Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch fills a gap in the strategy RPG landscape that somehow has not been done as competently, yet simply, to date. Sprinkle in some roguelite design that rewards losing, outstanding voice acting, and a short yet engrossing tale, and you have yourself a hidden gem. Released almost a year ago to date, I somehow never heard of this title, but who can blame me? With all the noteworthy, high-profile titles flooding the market in an already saturated field, a game with modest visual design that lacks true innovation is likely to go missing. I hope I can rectify that.
We act as our lead protagonist, Ashe, who washes ashore on a less-than-hospitable beach fighting the undead and Imperial zealots. Fortunately, a couple friends help him out and get him to the one safe bastion on the island, Pelikos. Stricken with amnesia, an otherworldly witch named Sable saves him from death time and time again for reasons unknown to us. Tasked with ending the undead threat on the island, Ashe and his companions charge head-first into danger without concern for their lives. Dying over and over again has to hurt, though, right?
In battle, Lost Eidolons plays like a standard strategy RPG as units move on a square grid, taking turns. Move, then attack, use a combat skill, or cast a spell. Pick your next character of five to do the same. Once all units go, then the enemy does the same. Continue until the mission is complete, which almost always involves beating all enemies or the boss. While this skeleton is tried-and-true, what about the skills and spells? Again, standard stuff here with a good deal of buffing, debuffing, and some elemental tomfoolery depending on the topography a unit stands on. Nothing too exciting here, either, but the balance, interaction, and enemy artificial intelligence make for a tight, intelligent tactical foray. The magic occurs with the roguelike design, though.
Setting aside dying and accruing buffs for doing so, when a character levels up, they either get to choose one of two stats to increase with various rarities improving the stat bonus; otherwise, they gain a new skill to outfit their arsenal of death. Each character dons a unique class not observed in other games, though expect some degree of healer, tank, bruiser, etc. The active skills vary in rarity, as well, but sometimes the more common skill is what you need for that particular build. Every character has several skills in their bank, and while some seem considerably better than others, a player can’t rely on getting “that one skill” to complete a run. Working with what the game gives you is part of the charm, and while some may bellyache about getting shafted out of a presumably essential skill, I have completed several runs making lemonade out of lemons.
Like most modern roguelikes since Slay the Spire, Lost Eidolons incorporates a pathing system over three acts. Players see what rewards lie in wait down two or three forked paths, with rewards ranging from gold to enhancements for equipment or relics granting persistent passive benefits over the course of the run. If a battle is waiting, the game clearly depicts that with crossed swords beneath the symbol. Battles are pivotal, as that’s how characters gain essential levels before each act’s boss. However, sometimes the timing isn’t right or a preferred reward lies down the other path. In this way, decisions can be chewy, but most of the time opting for the bloody path that can also include additional treasures makes for a more beneficial excursion.
While the act bosses don’t change in terms of who they are, the abilities and buffs they boast change meaningfully across runs, especially after victories, so expect some degree of variety in penultimate fisticuffs. Normal battles have a large pool to choose from, typically housed within acts, but after a few runs, expect to see some repeats since each act has six to nine pitstops. That said, some stability can make a challenging game easier in that players know how to navigate certain challenges better after repeat runs. I love this genre, so the occasional familiar mission didn’t bother me whatsoever, though I imagine some folks might quibble with this.
Dying or tasting victory can yield similar benefits, with death feeling like a shortcut to buffing the heroes as the game ramps in difficulty. Sometimes I felt like I was just trying to match pace, but the game’s various customization options made me feel like I had some control over my fate. In terms of enhancements, characters can be promoted a couple times within their classes, meaning they start with enhanced abilities and have access to new abilities. Players can also use a currency to buff offense, defense, and utility on a web of passive bonuses depending on weapon type and armor. Eventually, the shop can be altered for improved offerings and trinkets can be crafted and equipped to characters to provide additional, limited abilities within runs to create a dependable way out of trouble; trinkets tend to be extremely powerful, so the limited uses within runs is appreciated.
Like other roguelites, you can make the game more difficult with a point system. Players can jack up the price of shops, give enemies passive benefits, remove the ability to predict enemy movement, and so on. Each hurdle has a designated point value, and after reaching certain thresholds, the progression currencies increase over the course of a run, which typically means more and improved trinkets. If promoting characters or building the skill web isn’t interesting to you, eventually you can alchemize currencies into others.
While Lost Eidolons is tight and satisfyingly challenging, what kept me going throughout my several runs is the story and voice acting. An amnesiac protagonist trying to topple a god isn’t anything new, but every character has their own distinct personality and goals. How they interact with each other—supportive or otherwise—is a big draw that’s only enhanced by the superb voice acting. Nearly every actor absolutely nails their lines with power or subtlety, whatever the scene demands. I couldn’t be happier with the cast’s talent in this humble indie title.
The music’s adequate with somber drums, horns that call for battle, and rock-infused energy in combat. Nothing showy here, but everything complements the foreground. Visually, the character art and various stills bring Lost Eidolons to life, though the environments and animations aren’t amazing by today’s standards. I say “screw that,” though, because I love this world and the heart that went into the artwork. Not every game needs to be AAA-caliber, and by no means does anything look poorly constructed in Lost Eidolons.
I’m extremely glad I took a chance on Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch. I had never heard of it until recently and chanced my ever-so-valuable time on it. Hidden gem defined, any fan of strategy RPGs and roguelites will find a home here. Come for the toothy combat and customization, stay for the sorrowful tale of Ashe and his family. I only wish there was more, as Lost Eidolons respects players’ time and can be fully completed at around thirty hours, though this number can vary wildly depending on how players fare in combat. For those who can’t get enough of the combat, though, expect several challenges and achievements lying in wait to sate that completionist hunger.
