Basic Information
- Official English Name: Tactics Elemental: Affinity Management Utility
- Developer & Publisher: Nutaku (Publisher), Development Team:
- Release Dates: July 2017 (North America/Europe/Asia)
- Supported Platforms: PC (Windows)
- Game Genre Tags: Tactical RPG, Visual Novel, Strategy, Eroge
- Social Media Links: Official Nutaku Page, Nutaku Twitter, Steam Community
In-Depth Review
Gameplay Mechanics
Tactics Elemental: Affinity Management Utility blends tactical combat with narrative-driven elements, focusing on grid-based strategy and character relationships. The game’s core mechanics revolve around managing a diverse cast of characters, each with unique abilities and elemental affinities that influence battle outcomes. Players must strategically position units, exploit elemental weaknesses, and optimize pair bonds through the Affinity Management Utility to unlock enhanced team bonuses.
Narrative and Character Development
The story follows a custom protagonist tasked with repelling an alien invasion, supported by a sprawling ensemble of allies. While the premise is compelling, the narrative struggles with pacing due to an overabundance of characters, leading to underdeveloped arcs and tropes. The game’s eroge elements are integrated into character interactions, offering both visual and narrative rewards for building relationships.
Technical Performance
Performance on PC remains stable, with minor frame rate dips during particle-heavy animations. However, the UI design is criticized for its lack of polish, including unintuitive navigation, slow animations, and inefficient unit management systems. The absence of skippable or adjustable battle speeds further exacerbates these issues, particularly in prolonged combat scenarios.
User Interface Design
The interface prioritizes functionality over aesthetics, with a minimalist design that lacks shortcuts or intuitive organization. For example, accessing character arsenals requires cumbersome scrolling, and the absence of alphabetical or power-based sorting hinders strategic planning. These limitations make the game less accessible to newcomers and frustrating for experienced players.
Content Expansion and DLC
The Affinity Management Utility DLC enhances relationship mechanics, allowing players to track and optimize pair bonds for tactical advantages. While this adds depth to character interactions, the utility’s implementation feels underdeveloped, with limited customization options and unclear progression paths.
Target Audience
Primarily appealing to fans of tactical RPGs and eroge content, Tactics Elemental balances strategic combat with narrative exploration. However, its technical shortcomings and narrative bloat may deter casual players seeking streamlined experiences.
