The Year of Steel Melodies
Earlier this year, I finally got around to playing a game that had been on my backlog for quite a while. FUGA: Melodies of Steel is a title that I first heard about through YouTube reviews; a strategy RPG in which you play as a bunch of kids controlling a giant tank in a world inhabited by furries.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect going into it, to be honest. I knew it was part of a broader franchise called Little Tail, which I had no prior experience with (and still haven't touched outside of FUGA at the time of this writing), but I was not prepared for the rabbithole I was diving into.
The story begins when the Berman Empire (subtle) attacks the nation of Gasco with the intent to conquer it. A bunch of kids from the village of Petit Mona stumble into a cave as their town is assaulted by tanks and flying war machines, only to discover a massive tank (though I personally think "mobile fortress" is a more apt description) that conveniently comes to life when they enter.
Guided by a mysterious voice over the radio, the children will be forced to fight in defense of their home and loved ones, all while steadily uncovering the many incredible and horrible secrets hidden aboard their tank: The Taranis.
Honestly, the game's writing was hit or miss for me at first. Most of the characters in Melodies of Steel tend to be little more than their basic archetypes. However, as the story progressed and more mysteries began to unravel, I became increasingly invested in the story, and it helped that the gameplay was genuinely really engaging. By the end, I was hooked, only to realize that there was additional lore that could ONLY be unlocked in New Game Plus.
That's a common feature with the entire FUGA trilogy, by the way. You're sort of expected to beat each game twice at LEAST, which means it's literally impossible to fully upgrade your tank or get every single link event on a first playthrough. For some that might be a little off-putting, but the third game that just came out earlier this year does mitigate that issue a bit.
Yeah, it's honestly a happy coincidence that I would start this trilogy the same year it actually concludes. I guess putting it off for so long paid off, huh? Melodies of Steel 3 happened to release while I was in the middle of my second playthrough of 2, so the timing worked out perfectly for me to marathon the whole series. I thought I would get burned out, but surprisingly I was able to stick with it until the end.
A lot of great games came out this year: Expedition 33, Silksong, DK Bananza, and many more. However, while the rest of the internet was focused on those big releases, I was focused almost entirely on FUGA. And like, honestly speaking, I'm not even sure I'd rank this trilogy among my top five all-time favorites; MAYBE top ten if they're allowed to share a slot. However, it's undeniable that this series left an impact on me. Hell, I'm planning to do another marathon of the whole trilogy again sometime next year.
This isn't necessarily meant to be a review, but more-so a recollection. 2025 had a lot of memorable releases, but for me, it'll be the year that I hopped aboard the Taranis and went on a ride that I'll never forget.
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