Natural Doctrine wants to be two games at once, and it mostly manages to be neither. Kadokawa Games released the tactical RPG for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in 2014, and the game splits its attention between a strategic layer and a turn-based combat system. Neither gets the full focus it needs, and both suffer for it.
The premise is simple enough. Players lead teams of explorers into mines and ruins near the fortress city of Feste, searching for a material called Pluton. Along the way, a new kind of evil appears, and the party must warn the kingdom before it’s too late. That setup sounds like a classic dungeon-crawling adventure. It rarely plays like one.
Trailer, via PlayStation.
Feste and the Mines
The setting is a fantasy world where humans fight magic and sword-wielding races. Humans built Feste as a stronghold against goblins, orcs and other species that set up bases outside the walls. Geoff, the main protagonist, is a guard soldier tasked with clearing goblin dens to open up resources for humankind.
The game shows its story from Geoff’s point of view, accompanied by two women named Vasily and Anka. This is the human side of the conflict. Outside Feste, the enemy species establish camps and plan attacks. The field is wide and arranged within grid limits, giving players plenty of room to move their units around.
Combat takes place on a large battlefield with simultaneous action from many allied and enemy units. Time can be controlled dynamically, and units can be moved through a single space. Encampments form during fights, letting units return to camp at the end of a turn as long as the encampment survives. Units can also hide behind objects for cover.
The Turn-Based Battles
The core combat system is a turn-based affair. Large numbers of allies and enemies appear on the battlefield at once, and the dynamic time control lets players slow down or speed up the action. Units can retreat to encampments at the end of a turn, and hiding behind objects adds a layer of positioning.
This is where the game starts to strain. The sheer number of units on screen can make it hard to keep track of who’s doing what. The game asks players to manage formations, positions and enemy movements all at once, and the interface doesn’t always help.
Multiplayer and Online Modes
Natural Doctrine includes multiplayer modes with versus and co-operative play. Cross-play and cross-save compatibility let players switch between PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita versions without losing progress. The online mode adds a card battle game, where players build their own decks and compete against each other.
The multiplayer options are a mixed bag. Playing as non-human species adds some variety, but the core mechanics don’t change much between modes. The card battle game feels like a separate mini-game tacked onto the larger package, rather than a fully integrated part of the experience.
The Strategic Layer
The game is described as a tactical role-playing game based on the concept of natural selection. That idea is present in the design, but it’s not always clear how it shapes the actual gameplay. The game’s description suggests a focus on large numbers of units and dynamic battlefield arrangements, but the execution doesn’t always live up to that promise.
The field is wide and arranged within grid limits, which gives players room to maneuver. Units can hide behind objects, and encampments offer a safe place to retreat. These systems work well in isolation, but they’re rarely combined in a way that feels cohesive.
Vasily and Anka
Geoff’s companions, Vasily and Anka, are part of the story’s human cast. They accompany him through the mines and ruins, and their presence helps ground the narrative. But the game spends little time developing them beyond their roles in the party.
The supporting cast of species outside Feste — minotaurs, goblins and orcs — sets up bases and plans attacks. Their actions drive the plot forward, but they’re mostly treated as obstacles rather than characters with depth.
Where It Falls Short
Natural Doctrine is a game with ambition. It wants to be a deep tactical RPG with a strategic layer, a turn-based combat system and a multiplayer mode. It also wants to be a story about humans defending their home against monsters. That’s a lot to ask of one package.
The result is a game that feels unfinished in several ways. The combat system is solid but overwhelming, and the strategic layer never quite comes together. The multiplayer and online modes add some replay value, but they feel like afterthoughts rather than central features.
The game’s strengths are its setting and its premise. A fortress city surrounded by mines and ruins, with a new evil lurking beneath the surface, is a compelling idea. The execution just doesn’t match the promise.
The Numbers
| Platform | Year | Developer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 3 | 2014 | Kadokawa Games | Kadokawa Games, NIS America |
| PlayStation 4 | 2014 | Kadokawa Games | Kadokawa Games, NIS America |
| PlayStation Vita | 2014 | Kadokawa Games | Kadokawa Games, NIS America |
What Works
- Wide battlefield with grid limits
- Dynamic time control in combat
- Hiding behind objects for cover
- Encampments that let units return safely
- Companion characters Vasily and Anka
- Fortress city Feste as a home base
What Doesn’t Work
- Overwhelming number of units on screen
- Unfocused multiplayer modes
- Card battle game feels tacked on
- Little character development beyond roles
- Setting’s potential never fully realized
The Verdict
Natural Doctrine is a game that tries to do too much at once. Its tactical RPG elements are promising, but the sheer scale of the battlefield and the number of units make it hard to follow. The story has a strong setting and a decent premise, but the pacing drags in places.
The game’s critical reception has settled at 5.7 out of 10, and that seems about right. It’s a game with ideas that never fully come together, and the final product feels like a prototype that never got the polish it needed.
Players looking for a deep tactical RPG will find some of what they want here. Players expecting a focused adventure will likely find themselves frustrated by the game’s scattered ambitions. Natural Doctrine is a game worth trying for its premise, but it’s not a game that rewards patience for very long.
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