Chronicle of the Radia War is a little known ARPG for the NES. It feels a bit like a Mana game, with its action based combat. In this game however, you’ve got up to 4 partners fighting along side you. Radia War is a pretty ambitious game with loads of original ideas. For example there are random encounters, but the battles themselves play out like an action game. There isn’t a separate battle screen either, they just play out on the exploration screen… in a NES game…four years before Chrono Trigger(!). Playing Radia War you are regularly surprised by design ideas and story beats that are ahead of its time.

The translation feels genuine for a 90s NES game. Never do you get the feeling that you are playing a fan translation, which is a great compliment to the translators. If you are interested in the history of JRPGs, then Chronicle of the Radia War is surely worth playing!