{"id":135449,"date":"2025-12-28T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/#article-182792"},"modified":"2025-12-28T18:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T18:00:00","slug":"opinion-not-enough-people-are-talking-about-this-early-goty-contender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2025\/12\/28\/opinion-not-enough-people-are-talking-about-this-early-goty-contender\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Not Enough People Are Talking About This Early GOTY Contender"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/67052f9093ea2\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/67052f9093ea2\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<figure class=\"picture\" data-uuid=\"67052f9093ea2\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"The Hundred Line 1\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/67052f9093ea2\/the-hundred-line-1.large.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/67052f9093ea2\/the-hundred-line-1.900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" alt=\"The Hundred Line 1\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Image: Nintendo Life \/ Aniplex \/ XSEED Games<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Over the holiday season, we&#8217;re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors from<\/em> <em><a class=\"external\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/tags\/best-of-2025\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/tags\/best-of-2025\">2025<\/a><\/em><em>. This article was originally published in May. Enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Warning:<\/strong> This article delves into spoiler territory for The Hundred Line &#8211; Last Defense Academy. If you&#8217;ve yet to play the game and want to go in blind, we recommend you come back at another time&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>I\u2019m not a fan of tactical RPGs\u2026 is what I would have told you before I played <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/hundred_line_-_last_defense_academy\">The Hundred Line &#8211; Last Defense Academy<\/a>. Heck, I\u2019m still not sure I would call myself a &#8216;fan&#8217; of the genre, necessarily; one game perhaps isn\u2019t enough to sway me <em>that<\/em> much. The Hundred Line, though..? Yeah, I\u2019m a fan of The Hundred Line.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, it&#8217;s easily my Game of the Year so far, and even with the Switch 2 on the horizon, it\u2019s going to take something truly special to usurp its throne. Mitch gave it an &#8216;Excellent&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/nintendo-switch\/the-hundred-line-last-defense-academy\">9\/10 in our review<\/a>, but what he didn\u2019t cover \u2013 what he <em>couldn\u2019t<\/em> cover without spoiling anything \u2013 is just how ridiculously ambitious Too Kyo Games\u2019 visual novel \/ tactical RPG hybrid really is.<\/p>\n<p>So, if you\u2019re sensitive about spoilers and want to go into this one completely fresh, consider this your last warning. We\u2019re going in, folks.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"cols cols-2\">\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"The Hundred Line 2\" class=\"scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3ed75980e82b2\/the-hundred-line-2.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/3ed75980e82b2\/the-hundred-line-2.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Hundred Line 2\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"The Hundred Line 3\" class=\"scanlines scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/cacd02b899232\/the-hundred-line-3.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/cacd02b899232\/the-hundred-line-3.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Hundred Line 3\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Images: Nintendo Life \/ Aniplex \/ XSEED Games<\/em><\/figcaption><\/aside>\n<p>Before I waltz headfirst into what is undoubtedly The Big Twist\u2122, I want to first look at the wonderful cast of characters. Much like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/danganronpa_decadence\">Danganronpa<\/a> before it, the entire premise of The Hundred Line \u2014 survive and protect your school against invaders over the course of one hundred days \u2014 would have crashed and burned were it not for the likes of Takumi Sumino, Darumi Amemiya, Shouma Ginzaki, Nozomi Kirifuji, and the rest of those loveable goofballs.<\/p>\n<p>Character work is truly where directors Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi shine brightest. They managed to make every member of the &#8216;Special Defense Unit&#8217; completely unique and special in their own way.<\/p>\n<p>Take Tsubasa Kawana, for instance. Whenever she\u2019s placed in a stressful situation, she immediately feels nauseous, and it makes for some wonderful comedic relief. I lost count of the number of times I giggled whenever the story took a dark turn, and the camera switched over to Tsubasa loudly dry heaving.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the comic relief, however, we also learn a lot about Tsubasa\u2019s background, including her passion for machinery fostered by fixing cars with her grandfather as a child. We get similar deep dives into every character, to the point where we begin to understand the potential causes behind their various quirks. Even total prats like Ima Tsukumo, whose obsessive devotion to his \u2018Dear Sister\u2019 Kako proves deeply concerning, gets his own moment of redemption through both his backstory and the way the plot progresses.<\/p>\n<p>By the time I reached the credits, I really didn\u2019t want the game to end. I\u2019d grown to love these characters, and a couple of significant losses actually brought a tear to my eye during the final stages; something that no game before it has accomplished. Couldn\u2019t I just keep going? Just for a bit..?<\/p>\n<p>Well, here\u2019s the thing: it didn\u2019t end.<\/p>\n<p>When you reach the last couple of days in the basic hundred-day timeline, you learn that through powers gained via absorption of your enemies, protagonist Takumi can actually go back in time to day one and re-do the whole thing again. Only this time, you\u2019re free to make significant changes to the story and work your way toward one of a potential hundred different endings. <em>Whoa<\/em> \u2013 hold my beer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/nierautomata_the_end_of_yorha_edition\">Nier Automata<\/a>!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\" data-uuid=\"c8e60d5045326\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"The Hundred Line 4\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/c8e60d5045326\/the-hundred-line-4.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/c8e60d5045326\/the-hundred-line-4.900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Hundred Line 4\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Image: Nintendo Life \/ Aniplex \/ XSEED Games<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I know what you\u2019re probably thinking, and no, you don\u2019t have to play through the <em>entire<\/em> game a hundred times. Effectively, the story can branch off into several different paths, each of which has a number of potential endings, and the game even gives you the ability to jump back to specific days in order to change your decisions and alter the story\u2019s path.<\/p>\n<p>Some endings may be exceedingly short, others a bit lengthier\u2026 some good, and some <em>very<\/em> bad. One might see you become the villain of the story, while another may conclude with the adorably loyal samurai Kyoshika Magadori being devoured by your zombified friends. The variety of avenues is simply absurd, and discovering each one is a joy.<\/p>\n<p>These are just a couple of the more, shall we say, \u2018insignificant\u2019 possible endings. I won\u2019t go into those which might actually spoil the overarching plot; even if you\u2019re still with me at this point, I\u2019d like you to enjoy The Hundred Line\u2019s story on your own terms. It\u2019s safe to say, however, that the run through those initial one hundred days could definitely be considered a \u2018prologue\u2019, even though it comfortably stands as a compelling story in its own right with a beginning, middle, and end.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\"><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Images: Nintendo Life \/ Aniplex \/ XSEED Games<\/em><\/figcaption><\/aside>\n<p>So you can definitely stop there and have a grand ol\u2019 time, but if you\u2019re looking for something a bit more ambitious \u2014 something that throws the rulebook out of the window \u2014 I\u2019d encourage you to keep going and see exactly what The Hundred Line has up its sleeve. It\u2019s simply magnificent.<\/p>\n<p>There are so many reasons why I love this game. I love figuring out what to do during \u2018free time\u2019 sessions in which you can either chat to your fellow students, venture out into the world in a board-game-inspired minigame of sorts, or dive straight into a few battle simulations to potentially upgrade your abilities.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest surprise for me, however, was how much I loved the battle system itself. As I mentioned at the start, I\u2019m normally not one for tactical RPGs, but The Hundred Line\u2019s turn-based structure just works so well. I often get overwhelmed when it comes to deciding how to approach tactical gameplay: how do these characters function? Why can\u2019t I move more than two spaces? Just what the heck do I <em>do<\/em>?<\/p>\n<p>The Hundred Line made it easy, though, and it\u2019s once again thanks to the remarkably unique and diverse cast. Their artistic design makes it easy to distinguish one from another, and it only took a couple of battles until I memorised their strengths and weaknesses, along with how their attacks play out on the field of battle. It got to the point where, after a handful of quiet days full of \u2018free time\u2019, the warbling alarm to signify an incoming battle filled me with excitement.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"cols cols-2\">\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"The Hundred Line 8\" class=\"scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/36982359e44b6\/the-hundred-line-8.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/36982359e44b6\/the-hundred-line-8.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Hundred Line 8\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"The Hundred Line 9\" class=\"scanlines scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a04551ede03cb\/the-hundred-line-9.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a04551ede03cb\/the-hundred-line-9.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Hundred Line 9\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Images: Nintendo Life \/ Aniplex \/ XSEED Games<\/em><\/figcaption><\/aside>\n<p>Most of the battles felt doable and I never felt completely helpless against the hordes of invaders, but there were still a few that I managed to botch straight away and lose within just a few minutes. In those instances, the game gives you the option to redo the battle with significant boosts to your manpower, instantly giving you 300% &#8216;voltage&#8217; (which essentially gives you three uses of your extra-powerful special attacks) and refilling your squad&#8217;s health. Is it cheating? Sure, I <em>guess<\/em>&#8230; But it also makes the game significantly more approachable for tactical newcomers like myself.<\/p>\n<p>I adore the Danganronpa series. I think they\u2019re wonderful games that remain just as compelling now as they were back when they first launched, and if it weren\u2019t for Danganronpa, I don\u2019t think The Hundred Line would even exist. I have to be honest with myself, though\u2026 The Hundred Line is better. It\u2019s a masterpiece.<\/p>\n<p>Co-director Kazutaka Kodaka has <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kazkodaka\/status\/1921370017678946504\">recently confirmed<\/a> that the game is &#8220;selling well&#8221;, but I still feel like not enough people are talking about it. I suspect, however, that as the years go by and more people play it through word of mouth, it\u2019ll go down as one of the greatest visual novels of all time. There\u2019s simply nothing else quite like it.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em>Have you played through The Hundred Line &#8211; Last Defense Academy yet? What do you make of it? Do you have a favourite character \/ ending? Let us know with a comment in the usual place.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- cache: html:nintendolife.com\/ssl\/nintendo-switch\/related-articles:180180,182116 @ 1766996851 --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"block object-related\"> <\/aside>\n<aside class=\"object object-youtube\">\n<figure class=\"youtube\" data-videoid=\"k-L6L8mLP2c\" data-start=\"0\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k-L6L8mLP2c?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1\">\n<p>[embedded content]<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image: Nintendo Life \/ Aniplex \/ XSEED Games Over the holiday season, we&#8217;re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors from 2025. This article was originally published in May. Enjoy! Warning: This article delves into spoiler territory for The Hundred Line &#8211; Last Defense Academy. If you&#8217;ve yet to play [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135449\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}