Introduction

SUCV - The Battle of Brownsea is a RPG Maker game created using the VX engine and was originally completed in May of 2012 by proto as a homage to the Southampton University Conservation Volunteers. And while the reason behind this game is rather unique and deserving of respect. It doesn't change my opinion that this game is a mixed bag in terms of its overall quality and is a bit iffy in terms of being enjoyable.

Story

I'll be upfront in admitting that The Battle of Brownsea is a bit lacking in terms of its story and characters. The story starts out with you being a new member to the organization and then stumbling into a glowing orb. This orb then launches you into the future or possibly a parallel dimension where sentient plants have taken over most of the planet and have systematically wiped out every human settlement they have come across. It is up to you, your friends, and the rangers currently occupying this version of Brownsea to save the people on the island from these dangerous plants that need to be conserved to death!

Gameplay

Combat wise the game utilizes an active-time battle system that is permanently set to wait status. So, the combat system is more like a passive-time battle system then an active one. Though, I probably shouldn't complain since I'm not fond of the active-time battle system anyway. Though, with the way the combat system is setup it feels more like the count time battle system from Phantom Brave. Though, the game doesn't quite pull this off either since the speed difference between most of the characters and enemies is so minute that it has little impact on the turn order and thus the combat largely feels like your standard, old-school, turn-based battle system.

And while I like the type of combat system being used here. I must admit to finding most of the enemies rather lacking in terms of difficulty. Yes, I died a few times in this game as my Let's Play can attest to, but my issues with those enemies could have easily been avoided if I was the appropriate level for the area. Since, all of those difficult enemies fell apart as soon as I had a character with the close control skill. This skill negates all of an enemies stat buffs. And without those buffs the enemies just can't keep pace with my characters in terms of damage output. If anything I'd argue the greatest weakness of the combat system is that only a small handful of skills are actually worth learning. These skills are back attack, focus, critical strike, and the previously mentioned close control.

Another issue with the combat system is that it negates one of its own ideas. One of the main ideas of the early game is that certain enemies are vulnerable to certain types of weapons, but this system is completely undermined by the fact that many of the weapons you'll begin using at the midway point in the game are good against just about any enemy you'll stumble across.

And one final aspect of the gameplay to consider is the existence of conservation points and infestation levels. You gain conservation points by defeating enemies in random encounters which conversely lowers the infestation levels of the area you are currently in. By spending your hard won CP on defensive measures for the island you can clear the various areas and thus beat the game. On the downside the infestation levels are also tied to accessing the boss fights within the game. As such its possible to entirely avoid boss battles in this game if you wish which makes the inclusion of the Cambridge Reaper early on in the game rather pointless. Since, your not obligated to face-off against in a rematch to settle the score. And, on a more personal note I find the lack of a required boss fight in this game rather disappointing.

Graphics

In terms of mapping The Battle of Brownsea is a bit of a mess, but unlike a lot of other games it can actually justify its clutter since its attempting to accurately represent an actual physical location. On a slightly average and expected note the various areas in the game appear to have been created using the standard tile sets that come with RPG Maker VX. On a final positive note though most of the enemies are clearly original and were probably lifted from various sources.

Music

In terms of background music the game has clearly taken tracks from several other games. And while this does give the game the upshot of having a rather enjoyable soundtrack. The game also hurts itself since some of the soundtracks feel mishandled. The best example of this probably takes place on the East Road after you've cleared it of all infestation. The game still plays a soundtrack that makes it sound like your in serious danger of being attacked at any moment.

Conclusion

While SUCV doesn't do enough things wrong in my opinion to be considered a bad game. It is definitely a disappointing games in a lot of regards. And even taking into consideration Proto's comment that this game was aimed at non-gamers doesn't change my opinion on that score. If you are looking for a fun RPG experience that also challenges your abilities I'd give this game a pass. If you are looking for an easy game to kill time with then this game might be worth checking out.