There are some games that anyone can pick up and enjoy. Such titles offer intuitive gameplay, a graceful learning curve, and the ability to progress steadily through the game. Within the strategy genre, however, games rarely fit this description. Like war, these games can be quite harsh. It can take some serious commitment to reap the rewards of the battlefield, and this is definitely the case in Hoshigami, the first effort of developer MaxFive. Hoshigami is inspired by games like Tactics Ogre and the more recent Final Fantasy Tactics, and it features some new game systems and high level of challenge that can be a bit difficult to acclimate to but definitely give the game merit.

The setting for this tale of war and strife is the continent of Mardias. The Valaiman Empire is seeking the powers of the ancient Ixian civilization, and they have already invaded the country of Geraud to further their interests. As the forces of Valaim begin to make excursions into another country, Nightweld, the game's young hero is thrust onto the stage of history. As he struggles to protect the people he cares about, his actions will determine the fate of the continent.

Although there's nothing particularly striking about the story, the execution is quite capable. Your group of mercenaries is always provided with a clear direction, and Atlus' translation is consistent. Players who prefer a nonlinear story will be happy to find the story branching off into multiple paths at several points in the game. Further variations will occur depending on whether or not you keep the main characters alive, which can prove to be quite challenging.

In order to advance the story, the player must manipulate a group of seven mercenaries on a 3D map in a tactical manner and fulfill the conditions for victory. You'll need to take into account positioning, terrain, hit percentages, and the interplay between elemental forces. This is often par for the course in this type of game, but Hoshigami brings in several new concepts that substantially affect the gameplay. Taking the place of a traditional class system, each character is affiliated with an element that determines what weapons a soldier is proficient in and what abilities he or she can learn. Besides this, there are much more substantial changes in gameplay: the RAP, attack session, and coinfeigm systems.

A queue indicator is displayed at the top of the screen, and it represents the flow of battle. This is the single most important part of the screen. Turns are ordered left to right. The more RAP (ready for action points) characters expend in their turn, the farther right they will move on the indicator. Any action a character performs will cost a certain amount of RAP, be it moving, attacking, or casting a spell. When a character's turn comes around, he or she starts with an empty RAP gauge. Any combination of actions can be performed, allowing multiple attacks or a quick hit and run, but the more points you spend, the longer you'll wait for the next turn.

To be an effective strategist, it is absolutely vital that you have a firm grasp of the RAP system. Without this understanding, death will come swiftly, frequently, and unexpectedly. The learning curve is quite high and the enemy is unforgiving, but overcoming the steep learning curve for this very versatile system will provide you with an amazing degree of control and allow you to initiate Hoshigami's trademark attack session.

Two lesser mechanics tie in with the RAP system in order to execute an attack session. Anytime a character attacks, another gauge appears that indicates attack strength. By stopping the gauge in the critical or shoot area, your character will either inflict more damage or push the enemy back. By "shooting" an enemy into a comrade who has selected standby to end his or her turn, the enemy will be pushed again in the direction that character was facing. With the proper planning and timing, a damaging multiple-hit combo can be performed. Additionally, performing these multiple-hit combos will occasionally allow you to take a piece of equipment or learn a skill from your enemy once it's defeated.