Loren: The Amazon Princess is a genre hybrid, containing both RPG and visual novel elements. It shares similarities with and draws inspiration from Japanese games of the same style. The two genres are separated clearly: the story and map movement progresses in the visual novel format, while the battles and character management follow a somewhat standard RPG formula.
The Amazon Citadel is in turmoil. Scouts have brought dire news from the outside: the Amazon queen has disappeared and her fate is unknown. According to local laws, princess Loren should become the new queen, however she is not convinced that her mother died and sets out to find her. Joining her is either Saren, a human slave, or Elenor, an elven refugee, depending on your choice. You’ll experience the storyline from the perspective of your selected character. However, soon you’ll understand that there is a much greater danger looming over the world than the disappearance of a single Amazon queen. During the adventure, you and Loren will be able to recruit several other party members.
You can move between different locations using the global map, which may trigger random battles. You can also rest and recover when you’re on the global map. The camp mode allows you to talk and develop romances with the characters you’ve recruited. Choosing the right dialogue lines will improve your standing with them, which in turn will unlock special scenes. While not a focus, some scenes display mild nudity. It can be turned off completely in the Options menu.
The battles are turn-based and involve a maximum of six party members of your choice against a maximum of six enemies. At the beginning of the battle, you can select which characters will take part in the fight. Everyone receives a separate initiative. When their turn comes, they can either perform an attack, drink a potion, take a defensive stance or use a skill they have previously learned. There is a wide variety of attacks: melee, ranged, magical and skill-based. In some cases using skills may deplete the character’s stamina points, while casting spells consumes spell points, and you’ll have to wait until you can perform them again.
Your party will receive XP every time they complete a quest or win a battle. When the characters level up, they can augment their three attributes (Strength, Skill, Will) and sometimes learn a new skill. Generally, Loren: The Amazon Princess features three classes (Warrior, Thief, Mage), but Saren and Elenor can choose only from Warrior and Thief. The Warriors’ main attribute is strength, the Thieves prefer Skill for their ranged attacks, while Mages base their spell casting on Will. Nothing stops you though from combining attributes and develop multilateral characters.
