attack,” but I repeatedly charged in recklessly and got wiped out.
Once I started using infantry in “Defense” to lure enemies and finishing them with backline units in “Attack,” things suddenly stabilized.
Adding state-switching to classic SRPG gameplay enables strategies with dynamic rhythm, letting you fully savor the satisfying experience of “enduring and then striking decisively.”
Because the game balance, pacing, and player guidance are all polished to a very high level, you can focus entirely on experimenting with strategies using these distinctive systems, which is wonderful.
Characters with Warmth Who Feel Alive in the World
I also want to touch on the warmth and sense of reality in the character interactions.
Most characters are calm, and with the world’s foundation being visceral elements like “salt” and “iron,” they give an extremely strong impression of being “living beings rooted in the world.”
Because these characters have such tangible presence, lighthearted exchanges like the one above carry the convincing feeling of “casual banter during a brief moment of downtime.”
At the base, short dialogue snippets pop up as shown in the video, functioning as light character development and being visually enjoyable.
For Those Seeking Rich Immersion and Engaging Gameplay
The eye-catching elements of visual richness and snappiness are supported by a foundation of a visceral world, systems, and characters, creating a highly immersive experience.
If you want an immersive SRPG experience, give this a try.
I also conducted an interview with Med.y.m (link), so if you’re interested, please check it out!
With that, happy gaming!
Thank you for reading to the end!
→Previous Pre-Release Spotlight: ‘Ambitious Road’
→Next Pre-Release Spotlight: ‘Funeral Flowers Lament Helena’
On X, I share article updates, impressions while playing, and my attempts at game development.
About 1.3x louder than the blog posts (according to our own metrics).
*For game developers*
In the trial project “Pre-Release Spotlight,” we create pre-release feature articles and interview articles with an emphasis on going beyond the demo/early access play experience to dig into why the game is fun.
By doing so, we aim to create a precedent that says, “It’s okay to talk about this game,” and to sow the seeds of a fan community.
About the project “Pre-Release Spotlight”
If you’re interested, feel free to contact us using the form below.
