With such smash hits as the .hack series, the best-selling Naruto: Ultimate Ninja franchise and 2020's Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotit's safe to say CyberConnect2 knows its way around game development. Outside of those well-received games, CyberConnect2 has also created lesser-known titles like the Little Tail Bronx series, which is focused on colorful anthropomorphic animal characters in a steampunk world. The first two games, Tail Concerto and Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, were 3D action platformers that received positive reviews, but ultimately failed to garner the sales required to be considered hits.

Despite the lukewarm sales, though, CyberConnect2 was unwilling to quit on its original series and released a third installment called Fuga: Melodies of Steel. Unlike its predecessors, Fuga is a turn-based RPG instead of an action platformer -- and a fine one at that. Though it hasn't been a financial success, the game's well-crafted plot, stunning character design and beautiful music deserve far more attention than they have received.

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Fuga: Melodies of Steel is set in a world filled with anthropomorphic cats and dogs during a time reminiscent of World War II. The story begins in a small village being attacked by the Berman Empire, a fascist regime of dogs. The small town is the home of 11 child survivors, who find a powerful tank called Taranis, which seems to be a relic of an advanced ancient civilization. By working together and utilizing the power of Taranis, the children can push back against the Berman onslaught and save their families from captivity.

What makes Fuga: Melodies of Steel effective is the way it tells a grim story based around real-life tragedy while giving players moments to breathe with some heartwarming cuteness. The entire cast is charming and adorably designed, making them instantly endearing. Between battles, the mega tank acts as a second home where the player can interact with characters to learn more about them.

These moments give players insight to what the characters' lives were like before the Berman invasion. It's also a nice touch that CyberConnect2 hired French voice actors to play the characters, as the story is so heavily inspired by the French countryside during World War II. Additionally, Fuga is not afraid to tackle the dark and serious themes of genocide, racism and the cruelty of war. Beneath the game's beautiful art and often cutesy vibe, there is a powerful story of hope amidst tragedy.

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Fuga: Melodies of Steel cleverly blends its gameplay and story to expand upon its themes of tragedy and hope. During the game's turn-based battles, a chosen animal child will take control of a specific aspect of the Taranis. For example, one will control a cannon and another will control the machine guns. Each child brings their own strengths and weakness to battle, which can either turn the tide of a fight or lead to defeat.

Some of the game's enemies are very tough, but when HP gets low enough, the Taranis has a final weapon: the Soul Cannon. This can take out just about any enemy in a single shot, but at an incredibly steep cost -- you'll have to sacrifice the life of one of the children to use it. Fuga gives players the difficult choice of sacrificing one child to allow everyone else to go on making even more clear what the cost of war is and how harsh and cruel it is, particularly for children. The game even has different endings depending on which children survive to the game's conclusion. Fortunately, with enough strategizing and patience, players can avoid such tragedy and keep everyone alive.

While it didn't get much attention, Fuga: Melodies of Steel was one of the best games of 2021. Between its beautiful music, a touching story about friendship and hope, and a simple yet rewarding gameplay system, this is a memorable RPG that's as heart-wrenching as it can be adorable. Though the Little Tail Bronx series will likely never reach the heights of popularity it deserves, Fuga: Melodies of Steel makes it clear that it deserves to continue thanks to the incredible and powerful work of CyberConnect2.

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