Princess Crown Is an Old RPG That Just Doesn't Care

When I decided to play a fan translation of an old 1997 Sega Saturn RPG called Princess Crown, I was expecting something cute and simple along the lines of Disney Princess Enchanted Journey or maybe even Rhapsody. What I was not expecting was an unforgiving full-length fighter RPG with story elements like demon possession taking place in a Barbie movie-like world of fairies, mermaids, and unicorns. This game simply does not care about pinning down a target audience, and I both love and hate it for that at the same time. Developed by Atlus, the game never received an official Western release, and, having played it, I can completely understand why. It suffers from a massive identity crisis that even some of the darker princess games I've played are more straightforward about. Truly, this game would have no market in the West. The fact that it exists at all is amazing.

It all begins so innocently. A little girl asks her grandmother to read her a story, and she pulls out what appears to be a sweet fairy tale book. We learn early on that Gradiel, a 13-year-old princess who is crowned queen at the beginning of the story, is a warrior princess who is unmatched with a sword, which was a common trope in the '90s. This makes it seem like a feminist fairy tale for little girls, which still seems fairly innocent at first. Gradiel's two sisters, Eriel and Sidrael, are more traditionally feminine, resembling the dynamic from the Princess Fantaghiro series. Then Eriel gets possessed by a demon living inside a book in a hidden room in the castle, and we begin to wonder if the grandmother at the beginning of the game should have selected a different book to read to her granddaughter.

Another reason this game suffers from an identity crisis is the battle system, which struggles with many of the flaws of early '90s RPGs, creating endless frustration for players who don't want their entire lives to be consumed by a game. Instead of a turn-based combat system, Princess Crown uses a relentless battle style that resembles games like Street Fighter, in which the player must constantly dodge attacks while trying to maintain combos without running out of stamina, which would leave them prone to more attacks. The limited number of items they are allowed to carry makes healing a struggle because it is so easy to run out before reaching the next town. The aesthetic of this game is extremely appealing to little girls who aren't interested in fighting games, yet I can imagine most of them rage-quitting early on, giving the game an extremely niche target audience of hardcore fighting gamers who also like princesses, fairies, and mermaids.

Despite the frustrating gameplay and surprising story elements, its world and characters are lovely and unique. Gradiel is the perfect balance of femininity and strength with her purple hair, chain mail dress, and iconic golden crown. She is assisted by Aria, a magical, glowing fairy that radiates beams of colored light, knocks down enemies when Gradiel is in a rough spot, and drops helpful items during battle. Although there is no love story (she's only 13; get your head out of the gutter), most of the supporting characters are beefed-up warrior men, aside from a cute little pink witch girl who provides a minor annoyance at the beginning of the game. What's that? You thought a fairy tale book would provide fun, relatable sidekicks or a romantic subplot? Well, this game doesn't care. It throws everything into a blender, and you get whatever comes out.

I was also surprised by the scope of the game. It looks like such an innocent kid-friendly version of bigger RPGs, but this world is fully fleshed out. There is an expansive map with numerous towns, sidequests, and hidden dungeons. Every time I thought I was getting close to the end, the game would surprise me with a new plot point, one of which surprisingly resembles "Beauty and the Beast," but it doesn't get as much attention as I would have preferred. Even after Gradiel's story ends, the game continues with additional stories told from the perspectives of three other characters that must be completed in order to unlock the "true ending." To be honest, I got fed up with having to replay the same story three more times, but that's okay because I'm sure the game doesn't care.

Princess Crown is a true oddity, a game that defies categorization and pushes boundaries in ways both fascinating and frustrating. Its unique blend of fighting gameplay and fairy tale aesthetics makes it a niche title that would have likely struggled to find an audience in the West, which is perhaps why it remained unreleased outside of Japan. Despite its flaws, the game's world and characters are undeniably charming, and its influence can be seen in later Atlus titles like Odin Sphere. For fans of fighting RPGs or those curious about the Sega Saturn's hidden gems, Princess Crown is a must-play experience – but be prepared for a challenge, and don't say I didn't warn you.