Little Noah: Scion of Paradise

Little Noah: Scion of Paradise[a] is a 2022 action role-playing game with roguelike elements developed by Cygames and Grounding for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows. Versions for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S released in 2023.

Little Noah: Scion of Paradise
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Cygames
Director(s)
  • Hiroki Matsuura
  • Kengo Shibata
Producer(s)
Artist(s)
Writer(s)Ryuji Sato
Composer(s)Hitoshi Sakimoto
Platform(s)
ReleaseSwitch, PS4, Windows
June 28, 2022
Xbox One, Series X/S
November 1, 2023
Genre(s)Action role-playing, platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Development

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Scion of Paradise repurposes assets from Cygames' mobile game Battle Champs, known in Japan as Little Noah[b], which was released in 2015, and shut down in 2019.[1] This includes character designs by Akihiko Yoshida and the soundtrack composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto.[2]

The console game was inspired by Dead Cells and Valkyrie Profile. It was primarily developed by Grounding Inc., as most of the internal staff at Cygames was busy with titles such as Granblue Fantasy: Relink. Grounding was chosen due to Yukio Futatsugi's experience in developing action games, and the teams quickly found common ground in regards to game feel and mechanics. It was worked on by around 30 developers in collaboration with 3 key people from Cygames, with other staff also assisting from time to time.[3]

Release

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Little Noah: Scion of Paradise was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows via Steam on June 28, 2022.[4] Versions for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows via Microsoft Store were released on November 2, 2023.[5] The game was not put in early access, and has competitive price point. This decision was made to reach more players, as it was Cygames' first simultaneous worldwide launch.[3] Paid DLC costumes based on Uma Musume Pretty Derby and Princess Connect! Re:Dive were added after launch, and it received multiple major updates with additional modes and characters.[6]

Reception

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Little Noah: Scion of Paradise for Nintendo Switch received "generally favorable" reviews and a score of 87/100, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[7]

The simple game loop was considered of the game's strongest points. Touch Arcade found the game to be more approachable than many of its roguelike peers, and praised its "charming character designs and solid gameplay mechanics".[8] Siliconera liked how clear the game conveys information to the player, and how its random elements keep the gameplay fresh.[2] Nintendo World Report appreciated that Little Noah can be finished in around 10 hours without overstaying its welcome or overwhelming the player with different currencies, but wished for a more interesting story and some extra modes.[9] Lastly, NintendoLife concluded that the game is one they can easily recommend, with "excellent combat" and "satisfying progression", but felt that it’s not ambitious enough to feel truly special.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: リトル ノア 楽園の後継者, Hepburn: ritoru noa rakuen no koukeisha
  2. ^ リトル ノア, ritoru noa

References

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  1. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (16 November 2018). "Cygames' Battle Champs Smartphone Game Ends Service in January". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b Lada, Jenni (5 July 2022). "Review: Little Noah has a Winning Formula". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b Kawase, Ayuo (July 2022). "Little Noah: Scion of Paradise developer interview. Cygames' earnest foray into roguelites". Automation Media. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  4. ^ Romano, Sal (28 June 2022). "Cygames releases roguelite action game Little Noah: Scion of Paradise for PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  5. ^ Romano, Sal (November 1, 2023). "Little Noah: Scion of Paradise now available for Xbox Series, Xbox One". Gematsu. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  6. ^ Romano, Sal (February 22, 2023). "Little Noah: Scion of Paradise fourth major update now available". Gematsu. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Little Noah: Scion of Paradise for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  8. ^ Musgrave, Shaun (July 13, 2022). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring 'Little Noah' and 'Birushana', Plus the Latest Releases, News, and Sales". TouchArcade. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  9. ^ Burgess, Mike (October 20, 2022). "Little Noah: Scion of Paradise Review - Review - Nintendo World Report". NintendoWorldReport. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Vogel, Mitch (July 8, 2022). "LLittle Noah: Scion of Paradise Review (Switch eShop)". NintendoLife. Retrieved November 2, 2023.