Mado Monogatari: Fia and the Wondrous Academy [Mini Review]
Mado Monogatari plunges players into immediate chaos at the esteemed Academy Entrance Ceremony, where the overly energetic protagonist and her pet Carbuncle disrupt the solemn occasion. The scene quickly devolves into pandemonium: one student accidentally breathes fire after consuming spicy food, another attempts to attack the harmless Carbuncle, and Fia frantically tries to restore order while professors watch in horror.
Fans of the Puyo Puyo puzzle games or Doctor Robotniks Mean Bean Machine may be surprised to discover that the familiar slime-like creatures originated in early 90s dungeon crawlers. So this isnt the Puyos first rodio in RPGs. Mado Monogatari's exploration system is straightforward and seems asthough its geared towards younger players, its Free Movement is a welcome change from the typical grid-based movement of the genre, the downside is that it makes most traps easily avoidable and might feel too simplistic and unengaging for experienced fans.
Character progression in Mado Monogatari offers limited player choice and feels underwhelming. Although Fia's Grimoire provides a skill tree for unlocking new spells, map abilities, and stat upgrades using LP from quests, these enhancements feel incremental and insubstantial rather than genuinely rewarding.
Despite these shortcomings, the game boasts several positive aspects. It rewards exploration with numerous hidden elements, a nostalgic nod to older titles. The game's humor, often its strongest asset, is top-notch and complemented by excellent voice acting. Leena's seiyuu, in particular, delivers a performance that is light-hearted and exudes a personality and atmosphere reminiscent of a generic character from the Atelier games.
