Moekuri: Adorable + Tactical SRPG is a tactical doujin strategy role playing game that was successfully funded on Kickstarter in September 2016. Publisher Culture Select raised over $12,000 and teamed up with developer MokyuSoft to bring the game to the West. The cute and appealing visual aesthetic caught the eye of many indie and doujin game enthusiasts prior to its release on Steam in December 2016. As described in the game’s title, Moekuri is an adorable game with lots in store for casual and experienced strategy RPG fans to enjoy.

In a mystical world filled with legendary beings called Creatures, girls are gifted with magic summon and control these Creatures who inhabit the land. These girls, otherwise known as Masters, vary greatly in personality, skill and tactics and the game places you firmly in the shoes of Iruse Strenz, a hardworking girl charged with the protection of her village. Spending her days with her best friend Nika in summon training, not a moment goes by without the thought of her mother who disappeared under strange circumstances. The only clue tied to her mother is the “Nursery Rhyme” magical grimoire that no one is able to decipher or understand. When an unexpected series of events happens near her village, Iruse sets out in search of answers to her mother’s disappearance and the impending crises. 

 

From the start, the game throws you into the battlefield to learn the combat basics as you go. On a grid based system, you select one of ten possible classes and carefully position the girls on a grid-based map. The choice of classes includes: Warrior, Knight, Hunter, Assassin, Magician, Healer, Illusionist, Witch, Evoker and Necromancer. Each is equipped with perks and benefits that suit a unique style of play against your enemies. The star system indicates the difficulty that cuts the guessing out of the classes from the easiest to the most advanced. As expected, skills play a large role in this tactical game with colour codes to display the range of the selected ability. Following each successful battle, you earn creatures that are added to your arsenal with the option to eliminate duplicates in the settings menu. Speaking of which, the options are lighthearted and funny with phrases like “Absolutely” and “No Thanks” in place of the typical “Off” and “On” or “Yes” and “No” wording. 

 

The game features 25 story stages for which Iruse will battle and square off against many opponents on her journey to unlocking the secrets of the enigmatic Nursery Rhyme. Befriending allies opens up the bountiful gallery of character art visible in both the party menu and on the battlefield when drafting your perfect battle squad. New abilities and skills are learned as experience is gained with the unique combat styles and tactics for every character that keeps battles interesting. There are a total of 151 girls in the game to battle, recruit or befriend with their specific Creature summons. Many of the character portraits and sprites are very detailed and undeniably colorful with the occasional few that may be regarded as fanservice to some players. Party groups can be saved for quick ease and convenience at any time throughout the game to mix things up and enhance the replay value.

 

Visually, the game is very bright and colorful with eye-catching character designs and sprites. Described as a tactical doujin strategy RPG, much of the artwork reflects doujin style found in many self-published manga, novels and video games. In contrast to the realistic backgrounds, the girls definitely stand out with their lively and magical outfits. Though absent in the dialogue, the Japanese voice work during battles makes the combat more interactive with each respective action. There is beauty in simplicity as Moekuri does not rely on incredibly fancy graphics to capture your attention.

Moekuri: Adorable + Tactical SRPG is a charming title that delivers a fun and lighthearted adventure of cute moe girls and Creatures. With more depth than what you expect at first glance, the game is a unique blend of the traditional strategy RPG infused with unique art, fancy elementals and a Free Battle mode. Moekuri is a cute and simply adorable game from developer MokyuSoft that will keep you busy this holiday season.

PROS: Cute Artwork, Solid Combat, Many Characters

CONS: Finicky Controls

 

SCORE – 7.0/10

This review is based on a digital copy of Moekuri: Adorable + Tactical SRPG on Steam provided by Culture Select.