All Unicorn Overlord difficulty settings: Which should you choose?

If you are considering jumping into Atlus and Vanillware’s recent JRPG Unicorn Overlord, you might wonder how difficult the game is. 

Thankfully, there are several options for difficulty settings in Unicorn Overlord, so let’s take a closer look at them.

Unicorn Overlord difficulty settings

There are four initial difficulty-setting options in Unicorn Overlord: Story, Normal, Tactical, and Expert. There is also an unlockable fifth difficulty setting called True True Zenoiran. Let’s take a look at the in-game descriptions for each of these settings:

• Story: A difficulty focused on the enjoyment of the story. 
• Normal: A standard difficulty focused on fair, tactical battles, 
• Tactical: A difficulty focused around tactical gameplay. 
• Expert: A difficulty focused on pushing your tactical mind to its limits. 
• True Zenoiran: A difficulty for players who wish to know the despair of unceasing torture. Members of defeated units cannot be deployed, and difficulty cannot be changed once selected. 

Changes across the difficult settings in Unicorn Overlord

There are several differences between the difficulty settings in terms of changes to the gameplay and mechanics in Unicorn Overlord. Stamina is a key feature that will change depending on the difficulty level you choose. When playing in Story mode, your units will have a higher level of stamina available. There are also changes made to the amount of Valor Gain you can earn and the damage that enemies do. Enemies will be more formidable in harder settings. But you will also earn more Valor Gain when you take down tougher enemies in higher difficulty levels. 

The Expert and True Zenovian difficulty levels also have limits for item use. You can only use items 10 times in each stage, so you have to be more mindful of how you use those items. 

Can you change the difficult setting in Unicorn Overlord?

You can change your chosen difficulty level in Unicorn Overlord, but only in Story, Normal, Tactician, and Expert modes. You cannot change the difficulty level once you start playing in True Zenoiran. 

To do so, head into the options menu and go to the Systems tab. You will see the difficulty levels at the top of the tab, and you can freely switch between them. 

Which Unicorn Overlord difficulty setting should you choose?

The in-game descriptions are pretty self-explanatory in terms of what you get out of them. Story mode is better suited for players looking to play through the narrative without having to worry about challenging battles. Normal is a good all-rounder level for those who want a bit of a challenge without sacrificing the story. Tactical is for players who enjoy implementing strategy with their tactical RPGs, while Expert is for those looking for an intense strategic challenge. True Zenoiran is the toughest challenge possible.