What’s included in The DioField Chronicle demo?
Free demo available today on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam. Here’s everything you need to know about it.Awesome news alert: there’s a free demo of The DioField Chronicle and it’s available today!
For the uninitiated, “The DioField Chronicle” is a brand-new strategy RPG, featuring a unique world, a gritty, hard-hitting story that fuses fantasy, medieval and modern elements, and intense real-time combat - where the tide of battle can change in an instant.
Crafted by a skilled and experienced development team, it features unique character designs by Taiki (Lord of Vermilion III, IV), concept art by Isamu Kamikokuryo (FINAL FANTASY XII, FINAL FANTASY XIII) and beautifully orchestrated music by world-renowned composers Ramin Djawadi and Brandon Campbell - best known for their work on Game of Thrones!
The game is set for release on September 22, 2022, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam - and the demo is out today for all those platforms.
While you’re waiting for it to download, we thought we’d give you a little preview of what to expect from the story and gameplay - and answer some common questions about the game.
What’s the story of The DioField Chronicle Demo?
The DioField Chronicle tells an intricate story across its many chapters, filled with rich and memorable characters - and in the demo you’ll get to see how it begins.
Want to know what to expect? Let’s take a brief look at what happens in the prologue and first couple of chapters:
Prologue
Levantia Shaytham is the fourth-born prince of Alletain. While sojourning in Lestershire, he and his chamberlain, Andrias Rhondarson, befriend Fredret Lester, the eldest son of the house of Lester.
However, these peaceful days are short-lived…
The Lester mansion is set engulfed in flames at the hands of assassins, who have been sent to eliminate Levantia!
Andrias and Fredret attempt to help Levantia as he tries to escape, while holding back the assassins.
Missions 1 and 2
Eight years have passed since the fire incident at the Lester household.
Andrias, Fredret and Izelair Wigan, eldest daughter of the Wigan family, have been making their livings as mercenaries.
After rescuing a government official named Lorraine Luckshaw (above) from bandits, they are recruited into a private mercenary unit belonging to Lord William Hende.
Here we can see the trio introducing themselves to the unit leader, Yulzim Yorden.
One month later, while they gain renown as a private military unit, a large scare order is given to eliminate the mountain bandits.
During this mission, the three of them meet a self-styled “knight errant” and talented sharpshooter, Iscarion Colchester.
…and that’s how the story begins. There are five missions in the demo, and some fascinating story developments - but we’ll let you discover them for yourselves.
Of course, there’s not just story scenes to experience across the demo, you also get first-hand experience with the satisfyingly strategic ‘Real Time Tactical Battles’ (RTTB) system.
Combat - and using the battlefield to your advantage
The DioField Chronicle features a dynamic battle system that combines command-based tactics with real time action.
While you can pause the game to examine the battlefield, develop strategies and give commands, everything plays out in real time. Enemies don’t sit and wait while you execute your plans, so you’ll need to be attentive and ready to adapt your approach to win the day.
You’ll also encounter various “map gimmicks,” which add to the strategic possibilities of each battle. Here are some that appear in the demo:
Turrets
“Turrets” are structures that activate enemy base defenses such as drawbridges and reinforced doors. Defeat the enemies in the area and activate the turrets to clear the path.
If more units interact with a turret, it will activate faster!
Enemies may be waiting behind the drawbridge, so make sure to prepare before pushing forward.
Explosive Kegs
These explosive kegs are full of gunpowder! When they explode in the field, they can inflict a large amount of damage as well as inflict Stun, which cancels the unit’s action.
If used wisely, they can change the tide of battle in your favor by dispatching multiple enemies.
Of course, you’ll also take a massive amount of damage, so time your attack well, or attack enemies with the appropriate units and skills to avoid getting caught in the blast.
Barricades
Occasionally, the enemy will have placed barricades in the field.
Red barricades hinder your units - but they can be attacked and destroyed.
Be careful though - there may be enemy units behind barricades. Pushing ahead without defeating your foes in each area may result in you getting attacked from both sides.
The DioField Chronicle Demo FAQ
That was just a brief glimpse into the content of the demo, but we suspect a few of you may have some additional questions. Let’s answer a few:
Which platforms is the demo available for?
The demo can be downloaded today for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam.
Are there different difficulty levels?
The DioField Chronicle is intended to be enjoyable for players of all skill levels, and the demo includes three various difficulty options: Casual, Normal and Hard.
You can change the difficulty at any time before selecting a mission - but not during the battle.
How long is the demo?
Honestly, that depends on the player. There’s approximately three hours of gameplay to enjoy, but you may get more or less than that depending on various factors such as your playstyle, the difficulty level and more.
But the demo comprises the first five missions of the game, and features content well beyond what we’ve described above - so it’s pretty generous!
Does progress carry over to the main game?
Yes it does! If you purchase the full game on the same system that you played the demo, you can continue on with all your accrued character levels and story progress.
How do I get the demo?
You can download the demo for your platform of choice via their respective stores today (August 10, 2022). Please note that timings may differ depending on store and region - so if it's not there now, check again later!
When’s the full game out?
The DioField Chronicle launches physically and digitally for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam on September 22, 2022.
It’s available to preorder now on all platforms!
Is there a Collector’s Edition?
There is! The DioField Chronicle Collector’s Edition Set is available for pre-order exclusively at the Square Enix Store.
The set comes with the standard edition game package and the Collector’s Goods Box, which contains The DioField Chronicle Board Game and a Four Pins Set.
Quantities are limited, so be sure to pre-order ASAP to ensure you get your set.
We hope you enjoy your hands-on with The DioField Chronicle, and you’re excited about what the full game has in store when it launches on September 22, 2022.
We’ll have more to share about the game as we march closer to the release date, so make sure you follow us on social media to see news and updates.